No Speedo? No problem

Shortly after purchasing my Sabre, I became aware of a glaring issue; The speedometer did not work. I took it back to the shop where it was purchased and the mechanic tried to fix it, but only succeeded in fixing it for a mile or so.
I have a replacement sensor and cable waiting to be installed, but cannot afford to pay someone to do the work, nor do I have the right tools to remove the headlight assembly so I can get at the plug.

I needed another option since I will be traveling on the bike this summer. I have a GPS, but buying a mount for it would cost nearly $40.00. I do not have that kind of money at the moment, so I needed another solution. Then it hit me: Velcro!


A modified rectangle of Velcro on the back of the GPS and a contoured piece on the bike itself, and voila! Instant speedo!

I tried it out on the highway, and it stayed put perfectly. I had to yank on it a bit to get it unstuck!

I also gave my scooter the same treatment, though without quite the same results.


I had previously used the suction cup post stuck to the plastic lens above the speedo as a mount but found that not only did this obscure too much of the built-in display, it was not secure and the GPS was prone to pop out.

With the velcro just above the speedometer, I am able to see enough of the readout to compare it with the GPS speed meter, and I can see my clock and gas gauge. Additionally, it also sticks very well.

Now I just need to get a power port on both my scooter and Sabre so I can use the GPS for extended riding.

Spring has sprung!

While I have not yet seen a robin, I went out to my back yard to survey the damage and see about pulling some weeds before they got a good foothold. To my delight, as I went up the hill behind my house, I found some tulip leaves peeking up out of the flower bed.


I righted a bird feeder that had fallen over in a recent windstorm, and set back toward the house, when to my further joy appeared the flower that is synonymous with early spring; Crocuses!!


Only a few sticking up through the leaves and stubble from last year, but enough to get me excited for a little gardening.

Close calls

Riding season is here in force, though delayed for a couple days due to rain, for casual riders at least. The temperatures have been in the 50's and 60's, making the riding much more fun.


Unfortunately, the idiot cagers are still out there. I've had more close calls in the last week than I had all winter. Early last week, for instance, I was riding the scoot home from work, traveling along 722 where it meets airport road just outside Neffsville, and watched as a light colored minivan blasted right through the stop sign, without slowing, and turned left in front of me (coming in from the right, on a corner).


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I was headed west, and the minivan came in from the north, right in front of me. I countersteered and laid on the horn all at once, but the only response I recieved was a blank stare. I can't believe how idiotic some people are.

I even had a close call in a 1997 Dodge 15 passenger van. It is one of the largest passenger vehicles on the road (short of a bus), and yet, an idiot pulled out in front of me, coming off 222 south onto 272 south. I had to brake hard to avoid him. Thankfully I had no residents in the vehicle with me.

So, to all my readers, happy riding, and stay safe. Remember, the guy in that SUV on the side road...He's out for blood.

Ephrata First Sunday Ride-In: March 2010

The riding season has started, and with it, the First Sunday Ride-Ins in Ephrata. I was there at about 9:00 am, and there were perhaps fifty other bikes there already. I took the Sabre since it was finally promising to be warm enough to ride it comfortably.

When I left my house, it was 32 degrees, and my right thumb was numb by the time I arrived in Ephrata. The promise of a warm day had not yet been realized, but the sun was shining and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The Sabre Growled to life and rumbled off down the road without any complaint, itching to stretch her legs after a winter of innactivity.

I only saw three scooters this morning, one of which was the Vespa 300 Super belonging to Gerry from ScootLancaster. One rider had a Piaggio BV-250 that he had repainted a brilliant shade of blue. It was quite eye catching, though I'm not sure I would have used the same shade of blue myself.

The Sabre seemed to draw a lot of attention. I was somewhat surprized, but I had several people admiring her lines and asking questions about her. I knew, yet again, that I had chosen well when purchasing Natasha last September.

I hung out a bit with the CMA folks, and looked around a bit, and finally left for church around 10:15. It was refreshing to spend time with other motorcycles, and it felt good to see my bike getting lots of positive attention.

Here's the photos I took this morning:

Scooter Racing?

This was too good to pass up. I looked at my reading list this evening and saw that Gerry from Scootlancaster (See sidebar), had posted an item about the Mid-Atlantic Scooter Racing Commission. I think I'm going to have to check it out.

Looks like a lot of fun.