More Craigslist Rant!

OK, I've been looking at a 1971 Honda SL-70 on the local craigslist. This is a photo from the ad.

I had a 1971 SL-70 when I was 14. It was my first motorcycle. It looked just like this red one. This is not my old bike in the picture, but some one's nicely restored one.

I've emailed the owner twice about the motorcycle. The owner has not replied and the ad is still on craigslist. If you place an ad with something for sale, it would be nice if you'd respond to inquires.
I'd like to have the SL-70 as a winter project. I'd love to restore it to look like the beautiful red one above.

**** Update 12-8-10 **** I have sent 4 emails from 3 different accounts. No reply. How rude is that. If it's sold take the ad down, send back a simple 3 word reply to inquires like, "sorry, it's sold". How freakin hard would that be. Some people!!!

****As of 12-14-10****  The ad is gone, posting expired. The owner never did reply, and he left the ad up until time ran out. How rude!!! Oh well, on to other things.

Craigslist Rant!!

I've got to bitch! I look at the Mpls, MN Craigslist for motorcycles, every day. I can't believe what I see there. Who are these people that list their motorcycles for sale? Do they even know anything about the bikes they're trying to sell? 
Here's a few suggestions....

1. Use a spell-checker. Nothing says, "this bike was owned and maintained by an idiot", more than someone who can't spell. Of course, everyone makes mistakes, but you could, at the very least, try to spell the MAKE of your motorcycle correctly. It's on the gas tank, copy it down!

2. Use pictures. I want to see what condition the bike is in, so post the allowed 4 pictures. Used clear, in-focus pictures, not some crappy cell phone camera pics!

3. Describe the bike. Year, make, model, mileage, condition, are a must, but you can even go further, and list  specific things such as tires, accessories. Do your homework. If you don't know what year your bike is, it makes me wonder what else you don't know about, like changing the oil, or using a clutch.

4. Price, I don't want to see... "make an offer"....We all know what that means, you're just fishing, and you have no real intention to sell the bike. If you're not sure what the price should be, do a little research, look at similar listings on craigslist, use kbb. com, see what the dealers are selling it for. Don't think that just because you spent $4,000.00 on chrome that your price should be $4,000.00 more than someone else's identical bike!

5. Title, this is a huge gripe for me. If you're trying to sell a motorcycle that could be licensed and driven on the street, PLEASE have a title to go with the bike!  At least this guy has a clue. This was taken from today's craigslist... I didn't change the punctuation or capitalization in the ad. They must think that the first word in every line should be capitalized. This is the way it was posted...
_____________________________________________________________________
"1993 FZR600R Parts Bike - $499"
"We dont have a Title for the Bike,It isnt in our name and dont know
Who its registered to We can write up a bill of sale.14,000 miles
Have the key dont know if it runs or drives.Looks like a honda tank
Is on the bike Thanks for looking And have a great day."
____________________________________________________________________
If you own the motorcycle, and you've lost your title, you can get a duplicate title from the state. If you try and sell a working street bike without a title, it looks as if you don't own it. A "bill of sale" will only get a person so far when they try to register a motorcycle that was purchased without a title.
Also, it would be nice to know if you still owe someone for the motorcycle you're selling. If you still owe a bank or lender money, and I buy your motorcycle, and you don't pay off your loan... I may never get a title and true ownership. Try to be honest about it.

6. Lets not forget, please don't use all capital letters like this clown did... I took out his phone number and web site url. All caps makes it hard to read.
_____________________________________________________________________________
"HERE IS YOUR CHANCE TO GET THE STREET GLIDE OF YOUR DREAMS AT A SEASON BLOW OUT WITH ONLY 10,000 MILES!!! LOTS OF EXTRAS FROM CHROME FORKS, RHINEHARTS TRUE DUAL, K&N AIR INTAKE, POWER COMMANDER, DYNO TUNED, STAGE 1 KIT, CHROME CONTROL COVERS AND CHROME LEVERS, AFTERMARKET BLACK-CHROME SPOKE 21" WHEEL FRONT-18" REAR ($1,999) 2-WINDSHIELDS, HARLEY STORAGE COVER, LED ACCENT LIGHTS (BLUE) LEATHER HARD BAG COVERS, QUICK DETACH REAR BACK REST WITH LUGGAGE RACK ($350) CUSTOM HEADLIGHT BEZEL, ALL LIGHTS HAVE BEEN UPGRADED TO CLEAR SMOKED, WITH INTEGRATED TURN SIGNALS IN REAR, HIDDEN ANTENNA, CHROME WINDSHIELD STRIP, TOO MANY EXTRAS TO LIST.....THIS BIKE HAS OVER $5,000 IN EXTRAS ADDED....CALL AND ASK FOR BRAD AT 612. WE HAVE FINANCING AND EXTENDED WARRANTIES AVAILABLE."
______________________________________________________________________________

Sorry, I just had to get this out in the open!

Added, 1-31-2011... OK, Here's another example of how not to list your motorcycle on Craigslist.... cut and pasted direct from Craigslist. ______________________________________________________________________________
05 suzki 800 - $800
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 2011-01-29, 4:48PM EST
Reply to: sale-77rbe-2187197727@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
05 suzki run good and it a lt 80 and it gotlots of new parts call or tex 937 725 9345 _______________________________________________________________________________

Unbelieveable!!!!! suzki???





 

A Non-motorcycle trip to the North Woods....

I'm pretty sure the riding season is over, but I still want to add to the blog. Yesterday, 11-20-10, Nancy and I decided to take a road trip up north. She has been looking at real estate in northern WI, so we thought we'd drive up to see a few houses. 4 hours later we stopped in Cornucopia, WI to check out this place..

It's a very nice, but there is no garage or basement, and it's kind of at the higher end of my price range.
We toured the town a little, grabbed a cup of coffee. and stopped to look at Lake Superior.

After Cornucopia, we headed for Washburn, then towards Ashland, and down towards Hayward. I wanted to drive by another place that is for sale. This one is more affordable, and has a 2 car garage, with room on the lot for another garage if needed, but still no basement.

My sister, Kathy, had told me that she was planning to be at her cabin this weekend, so we thought we'd stop in and say hello. We got there around 4:30, just as she was unpacking the car. We helped her unpack and then went to Karibalis' Restaurant in Hayward. After a nice meal and a long chat, we went back to the cabin and I started a fire in the wood stove for her.

We should have been home about 2 and a half hours after we left Hayward, but things didn't work out so well. About the time we got to Roberts, WI on I-94, it was sleeting. The road was a sheet of ice. We got to sit in traffic for a while in Hudson and stare at this jack-knifed semi. It was blocking all 3 lanes of traffic, and was right at the start of the exit ramp we needed to take.

There is a car under the semi trailer, just to the right of the fireman. The EMS crew took a person out of the car and put them in an ambulance. I hope they're ok!
 It took us until 1:15 to get home. I had to drive the back roads at 15 mph.

End of the Year Mileage

I didn't record the yearly starting or ending mileages in my blogs, so the mileage is based on service records.

Mileage for the year.

Zx-14 = 10,000   with 8586 miles on the PR2's
FJR = 1,750        with 1805 miles on the Roadsmarts

Ending mileage for the 2010 season.

2009 Zx-14.....16,788
2006 FJR........25,145
2001 Sherpa.....7,077

I have to think about selling the FJR in the spring. I just don't put the milage on it like I used too. I can't justify keeping it. It's too bad, the cost of the insurance is so much less on the FJR compaired to the Zx-14.
The first time I rode the Zx on a longer ride, I thought that if it had hard bags It wold be the perfect long distance, sport-touring machine. Hard bags are available for it. They can even have a color matched insert on them. This bag is shown on a Kawasaki Versys, but it's the same bag I could mount on the Zx-14. Maybe if I get a tax refund this year......

I've also been thinking of selling the 2001 Super Sherpa. I don't drive on gravel as much as I'd like to.  But I'm not sure. It's cheap to insure and a blast to ride even on the asphalt! It doesn't take up much space and runs really good...... Maybe I should keep it.

Look at this Stuff!!!!!!

Since Thursday, the TV weather man has been talking snow, like end of the world, snow of Biblical proportions kinda of thing... Today, Saturday, 11-13-10, I woke up to this...

The city has even thought to drop a load of salt-sand down the street. It's only 33 degrees out. It will melt.

I think I hear Frank Sinatra singing, "and now, the end is near..."

Late Season Ride

Today, I took the Zx-14 out for what may turn out to be the last ride of the season. I went out on Sunday, the 7th, with John. It was nearly 70 degrees that day. I even got a 90 mile ride in on the Super Sherpa on Monday. The weather forecast for the next 7 days is for highs around 40 degrees.

My 2001 Kawasaki Super Sherpa KL-250 G-5.

I rode out to Plum City on Hwy. 10, then took county roads, U, S, and D, and smaller township roads, such as Holden, Sunny Brook, and Vosker. I put on a total of 115 miles today.

In Plum City, the Christmas decorations are already up at the trout pond.

I stopped on county road D. Now that the corn is gone, you can see a long way into the valley below.

I stopped along Holden road to look down in the deep ravine, just beyond where I took this picture....

some animals have done a nice job of cleaning up a road kill deer.

There were a lot of deer out today. At 3 different locations I had them run across the road just a ways ahead of me.

I hope I can still get a few more rides in before the snow comes. I have put Sta-bil in the gas and topped off the gas tanks. I've wired each bike with a lead for the Battery-Tender, and put a new battery in the Super Sherpa. If I had to stop riding, the bikes would be ready for winter. I would just need to change oil in them first though.

Tuesday's Ride

Today I finished up a long neglected project, the back yard. I'd been working on it for the last few days. I made a cover for the fire pit, cleaned both patios, sealed them, and repaired and stained the outdoor furniture.

I took off for a ride after lunch. I spent most of the ride exploring western Pierce and eastern Pepin counties. I stopped at the trout pond in Plum City.

I also explored a few new roads. I rode Big Coulee, Sylvester Hill, Lamphere, Hatchery and Holden roads. There was a lot of gravel in the corners on most of the roads. Lamphere and Sylvester Hill had a lot of 15 MPH, right angle, corners. Holden and Big Coulee were the better ones. I stopped on Holden road to take a few pictures of fall color. Most of the leaves are down. The most colorful thing left now is the Sumac.




I spotted a odd looking formation in the limestone along the roadway. It reminded me of the Hoodoos in Bryce Canyon National Park.

Here's a Bryce Canyon picture.

Here's the miniature version in the limestone...

I was home by 1700. Enough time left to make an apple pie tonight.

A Short Sunday Ride

Today, John and I went for a 130 mile ride through Pierce and Pepin Counties. We left Prescott on 10, then north on county QQ. East on 620 st. North on E to 690 st. then east to O. We went down O through Trimbelle, to 35. South on 35 to VV. I was going to take a few pictures, but as I found out at our first photo stop, the quarry on VV, that I left the SD card at home! The camera only has enough memory for 6 or 7 pictures. At our first stop, I also trashed my headphone/ear plugs. I knelt down to take a picture and ended up stepping on the cord. I pulled both wires completely out of the plugs! I just got the darn things back from repair this spring. I guess I'll have to send them off again.

John had an unused 16 mb card with him. I put it in my camera, but we didn't stop for anymore pictures.
We explored the back roads around the Trimbelle River, between K and 63. Neat! We ended up stopping for a pop in Plum City. From there, we took 10 out to the county line. We went south to Sunny Brook Road, down to D, D to SS. We followed SS to CC and down to Pepin. It was a slow ride back on 35 to Prescott. I remember why I like retirement, I can ride during the day, while others are at work. I have the roads to myself !

Another Run Up to The North Woods

I finished a few home repair projects over the last few days, so I rewarded myself with another run up north. I took the long way up. My route included, River Falls to New Richmond by highway 65. Then east on 64 over to highway 25. North on 25 to Barron on highway 8. East on 8 through Cameron, then north on county road M. County road M runs straight north on the east side of Rice Lake. I followed M all the way up to highway 70. I took 70 to highway 27 to Hayward. From Hayward I went east on highway 77. I turned off on Kreyer Drive. I wanted to check out a home for sale. Nice, but the neighbors would be too close. I continued east on 77 and went north on Pederson Road. That turned into county road OO. I took that all the way to Seeley. I turned around at highway 63 and headed back on OO. I took "Old OO road". That was nice untill, it turned to gravel.

The leaves are just past their prime colors. The weather was a perfect 65 degrees that far north. A great day for a ride!

On the way back home I stopped in Spooner to snap a picture of this WWII vintage, welded hull, M4 Sherman tank.

I got this picture of a small cannon in Cumberland.

And no trip to the North Woods would be complete without a picture of this.

It was a 356 mile day. That brings the miles on the Zx-14 to 16108. There are 7808 miles on the tires now. I should be putting new ones on first thing in the spring.

A Northern Fall Color Run.

Nancy has been out of town since Monday and I've been keeping busy working on projects around the house. This morning, I decided that I would have a day of rest for myself. I thought that a day trip through the north woods was just what I needed. I ate breakfast, washed the dishes, fed the cats, brought in the mail, and got ready. I left home a little after 0900. I took the Zx-14 because the FJR has a problem....

The left fork seal is leaking, so I pulled off the forks. I haven't had them fixed yet so the bike sits waiting.

I drove up to Hudson and got on 94 and got off 17 miles later at the Baldwin exit. I took 63 north and stopped for a quick fill of premium at the 63/64 intersection. I continued up 63 to Spooner. In Spooner, I went east on 70 to Stone Lake, then north on 27 To Hayward. I had a small bite to eat at KFC, then back on the road. From Hayward, I went north on 63 towards Cable. I got off 63 near Seeley and took a few back roads along side the main highway. I drove past a home for sale. Nancy and I had looked at it a few weeks before, but I wanted to see it again. It's nice but,there are a few issues with it. It's large, has 2 full flights of stairs, a 1 car garage, and interesting neighbors. The neighbors have a gaint cross and the ten commandments in their yard.. not that there's anything wrong with that... but...I'm just saying..
Anyway, here are some pictures from the ride.

I went east out of Cable on county road M, into the Chequamegon National Forrest, north on county road D, around Namekagon Lake, and I followed that up to 63 in Grand View. I took 63 back south and stopped in Drummond at the BP for a stretch and another tank of premium.

I left Drummond at about 2:00 p.m., and I went down 63 to Hayward. I made a quick pass over to check on my sisters cabin on Smith Lake. I took a few more pictures.

From Smith Lake, I went through town and visited my parents and the rest of my family at Greenwood Cemetery.

From there I headed home.

It was a great day to ride, with cool temps, light wind, and not much traffic!
I was home by 5:45 p.m. 371 miles.

I've put 15750 miles on the Zx in the last 2 seasons. It is fast becoming my favorite!