A Day in the Life...

[DK Custom Products]

The Grand Teton National Park is amazing!

Kevin

 

[RedOregon]

hahaha, no hijack, this thread is about whatever anyone wants to share about "A day in the life"

Let's hear the story.

Kevin

Used to be hardcore as hell, I rode that Sporty through everything. Don't recall the exact numbers, but I used to suit up in Corcoran jump boots, something like seven layers of insulation in those things, thermal underwear, uniform, leather jacket under my BDU jacket, neoprene face mask, and Thinsulate gloves under J.C. Whitney battery powered mittens. With wind chill, it was 30 below riding from my off-base place to work in Korea. Used to have to knock the snotcicles off my nose when I got to work and peeled off the facemask.

Best one ever, though, was when it snowed, then melted down to slush, then froze and snowed again overnight. I was sitting the head position on a mission, so I *had* to be there. Early mission, so the buses weren't running yet, and most of the Korean taxi drivers as far out as I was said screw the snow. So I rode the Sporty in through about four inches of snow over a half inch of ice. Came to a bridge just before the base, had to turn left and slight uphill. Very slow turn, bike went down (thank God for highway pegs!). Got off, picked her up with the help of a couple Koreans that *were* driving their taxis that close to base, and inspected for damage. Clutch lever snapped in half, but I could still two-finger it. Then a helpful Korean tapped me on the shoulder and handed me my left rear turn signal... that he picked up outta the snow about ten feet back :laugh:

Geez, thanks, buddy! Rode to base; roads were closed down because of the snow, but the gate guard just looked at me with his mouth hanging open and waved me through. Guess he figured if I knew what I was doing (and was crazy enough to ride that far), he wasn't gonna be the one to stop me!

Made it most of the way to work before the back tire started squirreling back and forth going up the hill to the bunker. Parked it and walked the rest of the way.

Guy at the entry control point looked at my badge, looked at my helmet... "You didn't."

"Yeah, I did."

"How far did you make it?"

"Officer's club."

"What the hell... are you that hardcore, or just insane?"

"Same thing, pretty much... now let me in, it's friggin cold out here!" hehe... buzzed me through the mantrap, and I immediately found the biggest monitor on the watch floor, and rested my hands on top of it until I could feel my fingers again! Yeah, flat screen monitors are nice and everything, but you just couldn't beat a huge CRT for putting out just the right heat for biker fingers!

 

[DK Custom Products]

Used to be hardcore as hell, I rode that Sporty through everything. Don't recall the exact numbers, but I used to suit up in Corcoran jump boots, something like seven layers of insulation in those things, thermal underwear, uniform, leather jacket under my BDU jacket, neoprene face mask, and Thinsulate gloves under J.C. Whitney battery powered mittens. With wind chill, it was 30 below riding from my off-base place to work in Korea. Used to have to knock the snotcicles off my nose when I got to work and peeled off the facemask.

Best one ever, though, was when it snowed, then melted down to slush, then froze and snowed again overnight. I was sitting the head position on a mission, so I *had* to be there. Early mission, so the buses weren't running yet, and most of the Korean taxi drivers as far out as I was said screw the snow. So I rode the Sporty in through about four inches of snow over a half inch of ice. Came to a bridge just before the base, had to turn left and slight uphill. Very slow turn, bike went down (thank God for highway pegs!). Got off, picked her up with the help of a couple Koreans that *were* driving their taxis that close to base, and inspected for damage. Clutch lever snapped in half, but I could still two-finger it. Then a helpful Korean tapped me on the shoulder and handed me my left rear turn signal... that he picked up outta the snow about ten feet back :laugh:

Geez, thanks, buddy! Rode to base; roads were closed down because of the snow, but the gate guard just looked at me with his mouth hanging open and waved me through. Guess he figured if I knew what I was doing (and was crazy enough to ride that far), he wasn't gonna be the one to stop me!

Made it most of the way to work before the back tire started squirreling back and forth going up the hill to the bunker. Parked it and walked the rest of the way.

Guy at the entry control point looked at my badge, looked at my helmet... "You didn't."

"Yeah, I did."

"How far did you make it?"

"Officer's club."

"What the hell... are you that hardcore, or just insane?"

"Same thing, pretty much... now let me in, it's friggin cold out here!" hehe... buzzed me through the mantrap, and I immediately found the biggest monitor on the watch floor, and rested my hands on top of it until I could feel my fingers again! Yeah, flat screen monitors are nice and everything, but you just couldn't beat a huge CRT for putting out just the right heat for biker fingers!

Wow!

Yep, sounds insanely hardcore to me. :laugh::xzqxz::laugh:

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Riding a bit of the Ozarks last month-

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Couple of days ago on the ride home got these pics-

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

This was not just one day...it took quite a few days to get all this done.

This video gives a little idea of what a day looks like when testing.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Somehow this whole year has gone by without us going to Bike Night a single time...

Either we've been out of town

Or it's been pouring rain

Or it's been 100+ degrees...

Yesterday was perfect. Sunny, 85 degrees, and we went to Beale Street...

...had a good meal, watched hundreds of bikes ride by, and thousands of people walk by.

Watched the sun set...

...walked around and looked at some bikes.

Then had a nice 50 mile ride home!

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Just uploaded the 3,000 mile Review on the 2019 114 M8 Tri Glide-

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Earlier this last summer Mary and I spent a day up at Pro-Action shocks in PA.

We did a bit of recording and should have 6-8 videos of our time there.

Here are the first two-

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

All last week I rode to and from work in the 40's and low 50's. Yep, it turned cold!

But Sunday it was 78* and I went for a very enjoyable 80 mile putt.

It was sunny and felt pleasantly warm after last week.

Then yesterday morning we had a Tornado Watch, so I got Mary to give me a ride in the truck to work and back.

Today, it was back in the 40's when I rode in. :xzqxz: Sunday may have been the last warm day of this year!

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Halloween Adventures-

Went down to Alabama...

Last Thursday evening view thru the windshield-

Friday it proceeded to rain all day and night. Edge of the pond that was 100 yards away...

...started getting closer and closer. This is where I was standing...

...when I took this photo of the water creeping up on the Softail.

Friends Electra was doing better than his tent, which was 8 inches under water in the back.

It did not stop the party though!

The next morning, after the culvert was unplugged, pond receded back to normal. Softail started right up!

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

A new thing I've been doing for a while now...pretty much every week making a video.

A couple of weeks ago Natalie and I made the video below-

Today I'm choosing questions for the next DK Q&A that we're going to be recording this next week.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

About 8.5 years ago I put a Lithium Battery in my Sporty.

This has been a long experiment to see how it would hold up.

I rarely put it on a tender...maybe 10 times in the last 8.5 years. Sometimes it is ridden everyday, other times a couple of times a week, and it can go 2-3 months without being ridden.

Most of my conventional batteries last 2-4 years.

So, getting 8.5 years out of this one has been worth it.

But, it has died, so time to pull it out!

Over time I've added a ton behind the side cover, so there is a lot to get out of the way to get to the battery. lol

ECM

Target Tune module and wires

Heated gear wires

Wiring for RBT module

These four things, plus all the regular stuff that is behind there like the main fuse, tender wires, diagnostic plug (that the PV is plugged into).

Got it out. It has served me well. Unfortunately AG brand has let their quality control slip, so I am not replacing this battery with another from them. I will be ordering another Lithium next week, but it will probably be a Shorai.

Here's the space I have to work with!

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Man, I must be getting old.

It was 39* this morning on the ride in. I had my heated jacket up all the way and I was still COLD!

Just a few years ago I was not that cold even down at 30 degrees.

Kevin

 

[1dn5up]

I feel for ya Kevin. I’ve been wearing lined jeans for the last 2 years when it’s 30* or below outside . And I’m only 71 :Shrug:

 

[rhino 2]

I feel for ya Kevin. I’ve been wearing lined jeans for the last 2 years when it’s 30* or below outside . And I’m only 71 :Shrug:

Yep. Lined jeans been using them for years....ThumbUp....

 

[TrainingWheels]

Yep. Lined jeans been using them for years....ThumbUp....

I started wearing lined jeans in Iowa in the '90's. Retired to Texas in 2015. I'll be wearing them tomorrow for the Polar Bear Run. Supposed to be high 20's when we leave, 45 when we get back:Coffee:

 

[DK Custom Products]

A couple of days ago I had to do a 300 mile run for some stress/pressure testing of a new product we're working on.

It started out cold (but thankfully not raining) as I headed southeast on the interstate.

Took a little detour on Natchez Trace-

*

Ran about 60 miles total on the Trace, stopped at a Visitor Center...

...did a little status check...

...then did a few more miles on the Trace...

...then got back on the interstate and ran into Alabama about 20 miles.

Turned around and headed back.

Ended up doing 320 miles. Everything tested out well. Temps varied from 48 up to 55 down in Alabama.

Even though it was mostly interstate, it beat sitting in the office. And running the Trace for a bit was nice.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Rode a 2020 CVO Tri Glide yesterday

Wes was kind enough to let me ride his 2020 CVO Tri Glide yesterday. Lots of bells and whistles, it even has a TPMS built into the screen.

The CVO is a very well outfitted Tri Glide, but for one major factor. These....

...low profile rear tires, even with the PSI dropped from OEM 26 psi to 23 psi. There is hardly any sidewall flex to absorb the bumps (it's not like the OEM shocks are going to do a good job of it).

On one road, yesterday, Wes thought it was going "to break the Tri Glide apart" it was so rough of a ride.

After my ride in the stock configuration, we removed the factory shock bracket and the factory shocks and replaced them with the Trike Series Shocks™ and Comfort Lift™.

Then went for another ride. Little bumps are gone, and bigger ones are rounded out...no more hard jolts. Not quite as smooth as a non CVO with larger sidewalls, but still a huge improvement and a very nice ride.

Wes is a happy rider now.

Another shot of the CVO.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Wow, what a different world than when I posted here 11 days ago!

Kevin