Signs of Spring

[Croak]

I keep mine plated year-round just to take advantage of windows of opportunity in the winter.  That, and I don't want to learn a new plate number every year.  

[mellow_gold]

Supposed to be 10C+ all week in Central Ontario.

A welcome change form the 40cm of snow followed by -38C windchills we had last weekend.

WooF'nHoo! It's almost over!

Hell yeah!  Was 10deg and sunny today in Ottawa.  I had to put carpet and cardboard down over the ice damn in front of our garage, but I got the Sprint out for the first run of the season this afternoon

I've got a new set of Trident pipes on the way too  

[RangerG]

About half the back yard is free of snow now.  Went out and cleaned up the "treasure" that three dogs have left me all winter!    This is a true sign of spring.

PS  I did open the shed, sit on the bike and push it back and forth for a minute or two.  

[Kootenanny]

I keep mine plated year-round just to take advantage of windows of opportunity in the winter.  That, and I don't want to learn a new plate number every year.  

Hell, living in Vancouver, you can just ride year round..."winter" there is more of a "wet season," you just need good rain gear!

I never change the plate--just let the insurance expire, then renew it in the spring with the same plate (that way, you also avoid the plate fee).  The only trick to doing this is you have to guess when you buy insurance just when you're going to want it to end...some years, I've had my bike insured for a good month longer than I could ride, other years the insurance runs out when there are still a few good weeks left.  It's a bit of a crapshoot.  But, this year I'll have two bikes insured, one of them a small dual-sport which I'll insure earlier and keep on the road longer, as it's a better "shoulder season" bike.  (For example, right now it's "mud season" out here--the ground remains frozen underneath, but the top 6" or so becomes a soupy mess--I won't ride the 'Bolt in this stuff).

[KLRchickie]

Kootenanny, I don't know how you've managed to live where you do so long without a little dual sport to explore around on!  I see you & the XT having a long and happy companionship.  What will L do if you never get off of it for long enough for her to ride it?

Our bikes are plated & insured year 'round.  Since out plates renew in June (for all wheeled machines in our house) and a "change fee" of $10 would be deducted if we cancelled, the prorated refund we might get would be a pittance.  Motorcycle plates only cost $45 for the year anyway, with no options for shorter than a year when you buy/renew.  Our insurer also weights the premium such that you wouldn't get enough back to bother if you cancelled the policy for the winter.  We proved that the year that we bought ZED's WRX in October, the insurance from then until March was $9 --- full year premium on that bike is about $375.  It works out well for us - you never know when we might get a Chinook & be able to sneak out for a winter ride!

[Croak]

Hell, living in Vancouver, you can just ride year round..."winter" there is more of a "wet season," you just need good rain gear!

I never change the plate--just let the insurance expire, then renew it in the spring with the same plate (that way, you also avoid the plate fee).  The only trick to doing this is you have to guess when you buy insurance just when you're going to want it to end...some years, I've had my bike insured for a good month longer than I could ride, other years the insurance runs out when there are still a few good weeks left.  It's a bit of a crapshoot.  But, this year I'll have two bikes insured, one of them a small dual-sport which I'll insure earlier and keep on the road longer, as it's a better "shoulder season" bike.  (For example, right now it's "mud season" out here--the ground remains frozen underneath, but the top 6" or so becomes a soupy mess--I won't ride the 'Bolt in this stuff).

I just get a 12 month liability policy, pay for it, and get on with my year.  

[Kootenanny]

I just get a 12 month liability policy, pay for it, and get on with my year.  

Well, like I said, you live in Vancouver.  It would bother me to be paying for insurance on a bike I certainly won't be riding.

And here in BC, motorcycle insurance is the same no matter what month it is, so I do save a considerable amount by only having it for part of the year.  Everything is dictated by circumstance...when I lived in Vancouver, not only did I insure my bike year round, for several years it was my only transportation, year round...that wouldn't work here.  If I lived in a place where insurance was only $9 through the winter, yeah, I'd keep the bikes insured all year.  But I'm not complaining...I love living here, the cost of insurance is just one of the niggly points.

[KLRchickie]

But I'm not complaining...I love living here, the cost of insurance is just one of the niggly points.

No doubt!  There have to be a few "perks" to living on the *wrong* since of the Rockies...

It is the Alberta people who talk of "deregistering" for winter who surprise me...

[bubba zanetti]

Sorry. Good morning from Mazatlan.

[Croak]

Sorry. Good morning from Mazatlan.

[ST1300Rider]

Sorry. Good morning from Mazatlan.

Turnabout is fair play.  

[Flyer]

With <5km on a new tire, I removed this from it this morning.

This definately indicates Springtime Inna City.
 

[ST1300Rider]

Spring? It must be close. It just started dumping snow here again, and we're probably due for an update from Bubba...

[bubba zanetti]

Spring? It must be close. It just started dumping snow here again, and we're probably due for an update from Bubba...

This time with motorcycle content. Oh, it is 29C. Time for another Pacifico

[Croak]

This time with motorcycle content. Oh, it is 29C. Time for another Pacifico

[Kootenanny]

Woke up this morning to 6" of fresh snow, and it was puking hard...puked all morning until noon, when it changed to driving rain.  Roads were nasty...there were several traffic accidents this morning, including one fatality, due to conditions...

[mellow_gold]

  http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/caon0512?ref=homecity

[PatM]

Went for my first ride this year today! 14°C and almost no snow left in the fields.  

[KLRchickie]

Spring  


No signs of it here...

We've driven ~1800km in 17-1/2 hours over the last two days to get to Moab.  The fourth blizzard occurred on the road IN to Moab...

Tomorrow's forecast looks like we'll be driving the bikes to some OTHER locale near here to see if we can get some riding in.  After that thing appear to improve.

Never fear, we'll enjoy ourselves here, one way or another!

[bungie4]

We've driven ~1800km in 17-1/2 hours over the last two days to get to Moab.  The fourth blizzard occurred on the road IN to Moab...

I have some friends that went dirt biking in Death Valley this past weekend, 2 day snow storm, chains to get over the passes. Hate to be the bearer of bad news but it's bad to the south of you too!

As for me. Yesterday, I went and dug the bikes out of their winter sleep.



Today was sunny and 22C, so I got my first ride of the year in. WOO! 150km. The FJR's front brakes are being rebuilt so I took out the lil two-fitty.