Two days to go. Semi Official kick-off

Been a busy couple weeks!

Working late every night, moving, and selling my stuff can be an anxious combination! That’s been my life for the last two weeks!

I’m done with my employment for now, and I can focus on the move and finalizing my plans for travel. I should be leaving on the 22nd or 23rd of April. Big thanks to my employer for leaving the door open on my return.

I’ve sold some random items here and there, and the couch is gone next week. The situation is becoming much easier to navigate, with less stuff in the way! I have to say, a close buddy of mine helped me out with taking a step back, and not stressing so much. It’s surprising how stress can creep up on us without any signs.

Now I’m literally “Cleaning House”. If you have a dumpster at your house, please leave a comment and I’ll come throw some crap in it 😉

GoPro testing

I’ve been out and about with the GoPro since I bought it a month ago.  The quality of video is incredible. The only issue I’ve had is the vibration of the motorcycle and the wind on the camera itself. When I mount the camera to a solid piece like the sissy bar or tank it captures awesome footage. But when I use the “GoPole” extension, it moves around a lot which doesn’t get as good of footage. I’m thinking when using the pole extension, I’ll do time lapse photos, and put the pics together as a series.

My new SHURE earbuds are the ticket! I rode with them today, and they worked right to my expectations. I will keep them to the open roads as they are pretty much earplugs. I could hear the music clear as a bell even at highway speeds. It completely cut the wind noise, even without music. Very happy with this purchase.

Painted tank installed

Hey all. So the tank is ready to go. I’ve installed it without a problem. Some minor hose extensions were needed as the fuel return line enters the tank at a different point. Very happy with the paint and the tank. It’s nice to not have to stop every hour to refuel, as was the way with the 2.2 Gallon peanut tank. When I filled it up, I really noticed the weight difference. And with the new fairing installed, the bike vibrates completely different, but it’s much smoother.

A must for a Roadie

On the weekend I purchased a Harley Davidson roadside tool Kit from the dealership here in Langford. I like it’s compact folding pouch. I’m not a huge brand guy, but like I said before, being light and compact costs a little more money. Considering the time for shopping around and making sure all the tools are the right size, this seemed like the choice for me. It has all the proper sizes and specific tools for specific jobs for a best case scenario breakdown, to get you to the next station.

Further progress

After a painful experience with an auto parts retailer, I finally have the necessary parts to install my Memphis Shades Gauntlet fairing. The install was fairly simple and only took about 30minutes to complete.

I also picked up a “GoPole” for my GoPro camera, and tested out some angles of where I’ll mount the camera to my bike.

The tank will have paint on it today, and maybe another coat tomorrow. I’m very excited to have the bike complete when I install the tank.  I’ll be out on nice days with my full travelling kit, to get a feel for the ride, and see how everything fits. As well as fine tuning the camera shots for the standard GoPro mounts, and the GoPole.

A little bit about myself

I was born on March 5th in 1987 in Barrie Ontario, Canada. My father was in the Canadian Forces, and we moved quite a bit, living in different areas of Ontario and Nova Scotia. In 99′ we moved to Sooke, on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. We left Sooke in 2003 and moved closer to Victoria, landing in Colwood. It’s now mostly known as the West-Shore, consisting of Colwood, Langford, and View Royal. It’s a beautiful place, with the most moderate weather in Canada. Housing prices are quite high, but I’d say it’s worth the bang for your buck.

I played ice hockey for 12 years. Ranging from “house” league to Junior hockey. My claim to fame is my acquaintance with NHL superstar Sydney Crosby. We attended Colby Village Elementary School in Cole Harbour Nova Scotia. He’s done very well in the sport. I didn’t ever have the skill level to play with Sydney, he was amazing from day one. Carrying on, I’ve played on one out-of-season team in 2003, and we weren’t very good at all when matched up against the more experienced clubs. From 2005 to 2007 I played Jr.B here on the island. In 84 season games I’ve logged 45 points, and wore the “C” for the team’s inaugural season. We only won 5 games in the two seasons combined, so needless to say, we sucked. But what a hoot we had playing. In the things I’ve learned, and experience I’ve had, hockey is the forefront in my life as far as seeing how far you can push yourself, and most importantly, teamwork.

In my last year of high school I started my apprenticeship in Carpentry. I followed through, with the largest chunk of my experience in commercial concrete high-rise construction.  I received my “red-seal” certification in 2010. The last few years I’ve been working in camp jobs in northern BC and the Tar Sands of Alberta. Working away from home is a lifestyle change, and it can be a challenging way of life, especially for the fellas with wives and children. The money is incredible, a fair compensation for the environment I was exposed to. In northern BC we constructed a gold mine for Thompson Creek Metals. And in Northern Alberta, a warm water tank for Canadian Natural Resources. I’m very happy to have taken part in these mega projects for Canada. Not to mention the people I meet, and the friends I’ve made.

I stared riding in 2007, and my first bike was an 86′ Kawasaki Ninja 750R. A very well maintained bike, and it was FAST. I had a few scares, but for the most part kept the shiny side up. After I bought that bike, I was hooked. I sacrificed the few years working away to save up for another bike, it was inevitable to buy another.  The decision for buying a cruiser over a sport bike was the desire to ride long distances, and really bring riding to the next level. I will get back to sport later on, and hopefully hit the track, and really do it right.

It’s probably not the most exciting bio you’ve ever read.  I take pride in my accomplishments and my friends and family. And I feel it’s my responsibility to do the things that I love, and share my experiences, because all we have in the end is memories.

Found some headphones

I’ve been in search for a reasonable set of ear buds for the long stretches of road with little to no traffic, and in the desert. There’s tons of online sites for moulded fit ear buds, but that takes at least a month and I don’t really have the time. They range from $350-$1200 for a professionally fitted set of studio monitors. They’re primary design is for rock bands on stage. Working as both an earplug and a headphone.

I found some great buds that come with 8 fitted sockets for different styles of comfort. They sit flush with the ear to cut the wind noise, which is the main combatant in hearing music on the road with a high cut helmet like mine, or in some states, no helmet at all. They’re the SHURE SE315 that I picked up at Tom Lee music here in Langford.

I’m very excited to get the bike back together and do a trial ride north, trying out the ear buds, and see how everything is going to fit on the bike for the long ride.

The tank has arrived!

Finally the Indian Larry tank has arrived from the US. Very happy to have the tank.  It has only taken a week, but since the first order didn’t go as planned, it’s been a long wait. The anticipation was getting to me!

The tank looks in great shape, no dings. It’s packaged very well, and covered in oil and cellophane. A little work will need to be done, smoothing out welds and whatnot to bring the tank to painting condition. Another shout out to Steve at Sam Power Sports One. http://www.sampowersports1.com

My employer offered to do the work on my tank, and paint it. I’m very grateful to have such helpful people with this knowledge and experience.

My stepfather has also offered to help me with the soldering required for the lighting upgrades, as the after-market leads are very short. This will be a fun task for tomorrow night. Then fitment of the lights to let the show begin.

The mounting kit for the Gauntlet fairing should be in tomorrow. This weekend will be a busy one!

Some more Hardware

I had two calls today from Phoenix Cycle, here in Langford BC. The other was from Duncan at Steve Drane HD. My two (forgotten) signal lights are in and a very nifty licence plate holder custom made out of Coombs BC. I have fitted everything and it looks great. I can’t believe how well the plate holder looks considering it’s on the back of the fender, and doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb.

The bike is still apart as I have to solder the signal wires and install the lights. The rear lights usually bolt to the frame, but it can’t be done now with the saddlebags on. I ordered a relocation kit for the rear signals and had it powder coated, it looks great and matches the licence plate holder very well.

Last but not least is a very trick tail light. It’s a “lay down” style lamp with white LED lights on the top that shine up on to the licence plate. It is very bright and even though red, holds the flat black look very well.

So with nearly all parts in hand and just about ready to install, I said my farewells to Duncan at Steve Drane HD “Not to mean it in a bad way, but I hope I don’t see you until I get back”
“Don’t worry Alex, I’ll get over it”

Stay tuned for the lighting upgrade, and finally, the gas tank paint and install. The tank should be here tomorrow.