Winter upd.. NO WAY! SPRING!!!

Today spring REALLY hit Norway!

18c and the most perfect driving conditions this spring.. A bit of gravel here and there, but nothing much!

My friend, Alex, helped me get my baby out from storrage today. First push on the button, a bit of coughing and she started beautifuly. Sweetest sound I've heard in months!

My new leather jacket was lovely to ride in. As was my new helmet... And I MUST say: What an amazing helmet! Light, quiet and with superb sound in the SRC-system.

There will be a post on the helmet later, it deserves it!

Why are you reading this? Go out and ride your motorbike!!!

Winter update #3

Do you guys remember my Preliminary winter Todo-List? If not, here it is:


* Fix blinker issue

• The blinkers aren't working properly. Most likely a grounding fault. Nothing done about this yet.

* Buy and install new battery

• Battery picked out, but still awaiting the buy. I am going for a gel battery

* Fix more rotten hoses

• Again: Nothing done as of yet. This is fiddle work, and I don't want to do that in the cold. I have, however, bought the replacement hoses =)

* Buy and mount top box break light

• I have ordered this, and It is something I can do a lot of the work on indoors. I will probably do the mounting on the bike at the same time as I fix the back blinkers.

* Buy a loud-ass horn

• I need this after being backed into. The horn I have now sounds like a small bird farting under a thick blanket, so I was in need of a replacement. Again: Roger to the rescue! I got a horn from his collection of BMW-spares!

Apparently it is loud. It looks like a siren, hopefully, looks aren't deceiving this time!

* Change oil

• Probably get someone to do this for me!

* Change oil filter

• Probably get this done for me too!

* Clean properly

• As soon as spring hits!

* Buy new helmet

• Going to germany. I hope I can buy a decent helmet there cheaper than in Norway!

* Buy new trousers

• Going to Germany for this as well!

New items: Changing the break hoses and break fluid up front. Had a look at it last week, and boy is it brown :p

Winter update #2

It is shopping time! =)

Remember the nice jacket I got from Roger earlier this winter? Yesterday we went shopping in Sweden, and the two MC gear shops in Nordby was to become one. What does that mean? SALE!

Roger bought a brand new HJC yellow opening helmet for about 1500,- NOK ($240). This was less than half price.
As I want a Schubert or Nolan helmet, I (almost) didn't fall victim to temptation. I did buy something:

Matching gloves for me and the wife. The cool part? They match the jacket!

I am quite pleased!

Can't wait for the season to start! Unfortunately, it will probably be a while still. Snow is plentyfull, and frost is an issue for at least 5-8 weeks more.

I am going to England the first week of march. Will be hard seeing all the bikes going about!

Keeping fingers crossed for an early spring! =)

Winter update #1

Yes, WINTER has hit Norway.

This morning I was met by a horrible sight

I put my bike away three weeks ago. She got a quick wash, and nothing more. She is stored in a dry and ventilated, albeit a bit cold, place. The room is big, and there is room for me to work on her there, but I think I will bring an oven and some more light...

Night frost hit us about three weeks ago, and there was a lot of rain. Driving was not really appealing, so I decided to put her in storrage.

Two days after, I got a lovely present from my mothers friend:

It is a Halvarssons Shadow Leather jacket, and it is quite nice. I haven't had the opportunity to test her yet, but it is a near perfect fit, and a present. He bought it for himself after his own jacket got torn this summer, but realized that it was too big after riding with it a couple of times.

Very lovely present, and completely unexpected =) - Thank you very much!



And what are my plans for the winter-season?
Well.. The season is long here in Norway.. I seldom get the bike out before April first. Damn snow!

However! I do plan to fiddle around a bit with my XJ!

Preliminary winter Todo-List:

* Fix blinker issue
* Buy and install new battery
* Fix more rotten hoses
* Buy and mount  top box break light
* Buy a loud-ass horn
* Change oil
* Change oil filter
* Clean properly
* Buy new helmet
* Buy new trousers

87750km

As I rode home from work the other day I realized something: 

I frigging love riding a motorbike!

I love the driving experience, the ability to ride in the buss lane, the lane splitting and the fact that traffic isn't really a problem. I love the fact that I don't have to take the subway or the bus.

I love driving in the baking sun, wearing all black. I love driving in the pouring rain, my visor clogging up with rain, my gear all wet. I love being cold, wet but happy.

I love driving in the rain, the sun, the sleet and the wind. I love taking my bike out in spring, I love tinkering with it all through winter, I love laying plans for the bike in the autumn, I love the mending, the cleaning and the maintenance..

I love riding alone, with my friends or with random strangers I meet along the road. I love the camaraderie, the feeling of riding as one of many, or by my self.

I love the curvy roads, the long stretches of open road and highway. I love the small, picturesque country roads and the four lane motorway.

I love stopping for petrol, I love cleaning the bike. I love removing flies from my visor and dirt from my face.

I love accelerating, breaking and pulling out from stop lights. I love how the road maintenance crews in Norway leave dirt and gravel in the road. I love potholes, car drivers who fail to see me and roadworks that block my path.

I love revving the engine as I go through tunnels. I love firing her up in the parking lot. I love the sound her engine makes and rattling of the bike.

I love the contact with the surroundings, the smells of nature and traffic and the feeling you get when you hit the perfect curve.

I love the sensation of riding.

I love the smell of gasoline in the morning.. It smells of freedom.

87254km

Finally got the locks changed on my givi!

All in all it took about 20 minutes, including 10-15 minutes of fidling with thin one old lock that was stuck!

Three boxes, one key!

Pictures to follow!

LordKat Eats - Norwegian edition!

I follow a guy online, who calls himself LordKat. A brilliant and very funny fellow who makes funn videos.

I sendt him a huge box of Norwegian treats to try, and here is the result:

Watch the video here!

What has this got to do with bikes, heated grips and riding? Nothing!
But it is funny :p

Remember to buy his tshirts!