Last Ride

[Chrisj CMA]

Today was the annual “Last Ride of the Year”. Sadly I rode alone. Everyone had family obligations. However, I bumped into Raymond from our board. He wasn’t on his Valkyrie but he did ride

There was a total of four Valkyrie’s. Two from Alabama and two from Florida



Looked like about 1,000 bikes. Perfect weather

[Oss]

sweet  I rode too !

[Rams]

I haven't ever participated in a "Last Ride" of the year event but, I have for years ridden every New Year's day just to say I rode that day.   May not make a lot of sense and some of those rides were short rides due to weather issues but, I always mount up and go that day.   Normally, I'm in a group of one. 

Rams

[Chrisj CMA]

Those backroads in Alabama are dirty. After a 200 mile day the bike didn’t really look it but it was dusty dirty all over. So today, up on the lift and a major scrub down. She’s sparkling clean again ready for a new year  





We’re at 192,000 miles now. Next Last Ride might be with a zero miles bike. Wouldn’t that be a conversation piece!

[Oss]

Jeff that is pretty awesome.  My Valkyrie is on the other extreme, wearing its dirt and bug scrapes with pride

Got another ride in today and man I had the Sprain and Taconic pretty much to myself as I left work a bit after 1pm.

The LEO's were all busy writing tickets as I blew by today.   

It looks like a window of opportunity after the rain coming ends at  9 am and resumes at 11 am for a ride on New Years Day before the bottom drops out of the weather and it gets below freezing again.   Won't be a long ride though but like the Fiddler on the Roof says its TRADITION

[Jess from VA]

You do good work Jeff.   

I keep my bikes pretty clean and shiny, but the 24 years is definitely showing.

After my muddy ride the other day, I washed and shined it up.  It looks great from 30 feet.    

[Challenger]

Got a ride in Saturday, but has been raining and 34° since then. Chris, did someone ride a Honda Trail  to the Cafe?  Just above the bush in your pic.
Oops, never mind.  I see it is a Monkey.

[carolinarider09]

I took my last ride of the year today.

I have been trying to do a ride on January 1st but tomorrow's weather was not predicted to be good riding weather. 

While today was interesting.  The morning was cool and windy, and cloudy.  Temperatures in the mid-fifties.

However, around 2PM it suddenly cleared and the sun came out and I said to myself, "Now is the time to ride". 

So, I rode my 2003 Valkyrie first.  Then I rode my 2007 ST1300.  Then I rode my 2015 Goldwing (the ST1300 is still the most fun ride of the three). 

My camera on the ST1300 was not operating (did not check before leaving) so, the only videos I have of the ride are from the GoPro 12 on my wing. 

Here is a link to the edited video.  Last Ride of 2024.

https://rumble.com/v64opos-new-years-eve-ride-newberry-county-sc.html

Remember you have manually select the higher vidoe resolution on Rumble (its the gear Icon at the bottom of the "screen").

[Jess from VA]

Those backroads in Alabama are dirty. After a 200 mile day the bike didn’t really look it but it was dusty dirty all over. So today, up on the lift and a major scrub down. She’s sparkling clean again ready for a new year  





We’re at 192,000 miles now. Next Last Ride might be with a zero miles bike. Wouldn’t that be a conversation piece!

What I've about given up on is the wheels.  Keeping them polished up with drills and buff wheels and compounds is hours of work.  Taking them off the bike is the best way to do it, but I'm not doing that.  So I use the lift and sit on a little bench.  And the rear on bagger Interstates is especially fun.  So I keep them clean but they are dull gray these days.

Years ago, I thought about having them chromed at tire change intervals, but that's out too.   

I have that same Cobra oil filter cover on one bike, but the road salt got to it and there's no bringing it back. 

[Chrisj CMA]

Ya, the wheels can be a pain. My bike spent its first five years in Ft. Lauderdale Fl. The wheels had salt corrosion. I used Bombs Away. No drills no special tools just a terry cloth rag and elbow grease. I think it’s actually easier with the wheels on the bike, on the lift. I just sit there with a cup of coffee and spend a few minutes on each wheel and they come out gleaming. Bombs Away has carnuba wax in it so it helps stop future corrosion. Works pretty good but you do have to keep up with them. I need to order more of that stuff but it’s the best aluminum polish I know of. I hit it with the polish once or twice a year but wipe them down good every ride or two.

[Jess from VA]

Once they are all shiny, the trick is to keep up with them (you do, I haven't).

I have used Bombs Away for years too (and I used it with my power buff too). 

However, my last 2 new bottles (just a while ago) don't seem to be the same magic stuff it used to be (good, but seemingly not as good as it used to be).  I have like a quarter inch of the old stuff.  So conserve what you have.  If you get more of it new, let me know what you think about it (I could be wrong, but...).