One more for the garage...

[drooartz]

On Friday I ended my search for a new motorcycle with this 2005 Suzuki V-Strom 650. Yes, it's a silly name, but it's a great bike. This one is brand new (3 miles on it when I picked it up, 2 from my test ride), a leftover from last year so I got a really good deal on it.

The garage is quite full now, as I've got the Tunebug, my wife's Isuzu, the new Suzuki, and my father-in-law's BMW 1150R all crammed in there. The BMW goes this week, it was just on loan for a few days. It's so nice to be back on 2 wheels. Sure is a good thing that Sprites are so small.

Of course, now it is raining and 48 degrees here, but at least I got to ride it home.

 

[tony barnhill]

Time for a garage expansion project! hehehehehe

 

[drooartz]

If I ever hit the jackpot, I've got a plan to add a 3rd bay to the garage. There is space on the side (don't know if the zoning allows it). Right now, my daily driver is outside all the time. Not a big deal, but it would be nice to have it covered. I'm afraid the costs would be too high to add it on. At least my toys are all pretty small!

 

[tony barnhill]

Na - not expensive if you do the labor itself - simple shed addition

 

[Paul Johnson]

Congrats on the WeeStrom. Am seriously considering adding one of those to fill in an empty spot in the garage. Guess you've found www.stromtrooper.com by now.

 

[drooartz]

Have found stromtrooper.com, also vstrom.info. Had another chance to take a short ride last night. Though cold (45 degrees) it stopped raining. What a great bike. Smooth and plenty powerful, even keeping the revs in the break-in limit of 5000. Sunny here today (though only 36!) so if it warms up in the afternoon I'll be off again.

I'm going to have to have some of my construction friends over some day to figure out what that 3rd bay might really cost. I'm handy enough with tools that I could do much of the work myself, and it would be really nice to have the extra space. One more thing to save up for.

Now, does an extra garage bay come before a 1275/5-speed for the Tunebug...

 

[Steve]

"Now, does an extra garage bay come before a 1275/5-speed for the Tunebug..."

I would say so. The bug is still a blast even with a four-speed and the orginal engine. You would have ample room to install another engine and tranny in a third bay though.....

 

[drooartz]

I've really got to check into the local zoning laws to see what would be okay to build. I'm expecting another busy winter gig schedule, and it's always nice to have a project in mind to keep me in saving mode, rather than spending mode. Maybe next summer...

 

[DrEntropy]

Geez, Drew... I lusted after the Suzi 500cc four when a bud *MADE* me ride it... I ain't been on a bike since. A promise to SWMBO that "Doc don't ride two wheels"... I'm in envy. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

 

[drooartz]

I was on two wheels before I met my wife. When I sold my last bike a year ago to fund the LBC quest, she really questioned if I would be fine without a bike. She gave me a big "I told you so" when I said I was looking again. She's a pretty good passenger, and understands that I really need this. Besides, since I met her, her brother and father have both taken up riding. I guess I'm just a good influence on the family. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I had always pegged myself as a car guy, but I've come to realize that while I could survive (unhappily) with out the Tunebug, but I will not be without a bike again until I'm too old to ride safely.

Besides, the bike is part of my plan for successful LBC ownership. When, such as now, the Tunebug is not running, the bike give me something fun to ride that is absolutely reliable. I don't want to spend all the nice days wrenching in the garage, and this is a nice release.