I can not believe I am doing it, but I am leaving for the gap tomorrow. I’ll be knocking off work early tomorrow and hopefully should be on the road by noon. I am going to spend the night near Lexington, Kentucky and then finish the ride off on Friday morning. The weather looks really good the whole way through except for Sunday, the day I return home. Sunday they are calling for a high of 44 degrees here, and I am supposed to wake up to a 32 degree morning at the gap. That is pretty cold for a 600 mile ride, but I have nearly every single piece of warm clothing I own packed on the bike, so I will make it home somehow. I sure hope it does not snow.
In other news there is big controversy brewing over Marks ZZR1200. He took it in for a routine valve adjustment and it turns out his camshafts are badly pitted. He bought an extended warranty through Interstate National Star Sport and they really have not decided if they are going to honor the warranty or not. The way I read the engine part on their web site it should be a no brainer, but the bike has been at Harding Park Cycles for over a month now and still no decision on their part. They have given him a price of $5,000.00 if it is not covered. Is that a crazy figure or what? I can not figure out how they justify that one.
The whole IBA boycott from last week was a little tongue in cheek. I did feel he should have got one but the boycott was more for fun than anything else, but I make you this promise: If Mark is not treated right on this camshaft issue it is going to get ugly. Even though at the current time I am riding a Suzuki, Kawasaki has always been my brand of preference. We will drop a boycott on Kawasaki, Interstate National Star Sport, and Harding Park Cycles that is going to make their heads spin. It kind of makes me sad because I really love the looks of the new Concours1400, but I can not deal with a $5,000.00 repair on a bike that is only 14 months old.
Still, I am trying not to get too upset yet because they just might do the right thing, but I am loosing hope because this has been going on for over a month already with no answers.
Last weekend Rick, or man in Texas, took a ride to The Lone Star Rally in Galveston. Below is the first picture he sent me:
This guy really has it going on, doesn’t he? Someday when I get to Texas I am definitely going to hang with those guys! Here are some more pictures he sent of the rally:
