Kempo-STer
06-19-2005, 10:02 PM
Hey Gang...
Back from Laconia NH Bike Week..
Here is the scoop.
Left Thursday 6AM, rode across town picking up my Best friend (02 Honda Shadow ACE 750 (Nice!)) and my brother in law (05 VTX1300) and headed across CT to pick up 'gang 2'.
Gang 2 comprised of a 98 HD Road King, Newer model Indian (no idea what type) and a newer HD Softtail.. (More on Gang 2's problems later :eek: )
So we headed on out - 6 of us..back roads only through CT, MA and NH...Routes 12, 31, 13 and finally3 and we stayed in Boscowen. Hit rain in NH and we pulled over for rain gair..Everyone BUT me..I made a purchase of riding pants before we left...protection from rain, road and comfortable to boot..what a great investment..
Laconia..
Thursday afternoon/evening...Headed into Laconia for the 'festivities'...
Of course it was cruiser/triple tree heaven..The ST stood out ironically..The HD guys pride themselves on customization and individualism yet, they are a dime a dozen here..I flashed the windshield trick a few times here and there and left a few freaked out faces in my rear view mirror :D ..god I loved doing that..
In any case Laconia itself was no big deal..Went into some vendor tents...saw some funky bikes..blah blah..I felt like I was at a fair that was in town when I was in high school..
Friday Day 2..
No desire to go back to Laconia..So of course the HD gang 2 headed back to Laconia and the Honda group headed out for an ACTUAL RIDE!..We headed up route 3 and hit the famous Kancamagus HWY..Oh what fun...Weather could have been better but oh well..Came out of the Kanc and we decided to head up rt 16 to Mt Washington. The weather was spotty as we hit rain on and off until we arrived and the then sun broke out for about 15 glorious minutes..
We decided to ride the bikes up the famous MT Washington auto road..8 miles up to the summit (6,288ft. highest pk in North east). 1st gear up the entire road..Very cloudy and we could not get a good view off the side of the mountain. (I want to go back when it is clear..NHfSTOC anyone???) You really could not appreciate the gravity of the situation not being able to see down the mountain.. A pillion filming the ride up would be awesome!..One of my goals now!
In any case made it to the top..see a sign about the hightest recorded winds in history..231 miles per hour!! The house at the summit has 3 huge chains going over it BOLTED to the ground..amazing!
ON the way back home we hit 93..I decide to open her up a little with some sport bikes...Ok, just a little...140mph.:D they don't keep up and I back off and went to shift out of 5 when I realized I was only in 4th!!
Made it back to the hotel..265 miles for that day..respectable..
Saturday Day 3
So we head for home on Saturday and heres where ther Harley fun begins..
Buddy's Road King is not running right (all the rain) and we head to the local Harley dealership..1st tries new spark plug wires, takes it for a ride..no dice..dealer takes it in..we wait 2 hours and the us in the Honda contingent roles out of town.get home a couple of hours later.Finally I get a call later that night, he needed a new ignition system costing 550 bucks..the other Harley Softail goes through a quart and a half of oil and the Indian breaks down twice, The last time about 20 minutes from their destination causing them to ride ahead and grab a pick up and truck it back...ooofff!***!..
All in all it was a good experience and of course it makes me want to head back to NH during some better weather. Especially up MT Washington on a clear day. I appreciate the reliability of all the Honda's and this weekend left my HD buddy's scratching their heads..No wonder why the trailer them!
I'll post pictures soon..
Todd
Back from Laconia NH Bike Week..
Here is the scoop.
Left Thursday 6AM, rode across town picking up my Best friend (02 Honda Shadow ACE 750 (Nice!)) and my brother in law (05 VTX1300) and headed across CT to pick up 'gang 2'.
Gang 2 comprised of a 98 HD Road King, Newer model Indian (no idea what type) and a newer HD Softtail.. (More on Gang 2's problems later :eek: )
So we headed on out - 6 of us..back roads only through CT, MA and NH...Routes 12, 31, 13 and finally3 and we stayed in Boscowen. Hit rain in NH and we pulled over for rain gair..Everyone BUT me..I made a purchase of riding pants before we left...protection from rain, road and comfortable to boot..what a great investment..
Laconia..
Thursday afternoon/evening...Headed into Laconia for the 'festivities'...
Of course it was cruiser/triple tree heaven..The ST stood out ironically..The HD guys pride themselves on customization and individualism yet, they are a dime a dozen here..I flashed the windshield trick a few times here and there and left a few freaked out faces in my rear view mirror :D ..god I loved doing that..
In any case Laconia itself was no big deal..Went into some vendor tents...saw some funky bikes..blah blah..I felt like I was at a fair that was in town when I was in high school..
Friday Day 2..
No desire to go back to Laconia..So of course the HD gang 2 headed back to Laconia and the Honda group headed out for an ACTUAL RIDE!..We headed up route 3 and hit the famous Kancamagus HWY..Oh what fun...Weather could have been better but oh well..Came out of the Kanc and we decided to head up rt 16 to Mt Washington. The weather was spotty as we hit rain on and off until we arrived and the then sun broke out for about 15 glorious minutes..
We decided to ride the bikes up the famous MT Washington auto road..8 miles up to the summit (6,288ft. highest pk in North east). 1st gear up the entire road..Very cloudy and we could not get a good view off the side of the mountain. (I want to go back when it is clear..NHfSTOC anyone???) You really could not appreciate the gravity of the situation not being able to see down the mountain.. A pillion filming the ride up would be awesome!..One of my goals now!
In any case made it to the top..see a sign about the hightest recorded winds in history..231 miles per hour!! The house at the summit has 3 huge chains going over it BOLTED to the ground..amazing!
ON the way back home we hit 93..I decide to open her up a little with some sport bikes...Ok, just a little...140mph.:D they don't keep up and I back off and went to shift out of 5 when I realized I was only in 4th!!
Made it back to the hotel..265 miles for that day..respectable..
Saturday Day 3
So we head for home on Saturday and heres where ther Harley fun begins..
Buddy's Road King is not running right (all the rain) and we head to the local Harley dealership..1st tries new spark plug wires, takes it for a ride..no dice..dealer takes it in..we wait 2 hours and the us in the Honda contingent roles out of town.get home a couple of hours later.Finally I get a call later that night, he needed a new ignition system costing 550 bucks..the other Harley Softail goes through a quart and a half of oil and the Indian breaks down twice, The last time about 20 minutes from their destination causing them to ride ahead and grab a pick up and truck it back...ooofff!***!..
All in all it was a good experience and of course it makes me want to head back to NH during some better weather. Especially up MT Washington on a clear day. I appreciate the reliability of all the Honda's and this weekend left my HD buddy's scratching their heads..No wonder why the trailer them!
I'll post pictures soon..
Todd