Hiatus

A three-week bout with pneumonia has left me pretty much off my feet and off my bike. The Sporty sits in the garage, wondering why it is not getting its usual 500-1,000 miles a week workout and I sleep most of the day as my body tries to rebound from the energy-sapping illness.

Which gives me time to read and catch up on some motorcycle-related news:

New River Valley Harley-Davidson in nearby Christiansburg has a grand opening celebration scheduled for Saturday, November 22. Temperatures are expected to be in the teens tonight and still below freezing when the dealership opens its doors at 9 a.m.  It will be interesting to see how many ride their bikes over for the event.

Bluetooth vs. hard wired: I've sung the praises of the Cardo System Scala Rider Bluetooth headsets for motorcycle helments. I currently use a Rider FM set on one of my 3/4 helmets to tie into my Garman Zumo 550 GPS. By routing my cellphone through the Garmin's Bluetooth, I have hand-free capability for the phone and can, if necessary answer the phone while riding. The headset also provides decent FM radio reception through a receiver that is part of the unit.  However, the Garmin does not transmit the XM radion signal via Bluetooth and I have to use a hardwired connection. I currently use the ear buds from my IPhone, which provides great stereo sound, even at speed.  But the earbuds block out some of my ability to her the headset speakers.  Cardo has a new "Q2" model headset that includes a hardwired cable (for use with MP3 players and other such devices) that should work on the Garmin and eliminate the need for an extra set of ear speakers. Initial reviews say the sound is not all that great. I may stick to my current setup...at least for the time being.

Beware of them bikers: The Roanoke Valley Harley Owners Group (HOG) hosts "breakfast rides" that start each Sunday morning from an eatery in or around Roanoke. This month the group meets at The Roanoker Restaurant, a popular restaurant that usually hosts a more genteel-looking clientel.  Since the group has table reserved in advance, they bypass the long lines that are part of having breakfast at The Roanoker on Sundays. On a recent Sunday, we were filing by and heading for the table when I overheard this conversation from an older couple:

Her: "What's going on here. How come they don't have to wait in line like the rest of us?"

Him: "Look at them. Would you try to stop them?"

Put on motorcycle leathers and the world thinks you're bad. Too bad that couple didn't know that the group that they viewed with such terror included a couple of accountants, a top exec at MemberOne Credit Union, several police officers and firemen and two bank senior vice presidents.