My Harley was a 833 sportster 2003 anniversary edition. Main issue was my wife no longer wanted to ride on the back and I started to find it too heavy to control in the strong winds we have in our area. Safety first so time to go especially as I progress in age. I still cycle with a normal bike no electric for me whilst I can still peddle but frustrating when everyone passes me on the hills without effort due to the electric
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I think that should be 883 
- mine’s 1573 CC (96 cubes) FHLX (Street Glide) - ridden it from Perth to Tasmania (via a Bass Strait ferry) and back twice. Before that I had an 88 Cube Softail standard - I did have “custody” of my brother’s 2003 “Anniversary” Softail “Night Train” (also 88 cube) for 18 months after he died (cancer) till I had to give it up to his ex-missus (they’d been separated 5+ years and she thought she could still run his life even AFTER he was dead? Long story - it was only really for his kids - I’d never have let that bint have it).
e-bikes (the one I plan on getting) still have pedals… in fact - an e-bike without pedals is considered a motorcycle, and cannot be ridden on paths, and if used on the road, must be road registered (cops here will seize them if they bust someone using one a a cycle path [and destroy the device])… Doesn’t stop people buying them and using them…
I get overtaken ALL the time by cyclists on cycling paths, when I’m on my e-scooter - scooter max speed 25 km/h - some cyclists on pure pedal power must be travelling 35 kmh +. E-Bikes where I live (and most of Australia) must be “ped-elec”, i.e. the motor provides pedal assist only, and speed must be limited (hard) to 25 km/h max - of course people hack them to go faster.
The e-bike I’m planning on getting :
There’s a “Max” version with motors on both hubs - but that’s just asking for scrutiny from Mr Plod…
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Sorry typing error on my part, yes 883.
Same rules in France and Europe for electric bikes
One difficulty here is the local plants which produce spikes (pine needles) instead of leaves and cause flat tyres, this summer went out and got a flat on the back tyre which I repaired with a spare inner tube but hour later on return trip front tyre flat due to the same issue. Yes installed puncher proof tyres and inner tubes plus fitted a re enforced band inside tyre and run with repair compound inside but all failed.
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We have “introduced” European pine trees here (they’re great favourites of the native, and endangered, Carnaby’s black cockatoo) - but never had issues with tyres and pine needles…
I’ve had a bit of tyre trouble on my e-scooter - it’s a Segway Ninebot, last couple of months. Rear valve started leaking air ('cause I put on a slightly longer valve cap and it was hitting the swingarm). Took a few days and bit of elbow grease but managed to install a new valve stem - fortunately they’re tubeless tyres.
Then happened again this week - on the front tyre - I had spare valves - so I inserted one - and it too was leaking air! Damn! Took a look at the valve - and it was faulty (with “sticking out bit” at the bottom)! Doh! So - I grabbed another valve and installed it and it leaked too! Man what a PITA - takes about a half hour to unseal the tyre from the rim, clamp it down (with G clamps) to get a new valve in… Anyway - I realised my 2nd attempt I was putting the OLD VALVE back in! Doh! I got it out and put it straight in the bin! Third time was the charm!
I have a cordless tyre inflator from Aldi - not perfect - but it does the job - heaps better than breaking my arms manually inflating the tyres (tubeless tyres on most e-scooters recommend 55 PSI!).
Ordered some better clamps off Amazon, and some bicycle tyre levers and 4 more valve stems - so I’m good for the future!
I think the e-bike I might be getting has inner tubes… So I’ll have to check out the specs when it arrives and order some more for spares and an inner tube puncture repair kit (as a teenager - a friendly neighbour showed me and my brother how to do basic bicycle maintenance and using vulcanising tube repair - in my experience HEAPS better than glue based solutions). Someone I know in my area said those “knobbly” tyres on that e-bike are noisy on pavement, so I might also invest in some road / pavement tyres for it…
I ride on knobbly tyres in the hope they are thicker and so protect the tube, yes it slows me down and I have to peddle harder to cover the distance as for noise I do not notice but to steal a biker phrase ^loud tyres(pipes) saves lives^. Have looked at solid tyres or something similar but not found anybody with them for the knowledge if they work.
We have another plant which also causes problems but cannot remember the name
I use an ag-bike… a 150cc honda that I bought as a basket
case and rebuilt. It has knobby tires.
The biggest problem is not punctures, it is the tyre moving around the rim and pulling the tube with it , so that it
eventually tears the valve.
Something I have always wanted to do is rebuild but don’t think I have the technical skills or knowledge would love to see your image if the honda
Perhaps we should have a new question
What do you ride or drive…
Bet most reply with a computer box not transport related
I used to ride dirt bikes and my 2008 KTM had a valve lock nut to keep the inner tube from moving and rubbing. I’m sure you can find and add valve locks to your 150 honda. My brother rode a Honda 450 and it came from the factory with valve locks as well.
Yes I believe they are available. Thanks Ed… the farm bike
is important.
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Those altocumulus clouds… beautiful. Used to see them in
the outback. Dont happen often here on the east coast of Australia.
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Not everyone can visit our little corner of the world, but I’m happy to share it. A local photographer posts pictures like this in Facebook. His name is Vldn Taylor (pronounced ‘Veldon’), to properly credit him. I lift them to share with others.
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Portland right?
It’s a Mecca for great music - some of my favourite bands hail from there, not just The Lemonheads, but also their “rivals” The Brian Jonestown Massacre (“Dig!” is a great doco about The BJM) - and - some of my favourite stoner bands like YOB, Red Fang, Lord Dying, and Matt Pike of Sleep is based there. Dunno what it is about the Pacific North West of the USA: i.e. I’m including Seattle, most poeple think “grunge right?” and I would agree - but also Jimi Hendrix, and Queensryche, and I think the Wilson sisters (Heart) too (unfortunately Seattle is also the world headquarters of Muzak Inc [elevator music]).
And Fred Armisen is from Portland, and the show Portlandia is great (I’ve yet to watch the whole thing but).
All true, Dan, as far as I know. But I don’t follow any of the local music and stay totally out of Portland. But the most beautiful scenery imagineable is visible in a 50-mile circle around my house–it’s a good reason to stay here! And then there’s the food…and the wine…and the beer! Pretty much the best of all these can be found here.
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Lots of desk space in that setup. Mine is half of that, so stacking is required.
I see your yard view (out your window) looks like mine. East Tennessee got lambasted with 6"-12" snow and extended freeze, so it is just now melting after a week.
Sheila
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Things seem to accumulate to fill all available space. Sounds like disk space huh?
Iowa has had its share of snow too, somewhere in the neighborhood of a foot. The initial snow was wet and heavy. The next few snows were much lighter and only an inch or two at a time. The next few days all have chances of mixed precipitation. That isn’t good because there might be ice in the mix. We also had a stretch of about four days where we were below zero Fahrenheit. Now we’re back to more normal temps near freezing for highs.
We are sat in the sun at 24 by the pool, canaries cannot be beaten in northern winter. But you have to be retired to take advantage of having the time to make the most of it. So my desktop is a beach bar with high speed fibre Internet access, helped by sangria and the sounds of the waves lapping on the sand behind us and to be very sexist the server is almost wearing clothes … dream on.
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Here is a screenshot of my desktop wall paper. The program I use to rotate that is called John’s Background Switcher. It works for Windows and Mac. There are several layouts you can use.
I configured it so pictures are pulled from a group on Flickr called “Eastern Iowa Landscape Photographers”. Good local images. It’s especially nice to see some spring, summer, and fall scenes through the winter.
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