Sunday Shock & Dock Ride

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On Sunday we decided to ride to the coast for two reasons: 1) to test the stock settings on the GSXR shock in Max; 2) to see the Japanese dock that washed ashore in Newport. Okay, 3) I needed allergy relief.  Troubadour has already blogged about the dock itself and you can read his post here ----> link, if you haven't already.

We had a relaxing morning and left the house about 11 o'clock.  It was warm but quite windy in the valley.  We chose not to wear our mesh jackets since I'd checked the ODOT trip cams and could tell it was only 58˚F (14˚C) in Newport and overcast.

We rode south to Alpine where Troubadour stopped to see how my shock was feeling.  My only thoughts at that point were that it felt like a bouncy/bumpy ride.  It felt as if every little variance in the road surface was coming through the bike.  Not a hard bump, but more of a bouncy bump.

We continued east around Alsea Falls (a favorite twisty road) until we met up with Highway 34 in Alsea.  We then headed west on Highway 34 and stopped at the junction with Five Rivers Road.  I took the first pictures of the day while standing on the bridge at that junction.

(Looking east)

(Looking west)

(Looking south down Five Rivers Road towards Lobster Valley)

Five Rivers/Lobster Valley is a great twisty road that we saved for another day.  When stopped we talked a little about the shock and how it handled up over the twisties.  I really didn't think it felt much different from the previous stock shock.  With the fuel tank running low the extra 30 lbs from petrol was absent as well, which normally weights the front end a bit.  
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Maybe there was just too much of a gap between riding that road on the stock shock and then again with the GSXR shock.  Much easier to compare two bikes back to back than two shocks weeks apart.  

We closed some vents on our jackets and pointed the bikes west towards the coast. Highway 34 ends at a junction with Highway 101 in Waldport.  We stopped at the Chevron on the corner and fueled up the bikes, used the restroom facilities and had a quick break.

From there we went north on Highway 101 into Newport and made our way to Agate Beach.  Man were there a lot of people out looking at the dock.

FYI - walking in deep dry sand in full gear and riding boots is not as easy as it might sound.  Luckily the wet sand by the ocean was much easier to stroll along.  I know that Brad posted a few pictures of the dock so I will try not to duplicate them.

(Looking North along Agate Beach)

(Antique tint compliments the safety vest)

(Not sure why so many people wanted to climb on it)

(The kids found a foothold to climb up and down)

(Photo by Troubadour)

(Troubadour enjoying the beach)

(Hard not to squint without the shades on)

(Steady stream of people heading to check out the dock)

We were going to have a snack when we got back to the bikes then ride home.  When we arrives at the parking lot we found some hillbillies had parked beside the bikes and were smoking and chawing on some grub.  We lit out of there as fast as we could and headed to Starbucks for a coffee and a relaxing sit on the patio by ourselves instead.

We took Highway 20 - a more direct and less twisty ride home.  Unfortunately it was 5:30 pm and most of the valley it seemed was also driving home from the coast.  It was an uneventful return trip, but I did notice that the bike seemed to handle fine at highway speeds.  In 5th gear it was vibrating enough my right hand was falling asleep so I put it in 6th on the long straight stretches. Usually it feels underpowered like it is lagging in 6th so I ride most of the time in 5th.

I still wish the bike felt as planted in corners as the Bonneville did, but I know that isn't going to happen.  I loved how the Bonneville felt in corners and how it loved holding 70 mph, but I can't keep it  for those reasons alone.  

Now if I could get Max to ride like that I'd be set.

- Au Revoir

" And in today already walks tomorrow."  Samuel Taylor Coleridge
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