03-23-'23 ........ the date, an alliteration of numbers, eh? Pretty cool...
Ahhh ... sweet memories, the photo! We, you and I, have made lots of them in the last 3.7 decades!
And, as Fran points out below, this one ranks among the sweetest... #000
*This MULTIPLE PAGE site is viewable on a cellphone but we encourage the viewer to use a tablet, laptop, or computer ... typically, the format works better than on your phone, particularly with the photos. Be sure to view all five pages, see navigation in mast head above. Enjoy! - FSSNOC
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Yes, a smile, indeed! (photo above)
Thank You, Fran ... you are the best, my friend, simply the best!
When I first viewed this, I was corn-fused, seems to happen a lot more these days, eh?
I had read the "JACKSON" part, my first thought was East, but that didn't fit, then I thought, AHAA! California, USA ... back in '88!
But wait, how can that be me on my 2000 Kawasaki KLR650, purchased in the Fall of 1999, if this is California in 1988? Hmmmm?
I had mentioned this to Carrie as we viewed the photo above, then it hit me! The "88" that I remembered wasn't the year, it was Highway, US88!
We've, FSSNOC and company, have been in California with FIVE FSSNOC events over the years, 1992 - 2000 - 2003 - 2011and 2020. How many of these have you made, dear viewer? Let us know your memories: FSSNOCthumpers@yahoo.com
This was an amazing time, I will agree with Fran below...
Good Afternoon, Jack...
Thought you might get a smile from this. Was it 100,000 or 200,000 miles that you put on the KLR that you’re grinning behind. Also Bob's BSA looks pretty nice. That was a great weekend.
Fran #1440
(REPLY) That was the BOB and BILL show! Those guys did a wonderful job with that FSSNOC rally! Sept. of 2000. 110 members present. 84 Thumpers. Long distance was Jeff from PA on his Interstate-runner KLR, he said he runs *80mph until he gets where he is going, Some 4595 miles, in this case!
12 SR500 Yamahas and 11 BMW Singles were the top two Thumpers! Riders from 15 states, California had 47!!
*In hindsight, I remember that Jeff's KLR650 came apart at 45,000 miles...
To your question, Fran ... It was 122,000 miles ... then I "sold" it to my kid, who rode it for a short time then I didn't see it for awhile. I asked, "Where's your motorcycle? I haven't seen it lately?" He replied, "Oh, I sold it a while back ... to a couple from Nebraska who came down and picked it up, said they were going touring on it..."
And that was that, or so I thought. Oh well...
Sometime later a couple of local FSSNOCers were at a BMW rally in Missouri. It was night, they were nestled around a campfire telling stories when one guy begins to tell a story about a KLR650 he had that had 125,000 miles on it.
The two FSSNOCers looked at each other and asked, almost in unison I'm told, "Did you buy it new?"
The story-teller says, "Nope, bought it from some kid in Kansas... a 2000 model KLR."
Yes, They were on the trail. "Do you still have it?", they asked...
"I sold it to a guy from New Zealand, over the internet." ... from there the trail went dead ... it remains unclear if the bike was shipped to NZ or did a New Zealander come to the USA, tour the country, then maybe sold it? Who knows?
If that bike could talk, it would be nice to have a chat with it ... I think I owned it for maybe 6 or 7 years... I remember that I used 23 tires in that time/miles period. I also remember that in 100,000 miles I had used the original factory chain and ONE more factory chain, seems like 54,000 on the first chain and 47,000 on the second, could have been the other way around.
My best gas mileage was 68mpg going across the Mojave desert, riding in the desert heat at a steady 60mph ... didn't make much difference in the end, I spent all the money I saved on gasoline by drinking it up in sweet tea when we reached a Denny's in Mojave ... a BMW with the just-out Fuel-injection made 73mpg on that same run.
"Thanks for the Memories" ... Ha! Ha! ... wasn't that a song from the Lawrence Welk show back in the day? - #000.
..............................................................................................................................................................
https://youtu.be/IK1UWY5Dj60
Jack,
Thought you might appreciate this, as I seem to recall you have one of these bikes.
Steve, #5266 - NE.
Hi Ya, Steve... Yes, that was true, now replaced by Piaggio 150cc Scooters. The Honda's solo saddle was too tight a cabin for my size and I couldn't scoot back on the solo design seat and I grew weary of shifting the automatic-style clutch up four times, then when I approached a stop sign, down four times. Stop. Look both ways and do it all over again, a thousand times in city and urban riding ... not the case with the Piaggio, a double seat and no gears, nice in city and urban riding, and for that matter, not too bad on a county blacktop either... #000.
..............................................................................................................................................................
DEAR JACK ...
I am not renewing my membership this year. However, I am enclosing a club donation of $50 and will plan to follow closely at the ThumperGarage.
I am sharing copies of the two most recent Thumper News issues and a membership application with a neighbor who rides. Although he would have to park around the corner at lunches, he is still fairly civil.
I have enjoyed the 24 years with the club, first becoming aware of it via a flyer at Fort Worth BMW, when it was Perry and Merry's shop. You have done and continue to do a wonderful job - it's been fun to watch the growth and evolution of the club, to drop in on Thursdays at the FSSNOC ThumperGarage website, and to receive the "Thumper News".
Thank You. The very best to you and Carrie and to all the members - health and warmth!
Sincerely,
Mike, #3509 - Texas
P.S. - Keep On...!
(REPLY) Dear Mike --- We will miss you! Thank You for those 24 years of friendship and membership, you will be missed, for sure... Thank you also for the donation and the kind words. Our best to you and yours... #000.
.............................................................................................................................................................
GREETINGS, JACK #000 ---
BRIAN, #5436 here. Thank You for the great road report in the recent 150th issue of Thumper News, "Not So Lonesome Dove". Really a nice and heartfelt journey...
(REPLY) For those who think that number (FSSNOC #5436) seems familiar, go back a couple of issues to TN#148, Brian did an awesome job telling his own story of moto-travel Thumper-style on page 22! Thanks, Brian!! - #000.
.................Posts below are from an earlier update.................................................................
Happy Trails JR
First I just received my Thumper News, GREAT JOB as always.
I need to update my address for you, within...
The big Thumper Reunion, I will try my best to make. I will be in Kansas in June
(Event is June 21, 2023) so we will se how it all plays out.
Have a wonderful day
Gary Barnes
Thank You, ATP! Hope you can make it, should be lots of fun!! - #000
P. S. Thank You for the address update as well and glad to hear that you enjoyed TN#150!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Hi Jack (000),
How is everything going in Thumperville?
Windy ... March winds, you know. A steady 28 mph breeze today, the 350 felt more like a 100cc into the wind, but like a 500cc with the wind! We had 11 riders at a hamburger outing today, despite the wind!- #000
Been an unusual winter weather for some of us.
I’ve got a couple of things. First, Thumper News 150th! Great cover and interesting reading. When you first started the thumper group did you ever think you would be publishing 150th issue?
Life happens a day at a time, or so it is said ... kinda the same for FSSNOC, I enjoyed meeting and interacting with all the, including you, interesting folks ... it was and is way too much fun to stop! - #000
One observation of the 150th issue on page 7. When the fuel consumption went from the high 50 MPG to 68 MPG when switched from premium gas to regular gas. I’m not sure if everyone knows this but regular gas has more energy than premium gas. So for maximum fuel economy regular gas is the way to go. Now if you have a high compression motor, the premium gas will give you the extra power by not pinging.
Yup, I knew that ... that it has anti-knock properties to keep it from detonating due to high compression. I'd heard or read that premium has no more energy potential than regular but I had never heard that regular is superior to premium due to more energy.
HOWEVER ... I fear that you may have read it backwards ... I went from regular fuel to premium fuel in the Himalayan and made the mileage gain, not the other way around. I went back and read it again just to make sure I reported it that way. As a general rule, if I use regular octane here in Kansas at 1500 feet elevation, when I go East, I switch to premium as I ride downhill elevation-wise. I started doing that back in the KLR650 days and still do that to this day... - #000
Second item. On a local motorcycle podcast that I listen to had an interesting talk about thumpers. I know everyone is very busy this time of year but if you have time, you might find it interesting.
I'll give it a play sometime during the week, hopefully get to post it next week, Thanks for thinking of us, Alan! - #000
Alan Smith 5286
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Jack,
You seem to have multiple e-mail addresses. Just to confirm, is this your address appropriate to send the pictures. I don't wish to accidentally post it on a website for the world to see.
Ken
Hi Ken ... our website is: FSSNOCthumpers@yahoo.com
I do appreciate your concern and thank you for digging through your pics on our behalf. With that said, I wanted the photo for TN#151 but have since utilized an alternate theme for the proposed article and no longer need those photos. Thank you for your efforts, Good Sir! Keep On Thumpin' - #000
Of note, our/the above website address is correct and we do offer it to the world to view as our gift to the world of motorcycling ... this has been since Day One ... no password is needed or required, anyone can view it week after week if they like. If an email comes to the above address it is subject to being printed here on our site. Also any response to it will be in the form of a response printed here usually at the next update. Upon sending the above address an email, an auto-response email goes out thanking the sender for the email and advising him or her of the above information. - #000
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
CLASSIC MUSIC goes with CLASSIC MOTORCYCLES!
"GOOD NIGHT, IRENE" ...
"MONA LISA" ...
"HARBOR LIGHTS" ...
and my all time favorite,
"TENNESSEE WALTZ"...
IF YOU FIND YOURSELF FINISHING OUT ANY OF THE ABOVE STANZAS, YOU'LL PROBABLY LIKE THE MOTORCYCLE BELOW! I KNOW I DO! - #000.
**********************************************************************
CLASSIC 350 ROYAL ENFIELD
DISPLACEMENT 349cc
FUEL CAPACITY 3.43 gallon
TORQUE 19.91 ft. lbs. @ 4000 rpm
WHEELBASE 54.7 inches
WET WEIGHT 430 lbs.
TRANSMISSION 5-speed
SEAT HEIGHT 31.69 inches
FUEL EFFICIENCY APPROXIMATELY 89.5 mpg.
FRONT BRAKE 300mm disc
BACK BRAKE 270mm disc
BRAKE SYSTEM DUAL CHANNEL ABS
WARRANTY 3 years, unlimited mile
ROYALENFIELD.COM
I BOUGHT MINE (above) AT BAXTER CYCLE, Marne, Iowa
www.baxtercycle.com
Starting at $4599.00
#############################################################################
BE SURE TO VISIT EVERY PAGE ON THIS SITE, YA' DON'T WANT TO MISS ANYTHING! - #000