Classifieds: (links may be dead by now; all spelling in context)
- http://kansascity.craigslist.org/mcy/3067711408.html
- http://albuquerque.craigslist.org/mcy/3067992836.html
- http://littlerock.craigslist.org/mcy/3046282067.html
Neat stuff:
- Randall’s winning “What is a Billy?” Answer:
I had an encounter yesterday with a “Billy,” though he something of a darker side as well. I pulled into a gas station for a water and snack break, and backed into a parking spot next to his bike, a 600cc sport bike of some vintage, though less than 10 years old. His first question of me on my KLR was what mine was geared for? I said “Dirt” and he looked confused. He then proceeded to tell me how his bike had been jetted, bored, stroked, and exhausted and he’d had it up to 159mph. “That’s great, I can do almost half that.” I said. He continued by proudly telling me it had 7000 miles on it, was valued at $13,000, but he only had $3000 in it. All seemed normal up to this point. It wasn’t a great looker, but it was ok, just showing some mileage in the no longer new black paint.
I asked where he’d been riding, and he told me he was on house arrest, so was trying to keep a low profile. I said, “That’ll put a damper on things, I suppose.” It was then that a blue “tuner” or “ricer” or “yard dog” (whatever they call them this week) with a peeling-primer-black-hood car with a loud pipe pulled in with two girls, and they started chatting Billy up as they apparently knew him from “rehab class.” I tried to appear uninterested as they weren’t including me in the conversation, but I couldn’t help overhearing them discussing his pulling a gun on two people, and how he was probably going back to jail on Monday for violating his home confinement while he was on work release. It seems that a sheriff’s deputy caught him violating, but let him have the weekend to work. After he talked the girls into maybe coming to visit him later that evening (he’d be home, of course, home confinement and whatnot), they drove off, and he asked me about the plastic thing on my helmet and how to get one. “You mean the face shield?” I asked. Yep, he was talking about a face shield. I replied that they usually came with the helmet but might be available on-line. I looked closer at his two battered HJC helmets (I guess in case one of the girls wanted a ride), which looked to be 10 or 15 years old. The one he was holding only had a couple screw holes where a face shield mounting mechanism should have been. I suggested a newer model might be easier to find than a face shield assembly. He then threw out his cigarette, put his backpack on over his tee shirt, and plopped his strapless full-face helmet on his head, started the bike, gunned the motor to probably try to peel out, but had to stop 30 feet later before running out of parking lot, then merged into traffic and was gone.
I’m not saying all these qualities are in a typical “billy,” but this guy certainly contained all the requirements and more. It _was_ a great day for a ride after all… I just wish this story wasn’t true.
Guest:
This week, we have on Andrew Pain. He’s going to be talking about his book: Going Small – A Guide to Lightweight Motorcycle Touring. Andrew’s written a concise intro to the idea of forgoing the large-tourer in favor of something below 600CC. He’ll talk about his own touring on a lightweight and why he’s convinced that’s the way to go and why he’s encouraging everyone to give the smaller bikes another look. In addition to his book, he also has the sites:
http://traveling250.wordpress.com/
Check him out!
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