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"TheStone" Ingason (a.k.a. "White Wolf" a.k.a. "TheOne", a.k.a. "icelandknight") Note: "TheOne" is really the number on my 1500 Intruder, but people have started calling me TheOne, so I guess that's my new nickname). Interesting concept, to name your motorcycle something, then that becomes your nickname. Usually it's the other way 'round. Anyway, what's in a name... |
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Independence Day (Iceland) 17th June 2000
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This year, amazingly enough, we got average weather... Normally on the 17th of June, in Reykjavik ( the capital of Iceland) we get rain... This year the rain kept at a distance for most of the day... and we actually got some sunshine! - Like it didn't cost us something in return... We got 3 earthquakes instead! They talked about a 6 on the scale... Which meant some people, in the danger areas, chose to sleep outside, in tents, in case there were more at night... I was in the garage attaching the flags when I suddenly felt like I was on board a BOAT! The ground wobbled about... I of course ran out of the garage, as one is safer out in the open... Still, nothing was damaged at our place... I heard others were not so lucky... and anything loose fell off shelves.
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The vehicles I chose to carry me wherever I go... and the LC dressed for Independence day. |
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| Here we are at the harbour... You see that ship in the background? I had some hot chocolate aboard that earlier. Terrible trick! Boarding is free... but you have to pay 5 bucks to get into the coffee place (that box looking thing). I managed to get some french practice in there, though... No it's not a French vessel... There were some tourists who offer me to go first up the plank... I guess sometimes it pays off to be clad like tough guy. | ||
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Nice shot of the flags of our land... and the motorcycle's flags too... Blue is for the ocean, white for the people and red for the blood it took to fight for our freedom... I also heard another version of this (not true, I don't think): Blue is for the men (cos the women up here don't want to know a bunch of sour smelling fishermen!), white is for the collar of the job most people look for and red is how mad they get over the government TV channel. - I'd go with the first explanation :-) |
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b.t.w. It's been raining ever since I got home!
The Midnight Rider - 11June2000
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Well, it's that time of the year again...
and another reason to stay at home... (That is to say -
not be abroad). The midnight
sun means picturesque riding all night... and ride all
night we DO, sometimes... The sun only just goes below
the horizon, leaving us in the twilight zone... before
rising again. |
Greetings to you, net surfer... from
the midnight rider.
My bike as it looked on the 14th May 2000I just added the Suzuki one-piece gel seat and Suzuki studded bags. Although the seat is from Suzuki, it's a totally different feel from the stock seat. It's harder on the tailbone... and takes some getting used to... but the LOOK is absolutely fantastic!
Don't you think?I have an observation about this seat in case you are interested in getting one - for around USD $600 they didn't include new FIXTURES with it (these hold the seat onto the body), - so you can't just pop it on and off as you like, replacing the old one. You have to unscrew the fixtures from the old seat and screw them onto the new one. I have the European model of the bike and this may be whybut the new screws were 1 size bigger than the old ones... So I couldn't just screw it on with the old screws...
I tried, of course, to use the old screws, so I wouldn't have to remove them from the fixture... oops! Because they are a different size they didn't go in right... and because the females that the screws go into, in the new seat are made to turn in place (so the screws don't get undone from bike vibration) it was HELL trying to get them out again! My advice? Buy new fixtures to use with this new seat or just use the screws that come with the seat, and DON'T try to use the old ones. If they had included the 3 fixtures this would not have been a problem.
If you want the old seat back at any time, you'll be in trouble! Remember, the females turn in place!! You'll have to use a screw driver to hold the female in place as you try to get the screws out (like I had to do - to remove the old screws). Good luck, you'll need it! It took me a few hours to get the old screws out once they were wedged into the females. Phew!
My Favorite Ride (coming soon)
My Ride Home (what do I see & how do I feel when
riding home)
Assorted
Pics (with commentary) - updated: Feb2000
The day I
got my 1500LC
(with commentary)
- August 1998
I Do Requests!
A while ago I was asked, "why don't you have any
pictures of your bike after you put the stuff on, so people can
see how it looks"... I guess the answer is probably: Because
I never seem to have my camera AND my bike with me at the same
time! (Isn't that everyone's excuse?)...
Anyway...
I was sitting at a Thai Noodle place, waiting for my order, and I
just happened to find my camera in my pocket... and glanced
outside... and what do you know! There was my motorcycle! ...Well,
it was a bit of a cloudy day, and the inside of the window had
layers of cooking oil on them... but on this pic you can see the
bags... and the windshield. So, here you go! The noodle people
love serving big, leather clad, biker types, I tell ya!
Midnight Sun... Makes it all better! (Iceland 28 May 99)
Well, after my misfortunes last night and today (see further below on this page for details), dropping the bike, then today, getting caught in a hail storm! Tonight, the midnight sun made it all better! Nature surely must feel sorry after being so bad to us up here... right?
I could see, from where I was parked downtown, on the central square, that it was going to be one of these beautiful sunsets... So, I decided to check it out... Of course there were lots of romantic minded people heading out to the sea... Strange to see some cars full of JUST girls! ... Of course I'd LIKE to try to make contact... The thing is... If we think about it... We are all there enjoying the sunset... If I was to approach them, they might get all offensive, ruining the sunset for all of us... So I kept my distance... I bet now they are comparing stories of "THE ONE that got away"... I can hear her now: "You know, Mom, he was, like, THIS big, and his bike was, like, -POW-.. and his leather was, like, -WHAM-, and he was sensitive, too... I mean, why else would he go all the way out on the peninsula to catch the midnight sun...".
"Why, thank you ma'am!" (One deluded dude over here... maybe!).
Man... Have I got an update for you people! (27th May 1999)
Where do I start!
Today was the day I got my Cobra Freeway Bars, Memphis Fats 19" windscreen and synthetic leather touring bags (I got these items from Accessories International (Thanks, Al) I guess they really ARE International!... and I recommend them to anyone buying accessories. Wherever you are.)...
Ok, let me explain, I intend to use these things when I circle Iceland... Hence I need good gear. The Cobra Freeway Bars, in case of a tumble, or dropping the bike on its side *sigh* - More about that later *shakes head*... The windscreen because Iceland does get cold sometimes, especially at night!!! Including summertime! ... and the synthetic bags because, leather, if you want to keep it looking good you have to treat it vs. rain, sun, etc. Synthetic always looks as good... although, NOW, I feel these bags are a bit small... Anyway...
As I may have said before, I'm not a mechanical guy... but the freeway bar installation was a PIECE OF CAKE!!! What you do is... There are two rubber stoppers just under the front of the "tank" (engine cover?)... remove those... In the cone you find there, insert the pieces you get with the bars... roll through them the screwing rod... Undo the front bolts holding the foot rests... Now ease on the bars... Get the rod through the top part, screw on the acorn nuts... Then bolt on the foot-rest bolts again, that holds the bottom part. Done! Piece of cake!
You ONLY need to undo the back bolt to slip the bags on... I stupidly undid most of them... Only to find: I didn't HAVE to... Just undo the bolt holding the back seat... and slip them on... There are rubber stoppers under the passenger seat already, to hold the bags in place! Handy!
DISASTER!
When I was taking the pictures above... Guess what happened???
I hadn't left the bike in GEAR... and just when I ran out of battery power on my camera... and was trying to get the camera to come on... CRASH!!! The bike rolled forward, off the stand... and CRASHHHHH! On the side! I jumped up, mouth gaping in disbelief!!! But WOW ... Did those freeway bars ever earn their fee today!! ... and I JUST installed them too!!! Just less than half an hour before this happened... I am impressed!!! All that really got damaged was the mirror, it got a hair thin scrape... and the freeway bars got a slight scrape... I mean, it did fall on TARMAC! ... but I am relieved, it could have been worse! ... and has taught me a valuable lesson (you might learn from this without it having to happen to you:...
If you ever leave the bike on the stand somewhere...
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE
leave it in GEAR, so it doesn't roll off the stand! It's a MUST!
Ok, some people say destiny is something we make... and if I hadn't got the bars, I wouldn't have been taking the pictures, hence it wouldn't fallen... but I donno... It just happened... and although I am still in shock... I'm DAMN glad I have those freeway bars on it... The Icelandic name for them is "veltigrind" or, in English, "tumble-frame" and they sure do what they are supposed to...
I think I'll stop here... Phew! I'm still a bit shocked... I had to lift the bike off it's side... and this, of course, before anyone saw me! (hehehe)... But it's ok... I had to lift my Harley 2 times! and it was around 400 kg!
I had my first BACKFIRE just now... (26th May 1999)
... and I think I know what's causing it, or at least, what caused MINE... Ok, when you turn on the ignition, you often hear a pumping sound... That's the pump pumping gas into the engine so it's easier to start... Imagine, if you will, starting after a long ride... The unburnt gas gets into the exhaust pipe and BANG!
Now... as you may know from further down, I have drilled the backing plate in the end of the pipes... and this made the backfire even louder... Or... dare I say it? That's what caused it to backfire? There... I said it.
The moral of the story? Don't drill your pipes? If you do, you might be increasing the likelihood of a backfire. If you stop the engine, after it has been running a while, then start it again soon after that, you may experience a backfire. The thing is... I don't know if it would have happened if I hadn't drilled, as I had never gone through this sequence before I drilled.... but after I drilled: I LOVE THE SOUND - The backfire has only happened once... So far. I'll keep you posted.
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Too many pictures to put smaller pictures for... You'd be here all day as it loads... So I offer you to go directly to the "pix" and "BikeDay"directory there under, and click on anything you want to see... There is a lot... and most of the pictures include the Intruder...
http://members.xoom.com/intruder1500/pix
15.Aug.98 => http://members.xoom.com/intruder1500/pix/BikeDay
22.Aug.98 => http://members.xoom.com/intruder1500/pix/Ride22-8
now also: MilkRun899, July
99, Winter 99 and "OtherPix"
Send eMail to TheStone@unforgettable.com - TheStone Home Page
