Many Years Later...

So, it has been quite a long time since I have been here. Rather sad in all honesty. It's odd to just up and leave something that you have contributed so much time to but life gets ya like that sometimes. Anyways, I thought I would take a moment to fill everybody in on my motoring-related situation along with bits of my life in general.

Well... Probably the most important thing is my current lineup. Currently for street I ride a 2006 SMC625 which is probably the best thing in the world. Ever got air on your street motorcycle? Hah, well I do ever chance I get. Having a supermoto is probably the best compromise of around town sportiness and off-road capability. Seeing as it was made to be slid across the ground I find no issue involving it in things that involve me picking it up off the ground when something goes wrong. I ride it sun, rain, snow, and ice. Let me tell ya, that last one is a bit of a trick. You are almost always in a constant state of crashing. On the SMC I have been stopped numerous times for standing while riding. Once I asked if it was illegal and the officer said he didn't know... I just point to my mirrors and show them how one is radically angled for viewing while I stand. Anyways, I could go on for hours telling you how awesome of a machine it is. Obviously long cruises are near impossible but reliability is quite high. Comfort is always bringing the team down though. It's like a dirt bike but double the displacement so vibration is rather noticeable. Still the most impractical but best thing ever to ride.

Still have my 650SX however it hasn't seem water in quite a while. The build has slowed to a stop lately. Perhaps one day I will pick up things again or maybe I will just ditch it and buy a Superjet like all the cool kids.

Others on my list include the 2003 CRF450r which I have almost no time for. Couldn't tell you the last time I rode it. School and work consume every day I have. I feel like I am not missing much with the SMC around though.

On a working note... I currently am working seven days a week at two jobs this summer so as usual I have no time at all. The reason for all this working is that in T-minus eight weeks I am moving to Madrid for a year. So if you are looking for any awesome Euro-parts, let me know and I'll try to get ya a shipment going.

With school... I have done three years so far but it seems as though I will have another two which is no big deal to me.

Hmm... Other notable things. Well, I have made it to 15 countries in the past year and a half. I have tacked on a few new languages such as Finnish and Slovenian to name a few along with lots of bits and pieces from many others.

I think those are the main points of the past years. No crazy crashes, no major issues, so far so good.


--Tig

Well its good to hear from you. I too have barely been on here and i thought i had a lot going on and life changing events. Man i wish i did half the shit you have done when i was your age. Anyways I havent been on my KX125 for well over a year. SUCKS!!!

Glad your having such a good time and getting around the world. I haven't road the ktm in a year but I'm getting out on the HD. Just put in a bdl clutch and bolted on a S&S super E. Good to hear from ya!

i think we are all loosing track of time. i agree with BigRigg, that would be awesome to be able to do that.

damn. I still ride two times a week? lol

And now with another biannual check-in. It's been five months without a single foot on American soil and I still have another seven months to go. Things have been pretty solid on the European front, minus the lack of ownership of a motorcycle. Finally am a resident of the EU so I now have the ability to buy big things like a car or motorcycle. I've been questioning getting some sketch euro-ride but we will see how that plays out. Another tempting feature is that it seems everyone from Britain moves to Spain and brings along a car. This means lots of RHD cars floating around for sale here in Spain. Perhaps an RHD car brought back to America with me is in my future. We will just see how it all plays out. More than anything though, I am just happy to be done with all my residency paperwork. Way too much effort.

Besides that, not too much else going on. Hope everything has been going well around here.

Thanks for the update Tig! I was wondering how you were doing, what are you doing for fun and work over there?

Hah, yea I have been pretty busy. I'd say that the site has changed a lot. Perhaps I don't know how to internet but I had to stare for a second on the homepage to figure out where the forums were. Once in the forum section of the site though, everything flows quite nicely. The site has the "look" that everybody seems to be switching to on every single internet related site there is - so that's nice to see. And the look I am referring to is the more rounded and smoothed look. Seems to be the new standard. I'm sure you know what I mean.

Anyways, for fun and work here. Well, Spanish bureaucracy has kept me busy for the past five months or so but I am hoping that it all over with now. Besides that...well school. That's about the only real commitment I have here. The semester starts next week.

Other than that, I have been traveling lots. Just got back from a 10 day, 5400km road trip through nine countries in southern Europe and a week before that I returned from a three week trip to Finland to visit some of my friends. Other trips have included a 2200km road trip through southern Spain and a four day weekend spent...well no other way to put it but partying in the Canary Islands. I think we managed to not see a single thing there. I've been contemplating some other trips, it's just that plane tickets are so magically cheap here that I have no excuse really not to go anywhere. For example, my friend is coming to visit in March and we are going to see a concert in Paris....price of the plane tickets round trip?¿? Oh, just 8,98€....Hah, four hours of flying in total for around $10. But I have been traveling plenty I think. Currently I am up to 24 countries visited and I think my goal is to make it to 40 before I leave.

I've also been questioning renting a motorcycle here just to have a go. However, driving here is ridiculous. I can't even begin to explain how crazy it is. I think rules don't really exist, you just sorta make them up as you go. On my past road trip it included three days of driving in Italy and it really is as crazy as they say. Really when you drive you just can't look where you are going. If you look over to check to see if it is clear you will crash into someone. You just have to drive where you want and let everybody else sort it out and then expect to do the same in exchange. Everybody just goes and you have to deal with it. It's crazy as can be but it seems to work just fine. Oh and then on top of that, splitting lanes is allowed so you have to constantly be watching for motorcycles too. I think if you own a motorcycle here the rules of the road don't really apply to you. You can just drive where you want and park where you want, including the sidewalk (both for parking and driving). But with nearly 8000km of Euro-driving with zero accidents I think I handled it just fine. Just know, if you ever attempt it, it is crazy and be prepared for it.

Oh, and I also visited the Col de Turini and the Stelvio Pass (which was snowed in by about a meter of snow). The Col de Turini was a ridiculous driving road. And another driving related note, I visited Monaco.

So yea, that's what I have been doing.

yea, i am jealous....
so the gtfo my way method really does work for road rules?(one wonders what hardtial's take on that would be)

I am jealous also

10 bucks a ticket! WOW We flew to Orlando from Newport News Va and for the 5 of us it was over a grand. I'm glad your seeing the sites and traveling, sounds like too much fun!

There is a joke waiting.......

package sniffer
LOL

not anymore, package sniffer of 2012