Off-topic stuff…

[MaddMatt]

One of my and my buddy’s dreams was to do a Long Way kind of trip. We were going to trade up our cruisers/baggers for adventure bikes. He wanted a BMW, and I was looking at the Triumph, but also had several other bikes in mind. But then he went and had to move because costs are rising and jobs are scarce.

Sadly, even selling the bike isn’t going well. I should have put it up for sale last spring rather than autumn. I’ll probably have to hold onto it for another six months.

Yeah, I had mine on FB Marketplace for a few weeks, but all the cliches are true about that. Luckily in Denver we have a great consignment motorcycle shop, so I took it in there, 2 weekends later I had a check in my hands, pretty easy.

That Triumph was everything I wanted it to be - did a few 2-3 back country camping trips, but never got to do the long-way type adventure, which was of course always the dream.

 

[cyure]

Not really that off topic but wasn’t sure where to put this. My son took his car to the dealer. Has 9700 miles. Needed an oil change and tires rotated. He has rotated them every 3000 miles. They call him and say you tires are so worn you need new ones. They are dangerous! $1200 was the quote. I told him say no just do the oil change.

Now he has an Elantra N. It came with summer performance tires. At 200 miles he got Michelin Pilot Sport all season tires. Can’t drive a summer tire in the winter in Illinois.
Drove out to the place we got the tires. He said they are fine. Yes this car has more camber in the back and they are a little more worn on the inside than out but still perfectly fine. Plus! The tires have a 45,000 mile warranty. So if they do go before that we get money off the new ones.

Can I say again, dealers suck.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Not really that off topic but wasn’t sure where to put this. My son took his car to the dealer. Has 9700 miles. Needed an oil change and tires rotated. He has rotated them every 3000 miles. They call him and say you tires are so worn you need new ones. They are dangerous! $1200 was the quote. I told him say no just do the oil change.

Now he has an Elantra N. It came with summer performance tires. At 200 miles he got Michelin Pilot Sport all season tires. Can’t drive a summer tire in the winter in Illinois.
Drove out to the place we got the tires. He said they are fine. Yes this car has more camber in the back and they are a little more worn on the inside than out but still perfectly fine. Plus! The tires have a 45,000 mile warranty. So if they do go before that we get money off the new ones.

Can I say again, dealers suck.

This is one of the reasons I am so happy to be all-electric. I have far fewer interactions with a dealership.

 

[cyure]

This is one of the reasons I am so happy to be all-electric. I have far fewer interactions with a dealership.

I’m looking forward to that.

 

[J Alynn]

Not really that off topic but wasn’t sure where to put this. My son took his car to the dealer. Has 9700 miles. Needed an oil change and tires rotated. He has rotated them every 3000 miles. They call him and say you tires are so worn you need new ones. They are dangerous! $1200 was the quote. I told him say no just do the oil change.

Now he has an Elantra N. It came with summer performance tires. At 200 miles he got Michelin Pilot Sport all season tires. Can’t drive a summer tire in the winter in Illinois.
Drove out to the place we got the tires. He said they are fine. Yes this car has more camber in the back and they are a little more worn on the inside than out but still perfectly fine. Plus! The tires have a 45,000 mile warranty. So if they do go before that we get money off the new ones.

Can I say again, dealers suck.

Say it again for sure-but in all caps so we really know how you feel

 

[cyure]

Say it again for sure-but in all caps so we really know how you feel

Dealers SUCK.

 

[cyure]

Oh and also I asked the difference between 33” K03 and 35” K03 and he said $30 to $40 more a tire. He asked what I was getting and I showed him a picture of the Scout. He didn’t realize it was coming back.

 

[chucchinchilla]

Dealers SUCK.

They do but now I'm wondering something, how is the experience at a direct to consumer car brand like Tesla/Rivian/etc.? Surely they want to sell tires as well but I have no idea how that plays out at the service desk.

 

[cyure]

They do but now I'm wondering something, how is the experience at a direct to consumer car brand like Tesla/Rivian/etc.? Surely they want to sell tires as well but I have no idea how that plays out at the service desk.

So much of the service is mobile are you just going to a tire shop. I swear I saw something about a couple tire shops being preferred vendors for Rivian.

The tire shop we go to is independent and has been there since the 60s. They have a giant, I mean giant statue of a lady out front in a bikini. . I asked and he said they can do EVs no problem.

 

[cyure]

Oh and when I was driving my son’s car today I waved at a couple Wranglers before I realized what I was doing. . I know I’m going to do that in the beginning in my Scout. I’m so used to it. I don’t even think about it anymore.

 

[chucchinchilla]

So much of the service is mobile are you just going to a tire shop. I swear I saw something about a couple tire shops being preferred vendors for Rivian.

The tire shop we go to is independent and has been there since the 60s. They have a giant, I mean giant statue of a lady out front in a bikini. . I asked and he said they can do EVs no problem.

Yeah I never take my cars to the dealer for tires I just go to Discount Tire. Still, curious what the SOP is for those who get it done at the service center.

 

[6-ScoutFamily]

Oh and when I was driving my son’s car today I waved at a couple Wranglers before I realized what I was doing. . I know I’m going to do that in the beginning in my Scout. I’m so used to it. I don’t even think about it anymore.

Can’t wait to salute wave at Broncos from my Scout.

 

[Chuckles]

Not really that off topic but wasn’t sure where to put this. My son took his car to the dealer. Has 9700 miles. Needed an oil change and tires rotated. He has rotated them every 3000 miles. They call him and say you tires are so worn you need new ones. They are dangerous! $1200 was the quote. I told him say no just do the oil change.

Now he has an Elantra N. It came with summer performance tires. At 200 miles he got Michelin Pilot Sport all season tires. Can’t drive a summer tire in the winter in Illinois.
Drove out to the place we got the tires. He said they are fine. Yes this car has more camber in the back and they are a little more worn on the inside than out but still perfectly fine. Plus! The tires have a 45,000 mile warranty. So if they do go before that we get money off the new ones.

Can I say again, dealers suck.

The service dept at my Lexus dealer has a system that scans under your car with lasers (and maybe cameras) when you pull in and checks your alignment. The second you get out of your car, they can present you with "evidence" you need an alignment.

 

[Chaz26]

They do but now I'm wondering something, how is the experience at a direct to consumer car brand like Tesla/Rivian/etc.? Surely they want to sell tires as well but I have no idea how that plays out at the service desk.

I feel like Tesla don't really want to sell tires, although they will. They are more expensive that at other places, which I presume is to try and free up appointment times for other things. I just get my tires from Costco for mine, which also come with free tire rotations (Tesla would charge if I had them done there). I currently have Michelin Pilot Sport AS on mine as well. Currently have about 17,000 miles on those and they still have plenty of tread left as I would expect.

 

[cyure]

The service dept at my Lexus dealer has a system that scans under your car with lasers (and maybe cameras) when you pull in and checks your alignment. The second you get out of your car, they can present you with "evidence" you need an alignment.

Oh for goodness sake.

 

[cyure]

I feel like Tesla don't really want to sell tires, although they will. They are more expensive that at other places, which I presume is to try and free up appointment times for other things. I just get my tires from Costco for mine, which also come with free tire rotations (Tesla would charge if I had them done there). I currently have Michelin Pilot Sport AS on mine as well. Currently have about 17,000 miles on those and they still have plenty of tread left as I would expect.

Exactly. Give me a break. 9400 miles on that tire. Not today people. I have had a week and this just added to it.

 

[Chavannigans]

@SpaceEVDriver I am in the same boat, 7 years ago I bought my dream bike. To be honest it's still my dream bike, but too many idiots on the road. This spring I got the oil changed and the fork seals replaced, and I swore to myself that I would ride it or sell it. I rode it exactly once, and it's now sold.

To be honest, I miss being a guy with a cool motorcycle more than I miss actually riding the cool motorcycle. To everything there is a season, or something like that....

View attachment 9992

One of my and my buddy’s dreams was to do a Long Way kind of trip. We were going to trade up our cruisers/baggers for adventure bikes. He wanted a BMW, and I was looking at the Triumph, but also had several other bikes in mind. But then he went and had to move because costs are rising and jobs are scarce.

Sadly, even selling the bike isn’t going well. I should have put it up for sale last spring rather than autumn. I’ll probably have to hold onto it for another six months.

Growing up I had neighbors with dirt bikes but my parents forbade me from ever riding or owning one.

The Long Way Round is what inspired me, and I always gravitated to off-roading so a
GS1200 was my dream bike, and I romanticized traveling across the world on two wheels.

But doing those trips solo is pretty dangerous and ill-advised, and none of my friends were into motorcycles aside from a few who had briefs stints with Harley’s. Let alone adventure bikes that cost $25k.

I also didn’t start riding until I was in my mid twenties which I felt was late, but everyone in the local ADV riding groups are dudes sporting a full head of gray hair which I struggle with relating to.

Since then I have also accumulated little humans like Tribbles that I need to care for, so those ride of a lifetime trips will have to wait until later in life, assuming my body will still be up to the task. Maybe I’ll just end up being one of those old guys that goes on group rides to Starbucks.

I digress…

I have settled for single track riding at the local park that’s about an hour away. The 701 is perfect for that. This track in particular is used on a lot of race circuits and is a pretty grueling 24 miles of roots, rocks, and hills you can barely walk up on foot.

I would still love an ADV bike in the mix but I would rather buy a Scout than drop $30k on a new BMW GS.

My ideal setup is a Stark Varg hanging off the back of a Scout. Riding the Varg for a few hours in the woods or mountains, and plugging it into the Scout to charge at lunch when it’s too hot to ride before heading out later that afternoon on another full charge.

I’ve done several big trips on bikes and I just don’t think it’s for me.

 

[cyure]

Now there’s MATH in F1. Tell me why the Aston Martin livery for the Texas race this weekend is covered with mathematical equations?!?!?

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Now there’s MATH in F1. Tell me why the Aston Martin livery for the Texas race this weekend is covered with mathematical equations?!?!?
View attachment 10012View attachment 10012

There’s ALWAYS been math in F1. I’d love to be able to read those equations…

edit:
I can read one:
Q_fuel = W_brake + Q_coolant + Q_exhaust + Q_friction + Q_unaccounted

This equation describes where the energy in the fuel goes.
The only useful energy use is the work done: W_brake (the energy delivered to the crankshaft).
The rest is wasted energy. Energy spent on the coolant, blown out the exhaust, burned up in friction between all the moving parts, including the tires and the road surface, and all the other energy that isn’t accounted for.

Here’s a good graphic of that same idea (for ICE).

 

[J Alynn]

Now there’s MATH in F1. Tell me why the Aston Martin livery for the Texas race this weekend is covered with mathematical equations?!?!?
View attachment 10012View attachment 10012

Because they can