Coast to Coast (and back?) with an Italian Supermodel

Yup--hit up GP Bikes today for the 12k service. They also did all the recall stuff (all minor) and had me out in 2 1/2 hours. $258 was the total, including fresh Motul Synthetic, not bad at all for a Ducati, eh? (Shit, language osmosis has already begun!)

So it did not need a valve check/adjustment as yet I take it.. That bodes pretty well for a new bike going across the country, Maybe these new Ducs got something going on after all, maintenance wise that is. I must say that is very encouraging to me ............LOL

Valve adjustments are now at 15,000 miles (the 12K service I had done was 12K kilometers). So, basically in a few months I'll find out how much the valve adjustment runs. None-the-less, it wasn't the cock-in-the-butt amount I expected.

That kind of takes the pain out of owning a Duc. I remember valve adjustments much more often and expensive as all get out, both on my Beemers and other's Ducati and Moto Guzzi.

Things might be improving there.

Thanks for the updates, I subscribe now and find the thread very good reading.

Hey, at least on all those boxer engined BMWs the valves are easy as cake to check/adjust.

Yeah, Desmoquattro's are a beeyatch to adjust!

Time for the 7500 Mile / 12K Km Service.


There were two dealers 'in' Toronto....meaning both were about an hour outside of Toronto. Hit up GP Motorsports in Whitby and had a great experience, despite the horrific traffic (I just can't live happily without being able to lanesplit). I was expecting to be overcharged for the service--you're kind of at the dealers mercy if you want to maintain your warranty. Cars or bikes, it doesn't matter--out of the 10-20 line items of what they perform, most require about 3-5 seconds (check fork seals, inspect brake fluid level, etc.). Helps a dealer justify $1500, but anyone who's ever worked on a piece of equipment knows that it's just a glorified oil change. Fortunately GP Bikes sees it that way, too....and $258 was far less than I expected. They also did all of the recall updates--a couple which I'd already done (spacer for the button head brake res screw that is 3mm too long, swingarm bolt, etc.). Seeing as though my dealer (Newport Beach Ducati) didn't contact me about the most serious issue (exup cable sheath laced with grated magnesium) I thought my bike wasn't affected....but it was. Ahem, Newport Beach Ducati....might want to get on that before someone burns to death!

Anyhow....great shop, awesome showrooms (KTM, Ducati, Triumph). No need for any more servicing for 7500 more miles, but I'll probably change the oil in another 3-4k.

Bike/graffiti porn:







Seems to be a decent 'art' scene in Toronto, but other than bombs, the actual 'galleries' around Queen St. and Oz are pretty pathetic. (Lots of shit that really just belongs in 8th grade Parent/Teacher exhibitions.) Though it's an 'up-and-coming' area trying to take itself seriously, the galleries (least the ones I've seen) are a definite must-miss part of visiting the area.

Headed out to Barrie over the weekend because I wanted to be on the bike and unless you like sitting at stoplights every block Toronto SUCKS for riding.

On the way out I lost myself in some beautiful country.







And I tested the rear brake ABS in gravel. Ha! It's calibrated for pavement and locks up in about .0004 seconds.

I sometimes forget that people have never experienced the beach. If you're someone who's never been pounded into the sand by a wave, stung by a jellyfish, experienced hypothermia or sucked out by a riptide, you definitely want to get your ass to the Pacific Coast because sand, sun and water does not a beach make!



A little charming, I admit:




I have to give Canadians props for this. Though our beaches are better, we definitely don't have waterslides this awesome in California!!!:

Great Job on the RR its been a great pleasure to read. Can't wait for the next one please keep em coming and thanks for posting. Ride fast and take chances. later tim

I like your attitude man! My wife and I were in Toronto as well last year and we really enjoyed our time there. When will you start heading south? I know the weather is starting to change and the mornings and evenings are beginning to get cool.

Later
John

:)

:)

Will be in Canada until the 24th. Fingers crossed the weather doesn't get too shitty. But if it does get ugly, you guys are in for some good future posts (esp. since I have zero cold weather gear). :)

So this is random and awesome. When I was 4 or 5 I saw Olivia Newton-John sing "I Honestly Love You" on a New Year's Eve special. Totally fell in love with her (until Xanadu, which killed it for me).

Anyhow, so my mom met her last night, brought the first LP I ever owned and got her to sign it to AntiHero!!!! (My mom rocks!)

Sadly they sold to Ace in Concord. Not sure what (if any) staff changes have been made due to that.

DaaaYaaam, talk about a candy store. LOL

I live less then 1 mile from that beach . Johnson Beach in Barrie

Looks like rain all weekend, so twisty roads would require an amount of restraint I don't have at this point!

Still have to finish Toronto, now that I'm gone....



So the city itself is pretty cool. I really did like it. But the traffic sucks (unfortunately they haven't discovered how to time even two lights, let alone 5 or 6) and riding in/around Toronto is best done on a fixie. Speaking of--I saw tons and tons of fixies and single speeds (and even a few Pabst signs), but not a single 'hipster'. +1



Tiff had started ramping a few days after I was there (Toronto International Film Fest). Lots of non-Hollywood actors and actresses and family members bouncing from one place to another looking like they were dressed for a prom (which wasn't there) or a red carpet (absent, too). I saw Beasts of the Southern Wild at the Tiff Bell Lightbox.

Tangent warning: though indie movies often are fairly lackluster, try too hard and--did I mention--try too hard?--they typically do one thing that no Hollywood film does: they resonate and get inside you. More on that later...

While wandering around, a few memories were dislodged by record covers (oh my, how my first vs. last album covers have so little in common), giving Toronto even more street cred:

Had a dinner earlier in the week this bad-ass hombre (and fellow Ironman France competitor). I'll avoid mentioning his name because of his classified/military/G2 status, but had a great time hanging out and talking to him.



Clearly he'd graduated from the CIA's "how to smuggle alcohol using your stomach without getting drunk" secret-agent course and drank me way under the table (4 bottles of wine and a couple cocktails at three or four different Ossington haunts), I take comfort in knowing that at the very least I finished off that little silver bowl full of sliced birds eye chilies. (Crack, I tell you!)



Great guy, though, and he tolerated more than enough 'absence of free-will', Cartesian dualism and solipsism soliloquies. He must have not seen where the exit door was.