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as the title says...I was just out in my garage for no real reason other than to look over my bike and scoots..and upon closer inspection noticed the rear tire on my Helix was flat. I last rode it 2 days ago, put on 33 miles on Sunday (and I aired it up before the ride).

I looked closely at the tire and couldn't see any sign of a puncture or tear. I then put it up on the center stand and started filling the tire with air in hopes of locating the leak. At 15 psi..nothing..at 30 psi..nothing..upped it to 34..still nothing.

Removed the air hose and heard the dreaded psssssssss. The air was leaking out of the valve stem. It's like it wasn't sealing. I thought this might bite me...when the tire was replaced last June of '21 they reused the old valve stem as they said they didn't have any 90 degree stems in stock.

Taking the rear wheel off involves a lot..bodywork removal, muffler removal (which means a new Honda exhaust gasket). Better to find this out in the garage than by the side of the road.

it was sunny and in the low 50's so I decided not to waste the opportunity to get in a ride today, late this morning. 28 miles and hit a GPS indicated top speed of 61.4 with the throttle pinned on a downhill. Beautiful Fall day. Even took a pic of the scoot out at the reservoir! Enjoy your Fall rides!

old cheesy 80's Rick Astley song reference?...anyone?....

Well, it's in reference to my little Ninja...I haven't ridden my bike since August 14th, over 2 months. I've spent the time riding my 2 twist n go scoots and loving it. In fact, I even asked myself more than once if I could maybe sell my bike and go full twist n go, full time(?)

So this afternoon I decided to hop on the Ninja and give her a run on this beautiful mid 60's F day with blue skies and autumn leaves falling. What a joy. I sometimes forget how fun it is to blast through the gears with crisp upshifts and perfect blip throttle downshifts. A firm (but comfortable) ride. A riding position that feels like you're flying as I only see a little of my windscreen, gauges and bars as I'm riding. A more crouched riding position, knees squeezing the tank, exhaust burbling away, one with the machine.

I rode twisty, smooth back roads with speeds from 35-50 mph. The weather was perfect, the bike was perfect.

I erased all thougts of ever selling my bike, or being without a bike I can shift.

As the song says - never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down, never gonna run around and desert you!

(pre ride video included...bike sounds better in person!)

and full gear, riding a Harley bagger. Full face helmet, jacket, gloves, boots and didn't notice the pants but he was wearing some.

I can't tell you the last time I saw a Harley rider in full gear around here...the occasional brain bucket, half helmet but never a full face. He may be thrown out of the pirate's club.

Something related - I went for a ride on the Helix on Sunday afternoon...big day for riders, saw a lot of Harleys out there (and nothing else). I had my white full face Shoei helmet, jacket, gloves, riding shoes..and shorts on. I gave the wave to every Harley I saw and got 1 halfhearted wave in return.

It's funny watching the confusion on their faces...they want to wave, then they see it's a...a...scooter! With a guy wearing gear! NOOOOOO! Must...not...wave.... Some almost start the wave and then realize what they may be waving at and quickly retract the hand..

as the title says I changed my S200 oil today after a 29 mile ride using the actual oil drain plug, not just the oil screen plug. The drain plug is on the left side under the cvt but my 'rear drum' scoot has the rear cable in front of the plug so you either soak the cable or move it beforehand.

I unbolted the little 8 mm bolt holding a bracket which held the cable to the cvt...moved it out of the way and drained the oil.

I decided to do it this way after disassembling my motor this year. Looking at it all apart it is very obvious that you will drain the maximum amount of oil out through the proper drain plug. Only draining through the oil screen leaves a good bit of oil behind.

I only had a few sparkly bits in the oil after 228 miles...so few that I'm done worrying about them and will just ride on.

Finally got my new gopro hooked up and mounted on the left handlebar and video'd my ride on Wed. I took a few still shots off the film to try to give a sense of what it looks like where I ride on the back highways in East Central Iowa.

  These pics were taken on the way North from Iowa City up toward Anamosa. It's hard to convey how beautiful the countryside is in pics...but here's a few shots for those of you who have no idea what the Iowa countryside looks like!

I got the itch to hop on the Ninja and make the 50 mile ride on beautiful 2 lanes to a small town North of here for lunch (Prairie Moon on Main in Prairieburg, IA, winner of best tenderloin in the state in 2020(?)). Temps were in the upper 80's (30+ c). Of course I was in full mesh gear, jacket, pants, boots, gloves and helmet. As I was ready to leave the restaurant a Harley pulled up to park and come in. We passed each other and I nodded and said 'nice day for a ride'..he looked at me and shook his head and kind of pointed at me and said 'not in that' ...(meaning full gear). He was wearing t shirt and jeans, although he did have a half helmet.

I shrugged and said I had a bit of a ride to get home. He asked where and I told him...he said he was going farther than that! Plus he'd already been to (mumbled something I couldn't understand) for some beers!

So no gear, drinking beer and riding the Harley on the highway! I just laughed, shook my head and said 'have a good one'.

pics attached..for Stig...

https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/story/reviews/2022-yamaha-tmax-tech-max-scooter-review/