maximo

Gorgeous white color on your bike!

This position is exactly how I have mine. Lots of trial and error always results in this setting.

Yes, but to fully maximize their function they have to overlap the windshield. IOW, it's not necessarily a windshield extension, it's a splitter of the wind stream to decrease buffeting.

I concur with your assessment. I find that timing is also important. A substantial number of people live around Middletown and work in Napa/Sonoma, so volume of cars flow accordingly. On this stretch it's easy to get caught in a long line of cars.

I'll be interested in what you think of 29 between Middletown and Calistoga. That's the part that goes up and over Mt. St. Helena, through Robert Louis Stevenson Park. The top section is a long series of 300 degree curves, one after the other. There's some folks who love it, some who think it's a PITA. Either way it's an uncommon bit of road that needs to be ridden at least once.

Yes, I love 49! It's a must ride for anyone experiencing California.

That's an awesome trip, with so many little variants along the way. Have you done this one? It's particularly fun in the spring, as you have a few water crossings. It's kind of an interesting change of pace: Google Maps

Welcome neighbor! Also, your avatar is missing a zero in its "curves ahead" sign. Hwy 36 should be the first ride on your GT!

Also, let’s keep in mind that not all leg inseam works the same on a motorcycle. For example, Uma Thurman and Earl Campbell may have the same* inseam, and while she’ll happily flatfoot both feet, Campbell’s hamhock thighs means that they spread out much further from the seat, and there’s no way he’ll touch the ground even with one foot, without significantly leaning the bike over. *I actually have no idea if they have the same inseam, but the example stands, so just pretend they do.

Yup, a few of us here.

This is perfect! I've always wanted a dirt bike that's too heavy for me to pick up when I slide out.

An abomination, really. The seat looks a lot like me after Thanksgiving dinner: every seam is bursting yet totally soft to the touch.

100%. But I did learn the hard way that saddlemakers are not created equal. The seat on my well-used 20 year old SV650 fell apart, but I didn't want to fork out the $400 for a "real" custom saddle (for some odd reason, the stock saddle fit me perfectly), so I took it to the local guy who my Harley-riding pals swear by. For $75 he'll cut out the old foam, put new foam that matches the original. I figure what could possibly go wrong? Turns out all he does is to put 5 inches of squishy foam and covers it up. That may work for a cruiser, where all your weight is on your tailbone, but for an agile, sporty bike it's torture! Not to mention my body angles are now off.

I have the FJ-09, and I'm not sure how much different the bikes are in this respect, so take my words for what they're worth. I'm 5-10, 160 lbs, with a 30 inch inseam. On the upright bike with me on the full part of the seat I can barely touch with my tippy toes. So I usually scootch forward onto the thin front part of the seat and use only my left leg at stops. My right leg stays up on the peg, foot ready to push on the brake as needed (for a U turn, or a sharp right at a T stop, etc). This is a technique I've used forever, including those whose weight is measured in tons. I've never had an issue with it. It's just second nature, I don't even think about it. As I slow down, I snick it into 1st, slide forward, drop the foot, stop. The FJ is so light that I've never worried about it tipping past the point of no return.

What a great trip! And who amongst us has not missed that Hwy 49N turnout at Jamestown? The way it's designed, it makes you think it's just the Downtown Sonora exit. But if you're going to miss a turn, that's a great one to miss!

In the spirit of how you in the UK like to name the sides of an issue, shall we call this the bouncers vs sitters?

This is excellent advice. I've done this with my last 4 bikes, compared to an off the shelf for the previous (who knows how many). The pre fab ones were ok, almost always better than stock (tho I've come to realize I'm not a fan of Corbin or Sargent), but the increased benefit of a saddle molded around your own leg melons is amazing. I'm fortunate that Seth Laam is right up the road, and he does tremendous work. Ride in, measure, chat, sculpt, chat, mold, chat, ride away happy.

I've wondered the same thing. Their HQ is about 3 blocks from my house, and I've thought about stopping in and see if they'd let me look at and maybe try on their stuff. Maybe eventually I'll do it.

I'll be honest, I'm on my 3rd year of owning my '15, and I'm still not feeling this. I've managed to tame the jerky throttle, and with all the farkles I have, the bike should be perfect. But when it comes time to ride, more often than not I end up on my trusty old SV650, or on my BMW K-pig. I've only manged to put on 20k so far, so maybe it's just lack of seat time. I dunno. I'm still hoping for the magic to happen.

A few seconds??? That's amazing! I also name my vehicles, but it takes a while for the name to appear. It's almost like the bike has to slowly unveil its name to me.

Are your elbows any more clear with these vs stock?

Totally concur that CA-96 is underappreciated. Combine it with a loop from Somes Bar to Cecilville Callahan and/or Sawyers Bar to Etna and you have a *chef's kiss* day ride.

If I can get up there (in a cage) before it snows I'll report back with a condition assessment. I've seen pictures, and it ain't pretty. I just don't have a good sense of how widespread the damage is.

No damage to either road that parallels Bucks Lake Rd. Hwy 70 (Feather River Canyon) to the north and LaPorte Road to the south both survived the fires with no problems.