Back from Maggie Valley!

[stevencovert]

450 mile trip from Virginia Beach, in the sideways rain from Hurricane Michael. Friday and Saturday cleared up but was cool. I had a chance to try out a friends RT(998cc) with a new sway bar. Huge difference in turning and hard curves, front dipped very little. So that's next on the list! We had a cat-bypass put in our 2016RTS by Spyder1Attitude, could feel more zip out the gate. Then the wife heard another full length kit, so we upgraded. Without the baffle it is LOUD, sounds like one of those little cars with the "fart can" exhaust! Put in the baffle and the volume dropped to tolerable on the highway. I always heard you couldn't get much out of the 1330ACE, but people must mean low rumble (true). You definitely can get serious db's "raspy style".

SpyderPops was packed as expected with LED headlamp upgrades, bump skids and mostly sway bars. Ultimate seat got my business too on my 2008GS. Got a laser alignment for $100. So easy to drop $1K - $2K there! Glad the wife held me back. Ordering the sway bar, and our local Spyder group is going to have "parts party" to install aftermarket parts and eat BBQ. One of members has a car lift converted to hold a Spyder up nice and high. Generally the installations were about $60 - $80 depending on difficulty, which really isn't bad, it's just you can wait for hours to get your bike in - and miss the riding events, etc. So it was a balance. That's why many in our club decided on the parts install party. I am comfy with LED's and electronics, we have to mechanics for all those other farkles!

Trip home Sunday was cloudy but dry! But 450 miles (in one shot) was our longest trip to date.

[ARtraveler]

Sounds like you had a great trip. Thank you for the update.

[Chupaca]

Sounds like a very successful event though we saw little here. Glad you made the storm safe and the trip back was a bit better. if you didn't know about farkling you do now....

[stevencovert]

They also unveiled a Ryker there. I sat on it, pretty comfy position. I like the low seat, low center of gravity. I'm sure it is a great bike with the CVT, but I think a GS/RSS with a sway bar is going to more fun for me. They certainly hit the mark for the young-uns, with the drive shaft (bit of off road now).

[stevencovert]

Another club member put an F4 shield on their RT - I really liked it. I could appreciate it on the ride home - my shoulders and arms were cold. That F4 shield is about 4" - 5" wider. With a vent for summer.

[Chefex]

I have a Dual HD all in one exhaust in chrome on order from Spyder1attitude. Cannot wait for it to arrive for my F3 limited. First saw them at the 3 wheeler rally in Deadwood this year.