[him a layin]

this is all speculative since i've ridden the bike very little so far, but it seems overly tall and overly heavy to me. so at some point in the future i may decide to "fix" these issues. tall can be addressed with lowering links and fork adjustment, heavy can be addressed by replacing heavy components with lighter ones (muffler?LI battery?) or even omitting them altogether. i'm looking at you, tank guard bars, and you too, extra front fender, and maybe even you, handlebar weights. also maybe "tidying up" the tail, a la scram.

i expect you more experienced folks have opinions about all of this so please, do share. no hurry, take your time. and yes, i know, cut back on dessert. fat chance.

[AzCal Retred]

Lightness (combined with HP...) is the forte of the high end $$$ folks like KTM & Husqvarna. The Himalayan is very competent within its operating range. The low end buy in provides you with good geometry, compliant suspension and mild traction promoting power and decent gear ratios. It also comes with a mild steel frame and manufacturing choices biased towards strength thru extra mass instead of exotic materials like tempered chromoly and carbon fiber.

Rider thinks the 31.5"seat height is fairly low for these types of bikes. The "tank guards" are actually carrier racks.
https://ridermagazine.com/2021/11/10/2022-royal-enfield-himalayan-first-ride-review/

Myself I'd keep it stock, maybe take off the bits you won't use and put them in a box. Ride it, maintain it, learn its quirks, appreciate what it does well. New high quality tires is about all the modding it needs, after the stock rubber wears down a bit. Chasing lightness is pointless when starting with low end hardware. R.E. did a great job with the Himalayan, especially for the price point. You can spend a lot of time & treasure and not get close to the high dollar boys; they started with a lot more base budget and retail for about 3x the price.

[him a layin]

"take off the bits you won't use and put them in a box."

good, good. anyone else?

[jadofind]

A perception of excess weight suggests that you arrived at a Himalayan from a different route than I did. My previous mount was a V-Strom 650, which was bordering on worrisome weight if more than 5-10 degrees off vertical at a stop. The Himalayan is wonderfully light and short by comparison. I did notice when replacing a few broken and bent spokes on the rear wheel, that its weight surprised me. I haven't detached the front wheel, but wouldn't be surprised if it was also a bit on the heavy side. Finding and installing suitable aluminum rims might be one way to lighten up the bike a bit. However, it was only noticeable when I had the wheel off (like the roof that only leaks when it rains).

[him a layin]

check the rims, check.

[oldphart]

The stock wheels are stupidly heavy as I discovered recently when changing the tyres. Get some tubeless wheels while you're at it.

[Morgan65]

this is all speculative since i've ridden the bike very little so far, but it seems overly tall and overly heavy to me. so at some point in the future i may decide to "fix" these issues. tall can be addressed with lowering links and fork adjustment, heavy can be addressed by replacing heavy components with lighter ones (muffler?LI battery?) or even omitting them altogether. i'm looking at you, tank guard bars, and you too, extra front fender, and maybe even you, handlebar weights. also maybe "tidying up" the tail, a la scram.

i expect you more experienced folks have opinions about all of this so please, do share. no hurry, take your time. and yes, i know, cut back on dessert. fat chance.

I was thinking of doing just that two years ago if I could find a Himmy that I can pick up cheap.  Maybe one that had been crashed.   

I think now it’ll be best to just trade it in on the new 412 Sram.

[him a layin]

I think now it’ll be best to just trade it in on the new 412 Sram.

likely the easiest way to get there if that's where you want to go.

right now my battery has died from sitting for 3 weeks. charger failed o save it. i've got family business to attend to in florida, so it may just continue to sit for the next month or so. obviously a battery cutoff is in my future, but there's not much room under there. maybe on the left, glued to the back of the side cover?
focus, man, focus!

[BJMS]

this is all speculative since i've ridden the bike very little so far, but it seems overly tall and overly heavy to me. so at some point in the future i may decide to "fix" these issues. tall can be addressed with lowering links and fork adjustment, heavy can be addressed by replacing heavy components with lighter ones (muffler?LI battery?) or even omitting them altogether. i'm looking at you, tank guard bars, and you too, extra front fender, and maybe even you, handlebar weights. also maybe "tidying up" the tail, a la scram.

i expect you more experienced folks have opinions about all of this so please, do share. no hurry, take your time. and yes, i know, cut back on dessert. fat chance.

Sounds like you should swap it for a Scram.
Lower, (a little bit) lighter, no extra front fender, no tank bars, no rear rack etc.

[him a layin]

Sounds like you should swap it for a Scram.
Lower, (a little bit) lighter, no extra front fender, no tank bars, no rear rack etc.

maybe so.

[zefnerd]

Sounds like you should swap it for a Scram.
Lower, (a little bit) lighter, no extra front fender, no tank bars, no rear rack etc.

The front screen was dropped, front wheel reduced to 19", and probably the biggest weight saver, dropped the inclusion of a centerstand. They dropped about 10 kilo.

[him a layin]

The front screen was dropped, front wheel reduced to 19", and probably the biggest weight saver, dropped the inclusion of a centerstand. They dropped about 10 kilo.

don't know that i'd want to ditch the center stand.

[him a layin]

cobbled up a battery cutoff for when thing settle enough to pursue this again

[him a layin]

connected my home-brew battery cutoff and it seems to work.
and an aside: momentarily swapped the battery terminals by accident, key in pocket, and heard what i think was the fuel pump running. interesting wiring on this beast.

[mitch49]

Get some tubeless wheels while you're at it.

New guy here with a question. Will the alloy wheels from the  Meteor fit the Scram? I'm concerned about brake caliper placement.They are tubless... Would the alloy rims from the 650 work? This would get rid of the caliper problem but would it cause a problem with the different size rims and the speedo and ABS?? I guess you wold need need new spokes also..
tnx
mitch

[AzCal Retred]

There are tubeless tire "rim tape" tubeless kits that get good reviews in the 650 section. Look over there and see if they appeal.

Usually a tube of "Slime" in a new tube will prevent the great majority of flats from happening. Going to cast wheels is an unnecessary practical expense, with "Slimed" tubes you'll likely never have a flat anyway. The 350 Meteor comes with cast alloy rims, is a better road bike, and the upcoming Hitchcock's Meteor big bore kit will take up any power slack and then some.

Again, lightness requires pricy materials and manufacturing processes. The $4500-ish 411 Himalayan is a great bike for the price, but the KTM, Husqvarna, et al will always be lighter and have more HP. That said, for everyday use and moderate trail bashing the Himi is a great choice. It's likely cheaper to pick up an old Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha or Kawasaki purpose built off road machine if you are seriously interested in off road performance.

[him a layin]

finally got off my lazy butt and got my MC permit. rainy until saturday, so will start exploring the local dirt roads then. once i get a feel for the bike i'll think about mods/deletions.

[him a layin]

took it out for a run, it died about a mile and a half out, obviously some sort of electrical problem. neighbor helped me get it home. battery below 12v. replaced both 5-pin relays, no improvement. weather is inclement, so not much diagnostics for the next couple of days.

[him a layin]

this might be part of my problem,#1, charging fuse. also ordered the add-on battery drain harness from hitchcock's

[him a layin]

it cranks! it starts! it runs... fitfully. like me, it doesn't like going out when it's cold. i may try to adjust the idle.

i feel like an idiot. after looking over the wiring diagram for hours i noticed the starter solenoid is wired to the clutch switch, and voila! squeeze the clutch lever, fires right up. i still suspect there's an issue with the gear position sensor, it says "-" instead of "0".

tomorrow i'll fire it up and let it idle for a while, see if it drains the battery. worst case, i won't have to push it home.

[Spicyred]

it cranks! it starts! it runs... fitfully. like me, it doesn't like going out when it's cold. i may try to adjust the idle.

i feel like an idiot. after looking over the wiring diagram for hours i noticed the starter solenoid is wired to the clutch switch, and voila! squeeze the clutch lever, fires right up. i still suspect there's an issue with the gear position sensor, it says "-" instead of "0".

tomorrow i'll fire it up and let it idle for a while, see if it drains the battery. worst case, i won't have to push it home.

Does it do that all the time?
Mine has done it a couple times. No big deal - just knock the lever back into second gear and down to neutral again to get the “0”.

If I haven’t ridden for a couple of weeks, I’ll lift the seat and plug a battery charger to the terminals for a couple hours. Works fine on my 18 month old battery.
Note that we don’t have the freezing temperatures around here. Perhaps 6 or 8 C.

Anyway, off for a ride and shall have passed the 10,000 kilometre mark by afternoon.

[him a layin]

Does it do that all the time?
Mine has done it a couple times. No big deal - just knock the lever back into second gear and down to neutral again to get the “0”.

If I haven’t ridden for a couple of weeks, I’ll lift the seat and plug a battery charger to the terminals for a couple hours. Works fine on my 18 month old battery.
Note that we don’t have the freezing temperatures around here. Perhaps 6 or 8 C.

Anyway, off for a ride and shall have passed the 10,000 kilometre mark by afternoon.

re the gearbox, i haven't ridden it enough to know. i've had both 1-down/4-up (like the himmy) and all-up bikes so i know there's a period of getting accustomed to it.
 
i'm hoping to get it out tomorrow and put some local miles on it. it idles well once it gets up to operating temp. i let it run 20 minutes today on the center stand so am confident that the charging system works. thousands of miles? eventually, i hope. right now the weather is turning cold (below freezing some nights) so i might not get much riding in until  spring comes in march.

[him a layin]

we've had a couple of days of lovely weather, so went for a ride to the yadkin river bridge. no problems except operator error. need to relearn some old habits.

[darmahman]

Delkevic full exhaust took 10 pounds off. Then added rack and bags…:)

[him a layin]

explored some back roads in my little town, found the abandoned lutheran cemetery, graves from 1900-1920s

[him a layin]

explored some back roads in my little town, found the abandoned lutheran cemetery, graves from 1900-1920s. no problems beside operator error.

[Spicyred]

Exploring back roads, sealed or unsealed, is where these bikes really shine. ;

[him a layin]

Exploring back roads, sealed or unsealed, is where these bikes really shine. ;

indeed.

[him a layin]

installed the battery-drain harness from Hitchcock's today. took 2 weeks to arrive from Germany because i cheaped out on the shipping. looks like a quality product, good clear instructions so installation was easy, about 15 minutes including running back and forth for tools.

[him a layin]

rode up to the Dan Nicholas state park today bumblebee yellow/black jacket was cozy despite 48*f. only stalled it once!

[AzCal Retred]

That mist & low-angle sun looks plenty cold - you're a tough nut.

[him a layin]

looks plenty cold - you're a tough nut.

some kind of nut, that's for sure. we get a completely different weather pattern here in NC. snow in the forecast for friday then supposed to warm up after new years.

[him a layin]

highs in the mid 60s this week, went down by the river again, then cruised the back roads. need some wind-blocking pants, jacket is fine. been shopping online, what is this obsession with everything black? i want neon: orange, yellow, green...
and when i'm doing the limit on the 2-lane double solid back roads, they floor it and roar past. surprise!

[him a layin]

just ordered a pair of neon yellow rain pants from TSC: https://www.tractorsupply.com/.../glowear-unisex-hi-vis... yes, i could have got them cheaper, and no they're not armored MC gear, but they'll allow me to keep riding in the chilly until i get the real thing, at which point these will be used for cold weather bicycling. be loud, be proud!

i looked at some rubbery ones, and ripstop/pvc too, and decided to spring for the pricier (2X) breathable instead, on the theory that i'd get more utility out of them. some of the cheaper models look like they would disintegrate at 60mph.

[wachuko]

I would think that the obvious things to change to make it lighter are:

1. Exhaust
2. Tubeless conversion
3. Battery with Lithium-Ion (LiFePO4) unit...
4. If comfortable doing so, delete Evap
5. If comfortable doing so, Air Injection Delete Kit

Then you have small stuff that can be remove (or replace with lighter parts):

1. If you are riding solo, remove the passenger pegs
2. Remove the front peak... seems to be there only for looks...
3. Replace all bolts with titanium equivalents...
4. Replace all lights with lighter LED  equivalents


What else?  Beside loosing a few pounds myself?

[him a layin]

my guess is that little things like the bolts are trivial, maybe a couple of ounces altogether. i'm looking at the scram as an example for the best return.

[wachuko]

my guess is that little things like the bolts are trivial, maybe a couple of ounces altogether. i'm looking at the scram as an example for the best return.

Ohh... missed that... I thought you were looking to staying with the Himalayan and making it lighter while still using it for its intended purpose (off roading with gear).

I plan to get one next year... so at least it served as an exercise on some of the changes that I will make to mine 

And I agree, replacing the bolts with titanium equivalent... not cost effective for the weight it would save... and least not in my book.

[him a layin]

Ohh... missed that... I thought you were looking to staying with the Himalayan

no, you had it right. i'm staying with the himalayan. and in keeping with the himalayan's main theme, i'm insufferably cheap, so if i can simply take something off the bike, that's a free weight loss.

[AzCal Retred]

" I'm insufferably cheap, so if i can simply take something off the bike, that's a free weight loss. "

Well spoken. Tires are about the best mods you can make that have a noticeable effect on performance & you'll eventually need them anyway. If you are just occasionally cowtrailing, pretty much anything will work. You can do a lot with different weight fork oils & spring preload to suit yourself. The Himi at 440 pounds & about 25 HP is a bit portly but a good dual purpose mount with easy maintenance and stabile handling within its envelope. The KTM 390 adventure is 90 pounds lighter, 15 HP more powerful, +2" higher every time you swing a leg over and another $2500 more. The upcoming 450 Himalayan should be similar to the 390 KTM in performance and likely about the same money.

It would take a LOT of time & money to whittle the 411 Himi down by 90 pounds and add another 15 HP, probably way more than $2500 in time & parts. That center stand is worth its weight in gold for ease of maintenance & trailside repairs. Way better to just spend the money up front if you really feel the need for more ungawa. What I've seen is that the rider is normally at least 80% of the trail equation. Learning to actually use what you have seems to have been forgotten in the race to sell "faster" equipment. I can testify that buying a pricier, faster machine doesn't make you a better rider, it just guarantees you'll eventually hit the ground at a higher speed...

https://www.webbikeworld.com/2022-ktm-390-adventure/
https://www.webbikeworld.com/2022-royal-enfield-himalayan/

[him a layin]

sure, the himalayan could be lighter and have more power, but it is good enough for the kind of riding i do now. and the price point can't be beat for a new bike. i also looked at the bmw310, ktm390, and klr650 and chose the himmy i'll lightly mod it to make it mine. eventually i may swap it for something else, but for now it will do just fine.

[him a layin]

got my rain pants from TSC today. you can't see me!

[him a layin]

it's a lovely day for a ride in the country. expecting rain off and on for the rest of the week. strike while the iron is hot, seize the day!
went out past the edge of town, looked at some pastures, then browsed the baptist cemetery on the way back, graves from 1900 and thereabouts.

[AzCal Retred]

Looks like you had a nice toot! Is that windscreen keeping some cool air off of your chest?

[him a layin]

yes. i was skeptical at first, but it works very well. i open the visor on my helmet a half-inch or so to keep the air fresh and condensation under control. i still don't have actual MC boots or pants, but what i have is adequate for now. one of the few mods i did to my H1 long ago was a windscreen about this size. it's been over 35 years since  i rode regularly, so it's still sort of new to me, but i'm getting the hang of it and looking forward to riding more when the weather warms. the back end seems looser-connected to the road than i remember, maybe the stock tire?

[AzCal Retred]

Tire compounds and air pressure are some real voodoo. For summer riding almost anything works. IF I was riding any on cold & wet or frosty tarmac I'd spring for real rubber by a real manufacturer with actual cold/wet/icy road experience like Dunlop, Michelin, Metzeler, Avon or maybe Bridgestone. My dirt-years criteria was that if I fell off less, the tires were likely better that what I had on before. At our age I can't in good conscience recommend that Darwinian approach. Lots of fast riders here have valid opinions on what contemporary rubber works well in adverse conditions, but not me. Myself I use Duro because it wears well and is cheap, but I'm not out there in the cold & wet either. Duro for "casual summer use" is OK, but for anything else you probably want the real deal.

[him a layin]

forecast for today was cloudy and 60f, so i was planning to go for a ride. but it was light sprinkling all day, so no go.
rest of the week is expected to be about the same, rain and/or chilly.  so likely no more riding for me this week. 

[wachuko]

I keep documenting how to make the bike lighter... Since you started the thread with that, figured I would share my updated list 

Weight reduction (still researching, all these numbers from other owners or product websites):

1. RK Takasago 520 pitch chain and sprocket set - 3 lbs lighter than stock
2. YSS rear suspension - 4 lbs lighter than stock
3. Lithium (LiFePO4) battery - 5.5 lbs lighter than stock - one option IMP08-X
4. Delkevic carbon fiber complete exhaust system - 10 lbs lighter than stock
5. Wheels - replace stock rims with aluminum replacements - 10 lbs
6. Tubeless setup - I think, have not weighted this, that getting rid of the inner tubes would save another - 5-8 lbs??
7. Going solo so will be removing passenger pegs - ? lbs ?
8. Removing bumper peak. I really do not get why RE added that... just for looks I am guessing. - ? lbs ?
9. Remove EVAP system - ? lbs ?
10. Hitchcock's Brake disc contoured for rear wheel. They claim it is lighter than the stock unit. - ? lbs?
11. Replace all hardware (nuts and bolts) with titanium hardware. On this one, as mentioned before, the cost is not worth the amount of weight loss.... but wanted to keep it on the list...
12. Bar ends - ? lbs ?

There... back to normal programming

[wachuko]

Left one out...

13. Royal Enfield Adventure handle bar in aluminum - they claim it is 20% less weight than stock handlebar

[him a layin]

I keep documenting how to make the bike lighter... Since you started the thread with that, figured I would share my updated list 
....
There... back to normal programming

fitting into the himalayan's target market as i do, (cheep cheep cheep) i will eventually do some of these, especially the "omit"s. it may be some time, as i first want to get to know the bike as it came from the factory.

meanwhile, if you think it's useful to stash your accumulated knowledge here, please feel free to do so. i even get to feel like i contributed to the knowledge base by asking the question, thank you very much!

[him a layin]

took himmy out for a ride, stopped at my friend bob's on the way. he's living the bachelor life, keeps his vulcan in the foyer. when i got to the park, the gate was closed. oops. still, a pleasant outing.

[him a layin]

went out for a ride to the end of long ferry road. i think this is High Rock Lake, formed by a hydroelectric dam. houses all along the shore, but i saw no public access to the river. still, pretty.

[him a layin]

it's a lovely day for a ride in the country.
first warm clear day for a while, decided to use it. went to confirm the route to the landfill. stopped on the way in a little town, just a wide spot in the road. convenience store, hair salon, junkyard including two damaged hondas, a suzuki and a nameless scooter. found a motorcycle speed shop just up the road, too. then rode on and yes, the landfill is still there.

[AzCal Retred]

Good out-'n-about shots, thanks for those! Still pretty soggy over here in the Land 'o fruits, nuts & flakes.

[wachuko]

It is nice to get out.  Thank you for sharing photos

[him a layin]

another lovely day for a ride in the country.
under the interstate to bringle ferry rd,
dan nickolas state park, then on to tamarack marina on high rock lake.

[AzCal Retred]

Nice! Looks like Spring has Sprung! 

[him a layin]

starting to grow a list of things i might want to change. the curve of the seat slides me forward so my knees just touch the tank bars. and i noticed this last outing that my underwear/pants seams chafe in the crotch. no, i'm not going to ride pantsless. and i think i'd like eventually to lower the bike a bit, the CG feels higher than i like.

[wachuko]

starting to grow a list of things i might want to change. the curve of the seat slides me forward so my knees just touch the tank bars. and i noticed this last outing that my underwear/pants seams chafe in the crotch. no, i'm not going to ride pantsless. and i think i'd like eventually to lower the bike a bit, the CG feels higher than i like.

Interesting, I come from having a really top heavy bike... The Himalayan feels so light and nimble in comparison...  Nevertheless I continue to make modifications to make it lighter...

So far, things done that have shed weight off the bike:

1. Delkevic 14" complete exhaust system
2. Removed passenger pegs.  No need for those since I do not carry a passenger
3. Removed EVAP system
4. Installed Hitchcock's Brake disc contoured for rear wheel.
5. Installed Royal Enfield Adventure handle bar in aluminum
6. Installed Hitchcock's Air injection delete kit

Things done that have added weight to the bike:

1. GIVI crash bars
2. EBC brake pads (yeah, these turned out to be a bit heavier than stock pads)
3. GIVI side stand larger foot plate
4. Barkbusters handguards
5. Rear wheel hugger
6. Grip Puppies

Net weight lost so far: 2.57 lbs.  So at least I have not added weight to the bike...

Pending changes that will help to loose weight:

1. Lithium (LiFePO4) battery
2. Aluminum rims
3. Tubeless setup
4. Rear passenger seat removal to replaced with light weight pan.
5. If not needed, remove rear rack.  The replacement of the rear seat with a flat pan might be enough to place the luggage there.

Pending changes that will make the bike gain weight:

1. Panniers and brackets
2. Tank bag
3. Front side bags

And yes, I am also on a diet to loose another 20 lbs 

[him a layin]

Interesting, I come from having a really top heavy bike.

So far, things done that have shed weight off the bike:

And yes, I am also on a diet to lose another 20 lbs 

this is my 4th bike: kawasaki dual-purpose 175, yamaha dt400, and a kaw H1. all 2-strokes, i loved the simplicity. if there's ever a 5th bike it will likely be another H1, i scan the ads watching for one to rescue. all of these were lighter and lower than the himalayan, so my experience is skewed.
right now except for the hitchcock's battery-drain harness and the easily-removed battery cutoff, my himmy is as-purchased, and it will stay that way for a while. so as i ride it i'll get comfortable with it or not, and that will help make the decision whether there's a #5.
just as an aside, i've seen your posts on the himalayan USA FB page, that and here both look like useful resources.

[wachuko]

this is my 4th bike: kawasaki dual-purpose 175, yamaha dt400, and a kaw H1. all 2-strokes, i loved the simplicity. if there's ever a 5th bike it will likely be another H1, i scan the ads watching for one to rescue. all of these were lighter and lower than the himalayan, so my experience is skewed.
right now except for the hitchcock's battery-drain harness and the easily-removed battery cutoff, my himmy is as-purchased, and it will stay that way for a while. so as i ride it i'll get comfortable with it or not, and that will help make the decision whether there's a #5.
just as an aside, i've seen your posts on the himalayan USA FB page, that and here both look like useful resources.

Kawasaki H1 - that is an interesting looking motorcycle with that exhaust setup.  Two pipes on one side, one on the other. Certainly lower, but the weight is not that far off from a Himalayan, well, closer to the weight of a Scram now that I look at the specs.

[him a layin]

now that I look at the specs.

weight specs vary, i've seen anywhere from 384 to 423 lbs listed.
a 3-into-1 pipe would have made it lighter. i ran with 3 friends who rode a kaw h2 750 (rode it once, too big for my liking) a triumph 650 and a honda 450 in late 70s, early 80s. i loved the simplicity, no fuel pumps, points, valves, gas gauges, etc, just keep gas in the gastank and 2-stroke in the oil tank, check the dipstick now and then and you're good to go. later models just looked fast to me, much like the himmy looks agile.

[him a layin]

another lovely day, mid 70s, partly cloudy. found this county park 3 miles from home, then rode out into the sticks, saw this old farmhouse. owner came out,
"can i help you?"
"just out for a ride, saw the house, mind if i get some pics?"
"help yourself, stay off the porch, might fall in".

as i rode up closer, dumped it in a muddy rut, my first w/ the himmy. grass all around, as good a place to drop it as i could ask for, 0 damage.

[him a layin]

more pics.

[AzCal Retred]

Nice! Riding in tall grass/weeds is always tricky. Come out to the dez where you can see the ground - but those tall fuzzy "shrubs" are best avoided...

[him a layin]

Come out to the dez

it would have been ok except i got to going sideways in a muddy rut.
i'd love to ride to AZ but it's a long ride, maybe if i had something a bit more street-oriented than the himalayan.

[him a layin]

a lovely day for a ride around town. visited the old abandoned AME and Lutheran cemeteries. there's a confederate veteran in the Lutheran cemetery, and sassafras.

[cosmotraveler]

Delkevic full exhaust took 10 pounds off. Then added rack and bags…:)

What kind of saddle bag racks did you put on this?  Looks like they are pretty low profile which is what I'm trying to find.  Seems tricky to mount rackless to the Scram otherwise but Id like to add some small soft bags kind of like yours.  It looks great btw!  I've go the same color Scram and I love it

[wachuko]

a lovely day for a ride around town. visited the old abandoned AME and Lutheran cemeteries. there's a confederate veteran in the Lutheran cemetery, and sassafras.

Very nice!

I will be heading to Georgia on the 26 to meet up with two friends and ride the Smokey Mountains 500.  Getting the bike ready for the trip...

https://adventurewell.co/resources/f/whats-it-like-to-ride-the-smokey-mountain-500

https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/smokey-mountain-500.926507/

I will try to avoid highways on my way to my friend's house in Grayson, GA and on the way back.  Once in Grayson then we head out to do the Smokey Mountains 500... I am not retired, so I need to head back Monday.  That means that we might only be able to do two of the three segments.  But that is okay...

It should make for a great first long ride on the Himalayan...

[him a layin]

i am sure you'll have a wonderful time. i'm several hours off to the east, near charlotte NC. i've never had my himalayan more than 30 miles from home, but expect that to change as i get more comfortable with the bike. like, maybe to the beach, 4 or 5 hours away. that Ga/Tn/NC area is beautiful country, i'm sure you'll get lots of great pictures (and memories)!

[Mort]

Very nice!

I will be heading to Georgia on the 26 to meet up with two friends and ride the Smokey Mountains 500.  Getting the bike ready for the trip...

https://adventurewell.co/resources/f/whats-it-like-to-ride-the-smokey-mountain-500

https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/smokey-mountain-500.926507/

I will try to avoid highways on my way to my friend's house in Grayson, GA and on the way back.  Once in Grayson then we head out to do the Smokey Mountains 500... I am not retired, so I need to head back Monday.  That means that we might only be able to do two of the three segments.  But that is okay...

It should make for a great first long ride on the Himalayan...

You're going to be within a a half hour of my house, though not a half hour of me since I'll be in southern Virginia.

Hope you get some time to explore the North Georgia mountains. Some of the best riding in the country up there.

[Spicyred]

Very nice!

I will be heading to Georgia on the 26 to meet up with two friends and ride the Smokey Mountains 500.  Getting the bike ready for the trip...

https://adventurewell.co/resources/f/whats-it-like-to-ride-the-smokey-mountain-500

https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/smokey-mountain-500.926507/

I will try to avoid highways on my way to my friend's house in Grayson, GA and on the way back.  Once in Grayson then we head out to do the Smokey Mountains 500... I am not retired, so I need to head back Monday.  That means that we might only be able to do two of the three segments.  But that is okay...

It should make for a great first long ride on the Himalayan...

M8, you’ll love it.
It’s crazy how well they handle sweeping black top too, when laden.
They’re no T7 but there are places we can keep them honest with our sweet handling.

[him a layin]

just a quick ride today, maybe half hour each way. found a partly new route to the landfill wasn't planning to go there when i started off. it was good to get out, it's been a couple of weeks.
noticed this creek on the way out, stopped for pics on the way back.

[Struggler]

I do not know if I am in the correct place but here is the pannier rack that I was asked about!

[wachuko]

I do not know if I am in the correct place but here is the pannier rack that I was asked about!

Hi!  Wrong thread but it is all good!!  Thank you for sharing 

[wachuko]

just a quick ride today, maybe half hour each way. found a partly new route to the landfill wasn't planning to go there when i started off. it was good to get out, it's been a couple of weeks.
noticed this creek on the way out, stopped for pics on the way back.

Wished I was closer to areas like that... all my friends keep telling me that I need to move to Georgia...

[him a layin]

i lived in the atlanta metro area for a while, chasing IT jobs, then north GA. much of GA is very nice, from the atlantic coast in the SE to the mountains in the north. i think if i had it all to do over again i'd look closer at brunswick. central GA is pleasant but pretty flat.

[wachuko]

i lived in the atlanta metro area for a while, chasing IT jobs, then north GA. much of GA is very nice, from the atlantic coast in the SE to the mountains in the north. i think if i had it all to do over again i'd look closer at brunswick. central GA is pleasant but pretty flat.

Most of my friends there are in the Grayson area.

Doubt my wife would want to move... she wants to stay close to the kids here in FL.  Just wait until they start moving all over due to work, lol.

For now we just drive over and visit the beautiful places that GA has... or I ride over for the mountain rides we do every year there.

[him a layin]

i see that i neglected to mention that i grew up in central florida out the west side of orlando, went to school in tampa and st. pete thru the 80s. not sure i'd want to live in florida now, family there all gone.

[him a layin]

the weather has kind of sucked these last couple of days and it's expected to be like this for the next week or 10 days and now they're talking about a hurricane brewing out there in the atlantic and i'm kicking myself for not being motivated enough to go out and ride when it was nice. i did get my e-bike out yesterday, and promptly got caught out in the rain, and by the time i got home i was pretty well soaked thru. reminder to self: make hay (and miles) when the sun shines.

[wachuko]

I rode mine to the house in Ocala.  Planning to ride the trails in the Ocala National Forest…

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/florida/recreation/recarea/?recid=83652&actid=32

[him a layin]

another lovely day for a ride. helped a box turtle over the curb, visited the old NC finishing plant at yadkin river park.

[him a layin]

a chilly day for a ride around town. stanback (yes, the headache powder people) park, the pond is low. then up by the transportation museum, behind the grocery store to the abandoned cemetery.

[Deathwish]

Looks chilly!

[him a layin]

Looks chilly!

high in the upper 40s. dress warm!

[Deathwish]

high in the upper 40s. dress warm!

Was out riding the Interceptor this morning in the upper 30's, low 40's. Pretty chilly till it finally got into the 50's. Need to look into some cold weather pants.

[him a layin]

Was out riding the Interceptor this morning in the upper 30's, low 40's. Pretty chilly till it finally got into the 50's. Need to look into some cold weather pants.

brrr!   
i'm wearing 2 layers, then my riding jacket. just got some rain pants which should help keep the wind out. this is supposed to be fun, not a marathon.