Go Big (Money Rally) or Go Home.

A short ride report of just one day of riding in the Big Money Rally 2015. Starring my dear friend Albert (feeger).

You can read about it at the link below, if you felt so inclined. Cheers!

https://motorcyclewanderings.blogspot.com/2015/03/go-big-money-rally-or-go-home.html

Nicely done Sam, thanks for taking us along. Good to see you and Al out and about!

--G

Thanks for the report and dragging that Albert guy around.

I grabbed one of your pictures just because I was so happy to see him out and about. Hope that's alright with you.

Thanks guys! Al is one heckuva guy and one of my best friends around here! It was good to get him out riding and having some fun and taking a break from his routine!

As for the pictures, feel free, I don't mind, neither does Al.

Nice report, puppychow; great prose and great photos. There are a fair number of FJRs digging the groovy bonus locations with you; me included.

Muscle Shoals studios ...



The stone Public Library where I went as a kid -- near a bonus that was actually IN the tiny town where I grew up ...



A covered bridge in metro Atlanta -- that I never knew was there ...



and the wide variety of roads that take you from one to the other ...





and the wide variety of bathrooms that present themselves at such convenient moments...



I have very little competitive drive on this one, brothers and sisters. To me, the BMR is an excuse to ride. I do expect to finish (dignity, not competition) but anything beyond that will just make it funner. I trust Al feels the same way.

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puppychow, didn't mean to tromp on your thread, but this relaxed rally thing is hitting my sweet spot -- as it seems to have hit yours and your friend's -- and I'm just spreading the good word.

Hey, no apologies needed and no tromping was done. The more the merrier! Relaxed rallying is the way to go this time of year and maybe all I have time for anymore. I will keep an eye out for your fun on the BMR site!

Thanks for the great report and pictures puppychow!

Enjoyed the pictures. Years ago when my wife and I vacationed in California, all I remember from the Sacromento area was the valley, which in my memory was very flat and VERY agricultural. What you depict is much different, woodsy and hilly.

I'd be interested in hearing you thoughts about the big V-Strom.

Sacramento valley is flat and drab and blaaaah! 20 miles east of Sacramento is where the fun starts near here.

The Pro's and Con's of the big V-strom as compared to the FJR and based purely on my experiences and opinion are as follows:

Pros:

1. Torquey V-Twin.

2. More upright seating.

3. More leg room.

4. Much lighter, and sits higher, makes it great for jumping curbs and tight maneuvering.

5. Makes me grin a bit more in the twisty stuff than the FJR.

6. Very easy to work on.

7. With aftermarket exhausts it will sound sweeeet, but I am not going that route.

Cons:

1. Speedo horribly inaccurate, rely on GPS for accurate speed.

2. Worse gas mileage - 36 mpg tops. Combined with smaller gas tank, limits your range between fill ups. 5.8 gallon tank vs. 6.6 gallon for FJR.

3. Wind protection and buffeting protection inadequate when stock, needed improvement with Mad-stad brackets and Laminar Lip and tank panniers. Now rock solid.

4. Weaker stator capacity, but adequate for me so far.

5. Stock exhausts heavy and make it sound like a sewing machine, but I don't care as much, some might.

That's all I can think of at the moment, will add more later if something else occurs to me.

Wonderful to see you two out and about!! :wub:

Tyler said:

Wonderful to see you two out and about!!

Click to expand...

It was good to be out and about. Welcome back Tyler! Please post up my future guidebook to moto touring in NZ and Aus. Thank you very much!

puppychow said:

Tyler said:

Wonderful to see you two out and about!!

Click to expand...

It was good to be out and about. Welcome back Tyler! Please post up my future guidebook to moto touring in NZ and Aus. Thank you very much!

Click to expand...

I'll get right on that... as soon as I go through my email at work and get caught up... then I'll go through the 1 or 2 (thousand) photos I have! :lol: