The VeeSaki, with Hogback Mtn. in the background. A community called Dark Corners, located in the shadow of Hogback, was once reknowned as one of the most lawless places in South Carolina. Notorious for bootlegging, it was typical of many communities of that era that were situated on the border between two states, with the laws of neither having much impact on the local behaviour. Now the high ridges that lead to the mountain on the NC/SC line north of Greenville, SC are lined with gated communities and access to the peak is hard to get. It's good country though, and I can't wait to go back when the peach orchards are in bloom. Pix will be coming up soon.

I still have the old cloth bags from the Ninja mounted, but a set of aluminum panniers are on the way from Happy Trails and hopefully will arrive sometime next week.

Al looks out over the valley of Pink Beds, below Mt. Pisgah, from an overlook by the Blue Ridge Parkway. His Yamaha FJR 1300 is brand spankin' new and we were taking advantage of a mild day to put it through its paces. Note the missing front fender on the Versys. We had just epoxied a Fender Extender to the fender a short time before and didn't want to waste riding time while we waited for it to 'set up'. Al decided that he needed a screwdriver bit and that Harbor Freight near Asheville would no doubt have one. Soooooo... even though Harbor was only a few miles from our homes, we decided to take the scenic route, heading up Hwy. 276 out of Brevard to the Parkway, then cutting across Mt. Pisgah to Skyland where Harbor Freight is located. It made a great 78 mile loop for a quick short ride, even though we never got around to picking up the bit. Guess we'll have to go back - maybe this time we'll head over via Chimney Rock, Marion, and Mt. Mitchell.

This was my original pair to choose between - the Weestrom with and without ABS from Suzuki. I really like the Wee and if I could have worked out a deal on one to match what I got for the VeeSaki, I would probably have one now. It's a bombproof bike and like the Versys, has a wide variety of aftermarket goodies available if you decide to turn it into an adventure touring ride. Also like the Versys, it's surprisingly nimble and will easily hold its own with most sport bikes on the road. It's a shame that the ABS version didn't offer the color option that is available on the non-ABS, but at least ABS is an option, unlike the Vee. Maybe someday the Japanese manufacturers will realize that Americans would like to havc the same safety and cosmetic options that are offered in Europe and Canada.

So... back and forth, back and forth I went, one moment thinking that I couldn't live without the WeeStrom in my garage and the next, having to have the green VeeSaki. From a performance and cost standpoint, they're very similar. The WeeStrom sits lower, has a center stand available, and already has a rear rack mounted. The stock windshield offers a lot more protection as well, plus if I'm willing to settle for the grey bike, ABS is available for a nominal charge. Then I saw this Vee...

I ran into this fellow (got to know him later as John from Asheville as part of the Versys crew) while walking outside the dealership trying to decide which bike I wanted. I love the red 08 version of the Vee. The blacked out trim on the greenie though, looks pretty danged good. If I could have found the 08 red Vee, I would have snapped it up in a heartbeat. Back to the dealer to see what sort of deal I can get on the WeeStrom with ABS... we just couldn't work out something that I could live with, so I decide to give it some more time. On the way home, I stopped by my local dealer and found that they had the blue version of the 09 Vee. Sold!!! A few days later it was mine. I guess that I'm different from a lot of folks that go shopping for a new bike. I don't really care whether or not the dealer is stoked with all the details on all the new bikes - that's what the Internet is for. What I look for is a dealer that talks straight, and is honest enough to tell me that they don't know the answer to a question that I might ask. If I ask for a price, out the door, on a bike, I want to know that I'll be dealing for only the price of the bike and not have a bunch of options tossed in without my knowledge into the deal. In the end, that's why I now have the blue VeeSaki in the garage. No regrets, no buyers remorse. It's time to ride.

December 2009: Well, with 10 months and over 15,000 miles of riding on KawasiMoto, I couldn't be happier with my ride. I've added a few farkles along the way to suit my needs and it fits like a glove now. The Happy Trails panniers, crash bars and bash plates were the first mod that I added. The panniers are fantastic and I never take them off. When I first got the setup, I figured that I'd only mount the panniers when I had a tour planned, but they are so handy that I keep 'em on all the time. I'm not as happy with the HT crash bars. They're sturdy and look good, but are designed in a way that I have to loosen the right side and both bash plates to access the oil drain plug. That's a major PIA and if I had it to do over again, I'd go with a different brand.
With cold weather coming on, I wanted a bit more wind protection, so I added some WeeStrom hand guards and a Cee Bailey windscreen. It's a great setup and makes it a heck of a lot easier to ride when the temps drop towards freezing. Al had already installed the windguards on several bikes and helped me with the installation. They go on easy with only minor modifications. A little grinding around the clutch sensor, a slightly longer bolt in the bar end weights, and you're ready to rock.
The wind screen was the tallest in the Cee Bailey inventory and it really makes a difference. I can actually hear engine noises now at highway speeds.