Time for the Farkles

lcbrink — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 23:22:26 +0000

With April 1st six weeks away it’s time to start planning what upgrades and accessories, called farkles, I want to get. My initial budget is slim thanks to items and maintenance that has to get done. Here’s the “must do” list:

12K maintenance on the Concours, which includes a valve job
Set of Avon tires for the Concours
Custom seat for the DR650
Cover for the DR650

There’s nearly $1,000 right there. I also buckled under pressure and sent my Concours seat off for some more padding so I can get 400+ miles a day instead of my current 200-300 miles before my butt falls off.

I have such a long list of things I want for my bikes I’m using a spreadsheet to track it all. Mirror extenders, springs, and other modifications to make both bikes better and more comfortable is just the start. Additional gear, replacements for existing apparel….The list goes on and on.

Then there’s the “needless, but I still want” list. The magnetic cupholder so I can use fast food drive-thrus. Cruise control so I can rest my wrist on long trips. And the cooler that fits in my saddle bag so I can keep wine and other drinks cold while I ride around the Fingerlakes. When you treat a motorcycle as your only vehicle the silly starts to look normal.

Wandering New Yorker

Time for the Farkles