New SW Owner from New Mexico

I'm a 76-year-old Silver Wing owner from Las Cruces, New Mexico who has ridden a total of seven motorcycles off and on since 1958. My rides have ranged from my first bike, a 1958 Royal Enfield one lung 150, to my final bike, a 1996 Honda ST1100 that I rode until 1998 when I tired of clutching and shifting.

The urge to ride on two wheels again, but without the clutching and shifting, grabbed me 16 months ago when I bought a new 2010 Piaggio MP3 500 (the Piaggio as you might be aware is a reverse trike and has three wheels, two in front). I traded the Piaggio two weeks ago for a new 2011 Silver Wing. So, now I am really back on two wheels, not three.

I joined this forum to learn more about the SW from the experts and novices, if any, who are members. And, who knows, maybe I can pass along a tidbit or two along the way.

You will have to tell us if you miss that extra wheel in front, I keep wondering what they are like to ride.

RArch,

Riding the reverse trike Piaggio was really like riding with one front wheel. The two front wheels, 12 inchers by the way, articulated as if it was one wheel. Having two front wheels did seem to make braking and tracking somewhat truer but not by very much.

Counter steering, however, as much as I tried, was nonexistent on the Piaggio. I should add that when I got the SW two weeks ago I attempted counter steering just to make sure it would. It did!

jasunday

Welcome jasunday,

I know you will love that SWing, Ride Safe.

Be careful, now that you are back on two wheels! I'm gonna stick to my trike.

Gyro wrote:

Be careful, now that you are back on two wheels! I'm gonna stick to my trike.

Gyro, nice to hear from you and thanks for the welcome. Three wheels is safer than two, for sure. On the reverse trike Piaggio the front wheels can be locked upright below 6 MPH when stopping but will unlock immediately when starting out. So it's like riding with two wheels. Hope to hear from you again.

jasunday (Jim)

Welcome from Hell Paso, I sold my SWing at Las Cruces Motorsport. Traded for a Shadow. Doubt you got her as you said new, she was an '11 as well.

DarthJ wrote:

Welcome from Hell Paso, I sold my SWing at Las Cruces Motorsport. Traded for a Shadow. Doubt you got her as you said new, she was an '11 as well.

DarthJ,

When I bought the SW the odometer was zero. They test drove it for 5.1 miles before delivery to me. The title shows an odometer reading of 00005 miles on the purchase date, May 24. The SW I bought shows no sign of wear or usage. I appreciate the heads up but the SW sure appears unused to me.

I'm curious, DarthJ, how many miles were on your SW when you traded?

One of my prior bikes was a '93 Pacific Coast 800 and, as I recall, it had the Shadow motor, really reliable.

Thanks, again.

Jim

Mine was 800. The Shadows are pretty reliable, the '11s are the first injected version, very easy to roll

jasunday, or would rather be called Jim? welcome to the best SilverWing forum on the web. You made a wise decision by getting a SilverWing you will not be disappointed. You will get a lot of miles of smiles with your new ride. look thru the Accessories & Modifications section to see what others have done and you will have a good start finding things you may or may not like to do your SilverWing.

Welcome to the group, I am also a new member and 76 yrs young. I am sure you will enjoy this site it ha been very informative to myself, and no question as far as enjoying your new wheels, ride safe.

Scroller.

model28a wrote:

jasunday, or would rather be called Jim? welcome to the best SilverWing forum on the web. You made a wise decision by getting a SilverWing you will not be disappointed. You will get a lot of miles of smiles with your new ride. look thru the Accessories & Modifications section to see what others have done and you will have a good start finding things you may or may not like to do your SilverWing.

Thanks for the welcome and the advice, Roger.

To answer your question, just call me Jim.

I've already picked up a few general pointers on the forum and was specifically interested in finding information about adding a 12-volt power outlet in the left cubby to recharge my GPS. Like many others I wonder why it isn't added at the factory.

BTW, I lived in Bradenton, Florida -- a few miles south of you in St. Pete -- until I relocated to New Mexico five years ago.

Scroller wrote:

Welcome to the group, I am also a new member and 76 yrs young. I am sure you will enjoy this site it ha been very informative to myself, and no question as far as enjoying your new wheels, ride safe.

Scroller.

Thanks, Scroller, for the welcome. I agree that I will learn some things on the forum to make my SW rides (and its care and maintenance) informative and enjoyable. Actually, the tips and information that I've picked up so far proves that.

I wish I had a way, Scroller, to send some of our warm New Mexican days to New Brunswick during your cold months. I also wish you could send some of your cooler days to New Mexico; the forecast for the next week is 100+ temperatures.

howdy , and welcome to the club ....

Welcome! My husband and I are in Albuquerque and have an 02 and an 08 Silverwing. We just rode the 536 to the Crest before they shut the road down because of the drought. Sweet ride! I just got my license last Fall and am loving the ride!

08 Silverwing,
02 Silverwing
02 Honda Reflex
05 Suzuki Burgman 400

Welcome from a neighbor in Aridzona!

trouble1100 wrote:

Welcome from a neighbor in Aridzona!

Thanks, trouble,

I just saw you ride stable on Valerie's post. Very nice collection.

You're about 400 miles west of Las Cruces but we're still neighbors. I have to ask if it is as Arid in Aridzona as it is in New Mexico?

Jim

VLewis wrote:

Welcome! My husband and I are in Albuquerque and have an 02 and an 08 Silverwing. We just rode the 536 to the Crest before they shut the road down because of the drought. Sweet ride! I just got my license last Fall and am loving the ride!

08 Silverwing,
02 Silverwing
02 Honda Reflex
05 Suzuki Burgman 400

Thanks for the welcome from Albuquerque.

Happy that you began riding last year and are loving it. I been two-wheeling on bikes since 1958, with a hiatus here and there. Got into scoots 15 months ago and wonder what took me so long to twist and go.

We New Mexicans are fortunate to have a very long riding season. Here in Las Cruces, however, some of our summertime rides are morning rides when the afternoon temperature can get above 100, like all this week.

Jim

jasunday wrote:

trouble1100 wrote:

Welcome from a neighbor in Aridzona!

I have to ask if it is as Arid in Aridzona as it is in New Mexico?

Jim

Funny you should ask, I snapped a picture of a weather station with my phone after a round of golf for an old coworker back east that ask about the weather.

trouble, my rooftop reading this afternoon was 114.8 and my back porch reading was 102.6 so I have to say we're both Arid. Jim

And I thought it got hot here in Maryland !

surlybiker58 wrote:

And I thought it got hot here in Maryland !

Humidity makes a HUGE difference, 85 to 95 with single digit humidity is quite comfy here. The same temps back east would drive me to my knees. My sweetie used to teach high school in southern Maryland near Pax River N.A.S. and often tells me how awful it was in the class rooms.

VLewis wrote:

Welcome! My husband and I are in Albuquerque and have an 02 and an 08 Silverwing.  We just rode the 536 to the Crest before they shut the road down because of the drought.  Sweet ride!  I just got my license last Fall and am loving the ride!

08 Silverwing,
02 Silverwing
02 Honda Reflex
05 Suzuki Burgman 400

Keep enjoying the ride.  The smile gets bigger as the numbers on the odometer rise.