magnetic tankbags and kawa silver

[Dale Johnson]

In the subconcious mind of the cager, the following thought process occurs: If a car or truck is approaching, it may kill the cager, so he/she waits. The cager will pull out in front of the motorcyclist, because if a collision ocurrs, the cager will be able to drive the dented vehicle to the body shop for repairs, while the motorcyclist lays dying in the intersection. It's cultural. "My program is the only one ON THE PLANET that matters; the whole world better get the f**k out of my way". You see it in supermarkets, mall parking lots, the popcorn line at the movies, the waiting room at Job Service. Not to mention the demand for my doohickeys I realized a couple of years ago (62 now) the folly of hurrying. I cruise @ 3500-4000 RPM any more. Kinder to the bike. I always have a bubble of dead air in front of me; yuppie gen-X cagers sweep past me, in their mad dash to A Minute From Now. I can enjoy a safer glance at the passing scenery, and the panic collision avoidance situations have dropped to near zero. I'm amused by all the chatter regarding oversize brake rotors, auxiliary lighting, in the name of safety. I started riding more or less continuously when I got out of the Navy in '62. In all that time, I've actually touched another vehicle once; a 3 MPH bump and fall, up in Yellowstone. the only casualty was a tiny jar of sandwitch spread I had purchased at the store up at Tower Falls. I must be doing something right. I believe the single most important influence to the safe arrival at one's destination is Rider Vigilance. I bought my '88 KLR new, put 68 kilomiles on it before I sold it last summer, now I ride an '03. Jake www.sagebrushmachine.com

[Harvey Hicks]

From my experience and others, Kawasaki silver will discolor from the magnets. I noticed it on my A15 and someone wrote in to one of the cycle mags about their silver Kawa (I don't remember what bike) tank was discolored by their magnetic bag. My bag stays on all the time so it really isn't noticed. Harvey A15 and others