8 Day Ride

[Burgi]

If I wasn't sure before, I am now. I love my Nighthawk. That is a really good thing since I just spent 8 days riding all over California on it. I'd only had it a month when we set out and during that time it was in the shop or I was out of town 3 weeks so our time together was pretty limited.
Started out south of Los Angeles, took freeways to get through town then switched to state highways (2 laners) for the rest of the trip. Living here you forget pretty quick how rural a lot of this state is. We did the classic Route 1 run north along the coast for the first leg.
Elephant Seals sunning

Me sunning


Spent a night just north of Monterey with this view from our window.

Would have been perfect if my battery hadn't given up at that point. This guy bailed my out.

Mike from Seaside Superbikes. We got word of him through a guy at a dealer that slipped me his number. Mike was nice enough to drive out to show us the way back to his shop then put my bike ahead of everything else so we could get back on the road. First rate, if you are in the area and need a shop check him out. http://seasidesuperbikes.com/
After that my bike was perfect so it was east to Yosemite.


Stayed at this place near Yosemite. Everything from a hostel, to fixed tents to more standard rooms.

They have a cafe that is pretty much the heart of the place, you can hang out and play games, do puzzles and meet folks from all over the world but when you are done you gotta clean up your mess and bus your own table.
During dinner we got into a conversation with some big, old, Harley biker dudes at the next table. One of them went into a ramble about how wonderful new Harley's are and that they have 6 spd transmissions. I joined in cheerfully to let him know I got 6 speeds for $1200 with my Honda. Ahhh....priceless, the things we women can say and get away with!
Back over to Hollister and then south on 25.

We passed one car coming out of Hollister and didn't see another going our direction (only a handful going the opposite way) for the next 60 miles.
Final day we left out of Santa Maria across the 166 to the 33. This place had the only gas pump on the route until we got down to Ojia.

Biker friendly, we are in the covered "Bike Parking" and they have a bunch of old theater seats along the side of the building so you can sit and watch the parking lot action. No one else was there but us, but that's OK, more quite roads.
My husband came back and immediately started bike shopping. People keep asking me if I am going to upgrade also but I can't imagine why when my bike handled everything I needed so well.

[Hondo]

Great report!

[green427]

Great report & pics...thanks for posting.

[fishmeister]

                   Really nice....always like seeing the reports. Wish I knew or wasn't too lazy to learn

                    how to post video reports.

[Moedad]

Good report, Burgi! I've heard about that Yosemite Bug place. Thanks for the first-hand evaluation.

[Deadly]

Outstanding!      

I love those types of photos, thanks for posting them and the story.

[Burgi]

Thanks!
My husband was trying out a new video camera so there might be some video of it at some point. Unfortunately he didn't have time to practice with it enough before we left so he needs to do a lot of editing
The Bug was one of those places you would probably either love or hate. If you are a 5 star, want to be waited on and keep to yourself steer clear!! It was more like hanging out in your aunt's basement with a bunch of relatives you hadn't met yet.
Moedad, you had asked about the Cortech bags. I really like the sport tail bag. The saddle bags I was less impressed with. After the first day out I checked them over and found that they were already partially worn through in two spots that hit my shocks. Not large but since I had 7 days to go I was worried.
Ended up putting duct tape on them I swear I am not a "duct tape fixes everything person" but I was desperate. It would not stick to whatever they use on the bottom of the bags so I had to wrap it across the bottom. Couldn't really be seen and it worked like a charm! It lasted the rest of the trip without showing any wear at all. Maybe I should make myself duct tape saddle bags?
The other thing I didn't like was the connections from the saddlebags to the tail bag. I thought this was going to be my favorite feature but they just didn't work very well. The material that they used to "hide" the quick connects on the saddlebags kept jamming up the latches. It really could be a PITA sometimes getting them hooked together. I will be looking into removing the latch covering material so things hook together easily.
The saddlebags also seem to have a lot of fabric that wasn't finished well and is now fraying. Nothing that seems to effect the structural integrity but it just sort of looks crappy with all the loose ends.
Size wise they were prefect though. I had more than enough room to carry everything I wanted.

[skramer360]

Great report Burgi! Thanks for the 

[Brittles]

Nice pics!!

[DesignFlaw06]

Well done!

Looks like you had great weather and the pictures are awesome!

[niteman]

Great report Burgi! So, your husband going to get a Hawk now?  I bet your 650 was a heck of a lot more fun than his shadow.

[happycommuter]

Harley owners are just learning about 6-spd transmissions?  I know some 70's UJMs had them...

Amazing scenery.  This is all in California? 

[ROJ]

Amazing report and great pictures. Thanks for sharing with the rest of us .

[Burgi]

Great report Burgi! So, your husband going to get a Hawk now?  I bet your 650 was a heck of a lot more fun than his shadow.

Of course it is! I think he just got tired of watching my tail end as I was pulling away in front of him.
Now he needs a bike twice the size. Fine with me, I've warned him it won't make any difference in the canyons if anything he is going to get even slower......

[Burgi]

  This is all in California? 

Yep only from LA to just south of San Francisco, the coast to the Sierras. The variety of scenery is amazing!
I was never a big California fan until I started to ride, but there are just so many roads (including ones that are hardly touched) I could stay on the bike forever.

[Tryvelcro]

Burgi - you should try northern cali sometime!  Great ride, report & photos.  Glad you had a great ride, and that you're really happy with the Hawk.

[Moedad]

Amazing scenery.  This is all in California? 

All in a relatively small part of California

[Burgi]

Burgi - you should try northern cali sometime!

I know....I always read the northerner's bragging about their great rides. So many places, so little vacation time

[Custom82Hawk]

at least you get vacation time lol.  my job only lets me take vacation time if and when they decide to send me home from work early :|

[fishball]

Great ride report Burgi and I loved the photos.  The Yosemite images are stunning.  The response to the Harley dude was classic.  Are you going to keep the Burgman around?  Do you find yourself riding it much anymore?

[Burgi]

Are you going to keep the Burgman around?  Do you find yourself riding it much anymore?

Yes, I don't have a car so the Burgman has to do all the hauling. It would take me hours to figure out how to get all the stuff I move with the Burg onto the NH everyday. 
The NH is my weekend or distance choice though. Far more comfortable at higher speeds, in strong winds or for longer rides.