New motorcycle and center stand install

I decided to get a Kawasaki KLR 650. The cheapest powerful enough dual sport bike on the market. As you can imagine it’s balance between power, quality and cost. But it does what it is supposed to do and has proven itself over the past two decades during which this model has only gone through one major update which to a large degree was a cosmetic one. Never change a running system Kawasaki probably though. It’s the most popular dual sport bike in North America.

My brother (who also lived in Canada until recently) had a KLR and since he happened to move I was in luck and ‘inherited’ his bike.

Motorcycle insurance is stupidly expensive in British Columbia. It’s so expensive that if you were to get full comprehensive coverage for two years you’d be better off buying a new (used) bike every two years. The cost drop by 80% (!!!) if you have had your car drivers license for 10 years (I still need 3 more years). Yes, don’t ask me how that makes sense.

vlcsnap-2016-05-15-02h43m21s638

My brother had bought old (empty!) ammunition cans from the US and mounted them to the bike as panniers. They are just the right dimensions, surprisingly sturdy and even water sealed. Just a lock is missing but there’s a solution for that too.

vlcsnap-2016-05-09-18h08m25s069

To get the bike ready for adventures I installed the SW Motech center stand he had gotten but not yet mounted. Having a center stand is crucial for maintenance work on the road like changing tires, changing the oil, adjusting/changing chain and sprockets,…

vlcsnap-2016-05-08-19h26m49s056

The procedure was simple. I took off the foot pegs on both sides to put two mounting plates between them and the frame which would serve as attachment points for the stand.

vlcsnap-2016-05-08-19h22m01s708

vlcsnap-2016-05-08-19h30m21s108

vlcsnap-2016-05-08-19h32m19s112

This was quickly done and the only thing left was to attach the two springs which keep the stand off the ground when the bike is not currently sitting on it.

vlcsnap-2016-05-08-19h36m51s343

To lift up the weight of the bike there is a leaver on the stand on which you can place your foot and put your whole body weight on it while simultaneously yanking the bike up and backwards with your right hand.

vlcsnap-2016-05-08-19h40m36s019

With the necessary force and leverage the bike slides back lifting the rear wheel off the ground. And because the stand is almost exactly in the middle it is also possible to easily tip the bike to the back to access the front wheel allowing maintenance on both wheels.

vlcsnap-2016-05-08-19h39m23s432

Welcome to beautiful British Columbia

This is the undeniably true tourism slogan of the most western Canadian Province bordering the USA, British Columbia. After a few months of working in Germany I signed a contract with Image Engine, in Canada. I decided it was best to leave my BMW at home in Vienna and look for an alternative in Canada.

 

Like most major Canadian cities Vancouver borders the US in the South. The city is know for it’s rainy climate during fall and winter. There is no such thing as London weather once you have experienced Vancouver during this period. Spring and summer however make up for it big time.

IMG_20160506_155532

The ‘little’ green peninsula on the center right on the image above is Stanley Park. It’s one of the biggest city parks in the world and unlike most parks it is not perfectly cultivated. It’s the same kind of rain forest you can find anywhere else in B.C. The park is named after Lord Stanley who was one of the first kind of prime ministers of Canada. He is also name giver to the Stanley Cup, the big final tournament of each season of the (North American) National Hockey League (NHL).

 

The look of the Vancouver skyline is dominated by apartment buildings of which each floor has balconies, surprisingly all the way to the top.

IMG_20160507_165927

Vancouver is ideal for any kind of outdoors sports. Lot’s of biking routes and hiking opportunities. Kayaking and rowing are also very popular. Some people even play hockey!

IMG_20160507_165907

While Vancouver globally speaking is a very new city it is astounding to find out that tall buildings like this brick building below can be up to a century old.

IMG_20160517_191747

The city has one of the biggest China Towns which is often used for movie shoots to double as Asia.

IMG_20160516_181824

Because the the city faces the sea in the west there are no mountains to block the sunset which is often very colorful.

IMG_20160507_194858

Fishing is also big in Vancouver and naturally all along the coast like in the little fishing village of Steveston just a few dozen km south of metro Vancouver. Surprisingly in Vancouver fish is quite expensive. However here in Steveston the prices are very competitive. Freshly caught salmon is just a tad more expensive than chicken by the pound. (Unlike the US Canada seems to be on the fence about whether to use imperial or metric units so they use a bit of both..)

IMG_20160505_132035