Is it time yet?

There are a number of things I love about this time of year but one I don’t is the uncertainty about the weather. For most of October and part of November we can experience anything from sunshine to rain to sleet to snow, and temperatures anywhere from 0 to 20C. And that can be from one day to the next, and often completely unpredicted by the weather guessers.

So the question then becomes: When do I put the bike away for the winter? If there’s a chance that next week might see some decent temperatures and a chance for “the last ride”, do I wait? Or do I say I’m done and get on with it?

Generally I don’t do much to put the bike to bed other than topping up the fuel and putting in some conditioner, changing the oil, and plugging in the battery tender, but this year there are some other jobs I need to do. The rear tire is worn out and both front and rear wheel bearings should be replaced. A new front-end clunk points to possibly worn steering head bearings that I also want to replace. And it’s time to replace the rear brake pads. So the bike will be up on a jack for a few days while all that is being worked on and I’d rather do it now so when spring comes I’m good to go.  At the same time I have the Kawasaki carbs to refresh, the S65 engine to finish rebuilding, and some suspension work on the Ford. And that doesn’t include any of the many other outdoors, electronics, and woodworking projects on the to-do list.

All of which is to say I have more than enough to keep me busy for the next while so I might as well get started. I guess it’s time to say I’m done.