Well life is moving foward, and I've been just logging miles. Health issues still provide some limits, but also motivate to ride as long as I can. A few reflections observations:
Watched a BMW cornering school one weekend, and purchased several books on cornering. Still going through it...but the study quickly added much ease and speed to my travels. First time I felt really comfortable using one of the techniques I was going 30 MPH faster than usual. It was a looping hiway on ramp and I was looking well ahead...typically I was at 40 MPH, then I was at 70 MPH. But for some reason I got in the habit of looking right ahead of the motorcycle versus down range.
Another observation, is that engine braking effects the rear tire traction much more than I realize. Given a cold-lean running bike, gearing down has locked up my rear tire more than I realize. Add dirt and grease at an intersection, and a slide results. To make it a possitive though, I now use engine braking in normal driving. So rather than braking or changing gears, i just chop the throttle a bit agressively and the bike slows. My last canyon run was a beautiful cacaphony of sounds but of the 20 miles, I only shifted twice (once to pass a group of Harleys).
Lastly fuel mileage is down to low-mid 30's. Gotta slow down I guess.
