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Mmmm... suspenders... I am finally well suspendered! Got a Ohlins boinger on the back and new andreani kits on the front! Bike handling ace for a fat lass- nowhere near as much dive through the front. She’s riding the ripples and bumps much better already too and I reckon there’ll be scope to tweek it further. Feeling rather jammy if I do say so.

So, you are OK with oncoming traffic hitting you because your headlight blind them? Interesting. Personally, I try not to reduce the ability of others to avoid hitting me. I do try to be seen, but if that is your primary strategy to avoid being in an accident (hoping the other person will see you and not hit you) I just hope you don't ride in this area. Around here, the main concern is to watch out for others because they ain't watching out for you. Running with high beams on during the day to increase visibility is one thing (although I am not sure how effective it is vs the risk of pissing people off. Yes, I have had people get pissed at me for having my high beams on during the day). But at night I am a fan of having headlights that both light up the road so I can see but also not shine into the eyes of others around me. We also have a Jeep, and we have to pay extra attention to that with the Jeep due to its height. It is sad how many Jeeps you see around here with headlights that blind others at night. It is especially common with the aftermarket LED headlights many of them are sporting.

Would be a pity if the whole thread would crash at this point In fact blinding or over-modulated lights are rather dangerous for the source itself. Brains tend to lock in in this case. Either they shut off completely or they focus their aggressiveness on that prick. @po18guy: did you wonder why they call it 'Infitary'? This word reminds me of something ...

Well, one of the 85 or so watchers bit. Let's welcome them when they arrive here. As to maintenance, well, they're Italian. When I pulled the trigger on big red, I knew what I was getting into. It cannot - CANNOT - be worse than the French car I owned in the late 80s. It will sound and feel much better. It will produce smiles, even if only sporadically. It is the anti-Harley, anti-Japanese, well, anti-everything motorcycle. For many, that is enough.

I'll be honest, here. Oncoming traffic (especially lifted trucks) with ill-aimed white-hot LED headlamps+running lamps+auxiliary lamps are a huge annoyance to me, as well. Yet, "conspicuity" (being seen) is my primary goal with these *experiments.* Being seen in traffic full of distracted, angry, and clueless drivers is critical. These people pull out in front of brightly painted firetrucks running full flashing lights, sirens, and blaring claxons . . . When I am riding solo, or navigating our small team, I want the traffic ahead to see "something coming." That the beam pattern needs to be functional, both Hi- and Lo-, after dark is important to me. But not my primary goal. More like trying to approximate an onboard RIO, with photon torpedoes, to make it through to the destination . . .

Yep. I feel safer when I ride as if I were invisible. Or as Docc correctly wrote: they pull out in front of 'full bright' fire trucks anyway. Besides that this attitude makes me feel as if I could safely ride on in my dark riding gear: waxed muck over black Dainese leathers

That's the first thing I tell new riders. Pretend you are invisible. If you expect a car to slow down or swerve to miss you, you are seriously screwing up.

I have a set of those Canyon Dancer straps that the PO graciously donated, it was the only way I could secure the bike in the wheel chock to get it home, they work well when the wheels are on the bike and sitting down on the table, with the front wheel in the vise; the problem, and it's one I've always struggled with, is transitioning to a secure position so I can remove both wheels to change the tires. Once I get the front wheel up in the air to remove it, those handlebar straps flop around way too much for my liking, fwiw. I've done the reverse the bike move to lock the rear wheel in the vise, which works well if I'm only taking the front wheel off, but something I've always struggled with, is that transition to secure it to enable both wheels to be removed, especially for tire changes. I've been through the experience of having a bike fall off the lift once, thankfully only at floor level, so I'm very gun shy at this point, I double, triple check every step of the way now. I think that Jaap's suggestion of strapping the cylinders (cold) and the scissor jack, will get me to where I want to be. Tks to everyone for passing on their knowledge and suggestions. Kelly

Interesting point about the retroreflectveness. A flickering reflection, in the daylight, is how I discovered my lost connection issue, twice. Even with the splattery first LED beam on Hi-, I was never flashed by oncoming traffic. Although in low light or nighttime, I am always diligent about dipping the beam even coming up behind other drivers. Pissing people off (more than they already are) is a formula for disaster, especially on the roads . . .

Removing the fairing is a piece of cake. You can tie it down with Canyon Dancers, or some such if you don't want to remove it. Using the work stand lets you remove the rear wheel. To remove the front, put the rear in the vise on your lift.. you *do* have one, don't you.. tie it down in back and raise the front with a jack under the pan.

Is it possible to tie it down from the cylinders?

if you have access to rafters, I have used ratchet straps to tie off above, and suspend the bike. also, if you've not done it, removing the fairing is easier than one might think. that puts it out of the way and safe.

if only I didn't have the lack of space . . .

Klu what ?

“Long legged and easy to drop”

This whole "suspender" thing has gotten a bad rap . . . Yet, I'm pretty sure Bob Maynard may have been sorting "other" suspenders. The kind with preload and damping adjustments . . .