End Of The XT Era

My wife's Yamaha XT225 has recently sold. She bought it with the idea that she may join in on one of my adventurous rides I take on the KLR650. Well she did just that on a ride we took to the James Bay region of Quebec a few years ago.

It didn't end well as the fatigue of riding for multiple days took it's toll. We ended the trip early. I won't soon forget the fatigue and emotion of her last hours on the XT. She has not once set on the XT since, and it has merely been taking up space in the garage. It hasn't even had insurance on it for some time.

Here is a photo taken the day it left with new owner Shawn.
 

Here is a nice photo I took on a local ride on the north shores of Lake Erie.

 

KLR Shifter

So I was riding along my road minding my own business when on my left a huge dog came galloping out of a driveway at full speed. I moved to the right to avoid him but he didn't slow down and nailed me hard right into my left foot.

He hit me so hard that my foot was driven into the shift lever and it snapped right off! I saw the dog tumbling on the road and started to slow and turn around to check on him. I coldn't make it back because I was in top gear and couldn't downshift-the engine lugged and stalled. I pushed the bike back after getting stopped.

The dog had a bloody face and there was blood on my riding pants. He was visibly shaken but walking. I borrowed a pair of pliers to use on the transmission shaft to downshift the bike so I could get it going and ride it the few kilometres home.

I have a spare shift lever in the garage but my toes are so sore I can't shift so I won't be riding it anyway. I can't drive the truck either as it's a standard and it hurts too much to depress the clutch pedal. The only thing I can ride is Jane's Suzuki Burgman 400 scooter!

The broken shifter - removed from bike

The new shift lever installed

My badly bruised toe.