This morning, I decided to spend a significant amount of Bitcoin ($200 worth in the form of an Amazon gift card via BitRefill -- yes, that is an affiliate link, we both get $5 worth of BTC if you join through it and spend $200), and was pleasantly surprised that the dollar value of BTC had increased from about $59k to more than $63k while I slept. So I'm getting more stuff for my Bitcoin than I expected to, even if it does race to $70k now that I've spent a little.
So, you might wonder, what did I buy? Glad you asked!
The small stuff (the links are NOT affiliate links):
- A $9.99 assortment of motorcycle center stand springs, at least one of which will hopefully substitute well for the one that went missing from the Italica Bulldog 500.
- A $16.99 Bluetooth headset for my motorcycle helmet. I don't expect it to be used much for things like music or phone calls -- I try to ride safely -- but I want to be able to hear instructions from a navigation app, which proved to be problematic from a handlebar-mounted phone at, say, 50 miles per hour in traffic (speaking of which, the phone now goes in a velcro-mounted waterproof bag atop the gas tank cover).
- A pair of comfortable-looking short work/hiking/motorcycling boots that I noticed on sale for $19.99.
The big thing: A $150 motorcycle "shed."
Covering the bike is not really optional. For most of the year in Florida, there are two kinds of weather: Very rainy and very sunny.
You can identify a non-garage-kept car in Florida from the paint fade/disintegration on its hood. It's not just the engine heat causing that, it's long-term daily exposure to the sun.
On the rain side, your car seat is generally dry if it's been raining out. Not so a motorcycle seat. And if it's rainy and windy, the mechanical innards of a motorcycle get a lot more water exposure than with a car.
Nothing against my cheap "drape it over" motorcycle cover, but there are problems, both with it and with me.
The problems with it include its tight fit and elastic band. No matter how careful I am, I suspect that sooner or later, I will snag on, and snap off, a turn signal while putting it on or pulling it off. Also, I don't reall trust the elastic or the straps very much, so I weigh it down at each end, meaning that when I'm ready to leave I have to move a 32 pound kettle bell from in front of it.
The problems with me are laziness and inattentiveness.
Heck, it doesn't look like rain today, I'll put the cover on later (after which I remember, about the time the skies open up).
I'm in a hurry, I'l just pull it off and throw it down real quick and haul ass (after which I notice the sound of something -- you know what -- dragging behind me as I drive down the street).
This thing solves both those problems.
Drive up, roll the bike in, grab metal frame, pull closed, walk away. Walk up, grab metal frame, pull open, roll the bike out, drive away. Plenty of room, no clinging to turn signals, etc., nothing else to move, nothing to procrastinate about, etc.
And as a bonus, the cheap cover can replace the even cheaper cover on the old 50cc scooter which isn't getting much use these days.
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