[gregsfc]

That's what I like to see. I root for everyone who comes to put in their best effort, learns and comes back with a better result the next time (hopefully). I want to see everyone break their own personal mpg or mpg-e number; irrespective of the cost for each fuel and the bike type or the level of modification. That's what makes this all exciting to me. I know bschloop has a different machine this time and maybe seems a little disappointed in his numbers at home, but something is missing here; it seems to me, something can be changed or tweaked and a great improvement is possible; and maybe we'll learn it at the event. Sendler and Nate and Paul have all shown that the 250 single is very, very economical. Nate achieved over 100 last year on a very stock-like bike, so the 250 single should stand up against just about any liquid-fueled power train vehicle that has been brought to the event that can make the ride day-in-and-day out, and can be used as a daily commuter or tourer with few compromises. I mean, Sendler could tell us more, but it looks like to me; he's mostly designed, built and mounted a tail, optimized gearing, maybe some windshield optimization, knows how to ride for economy w/i the spirit of the rules, and has a small-to-medium-build as a rider; and yet he achieved at or about 144 last year. Nate and Paul have done very well with fewer and more minor mods; so I've got to believe that Ben can bring his (your) FE way, way up with a CBR250R as the base machine. Is it turbulence, drag, not optimized with respect to gearing, or something else...we don't know, but even Alan and Vic concede that if their near-perfect streamliners were powered by the Honda single, they could achieve even higher, so there is a piece of the puzzle missing in my opinion.

Personally, I've not chosen not to do anything new to mine, but want to come and see, basically what happened last time and if there is a chance to get such an amazing number out of a stock CTX700 one more time. I'm not going to re break the conical washers that hold my windshield mount on the bike like occurred to me just before the event started in 2014, and I'm not going to repurchase a Dewalt ToughCase to strap on the pillion portion of the seat, but I am going to try and do everything else pretty much the same and see what happens, and I really, really want to see what everyone else does with Fred, Alan, Vic, Ben, Scott, Paul, Nate, Finnie and any other fuel-mising bikers that might show up. And I think the tires I've got on mine this year are superior to last time (Michelin P4s versus the old Battlaxs'), so even if it were an accidental, lucky streamline effect last time, I came last time with an ability to hit low 80s on a day ride that's not too fast. But with this new tires, unless there is a bigger odometer error that I'm unaware of, I can now hit mid 80s, so my goal for the event, with tucking maybe helping; maybe not, is to hit upper 80s. And if I do that, I'm a winner. And if it I achieve near 100 once again, then I'll have to sit on my hands to keep from waving at myself, even though I know I'll be far off the official leader board and not a grocery carrier.

I root for the e-bike riders and their rides as well, but the main thing I want to see from them, because they already blow us away with respect to energy use per mile and for the trip, is that I want to see them become more practical and usable for such a ride as a 150+ day trip. Requiring a lot of long stops for this trip and all the bulk they must add, and the high initial cost is a little disheartening when I look at this as the future for me personally, although I do believe they are already very practical for commuting and such; but for a day-long ride, like this event is supposed to represent, I want to see them do this ride with less and less charging time and less bulk on their vehicles. So for them, I hope to see requirements in future events that ask more from the e-bikes in that regard; tighten it up a little each year. Shorter and fewer stops. That would be good I think, and the right way to push or challenge them, because we all know they use much less fuel.

Just like a message I recently sent to Kraig regarding my excitement that bschloop is coming back to the event, even if it is a totally different machine. Different bikes; styles, brands, levels of modification, etc, all teach us something if we have the spirit of wanting to learn. As far as official places, bschloop has a history of success and that's part of why its cool that he (you) have chosen to come back and ride. Craig placed him 3rd in 2012 behind Fred and Vic, but as a cost per mile, he (you) was technically 4th (counting the 2nd diesel); but at any rate, 108.5 mpg back in 2012 was right up there; it was 9.5 mpg down from second place no matter whether he was considered 3rd or 4th. So we know he (you) has the ability to put on a good showing. Kraig thinks so too!