Hello gordonv.....and welcome to the forum from upstate New York. I really enjoyed your Bio, it was perfect. I wish all of our "newbie's" would introduce themselves as well as you have.

So you got a Tourer with a few brusies. Those of us with the experience will try to advise you as well as we can as to what you can do or what is available to you to make your repairs.

By the way, one of the rules of courtesy here on the forum is that we don't talk about being "over weight" and especially about the wife being "over weight", reason being that you would be describing most of US. image and be appreciative that your wife wants to ride with you, because my wife is terribly afraid of my motorcycle and will not even sit on it in the driveway.

It is interesting to me the number of new Tourer owners we are seeing from Canada. It would seem like a migration of Tourers are making their way into the North Country. I certain that you are going to enjoy, no make that love, this bike as much as the rest of us do.

Again welcome to the forum. Please take advantage of as much information as you can from this group and don't be afraid to jump into any conversation, even if its not about biking.

Looking forward to 'talking' with you more in the future.

alepel

"Ride with the Spirit always, and in all ways"....hombldr