Can you believe it? Two days in a row this week I went into the office. Hey, it was a nice day and since if I ain't online werkin, I best be in the office werkin or they grumble. So, in order to grab some glide time, I figured my server at the office needed some tweakin which, damn, I would just have to go in and go in person ::sly grin::

Much nicer ride than yesterday, too much wind yesterday and was fighting it constantly ::mutter:: Anyways, let me tell you about my ride home...

Some of yas remember that me DWG is only like 3 weeks new... well, yesterday it rolled it's 1k mark on it's Odo, so I guess it's officially broke in, or will be once it gets it's checkup, and she's been nothing short of wonderful... until today.

Here I come, about 1 mile outside of Frederick, cruising up 270 about 4:30 when all of a sudden I hear a slight pop and then a little crackle... not the rice crispies type, the electrical type. Then I smell the rubber burning and then smoke is coming out from under my seat.

Whoosh, off onto 85 and into the Shell station. Shut off the bike, take a look around but now the smoke has cleared and just the slight hint of burn remains. This can't be good. Ok, well, for those of you who don't know the area, the local $tealership (the ones with the asshole parts counter dude who refused to order me a Harley helmet cause "If they dodn't stock it, he doesn't order it") is a block up and a block over from where I am. Push it, leave it and walk over or... Well, I don't feel like pushing it and I sure the hell ain't leaving my baby in some Shell station right off 270... Ok, I'll ride it over, it's only two blocks.

Screw it, it's under serious warranty, if it's broke, they are gonna have to deal with it.

Push the starter... Vroom. Whew, thank the gods (all of them and the superior beings too).

Over the the Harley dealer, up to the service dept. door and off the scoot and shut it down. Get a service guy... hey, my bikes smokin.

Uh huh, let me get a service guy then.

Uh, what are you? I'm just a helper.

Ok.

It's like smokin and burning?

Uh huh, can you duplicate it?

Well, lets see...

Ah, now he's attentive!

No problem, just wanted to know if you were in our computers, lets push this thing inside and see what the problem is.

(Is this the same place as inside the "boutique"?)

Well, to make a long story short, in a matter of 10 minutes, they found that when Patriot HD installed the accesories, one of the things they put in was a "turn signal module" that lights up both rear turn signals when you hit the brakes (2001 Parts cat, Pg 583)... well, in doing so, they didn't seat it properly, so the wires were between the seat and the frame... insulation rubbed off, wires burned up, module burned out, fuses blew... this coupled with a way loose ground nut from the battery... which was sparking. Oie, fucking, Vay!

They replaced the fuses, removed the module (they didn't have any in stock) and got it all tightened and werking again and sent me on my way... all in all, very nice guys, extremely helpful, courteous and friendly.

An interesting day, to say the least... It'll be at Patriot tomorrow morning ... you know it's me cause I'll be the one gnawing on someones ass.