You can take the ratcheting mechanisms out of any wrench I’ve owned, for maintenance (cleaning or greasing) or replacement. I use Wright Tool from 1/4" drive up to 3/4" drive, and I can still source replacement ratchet mechanisms for replacement if I ever managed to break them. I have not however because they’re stout as fuck.

My partner in her thirties has now had shingles. We both want her to get the vaccine, but where we are from, she is not allowed until she is 50+ years old. I’m not sure if it’s a supply issue or if it is less effective over time, but they mentioned something about effectiveness in the article as a reason why their is an age restriction, or that’s how I read it anyway.

Yeah, something that is often missed in all this “literally all Americans are fucking worthless pieces of shit” rhetoric is that most people just aren’t capable enough to raise a fucking army, coordinate coups, or plan assassinations. But I know a great many Americans who understand what they can do, and that is protecting their neighbors, feeding their communities, and fighting for their families. Many people are sacrificing a great deal to ensure the safety of those who are otherwise targeted. The one’s that aren’t were never going to do anything to begin with, but to say nothing is being done is an insult to those who are working tirelessly to help people survive this shit every day.

I’ve seen your posts! I particularly enjoyed your use of ‘halfrica twin’. Considering this is only the second bike I’ve ever owned (I’ve ridden plenty others though) and it is MUCH more accommodating than my SR400, I really enjoy it.

I ride as my primary transportation. To work, grocery, etc. With that in mind, the NX500 has been much better for me, especially in winter subfreezing riding. I have a lot going on in life, but when things calm down, I should have more flexibility to do the necessary upgrades that will make it even better for me.

Glad we have a few of us out there! I’ve seen a couple others in my area. Seems like people like the successor to the CB500X (when so much of it is near the same, haha)

I do as much of everything I can on my own to save money, but I understand. When I was younger it was more out of necessity. I used to take the tires off the wheels with spoons. Now I just take the wheels to a guy with machines. Figure that’s my compromise at this stage in my life, between paying someone and saving money.

Thank you! I am hoping to replace my seat for a little more comfort soon, even if it isn’t wore out. If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong!

Seem like the best for my use case! I haven’t really pushed them or anything, but I like what I’ve felt on the road so far.

On a highway? My 400 was a thumper, and the hills in my area really made it lag. Not necessarily the same for all displacements, however. I borrowed a friends XT250 dual sport recently and it can keep up with my current NX500. A twisty back road on the 400? I had no problems keeping up with my buddies with larger bikes and would often out pace them because I could really whip around corners and it was less crucial to consider the weight of the machine and its inertia.

My SR400 was quite similar to the bikes at the MSF, but my NX500 is very different. I feel like the skills I built on those bikes were fundamental to graduating to different kinds of bikes, and it is an easier transition than you may expect.

There are a few factors to consider here. What is your level of experience? Did you ride any kind of motorcycle before (even like a 50cc minibike)? Have you considered taking a rider’s course before diving in? Why are you riding? Are you looking to regularly commute on your bike, even in inclement weather? Or are you looking to hit a track on the weekends and just see this as a recreational hobby?

I started riding about six years ago around my mid twenties, only having ridden a small dirt bike a couple times as a kid. I took the MSF course and bought a used 400cc standard Japanese bike that I could really get used to and not worry so much about if I made mistakes. I wanted an alternative to commuting to work from my car because it was ultimately cheaper. I ended up loving that bike and kept it until just last year. That did not prevent me from experiencing other bikes though, and as my experience and skill grew, friends and others allowed me to ride their bikes just to have fun. From cruisers to sport bikes and dirt bikes. I feel like it was only after all of that did I really settle on a middle of the road adventure bike for my purposes. It is my primary way to get anywhere and do anything, even in the winter. I wouldn’t recommend that for everybody, but it suits my purposes. There is nothing wrong with really dialing it in over time. Find what you want out of riding and the right bike will find you.

I bought some off brand stainless 32oz insulated bottle 12 years ago for around twenty bucks. I fill it with ice and then fill the voids with water, and there is still ice a day and a half later, even at the height of summer. I’ve been through several universal lids with different designs for various ways to sip and to carry it. I have dropped it from several feet onto concrete a number of times, resulting in denting you can’t even really see. I probably got the one gem out of many duds, or one of a good run in production, but I’ll be disappointed when it does inevitably fail and I have to get something else.

I’m genuinely interested in seeing what the folks of South Carolina are saying about this, from large forums to the kitchen table.

The state of WV is full of it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to change the votes or general attitudes of many mountaineers and their politics.

R.B.'s got the meats, as they say.

Molly did an interview about the Bund on the Majority Report some weeks (months?) ago, and yeah, definitely a ‘best of’ interview. Highly recommend to listen if you aren’t sure you’re going to read her whole book.

Nah man, you have to ask. What are you truly risking if you do? The world where you admit yours and everyone else’s spirit is raped? It really does smell like shit in here, doesn’t it?

I’m honestly surprised this isn’t better understood in this community, at least as an approach to the tree of life system of classification, with or without its merits. I didn’t go to college and went to public school that suppressed science education, but this was how I came to understand evolution and that all types of life had a universal common ancestor.

I’m not speaking to the accuracy of the meme, and the science community at large has its criticisms of cladistics, but I’m not sure I would define this as a problem of biology or language, or a problem at all. It is the most common method of evolutionary classification at this time.

Keep in mind I’m a blue collar worker on my lunch break and not a scientist nor college educated. I just like to learn in my free time about a bunch of stuff.

It’s cladistics.

“Theoretically, a last common ancestor and all its descendants constitute a (minimal) clade. Importantly, all descendants stay in their overarching ancestral clade. For example, if the terms worms or fishes were used within a strict cladistic framework, these terms would include humans.”

It is my experience again that adherents to the Manosphere and this hyper-masculine rejection of empathy are christians, but as above, I live in a shitty place. You seem like a good person and you’re devoted to the kinder aspects of your religion. You can believe whatever you want to believe, but I’d rather not spend my time in the spaces I’ve described with those people where it can be avoided. I’d rather not base my beliefs on ideas about inherent guilt and blood sacrifice, superstition and unprovable supernatural claims, where differences in interpretation can lead to these seemingly abhorrent separations from one church to another. Instead, and I suppose that you’re correct that this is just an opinion, I think a better world would be found when we remove ourselves from these ancient notions of the world around us. I do hope the best for us all, as I’m sure you do also.

“Your average Christian” depends on where you live. I have “christians” in my family, in my neighborhood, at work, what one would likely describe as average around here, that have expressed at minimum a denial of the humanity of those who are different from them, seemingly instituted or encouraged by their “Christian” culture. I know this isn’t all christians, but it seems like where I live, the churches that preach inclusivity are few in number and slim in attendance, and although still not a majority, there are more that preach AGAINST inclusivity, and the predominant culture among most christians regardless seems to lean in that direction. In the lead up to the 2024 election, a number of “christians” close to me expressed extremely violent potentialities should Trump not win, pointing directly toward acceptance and secularism as their motivations and justifications.

You have expressed that things would be worse in the world if it would be some other religion. You think a world where any other religion holding a majority would be worse, is that what you’re saying? That is quite an assertion, and I’d like to see you prove that. Imagine if secular humanism were more central in people’s lives… What a world we could have.

Edit: I do live in a pretty shitty place, to be fair, haha

I share the name of a child murderer. They aren’t super duper famous, but when you look up my first and last name in a search, they are the only thing to pop up unless you really get specific to me. I have had people that were strangers to me hear my name on a roll call do a thorough look at me, then bring it up when they are relieved to see I am not that person. I think providing more details here would doxx me.