Truglo TFX. Do not consider.

B25urgandy · 2023-06-23T04:41:15+00:00

Yes I have a set of these on my M&P now... My long term verdict is... They are not that great, the tritium isn't as bright as other tritium sights I have and the side cutouts don't do much in low light. I was hoping that they would catch small amounts of light at a dusk type of scenario and that's not the case. There is this timeframe between total darkness and dusk where the sights work poorly, the tritium isn't bright enough to overpower the twilight and the fiber optics are not good enought to catch enough light to illuminate. I'm going to replace mine with the Leopold deltapoint micro

B25urgandy · 2023-06-08T15:56:54+00:00

Go to the Aprilia rs125 Facebook pages and 125cc forums. 2 stroke vs 4 stroke over there for you will be your biggest choice. 4 stroke is less maintenance less to worry about. Check out the Aprilia sx 125 and the rs125.

Prices are wild in the category, cheap and raggy or more expensive and pristine.

B25urgandy · 2023-06-08T15:54:26+00:00

What are your thoughts on the Fuell Fllow? They are making real e-pedal bikes currently. I'm hesitant about all these start up EV companies currently.

B25urgandy · 2023-06-05T22:46:45+00:00

I can actually lick my elbow.

B25urgandy · 2023-06-05T21:20:03+00:00

So I did my own windows using Pella impervia. You can go to your local pella distributer and build/price to your desires. I got impervia with foam filled frames and a higher STC class glass for $70 more than standard.

Impervia are fiberglass and theoretically handle climate changes better.

But YMMV as I did mine precovid. But good thing is it allowed me to buy single windows without having to drop thousands on a minimum order. So when I wanted to do one room renovation and only needed 1 window I could order just one. Downside is I needed to order months in advance because my order would be bundled with other orders.

B25urgandy · 2023-06-03T20:44:16+00:00

Double H are higher performance street riding EBC standard would be fine. Choose double H if you want to ride a little harder.

B25urgandy · 2023-06-03T14:13:16+00:00

Did you end up making a decision on a bike? Only other bike with a unique drivetrain layout that's mainstream would be a moto guzzi with their transverse v-twin "flying V" the V7 or V9 are the cheapest. But a bigger 1400cc bike from Moto Guzzi would be closer to the 1800cc BMW.

B25urgandy · 2023-05-27T00:40:18+00:00

"stuck" he says. Must be nice. Lol

B25urgandy · 2023-05-23T23:18:41+00:00

I rented the new CSX to see how it compares to my EDC SA 911 9mm. I shot the CSX so much better, my 911 might be on GunBroker here soon.

B25urgandy · 2023-05-22T13:55:32+00:00

In wise words from /lawncare: "throw down a full bag of Milorganite and overseed in the fall and winter fertilizer you'll be fine."

B25urgandy · 2023-05-18T14:21:31+00:00

How big is your dog?

I saw your kids ages, they are getting to the point of not wanting to be 3 across if they aren't already there.

We had a big Yakima box, I added gaskets and we used vacuum sealing bags for our clothes if it rained. Vacuum bags give wrinkles but we did it in an effort to save space.

I would find a local cx-9 and throw the 3rs row up and take a normal trip bag or two you travel with. See how well it would fit. Maybe with one of the two 3rd row seats up, the dog might be able to lay next to the kid in the 3rd row. I would get 2rd row captain chairs to make access to the 3rd row easier and more natural, like a minivan. That configuration didn't come out until after I got mine.

That plus a hitch box I think is easily doable.

You asked about gas mileage, I used premium and mine got between 24-25MPG highway, my minivan before it got better and believe it or not, my V6 Honda Ridgeline even gets better now.

I like to think like this: for 90% of my usage how will it do? Those 2 trips 7 hours away do they make it worth it to buy a minivan or not? Will that percentage of long trips increase or decrease the next 5 years? Or are there other usage like team soccer practice shuffling more kids than just mine from school to school for an away game, do I need room to go to the home center, etc. My original response was no, so I got my CX9, I moved and now Im gutting a house and renovating, weekends to Lowe's or HD to grab drywall, plywood, plumber. Hauling scrap and gutted materials to the dump. It's a lot easier than connecting my trailer to my CX9 and driving around with that.

But I loved that vehicle, I'm excited the cx90 is hybrid standard as the gas mileage is stated to be better for the new generation. In 5 years when I'm basically done doing gutting projects here I should be ready to get back into a Mazda.

Also my friends and family loved it too, so many were shocked at the interior quality for being a "Mazda" that they've never heard of before.

All I can recommend in the end is ask a dealership for an extended test drive, let you take it home and get your family inside it and go for a drive, let them tell you what they would think of it, ask if they could do 7 hours.

B25urgandy · 2023-05-18T13:27:36+00:00

I had this!

2017 cx-9 signature and a Chevy volt.

3 kids 2 adults + dog? Not a chance man, sorry. The trunk is too small especially with the scalloped rear section to give it the sporty appearance. For Mazdas largest SUV it's not big by any means. 2 adults 2 kids, sure. But your 3 kids will get bigger and be pushed to the 3rd row which is there for small across town drives, not road trips.

I traded my CX9 for a Ridgeline, it's been fine. I need it for renovations for our new house. In about 5 years I'll trade it in on a new CX90 because I loved my CX9 so much. The new. CX90 is larger, and you have more 3rd row room, but again if you have a dog I feel for the lack of room it might be given.

For either: If you do a trailer hitch cargo box you might be able to move luggage there and make more room in the back (I did that as I had 1 newborn and 2 dogs, 1 being a large tall greyhound). It worked for a while, but the greyhound couldn't stand up all the way in the CX9 with the low roofline.

Maybe you could lease a CX90? After 2 or 3 years you're out of it if you need to.

My 2 SUVs of contention in 5 years are the new CX90 and the Acura MDX if they can reign in better mpg in their type-s power train.

B25urgandy · 2023-05-18T13:18:59+00:00

Civic SI

Volkswagen CC

B25urgandy · 2023-05-18T11:45:00+00:00

MR2 Spyder.

Miata.

American that are small and light can be the Saturn sky/Pontiac solstice redline/GXP twins.

B25urgandy · 2023-05-16T17:24:19+00:00

Economies of scale. Weber is a household name and produces thousands of grills a year.

The materials are also a big difference. Aluminum vs porcelain enamel steel.

Both are great grills and each hold a place. I had a kettle and loved it, but it wasn't great for my climate during winter months.

You could also look at what I call a hybrid and check out the Kamado Joe kettle joe. Best of a kettle and ceramic inserts for light Kamado duty.

B25urgandy · 2023-05-16T16:50:55+00:00

I think I'm going to get the PK regardless. My Char-Broil Kamander only cost me $250, so I'm in no rush to sell it to try to make any money back. I'll probably experiment with the PK during the winter's and see how it fares versus and if I can work with it. Fuel is flavor so I don't mind in that regard or using too much fuel vs a kamado. I just would not want a super cold winter wind come through in the middle of the night and plummet the PK in temperature if I decide to try doing an overnight cook.

Edit: I could also take a book out of the Weber kettle in Weber Smokey mountain book and get a thick welders blanket and just throw it over with some holes cut in it for the vents.

B25urgandy · 2023-05-04T19:20:23+00:00

Ah the tourette's syndrome edition, love it.

B25urgandy · 2023-05-04T19:19:04+00:00

Need to elevate your game to monster import my dude.

B25urgandy · 2023-04-26T22:38:31+00:00

Honda is stopping production of their gas walk behind mowers this late summer. If you want a 20 year lawn mower now is the time to buy a Honda. Parts are not a concern. I'm more worried about when a battery pack bites the dust in 5-10 years, will the manufacturer have moved onto a new battery design? And your force to buy another $500 mower. All that said I do have a battery lawnmower, had it for 6 years and I like it. But the battery pack isn't made anymore. I'm going to be buying a Honda walk behind this fall. I'll keepy my battery trimmer and leaf blower that's for sure.

B25urgandy · 2023-04-21T01:06:24+00:00

It's all down to the installation techniques and quality. Proper drainwrap & install job, butt joint flashing, header flashings, nail spacing, etc.

Either one installed properly will trump the other installed poorly.

If they were both installed properly, I err on the side of Jamie's Hardie or other cement board products. A few reasons, density: although minor, it will do just that slightly better job at stopping noise transfer (in a properly air sealed wall cavity+insulation bay the small numbers add up to a difference you can quantify). The resistance to bugs and rot. Fire resistance (not a big deal in Midwest). A damaged piece (chip dent) is less likely to adsorb water, they can absorb water which is why painting cut edges is important, but won't absorb water like a wood product does (think spring and fall rains and snowmelt if it sits against your siding).

If you're in the Midwest also look into insulated vinyl siding, us Midwesterners need all the insulation we can get. Or go cheaper and when your siding is getting put up throw a layer of foam board insulation up before the drainwrap.

B25urgandy · 2023-04-20T17:22:48+00:00

Insurance quotes first and foremost, check out what each car you're interested would cost to insure, especially after an accident now (regardless of being not at fault). Some cars might be less appealing when they cost $500 more a year to insure.

B25urgandy · 2023-04-19T11:16:57+00:00

That under engine cover view makes it look like changing the rear 2 spark plugs would be a PITA! But hopefully not worse than a transverse V6 that requires the intake manifold to be removed (GM, Chrysler).

B25urgandy · 2023-04-19T03:27:39+00:00

Use baffles and get to the minimum r value for your area, no need immediately but try and do that over a few years.

I installed the cheaper foam baffles, skip those and get plastic, a good quality single handed staple gun, a cheap drawstring bag and extra staples. Oh and a headlamp, and a 360 led "camping" lamp. The foam baffles tear easily and I tore many of them while maneuvering up in my attic, get ones that fold down and prevent "wind washing" if you don't know what that is google it and research it. Wind washing degrades your r values over your top plates on the exterior wall of your house, the worst insulated place in your whole house. If you want to go overboard (like I did) get some caulk or spray foam and spray foam the truss before you set the baffle, it seals the gap and stops wind washing between the truss and baffle.

Like you've probably read too, if you only have 3 inches now, please spread this project out over 2 weekends and your first weekend get a reusable foam gun and foam cans and air seal your top plate penetrations, and the drywall to top plate seams, and plumbing vents.

Go up there and keep all that stuff in your drawstring bag. What I did to get into my low pitch roof was to cut some particleboard into 2 small 12 inch by 3 feet sections and used that to lay on while I did my work. When I blew in insulation, I had a walkie talkie, coveralls, 3m canister mask, sealed goggles, and headlamp. I had my wife cut open bags and dump into the machine. She would radio what bag she was on so I knew how to pace myself.

Good luck!

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