I bought mine during the infamous half price sale early this year so I got a good deal. I wasn't sure if I liked them early on. Getting the sidestand up can be a challange until you get a knack for it. If you have mud on your shoes you WILL get it on your trousers. On the other hand, it gives you a place to move your feet around on longer trips, a real plus. And you can stand up on them to soften bumps or air off your butt while riding. Like my big old style driving lights, I'm not sure I'm crazy about the look, but I really like the function.

We all like to think of ourselves as rugged individualists. But when push comes to shove most of us are sheep who do what we are told. Worst of all, a lot of us become unpaid agents of whoever is controlling the agenda by enforcing the current dogma on the few rugged individualists who actually exist.