Time once again to answer some letters.

First up, James Shi, from North York, Ont., says he's having trouble finding a motorcycle tool kit (Megawheels, Dec. 9) that contains all the items I mentioned in my story, such as Torx drivers, hex wrenches, electricians tape and so on. Can I help?

No worries. You can pick up these kinds of tool kits from most new bike dealers --Harley-Davidson carries them, for one, or failing that, they're available through Whitehorse Press' catalogue or website (http://www.WhitehorsePress.com). Or, you could just put one together yourself (which is what I would do).

Get yourself a soft tool kit pouch -- again, available everywhere -- and just fill it with the stuff that you think is necessary. It's probably cheaper to do it this way and you can "customize" it to suit your own needs.

Next up, Greg Oliver "respectfully disagrees" with my assessment of the Honda Goldwing (Megawheels, Nov. 11). Among other things, he feels that the BMW K1200LT (he happens to own one) will leave the 'Wing behind through the twisties, offers a higher comfort level for six-footers, and comes with heated handlebar grips, rider seat backrest, and twin power outlets for rider and passenger.

He adds that, yes, the Goldwing has better acceleration, but both the 'Wing and his Beemer will outperform the Harley-Davidson Ultra Glide, as he discovered during a ride through North Carolina's legendary Tail of the Dragon highway.

I agree on the last point, but I have spent some time aboard the K1200LT, and as far as I'm concerned, it's a toss-up between the two when it comes to high-speed handling. I prefer the 'Wing because it has a more accessible seat height and a lighter touch, but this one is too close to call.

Put it this way: by the time you get to the point where you're examining the outer limits of these two bikes, you're probably going way too fast. I'd also like to add that both bikes are a bit of a handful during low-speed manoeuvres -- parking et cetera -- and I'm embarrassed to admit that I have dropped both of these beauties.

And where I could just manage to horse the BMW back upright, the Goldwing was beyond me and I had to enlist the help of a passing trucker. Anyway, moving right along, yes, the Beemer comes with heated grips, but you can order these for the Goldwing through Honda's accessory catalogue (about $230), and the Goldwing has a sticker price that is thousands less than its German competitor.

Finally, I also agree that the BMW is probably more hospitable to taller riders, but then, the 'Wing is kinder to shorter riders, and has arguably the best saddle in this category. And last but not least, Honda has a much wider dealer network than BMW in the event there's a contretemps of some sort. Good letter.

Peter Blair, meanwhile, has a query regarding storing his bike for the winter. Should he drain the fuel tank or leave it full?

According to Blair, some folks like to leave the tank full because an empty one can collect condensation, which will run into the fuel injection system/carburetor(s) when you start it up in the spring. What do I think?

If the bike is parked inside in a reasonably well-ventilated area, and you completely drain the tank, leaving the cap off when you store it, there is no way condensation will form. The same is true outside -- to a point, depending upon exactly where it's stored.

Personally, I would definitely find some kind of shelter if I didn't have a garage, carport or whatever of my own. It also depends upon how long you intend to store the bike. If it's going to be a year or more, you would definitely want to empty the tank. Six months or less, a full tank of gas with a stabilizer of some kind is probably okay.

But don't forget that gasoline can get trapped inside your carb(s) and fuel lines and quickly deteriorate if the bike is left for a long period of time. This can be a real headache when it comes to starting it up again.

Last but definitely not least, there's the fire hazard thing -- a stored bike with a full tank of fuel is a potential Molotov cocktail, as far as I'm concerned. All things considered, I would just drain the tank and be done with it.

Finally, Gary Blakely writes to say that he has always loved the Triumph Bonneville, but had to "settle" for a BSA Thunderbolt when he was younger. Anyway, he says he wants to have a look at the new Bonneville, and do I know of a Triumph dealer in the Toronto area?

First off, Blakely, I too owned a Thunderbolt during high school and then later as a restoration project, and it's a fine motorcycle. Maybe not quite as fast as the Bonnie, but better looking and easier to keep in tune because of the single carb arrangement. Both offer the British riding experience in equal measure and I'd happily own either one. Seriously though, I know of two dealers in Ontario: Tony's Cycle, in Kingston, and McBride Cycle, on Dundas Street in Toronto.