cowpuc

Everyone!!

Gary, thoughts and PRAYERS UP as you grieve the loss of your friend who fulfilled the true meaning of "There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother". Reaching out to his family too! Sorry to hear the news.. Puc

Toothless

Sounds like you got yourself a good dealer there Lefty - GOOD ON YA!! There is nothing sweeter than having an intermittent problem repaired under warranty simply by word of mouth!! Hats off to that dealership where ever they are!!

Oh, by the way, THANKS SILVRT!!

SHEEESSHHH CAPEEESH Silvr!! Sorry bout that,, didnt know I was sooo long winded,,, maybe I better kick these fingers into the short version mode:bang head: Lets see,, how's this,, We went for a ride on our motorcycle, we saw lots of cool stuff and met some really really great people along the trail. We even had some good food. It was a very strange 50 year ride. The end.. Sure hope Freebird didnt have to update the system cause of all my clutter:yikes:,, I can see a new sticky note on the opening page of VR,,, *All MEMBERS PLEASE NOTE* - MEMBERSHIP FEES ARE BEING INCREASED TO $500 A YEAR BECAUSE SOMEBODY IS LONG WINDED - THIS CAUSED A MAINFRAME TO BURN UP AND WE ALL HAVE TO PAY FOR IT!!! I cant help but wonder if this is the reason my deceased Father never really wanted me to get involved in motorcycling in the first place.. He was a pretty sharp guy,, probably foresaw the disaster of combining the thrill of biking with my strange type of personality....

Banjo..

fee-fie

If you have room, squirt the area with penatrating oil, back the nut off so its flush with end of bolt, put socket on hex head of bolt (may have to use deepwell), put c-clamp end over nut and other over socket, tighten clamp to press bolt out as far as possible, remove clamp, spray bolt with oil, pound bolt back in, repeat with clamp, do till bolt is free enough to pull out. have also used 16 inch channel locks instead of clamp. An air hammer with punch works good too if your careful.

Why their nails are to short, thats why...

So,, if a Polish guy worked for Turtle Wax and decided to sell Polish sausage along with his Polish could he legally sell shiny Polish sausage that had originally not seen Polish?

Ah ah ah ah ah,, bad form,, why did you forget the why... why why why,,,,, why Yammer why?

THAT is flat crazy,,, I say to myself as I am slapping my face thinking I am in some kind of a twilight zone!!

I drill holes thru the plastic on tweeks and use tie wraps,,, I CANT STAND HAVING SIDE COVERS COMING OFF WHEN I AM BOUNCING DOWN THE TWO TRACKS TRYING TO FOCUS ON STAYING UPRIGHT!! GOOD FIND PETE!!

I wonder if a saddlebag or trunk set would have the key numbers on em? If you had a key number we could all check our keys, see if any match, take one to key guy and have one made and send it to you,, taaah daaahhh I broke a key for my honda helix, took the gas tank lock set cover in and had a set made for it cost me 5 bucks BUT, the key for the ignition has an extra slice down the center of the key,, I took a dremel tool with a cut off blade and ground a groove into the center of both sides of the new key, WORKED PERFECT - didnt have to remove the switch.. I wonder if the same thing could be done with Daves bike here using his trunk or a saddle back lock... I have lots of old keys around and would be glad to check em..

Didnt realize that, should have half way expected though cause I found em on Amazon early last spring for $57 shipped, bought mine and passed a link and I think someone on here got one too.. THEY ARE AWESOME TIRES!! I like em cause they are 6 ply too.. Anyway, below is what I am using, listed at DK but not available - still shows the specs though.. Second link is that tire being offered NOS on Ebay that ends in 2 days - its at 1 dollar right now.. Let me know if your not going to bid on it cause I will probably grab it if it goes for under 20 bucks (that would be $45 including shipping) https://www.denniskirk.com/front-tk16-conti-tour-120-90h-18-blackwall-tire.p64312.prd/64312.sku Continental Conti Tour 18" Motorcycle Tire 120 90 18 N O S | eBay If you dont mind running older rubber, might go cheap ya never know.. You can also watch around the smaller shops in your area - ours always have tire sales to get rid of outdated rubber - might find one if its what your looking for.. Just checked the one on my bike installed early last spring, been to Mexico via texas - california - Washington - back to california - over to Glacier - back to Mi - down to Alabama - out to east coast back to Mi - U. P. of Mich and back home, still has nubs between the tread - looks great!!!! I pack pretty heavy, ride two up and ride a LOT of +100 desert heat... https://www.denniskirk.com/front-tk16-conti-tour-120-90h-18-blackwall-tire.p64312.prd/64312.sku Best wishes what ever you decided to do Jason, ride safe out there!!

Didnt realize that, should have half way expected though cause I found em on Amazon early last spring for $57 shipped, bought mine and passed a link and I think someone on here got one too.. THEY ARE AWESOME TIRES!! I like em cause they are 6 ply too.. Anyway, below is what I am using, listed at DK but not available - still shows the specs though.. Second link is that tire being offered NOS on Ebay that ends in 2 days - its at 1 dollar right now.. Let me know if your not going to bid on it cause I will probably grab it if it goes for under 20 bucks (that would be $45 including shipping) https://www.denniskirk.com/front-tk16-conti-tour-120-90h-18-blackwall-tire.p64312.prd/64312.sku Continental Conti Tour 18" Motorcycle Tire 120 90 18 N O S | eBay If you dont mind running older rubber, might go cheap ya never know.. You can also watch around the smaller shops in your area - ours always have tire sales to get rid of outdated rubber - might find one if its what your looking for.. Just checked the one on my bike installed early last spring, been to Mexico via texas - california - Washington - back to california - over to Glacier - back to Mi - down to Alabama - out to east coast back to Mi - U. P. of Mich and back home, still has nubs between the tread - looks great!!!! I pack pretty heavy, ride two up and ride a LOT of +100 desert heat... https://www.denniskirk.com/front-tk16-conti-tour-120-90h-18-blackwall-tire.p64312.prd/64312.sku Best wishes what ever you decided to do Jason, ride safe out there!!

why be a

sausage is this ground hogs day the movie or something

Roost, lets try something.. My computer does the same thing as your except I get my gray (color I use) when I log back on.. Just for a kicks, log on, scroll down and select "gray" in the little box at the bottom of the page.. Once the color changes go up and log off.. Then, just type the first letter in the login box of your name, the rest of your name should appear below the login spot, click on your name and it should appear instantly in the box, now click on the password area and your password should already be there. When you now click login, you should be back to the "Gray" screen.. If you now dont use the site for a 1/2 hour, say you select another tab and go play at one of your car sites,, or you go use the restroom,,, then you come back after a 1/2 hour and you click back on the tab where you were here at VR - the screen is gonna still be Gray BUT - as soon as you try to respond to a thread, you are gonna get a red screen and have to log in cause you are trying to interact.. Once you log back in though, you should be back to the Grey screen.. I suggest that you try the grey screen cause I know that has been working for me.. If it does work as I am describing, then go back to your green screen and see if it acts differently - maybe its the green color for some reason..

sausage

Tweeks and I have got an agreement between us, I try to take care of her and be somewhat reasonable in my maintenance habits and she does her best to get us home in one piece.. One of the things she has always enjoyed is the switch from 15w/40 oil to the heavier 20w/50 that I use when running the desert regions.. When Squid and I were talking on the phone about doing the stator repair on Tweeks, he told me he had a good clean oil pan to salvage Tweeks oil so I wouldnt have to change it when we put the new stator in her but advised me to pick up some oil if I wanted new.. I had just put new oil in Tweeks before we left Michigan so I opted for the salvaging.. As we pulled into Flagstaff,, better known as "Flag" to us modern contemporary folks, I noticed that Tweeks clutch was feeling funny and, she had been a little sticky in her shifting too.. A NAPA Auto Parts store caught my eye as we rounded a corner in Flag so we pulled in.. I love Auto Parts Stores.. I have changed out Tweeks oil in all kinds of places like Dollar Store parking lots, Walmart Parking lots,, even resturant parking lots but, when it comes to on the road oil changes, my favorite spot is the good old all American Auto Parts Store.. One of the main reasons for this is that I am basically lazy.. I dont like to bother Tweeks right saddlebag (her maintenance department) unless I have to.. Not only am I lazy but, it seems like every time I go pawing around in all those parts and tools she has hanging on her side, Tweeks takes it as a sign to take a break from her side of our agreement and I end up "Tweekin" on her,, a Murphys Law as it were.. Most guys, and some women, that I hang out with know that Auto Parts Stores not only carry parts and pieces but they will also loan you tools,, especially if you act like your a needy person that is gonna buy something from them and than leave town (so they know that whatever you bought has a zero percent chance of being returned).. They also normally have a tank to dump used oil into, free little funnels and sometimes - even free coffee.. The NAPA Auto Parts Store in Flagstaff was really nice and was staffed by some great people.. I grabbed some 20/50, a small container of Brake Fluid (to fill the clutch master) and walked up to the counter.. Gave the parts guy that sad "I am from out of town look" and asked if he had a Phillips Screw Driver, Big Cresent Wrench, Oil Pan, Paper Funnel and a pair of pliers I could borrow to swap out the oil in my bike.. He looked me over, smiled and said - sure,, why not.. He also handed me a couple of shop towels as he followed me out the door to admire Tweeks.. He looked her over, mumbled something about wishing he could join us on our tour and went back inside.. After the oil drained from Tweeks main oil pan, I capped it, moved the collector pan under her filter housing, loosened the filter housing and drained it too (I dont usually swap filters on the road).. Pulled the little plastic cover off Tweeks oil fill area, unscrewed the cap, stuck in the funnel and put Tip to work dumping in oil.. I took the screw driver, stuck it in a clutch master cover screw, grabbed the screw driver shaft with the pliers and popped the screw loose, jumped over and snapped the other one loose and backed em both out.. Popped the cover, sure enough, low fluid.. Filled the res and told Tippy we'd better take the remainder of our brake fluid with us cause Tweeks was probably gonna need an occasional refill (seals dont last forever).. Returned the tools, dumped the old oil, shook hands and thanked the Parts Guy for his hospitality... He asked where we were headed and shook his head when we told him we were gonna camp down on 89A and then go down to see Jerome, than head to California.. He smiled and said - "you two have fun and be careful - wish I could go with ya".. 89A is a really neat side road that goes down to Jerome from Flag (I am sure it goes farther but Jerome is a far as I ever did ride it), it winds thru rock canyons, dense forests that have lots of Elk and other wild life.. It is, in my opinion, one of the countrys prettiest tours for motorcycling and I had been bragging about it to Tippy for a long time.. That said,, you can only imagine the sadness that over took us as we came to the beginning of 89a just south of Flag and saw the "CLOSED" sign on it!! As we continued down the ick-spressway (I think that is 17) toward Sedona, I told Tip that it was ok,, we would just have to make another trip out just to ride 89a!! As it got later and the sun started to go down, we were still in the high country the makes up the landscape between Jerome and Flag.. I had forgotten about the altitude differences between Sedona and Flag and quickly remembered as the temps dropped drastically.. We stopped to put on our gloves and balaclava's (nylon hoodie thing that makes me look like one of the Nights Templar who were guarding the Holy Grail in that Indiana Jones movie).. It finally warmed up as we were pulling into Sedona for dinner.. After we finished our chili, we loaded our jackets back up, stuffed the winter clothing back into Tweeks left saddlebag (clothing department), filled the water jug and stumbled off into the dark to find a camping spot.. We started to put the tent down on the grass beside a shopping mall when it dawned on me of how narrow and busy Sedona is.. The town has this series of round abouts that go thru the area and the round abouts that we were near were doing a lot of round abouting.. Way to much to be able to actually sleep thru the noise.. I tightened the tent back up and we went exploring.. Just a short distance out of town, things really mellowed out. I pulled off into the foothills on a two track and found the coolest camping spot.. The air tempts had dropped just low enough in the valley to make falling asleep a breeze, Tip proved that once again as I could hear her stacking logs as I was putting the cover on Tweeks for the night.. After waking up and filling our lungs with the fresh desert air, I made a quick phone call to another friend from Venture Rider.. VideoArizona, I call him David cause thats his real name, is a resident of the Tucson area.. We had communicated plenty on the VR website but never met each other.. David had contacted us and asked that we let him know as we got close to Jerome and that maybe he would ride up, meet us and ride with us some.. I was able to make contact with David but he had other plans at the time and was unable to meet up with us.. Someday, we will meet him in person and get to share some riding stories in person and listen to some of his too!! After chatting with VideoArizona, we headed over to a place called Montezooma Castle National Monument.. The ride back over to the other side of 17 was laced with an amazing mix of desert looking bushes, rocky terrain and a small amount of pine forest.. The Monument is a very good example of what life in this region was like many years ago.. Places like this always makes me wonder how Native American people survived back than when there were no motorcycles to carry them into town for food and water.. The weather warmed up so it was time for the higher altitudes of Jerome.. After a short stop for a Taco at the bottom of the mountain that houses the town of Jerome, we headed up the hill.. I love Jerome - it is a really neat little town way up on a mountain side with some fantastic views. I also love the ride up to the town. It is filled with some really fun corners and overlooks that will take even the most adventurous bikers breath away.. Jerome is also a very old town and has some beautiful old buildings with some old vintage cars and trucks scattered here and there.. We parked Tweeks and went searching for an official Jerome sticker.. We checked everywhere and came up empty.. One lady at a tourist shop was really apologetic about not having stickers and promised to get some and have one for us if we ever came back thru the area.. I told her not to feel bad, that collecting stickers seem to be a thing of days long gone by.. She said that she actually had several people ask about them in the recent past - made me feel good anyway, like I am not getting as old as I really am.. Tweeks was a little disappointed with not getting the sticker she had earned but I promised her we would go back and get one for her.. She was still moaning a little about the sticker till I announced that we were gonna play our little coasting and that this one was gonna include a coast right thru town.. Many years ago my oldest daughter (biker name Awahoo) and I were crossing the top of North Dakota, we had ran Beeg's (the Blonde 1984 Yamaha Venture we rode back than) fuel tank to bone dry and had to camp in a gas station parking lot not to far from a Casino. We would be 1st in line for fuel when the station opened in the morning.. Awahoo was shivering as we climbed into the tent that night, still covered with all our riding gear, I zipped the sleeping bags together and slipped inside and cuddled my daughter up next to me to warm her up.. After we thawed out and were laying there staring up at the stars she announced that she had gotten kind cold during the last part of the days ride.. Laying there looking at the stars, I told her how much CTFWing reminded me of being a Trout.. She laughed and asked what I was talking about.. I told her how fish will suspend them selves at certain depths depending on water temperature.. Thats right I told her,, I said fish are pretty smart,, if they get cold they go up if they get warm they go down,, they just move around until they find the perfect temps.. I told her that as soon as daylight hit, we were gonna become a couple Trout and point ol Beegs front wheel south and ride that way until we found warm air!! After coasting down the Jerome Mountain, I stopped and told Tippy that I thought we oughta do the "Trout" routine.. We laughed as I explained to her where that had come from. It appeared that very hot tempts were awaiting us to the west (we were still heading toward California to get to our daughters graduation).. We had experienced Death Valley the year before and the "Trout" inside me was reminding me of how brutal 120 degrees can be.. Tip agreed that maybe a ride up across the Grand Canyon would be fun so we went CTFWing that general direction.. We were shocked at how relatively empty the South Rim of the Grand Canyon was.. It only took a few minutes to get thru the West Gate and we soon found ourselves in the parking area at the furthest western point of the south rim. After a using the restrooms and having a snack we discussed and finalized our decision about heading up around to the North Rim to stay in tune with being "Trout" as the tempts here were perfect!! The south rim ride is an amazing, almost spiritual experience that can even leave the best of us talkative types spell bound and speechless.. After breaking lose from the deep hypnotic state that the beauty of the rim had held me in, a thought occurred to me. I wondered how many people had ever rappelled down the into the Grand Canyon from the edge of the South Rim.. Tippy and I got talking about it as we rode along the edge.. I told her it sounded like fun and that I wished I had some rope to give it a shot.. Then it dawned on me,, I had that extension cord that BikerJohn had loaned me back in Round Rock Texas hanging on the back of Tweeks. I knew it was only a 25 footer but, I told Tip, maybe with my weight hanging on it, it would stretch the extra amount needed to get me to the bottom of the Canyon.. We got goofing around with that big ole orange extension cord of Johns and people actually stopped and took some pictures to join in the fun. . Not far from the spot that I went rappelling we found these awesome Tusayan Indian Ruins.. It was remarkable to read about the lives this peaceful group of Native American Indians had led.. The ruins area was very well preserved and the museum was splendid.. After we left, I used the rest room and had left my camera laying inside.. We got about a mile down the road and Tip asked me to hand her the camera,, ah oh.. We turned around and went back, thankfully it was still there!!! One of the last things we ran into on the ride out of the East Gate of the South Rim was this Tower over looking the Canyon.. It was a place of deep spiritual connection for the Indians and is still that way to many people.. Long ago there was an airplane crash that happened in the Canyon.. A display shows where that happened and speaks about how difficult it was handling the whole mess.. One can only imagine as this canyon area, besides it shear ruggedness, has some very strong winds and horrible storms. We exited the East Gate FILLED with great motorcycle touring smells, sounds, sites and memories burned into our hearts and minds forever.. There are only a couple ways to cross the Colorado River that flows thru the Grand Canyon and get around from the South Rim to the North Rim.. Of course, playing this "Trout" routine and trying to stay in the survivable tempts meant we were riding up to a place called Page. The Pagenites up there have a Dam on the river called the Glen Canyon Dam that provides a path to the other side of the river. The ride up to Page is really fun and full of some really interesting views as long as you don't mind long, straight roads.. Most of the ride up is just that.. We pulled into Page hungry and tired from a long day of traveling. We located the local sub shop, sat down and filled our bellies and chatted about what kind of place we'd like to camp at. We decided on something overlooking the Dam and the river.. About a half hour later, people in the area who were observant could see a tired ol bike named Tweeks parked under the overhang of an abandoned motel whose picture window behind the ol motorcycle had the most spectacular view of the Colorado River and headlights of cars crossing the Glen Canyon Dam farther up stream.. A really observant passerby may even of caught a glimpse of two very tired best friends, soundly sleeping next to that ol worn out motorcycle..

But,,, what if the OP on that other thread REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to know WHY, WHY, WHY?? We could use Roosters thread as our official VR Emergency why thread, that way we KNOW we are always covered!!

By gosh I hope that is getting really close, I am getting to old for this stuff:backinmyday:,, I kept the side covers off Beeg, my original 84 Blonde (kids named her Beeg = Big Girl = B. G. = Beeg) thru all these years for memory sakes.. I have often thought it would be cool to, after they do break an actual 1 million miles on them, hang em on the wall in the living room... I have a shirt that one of my daughers had made for me that I have also been taking really good care of.. A while back,, someone on here made mention of placing it in ,, what I think he called a "shadow box" to display it.. I think for final retirement, those side covers and this shirt would be a cool display,,,, sorry bout getting sentimental but I think thats part of getting older...