cowpuc

No idea how the harness is laid out on a second gen BUT, they gotta have a 3 blade connecter for the 3 phase output coming from the stator somewhere.. that connector has caused me nothing but grief over the years on my 1st gens. Replaced one on tweeks not to long ago, properly rated and it still melted between the blades, blades made contact and I lost a stator.. thankfully two heros in texas rescude us and we got it done BUT,, I AINT NEVER TRUSTING THAT CONNECTOR AGAIN (S0said that before but didnt listen to my own advice). Ohm out your stator very carefully, after your satisfied with its condition HARD WIRE IT! I also have my rr hard wired.. Trace it down, you will find it. no ideawhat an HD shop will give ya for the bikes but I do know that notbeven brand new bikes are bullet proof.. if you do decide to get one, I stronly suggest test riding the bike BEFORE you sign the papers..if you can catch the harley demo truck and ride several of the back to back you may very well notice some big differences between simular models that just shouldnt be there,,,, like strange vibes, weird shifting and the like.. go from there armed with knowledge of a good one runs and rides like and your chances of not getting future problems increase dramatically,, IMHO of course.. Best ofluck on all counts! puc

aswesome bob!

If your talking from experience and have pics I would LOVE to see em and hear some stories! Nothing I enjoy more than reading others adventure times! Well,,,,, besides experiencing my self

Dog gone kids of mine get me into the biggest of trouble.. My second born daughter graduated her residency at UC Davis of Sac last night.. While it was the most amazing graduation service I have ever been to it was difficult for ol Pucster,, the dress up required by daughter so she she wouldnt be embarrased by her old pappy was excrutiating.. Been many a year since I been outa jeans,,, son in law too.. On the other hand, the people I got to rub shoulders with was incredible. Folks like the head medical examinier for Sac County (who my daughter studied under for a good portion of her residency), other faculty and staff and of course,, my own child made it all worth the sacrafice.. Look very closely at the cloths I have on,, allllllll extremly high end stuff,, I say I look like a VIP all the way!!! I am the person on the far left if ya cant recognize a freshly showered, none dusty, very close to clean shaven Puc.. Now,,, let ya'll in on a little secret.. Them theres all Goodwill Clothes!! Spent a whole 11 dollars on that outfit!!! The Goodwill in a place called Elk Grove,, which is in California if your wondering, has some awesome donated clothes!!! I happenn to know that one of our fellow VR members lives in that area, Easyrider is his name.. Just got off the phone with em, heck of a nice guy if I might say so my self... Anyway,, Easyrider,,, if by chance, the clothes I have on were one time belonged to you I,,,,,,,,, make no appologies LOL.. Want em back?? Cant have em LOL.. Got any more? If you do, I think it would be a blast to show up at THE DALLES all dressed up LOL.. Tippy wont let me wear these to it so I have to have some I could toss out after I ruined em hanging with you guys up there!! By the way,, thats Tippy next to me,, now she was right in her element,, royalty I am tellin ya,, outstanding beauty if there ever was one.... Puc

Wishing you folks the best of the best journey ever! Take pics for us innocent bystanders, have fun and ride safe out there! Puc

Greatvwrite up mike! Sorry you got chosen to be the quinee pig for the rest of us and the expenses involved BUT thanks for doing so! LOVE YOUR PICS AND TAG LINE! By looking at the pics our tagline is right on the money! Do you pulled a trailer when riding on ice and if so, how does that effect the handling of your bikie sorry,,, I couldnt resist,,,, sometimes I just talk to much:confused24: nuther flaw in my charector

indeed, that tippy is my best friend.. she also used to stay home with 3 kids while I took one and did exactly like that vid portrays.. did it all the way up till the kids moved on,, THEN IT BECAME HER TURN! Now adays, the bike dont leave the house without her on it, she truely is a remarkable person.. so areyou Mike for your observation of that point, you my friend are on to something with your comment about her. So many times we riders comment to each other about where we been, the bikes we ride and the things we do. We completely skip over the person on the back.. I wouldnt get on the back of ANYONES bike for anything more than an emergency,, I simply trust NO ONE at the helm but me,, she is far braver than I! My hat goes off to ALL riding partners out there! Thanks for pointing that out mike! no darkside, did have extremely good results with the metzler rear tire I tossed on tweeks before we left home on this trip! Dating all the way back to the 70, s,, this metzler is showing the best wear resistance of any tire I have tried,, and I have burned down most brands offered on western touring.. I have not tried any of the multi rubber tires yet though, little to pricey for me. Someday I will find one, curious to see how theyhold up. Rode a buddys valkary with car tire/darkside, think the wear factor would be excellent, but I could not get beyound the feel in the twistys.. just like this trailer thingy,, I guess I am just to old o start redesigning my riding techniques.. joe,, buddy,, NO CRITICALNESS FELT MY GOOD FRIEND!, atter of fact, one of my best friends/neighbors has begged me for years to rethink my techniqe. He and his wife on their new harley followed tippy and I into a gravel parking lot last year. His front end wash out on a very slow turn and down they slid. I ran over and helped pick his bike up and bandaged his cut nose, scrapped the windshield in the fall.. the first words out of his mouth was,, that is exactly the reason why I keep telling you to get the weight off the high center of gravity on your bike.. his point was valid and so is yours. looking very closely at txsturgis, s provided example, carrbonones ideas. Having ridden like I do for many years and miles, the trailer scenario would have to prove itself to me in "FEEL" though.. I am not one to just change things because the crowd thinks thats the direction I should go.. learned a long time ago that just cause everyone thinks something is right, doesnot mean it is.. can be a lonley way to live but it works for me.. not being critical either Joe! no maps, no gps.. do carry a small compass for emergencys.. we pulled out of yosimite area other night for a night ride, actually looked up, found the big dipper and north star and used it for direction,, believe it or not THAT is a fact. I actually lied toa VERY good friend of mine, squidley, just recently when he asked if I had a road atlas with me. The reason why was cause if I would have said no he would have forced his on me, just the us brothers are.. I dont carry one cause I LOVE stopping and talking to people when I am lost, its all part of the experience for me.. No idea where the roads lead but they always seem to lead to where I am LOL GOOD ON YA BILL! OF COURSE YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK OF YOUR BROTHER! You sure he and I arent blood relatives,,, please tell him I get it! WORD, DITTO AND THAT

Cheesehead, any chance you might be wanting to catch some of michigans best riding up the west side? I will not be around during that time frame to personally guide you but I do know where the best of the best touring is along the lake shore and would be happy to map it for you. I also know lots of open camp areas that are free if you are camping on your trip. Also there is a cycles only campground in northern michigan called cyclemore that always has really cool things happening and a super neat collection of bikes. If you were close to the bridge during the fourth there is a massive car show up there that is awesome for both bike and car guys. After returning from niagra in up state new york you may wanna check out lake placid, beautiful ridin. I stumbled upon a museum over there to one time that is unbelieveable. Its like a museum of science and industry for gearheads. Its called,, something like,,,,, the curtis museum,, I think.. full of very very old bikes and airplanes that you can actually touch and play with the engines and stuff.. I could easily spend a week of vacation just playing there. Hopefully someone chimes in here that is from that area that can guide you there.. or google around about it,, I would do it for you but this tiny tab I am using is limited with my fat fingers! If you would like to chat on phone with me about michigan just pm me your n6mber and time to and I will jingle you.. you folks have a wonderful safe trip where ever the wind blows you! puc

Your welcome annie, just saying the way it really is.... See what I mean annie? Me and Yammerdan,, we got chur your back sister,,,,, and at least one of us knows who we really are:rotf:

I spent the bettervpart of my life in motocross boots, pants jersey, helmet, neck brace and gloves.. I was also an avid snowmobiler and fell inlove with my leather sledding gear from the 80, s.. tippy now wears my old old arctic cat that is aged leather,, its a beautiful jacket that I wouldnt trade for highest dollar leather bike jacket on the market,,, talk aboutbwarm.. For many years I wondered whyon earth the road bike accessory companys didnt follow the mx accessorys companies in their protectabilites.. mnow they do and I think xanyone cosidering buying outfits for real protection wouldbbe cheating themselfs if they didnt at least look at the amored stuff now offered... on the other hand,, I still like my tee shirts and jeans and am way to old for enjoying the adrenalin riding on snow n ice any more.. i like it above 65 and below 105,,, getting old I guess..

You make some really interesting observastions there cuda and I really appreciate the cudo, s... cudo, s from a cuda,, kinda neat.. after years in the trades, welding pipe, wiring machinery, restoring bikes, working in bike shops I returned to college to earn my bachelors degree.. one of the classes I really enjoyed was creative writing.. a company I worked for sent me to germany to learn some machine building skills.. while there I was also taking notes on what I was doing.. those notes became a shop manual on the machines we built and 4he manual was published and sent out with all the machines here state side.. its been all down hill from there brother, I have never lost my passion for writing,, j6st down right fun.. maybe in another life, I will be an accomplished author, ya never know....... I get really side tracked though cause I LOVE reading others real life stprys too.. life is a wonderful thing when you engage it head on! puc

thats easy annie,, its so we can circle the globe with people we love! I have sooooooooo much fun when people ask me about my austrailian sticker,,, I get tobrag about this great couple I am friends with down yonder under! Then when they say,,, I dont belief you, I can send them here and they can find out for themselfs how close nit this VR family is and find out how small this world really is! Please dont cry no more annie, just think of how much your friendship means to all us here and SMILE knowing you and Quickstep have made a huge positive impact on the world in which you live! puc

Seems like I have an endless supply of friends and neighbors that question my sanity for packing my mule the way I do and refusin to hitch up a trailer to er instead of putting all the weight on er tired ol back.. If ya have any interest in the subject this few minute vid may help splain why I am so reluctant to latch on a trailer..while I love the vid for the shear ruggedness of the mountain desert region the important part for the subject at hand starts at about 2.40 into the vid.. if you are the type who enjoys the highway touring and gets bored easily with slow moving back road country stuff, thats cool we just have different tastes in venture riding,, you probably should start the vid at 2.40. keep in mind this is just a tiny example of the stuff I encounter while cross country touring.. my biggest struggle actually with trailer pulling comes into play with snake trailing between trees,, do it a lot.. I think it was larry, carbon one, who recently suggested a one wheeled trailer,, larry,, that thought is one that I have truthfully never considered.. I have been using the rack on the back successfully for many many miles spanning the wearing out of 5 1st gens and never thought of changing since hammering it out years ago.. your suggestion has me scratching my head though.. the reason why is I think I could fab up a narrow trailer That would stay in the tracking of the bike.. it would have to have very minimal swing and pivot and remainlight weight. It alsowould be neat to build within that trailer aa permant means of hauling 2 gallons water and fuel. I carry 1 gallon water and half gallon xtra fuel now and, save very few instances, itsbeen adequate.. Larry, yours, as well as others suggestion are not falling on deaf ears.. I am always open for suggestions but those suggestions must be accomodating to what I am about in seeking fulfillment in my touring.. some like bling,, thats cool n I get it BUT, I also get txsturgises love for his ural,,, just the way I am and its probably way to far into my life to change my ride style now...

Prayers up for skid and the warden! Glad she ewas able to get some rest Dan!

WOW, SOUNDS LIKE A WHOLE LOT FOLKS HAVING A WHOLE LOT OF FUN! Life is so unfair that we cant be in two places at once,, would love to join ya, ll! Ride safe and watch for crotch rockets! puc

Yea,,, wassup with dat? prayers up while taking grandson for ride here in sunny california today!

Be there or be square, cant wait either my friend! Bike settled in and doing great with the new stator. Thing loves the heat! You and that precious wife of yours ride safely out there brother. txsturgis warned me about the terrible water and oil trucks in the carlsbad, roswell area... he wasnt kidding.. gotta watch very carefully for not just their I dont care if I kill you attitude but also their spillage on the roadways,, had a couplepretty good slides going cause of them... just a heads up buddy! ride safe, have fun and we will see you real soon! puc

This is really interesting,,, I honestly thought that the corrective point of reasoning (if any) crowd would come out 10 to 1 favored by the anti graffetti group over the you need a trailer group... human unpredictablity never ceases to amaze me I think larry maybe closes to another means of hauling our tent and sleeping bags with the one wheel trailer idea. I do gotta say though that I am truely sceptical that even that method would work in our application.. way to much two tracking for draggin something behind us.. I have a short video that tippy took about five miles back in the utah mountains a few days ago that would really help those of you who arent woods riders understand my perspective.. I cant upload off this tablet but as soon as my son in law gets done working I will see if I can talk him out of his laptop and post it up,,,,, he loves me so I am sure he will:cool10: pictures are worth a thousand words so video should be even more valuable...

Easily explainable with just a couple quick pics....

And indeed,, I am directionly challenged,,,, sure makes life interesting though:rotf: thnks for the headsup tooch!

West of tonahpo is a pretty good size mountain range.. folks who know me know I preach,,,, stayout of the mountains from 1 till five cause thats when bad weather happens, at least inmy experience. Shoulda listened to myown advice but this one up hard and mean! we got very very fortunate, we happened on an abandoned gas station, motel, shop! Turned out the place was till solid enough to withstand the wind although I do have vids of 10 foot long 1 x 6 boards blowing across the lot while we huddled inside. huddled inside, the grafetti on the walls summoned me to add my own.. Camped thatnite with the snow covered east mountains of yosimite in site. Gorgeous spot up in the high sierras about four miles in. Dead quiet all nite, nothin but coyotes, tweeks, tippy n me.. did have a major issue with refilling my water cup at 3 am, you are gonna wanna read my full ride report when I write it this winter, another hilarious vid/story.. was planning on taking a short cut to wilton, up 395 across the sierra, s without going thru yosimite, been there a few times n tips anxious to see our kids.. came on this sign, west 108.. took west 108, GLAD WE DID 108 is more commonly known as, SONORANA PASS.. I made my selection of roads to cut across the mountain range way to early on 395 to make any time for getting to kids BUT TALK ABOUT A BEAUTIFUL RIDE! went past a bunch of marines ding mountain training. Got up high enough tippy got off and made a snowball,,, I wouldnt touch the nasty stuff! At 9500 feet, miles up on the pass we bumped into a young couple who were hiking the CREST from mexico to canada.. another great story you will have to read about in my final report over winter.. will say this, for theprice of a half a bag of candy and some great conversation they willingly signed our yosimite sticker that tweeks had earned in the past.. finally arrived here in wilton ca last night. Having a ball with the grand kids, our daughter and son inlaw.. kids wanted to set up thier tent and sleep outside,,, I mean dangggggg,,, thousands of miles and countless chours sleeping on the ground getting here to see em , son in laws got theba ck bedroom all ready for us AND WE END UP OUTSIDE BACK IN THE TENT..... the things we will do for our kids eay:rotf: Puc

Being no strangers to the roads, I am sure you can all relate to one of my favorite sayins,,, the dont really begin till your good and lost on a motorcycle. I do a lot of experimenting with that theory... matter of fact, when I was at squidley and lonnas house tweekin on tweeks, squidley and were looking at his road atlas,,,, he looked right at me and said, yougot one of these right? I said yes, but I didnt tell him that I never carry it cause I love stopping and talking to people and getting twisted up has produced some of the greatest memories I have... besides, knowing squidley like I do, he would have forced me to take it,, my brotheris just thatway...... back to the story.. here we are, cruisin westerly cross the great state of nervada,, and I see 3 fighter jets playing tag in the mountains.. I did what any of you would have done,, I tried tofollow em.. sneaky buggers them fighter jet dudes.. anyway, one thing led to another and we come upon this little building about area 51,,, yee=eee haaaaaaa... went flying down the road and came to a sign that says , no gas 150 miles, looked down,, tweeks settin on 3 bars.. turned around , went back the way we came come to a sign, no gas 100 miles,, ah ohh,, would have been funny but it had to havebeen 104 inthe shade and da taint no shadein da desert. Anyway, turned around again, talked to local,, God bless them locals.. found gas and asked about this road we had found called, extra terrestrial highway... bought an xftra 2 gallon jug to strap onto tweeks to go with the half gallon I already carry.. guy at station laughed at all the stuff hangin on tweeks back,, I said,, it probablywont be so funny if your guy that I stop and give water or gas to when your stranded,, shook his head anddrove off.. made it across the top of nellis air base on the that alien highway.. we tried to get ahold of Coffey oncei realised where we were but no phoneor net sooooooo.. in a place called tonopah now.. Get out n ride ya bunch a lop eared varmints,, it summer ya know! puc

There may be some truth to that Jeff but if there is, its cause I married into it.. I was just fortunate she said I will 34 years ago!

Woe woe woe,,, lets not be talkin bout snippin no cords while ol pucs off the side of the grand canyon on it.....

W0left page yesterday morn, went for a short ghost town search ytwo track ride in utah between page and kanaub. Have a great video that answers a lot of folks questions of why a trailer does not work for us,, you guys will love it.. toured the north rim, zion, kabob. FOUND ANOTHER AWESMOE BURGER JOINT IN CEDAR CITY UTAH, CALLED TOPSPOT! great camping in utah mountain less than 1 mile in! In nevada now may see wilton ca tonight if we can keepfrom getting side tracked... like exploring old irontown this morning,,, so much to see, taste, smell and roads to ride.. get out and enjoy em puc