twigg

You do it by not really thinking about the total miles. It's 50 to the next stop, then 100 to the next, and 25 next .... that kind of thing. Before you know it, 500 miles went by and it's lunchtime This ride was a bit different because the distances between scheduled stops was higher, and I was suffering. There are parts of a ride like this that are just an ordeal ... but that is nicly balanced by other bits that reach the level of sublime. Riding east across the New Mexico desert, with the sun setting in your mirrors is just awesome. Here is what I wrote about that: We come from the Earth, and it is the Earth to which we all will return. As I ride across this place I have the bright, orange-red sun sinking behind the mountains to the West of me. I can see it in my mirrors but the effect in front is truly stunning. The whole desert is lit up red, the mesas casting shadows on a landscape that keeps changing color. It is orange, yellow now with hints of blue. Those rock formations are sharply defined and they appear almost ready to rise and claim back all that is their own. This ribbon of highway seems to flow through a kaleidoscope, iridescent and fluid. Why do I do it? Well there is the answer, right there, this is why I do it. When my kids ask me "What did you do today, Dad?" I could tell them that I watched Desperate Something on TV, or did yardwork .... or I could tell them that I rode my motorcycle across the Rio Grande, at sunset.

This happens right at the point when he has a son who thinks that Dad is wrong about everything!

35W HID is the highest rating legal in the US. There are other issues about DOT Approval as well, but most cheerfully ignore those in an attempt to see at night. They get 50W with the same bulb, they just bump up the output from the ballast. That shortens the lifespan without adding a great deal. A better way is to simply add one or two HID Driving Lamps.

Honestly ... Almost nothing will work effectively. You can polish out the scratches, similar to restoring headlight covers, but you can't get rid of the microscopic "swirls". First time a car headlight hits your visor you will regret not replacing it.

Just as an fyi .... maybe the Forum could make good use of a "Ride Reports" Section ... just a thought Left Tulsa at around 5 pm Friday headed for Lincoln, Nebraska. Completely uneventful ride apart from two small things. First ... somewhere on HWY 75 there is a STOP sign. As I approached, the whole front end of the bike started vibrating, felt like it was falling off so I stopped. Then I heard another car doing it and I laughed when I realised it was embedded speed bumps that were not clearly visible in the growing gloom. I checked the bike anyway. http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i418/twigg2324/April%20Fools%20Rall/DSCN0364.jpg Arrived in Lincoln at around midnight, found Motel and got a good nights sleep. I'm not going to describe the Rally I was on, a Rally Report will come later and I didn't finish. The other issue I was having was that the windshield is still too tall to comfortably see over ... it needs to lose another inch, and that adds an amount of strain to night riding that I can manage without given the number of hours I ride in the dark. On the plus side, the HID Projector is utterly awesome! Next morning, 8.00 am had me heading out, next stop Cheyenne, WY, about 480 miles. http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i418/twigg2324/April%20Fools%20Rall/DSCN0365.jpg That is a replica of the Liberty Bell, which I guess saves the good citizens of Wyoming a trip to Philly. From there the rest of the day was spent heading South. Leaving Wyoming and heading down I 25 all the way through Colorado. Never seen the Rockies before and I got to see them all day, just sitting quietly on my right still covered in snow. Left the Interstate to go visit the Federal Maximum Security Penitentiary in Florence. That got me off the busy highway and onto 38 miles of awesome twisties through the mountains. The VR handled it all with it's usual competence. Never felt concerned, never put a tyre wrong, didn't hesitate. It just ran and ran and ran. http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i418/twigg2324/April%20Fools%20Rall/DSCN0366.jpg Leaving the jail I had another 30 miles, or so, back to the Interstate on different roads, a different landscape. Narrow road but wide open, empty and very fast. That was a lot of fun, and would have been even better had I not been in quite so much pain! When I set out the night before it became clear that I hadn't fully recovered from the 1500 miles two weeks earlier. My back was aching, and my butt was worse. By now I was in agony so I stopped in Pueblo, CO and dragged the laptop out on a garage forecourt to look at routing options. There weren't any, I had to carry on. I went as far as Trinidad, CO, and found a Motel 8 for the night. It was midnight and I had covered 800 miles for the day. At this point I was 550 miles from home. I chatted with the Rally Master and figured that if I could get away by 2.30 am I could still get back to Tulsa by 2 pm Central, and qualify as a Finisher. Set the clock for two hours sleep. Woke up, couldn't move, my back was in complete spasm and I couldn't even sit up. So I did what everyone else would have done. I turned off the alarm clock and got four more hours sleep Left around 7 am MT feeling much better. I was still in a considerable amount of pain, but now I was "off the clock", so I could relax and take my time getting home. Home seemed a long way away. Rode through some incredible scenery out of Colorado and into New Mexico ... Just fabulous. There was no traffic, just me and the bike and the road. Then I saw the deer poop on the Interstate!!! Not only do deer get onto the main highway through Colorado, they have time to stop and poop while they do it. Part of my plan was a visit to the Capulin Volcano. I wanted to save miles but the volcano is only three miles off the direct route, and I was damn well not coming this far and missing it. http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i418/twigg2324/April%20Fools%20Rall/DSCN0367.jpg http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i418/twigg2324/April%20Fools%20Rall/DSCN0372.jpg That was the highlight ... The road up is, shall we say, interesting. Stick it in second, get to 20 mph and cruise to the top. Easy. After that I drove into the Oklahoma Panhandle and stuck it at 65 mph, hit the cruise control and did the next 400 miles. Yeah, I stooped, a lot. Just a few minutes at a time for McDonalds coffee, or just to walk around and try to relive the sore butt and the burning pain across my shoulders. Here is the tale: (This does not show the 400 mile ride from Home to Lincoln) http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i418/twigg2324/April%20Fools%20Rall/DSCN0388.jpg The Speed and Elevation Graphs show other interesting stuff. For a start, you can see where my average speed dropped significantly from a 70+ average to about 10 mph less when I took myself off the clock to cruise home. http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i418/twigg2324/April%20Fools%20Rall/SpeedandElevation.jpg Gas mileage figures are equally telling. On the ride across Nebraska and down Colorado I was hitting the speed limit most of the way (around 75 mph). From there to home I slowed to about 65 mph. The gas mileage was mid twenties on the first half, and mid to high thirties when I slowed (and lost elevation). My home is at 600 feet, the high point was eight thousand feet. Route: http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i418/twigg2324/April%20Fools%20Rall/RallyRoute.jpg Home ... Tired, hurting, happy http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i418/twigg2324/April%20Fools%20Rall/DSCN0389.jpg Postscript: I have an older Saddlemen Road Sofa on the bike, and the VentureLine Back Rest. They are good for about five hundred miles which, in the field of motorcycle seats, is very good. However, they are not good enough for multiple one thousand mile days, they don't even come close. The answer is a Russell Day-Long, but I can't afford one. I am working with the LD Riders on a solution, and I'll let you know when I have it cracked. I will fix this because in July I need to be fit to ride about 4500 miles in 100 hours, and I can't do that on my current set-up. On the other hand, I rode through six States and 1700 miles in 48 hours. Apart from the discomfort, it was a truly fabulous trip. There are more pics in the album

Wasn't an apple the root of original sin? This is just the start ... so be careful what you wish for

The direction arrows on motorcycle tyres are to do with the way the plys are laid up inside the carcase. The rear is reversed if fitted to the front because it is no longer being driven, but pushed. Apparently there is science behind this, but I don't have the details Whatever ... it seems to be a fairly common practise. I have been using Bridgestone Spitfire IIs. Looks like the rear has about 2000 miles left, it has done 8000. It's pretty square after 3500 miles in the last two weeks. Those tyres seem okay. A bit squirrely on some road surfaces, but you get used to it.

You need better quality HID components. They are fitted as standard to most high-end cars now, and they don't die after a few hours. Currently they are the only real answer for motorcyclists who do a lot of night riding, and want to see where they are going. Halogen doesn't even come close, and LED is not there yet. HID "bulbs" are considerably tougher than halogen, but some kits contain cheap ignitors and ballasts ... they contain cheap bulbs too, the D2S Phillips bulbs are about $50.

They are the same thing. Follow the heavy cable coming from the battery positive, it leads right to the starter solenoid. On the 1st Gen it is right next to the battery.

Yeah ... You only need to do this if you can't correctly set the Idle Mixture within about 3 1/2 turns out from a soft seat on the Idle Mixture Screw. Only the correct size jet will allow this. Going bigger doesn't richen the bottom end to any useful benefit ... The choke circuit does that for cold starts. Usually, and it may be different for the later bikes, when free-flowing pipes are added, it is the needle, needle jet and main jet that sometimes need changing. Others may know better.

good points Mike, Mine doesn't have the long vent tubes because it's a California model, and those carb breathers connected to the cannister. The regular bikes have them, and nothing to stop me fitting one, I guess. I guess what I meant was that venting to air won't affect the running. Well, unless you go up in flames

The Kuryakn are nice ... None of them are cheap, but the prices are coming down. They are rated for tens of thousands of hours, so they end up being cheap compared with SilverStar Ultra bulbs, for example.

If you are getting flashed then there is light going where no light should go. I just fitted a HID Projector to my "86, a light that can send a beam half a mile down the road. Then I rode it 1500 miles in one go, much of that at night. Not one person flashed their lights at me. If you have a pre '86 there may be room in the reflector (on Snaggletooth's plate) for two 2 1/2" HID Projectors. A good setup can be had for $250, and you will turn night into day.

Well they are both Halogen, it's just that in a sealed beam unit, the whole assembly of reflector, filament and glass is the bulb. There are some very good LED running lights available which might be a decent alternative, and the only real alternative to the stock headlight is a HID conversion, or supplement the High beam with decent HID driving lights.

Corbin seats have a mixed reception, but they do look nice They also cost more than the equivalent Russell. If your stock seat is fine, why change it? I would go for the Utopia at $200 ish, rather than the major expense of a new seat that you don't seem to need.

The "back-firing" is probably because it is running lean, and that isn't helping you with the idle control either. If it has been sitting a length of time, the chances are that Seafoam just isn't sufficient to clean the pilot jets which are tiny, and block easily. If one or more is partially blocked, most of those symptoms are explained. Once you have the idle circuits correct, it is highly likely that the runaway idle will be solved too. To fully refurbish 4 Jet Blocks is about $115 in parts, but it's also the best $115 you will ever spend. If the rubber plugs are serviceable (soft and sealing), that will save you $40. Equally, the main jets should be okay but you might want to check the needle tubes. ANY ovaling in the hole is wear and they will cause problems. (That's extra) You will chase this for months unless the idle circuits are close to perfect ... You can't do anything else sensible to the carbs if this is wrong. Trust me on this As for the loose boots .... They simply make it all just a bit worse ... Too much air in a motor with a lean running issue ... Well you get the drift. The pipes on top of the carbs are breathers and fed a vapour trap ... They can vent to air. To solve the breather hose issue I fixed mine to the airbox with a clamp, then I use a pair of hose pliers to grab the lower end and push it onto the lower fitting.

Bungee cords are the spawn of the devil ... Yeah, I know we all use them from time to time, me included. Much better are ratchet straps ... and you can get quite small ones.

Stick a timing light on the offending cylinder to see it it is sparking or not. If not, fix it. If is is sparking, and the header is cold, then it is gas ... and those symptoms perfectly describe a blocked pilot jet which cannot be seen or fixed by cleaning the carbs. The jetblock has to be removed to get at the pilot jet. Just been there and done that, this week. One further test he can do ..... Run the bike hard enough that the gas is coming from the needle jet and main jet. That means getting over half throttle. If the header heats up then, you confirmed the pilot jet issue. Pilot jets are critical to performance. Even at speed the throttle is less than 1/4 open most of the time. If that jet is blocked, the cylinder will run only intermittently, even at highway speeds.

Mis-matched parts? You are mis-matching the parts as soon as you add SS brake lines! The point isn't whether or not the parts fit someone's idea of what matches, the idea is to improve the braking, and the best parts are the ones that work best. R1/R6 calipers up-front, plus braided lines, with or without the splitter will be an improvement both is stopping ability, and feel. Getting rid of the linked brakes is another advance, but increasing the rear braking power is a dubious idea. The rear brake, especially in the dry is used for little more than balancing the bike while the front brakes stop it. In the wet it is far more significant, but in the wet the OEM brake has more than enough ability ... Leave it stock, other than the de-linking. I don't much like splitters ... but that's me ... It's just an additional expensive brake line and more places to leak. Two separate lines, one double banjo and you are sorted on the front.

About two hours ago I ordered a Thermarest Prolite Plus from Amazon. The usual $119 price was reduced to $69. I had an older Thermarest before I left the UK, and they have to be used to be believed. If that is too much, then any decent closed-cell foam sleeping pad will be vastly better than the ground. The are warm, and offer decent comfort. What you do not want is an "airbed". They are awkward to use, puncture readily and are very cold to sleep on. my 2c

That and the fact that those things do not form a perfect seal, just a very good one. Over time, enough air gets in to loosen the grip. That would likely happen more quickly on acrylic than on glass. If the suction cup is going to be a permanent fixture, some silicone behind it would bond it to the screen, and you could still get it off if you need to.

The Federal Government spends billions, each year, on "Faith-based Initiatives". Simply being a Religious Organisation shouldn't disqualify them from help. Good on you for the Poker Run.

You do need a dedicated mount or you will lose it Ram do the most flexible with many options to choose from. They also sell an Aquabox that will fit that unit, and make it waterproof.

I am signed up for the April Fools Rally in 10 days. the "Hopeless Rally" in July which I am running on my XS750, and the NSR at the end of July. That's it for now .... Oh, and there is a BBG in my future

So ... I may finally have found the answer. I fired the bike up from cold ... let it run 15 seconds and got my hands around the header pipes. Three were hot and one stone cold. The cold one would begin to warm if I really revved the engine. Time to think ...... Yup, blocked pilot jet. I was thinking that the cylinder was firing, but only when it got gas from the needle or main jet. That nicely explains a lot, including the awful gas mileage because even at highway speeds most of the gas is still coming through (or not) the pilot. So it's off with the carbs to take a look. The relevant pilot jet was completely sealed. It took a while, but it now has a perfectly circular hole where a hole should be, and all four headers warm up very nicely. I have another Rally in a week, then none until July so in the interim I will fully refurbish all four jet blocks.