| Author | Message | ||
     Dr_greg |
Since the central New Mexico temp is forecast in the low 50s, I've decided to do the 540-mile Silver City, NM ride (8,828 foot Emory Pass) tomorrow (Tues). Classes don't start till next Monday at the U, so I can still play (don't tell the chairman). Did a TPS reset Sunday, engine never ran smoother, then started it again to check the oil level (always w/engine running), and it was missing like crazy...WTF? Then I saw a little black thing beneath the bike. It was the cap on the throttle body! I put a new one on, and all was well. Man...if that cap had come off on the road I'd have had no idea what was wrong with the bike. That's what I mean by serendipity. Then a few minutes ago, as a last check, I spun the idler pulley (this belt prolly has 20K miles on it). Boy it spins easily! Well, Doc has his spare belt and tools with him; hope I don't have to fit my spare belt mid-ride: this is the deer-strike route and I don't want to ride after dark! Wish me luck! I'll try for a few pics. --Doc (Message edited by Dr_greg on January 12, 2010) | ||
| Kurbennett |
Have a great ride Doc! Get some good pics and dodge them deer! | ||
| Itileman |
The alley behind my garage is packed with snow and ice. The bottle of Windex on my workbench is still frozen. I'm jealous, but I'll cook up some venison stew for good Karma for your ride.  | ||
| Eulysses |
My Uly kindly drops its loose parts right where we park it for the night. Kinda cute. Like a little puzzle as to where the latest bolt/screw really goes. Course the ones lost on the road never show up again but 3 times now it just drops the loose stuff on the floor when I park. Like a cat bringing in a mole! | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Doc, Photos of course so I can live vicariously through you. | ||
| Xbimmer |
About a quarter mile down the street from my house there's a stop sign. I looked down one day and saw half of a bolt in the street. Thinking Murphy's Law that either my wife or I would pick it up in a tire I pulled over to retrieve it. Hmmm... it said "HD" on the socket head. There's a neighbor with a Harley down the hill so maybe it came from his bike, but it wasn't a chromed bolt. When I got home I started checking out the Uly and sure enough it was my front muffler mount bolt through the case! Apparently it had been gone a couple days because one of the front exhaust nuts was missing also. That rubber cap is for you non-CA guys Dr_Greg, if it fell off that easily you might want to secure it with a couple o-rings or a small zip-tie. In a pinch any auto parts place will have a vacuum cap that'll work. Have a good ride Dr_Greg, keep your eyes peeled!  | ||
| Dr_greg |
UNCLE!!! Well fellas, I'm back home with my tail 'tween my legs. Got a total of ONE picture from the ride, taken at about the 50-mile mark at 8:00 a.m:  The first 150 miles are slab (I-25), and at the 50-mile mark I had enough. It would warm up later in the day, but the cold---riding gear notwithstanding---finally wore me down. If I were to leave mid-morning I end up riding through the deer-strike area after dark, and I won't do that. I'll try this ride again during, say...late February. Sorry for the big buildup, and subsequent bail... --Doc | ||
| Matchanu |
Riding while shivering isn't really enjoyable. If you aren't having fun, then what's the point? Good call Doc. | ||
| Froggy |
Hey! It is above 20! HTFU! In the north east we are having a heatwave, it might actually break 20 today. I didn't need to turn on my heated suit yet today. | ||
| Ourdee |
Doc, 50 miles of that gets a little old when you have a pile more to go. Glad you safed out. Live to ride another day. I updated my belt post. On the back order numbers. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/516106.html?1263336148 | ||
| Matchanu |
HTFU! LOL, I love Mark "Chopper" Reed. | ||
| Itileman |
The venison stew was hot.  We have more than deer to contend with around here.  | ||
| Bartimus |
Dr. Greg, You need to invest in some electric gear! When I lived in 'Querque, I couldn't resist riding every possible moment, and the sub 40 degree weather hampered that attitude. I bought a Widder vest with the optional sleeves, and the leg chaps along with a set of gloves. From that day on, the only parts of my body that would get cold was my toes, and my nose. Electrics under your riding gear will prolong your riding season, and allow you to enjoy those weekend rides, even on the cold days. | ||
| Dr_greg |
Bart, I have a Gerbing heated jacket liner + heated grips. Both work exceptionally well. But for some reason the cold defeated me this time. It was more mental than physical. If the road had been twisty I'd have been a little more active, hence warm. But 2+ hours of slab in low 20s was too much for my poor ol' ravaged body... --Doc | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
21 degrees! You'd need Nanook DNA to enjoy that. Can't blame you for bailing out early on that ride at all. Let it warm up to at least double that temp so that you don't solidify your you-know-whats. |
