Don-STOC237
08-29-2006, 09:35 PM
I've had my ups and downs the last few days, getting ready for WeSTOC. Haven't been touring much lately, so it seems everything I have is worn out, including my body. Anyway, a few days ago, I synched the carbs and put a new Amsoil air filter in that I've had laying around the garage for awhile. When I put it on I decided it was a bit dry so gave it a shot or two or three of K&N air filter oil.
Synched the carbs with the new Flo-meter, pretty easy deal.
All pretty easy ups.
Installed a J&M CB and switching gizmo thing I bought off a liSTer a couple years ago. That had it's ups and downs. It was tedious and took awhile and a few phone calls to my friend John Oo to figure it out, but I got it running. Since I have an ABS bike I had to figure out someplace to put the big honkin cb unit. That was a downer for awhile until I just decided to get out the Dremel and whack a great big hole in the bottom of my seat and mount the cb on the rear fender with some wide velcro. Now the seat just fits over the cb. Definite up, there. Having it done, that is.
Installed the J&M headset in my Shoei RF1000, not too bad a job.
Installed my new SP2730 on the dash shelf using my new Dick Seng mount. Definite up.
Hooked in the XM radio off the Garmin to the J&M. Insufficient volume even with the volume on 100%. Down down down. I shouldn't have been surprised, it needs pretty much full volume in the car to be sufficient through the internal FM transmitter. Went into town Sunday, bought two Boosteroos at Rat Shack and put them in series between the GPS and the J&M. Sufficient but barely adequate volume now. I'll need to find a 12 Volt amp someplace for that. Why doesn't the J&M control the audio volume?
Yesterday, I had it all planned out; take the wheels off in the morning, run them up to Reno and have new tars installed, bring them back home and reinstall the wheels.
I always start with the rear wheel. Going according to shop manual instructions, I couldn't for the life of me get the damned wheel off. I cussed and swore and worked like a dog for an hour. Even called LT to ask his advice. Finally, I just did the obvious and took the rear caliper all the way off and the wheel dropped on the floor.
Definite down.
In Reno, waiting for my tars to be mounted, I ran over to Big Valley Honda and bought a new 21 liter Cortech tank bag. Real nice piece of gear!
Definite up.
Back home, the front wheel went on with only a little glitch, I overtightened the speedometer set screw and broke the plastic thingy it screws into. Oh well, it still works and if it quits, who needs a speedometer anyway, I have a GPS! Slight downer.
The rear wheel, a different story. Everything ok until putting the axle on, it just wouldn't go over the ridge the final inch or so. Tug, push, realign, cuss, swear, sweat, nothing seemed to work. Finally, after about 15 minutes, I muscled it in. Managed to hurt my left wrist to go along with my dislocated right pinkie finger. (This is a dog story, definitely off-topic). Down down down.
Motrin for dinner; slightly up.
Anyway, got ArreSTme3 all buttoned up this morning and started packing the bike. Mounted the new tank bag, cleaned up a bunch of stuff, aired up the tires, added oil (***? Never had to do that before!, gotta watch it!), located stuff and sorted it to take along. Feeling pretty up.
Cindy got through working her horse and we decided to ride up to Markleeville for lunch. Good opportunity to scrub in the new Avons.
We take off, everything is right, lotta wind so pretty noisy. Hmmm, bike seems a little sluggish on Jack Wright pass. Oh well, it's partly loaded, that may be it. On 395, I hear truckers talking so at least the cb receives. Listening to XM. Definite up.
Up 89 to Monitor pass, I try giving it the gas and ufffffff, not the usual power or anything close. I see smoke out the back. Shift down and bike seems sluggish, no power and a lot of bogging. Only seems to lack power at high throttle openings, and it's smoking. Definite downer.
We get to Wolf Creek restaurant in Markleeville and park. Cindy says a lot of smoke is coming out my exhausts, both of them, sometimes.
Oh crap, is this going to ruin my trip? What could it be? I'm thinking horrible thoughts, like bad valves, bad fuel filter, bad vaccuum fuel cutoff. Maybe bad spark?
Over lunch, I give it a bit more thought. Why all of a sudden? Rode last week and it was OK. Why now? Let's see; Black smoke under big throttle, i.e. unburned gas. Plenty of spark because it runs ok when not under heavy acceleration. Maybe not enough air, especially at higher altitudes?
Is it going to ruin my WeSTOC trip? Definite down moments...
Ah ha! Could be the new air filter I installed. OK, so we ride back home and I pull off the new tankbag, the sidepanels, the top shelter, and the air cleaner cover. Whip out the brand new Amsoil air filter, remove the outside foam ring, leaving the inside foam ring, and sop off as much oil as I can get with a towel from the inner foam ring. Re-install everything except the outer foam ring, get my gear back on, leave the saddlebags and tank bag off, and head back up to Monitor Pass.
My old ST is back! Blasting through the corners, plenty of power right up to the summit. UPPER!!!
Ride back home, my WeSTOC trip is saved! I'm up!
Get off the bike in the garage, take two steps and double over with a back spasm. Downer downer...
So, now, I'm attempting to numb the pain and get back up with a Meyers Rum and RC Cola Cuba Libre or two, or maybe three. Hope these downers get me up. Venting to ya'll sure helps. :D
Don -- STOC 237
Synched the carbs with the new Flo-meter, pretty easy deal.
All pretty easy ups.
Installed a J&M CB and switching gizmo thing I bought off a liSTer a couple years ago. That had it's ups and downs. It was tedious and took awhile and a few phone calls to my friend John Oo to figure it out, but I got it running. Since I have an ABS bike I had to figure out someplace to put the big honkin cb unit. That was a downer for awhile until I just decided to get out the Dremel and whack a great big hole in the bottom of my seat and mount the cb on the rear fender with some wide velcro. Now the seat just fits over the cb. Definite up, there. Having it done, that is.
Installed the J&M headset in my Shoei RF1000, not too bad a job.
Installed my new SP2730 on the dash shelf using my new Dick Seng mount. Definite up.
Hooked in the XM radio off the Garmin to the J&M. Insufficient volume even with the volume on 100%. Down down down. I shouldn't have been surprised, it needs pretty much full volume in the car to be sufficient through the internal FM transmitter. Went into town Sunday, bought two Boosteroos at Rat Shack and put them in series between the GPS and the J&M. Sufficient but barely adequate volume now. I'll need to find a 12 Volt amp someplace for that. Why doesn't the J&M control the audio volume?
Yesterday, I had it all planned out; take the wheels off in the morning, run them up to Reno and have new tars installed, bring them back home and reinstall the wheels.
I always start with the rear wheel. Going according to shop manual instructions, I couldn't for the life of me get the damned wheel off. I cussed and swore and worked like a dog for an hour. Even called LT to ask his advice. Finally, I just did the obvious and took the rear caliper all the way off and the wheel dropped on the floor.
Definite down.
In Reno, waiting for my tars to be mounted, I ran over to Big Valley Honda and bought a new 21 liter Cortech tank bag. Real nice piece of gear!
Definite up.
Back home, the front wheel went on with only a little glitch, I overtightened the speedometer set screw and broke the plastic thingy it screws into. Oh well, it still works and if it quits, who needs a speedometer anyway, I have a GPS! Slight downer.
The rear wheel, a different story. Everything ok until putting the axle on, it just wouldn't go over the ridge the final inch or so. Tug, push, realign, cuss, swear, sweat, nothing seemed to work. Finally, after about 15 minutes, I muscled it in. Managed to hurt my left wrist to go along with my dislocated right pinkie finger. (This is a dog story, definitely off-topic). Down down down.
Motrin for dinner; slightly up.
Anyway, got ArreSTme3 all buttoned up this morning and started packing the bike. Mounted the new tank bag, cleaned up a bunch of stuff, aired up the tires, added oil (***? Never had to do that before!, gotta watch it!), located stuff and sorted it to take along. Feeling pretty up.
Cindy got through working her horse and we decided to ride up to Markleeville for lunch. Good opportunity to scrub in the new Avons.
We take off, everything is right, lotta wind so pretty noisy. Hmmm, bike seems a little sluggish on Jack Wright pass. Oh well, it's partly loaded, that may be it. On 395, I hear truckers talking so at least the cb receives. Listening to XM. Definite up.
Up 89 to Monitor pass, I try giving it the gas and ufffffff, not the usual power or anything close. I see smoke out the back. Shift down and bike seems sluggish, no power and a lot of bogging. Only seems to lack power at high throttle openings, and it's smoking. Definite downer.
We get to Wolf Creek restaurant in Markleeville and park. Cindy says a lot of smoke is coming out my exhausts, both of them, sometimes.
Oh crap, is this going to ruin my trip? What could it be? I'm thinking horrible thoughts, like bad valves, bad fuel filter, bad vaccuum fuel cutoff. Maybe bad spark?
Over lunch, I give it a bit more thought. Why all of a sudden? Rode last week and it was OK. Why now? Let's see; Black smoke under big throttle, i.e. unburned gas. Plenty of spark because it runs ok when not under heavy acceleration. Maybe not enough air, especially at higher altitudes?
Is it going to ruin my WeSTOC trip? Definite down moments...
Ah ha! Could be the new air filter I installed. OK, so we ride back home and I pull off the new tankbag, the sidepanels, the top shelter, and the air cleaner cover. Whip out the brand new Amsoil air filter, remove the outside foam ring, leaving the inside foam ring, and sop off as much oil as I can get with a towel from the inner foam ring. Re-install everything except the outer foam ring, get my gear back on, leave the saddlebags and tank bag off, and head back up to Monitor Pass.
My old ST is back! Blasting through the corners, plenty of power right up to the summit. UPPER!!!
Ride back home, my WeSTOC trip is saved! I'm up!
Get off the bike in the garage, take two steps and double over with a back spasm. Downer downer...
So, now, I'm attempting to numb the pain and get back up with a Meyers Rum and RC Cola Cuba Libre or two, or maybe three. Hope these downers get me up. Venting to ya'll sure helps. :D
Don -- STOC 237