| Author | Message | ||
     Breadman |
Man O' Man it's finally gonna happen. Found a nice little '99 X1 offered up in Nashville, TN that I'm going to purchase. Plans are made to fly out in the evening and ride it back to Denton, TX the next morning. Having never done this before I figured I'd solicit your advise on a checklist. I'm thinking: Riding leathers Gloves Thermals Shades Helmet (included with purchase) Boots small tools (any TSA issues with this?) Belt? Bearing(s)? quart of oil? cash (quantity?) For those that have or haven't all words are welcome. What would you fly with? BTW, the riding trip will be about 700 miles. An adventure for sure! Spencer PS I can hardly wait! | ||
| Froggy |
Would this happen to be a carbon fiber X1, #11 by chance? | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
well I think it is mighty brave to ride a used bike that you don't yet know 700 miles but that is just me. I would add a rain suit to your list though. | ||
| Breadman |
Froggy: Carbon fiber, no. It's painted black on what looks like Nuclear Blue with an XB headlight assy. Which one are you thinking of? Don: Brave, doubt it. Actually a little nervous. Seller says its strong. If it's strong I trust a Buell can make it. As long as it's strong. He's takin' it to the dealership with a little list to make sure it's ready to ride. But just in case, what would be at the top of your list to take with you? Spencer | ||
| Froggy |
Ok cool, there is a specific bike that I was looking at purchasing a few years back, then someone bought it from under me while I was getting some cash together, than a few days later it ended up on Ebay for about three times more than what he bought it for. | ||
| Froggy |
Be sure to bring your phone, and if possible some way to keep it charged or a second battery. 700 miles is a good day of riding, but it will be hard on an unfamiliar bike. Print out a copy of the BRAN too. | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
well as far as tools go if you bring no other tool at least have a t27 torx with you but I would at least have some kind of multi tool along with it if not a small tool set. Also I would recommend printing off the BRAN in case you break down you can get some fellow badweb help. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/boar d-auth.cgi?file=/42/42.html&lm=1298530162 | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
me and my slow typing. | ||
| Brother_in_buells |
Tire repair kit and maybe some tie-raps and a rain suit for sure! and check the oil level a few times Good luck and  | ||
| Treefrog |
Take your own helmet. 20 miles into a 700 mile ride is not the time to figure out that you can't stand wearing the helmet on your head. If you want the new helmet, mail it home, or see if the seller would mail it for you. Take some ear plugs too. Enjoy your new Buell. | ||
| Ulywife |
Also I would recommend printing off the BRAN in case you break down you can get some fellow badweb help. Or you can PM me the states you'll be riding through and I can send you an personalized BRAN. Add camera to your list! Safe travels and have fun! | ||
| Teeps |
Better to rent a truck or m/c trailer (one way if possible) and drive. Maybe not as much fun. But, far less to go wrong. Especially, when riding a 12 year old bike, you've never ridden before. | ||
| Xl1200r |
I'm going to side with Teeps. I was nervous enough about taking my S3T on a trip this past year that I had only owned for 8 months, and I still learned PLENTY about it on the trip. If you're going to ride, I'd also add ear plugs and rain gear. Also, I hope you have some way to fasten the bag to the bike, wearing a backpack for 700 miles will be torture. Also agree that you need your own helmet. TSA won't have problems with tools if you check them, I'm sure they will with certain ones otherwise. You'd need to check the oil, anyways. | ||
| Akbuell |
Rain gear has been discussed, as has the helmet. TSA can be crabby, so pack the tools and gear and check the bag through. Carry your helmet by hand. Pick up the oil when you get there, and a selection of spare fuses. And carefully check all of the stuff the dealer serviced, to make sure the stuff undone to do the service was put back together correctly. I wouldn't worry about belts, bearings, ect as those are not easy roadside repairs. And Teeps beat me to it; a credit card and U-Haul can be your friends for serious problems. Plan on a 2 day trip, and enjoy!!! | ||
| 86129squids |
Bread- hopefully he's taking the bike to Tom's (Tnxbrider) dealership just outside Nashville in Murfreesboro- Bumpus is the shiznit. See if you can track down Jeremy too (Ft Bstrd)- he picked up a similar bike just last year. Add to the list a decent tire plug kit and the means to inflate a tire... Map out the secondaries from A to B- I'd HATE to ride that thing back on I40. +1, take your time, mebbe a long 2 day trip... | ||
| Tiltcylinder |
Plus one on the rain gear! A ziplock with 10 feet of wire, fuses, assorted crimp terminals. a single edge razor blade, assorted wire ties, a tiny pair of vise grips, lighter, micro flashlight, 10 feet of mechanics wire (safety wire/ baling wire) and a couple of small hose clamps. Amazing what you can 'fix' on the side of the road with a bit of wire and some vise grips. DAMHIK... It should all slip into a jacket pocket without trouble. Put all tools into the checked luggage... not your carry on. On x-ray it looks like bomb making supplies... | ||
| Essmjay |
Be prepared to be pulled aside and given special treatment at the airport. Something about those one way tickets and little luggage. I have done this twice, once from Brownsville TX to Olympia WA on a S3, and once from Milwaukee WI to Olympia via Arizona on a FLHS, both bought online and ridden home on the sellers word with zero mechanical issues. Probably just lucky. Anyway, both times I ended up in the back room at the airport. When she snapped the blue gloves on I knew I was special... | ||
| Xl1200r |
You must be extra pretty! I flew coast to coast one way with just a carry-on duffle bag without issue. | ||
| 2008xb12scg |
Sounds like a grand adventure Breadman. Always funny when I see your name as that's what they call me sometimes (as I deliver bread). My advice would be to have a back up plan. Credit card and uhaul # couldn't hurt and I would take Ulywife up on her offer for sure! | ||
| Breadman |
Thanks for all the words folks! My first plan was to rent a cargo van or truck and haul it but costs are prohibitive. Then I checked shipping, again more than I want to spend. So Fly N Ride it is. I *never* check luggage at the airport. I have always been able to pack everything I've needed in my backpack as carry-on. I will have to make the exception this time. Oh well. Also only have one day to ride...work always seems to get in the way of making perfect plans. I will stay on the interstate at least until I am more comfortable with how the bike is running. If I'm making decent time and things are going well, I may branch off after Memphis and take 79 through most of Arkansas. Then of course depending on time and stamina (of self and bike) either kick back over to I30 or stay on through 82 then 67. That adds almost 2 hours to an already long trip though. Interstate: 11+ hrs. Backroads: 13 hrs. This is Google maps estimate. I don't know if they figure on pit stops and stretches though. BRAN...awesome! Thanks Ulywife! Bring own helmet. Rain gear. Tire repair kit and inflater. Specifically assorted tools. Bungee, zip-ties, duct tape, baling wire. Camera. | ||
| Xl1200r |
Google Maps does not figure in pit stops, but they do figure on only going to speed limit. However, even with that, 700 miles is going to be a long day, interstates or not. I rode from East Troy, WI to Chamberlain, SD, all interstate. Google maps says 620 miles and 10.5 hours. With stops for food, gas and rests it took me a solid 12. And that's with 70mph speed limit in MN and 75 mph in SD. (Message edited by xl1200r on February 24, 2011) | ||
| Two_seasons |
Here is how I acquired my first X1 Lightning last November, 2010. Arrived at airport with e-ticket, my gear ON, gloves in the pockets, my helmut in my hand. Traveled with $4,500 cash in my pocket. Never advertised it, would deal with it if found. Had all correspondence with seller and myself printed out for documentation, just in case it was needed. No TSA hassles on this trip. Flew out of Milwaukee to Minneapolis/St. Paul. Seller picked me up at airport. We drove to where bike was stored. Seller starts bike up, I do a walk around, drive bike out of the barn, hand seller $ and drive off. Approx. 2pm. At approximately 9pm, I'm pulling into my garage with my new to me X1 Lightning. Awesome ride for 350 miles in the cold! Would I do it all over again...yes...and it will probably happen again this year! Plan B would have been to rent a uhaul if it broke during the ride back and haul it home that way. | ||
| Court |
Take 6 of those plastic bags you get in the grocery store. Great for hands and feet in rain. I (and this is just me personal) NEVER check my helmet, it never leaves my sight. You'll have a ball. After the secret press intro of the X1, at St. George, UT in 1998, we ended up with 19 bikes at the event and the Buell Demo trailer, headed to the dealer show in Philly . . had room for 18. There was all sorts of high level meetings at HD about how to get the bike to LA where they could air freight it to Philly . . typical HD was in the verge of forming a committee. I asked the guy "when do you want it there?". He told me. I took the keys from him, handed him my plane ticket, tossed my bag into Cravillion's Demo trailer and off I went . . . arrived 4am two days hence. | ||
| Reepicheep |
I did a fly and ride to get my Uly. Great adventure. I brought little, as I didn't want to check a bag, and was worried about trying to explain a toolbox anyway. I wore my textile jacket and textile riding pants on the flight, carried my helmet in a carry on bag with the rest of my clothing and gloves. Brought all the liners. Fortunately for me, Jim Bryant (OlDog) is a friend and was in the same town, picked me up at the airport, and let me crash overnight. He had the fully stocked garage as well so I could go over the bike carefully before leaving, and deal with what needed to be dealt with. My only tool was a cell phone and the BRAN list. If it broke, I would beg / borrow / steal... I figured I could coast into an auto parts store. Here's how my journey became an adventure, and what I learned  The seller was a good guy, and the bike was in fantastic shape. But he had described the tires as 80%. Well, for the rear, that apparently meant 0% life left in the middle, 100% left on the sides.  So I'm looking at the back tire in Jims garage the night before I left. Clearly, it was shot. It was a Friday night, and I planned leaving Saturday morning. I had no idea where or how I would get a 180/55 rear, and was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to find a scorpion sync to match the front, and was pretty sure what I found would be $100 more than retail. It was bald, but intact, and there was no forecast for rain for the duration of my ride, so I went for it. As Alex Prior can tell you, an hour after I interrupted his nice dinner with Heather and he arrived with his truck, this wasn't the smartest move I have made. When it blew, in the middle of nowhere on a Virginia mountain road, I felt really stupid. I could have stopped at any auto parts store on the way and gotten a cheap pump and patch kit, but didn't. Then I looked at the back tire hole, and felt better... it wasn't a puncture, it was two ragged holes. That ain't being patched. No cell coverage either. I worked it out (a cool story) and had a great time visiting with Alex. My point is I guess that nothing I could have done could have prepared me for this event... unless I had a new tire on the back. I should have called the ride that morning, and scrambled to get a new rear before leaving or on an early part of the trip, left when I could, and just let the man stick it to me on cost. On the other hand, it worked out, was a great time, and was a great story. I still owe Alex beer though... | ||
| Koz5150 |
The seat on an X1 is a far cry from the one on the Seca you jhave listed in your profile. Not saying it can't be done, however, be prepared for a case of Monkey Butt. Also this will be a different riding position for you, make sure you pace yourself when it comes to wind resistance and a more sporty position putting presure on your wrists. You may want to consider a Throttle Buddy or lock of some sort and some comfortable gloves. | ||
| Ulywife |
BRAN...awesome! Thanks Ulywife! You're welcome! As we learned with Reep's trip, cell coverage is iffy at best sometimes. He was able to e-mail me, but no calls. Luckily enough we got word to the locals and help was on the way. | ||
| Breadman |
Awesome stories guys! Koz, this one doesn't have the stock seat. It has a nice looking comfy Corbin. From what I've read this should make the ride a lot nicer. The lack of windscreen has crossed my mine a little. That Seca was my first and only bike and I gave $300 for it. Came with an extra engine and frame. Didn't run when I got it. Took the engine apart in my living room floor and after putting the good parts back together got it running. I got the feel for it a few times around the block and then started commuting the next morning at 4:45am. Dark, 35 deg F, raining, November. 45-60 commute one way. It's how I learned to ride. The Seca was quirky to say the least and the seals in the front forks were blown. Can't say that the bike inspired any confidence but I finally started getting used to her. Put about 15,000 miles on her that year then got a job a lot closer. Ah, memories. | ||
| 86129squids |
Bread- is the bike going to Bumpus or not? It should! Tom and his crew will see that it gets a good going-over... | ||
| Hybridmomentspass |
reep - awesome story, I actually met Alex yesterday,as well as his fiance. GREAT PEOPLE! Court - man, that sounds like an awesome adventure. I am definately envious of that! | ||
| Breadman |
Seller went out of town and will be back in on Sunday. I will ask him to take it to Tom. Should I give Tom a head's up? Spencer |
