| Author | Message | ||
     Ourdee |
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| 86129squids |
That was so awesome...just shifting gears into what, 3rd? 4th? | ||
| Zac4mac |
I had a '48 Chief - 3 speed. | ||
| Crusty |
Finally, A Road Trip! In two weeks, I’m going to the Springfield Mile. I’ll be watching the race with about 20 or so friends and very few of them have ever seen the Springfield Mile. They’re going to love it. Some of them have never been to a World Class Flat Track. Some have never been to a major motorcycle race of any type. Some are into Moto GP. Some have very little interest Flat Track at all. They’re coming because it’s a Gathering. Some are just curious. One is interested in the TT on Saturday night, but has never seen a Mile. My hope is that on Sunday night, everybody will be talking about just how amazing the race was. One really nice thing about Flat Track is that you can go through the pits and see the bikes and meet the riders. You can get autographed handouts, you can get right up close to the bikes and see the details. There’s no plastic hiding the engine. The Motorcycles are pretty basic looking. That look hides a lot of very sophisticated engineering and innovation. It’s a case of the closer you look, the more there is to see. Another thing that’s interesting to do is to walk up to the fence at the edge of the track when the bikes are going by during practice. They’re hitting (roughly) 140 MPH and the sensation when they blow by less than a foot away is an incredible rush. You’ll want to be wearing ear plugs, the exhaust is painfully loud, but it’s a memorable experience and worth doing. At Springfield, there’s a tunnel that goes under the track from the Grandstand to the pits. The pits will be open after Practice and Qualifying for about an hour. They’ll also be open after the day’s racing is done. One thing that you can’t do at the Memorial Day Weekend Mile is ride on the track. If you want to try a “Parade Lap”, you’ll have to come back for the Labor Day Weekend Mile. Then, for ten bucks, you can go out on the track and do a slow (about 70 MPH) cruise around the oval with a few hundred other street riders. It’s an eye opening experience and I’ve done it a few times. This trip, I’m going to be riding with a few friends. Roy and Brad are coming to Cheviot on Thursday; then, on Friday, the three of us will ride up to Indianapolis and meet up with R.D. to ride to Jerry & Carol’s for the party. On Saturday, there’ll be a sizable group riding up to Springfield. I’ve gotten away from riding in groups; I usually prefer to ride alone. On this trip, however, I’m anticipating it and I think I’ll really enjoy it. Between the BBQ, Jerry & Carol’s Pre Race Party, The TT on Saturday night and the Mile on Sunday, it’s going to be one hell of a lot of fun. And if you decide at the last minute that you might want to join us, you’re welcome. We’ll be sitting in Section NN in the first four rows. | ||
| 04buell |
We have been to The Mile 2 or 3 times now. The only other one I have been to was at Indianapolis during the MotoGp race. They are a lot of fun, but really loud!!! I am really looking forward to another great time with some of the Buell folk! (Carol) | ||
| Pwnzor |
I've been to plenty of motorcycle races, but never the flat track like this one. I'm very much looking forward to it, and sitting right by the finish line should prove to be a real treat. | ||
| Crusty |
Busy The past few days have been busy. I guess it started when I got a coupon from Micro Center for $20.00 off any purchase. So, the other day I went there and got a Chromecast gizmo so I can watch the Flat Track races on my TV. (Fans Choice TV streams them live). Google has “Improved” the Comcast so that it works with a smart phone, but I can no longer use it to link my laptop with my TV. I came to this conclusion after following directions, then calling Google’s Help line and talking with Habib in New Delhi (or Old Delhi, or maybe the deli counter at the supermarket). David came by and we got it to work with his iPhone, but it won’t work with my laptop. I started a thread on Badweb asking for help, and the end result was some advice on how to hard wire my laptop to my TV, with specific information about what to get. I’m pretty weak when it comes to Computer knowledge, so knowing some people who work with them for a living is a big help. So I boxed the Comcast unit back up and set out for Micro Center. Then, my clutch started acting funny. I realized pretty quickly what the problem was. The spring plate was shedding its rivets and the pieces were interfering with its operation. That happened a few years ago. So I went to the H-D shop and started pricing out the parts. They didn’t have a spring plate and they wanted 28 bucks and change each for the fiber plates. So I didn’t buy the parts. I bought a shifter shaft seal and a quart of Transmission oil and came home. In the meantime, David lent me his Miata so I can get around until get the clutch fixed. So, yesterday morning at 4:30 AM, I was laying on a pad on the garage floor removing the drain plug so that the transmission wouldn’t make a mess when I opened it up a few hours later. After pulling the plug, I went back to sleep for a couple of hours, then got up and took the clutch apart. It was just what I expected. I found several little pieces of rivets, and the fiber plates were pretty chewed up. Fortunately, the clutch hub, basket and pressure plate were OK. So I called the shop in Massachusetts and talked with Guido. He knows me and how I ride and he’s one of the best Sportster mechanics I know. He also has done a lot of clutches over the 47 years I’ve been dealing with him, so I asked his opinion about alternatives. I was thinking about maybe getting an “Extra Plate” kit to eliminate the spring plate. His advice was to get the original clutch parts and just change out the spring plate every 40 or 50 thousand miles. I’d be happier with that. So I took his advice. I bought Kevlar fiber plates, steel plates and a spring plate and they’re coming Express Mail and it cost me less than what the fiber plates alone would have cost from H-D of Cincinnati. So after taking the clutch apart and talking with the folks at the shop, I went by David’s shop and had lunch. David fixes lunch for the employees at the shop every Friday. Each week, it’s something different. This week, he made a pot of chili. So I had a plate of Cincinnati style chili ( the chili was served over spaghetti and topped with sharp cheddar cheese). The chili was more Texas style than Cincinatti style, but it tasted very good and filled me up enough that I skipped dinner. Then I drove up to Micro Center and got the cable and adapter. Driving the car in rush hour traffic was a royal PITA, even though I had the top down. It took me almost three times as long to get there during Rush Hour than at other times. Driving home took even longer. I had put the top up when I went into the store, and that was good because it started raining while I was inside. But when I left the parking lot, I turned left instead of right and wound up getting lost I eventually got a general idea of where I was and found my way back to familiar territory, but the rush hour was still on and it took forever to get home. Once home, I plugged in the adapter and cable and I followed Froggy’s instructions and it worked! I could see my laptop screen on my TV. So; the clutch parts are on their way (they left the USPS facility in Nashua, NH at 3:23 AM this morning and are scheduled to be delivered on Monday by 8:00 PM. If that happens, my bike will be fixed and ready to go to Springfield. Now, all I have to do is clean the kitchen, bathroom and living room (I’ll have company on Thursday). And I can watch the races that I can’t go to in person. Life is Good. | ||
| Crusty |
About That Clutch… I have gotten a lot of grief because I’m putting another “Grenade Plate” back in my clutch. I’ve had a few people tell me that they left theirs out and they have no problem with their clutches. They question why Guido recommended I put one in. So, here’s my thinking. Harley is picky about which engineers they hire. I know this. I have a friend who worked in the PDC and he’s far from being a dummy. I’ve also talked with a number of engineers who work for the MoFoCo. None have struck me as being dummies. If the spring plate was a bad idea, I have no doubt that they wouldn’t hesitate to change the design. Add in the Bean Counters. They are the ones responsible for the lack of a Trap Door for the transmission. They discovered that they could save $5.00 per engine by leaving it out. (a decision that still frosts my ass). The spring plate must cost considerably more than an extra couple of fiber or steel plates. If it wasn’t necessary, don’t you think they’d dump it in a New York minute? A few of decades ago, Accel started selling starter Bendix units that were stronger than the stock parts. They lasted longer and had to be replaced less often. People swarmed to buy them. However, the stock Bendix was not underdesigned. It was intentionally designed to be the weakest link in the chain. So that it would be the first and cheapest item to die. When people started building big inch motors with higher compression, the starters or ring gears would fail. Not only were they a lot more expensive, they cost more in terms of labor to replace. The spring plate is there to absorb shocks that could transmit to gears, shafts and bearings in the transmission. I would much rather have to pull the clutch down and replace the plates than have to split the cases to fix the tranny. I’m lazy that way. I’m also a cheap pr*ck. Clutches are expensive, but transmission parts are very expensive. I prefer the lesser of two evils. That’s my logic. I could easily be wrong, but I’ve been happy with the way my clutch has worked so far and I see no need to gamble on something that could really hit me in the wallet and leave me stranded on the side of the road. | ||
| Adrenaline_junkie |
I always felt that the foot pegs on the XB series Buells were the weak link for a reason. Cheap, quick and easy to replace and saved the mounting ears that were part of the frame. I carried a spare set and a pair of needle nose pliers under the seat in case I needed to change one. | ||
| Ourdee |
I drug a peg on Lil Red yesterday. So, I get home and am laying on the floor trying to inspect the peg. They put that stainless spike in it and I hardly see a mark. It caught me by surprise in that I am a lazy rider and usually sit up right in corners. But for this ess turn I was feeling rambunctious and decided to kiss the mirrors. The turn is more like a right hand 30 mph sweeper into a left 15 mph hair pin. I just forgot how far you can push the XBs. | ||
| 86129squids |
"I just forgot how far you can push the XBs." I haven't.  | ||
| Crusty |
50 Years! I just realized that I started riding motorcycles 50 years ago, this month! I am truly amazed! I remember when Janie first let me ride her Honda 90 how much I fell in love with it. And a few days later, she left it with me while she went away for a long weekend, and I literally rode that bike all night long. I put over 500 miles on it in less than 4 days. It was the start to a lifelong addiction. I remember when I got my Moto Guzzi Sport in 1973. I finally had a reliable bike and so I rode it from Colorado Springs to Ron’s place in Lafayette, Louisiana straight through. The Odometer said 1203 miles and I did it in 22 hours. I stayed there one day, then turned around and did the same ride home. That ride almost killed me, but I made it. I remember the first time I raced the bike on a track. I had so much adrenaline in my system that I couldn’t think. I was third into the first turn after a high speed straight, and even though I was standing on the rear brake, the bike wouldn’t slow down. I had totally forgotten to use the front brake. I ran off the track, but a few laps later, the race leader lapped me and I got on his ass and followed him around. He couldn’t get away from me. I realized that I was fast enough to run with the leaders. I finished dead last, but I was hooked. I remember getting on the bike one summer night and taking a ride to Gloucester, Massachusetts spontaneously. Riding along Bass Rocks Road was almost an other worldly experience. I remember bringing my Guzzi into the house and completely dismantling it to replace the clutch. I didn’t have a proper clutch plate alignment tool, so I stood the engine on its nose, lightly snugged the pressure plate bolts and used the transmission as an alignment tool. It worked. I remember being in South Dakota and after looking all over for Mt. Rushmore and not finding it, I stopped in a roadside turnoff and was expressing my frustration to my wife. A lady in the car parked beside us said, “Look up!” I did and I was staring into George Washington’s nostril. I remember traveling all over this country; sometimes with friends and sometimes alone. There are so many memorable experiences, I can’t recall them all. I have had some truly tough rides, as well. The ride down the Burringbar Range in Australia at 2:00 AM during a Cyclone sits at the top of my list for most terrifying ride. It was a super slick mountain pass with no pavement markings and sheer cliff walls on one side and a steel Armco barrier on the other. It took all my skill to go 20 MPH, and I was really pushing my limits. They built a nice highway and bypass it now, but in 1994, it was pure Hell that night. There have been other really tough rides, like the night I was almost caught in a tornado, or the day I rode home from work in a Hurricane, but the Burringbar Range stays in my memory as the worst. So far. And I’ve made some wonderful friends. People who would go to great lengths for me. I’ve had friends who gave me bikes when I didn’t have one. Friends who sent me parts anonymously, friends who repaired and painted parts at no charge, friends who relayed me and my dead bike from Cincinnati to Massachusetts. Friends who were and are the kind of people I aspire to be like. Although I’ve tried to “Pay it forward”, I doubt I’ll ever get close to evening the score. There are so many more stories and experiences and other wonderful things that have happened because of Motorcycling, but I won’t relate them at this time. I just feel extremely fortunate that I got to live at this time and experience these joys. And I wonder at what future Joys Motorcycles will bring me. | ||
| Kmbuell |
👍 Great read, I have many experiences, that while not coming close to your exploits, have me in the same kind of company.. | ||
| Pwnzor |
You've been riding for longer than I've been alive... So, this is what envy feels like. | ||
| Adrenaline_junkie |
I too have been riding for 50 years...if you count my Big Wheel. I can only lay claim to 41 years of motorized riding. | ||
| Tootal |
If you count the 2.5 HP Tecumseh powered mini bike I started on when I was ten, then I've been riding for 51 years! Thanks for bringing back those memories Crusty! That thing was a blast! | ||
| 86129squids |
Great post, RoadCrust. I was hooked by my Moto Morini moped, then my first "real" MC, my beloved Suzuki TS125. Started as a dual sport, then I re-worked it into a café bike. DANG if I don't wish I had pics of those days!!  | ||
| Ourdee |
I have only 45. | ||
| Pwnzor |
33 for me | ||
| Buellish |
Damn,I just did the math,I've been riding since 1967 if you count the Honda step through.52 years or 51 if you insist on using the 150 Honda Dream as my starting point.I was still riding bikes under 350cc's when John bought his Moto Guzzi Sport. | ||
| M2x2 |
53 years and counting. started with a hot rod 180S Vespa, ending with 3 Buells and a sportster with sidecar. | ||
| 46champ |
50 years last month. First bike was a Bridgestone 90. | ||
| Crusty |
A Saturday Morning in Illinois I’m sitting at the kitchen table at Jerry and Carol’s having my first cup of the day. I’m a bit stiff and I’m not moving as well as I will be in a little while, but I feel great. I’m surrounded by good friends and the weather has been wonderful, so far. Paul and Roy arrived at my house on Thursday afternoon. We had dinner (spaghetti & Meatballs) and spent the evening in a very enjoyable bull session. I really got a charge at seeing three Roadsters in the garage; my ‘05, Paul’s ’04 and Roy’s ’17. We set out at a reasonable hour yesterday morning, met up with Ourdee in Indianapolis and rolled into Jerry and Carol’s around 1:30 or so. Paul had split off since he was meeting up with Stairman in Springfield and so we’ll link up with them today when we head that way. Anyhow, R.D., Roy and I were the first to arrive, but more folks rolled in as the day progressed. By the time we left for dinner, there were ten of us. Matthew and Gretchen, up from Atlanta, Zack from Denver Mike from Kansas and Greg, who’s almost a Local since he lives in St. Louis. Jerry led us on a ride over country roads to Smoked To The Bone. This is beautiful country; it’s all farmland and the population is not too dense. People here are friendly; they’ll wave to us as we pass by and I don’t worry if I leave stuff, like my jacket and helmet on the bike. Nobody’s going to mess with it. Dinner was good. I had ribs and both Baked Beans and Cowboy Beans for sides. Both of the beans were very good and the ribs were wonderful. I, as usual, ate too much and didn’t regret it. That is, until we stopped at another place for ice cream. The small cup I got was as big as most large portions in other areas. After the Ice Cream we rode over different roads to get back to the house. The sun had set while we were eating ice cream so we didn’t get to view the scenery, but the darkness led to one anxious moment. I was riding behind Jerry, who was leading when a deer ran across the road in front of him. He braked and the deer crossed well ahead of him, but I just had a feeling and continued to slow. Sure enough, another deer appeared out of the darkness and was flying across the road between Jerry and me. It was running as fast as I’ve ever seen a deer run. That got my heart pumping. We all made it by without any further incident, got back to the house and I lapsed into a food coma. It's Saturday evening. The weather forecast was wrong. The weather was rain free. The TT races were very good. I hope that tomorrow’s forecast is as accurate as today’s was. I just want to say that Carol is a wonderful cook. She made a casserole for breakfast that was a culinary delight. Then, she put the lasagna in the oven for lunch. I ate so much that I had no appetite for dinner tonight. She and Jerry are magnificent hosts. I’ll try to write more tomorrow. | ||
| Cupcake_mike |
Ditto, that is all | ||
| Adrenaline_junkie |
Shhhhh. Don't tell anybody......  BUT I'M ON A CRUSTY ADVENTURE!   | ||
| Adrenaline_junkie |
It's so cool!  | ||
| 86129squids |
Dangit. Roy, if you remember, take a picture of the seats Vern and I would've had. Spending the day pouring a new concrete pad for our seating area. | ||
| 04buell |
Well then.......I guess the fat lady has sang!!! Hopefully see y’all August 31. Crusty, thanks for helping us make memories. (carol) | ||
| 86129squids |
Got half the job done, plus mowing, and the last of the garden planting, plus marigolds. Gonna eat a homemade beef burrito. Cedar grilled salmon on tomorrow's agenda. One way or another, by God, I gotta hit the lake before work resumes. | ||
| Crusty |
A Short, Sharp Snippet I have no desire to write anything about anything. There are lots of things to write about, but I just can’t bring myself to write about them. I’ve tried a couple of times, but the result was nearly unintelligible gibberish, so I just deleted them. I had a great time last weekend, even though the Mile got rained out and postponed until Labor Day weekend. But when I try to write about it, it sounds inane. My bike wouldn’t start on Tuesday morning, but once again, it sounded like I was whining when I tried to write about it. (I did get it fixed; I just can’t seem to write about it in detail). I’m hoping that writing this helps me break through the mental constipation that’s holding me back. Maybe tomorrow, I’ll be able to get back into it. |
