| Author | Message | ||
     Zac4mac |
John If you feel like spending a week or so with a Dremel you can get 75 percent of the power I get from a Stg1. Match the junction of the intake manifold and the head using a high speed steel (HSS) burr. Then blend the seat-port junction with stones in the Dremel. Get a small can of Clover lapping compound, I use 280 and 400 grit and lap the valves in the seats. If you want to polish the exhaust port, I suggest Dremel 1 inch flapper wheels in 80 and 120 grit. Then a cotton wheel and polish compound. I think there’s a kit that is a good deal with most of the stuff you need. Looking over this, I think I can send you a bunch of the burrs and sand/polish pieces. If you have a Dremel already, the flex-drive accessory is a big help. Is it okay to get your number from Greg? Z | ||
| Crusty |
Zac; Yes; it's OK to get my number from Greg. Thank you for the very generous offer, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline it. First, because I don't know what I'm doing and I really don't want to screw things up. Also; if I do figure out what I'm doing, then I'll want to go with roller rockers and hotter cams and then I'll have to get some sort of tuner to sort out the fuel injection... I can see dollar bills with wings flying off into the distance. A large flock of them. The way it looks right now, I'm spending about double what I originally thought it was going to cost me and I'm so broke I'm having trouble paying attention. The only reason I'm doing anything to the heads is because I got a complete engine gasket kit and it includes new valve guide seals. I plan to just replace the seals without even lapping the valves. I have to cut my spending down to the bone. My savings account is bottomed out and it won't be getting much put in for a while. My objective is to make the Express as reliable as an anvil. My old racing partner used to say, "You can't break an anvil!" I think the new crank and bearings should do that. | ||
| Crusty |
On Writing Snippets When I was living on the road, I would come up with some great ideas for Snippets while I was riding. I’d be cruising through the countryside and fully develop what I was going to write and what points I’d make. When I stopped and pulled out my laptop, however, I couldn’t remember any of what I’d thought about; not even the topic. That was frustrating. This morning, I have the opposite problem. I have a few lengthy Snippets that I could write about. I’m just not sure which one to pick. A non-motorcycle music topic? An Addiction to modifying the engine? Sportster riders who may be stopping by here today? Maybe I can condense my thoughts and combine a couple; or maybe all three? Or maybe I’ll just start with one and see where it takes me… ********** Back around 2004 or 5, Terri (my ex) and I acquired an album by Randall Leonard (a New Age pianist) at a church fair for $.50. We listened to it and decided that he was a George Winston wannabe who wasn’t nearly as talented. But there was something about his music that was compelling. We listened to it occasionally over several months and found ourselves liking it more and more until it became one of our favorite albums. I still listen to it more frequently than almost any other album. I don’t talk about the album much, because it isn’t that impressive if you’ve never heard it before. But there is a pretty loyal following to Randall Leonard’s works. I don’t care for all his albums; he produced five in all, but his earliest two, Angels in the Rain and Flutterbys really resonate in my soul. I have a pretty eclectic taste in music. While I mostly like Classic Rock, I also like a bit of Country & Western and I like an assortment of Classical Music, as well. Like my Religion, I don’t push my beliefs on anybody else, but I know what I like. I don’t expect anybody else to like what I do, but I won’t switch my tastes to suit some yahoo’s ideas of what composes good music, just as I won’t switch my ideas on Religion to suit anybody else. *************** Sportster Paul and Skein are setting off on a four week trip. They’re in a truck with a trailer hauling their bikes. They’re planning to ride to warmer climes, then park the truck and ride the bikes for a couple of days. Then move to a different location and do the same thing over again. It’s one way to escape the cold and snow of the frozen north and ride in some beautiful places. It sounds like a fun way to travel, and I think they’re planning on coming by here today. If so, I hope they let me know for certain. I just got a text from Paul; Don’t know yet, working on trailer. Well; we’ll see how things develop. *************** I wrote about getting caught up in “Improving” the engine in the Express. I’m going to stop with the Improvements at their current point and keep the top end stock. My goal is more reliability, not better performance. The stock top end should be good for over 100,000 miles. That will definitely get me to Tuktoyaktuk and Alaska and back with a lot more miles, as well. I can be happy with that. After the trip, maybe I’ll look into electronic aids to make the fuel injection better. I wish I had Froggy’s skills with a computer; then I’d understand more about what to do and which “Tuner” to get and use. Fuel Injection should optimize how an engine runs and it should deliver better fuel mileage than a carbureted engine. That’s not the case, at present; but I think it can be achieved. Maybe after the trip to the Arctic, I’ll get the right gozintas and make things work the way they should. For now, stock looks like the best idea. That’s enough for now. I think I’ll go fix a BLT for Brunch. | ||
| Crusty |
Another One Of Those Days Today has been one of those days. Not the one that everything goes to hell in a hand basket; One where good things keep happening. It started with the weather; at 9:00 AM it was almost 50º F (10º C) and it got up to 75º F (24º C) this afternoon. Then I got an e-mail from Micro Center. They were having a one day sale on a shredder for $9.99 I don’t have a shredder and I really find cutting up various documents by hand tedious, so for ten bucks, I jumped at the chance. As I was getting ready to head out, the phone rang and it was Andrew from Dark Horse. They split the cases and everything in the transmission looks good. It’s going to cost less than I was expecting. He told me that my rods looked good and they could reuse them. I asked how much more it would cost to put in Carrillo rods. He told me they would be overkill and I explained that I saw a crank with them in their shop and they were so beautiful that I want them in my engine. He said he didn’t blame me and he felt the same way. Even with the Carrillo rods, it’s going to cost me less than I expected. I went and picked up the shredder and had a very enjoyable ride. I stopped on the way home and picked up some blades for my sawzall and they had a "two blades for the price of one" package. That was nice, as well. When I got home there was a box from UPS on the front porch that contained 4 pounds of Benton’s bacon - A gift from a friend. I know what I’m having for breakfast tomorrow! The day wasn’t perfect, however. My garage door opener started acting up again. Well; there’s rain in the forecast for tomorrow afternoon and Saturday, so I’ll see if I can figure out what’s going on then. In the meantime, I think I’ll just use the sawzall and cut some weeds that are trying to become trees and make the yard look a little bit nicer. I’m going to have Carrillo rods in my engine! Along with a crank built by Dark Horse. I’ll think about that while I’m eating a Benton’s BLT tomorrow morning! Sometimes, I really feel that I'm leading a charmed life. | ||
| Crusty |
A Taste of Heaven First get a good roll. Here in Cheviot, I use Kroger's Brioche Rolls. In the Northeast, I strongly recommend Martin's Potato Bread Rolls. Lightly toast it.  Coat both halved with mayonnaise. Cains is best, but Hellmann's is also good.  I use three slices of bacon. I cut them in half so that they fit about right in the bun. Cover the bottom half of the roll with bacon  Then cover that with tomato  Then, more bacon  Next is the Lettuce and the final layer of bacon  Without a doubt; it's a pure delight to your taste buds!  I used Benton's bacon for this sandwich; but I also like Wright's bacon. To be honest; I just like bacon; even the cheap stuff. But the good stuff makes it even more delightful! | ||
| Crusty |
This is what's going to be in my engine:  They're lighter, stronger and much more beautiful than the stock rods. They're overkill; considering how I'll be using the engine, but I don't care. I want the strongest, most reliable engine I can get. I just thought I'd share a picture with you all. | ||
| Ourdee |
I like those. | ||
| 86129squids |
I like Alan Benton! 95+ years old, a lil' old feller, still works every day at his store in Madisonville. Would that I and everyone could be like Mr. Benton. He and I are acquaintances, as I like to stop at his shop anytime I roll by. His bacon went international after Chef John Fleer of Blackberry Farm started using it. Chef Fleer once lived in my neighborhood... he now has one or several restaurants in Asheville NC. So, I know full well that the above sammich was nothing but divine. I'll have to look up that mayo though... I'm partial to Duke's nowadays.  | ||
| Crusty |
Tires I got tired of waiting for my Tax Refund. I figure it MAY show up eventually; but the tread on the Dunflops on the Cussed’em is getting low enough to cause a bit of concern. So I just bit the bullet and used the Plastic to pay for a set of Shinko 777s. I decided to get the Shinkos after getting positive reviews from friends. Joe said they stick well enough, but they have a short life. He only got 5,000 miles out of the rear. Ernie said that he noticed the improvement in handling over the stock Dunflops on his 883 almost immediately on his way home from the shop that did the installation. That info, plus the fact that I couldn’t find the Pirellis In stock and the fact that a set of Shinkos cost over a hundred bucks less convinced me to try them. The tires arrived on Thursday, so I pulled the wheels out that I’m going to use on the Cussed’em and tried to remove the tire on the rear wheel. I couldn’t get the bead to break. That, along with a particularly bad Migraine, made me put off working on them until yesterday. I ordered a can of Bead Bustr from the auto parts store, and yesterday, picked it up. I never even cracked the cap on it. The safety warnings on the back of the can were dire enough to make me set it aside. I really don't want damage to my central nervous system, or any of the other possibilities that the label on the can warned me about. I decided to see if I could get the front tire changed first. It took a serious and prolonged effort, but I finally got the bead broken and got the old tire off. I slathered the rim and both tire beads on the Shinko liberally with tire mounting gel and the tire went on smoothly. The bead seated when there was less than 10 PSI in the tire and it took about one ounce of tire weights to get it balanced. Inspired by my success with the front wheel, I started on the rear. I found that pushing the bead down from the rim opened a gap of 1/16th or so of an inch, so I sprayed some carburetor cleaner in there and it made the rubber slick enough that I was able to break the bead. The sidewalls on the Dunflop were extremely stiff and getting the tire off the wheel took serious effort, but I was successful. Once again, I was liberal with the mounting gel and the Shinko went on without any additional drama. It also seated at a fairly low pressure and it didn’t take a very long time to get it balanced. It took over three hours to get the tires changed and it kicked my ass. but now the wheels are ready. I have to pull the wheels off the Cussed’em and transfer the brake rotors and the belt pulley, but I don’t think I’ll be doing that today. I’m going to head over to the stealership and get new bolts for all three items. Maybe I’ll put the wheels on tomorrow; my sore hands, shoulders back and thighs won’t be hurting so much by then. My age is catching up to me. Things that never bothered me now kick my ass. I can still do the job, however; it just takes me longer to get it done. I’m pretty eager to get the wheels changed out. I wonder how much the handling is going to improve with a 19 inch front wheel and stickier tires? I’m going to find out. | ||
| Crusty |
On Holy Saturday A while back, Someone posted a picture of a road that was lined by Saguaro Cactus in the thread Roads I’d Like to Ride on the XL Forum. This morning, there’s a photo of a desert scene with a butte in the background and Saguaro in the foreground. I’ve never see Saguaro in real life, and I’d like to. I guess I’ll put riding to the Sonoran Desert on my bucket list. It will be much easier than my trip to the Arctic Ocean, which is looking a bit more possible for next year. Riding to Tuktoyaktuk is going to be really expensive. However; I think that things are falling into place for me to be able to do it. I’m about to do something that will enable me to make that ride with a sizable amount of savings to cover much of the expense. Back in 2014, when I decided to hit the road, I had several major obstacles that needed to be overcome. I had to sell my Moto Guzzi, buy a Sportster, find a way to have my blood tested every few weeks and I needed to find affordable storage for my belongings. One by one, solutions appeared. I just had to keep my focus on the goal. That resulted in an Adventure of incredible proportions; one that encompassed 48 States, a Couple of Canadian Provinces and a couple of Australian States, as well. Now, it’s looking like another Great Adventure is going to become possible and hopefully, after this coming week, probable. I’m feeling pretty optimistic. There’s still a lot of prep work that needs to be done, but it feels pretty achievable. This is Easter Weekend. It’s a time of growth and Hope. The gloom of winter is behind us and life is sprouting everywhere. All the Dogwood trees in my area are blooming, all the dead, brown bushes are showing green leaves and there are colorful tulips on display in many yards. I’ve mowed my lawn once already and the back yard needs to be cut again. The Hope that is evident in the season and in my religious beliefs has risen to my attitudes and I truly believe that if I just can keep my focus, I’ll be making final preparations for the Ride of a Lifetime in a year from now, . It really is something to focus on. I hope you all have a truly magnificent Easter; even those of you who are Atheists. It’s a time of Hope and Life! Saguaro  | ||
| 86129squids |
Thanks for that, John. You are, to me, a great friend, with a great mind, and a true soul. Keep on keepin' on, and, have a most blessed Easter. | ||
| Crusty |
Before The First Trip Of The Year My head hurts this morning. It’s a mild migraine, which means I can function; but I won’t be in a happy mood. One thing I’ve noticed about my migraines is that when I get them frequently; after the initial headache, the rest tend to be mild. Of course, mild is a subjective description. A mild migraine is on a par with a splitting “Regular” headache. The migraine I had on Sunday was not mild at all. It was the first in a while and it had me sitting in the recliner with all the blinds closed and the curtains drawn. Today’s going to be a low profile day, but nowhere near as low profile as Sunday afternoon was. In two weeks, I’ll be heading to Suches, Georgia for May Madness(?) May Badness(?) Whatever it’s called. I’ll be tent camping at my favorite campground anywhere; Two Wheels of Suches. I’ll be eating great Ribs for dinner from Jim’s Smoking’ Que and riding some magnificent roads. I plan to spend a lot of time just sitting on the porch of TWoS in an Adirondack rocking chair and shooting the bull with people and watching all the motorcycles. In the evening, I’ll sit around a blazing campfire and participate in more bull slinging with the other folks who are there. (Note to self: I need to get a good camping chair; my last one broke while I was in Georgia) And the people I’ll be with… I couldn’t ask to be accepted by a better group of people. All of them are amazing folks - True Badwebbers. And like the bikes we all love, Different in Every Sense. I can’t say enough about the quality of such people; they’re truly rare and a joy to be with. I think that I’ll show up a day early so that I can pitch my tent in a prime location. Jim’s is only open three days a week; Thursday, Friday and Saturday, so maybe I’ll stop at Benton’s on the way down and pick up some of their hot dogs. I’ve heard that they’re really good, but I’ve never had them. Hot dogs cooked over an open fire on a stick… Sounds good to me! The roads are pretty neat in the area, as well. I’ll probably come down on Tennessee Rt. 68 through Turtletown and Ducktown (I love those names). The route changes to Rt. 60 at the Georgia border, but it stays a wonderful twisty road. Then there’s Wolf Pen Gap and US Rt. 19 over Blood Mountain and the Richard B. Russell highway; they’re all phenominal. One thing I want to do this year is ride back up to Tellico Plains, TN and take the Cherohala Skyway to Robbinsville, NC where I pick up US Rt 129 to Deal’s Gap and over the Tail of the Dragon. Then I turn around at the northern end of the Tail and head south on 129 until I get to Blairsville and Jim’s for dinner. It’s only about 250 miles, but it will be tiring and will take all day. And it will leave me with a huge smile plastered on my face. I’m not going to be doing a lot of traveling this year, but the trips I’m planning will all be good ones. Going to Georgia and TWoS for the Buell gig (whatever it’s called) is going to be a magnificent way to start. | ||
| Crusty |
“The Game Is Afoot!” I’m going to the Arctic Ocean next year. Money was the big obstacle to me being able to go and that has been resolved. I took out a small Equity Loan on the house and I will use that money to pay off the loans on the bikes and credit card debt and also to pay for the crankshaft rebuild. That will leave me with a little bit of a nest egg in my savings and I’ll be adding to that every month for the next year. The time is right; I can feel it. I’m pretty sure that the border with Canada will be open again by then.There’s a good bit of prep work that I need to do and that will keep me busy for the next year. I need to get the Express back up and running and I need to spend a bit of time on the ADV forum gathering information. I will want to get a hat with mosquito netting to keep the blood suckers off my head and neck. I have a good tent, a warm sleeping bag a camping cot and a sleeping pad. I’m sure that there are several things that I’ll need that I don’t know about; but I’m capable of learning. When I first thought about hitting the road in 2014, there were several things that I needed to accomplish; but as I just kept my focus, I learned and was able to make changes and eventually, everything got sorted. At first, it seemed like a pipe dream, but Everything fell into place. When I started looking at houses in Cincinnati, I had no idea what I was in for, but I kept looking. I was about to stop searching when the house in Cheviot appeared on the market and everything fell into place for me to get it. I’ve been wanting to get to the Arctic for decades, but it was never the right time to go. Now; it’s looking like it’s finally going to happen. I know what my goal is and I know what I need to do to reach it. I just have to put one foot in front of the other and keep my focus. I can do this! | ||
| Crusty |
Expensive Camping Gear I’m stiff and sore. My back really doesn’t like the sleeping pad I got last year. To be honest, I just don’t like the pad. I don’t like a few things about it. I keep it inflated with the valve open when I’m storing it and I had a hell of a time getting enough air out so that it fit when I was rolling the pad up to slip it in its stuff sack. I also don’t like the material the outside of the pad is made from. After listening to other, more experienced campers, combined with my own internet research, I’ve decided that I’m going to get an Exped Megamat 10. It has both the approval of serious campers and it has a couple of features that appeal to me. The negative is the price. When I’m camping above the Arctic Circle, I’ll like the positive features and I’ll have forgotten the high price. There were a couple of BMW riders camped near us and one had a Kermit chair. I’ve sneered at Kermit chairs as being the kind of overpriced farkle that would appeal to that crowd (as opposed to the kind of expensive farkle that would appeal to the Harley crowd), until I watched Mark take it apart and roll it up into its stuff sack. He’s had it since 1990 and that fact really impressed me. But it’s expensive. With the leg extensions I’d want, it would cost me $319.00 and that’s before tax. I really need to consider just how much I’ll use it to justify spending that kind of dough. In spite of having a stiff back, I’m enjoying myself. I probably won’t be doing a whole lot of riding, while I’m here. That’s OK; I enjoy sitting on the front porch and watching all the different bikes roll through here. There are more Harley baggers than usual coming through, this weekend. There’s a Clean and Sober club having a Poker Run and the starting point is here. Their patches are from all over the southern States and they seem like pretty nice people. There are also a lot of BMWs here; I don’t know if they’re having some sort of event, but there are quite a few. There aren’t many Badwebbers, this time; this is one of the lowest attended rallies here that I’ve seen. And there is a group of about three Moto Guzzis doing a ride. The weather forecast is for possible scattered rain showers. It was the same yesterday, but it never rained here. It rained 20 miles away and we had blue skies here. I think I’m going to stay until Monday morning. The traffic will be lighter going home, but the main reason is that Sunday night, there’s going to be a Lunar Eclipse and I’d like to see it unspoiled by city lights. I’m sitting in the lodge and they have Moto GP qualifying on the TV. Everything about this place screams Motorcycles and it really makes me feel immersed. Yesterday, Mike introduced me to someone who had ridden to Inuvik and I got to learn what it was like. I will keep his advice at the front of my mind when I set out next year. He told me that if it’s dry, the Dempster Highway isn’t bad to ride, but if it’s wet, it’s extremely slick. He also said that the best time to go is between June and early July. Since that’s when I’ve been planning, it reassures me and strengthens my plans. Also, I got an e-mail from Amazon that I should get my copy of The Milepost in the next week or two. It all looks like things really are falling into place for my trip. Maybe I’ll keep an eye on fleaBay for a Kermit chair. I don’t have to get a new one. A used chair would probably work just as good for me. I think I’d prefer a new sleeping pad, though. Anyhow, some European is sitting on the Pole for tomorrow’s race. It’ll be fun to watch it in a group of enthusiasts here, even if I don’t follow it like I used to and don’t know most of the players. Now, I think I’ll head out to the porch and park in a rocker and talk about motorcycles with other enthusiasts. | ||
| Crusty |
At 4:40 AM I woke up at 3:00 and I was wide awake, so I’ve just spent the past hour and a half playing on Google Maps plotting my route to Tuktoyaktuk. I’m barely computer literate and I don’t know how to do a screen grab of the map with my route on it; but I can describe it. Starting from my house in Cheviot, Ohio, I’m going to head for Cedaredge, Colorado to visit a friend. From there, I’m heading for Missoula, Montana and Rt. 93 north. That will bring me into Canada. I’ll ride that through Banff and Jasper National Parks, then I’ll pick up Rt. 40. I take that to Dawson Creek, BC, then get on Rt. 97 and take that to Watson Lake in Yukon and then take Rt. 4 to rt. 2 to the Dempster Highway (Rt.5) to Inuvik then up to Tuktoyaktuk and the Beaufort Sea (Arctic Ocean). From there, I head back down the Dempster and ride into Dawson City, then I’ll take the top of the World Highway over into Chicken Alaska. I won’t be in Alaska for a long while; I’ll take Rt.5 to Rt. 2 to Alcan Border then get on Rt.1. I’ll be on Rt. 1 for a while, but then I’ll get on Rt. 37 just before Upper Liard and take that south until I hit Rt. 16. That will bring me to Prince George and Rt. 97 which will bring me back into the US in Washington. Once back into the US, I’ll make my way down to Cornville, Arizona, where I’ll visit with another friend, then head for home. I’ll be doing a little backtracking, but not very much. it’s basically one big loop. Google says it’s 10,700 miles, but it will be more; just as they say it’ll take 184 hours. That only applies if you travel at the speed limit and never get a red light. I figure it’ll take me about a month. It’s going to be one hell of a ride - the Ride of a Lifetime. Now, I think I’ll try to get a little more sleep. | ||
| Crusty |
Winds of Change I learned to ride motorcycles in the late 60s. I had friends like John Annal and Joe Hardy who had bought basket case Indian Chiefs and were riding them around. John had a ’48 and Joe had a ’47. At that time, you could get a basket case for $50.00 or an assembled running Chief for $200.00. Being broke teenagers, we settled for cheap. I went with John down to Lucky Thiebault’s (pronounced T-Bolt) place, one day. John was buying an old mouse trap so that he could convert his bike to a foot shift/hand clutch setup. Lucky was an interesting character. Two things stand out in my memory. First, he hated dogs that chased motorcycles. He had a scabbard on the front forks of his bike that held a baseball bat. He also had copies of the Massachusetts law saying it was legal to kill any animal who attacked you on a bike. Second, he felt that motorcycle evolution stopped with Flat head engines. He didn’t like overhead valves. I’ve noticed that Harley riders, in general have leanings in that direction. They don’t like changes. When the MoFoCo introduced the new Sportster Frame on the XLCR, then extended that to all the Sportsters in 1979, Harley riders didn’t like the change. I heard comments like, “It makes the bike look Japanese.” In 1983, the XR 1000 debuted, and I heard more negative comments. I remember one biker I was talking to at a Stealership telling me that his Sportster was making 90 Horsepower (it was built); why should he consider getting an XR? Then came the Evolution Engines. First, the Big Twins, then the 883 followed a couple of months later by the 1100. More negative comments, but fewer in number, as Harleys were becoming popular and the new bikes didn’t break like the older bikes did. Then Erik Buell came along and showed how to get almost double the Horsepower and torque reliably out of a Sportster engine while making it handle and stop an order of magnitude better. The traditionalist H-D folks hated Buells. The idea that a Harley could actually go, handle and stop was sacrilege. besides, they looked funny. A bike made with an S&S engine, a Drag Specialties frame and having not one component made by HDI was perfectly acceptable as a Harley, but a Buell Thunderbolt, made by a company owned by the MoFoCo using parts manufactured by the MoFoCo was to be sneered at. Buells were generally looked down on by many of the H-D faithful and the majority of Stealerships. Now, Harley has come out with new models. Everybody mocked the Pan America until all the BMW riders started getting rid of their Bavarian Blimps and buying every Pan Am the MoFoCo built. Nobody likes the Sportster S (Including me) and people are quick to dump on the new Nightster. “It ain’t a real Harley!”, “It looks like a Jap bike!” On Badweb, there are many Harley haters. They can’t forget that Jackass Wandell killed Buell. (I find it interesting that they see nothing wrong with the way Polaris killed Victory; which to me was a very similar action) The haters will find nothing good about the new Harleys. Personally, I’m hoping that the MoFoCo does bring the Bronx out. It looks like a bike that I might want. On the XL Forum, as well, there are many who are quick to denigrate the new bikes. They aren’t pushrod engines and they’re water cooled. Harleys ain’t supposed to be water cooled! “The new Nightster looks like a bad Japanese copy of a Harley!” It feels like I’m back in 1969 in Brockton, Massachusetts at Lucky Thiebault’s shop listening to him expound on why Flatheads were the pinnacle of motorcycle engineering. So far, none of the new bikes meets my needs, though the Pan America comes closer than the other two. The Bronx, however looks like something that might just fit my needs. I plan to take a demo ride on all of them before I pass final judgement. Maybe the Spurtster S will capture my heart. I’d give long odds against that, but until I ride one, I just don’t know. Maybe the Pan American will speak to me. I’m impressed enough with what I’ve read and seen in person, that it has a real possibility. And I even like the new Nightster, in spite of some flaws in its design (for my wants). I won’t badmouth them until I ride them. It was a Demo ride that made me fall in love with Buells. And it was a Demo Ride that hooked me on a new Roadster. And it was a Demo ride that made me realize that a Triumph was the wrong bike for me, back in 1996. I do get tired of all the blind hate, though. | ||
| Crusty |
Summer Plans For a low profile summer, I think it’s going to be a fairly busy season for me. In the near future (like this weekend) I’m going to meet Joe (Gravydog) somewhere for lunch. He’s been traveling with his family out west to places like Utah, Colorado and Yellowstone Park. He’s planning to be home this Thursday and wants to meet for lunch on Sunday. We’ll figure out where on Friday. The Docking Kit for my new windshield is “In Transit” but it’s scheduled to be delivered on Thursday. I’ll change out the fork oil when I’m installing the kit, since I’ll have to pull the fork legs to put the docking hardware on. I’m still amazed that I got the windshield for only $30.00. Next on the agenda is to go up to Dark Horse and pick up my engine. It should be ready by the end of this month. That gives me plenty of time to get the gentleman’s Express back together and to break in the new engine before my month of travel in August. August is when I plan to put in some miles. The Tramp side of my nature is going to be catered to. I’m going to ride up to Taxachusetts and visit. I want to try to get in a ride around the Quabbin Reservoir with Ernie and Kathryn. I spent a bit of time on Google maps and I’ve got a good secondary roads route planned. I went on the XL Forum and asked folks about recommended BBQ joints and Mike from Long Island responded with a few suggestions. Google says it’s a 4 hour ride, which means (with stops) it’ll be an all day ride through some very beautiful country. The fact that all three of us will be on Sportsters just makes it a little sweeter. I’m also planning to go by the Shop and see everybody there. The shop always feels like home to me and I really enjoy seeing everybody there. I’ve been doing business with the shop since 1972. It’s gone through three locations and a name change, but it’s still one of the best places I know to experience what an “Old Time” shop is like. I have decades of stories and many good memories about the place and the people. When I leave Mass., Kathryn will be riding along side of me. We’ll head to Cheviot and spend a couple of days. David loves playing Tour Guide and we’ll hopefully show Kathryn some of the high points of Cincinnati. Jungle Jim’s, Skyline Chili, the Mushroom House, Aglamesis Brothers Ice Cream Shoppe, the Spaceship House (actually in Newport, Kentucky) and crossing the Ohio River on the Anderson Ferry. Then, we’ll pack the bikes with camping gear and head for the WVBR. It’s one of the highlights of the year. It’s always a Good Time in a beautiful part of the Country with really Good People. After the Rally, I’ll ride back to Taxachusetts with Kathryn. Then, I’ll head for the Springfield, Mile over Labor Day weekend. When I write it down like this, it really doesn’t look that Laid Back. It does look like a hell of a lot of fun, though. And I’ve left out a whole lot of “Minor” details. One thing is certain; I won’t be bored. (Message edited by Crusty on June 08, 2022) | ||
| Crusty |
Riding To A Meet&Eat Yesterday, I rode to the Millstone BBQ in Logan, OH to meet with Joe and Brian for lunch. Joe just spent a few weeks traveling with his wife, daughter and dog towing a camper to some really beautiful parts of the country and I wanted to hear about his trip. I also brought a bunch of parts that I’ve been wanting to give him for a while. For Meet&Eats, I’ve developed a pattern. On the ride to a new location, I usually take the quickest route. That most often means taking the Interstate. But on the way home, I ride secondary roads. That way, I get to see some of the more beautiful areas of the state. As I was riding up I-71, I was struck by all the green. New crops were growing and the land that has been brown since last fall is now lush and vibrant. It looked especially beautiful. The other thing that struck me is how much engine noise the windshield reflects to my ears. The bike ran fine, but I could hear all kinds of taps, rattles and hisses from the engine. If I kept my face shield closed, the helmet blocked most of the noise, but when it was open to let some air flow through, the sounds were loud. I remember when I was riding my old Shovelhead up in Maine and didn’t have to wear a helmet. The first few rides had me wondering if the engine was about to self-destruct. Then I got used to the sound and it didn’t bother me. I hope this is a parallel situation. Although I don’t recall hearing this much noise from the Roadster which had a similar windshield. On the more positive side, the windshield made the ride a lot less tiring and my neck and shoulders weren’t nearly as sore as they have been after similar rides. I got to the Millstone very early and waited around for a while. Once again, it was the first time I’d been there and I didn’t want to be late. I could smell the BBQ from the parking lot and it smelled really good. Joe showed up first and we transferred the boxes of parts to his bike and he got them strapped down securely. Then Brian arrived and we went inside. While the three of us were talking in the parking lot, a group of bikers came out and told us that there was a 45 minute wait for a table. However; they had arrived at the peak of the lunch rush. When we went in, we were told it was about a 20 minute wait; then we were seated in less than 5 minutes. The three of us all ordered different items. I got a Half Rack of ribs with two sides of BBQ baked beans. Joe also got an appetizer of bacon wrapped burnt ends, which he shared with us. My opinion of what I ate was that it was good, but not great. I’ve been spoiled by Velvet Smoke The burnt ends were nowhere near as good as VSs, in spite of being wrapped in bacon. The ribs were good; but not even close to the ribs from VS. And the price of an equal dinner from velvet Smoke is a whole lot less. Still; I would go back. I just think I’m fortunate to live only 4 miles from the best BBQ joint anywhere (In My Opinion). After we ate, the three of us rode through the Hocking Hills on wonderful back roads to Ash Cave. It’s an enormous cutout in rock with a neat waterfall. We walked up the path to the cave and shot the breeze for a while. The whole Hocking Hills area is just flat beautiful. It was a worthwhile place to stop and see some of Ohio’s natural beauty. The longer I live here, the more I find to like. After that, Joe turned towards the east and Brian and I turned west. Brian and I rode together until our paths diverged and he went northwest toward Prospect and I went southwest toward Cincinnati. I went south to Chilicothe and picked up US Rt. 50 west and rode that into the city. I got home around 7:00 PM. It was a great ride and I met up with good friends and had really good conversation with them both. And I got to see something I didn’t even know existed! I can’t think of a better way to spend a day. | ||
| Ourdee |
It's a rough life having Que you like in your neighborhood. | ||
| Crusty |
Why A Sportster? I’ve been sitting here, this morning, thinking about my choice in bikes. There are many bikes out there that are superior to Sportsters in many aspects. Some are bigger; some are faster; some handle better. For my trip to the Arctic, there are many “Adventure” bikes that would be more appropriate. Also, out of three Sportster engines, two had crankshafts that went bad and I didn’t mistreat them. Hell; I don’t think I ever hit redline with the engine in the 16. I tour on my Sportsters. I don’t baby them, but I don’t beat them, either. So why do I keep riding them? I originally got a Sportster when I hit the road for a couple of reasons. First, because when I was traveling on a Moto Guzzi, back in 79, a U-joint went bad, In 20 minutes, I had the old broken one out and in my hand, when David Kaelin told me nobody in the state of Minnesota had one. My bike got trailered to a shop in Minneapolis and I took a Greyhound bus back to Louisville, Kentucky so I could go back to work on time. I decided that I wanted a bike that had a large dealer network and readily available parts. The other main reason I got one was that Bill (my friend who unexpectedly died in his sleep) was a die hard Sportster lover. We had been planning a trip across the country on Ironheads when he died. I hit the road as a tribute ride to him. There are more reasons than that, though. Sportsters are an addictive motorcycle They have a feel that nothing else can match. They also are designed for very easy maintenance. That’s a big plus when you’re changing your oil in a Walmart parking lot. Sportsters are also the ultimate raw material bike. It’s the easiest bike out there to personalize. There are more different accessories for them than any other motorcycle made. In spite of the two bad cranks I’ve experienced, I think the basic engine is sound. When the MoFoCo came up with the rubber mount Sportsters, they let the bean counters have too much input into the design and the cheapened aspect of manufacturing hurt the reliability of the product. That’s why I’m spending big money with Dark Horse. I’ll have a bottom end in my engine that will hopefully still be running when archeologists find the bike in the next millennium. As I said, Sportsters are addictive. They are an extremely satisfying bike to own and ride. I can’t think of any other bike I’d prefer to own. Both times, when the cranks died, I thought about getting something else. In 2016, I bought a beater Concours. I hated it. Last fall, when the engine started knocking, I thought about a variety of other bikes, then I called the shop and asked if they had a used Sportster for sale. (That’s how I got the Cussed’em). There is no other bike that is as satisfying to me. It’s not perfect; but, better than anything else,it can be made into a bike that meets my idea of what a motorcycle should be. It’s the right bike for me and it's the bike that I’m going to ride to the Arctic Ocean. | ||
| 86129squids |
Perfection is a logical fallacy. As Robert Pirsig argued, Quality is what we seek. I do believe that you are building the most solidly sound and high quality motor most have seen. Hope to catch up in the fall with you, Crunchy!  | ||
| Crusty |
Spare The Rods… Today marks exactly four months since I dropped my bottom end off at Dark Horse. If I had known that it was going to take this long to get the Carrillo Rods, I would have told Andrew to use the stock rods. He did try to talk me out of the Carrillos; saying that they would be overkill for my engine, but he also understood why I would want such beautiful parts in my engine. Anyhow; I’ve been getting anxious as time has passed. I decided to call and if the delivery date for the rods was still in the nebulous future, I was going to forego the Carrillos and tell Andrew to just put the stock rods in. However, when I called he was happy because he was about to call me. My rods shipped out this morning and Dark Horse should have them this coming week. It will probably take another week after that to assemble, True, balance and weld the crank; then assemble my engine. In two weeks, I should be putting the engine back into the Express and making it a functional motorcycle again. Then, I’ll just have to break it in. I don’t know if there’ll be enough time to accomplish that before I head up to Taxachusetts, or if I’ll be riding the Cussed’em. Either bike can handle the trip comfortably. ********************************************* I wrote the above yesterday afternoon. I’m still fighting writer’s block; my mind stopped at that point, so I’m hoping to pick up from there this morning. August is going to be a busy month. Between (hopefully) breaking in the engine in the Express, Riding up to Mass., back to Cheviot, over to West Virginia for the WVBR, then back up to Mass followed by a return to Cheviot then over to the Springfield Miles on Labor Day weekend, I should put enough miles on to satisfy the Tramp part of my personality. I’ll also be going through a lot of oil. I believe in frequent oil changes for a new engine. I have a few filters stocked up, so I’ll just need to buy enough oil. The way prices are going up, that’s going to be expensive. For that matter, I’m looking at almost 5,000 miles in my travels. That’s going to be pretty costly, as well. Premium is running close to $6.00 a gallon. Just between gas and oil, I’m looking at almost a Grand. Add in other expenses and I may just have to rethink the whole thing. The good news is that after Labor Day, I’ll be back to keeping a Low Profile. I guess I’d better sit down with my calculator and do some serious figuring and maybe some corner cutting. I know that I can do it, I just have to put a little more thought into the details. Well; it’s July 4th weekend. I think I’ll call Wassler Meats and order a Rib Eye. I have a few rockets to light off for the Fourth. Maybe I should fix something like burgers and dogs, but I really have a thing for Rib Eye steaks. I have a watermelon for dessert. I have a couple of ears of corn, as well. Rib Eye, Corn on the cob, Asparagus and Watermelon for dinner, followed by a few hundred little rockets, whistling and popping. A good way to celebrate the USA’s Birthday, I think. I hope you all have a great weekend, as well! | ||
| Crusty |
Ride To Eat I hope that Dark Horse has my engine ready soon. I don’t think that I’ll be riding the Gentleman’s Express up to Taxachusetts, though, even if I get the call in the next couple of days. That’s a little bit of a disappointment; but I don’t think I’ll have time to go get the engine, put it in the bike and put the whole bike together, then break it in, before I head northeast. That means I’ll be riding the Cussed’em. I have no doubt that it’ll make the trip. It made the trip to Cheviot in some miserable weather, last December; and that was with the stock bars, 21” front wheel, forward controls, stock seat and the painfully loud pipes. Now, it has much better ergonomics and I even have a detachable Touring Windshield for it. I’ll have to use the Dry saddlebags, but they worked reasonably well when I had them on the Express before I fit the Hepco & Becker hard bags. Kathryn won’t be riding back with me as we originally planned. Her life has gotten very complicated and she can’t afford the time away. That’s a little bit of a disappointment; I think going to the rally would have been a positive experience for her; but she has her own priorities and has to make the choices she thinks are best. Still, I’m hoping to get both Kathryn and Ernie to ride along on a trip around the Quabbin Reservoir. The Quabbin is in the west central portion of the state. Back in the 1930s, the state leveled three towns and set up dams and flooded several valleys to create a reservoir that supplies water for eastern Massachusetts. It’s pretty large and it’s in a very scenic area. I’ve planned a route that’s both scenic and has a sparse amount of traffic. It should be a very pleasant ride. If we’re able to do it on a Thursday or Friday, there’s a BBQ joint in Ware (Where?) called the Pig Park that’s been recommended by a few folks from New England. I live near Velvet Smoke, and the Pig Park will have to go a ways to impress me, but I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. I’ll report on it in a Snippet after I check them out. I’m also planning to go by the Shop. GP Motorcycles is an “Old Time” kind of motorcycle shop. I’ve been doing business with them since 1972 when they were called Mack’s Motorcycles. I know most of the people there and I miss them. I wish I could find a shop like GP around here. The GP, by the way stands for Guy and Paul. When the shop moved from Everett to Chelsea, the name got changed. The name stayed the same when the shop moved from Chelsea to Malden, even though Paul was out of the picture. One thing they do is have a communal lunch. They get take out from many different sources on different days. Some days, they just get a bunch of cold cuts and fresh sub rolls and make their own lunches. They know where to get incredibly good Pizza. The last time I talked with Sandra, she told me that they would get pizza from The Bridge when I visit. That’s motivation enough to ride up to Massachusetts. The chance to swap insults with everybody is another good motivation. There are more things that I’m planning to do on the trip. The Big Item is riding up to Portland, Maine to see Megan and Rocco. It’s been way too long since I’ve seen them. I’m also hoping to be able to meet up with Badwebbers at the Dinosaur in Troy, NY. Anyhow, that’s where things stand for now. There are a lot more things about the trip that I could write about, but they’ll wait for another day. I really hope Andrew calls me soon to tell me my engine’s done. | ||
| Crusty |
Shamokin I’m in a Macca’s in Danville, PA having breakfast (Thanks, Jerry & Carol!). If I can continue this pace, I’ll be in Hudson by mid-afternoon. (Now, I’ll probably run into a construction zone or an accident that will have traffic stopped) I spent last night at a campground in Bald Eagle State Park. I didn’t sleep well; but I never do on the first night camping. I got a late start yesterday because I was waiting for the Thunderstorms to pass. I didn’t leave until after 10:00 AM. I didn’t get five miles when I noticed that I was getting visuals for a Migraine. Five miles later, the screws holding my front brake lever loosened and I had to get off the highway and break out my Torx wrenches and tighten them. Then, there was no ramp back onto the highway, so I took surface streets and wound up eventually two miles closer to home. I got on I-71 and proceeded North and I was wondering if this was going to be a jinxed trip. Things did get smoother. The migraine wasn’t that bad (the pain sucked, but it wasn’t bad enough to have me throwing up), traffic wasn’t really heavy and I only got stuck behind a couple of Elephant Races. The storm I was chasing was heading in the same direction I was, but I didn’t catch up to it until I got to Clearfield, PA around 5:00 PM. So I stopped and got dinner and gassed up, which took a good 45 minutes. By then, the storm was gone and I made it to the State Park. I was up early. It was light at 5:30 AM so I made my usual campground coffee (Folger’s Instant and powdered coffee lightener), then broke camp and hit the road. I wanted to run until I needed gas, and I’ve been successful at that. Gas here in Pennsylvania is about .50 cents higher than it was in Ohio. I’ve been seeing signs with regular at $4.69 I’m hoping that the price of Super isn’t as bad as it was at some places I’ve stopped at. I stopped at a Shell station north of Columbus Regular was $4.19, but they wanted $5.37 for Super. I left and found a Speedway station that was only a buck more per gallon and not a buck eighteen. I don’t know if it’s the oil companies or just the gas station operators who are screwing people on the price of Super, but it annoys the living hell out of me. Well; I’ve finished my Sausage McMuffin, Senior coffee and Strawberry Cream pie, so I’d better gas up the Cussed’em and put on a few more miles. Oh; the title of this Snippet is because the exit I’m at read Danville and Shamokin on the sign. I’ve never been to Shamokin, but I get a kick out of the name. In Hudson Monday, my day started badly, but it improved until I got to see a magnificent Sunset in the campground of Bald Eagle State Park. Yesterday started wonderfully, but deteriorated through most of the trip here. Once I arrived, things improved. When I wrote yesterday’s Snippet, the morning was progressing wonderfully. I made one mistake, though. I jinxed myself when I said that unless I ran into construction or an accident, I’d be in Hudson by mid- afternoon. I didn’t run into one traffic stopping incident, I ran into four of them. All of them had me braking hard to a stop, then inching along at about 5 MPH slipping the clutch constantly for a mile or two. I found myself taking an unplanned break because I was overheating in Connecticut. At each gas stop, I’d walk around and have a bottle of Gatorade to stay hydrated. It was hot and I was sweating steadily. I knew that I was dehydrating when I drank a bottle of Gatorade at one stop and didn’t have to pee two hours later at my next stop. I also found enough elephant races to make up for the lower than usual amount I’d encountered on Monday. I rolled into the driveway here just after 5:00. Ernie and Candy were cooking burgers on the charcoal grill and we all sat around talking and watching the young squirrels playing in the yard until around 8:00 or 8:30. Then, I unpacked the bike and brought my stuff inside. One thing I noticed on the trip was that while the price of Regular gasoline varied from state to state, the price of Premium was almost constantly around $5.25/ gallon (+ or – a little). When I got gas in Ohio, Premium was $1.00 more than regular. In Pennsylvania, Regular was $4.69 and Premium was $5.29. When I filled up in Connecticut, it was back to $1.00 more. Personally, I think somebody is screwing with us to make us pay more for getting better mileage. That goes along with putting ethanol in gasoline. 10% Ethanol reduces mileage by 10%. We’re burning just as much unadulterated gas per mile. And this really helps our air quality? I think not. Especially since ethanol in the gas screws with the fuel systems on engines (Carbureted and Fuel Injected) and makes them run less than efficiently. Enough proselytizing; I plan to fill up at the cheap station down the street from the shop when I’m there today and see how bad I’m getting reamed here. In a couple of hours, I’m heading over to the Shop (GP Motorcycle) to see and insult longtime friends. That’s something I’ve been looking forward to. Tomorrow, Ernie, Kathryn and I are going to ride around the Quabbin Reservoir. Three Sportsters on a ride on beautiful backroads; the Cussed’em, the Roadster and Ernie’s 883 in the element they were designed for. Two lane roads twisting through a scenic wonderland. Hopefully with tasty BBQ for lunch. Well; time for more coffee. Later. | ||
| Crusty |
Two Great Days It’s summertime! It’s sunny and hot and I’m riding my motorcycle and loving all of it! On Wednesday, I rode over to the Shop; GP Motorcycle Supply and hung out for the day with everyone. I saw some neat machines and even helped out a little. Sandra ordered Pizza from the Bridge for lunch, and I was in Heaven. The only disappointing part was that Jimmy wasn’t there. He takes a couple of days off each month and he was on his way up to Maine. I did get to call him on his cell phone and we traded insults, however. I stayed at the shop until around 4:30; that meant that I got to ride back to Hudson in rush hour traffic in 95 degree weather. I was sweating all day long and I stopped at a supermarket when I was getting close to Hudson and bought a couple of bottles of Gatorade. I took my time in the store because it was air conditioned and it felt nice. While I was there, I passed by the Ice cream freezer and a package of Creamsicles caught my eye. I hadn’t had one since I was a kid, so I bought a six pack of Creamsicles. When I got back to the house, I put everything in the freezer. I wanted the Gatorade to get cold quickly, and I ate one of the Creamsicles. I think I liked them better when I was 12 years old, but it was cold and didn’t taste bad. It helped to cool me until the Gatorade was cold, then I drank a bottle of Lemonade flavor. I was exhausted from the heat (the shop isn’t air conditioned) and I was asleep by nightfall. Yesterday was the planned ride around the Quabbin Reservoir. Kathryn arrived a bit before 10:00 and she, Ernie and I took off for a very nice ride on good roads with light traffic through a beautiful part of the state. It was a real treat for me to be riding with two good friends with all three of us on Sportsters. The Roadster still looks wonderful and Ernie’s bike is in pristine condition. We stopped as planned, at the Pig Park BBQ in Ware for lunch. It’s a trailer, like you’d see at a carnival and they have the biggest smoker I’ve ever seen. It literally looks like a full size Locomotive. I got a Half Rack of Memphis Ribs with beans. The ribs were a pure delight. They were good enough that they didn’t need sauce, but the sauce made them even better. And the Baked Beans were wonderful! They were different from any I’ve had before, but the flavor was superb. The people running it, a man and a woman were both friendly and there are picnic tables where we sat and ate. The price was fair; a half rack of ribs with beans, cole slaw and corn bread cost $20.00. And a can of soda was only a buck. I’d happily go back. It was that good. If you happen to be near Ware, Massachusetts on Route 9, eat there. You won’t be disappointed. After that, we continued our ride and it was wonderful. The only things that detracted from it was when we got stuck behind a heavily loaded dump truck that was running well below the speed limit for several miles. A while later, I missed a turn and wound up extending our ride by about 20 minutes. That really wasn’t a detraction, though, as we got to travel on more beautiful roads through magnificent scenery. We stopped at an Ice Cream stand when we were getting closer to Hudson and we all got drinks. I got an Orange Sherbet Freeze and it was very delicious. The woman making it knew how to do it right. Thunderstorms had been in the forecast, but didn’t materialize over us. The worst we got was a few minutes of sprinkles when we were back in Hudson. Kathryn stayed with us until the storms that were around her house passed, then she went home. It was a ride that I’d hoped it would be. It wasn’t a high mileage ride, but we all enjoyed it. Good friends on beautiful motorcycles riding through magnificent country on mostly nice roads with light traffic and a great lunch stop. It really doesn’t get much better than that. | ||
| Crusty |
Mid-Summer Thoughts Today is August 6. It’s about as mid-summer as it gets. I’ve had a relatively laid back summer, so far; but I think it’s about to get a good bit busier for the second half. The Tramp in me is awake and is wanting to stretch his legs. The trip up to New England woke him up and now, he doesn’t want to go back to sleep. Tomorrow, I’m riding up to Indianapolis to go to El Corcel and have a Burrito Loco for Dupper (or is it Linner?) with RD. I’m also going to borrow his bearing puller; that way I can change out the bearings in the rear wheel for the Cussed’em. I don’t like the disc rear wheel that it came with and I have a cast spoked rear wheel for it. I just have to change out the bearings, which I’ve had for a few months. I’m also thinking about hitting the Swap Meet in Springfield (Ohio) in the morning. The catch is that I’m broke this month and even if I see some smoking’ deals, I don’t have the money to buy anything. Still; I like Swap Meets, even when I’m just looking and I’m curious about what a Waldeck’s Swap Meet is like. They hold one in Springfield about 4 or 5 times a year, but there’s always been a reason I couldn’t make it to one. I’ve been to a variety of Swap Meets in the Northeast (Mass., Conn, New Hampshire and New York), Colorado and even Florida during Bike Week. I’d like to see what a Swap Meet in Ohio is like. The WVBR is coming up in another week and a half. That’s my favorite rally. Two Wheels of Suches is my favorite campground anywhere, but the WVBR is better in an “Old Time” kind of way. It’s purely a camping rally with truly varied but really good people. It has its own spirit and I always have fun there. I’m really hoping that Dark Horse will have my engine done by then. They got the rods a week or so ago and are building the crankshaft. Andrew (the Customer Service Rep) is on vacation and won’t be back until next week, but he said he’ll call me as soon as it’s ready. After that, there’s the Springfield Mile weekend. They’re holding Miles on both Saturday and Sunday and that’s something I’m really looking forward to. After that; well; I have a flock of medical stuff to endure. Blood tests, visits with an Eye Specialist and my Primary Care Doctor, and even my Cardiologist. I also have my Birthday in September. I’m going to do my usual - go to Aglamesis Bros. and have them make me my favorite sundae; sliced banana discs, strawberry ice cream, hot fudge and marshmallow toppings. I’ll grill a Rib Eye over Charcoal for dinner, then I’ll light off a few hundred little rockets. Since my birthday is on the Equinox, it’s a great way to celebrate both the end of my favorite season and the day I entered this crazy world. Tonight is the Half Mile from Sturgis. I think I’ll be watching it and hoping that Jeffrey Carver wins it. He’ll be on the only XR 750 in the field. That would really tickle me. Since it’s Saturday, I guess I’ll have Hot Dogs and Baked Beans for dinner. That sounds good to me. | ||
| Tootal |
My friend Gary Duckworth, the engine builder, and I were talking the other day. He was saying how some young racer was in his buddy's shop wanting him to improve a frame for a Yamaha flat tracker. He said he's riding Harley's right now but wants to try this Yamaha. So they talked for a while and Gary was giving him some engine management suggestions etc. I told him there was a local guy who's parents own a BBQ place in Alton called Carver's. He looks at me surprised and says, that's him! So don't be surprised if some day you see Jeffery on a Yammer Hammer! | ||
| Crusty |
The Spirit The WVBR is this coming week. Last night, I called Roy who brings a trailer full of stuff to the rally every year. In the past few years, he’s brought coffee and a french press and I wanted to ask what I should bring. It turned out that he has all the bases covered, but while we were talking, he told me that Ray and Joyce weren’t going to make it. Ray’s bike developed a loose rear sprocket, which bunged up his wheel. He pulled the wheel from Joyce’s bike so that he could get to work. After he got home that night, the parked bike caught fire and was destroyed while wearing Joyce’s wheel. That leaves both of them bikeless. There’s a lot more to the story, but that’s the major details. Ray and Joyce would fix breakfast and even some dinners for the rally at their own expense and they’re really good people, so I started looking at Buell wheels on fleaBay and then had a possible realization. I thought that RD might still have a Buell wheel, so I called him. I figured that he’d maybe cut me a deal on it and I could donate it to Ray and Joyce. I was wrong. When I told RD about what happened, he decided that he’s going to hook up his trailer and haul the wheel, sprocket and a set of new bearings to the Rally and give them to the misfortunate couple. He said that when he first got a Buell, a Badwebber gave him a riding jacket, and when RD asked how much he owed, was told to just Pay It Forward. That’s the Spirit that permeates Badweb; the WVBR is just another embodiment of that Spirit. It was that Spirit that created the Crusty Relay that got me and the dead Roadster to Hudson, Massachusetts from Cincinnati when my engine died. I remember overhearing Erik Buell at a Homecoming telling the Service Manager of a shop to pull the rear wheel off his personal bike and put it on the bike of an enthusiast whose wheel bearings died. When the head of a motorcycle company has that kind of attitude, it spreads to everyone involved. I’ve seen a flock of people gathered to help get somebody back on the road when they had problems, both in West Virginia and in Georgia. I’ve been the recipient of that generosity and I hope to be able to help out others in dire situations. I want to be able to Pay It Forward when the opportunity arises. I am both proud and humbled to be part of this kind of group. | ||
| Crusty |
Ray's Bike  | ||
| Crusty |
After The WVBR I’m home. I slept in my recliner last night and this morning, I’m looking back on the eventful days of the rally. I can’t adequately describe how everything happened or felt, but I have to try. I guess that the best way to do that is to run through everything in order. I set out for West Virginia on Wednesday morning. I wanted to get there early enough to get a good tent site. The trip was fairly uneventful (with one small exception) and I was one of the first to arrive. We all pitched in and got the awnings up, trucks unloaded, firewood stacked (and I also got my tent set up). Jim (Damnut) rolled in on his Gold Wing/sidecar rig pulling a trailer with a 125 Kawasaki on it. The little Kaw was to become the Poop Bike. We used it to ride down to the bathrooms in the main campground and only used the porta-potty to pee in, so that it wouldn’t stink like in past years. Jim had brought some marinated pork and he fried it over the campfire for us. Froggy and I had gone into town to get a few items from the supermarket, and we brought back a couple of containers of Fried Rice to go along with the pork as a side dish. The marinated pork was really tasty as a sandwich on Portuguese Bread. Thursday, I was up at 6:00 AM and we all went to Dodd’s Log Cabin for breakfast. After breakfast, Todd, Jim (with Froggy in the sidecar) and a couple of others rode off to find a 3,000 foot tunnel that was about 150 miles away. I almost went with them, but they set out at almost 11:30 and I figured they wouldn’t be back until well after dark, and I decided to give the ride a pass. I just kept a low profile for the day. Most of the attendees arrived on Thursday and the rally took shape. About a dozen of us went to the Chinese restaurant for dinner. I’d been wanting to do that since I was at last year’s rally. We had a new waitress (it was her first day on the job), and I think she was a bit overwhelmed. However, we all ate and the food was delicious. After dinner, we went back to the campground and we had a pool going on what time the tunnel group would arrive back at the campground.. The times ranged from 8:30 to 10:30. They actually got back at 9:48. Todd’s GPS had routed them town roads that were barely trails, which led to the often repeated cry of, “Nice f**kin’ road, Todd!” for the rest of the event. Todd, by the way was riding a new Pan America. It’s an impressive bike, for sure. On Friday, Roy led a group toward Hawks Nest. which is down by the New River Gorge. I had ridden there last year, so I set out on my own for the Triple Nickel. I prefer to ride alone; that way I can travel at my own pace. I’m not pushing my limits to keep up with faster riders or holding back to not over ride slower riders. If I feel like going fast, I can and if I want to be slow, I can do that, as well. Anyhow; I’ve heard about Ohio Route 555 for a long time, so I decided to go check it out. It’s a Great road! I rode the entire length of it from US Rt. 50 North to Zanesville, then took Rt. 60 south. I hadn’t gone for breakfast, so I decided to stop at a Golden Starches in McConnelsville for lunch. While I was enjoying my McDouble, I checked my phone for messages. Andrew from Dark Horse had called. I called him back and was told that my engine is ready. That news really got me excited! The Gentleman’s Express is going to be back up and running! Anyhow; I made it back to the campground. When I got there, there was nobody around. Everybody had scattered to different destinations. Then, Janette (Roy’s wife), who had been in their trailer joined me and a couple of minutes later, Mike and Mary rode in. They had gone with the group towards Hawks Nest, but decided they didn’t want to do such a long ride, so they came back. Mike and Mary weren’t back 5 minutes when Janette got a call from Roy. Carlos’ Triumph has started blowing huge amounts of white smoke and wasn’t rideable. So we took Mike’s trailer and put it on Roy’s truck and Mike and I set out for Fayetteville, WV. It was 157 miles each way, according to Google. We made it down, picked up the bike and Carlos; then rode back to the campground; arriving around 10:15 PM. I sat up for a short while, then hit the rack. I didn’t feel that well on Saturday morning. (I had the runs), so I just stayed at the campground. Everybody else scattered, once again. I had a laid back kind of day. By early afternoon, I was feeling better. One group consisting of Janette (Jane’s mother), RD, Froggy and Jane (of course) set out to hit several destinations. They went to a donut shop where Froggy got a donut of epic proportions. I’ve seen smaller pizzas. And that was after he had eaten a Big Bucky - a breakfast that’s so big, I couldn’t eat half of it. Then, they went to a restaurant a ways off to get lunch - a bacon & chicken ranch sandwich. After that, they went to an Ice Cream shop where Froggy ate a sundae that looked to be a foot tall and six inches in diameter. I don’t know how he does it. Saturday night is the Dinner. Mark’s family puts on a huge feed for us every year. We had a layered salad, the flat out best Pulled Pork I’ve ever eaten (it’s so good that it tastes best without any sauce!), fried chicken, really good Baked Beans, cucumber slices with onion in vinegar, deviled eggs and a dessert that consisted of (I think) chocolate pudding, whipped cream, chocolate cookie crumbs, and I don’t know what else, but it would satiate any chocolate lover’s craving. There was more, but I don’t remember everything else. After that phenomenal meal, we sat around and socialized until the rain arrived. And it arrived in force. One bolt of lightning must have passed right over us. It was extremely loud and woke me up from a sound sleep at 12:30 AM. The pouring deluge that it accompanied was impressive in its own right. I slept until 5:00 AM, then got up and broke down my tent and gear and loaded it on the Cussed’em. I stuck around and helped break down everything and helped people load their stuff. By the time we were done, there was almost no sign that we had been there. We went to Dodd’s for our traditional Sunday AM breakfast, and said our Goodbye’s. Then, I rode home. There is so much I didn’t relate, but I will remember it. It was, once again, a very memorable time. Next year, it’s going to happen from August 16 through August 20. I know where I want to be on those dates. |
