| Author | Message | ||
     Crusty |
“Honey; I’m Home!” The engine for the Express is sitting downstairs on a furniture dolly beside the lift. Today, I’ll start the process of installing it and giving the Gentleman’s Express Life again. I got the call from Andrew at Dark Horse last Friday while I was riding down State Route 60 after riding up Route 555. I was stopped at a traffic light and heard my phone ringing, but couldn’t answer it. When I stopped for lunch, I listened to my voice mail and it was Andrew telling me the work was done and I could come get the engine. I called him back and told him I’d be up as soon as I could arrange a ride. On Monday, I was grocery shopping with my brother David, who just retired a few months ago. David is a roller coaster freak and has taken a couple of lengthy trips to both the west and east coasts to hit numerous parks and ride the coasters he’s never had the chance to (and a few that he has ridden in the past) and he was still under the influence of his own personal Tramp. When I asked him if he was up for a long ride on an Adventure, it only took him a short while to decide to go. So; on Wednesday morning at 8:00 AM, the two of us were in his Soul Red Mazda heading for Wisconsin. David and I grew up in a family whose father would pile us in a car and drive to North Carolina fairly often. Our dad was from there and we would go visit his side of the family. When I had just gotten my Driver’s License, I drove for most of the night while my dad slept on our way back to Massachusetts. David also got to drive on some long rides, and the two of us mesh well on long trips. His sense of humor is as twisted as mine is and we talked and joked all the way up to Dark Horse. Once we got there, Andrew and a co-worker loaded the engine in the trunk for us, gave me a T shirt and I paid my bill. Then, we went about 100 yards to the Smiling Moose and got a late lunch. (I had another of their 8 oz. Ribeye sandwiches). Then we headed south. David didn’t want to do a straight through run back to Cincinnati. That made a lot of sense to me. However, we still had a lot of daylight left, so we headed south. We stopped at the Mars Cheese Castle down by Kenosha and David bought some postcards (so did I), and I got a 4 pack of Sprecher’s soda. I got Root Beer, Maple Root Beer, Orange Dream and Cream Soda. I drank the Orange Dream last night and it tasted like a Creamsicle. The other three are in the fridge. We drove through Chicago and stopped in Merrillville, Indiana for the night. By that point, we’d covered about 700 miles. Yesterday, we made it to Indianapolis and picked up RD and went to El Corcel for lunch. I got my usual Burrito Loco and it was every bit as good as any I’d had previously. After dropping RD off at his house, we continued down I 74 and got stuck behind two Wide Loads going about 20 MPH under the Speed Limit. They took up both lanes for, it seemed, 30 or 40 miles. We were about the fifth vehicle back in our lane and there was a string of traffic that ran back behind us as far as we could see. Once the Wide Loads and their numerous escort vehicles (all with flashing lights) pulled off at an exit, we were able to speed back up to a reasonable pace. We got back to my house in Cheviot, David figured out the best way to get the engine out of the trunk and into the basement, took a short Gatorade break, then David went home. I kind of wanted to start on installing the engine in the frame, but I was tired and I had a pounding headache. Even though it wasn’t a migraine, my head really hurt, so I took some headache drugs and drank a lot of water in case it was from dehydration and I was asleep early. I’m going to take my time installing this engine. I know that I could do it in a couple of days because I installed the engine in the Roadster in a day and a half, back in 2016; but I’m going to Springfield next week and the engine won’t be broken in properly by then. Also, I pulled the engine last February and I’m a little vague on some of the details. I’m going to take my time and make sure I’m doing the right thing. I have the Cussed’em for transportation, so there’s no reason to rush; except that I’m pretty eager to be riding it again. I guess I’ll maybe go look at it and just maybe I might do just a couple of little things to get started… | ||
| Icantdrive55 |
@Crusty Well damn!!! Howdy neighbor. I'm right down the street from you in Mack. It's like vuja-de....nothing like this has ever happened before. We're gonna have to do a meet-n-greet just because we can. Lemeno if you have any interest in grabbing a lunch at one of the west side's greasy spoons--I'll buy the first beer. Bubba | ||
| Damnut |
It will have to be root beer for the crusticle. | ||
| Icantdrive55 |
@Damnut Not a problem. I'll gladly drink his beer for him! ;o) | ||
| Crusty |
Hand, Foot And Leg Cramps I got quite a bit accomplished today. The Engine is in the frame and the rubber isolators are installed with their mounting bolts along with all the stabilizer links. It was a real bitch of a job getting the engine into the frame. If I ever have to do it again, I’ll have help. It would have been a lot easier if there had been a second person helping me. However; I got it done. To quote Curley, “I’m a successful Cork!” But I’m paying the price tonight. My hands and feet keep cramping up and that sucks. I’m going to have to slow down a bit and take a little more time to get the bike back up and running. A couple of years before my dad died, I was talking to him on the phone and he was very despondent. Something had broken on his tractor, and when he went to fix it, he was unable to because trying to pull on the wrenches hurt his hands too much. Tonight, I have a glimmer of understanding about how that felt. My left hand keeps trying to lock up painfully and my feet are also cramping. My right hand is showing a tendency to want to cramp, but it hasn’t yet. I thought about taking photos as I went, before I started; but when I did start, it completely slipped my mind. I’ll try to remember to take some photos tomorrow. Matthew in Georgia asked for pix after he saw my last Snippet. I’m still getting used to using the lift. I had it completely lowered to put the engine in the frame, but once the engine was in place, I didn’t think about raising the lift until I found myself looking for a foam pad to use as a kneeler. I caught myself and pumped the lift up. It really is a great help and my knees are especially grateful, as is my back. I hope that Joe realizes just how much of a help that lift is for me. It really is a Godsend. However; the bike is coming along. The swing arm is on. Tomorrow, I’ll put the shocks on and maybe even the wheel. I’m using the Service Manual. I’m being careful and double checking everything as I go along. I have three torque wrenches and all three are getting use. I won’t be riding the Express to Springfield next week. Even if I finish up assembling the bike, I still need to break it in and I’m going to take my time with that and run through several heat cycles. I’ll also change the oil a few times. I believe in short life oil changes when I’m breaking in a new engine. With the new rods, bearings, pistons and rings, it’s pretty close to being an all new engine in my eyes. One thing that puzzles me is that they left the sprocket nut on the crankshaft and the main shaft nut on the clutch hub loose. I thought they’d torque them when they put the bottom end together. I might have to get some help to torque the sprocket nut. Torque on that is something like 250 Foot-Pounds. Well; one way or another, I’ll figure it out. The muscle on the back of my leg is trying to knot up. I’d better walk around a bit. I promise that I’ll take some pictures tomorrow. | ||
| Crusty |
The come-alongs and straps that I used to put the engine in the frame:  The left side of the bike:  The right side:  | ||
| Crusty |
A Dream Realized Back in the ‘70s, I knew a guy who built a VW trike all by himself. He did everything. He welded up a frame (badly). did the bodywork and paint himself and he had a large amount of pride in the finished product. That trike was an extension of his personality. I’ve been feeling that kind of sense of accomplishment in regards to the Gentleman’s Express. I can’t say that I did everything myself. I’ve had help from some amazingly talented people who have skills that are well beyond me. In fact; there are many people who’ve helped make my vision a reality. I’ve had people give me parts and tools to help change the styling exercise that the MoFoCo sold into an honest Sport Tourer. I’ve had a very skillful fabricator make unique parts so that my dream could take shape. When the crankshaft went bad, a friend gave me a lift which enabled me to pull the engine and other friends arranged to get the lift to me. I’ve had so much help in so many areas that I get overwhelmed when I look at it. My pride comes from my own talents. I stripped the bike and pulled the engine by myself and I put the engine back in the bike by myself. I don’t have the proper tools or a fully equipped shop, but I figured out how to set up a system of come-alongs and straps to accomplish the job by myself. And that same setup enabled me to put the engine back into the bike without help. I’ve had to stop and think my way through obstacles that seemed baffling. I took the bike apart last winter and it has sat for over half a year. I forgot a lot of little things in that time, but I’m slowly figuring them out again. I think I’ll have the bike ready to fire up this week. Then, I just have to break in the new engine. When I go out for its first short ride, I think I’ll be feeling that special exuberance that comes from accomplishing a very difficult task. But it won’t be all me. It’ll be Joe M, Joe A, Roy, Brian, Paul, Mike, Matthew, Froggy, RD, David, Ernie and a very large assortment of others who have contributed to my dream. Thank you all. I couldn’t have done it without all of you. | ||
| Crusty |
Today's Progress:   | ||
| Crusty |
At Springfield Starbucks I rolled into the Fairgrounds yesterday afternoon and went to my favorite camping spot and set up my tent. I could have camped for free if I set up over by the front gate, but I really prefer “my spot”, so after I had my tent set up, I went by the office and paid. Then I went over to the track to check out how it was looking. I almost always do that. I go over to the gate that the water truck uses and stand at the edge of the track. It looks perfect. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it looking better. The anticipation came rushing to the surface. I saw the Coleman’s trailer where I get my favorite Rib Eye sandwiches, and Law Tigers was setting up their display pop-up. Continental tires has a display set up, but it was displaying car tires. At a motorcycle event. They make decent motorcycle tires, but all I saw was car tires. That had me scratching my head. There were a number of others setting up their displays, as well. Springfield is the premium dirt track anywhere. It is to Flat Track what the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is to car racing. I rode through town to get dinner and a bottle of Gatorade, then I rode back to the campground where I watched a nice sunset. Then I was in my tent early. I read for a while, then fell asleep. I slept poorly, like I usually do on my first night of camping, and I was up at 6:00 AM Eastern time. However, I’m in the Central time zone, so that was 5:00 AM. I hit the bathroom and made myself presentable. When I was packing my travel kit and dirty clothes on the bike an older guy came by and told me he really liked my bike. He was riding a CVO Big Twin, but he was liking the idea of a lighter bike as he was getting older. He went off towards his campsite and I decided to ride over to Macca’s and get breakfast. The Location I prefer wasn’t open yet. I thought they’d open at 5:00 AM, but there was nobody inside and the signs weren’t lit. So I rode down to Starbucks and got a $5.00 Flat White and waited for sunrise and that’s where I am now. There are no amateur races this year. The Fairgrounds is tearing down the stands and building stands on the other side of the “Multi-Purpose Arena”. I guess when they built the existing stands, they didn’t put in a decent foundation and things shifted. It’s a real shame. A few caissons would have made a (I’m sure) very expensive piece of construction much more durable. However; because of the demolition and construction, the fairgrounds aren’t nearly as crowded and that’s a plus for me. When I hit the bathroom this morning, I had the whole place to myself for the first few minutes. The couple of other guys who came in were also old farts like me. Anyhow, I’m really looking forward to today’s racing. I personally feel that Flat Track experts are some of the best motorcycle racers on the planet. For evidence, I state that many Flat Trackers have gone on to become world champion Road Racers, but the converse isn’t true. Multi time World Champion Superbike racer Troy Bayliss never made it into a main event when he tried, back 2015. When Kenny Roberts did a couple of “Parade Laps” at speed on the TZ 750 flat tracker that he won the Indianapolis Mile on in 1975, Valentino Rossi (who was the all-time best Road Racer in the world IMO) passed on trying it out. People like Kenny Roberts, Gary Nixon, Eddy Lawson, Kevin Schwantz, and Wayne Rainey and many more were all Flat Trackers. Today, I’m going to watch the best racers in the world do battle on the best Mile in the world. | ||
| Crusty |
f You Believe… “If you believe the weather forecast, you deserve what you get.” I’ve said that many times and yet, I still get caught. Before I left for Springfield, I kept checking the 10 day forecast. It showed nothing but ideal weather. A chance of some rain on Saturday night, but not much and not for any length of time. I let that influence my decision on what gear to pack. And it looked like I made a good decision right up until mid afternoon on Saturday. That’s when it started raining. The weekend had gone well, up to that point The trip to Springfield had been pretty uneventful. I had looked at the forecast temperatures and decided to wear my mesh jacket. It looked like it was going to be hot for the regular jacket. However, while packing, I forgot to put my rain jacket in the saddlebag. I realized this after I was well on my way, but figured it wouldn’t really make much of a difference. I got my favorite tent site at the Fairgrounds and I made it over to the track early enough to get a prime parking spot for the Cussed’em. I walked along the road in front of the grandstand and checked out all the assorted popups. Progressive Insurance had a little prize wheel that I spun and I won three little very tacky pins. If you like tacky insurance “Biker” pins, let me know and I’ll mail them to you. Continental Tires had a big car tire display. They also had a game you could play. You know those games you see in restaurants where you move a claw around and can pick up a toy, if you’re skillful or lucky? I’ve never been able to win anything with one, but the gates to the track weren’t open yet and I was in a positive place, so I tried it. The “Prizes” were balls. A lot of black balls, a few gold balls and one white ball. I managed to snag a gold ball and I discovered that I had won a CONTINENTAL REMOTE-CONTROLLED STADIUM SUPER TRUCK! I couldn’t believe it! But it’s true. They took a photo of me holding my Certificate, and they took my address and they’re going to mail it to me. I’m not into RC cars, but I seldom win anything. The one time I won something (a complete Thanksgiving Dinner for the family) I was sixteen and I was totally embarassed. I don’t know what I’ll do with the truck, but I’ll figure out something. Then I went by the Class of 79 display. They sell race related items to raise money for injured Flat Track racers. They were putting on the Ride the Mile parade lap, this year, so I signed up. I had decided not to; I’ve ridden the track at Springfield many times over the years; but everything was going so well, I was caught up in the atmosphere of the Event. The fact that the money goes for a good cause makes it all the more appealing. Mission Foods was giving away bags of “Racing Style” Tortilla chips, so I grabbed one. The chips are shaped like silhouettes of race cars and race bikes. I enjoyed them, but wished I had some salsa. They finally opened the stands and I went to my seat and watched Practice. After Practice, there was a break for track maintenance, so I went over to Coleman’s vending booth and got a Large lemon Shake -Up and two Rib Eye sandwiches. I had intentionally skipped breakfast so I could do exactly that and I went back to my seat and watched Qualifying while I thoroughly enjoyed my brunch. Nothing says Springfield like a lemon Shake - Up and a Rib Eye sandwich while watching some of the best motorcycle racers on the planet. As the day wore on, the sky became overcast. First, a light high haze of wispy clouds, but thickening and getting darker. The Production Main event was a real dogfight and it was worthy of being a Springfield race. There was less than a third of a second between first and seventh at the checkered flag. Then it started to rain. Light, at first, but it got a bit heavier and didn’t stop. After I was wet and they started showing past Miles on the Jumbo Tron, I decided to leave. I knew I didn’t have a rain jacket with me, so I rode over to the local Walmart and bought one. All they had was Frogg’s Toggs, so I got one and figured I could wear it under my mesh jacket so the wind wouldn’t shred it. The rain had stopped when I left the Fairgrounds, so I rode back. It was still raining there when I got back and they had the weather radar up on the screen of the Jumbo Tron. The rain was parked right over the fairgrounds and wasn’t moving at all. It finally got late enough that they cancelled the rest of the racing for the day, I rode over to the Golden Starches and got a chicken sandwich and it was still dry on that side of town. After I ate, I went back to my tent and read a book for a while, then fell asleep early, lulled by the sound of rain hitting the rain fly of my tent. Mother Nature woke me up around 4:00 AM with a serious urge, so I went over to the bathroom and I was wide awake. The rain had finally stopped a couple of hours earlier, yet everything was still wet and the humidity was close to 100%. With a 70% chance of rain for the day, I knew the races would be cancelled, so I packed up my gear and headed for home, arriving around Noon. That one race was worth the trip, but it still was a bit of a disappointment. However, I’ve sat out a few rain cancellations in the past. Now I’m home and psyching myself up for the series of medical visits on my calendar over the next couple of weeks. And I have an Electrical Diagnostic Manual to hopefully fix the problem with the Gentleman's Express supposedly being delivered tomorrow by the USPS. Life goes on. | ||
| Tootal |
Damn! I knew it was raining down here but it was clear in Springfield...for a while. I wondered how bad it got. Sorry to hear that. Yesterday it was just cloudy all day but no real rain. Back to rain today. Glad you were at least safe getting home and sometimes a RibEye sandwich is worth the ride! | ||
| Crusty |
CANbus Frustration I wrote about my electrical issues a week ago. I think I’ve totaled six or seven more hours trying to figure out what’s wrong and I’ve gotten nowhere. The Electrical Diagnostic manual arrived the other evening (it was delivered at 7:00 PM) and at first it seemed to be written in a foreign language, but as I read it, I began to get a small glimmer of hope that I would be able to find and fix the problem. However; as of right now, it looks to me like CANbus is just a system of making the electrics more complex and mandating the use of expensive diagnostic tools, like a Breakout Box and a Digital Technician, along with special wiring connectors to plug into the wiring harness. The entire bike is set up so that if one component takes a Dixie, the entire bike will shut down. It’s frustrating and extremely annoying. I’m presently at the point of thinking seriously about ripping the wiring harness, along with the fuel injection out of the bike and getting a wiring harness and carburetor (and associated parts, like an Intake manifold) from a 2005 or 06 Sportster, and rewiring the bike. To me, it seems like CANbus is just a way to make electrical repairs a path to being held hostage to mandate taking the bike to a Stealership if there’s an electrical issue. Oh, sure, I could buy a breakout box from Kent-Moore, if I could afford it and if they would sell me one (That’s highly unlikely), but where could I find a Digital Technician or all the special pigtail connectors so that I could unplug the BCM and connect the Digital Tech to it? And then there’s sorting out the high CANbus and Low CANbus connections. Or are those left and right CANbus? I get them mixed up. Harley Service manuals have always been among the best of any manufacturer, yet I find the Diagnostic manual extremely difficult to work with. It’s fine for the first couple of steps like using my Fluke meter to check voltages or resistance, but as soon as it gets to the part where I have to connect the special tools, I’m screwed. I looked ahead, and if the ignition switch checks out OK, then I get to go through a multi step process with the next component, and so on. And there are a lot more components. Hail, hail, Complexity! I realize that there may be some rational reason for making the electrical system incredibly more complex, but I don’t see it. It doesn’t make the bike perform better. My carbureted Sportster makes equal power and delivers better fuel mileage. I thought that Fuel Injection would make the bike run better and that the people who were converting their injected bikes to carbureted were acting like Luddites. Now, I’m not so sure. So as of right now, I’m dead in the water. I need to decide whether it would be wiser to put the bike together and have it hauled over to the H-D emporium where it will sit for weeks until a mechanic with access to all the Special Tools can laboriously go through all 742 steps to discover which component needs to be replaced to a labor charge of two Grand or so, or if I should take a trip up to Pinhead Cycles and get a wiring harness for a 2006 Sportster, along with an intake manifold, Carburetor, MAP sensor, and who knows what else and rewire the entire bike and convert it to non injected. I guess I’d better sit and think on it a bit. | ||
| Griffmeister |
You have it right, CAN high and CAN low, everyone get on the CAN bus. Actually, the whole idea is simplification in a way. Six wires handle most of the functions on the bike that would normally take dozens of wires in a huge bundle. A carb would get you away from all that and you can leave the sensors in place to plug the holes. The only question is what else is on the bus that’s not engine related? Speedo, lights, various hand controls? Might want to browse the electrical manual a little longer. | ||
| Crusty |
Four V-Twins In 2014, Indian debuted the Scout at Sturgis. It looked pretty impressive. It had overhead cams and was liquid cooled. I thought that the Powerplus engine in their big twin was one of the most beautiful engines on the market, so the Scout caught my pre-disposed eye as something I might enjoy riding. The Indian Demo truck was going to be at the dealership in Manchester, New Hampshire in September, so I rode my Moto Guzzi Norge up from Massachusetts to check out the Scout. I found the dealership and got on the list to take a Scout out. The next group was booked, so my name went on the following ride. They had a Chief variant that was available for the next group, so I took that, as well. The Chief was very ponderous, and not my kind of ride. I had owned an FLHS Harley and put 125,000 miles on it, so I had an idea of what a Big Twin should feel like, but the Chief didn’t do it for me. The engine was beautiful and made good power, but everything else fell short. Then I took the Scout out. It made good power; more than a Sportster or my Norge, but I didn’t like the fact that it had forward controls and I was locked in one position and couldn’t move around on the bike. I knew that if I took any kind of a long ride on it, I would hate it after the first 200 miles. I asked one of the factory reps if Indian was going to offer mid pegs and got a negative answer. That sank it as far as I was concerned. The following week, EBR had their Demo truck at a dealer in Springfield, Massachusetts. I took the scenic route over and took out an 1190 SX. It made power! Lots of it! I went out and was seriously impressed. After that ride, I was talking to one of the Reps (Mike AKA Coolice) who I knew from my previous dealings with Buells, and he told me to run the engine up over 8500 RPM and I would be really impressed. I’ll be honest; I was afraid to do that on a public road. The bike was amazingly powerful for a street bike. Plus, it handled like a Buell and had brakes to match. The capper of the day was when the ride leader announced after lunch that the demo ride was going to be an extended ride. We went out, and even though I kept the RPMs well below redline, we were going between twice to three times the posted speed limits, even through the turns and the bikes felt completely under control. Very bumpy backroads didn’t upset the suspension one bit and the brakes hauled me down from insanely high speeds swiftly and never even close to the edge of panic braking. I never even got into 6th gear and I never hit the redline in any gear And my eyes were wide open and my pulse was pretty fast. This was a GREAT motorcycle! An 1190 SX was at the top of my wish list after that ride. My Norge felt anemic and ponderous on the way home, even though it was neither. A short time after that was when I decided to retire and live on the road for a while. I started looking at Sportsters for a couple of reasons. First, I had been planning to do a cross country trip with Bill on Sportsters. Bill was a die hard Iron Head lover. He had two Ironheads; a 1984 that he had customized (the Desert Rat) and a 1978 that he was going to restore. He had sent it to the shop to have Guido go over it, and that was the bike I was going to ride, but Bill died before any of that happened. I decided to get a Sportster as a bit of a tribute for Bill. I didn’t realize just how much it would seep into my being until the engine let go 57,000 miles later. That was when I discovered no other bike appealed to me like the Roadster did. I bought a used Concours, but I didn’t like it at all. So I bought a used engine from a boneyard and put it in the chassis of the Roadster and rode that for another 54,000 miles. I took a newer Roadster out for a Demo ride at Daytona in 2018 and fell in love with the suspension and brakes, so I bought a used 2016 in 2020 and proceeded to build my concept of an ideal Sport Tourer for me. I dubbed the bike The Gentleman’s Express after the concept of a comfortable sporting mile eater that Cycle magazine created back in the 70s. The Gentleman’s Express isn’t finished yet, there have been several setbacks, but it’s getting closer to reality on a daily basis. It will be a bike that will take me to the Beaufort Sea, or to Albuquerque, if I want some Mexican Food, or anywhere else I might want to ride to. MY bike. | ||
| Crusty |
As of 11/02/2022 RD came by today and he took some pictures of the Gentleman’s Express while he was here. Here are the pictures. I’ll write more about the day in my next Snippet. RD loved the scorpion on the tread of my Pirelli Scorpions:  The right side of the bike:  The wiring harness and top of the engine:  The home made wiring harness for the Voltage Regulator:  The positive battery super cable made from welding cable:  The backside of the carb and manifold. RD loves the manual choke:  More Cowbell!  Like I said, I'll write more later. Today was a very busy day. | ||
| Crusty |
While Munching on a B.L.T. Yesterday was a busy day. I started by bringing my laundry downstairs as soon as I got out of the shower and before I had my first cup of coffee. Since I was in the basement, I started doing little things to the Express. I was still in my sweat pants and slippers, but there were a couple of things I could accomplish. I wound up playing with the bike until the washer stopped; then I put the wet clothes in the dryer and went upstairs and had my coffee. RD had found a powered Hospital Bed and had gotten it for me and he hauled the disassembled pieces down to Cheviot. He arrived and we brought the assorted bits of frame, head & Foot boards, mattresses (2), etc up to the house. We took a short coffee break, then moved the existing bed and assembled the new bed. When I had gone shopping with my brother on Monday, we went to a Meijer department store that was in the midst of being remodeled. They had some nice comforters for real short money on clearance. I called David and asked him if he remembered which store it was, and he did. He went and picked up a comforter, then found a set of XL Twin sheets that would fit the new bed and brought them by. In the meantime, I started cooking bacon. RDs price for getting the bed and bringing it to me was that he wanted one of my BLTs. I guess I’m now famous for a few food items. My Chips (fried potatoes) have won renown on three continents, my Spaghetti & Meatballs on two and now, my BLTs here. There are some foods I do well. I like how I cook; that should be enough recognition. But I enjoy when others like some of my meals. RD and I went down to the bike and I explained elaborately the solutions I was proud of that probably nobody would ever notice. He took some pictures with his phone and made appropriate approval noises while I prattled on. We went back upstairs and I had packages on the front porch. I was expecting my new insoles, which were there, but I also got a gift of some interlocking rubber foam floor tiles, as well. I installed the insoles and David arrived. He didn’t want a BLT, but he did bring my sheets and Comforter by, then both he and RD left for their respective homes. I wanted to give the new insoles a test, so I grabbed the leaf rake and some trash bags and went out to the front yard and started raking. that took care of the rest of the afternoon. I got the leaves raked and bagged so that the trash men will take them. (Today is Trash Day) They usually get one bag of trash per week from me, but today, they get six. I fixed dinner, then wrote a thank you e-mail to my floor tile benefactor. RD sent me the photos he took, so I sent them out in an e-mail to the people on my Snippets list and posted them on a couple of forums. I slept in my new bed, last night and I like it. Today, I’m going to do a bit of furniture rearrangement in the bedroom and hopefully get the Express together enough to start it. I still have a couple of items that need to come in for it, but I Think I can get around them enough to start heat cycling the engine. Well; the day is racing on. I’d better get going. | ||
| Crusty |
Frustration, Delay and Expense Yesterday morning, I thought I might have the Express running by the afternoon. I only had a few simple things to do. Instead; I found new frustrations and delays. Rather than go through a blow-by-blow description, I’ll just say that when the MoFoCo changed to fuel injection, they changed the design of the gas tank. The beautiful Soul Red gas tank will not fit. After wrestling with the tank, re-routing the wire harness, and trying to get the fuel and vacuum lines to go on, I got pissed off enough that I went into my stash of parts and pulled out the original 3.3 gallon tank from the Roadster. It went on amazingly easy. Then I looked a bit closer at the underside of the two tanks and saw the differences in design. So now, I have to get another 4.5 gallon gas tank. Of course, the price of used tanks on fleaBay has reached ludicrous heights. They’re asking $400.00 for dented tanks and the cheaper tanks are so bashed in, it’s ridiculous. I guess the bike will be wearing a smaller gas tank for a while. The expense of a gas tank will have to wait until after I get a speedometer / tachometer. Thanks to Al Bundy (Jochen Zeitz - the former shoe salesman who is now CEO of HDI), dealerships can not sell to customers outside of their local area. That means that instead of getting a speedo for $279.00, I’ll have to pay $343.00 + tax from my local stealership. Al thinks that it’s a privilege to be allowed to ride one of the MoFoCo’s Bean Counter Designed masterpieces and that I should be delighted to shell out exorbitant amounts of cash for the honor. Well; he thinks the Sportster S is a beautiful bike, but won’t allow the Bronx to go into production. His taste and mine are polar opposites. But hey; once he’s sure the MoFoCo is foundering towards bankruptcy, he’ll retire with his golden parachute, smugly assured that he was the right man for the job. Well; enough whining for today. It’s supposed to get up to 75º F (24º C) today, and it’s supposed to rain tomorrow. I think a ride would do me good and I can finish putting the Express together while it’s raining. | ||
| Crusty |
The Buzzard Flies! I’m a 3 Stooges fan. In one of their shorts, they play the Wrong Brothers who are inventing a radical new airplane which was named The Buzzard. I’ve always liked the expression, “The Buzzard Flies!” but I don’t think I’ve ever used it until now. Another one I like is, Anything the Wright brothers can do, the Wrong brothers can do! Right? Right! Wrong…Brothers!” Anyway, to talk about the Gentleman’s Express, my brother David came over on Saturday and helped me get the bike off the lift and out into the garage. That was a bitch of a job for just the two of us. We could have used a third person, but we did manage to get it done. Once the bike was in the garage, I tried to start it for its first heat cycle and it wouldn’t start. I tried several times and checked several items, but nothing. I was feeling particularly insane at that point. I walked away and decided to not even try to start it until I was feeling more stable. I thought about it and decided that it was probably one of three things; the ECM (Ignition Module), the Coil or the Bank Angle sensor. I was hoping that it was the ECM because it’s the most easily reached item, all I have to do is remove the seat to reach it. This morning, I pulled the ECM for the Cussed’em and replaced the ECM that was in the Express. The bike fired right up. I ran it for 10 seconds and shut it down and let it cool to room temperature. Then I ran it for 20 seconds and shut it down and let it cool down. Then 30 seconds and it’s cooling now. By the time I finish this Snippet, I’ll be able to run it for 40 seconds. Once it cools from that, I’ll be able to take it out for its first mile, then cool. And so on. I bought another ECM from Pinhead Cycles to replace the bad one and it should be here on Saturday. Until then, I’ll just have to keep swapping the ECM and Speedometer back and forth (The new Speedometer is supposed to be delivered next week). It’s been a year and two days since the engine started knocking. It’s been a long hard road and it has cost me a lot of money, but it’s finally coming together. I feel vindicated. | ||
| Crusty |
A Nice Day For Somethin’ Yesterday, I did the heat cycles for the engine in the Express. 10, 20, 30 & 40 seconds each with time enough to let the engine cool to room temp between each cycle. Then I went out for a 1 mile ride, let it cool; then went out for a two mile ride. I let it cool overnight. Today, I wanted to put a few easy miles on, so I plotted a route to the Harley shop over city streets to pick up some oil. I’m going to change the oil at 50 miles. I noticed a little oil on the ground under the bike when I came out of the stealership. It’s coming from the right front of the engine. That means either the oil filter or the oil pressure sending unit. It wasn’t gushing oil, so I wasn’t too concerned; but I want my bikes to be oil tight. So I stopped at Auto Zone on the way home and bought a can of degreaser. When I got home, I didn’t even pull into the garage, I parked in the driveway and sprayed the whole area pretty liberally with degreaser, then pulled the hose out and washed it off. Tomorrow, I’ll spray the area with foot powder and find what’s leaking. The Express felt really good on the ride. I don’t think I’m going to have to mess with the carburetor, other than turning the idle down a bit. Greg gave me a carb that seems well tuned for my bike. Of course, I was being easy on the bike as I’m breaking it in; but it pulled smoothly and it responded well. The only flaw was that it’s wearing the 3.3 tank from the Roadster. I’ve really gotten used to the 4.5 tank and I prefer it. It’s funny; when I first put a 4.5 tank on the Roadster, I thought it looked odd compared to the 3.3. When I start thinking the difference in the two tanks is pronounced, then I think of the people who prefer the 2 gallon tank. Well; I guess it’s a case of whatever blows your skirt up… or somethin’. We’ve had magnificent weather for a few weeks, now and I’ve been loving it. I’m in a t-shirt and my windows are open. My desk thermometer says that it’s 74.5º F (23.6º C) in here at 7:15 PM. I think we have two more days of this niceness, then the high temp is going to plummet to 40º F (4.4º C) and the low is supposed to be 20º F (-6.6º C) on Sunday. From well above average to well below. Oh well. There ain’t nuthin I can do about it; now, is there? Rooster Cogburn is on TV tonight. I think I’ll watch it. I like John Wayne and I also like Katharine Hepburn; I haven’t seen it in a while, so I think I’ll enjoy it. | ||
| Crusty |
Waiting For Packages I have two packages that are supposed to be delivered today by the USPS. The first is the ECM from Pinwall Cycle Parts and the other is a Voltage Regulator from Highside Cycles. They supposedly have been “Out for Delivery” since 6:10 AM and one says it will be delivered by 8:00 PM while the other is supposed to be here by 9:00 PM. The package that’s supposed to be here by 8:00 was supposed to have been delivered between 11:30 and 3:30; but about 11:15, I got the e-mail saying by 8:00. I have a feeling that this delivery might not happen today. In the past, I’ve had non-deliveries because of “Animal Interference” (I don’t have any pets. It must have been one of those feral cats); once my delivery was “Returned to the Post Office at Customer’s Request” (an outright lie); or there was a “Delivery Exception”. And a couple of times it was “Available for Pickup” - I get that notice usually after the Post Office is closed for the day. I was hoping to put the ECM in the Gentleman’s Express (it only takes two Keps nuts and plug in the connector), but I think it won’t happen until late Monday or Tuesday. The voltage regulator is a special item. I don’t need a voltage regulator; and even if I did, the Express has an alternator & regulator from a 2016. The regulator that’s coming is for a 2006. I don’t need the regulator, I just need the Delphi connector that’s on the wires. I want to use it to protect the unneeded plug that’s sticking out of the ’06 wiring harness. I’ve had a hell of a time finding that connector. The cheapest way to get one was to buy the whole regulator. The good news is that I got the regulator for real cheap. I discovered where the oil was leaking from. The Oil Pressure Switch wasn’t tight and oil was leaking down the threads. I bought a pressure switch socket, but it’s too long, so I went online and found a much shorter socket on Amazon. Amazon is giving me another Free Trial of Prime, so shipping is free and I’ll get the socket tomorrow. Now, the only hold up is waiting for the Speedometer. I hope Surdyke gets it in soon and Greg can pick it up and get it in the mail soon, as well. This afternoon, I cleaned the lift. There’s no bike on it, but there were a lot of little things (nuts, bolts, pieces of wire and tubing, etc) that needed to be put away, and it needed a wash down. That lift was such a Godsend; I don’t think I could have done the engine removal and reinstallation without it. I think the ’78 is going up on it next. I’m not ready to start on the 78, but it will look good on the lift and when I do start working on it, things will be a lot easier to do. I had a cheeseburger with thin sliced onion fried in butter and Ranch Style (Chili) beans for dinner. The label on the can of beans says, Appetite Pleasin’ and that meal was just that. I’m sitting here comfortably sated. I think I’ll watch Black Sheep Squadron on H&I TV. I really like WW2 aircraft and the Corsairs are definitely pretty aircraft. Maybe my packages will come while I’m watching the idiot box. Hey! They just arrived! Woo-Hoo!!! | ||
| Crusty |
Almost Afraid to Say It I think the Gentleman’s Express is almost completed. Almost. I still have to get the Speedometer/Tachometer; but it’s in at Surdyke and Greg is going to pick it up and mail it to me. Joe has the gas tank; but I told him to take his time on that because I won’t have the money for a while. The expense of the gas tank and the Speedo has seriously put a dent in my projected budget and has given me a severe case of Italian Disease (Myfunzalo). However; I managed to reprogram the ECM so that the bike runs. It’s a procedure that takes almost an hour to complete and if you don’t do any of it at the right time or in the right sequence, you have to go back and start at step one. It took me three tries, but I finally did it right and the bike starts and runs well. I got the oil pressure switch tightened, which was another PITA job; so that should stop the leak.. Today, I’m going to pull the battery and put proper spacers between the cables and the terminals. The shop sent me an assortment of them. I still have to put the Mustache Bar with the Highway pegs and windshield on the bike; but I’m going to wait until the engine is broken in before I do. The reason I’m almost afraid to say the project is nearing completion is because every other time I’ve thought that, something has jumped out and bitten me. I’ve gotten pretty gun shy about thinking that. However; even though the engine was leaking oil, the ride I took last week was wonderful. The bike felt Right. The engine was smooth and pulled strongly; it seems to be carbureted well and the suspension is definitely superior to the “Regular” Sportster forks and shocks. It feels like what a Sportster should feel like to me. And once it gets the 4.5 gallon tank, it will also look right to me. This project has been my idea, but I had so much help from so many people that I’m going to try to name them all. If I miss anyone who helped me out, I apologize in advance. I tend to be a space shot with a bad attention span. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the help, it’s that I forget important details when I’m trying to write things down. Anyhow; in no particular order, I want to thank Gravydog, RD, David, Sandra, Guido, Guy, Jimmy, Roy, Ernie, Kitty, Froggy, Tootal, BKB, Sportster Paul, Sprink, Jerry, Carol, 1313, Buelish, Joe A, Pwnzer, Oz666, Damnut, Wolfridgerider, Joe in Houston, Susan in Cedaredge, Court, and probably a whole lot more for helping me realize a dream. Without all of you, the Gentleman’s Express would only have been an unrealized dream. A dream that will take me on my Dream Trip to the Arctic Ocean. | ||
| Crusty |
Gentlemen… I’m beginning to feel that I’ll never get the Gentleman’s Express finished. It seems like there will always be something that will jump out to stop me from achieving success. Let me back up a few days. I got the spacers for the battery installed and then decided that I could put the side cover on, ‘cause I shouldn’t need to go back into that area.. It wouldn’t fit. Harley redesigned the side covers starting in 2014. I needed to get a side cover for an ’04 - 13. OK; back to fleaBay to get a fine piece of Chineseum. Well; it was cheap. Unfortunately, I wasn’t paying as close attention as I should have. I ordered a side cover for a 14 - up Sportster. I discovered my mistake when I got the notice it was shipped. So I had to order a cover that fits the right years and now, I have to send the wrong cover back. The good news is that the seller will accept returns and will refund my money; but I have to pay for the return shipping; which is almost as much as the cover cost.
 Yesterday, the Speedometer/Tachometer arrived. I eagerly went downstairs to put it in the bike. I connected it to the Data port of the Express and it would not load the information it needed from the ECM. I took it and plugged it into the Data port on the Cussed’em and it loaded the odometer settings like it should. I played with the speedos on both bikes. The new unit works on the Cussed’em, but won’t work on the Express. After spending a couple of hours trying to get the new speedo to work, I decided to head over to Velvet Smoke and blow some of my Laundry money for a rib dinner. The speedo/tach works well enough in the Cussed’em, but for some reason, I can’t get it to change color the way it’s supposed to. It will only cycle through all the color possibilities, but I can’t pick one and make it the color I want. On the ride, it showed white numbers in the sunlight, but they became orange in the garage. If the temp gets above freezing, I’ll go down to the garage and play with it some more. I will say that it’s nice to have the Tach feature on the Cussed’em. Anyhow; I got to Velvet Smoke and their supplier didn’t bring them any ribs, so they were out and I had to "settle" for Burnt Ends. VS has the best Burnt Ends I’ve tasted, but the meal I got was in keeping with the rest of the day. The meat was really tough and they gave me a container of sauce that was only half full. It seemed appropriate for the way the week has been going. I should have gotten Brisket. I went to bed very early. I was really tired and there was nothing to watch on the Idiot Box. I woke up at 1:30 and since I was wide awake, I got up for a couple of hours. The thought that was running through my head was the quote from Ignatz Schwinn when he decided to stop making Henderson motorcycles. I looked up the article that was in Cycle World magazine back in 1983, and here’s what they wrote: In 1931, Ignaz Schwinn returned from a trip to Washington and called a meeting at the Excelsior-Henderson factory. His friends in Washington, he said, had told him that the economy was going to get much worse before it got a little better. Continued production of the Excelsior and the Henderson, he said, was just too risky. According to the story, Schwinn then said, simply: “Gentlemen, today we stop.” That’s how I was feeling about the Gentleman’s Express. For over 2-1/2 years, I’ve been trying to build my idea of the ideal Sport Tourer. There have been all kinds of obstacles that have cropped up and when I couldn’t overcome them myself, I’ve had friends who had the skills to find ways around them and were willing to help me. It feels like the closer I get to making the dream a reality, the more things will jump out and block it. Right now, the Express is wearing the stock Speedometer from the Cussed’em. Next Friday, the side cover will be here and I’ll be able to put it on. Maybe if I leave it alone with that, it’ll be fine. And maybe I’ll get over this feeling of depression and begin to realize what an accomplishment this build really is. I want to feel the Thrill of Victory and not the Agony of Defeat. But today, I’m letting it get to me. | ||
| Crusty |
Hope Returns The side covers are scheduled to be delivered tomorrow. I’m going to put the right one on the bike and send the wrong one back. I think I’ll ride the Express over to the Post Office to send the package back to Rancho Cucamonga, then I’ll continue to put enough easy miles on so I can do the oil change when I get back. I re-read the instructions for the new Speedo/Tach and I was able to adjust the display color. It’s nice to have a tach on the Cussed’em. I still want a speedo/tach on the Express, but just having a working Speedo is good for now. I have ideas on how I’ll be able to put an S/T on in the future, but I think it’ll be better to just ride the bike around gently and get the engine broken in. I had several people respond to my last Snippet, offering me support. All the comments helped; from David’s mentioning “The Jackson Luck” to Joe’s summary of my achievements to date along with all the others who pointed out positives. I even got a couple of phone calls to try to lift my spirits. Thanks to all of you. Even some of the truly great achievers in history had their times of depression and feelings of failure. Teddy Roosevelt said, “Believe you can and you're halfway there.” I can do this. The dream is almost reality. I have a lot of very skilled people who are helping me to achieve a dream. The hurdles that are left will be easily overcome. I looked up a final quote from Mr. Roosevelt. “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” I just have to shake it off and Gitt’er Done! The Gentleman’s Express is on the one yard line and the next play will be a Touchdown. (It is, after all, Football Season!) I was just having a couple of bad days. I feel much better now. | ||
| Crusty |
After Midnight It’s just after Midnight on Tuesday. Or maybe I should say it’s early morning on Wednesday? Either way, I took the Express out for a ride about 12 hours ago and put enough miles on that it got its first oil change when I got home. I kept the engine speed down and varied the acceleration/deceleration over twisty backroads with very light traffic. The bike feels really good. The engine feels smoother than either of my other rubbermounts and it feels better that it did before Dark Horse reworked the crankshaft. The paperwork says that they installed a .0005 over crankpin as well as the Carrillo rods. They trued, balanced and welded the crank and I can feel the difference. I like it. The Express looks odd to me, at present; wearing the black and cream tank from the Roadster. However, at one point on today’s ride, I had to stop for a flagman at a work site, and he said that the bike looked really good. The side covers were delivered in the morning and I put the correct cover on the bike. I boxed up and addressed the wrong cover and I stopped a few miles into the ride at a Post Office and shipped it back to Ming Gau in Rancho Cucamonga. (I think he might be Irish - and isn't Rancho Cucamonga near Tipperary?) I’ve got a lot of parts to sell that won’t fit on the Express any more. I’ll sell the ECM, BCM and coil together as a matched set, the stock Can’t bus handlebar switches from the bike and the accessory Speedo/Tach. The beautiful Soul Red gas tank and fuel pump will also be sold as a set. And I’ve got the stock 3.3 injected tank that came on the bike. It won’t work on the bike any more, so I may as well sell it too. Oh; I can sell the fuel injection manifold with injectors as a set, as well. Then there’s the oil tank and battery box and side cover that will also be sold as a set. Since I’m an Old School kind of rider, I’ll sell everything for a reasonable price, not the stupidly inflated prices some greedy fleaBay sellers prefer. I’ll probably sell everything on Farcebook Marketplace, or maybe I’ll use the XL Forum’s buy/sell area. Anyhow; the Gentleman’s Express feels really good. I think I may be riding my idea of a great Sport Tourer above the Arctic Circle to the Beaufort Sea (Arctic Ocean) this coming June. That’s Exciting! | ||
| Crusty |
On Thanksgiving Morning 2022 I have a bad case of Writer’s Block. Usually on Thanksgiving, I like to look over the past year and write about the things I’m grateful for. This year, everything I’ve tried to write sounds sappy. It’s not that I don’t have a lot to be thankful for; I do. In fact, There’s so much, it’s amazing. But getting it down in print isn’t coming across so well. The Gentleman’s Express is up and running. That’s been a major part of my life, this past year. I’ve had numerous friends who contributed to that and between the friends who have helped me and the success of the project, I consider myself Blessed. I took the bike out for a hundred mile ride, yesterday and it feels wonderful. I’m living in my own home. When the mortgage company foreclosed on my house in Leominster, I thought I’d never be able to own another house. Yet, I have my own little home in Cheviot. It’s not perfect; but it’s mine and I can work on it to make it more like what I want. Once again, I got the house because of help from others. My brother did all the research here in Cincinnati, while I was in Massachusetts. When he found the house and gave it a thumbs up, our offer was accepted. Financing was arranged by my brother-in -law and when I closed on the house, a friend came down from Buffalo and showed me how to fix the plumbing. I had lots of help from friends, both loading all my belongings into a U-Haul in Massachusetts and unloading it here in Cheviot, then moving in and bringing me gifts of furniture and appliances. I’m fairly healthy. That alone is worthy of a grateful Snippet. I can’t do nearly as much as I did, even 10 years ago, but I’m in good shape for my age. I had a BLT for breakfast, and I’m going to have a wonderful meal to celebrate the Holiday. I’m very fortunate to be able to enjoy the foods that I like. It may sound sappy, but there have been times in the past when I had to eat in a soup kitchen and eat what was given to me, or else go hungry. I don’t want to forget that. And; I’m going to be a Grandpa. That’s both exciting and scary. I joke that I’m going to fill the kids up with lots of sugar, then send him (it’s a boy) home for Megan and Rocky to deal with him; but I really want to show him love and be a positive influence in his life. And maybe I’ll be able to play the mysterious multiplying bears game with him; or I’ll leave plastic eggs lying around so that he can follow the directions to an Easter Basket. You know; it does all sound a bit syrupy, and maybe I’m a bit of a Pollyanna; but I really do feel there’s a lot to be Thankful for. Thankful for my friends and thankful for the Wonderful Life I’ve been given. I hope your Thanksgiving is every bit as good to you and even better. | ||
| Crusty |
Christmas 2022 In a little while, I’m going to light the oven and let it preheat up to 450º. Then, while it’s heating, I’ll mix the olive oil, garlic, spices, salt and pepper to rub all over the roast. I’ll also start cutting up potatoes to boil to make mashed potatoes. I already made Nana’s Green Beans. When the roast comes out of the oven, it has to sit for a half hour, so that will give me time to bake the biscuits, heat the green beans, mash the spuds and heat the gravy. The smallest roast they had at the supermarket was 4.7 pounds, so I’ll be eating roast beef for a few days, but I think I’ll enjoy it. There are more biscuits than I can eat in one meal, and there will be plenty of gravy for a few meals; I made a healthy amount of green beans and I’m going to make a pretty large portion of spuds, so I’ll probably be eating the same meal each evening. (Insert big grin emoji here). My ribs aren’t hurting as much today as they were a couple of days ago and definitely not as bad as they were last night. You see; I did a smart/stupid thing yesterday. I shoveled the front porch, walk and half of the driveway, then put down ice melt (Calcium Chloride). I had to stop frequently because my ribs hurt, but I got it done. I only got enough of the driveway to get the bike out. I’m not planning to go anywhere, but if I have to, I can get out. However; when I finished, I took some extra strength Tylenol, and put a self heating patch over my side. The patch was a mistake. I should have just used an electric heating pad. My skin developed a 2 inch across C shaped blister from the chemical patch. I took the patch off when I felt my skin start burning, but by then, it was too late. The Tylenol helped overnight and this morning my ribs aren’t bad as long as I don’t cough or sneeze. It’s noticeably less painful. I left watching It’s A Wonderful Life for last night. That’s traditional for me. Unfortunately, I fell asleep and missed the end. I could watch the end over today, but I probably won’t. I have one friend who hates It’s a Wonderful Life. He finds it depressing, so he sent me a cartoon that he prefers. maybe I’ll watch it later. Another friend sent me a link to the Addams Family Christmas show. Uncle Fester was playing Santa Clause and got stuck in the chimney. I’ll finish watching it in a while. It’s 15º F out right now and they’ve raised the expected high to reach 19º today (-9.4 - 7.2º C). I just looked, and the temp in Gatton is supposed to be 34º C (90º F). It’s going to be a nice day to hit the pool. ::Sigh:: Well; I hope you all have a very happy Christmas Day. Eat too much, laugh too much and love too much with your friends and family. Like Tiny Tim said, “God Bless Us; Every One!” | ||
| Crusty |
Melting Snow I think I’ll take the Cussed’em out for a ride today. The temps are already up in the high 40s and it’s supposed to hit the high 50s. Yesterday was really warm and sunny, and my yard went from white to brown, as did most of the yards I can see. The main reason I can find for holding back is all the salty water that might be on the road. Then again, I could bring some quarters with me and hit the quarter car wash before I get back. Another reason is that the battery tray for the Express is “Out For Delivery” today. If it comes early, I might want to put it in. Then again; it’s supposed to rain for a couple of days, so I should wait until tomorrow, when I won’t be going out. Yesterday, I went down to the garage and pulled the battery out of the Cussed’em; then I routed the wires in the Express the same way, so it should work better. I’m pretty sure it’ll be a lot easier to connect the TSM. Little by little, I’m getting more familiar with the Gentleman’s Express and it’s becoming more “My Bike”. Maybe I’m becoming more of a Luddite, but I now feel that the 2006 Sportster was the nadir of the model. While Fuel Injection should (in theory) have made it run better and be more fuel efficient, guvmint restrictions and silly anti-pollution laws that only penalized the bike without cutting the production of pollutants did nothing to help. It just added complication and expense. And I think that CANbus is just a complex ploy to mandate having to bring the bike to a Dealership to diagnose and correct problems. There are other issues with Sportsters that have been addressed by other independent Performance shops. Dark Horse Crank Works makes the crankshaft assemblies as robust as they should be. They aren’t cheap, but I now have a bottom end that I can trust. I’ve had four “Rubbermount” Sportster engines. Two of them have had crankshaft issues. I attribute that to corner cutting on the part of Harley-Davidson. I’ve heard of dealerships sending new crankshafts to Dark Horse. The bean counters at the MoFoCo have cut manufacturing expenses to the point of minimal reliability. The average owner will only put a couple of thousand miles on the bike per year; so a crank that will only last 20,000 miles is perfectly acceptable. Back in the early 80s, Harley ran an ad that showed two cigarette lighters; a Zippo and a Bic. The ad said, ONE PHILOSOPHY vs ANOTHER. The concept is that the Bic worked well, but when it ran out of fuel, you threw it away; while the Zippo was meant to last for years. The idea was that a Harley was rebuildable and the competing Japanese bikes were disposable. The MoFoCo has abandoned that philosophy in favor of selling a customer a new bike every few years. So your Ultra Bulgemobile Glide is worn out once it’s out of warranty; it’s time to step up to a new CVO Garbage Wagon Supreme at a price tag worthy of a new Lincoln Masturbator! I admit that I could be wrong about the above, but that’s how I feel. I got two unusual, but still pretty neat Christmas presents, this year. The first was a set of Christmas lights that are 12 gauge shotgun shells. My friend Kitty sent me them and I really like them. The other gift was four eating utensil sized shovels; two square shovels and two spades that Oz666 sent me. I have no idea of what I’m going to do with them, but They’re still pretty cool. I worked as a Miner for many years, so I have a lot of experience using both types of shovels. I’ll try to attach photos of both. Well; I just looked outside. It’s now 50º F (10º C) and my street looks dry. I think I should gear up and take the Cussed’em out and get a cup of coffee an hour or so away. Lights   Shovels  | ||
| Crusty |
A Snippet From Extortion I’m having a day that I don’t want to do anything productive. I just want to sit and be a vegetable. Read a book, or take a nap or maybe even turn on the idiot box for a while - Naw; probably not that bad. However; there’s a fly in that ointment. This morning at 6:25 AM, the US Postal Service delivered my intake manifold from Hammer Performance in or at the mailbox. I saw the E-mail at 6:30 and went outside in the rain; and sure enough, the package was in my mailbox. The manifold is beautiful. It’s a work of art and people won’t really be able to see it because it’ll be hidden between the cylinders, behind the Carburetor and air filter or hidden by the gas tank or horn on the other side of the engine. It’s like having the Carrillo rods in my engine. I know they’re there, but nobody else will ever see either the rods or the manifold. RD has been busting my stones about the manifold. He’s been saying that I should polish it up; then paint it with black fingernail polish. I called him about an hour ago and woke him up to tell him the manifold had arrived and that it doesn’t need any polishing; it’s flat beautiful the way it is. He told me that I had to take pictures and post them in a Snippet, or else he’d post the pictures he has. Now, my life is pretty much an open book and I have no idea what pictures he’s talking about; but that’s a threat that I can’t take lightly. So even though I don’t feel like writing a Snippet or working on the bike, I took a couple of photos and here they are. It really is a beautiful piece of “carved from billet” art that will improve how my bike runs.   | ||
| Crusty |
Winter Returns The idyllic January temperatures have come to an end. We won’t get much above freezing today. (Yeah; I know. You guys that live up North are laughing, but I hate winter and I much prefer warm temps over freezing parts off of brass monkeys.) I mean; I was outside in a T-shirt when I took down the Christmas lights the other day. Now I’m wearing a fleece pullover inside the house. The temps are supposed to be fairly close to average for the next 10 days or so. I can live with 40º F or so for high temps in January, but mid 60s sure was nice. I’ve noticed two noteworthy things about the Greater Cincinnati area. First; nobody needs a snowblower. It does snow occasionally, but it’s easily shovel able. There’s absolutely no need to buy an expensive piece of equipment that will only sit and rust. The second is that during the warmer months, nobody has a lawn sprinkler. We get enough rain to keep lawns quite green. (Cincinnati gets more rain than either Seattle, Washington or Portland, Oregon). I’m sitting here drinking coffee that was a Christmas Gift. I tend to prefer lighter roast coffees and this House Blend is very dark and oily. But it has a really good flavor. I’m on my third cup and I think I’ll head down to the garage and finish up the work on the Express after I finish writing this Snippet. Caffein? Whaddaya mean? I just feel a little energetic; that’s all. I was working on the Express yesterday, installing the new (to me) oil lines and figuring out the best way to run the wiring harness. I’d had a bad migraine the night before, so I was moving slowly, but the job was getting accomplished. Then, I cut my hand. For most people (and me in my former life), that’s no big deal. However; I’m on an anticoagulant and when I start bleeding, it takes a while and some effort to make it stop. By the time I stopped dripping blood everywhere, it was time to pack it up and go fix dinner. I’m hoping to get everything back together today. Well; I finished my coffee, I guess I’d better get moving. | ||
| Crusty |
A Little History Back in the later 70s, I learned how to be a tramp. In ’77, I started living on the road. I traveled from Colorado Springs to Louisville, KY, back to the Springs, then on to California where I got a job with Rocky Mountain Helicopters as a mechanical step-n-fetchit in their logging operation. I got to travel all over the Northwest. I lived in motel rooms and saw some magnificent parts of the country. After that job ended in ’78, I went back to Massachusetts and started working as a miner on a Shaft crew for a Nuclear Power Plant. In the summer of’79, I was on my way to Colorado when I got sidetracked while visiting friends in Kentucky. I wound up taking a job on a Tow Boat. The job entailed working 30 days on and having 30 days off. I learned more about how to be a road tramp that summer. The job on the Tow Boat didn’t really fit my temperament, so in October, I made my way back to Massachusetts. However, I kept in touch with my friends. We talked about riding up to Alaska the following year, but tramps being the way they are, we all went in different directions. Chuck slipped on some ice while working on the river and broke his elbow and I decided one hungover Monday that I was going to go to Nairobi. We never did go. Life led the three of us in very different directions. The itch was always there, though. In 2014, I took a good look at my life and decided to hit the road once more. I knew that if I just sat in Fitchburg, my rent and other expenses would continually increase until I could no longer afford to travel, so I made the necessary preparations and hit the road the following May. Over the next year and a half, I made my way through the 48 contiguous states and I rode up through the Canadian Rockies as far north as Jasper, Alberta. As I was heading towards Edmonton from Jasper, I saw an exit sign for “Route 40 - Scenic Route to Alaska”. I knew at that moment that I could ride to Alaska. As it usually does, Life had other plans for me. I wound up buying my little house in Cheviot, then spent a bundle on things like a new furnace, replacing the lead water pipe, and a few other major expenses. This past year, it hit me that it was time to finally make the trip this coming June. My destination shifted from Prudhoe Bay to Tuktoyaktuk a couple of years ago. The road to Tuk was opened in 2017, and I can ride all the way to the Arctic Ocean. In Alaska, you can only travel to Dead Horse, then take a bus the last 50 miles to Prudhoe Bay. I do plan to ride over into Alaska, since I’m going to be so close. Then I’ll circle around and head back towards home. There will be a lot of things that will change as I travel, just as things changed when I hit the road in ’15. I think the trip will take about a month, but it might be a little less. I’m not going to do a blitz ride. I want to see what I’m riding through. I’m preparing as well as I can, but I’m sure there will be areas where I’ll drop the ball. I have some trepidation about the trip; but I also have a good bit of excitement. When my fears grow, I remind myself that God hates a coward. (God doesn’t hate anybody; but that statement has pushed me into amazing accomplishments, over the years.) I found out last night that Joe has painted the gas tank for the Express. It will be ready for the bike in a couple of weeks. I have a chain drive conversion kit waiting to go on the bike before the trip. Everything is coming together. Now, I’m going to achieve a Dream. It’s exciting and terrifying; I can hardly wait! |
