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Well, I've had the bike for two years and three months, and a LOT of work has gone into it when I've had the time. It's become difficult because some of the repairs I did over two years ago (cleaning the carbs for instance) and then I try to remember how things went. For the last few weeks I've been struggling with getting my carbs completely dialed in. When Chef1366 offered his assistance, I jumped at it.
So here I was, the longest I had ever been ridden about 20 miles in a local test ride, and I'm going from LA to Bakersfield (112 miles). Bill says: "Can it make it over the grapevine?" We'll find out.
For those outside of California, the grapevine is pass over a mountain range that separates Southern California from the central california plain. It goes from about 600 feet, to 4100 feet, back down to 600 feet. I was nervous to be sure, but feeling a bit adventurous when I decided to do it.
I spent the week tightening down bolts, checking voltage, looking for oil leaks, and working on brakes. The night before I put together an emergency tool kit for my tailbag. My girlfriend held a flashlight while we rigged together mounts for the windshield I had never used. (The upper mounts work great, the lowers don't work with my headlight ears, so I used zipties daisy chained together.)
The next morning I headed out. I had checked weather.... but the Grapevine was significantly colder than I thought it would be, and I was unprepared. 52 degrees is a tad bit chilly in my book, especially when I didn't have my jacket liner. But I made it to the top, refueled, and when down the other side in a straight shot to Bakersfield.
Meeting Bill was awesome. He's been emailing, PMing, and calling me with tips and help since the day before I went to pick up the bike. He is a genuinely awesome guy who really knows his stuff.
Bill was planning a very different day than what he got. He was planning on checking compression, tweaking a few carbs, and us going on a ride. What he got was a day of labor. "Dude.... why is your fuel brown?" he asked as he was dumping the bowls into a bucket. I was as shocked as anybody.... But I cleaned these carbs two years ago, they haven't run much, I used phosphoric acid in the tank! But it came back, and it fouled everything. Little pockets of solidified brown dust had accumulated in the carbs, especially in the valve intake, restricting fuel and creating a lean condition.
We dipped the carbs, blew out passages, and Bill even fixed my choke rail. I didn't know it, but apparantly my rail was a modified clothes hanger. Thank you PO. That's why I was so glad to have Bill there, he sees things I never would have.
We then focused attention on the source of the rust, the tank. We rinsed and agitated it as much as we could; we cleaned the petcock and petcock filter. Unwilling to see his work go to waste, we headed out for an inline gravity filter. The local shop had some, but they were 1/4". So off we went looking for hose clamps to make it work.
By the time we got everything installed and lined up to go, it was beginning to get dark. Bill took it for a test run. "Bike runs great! But your brakes are scary" I know. So we began trying to bleed them again, every way Bill knew how. Whether we fixed it or the lines will go soft again will be determined in a day or two.
As the sun completely disappeared, we got a flash light and Bill did me the huge favor of fixing my clutch cable (I had it on wrong) and replacing my out of spec clutch springs.
At 9:30pm I was ready to go. I'm not going to BS anyone. In the week preceeding this trip I had visions of me being broken down on the side of the road. Now that I was going home, back over the grapevine, in the dark, it was magnified. I knew it would be colder, so I put my pant liner in, and put my pants on, made a garbage bag into a tight fitting wind breaker, then put on my jacket, my MilSpec reflective vest, glove liners, gloves, ski mask, and helmet. I hadn't had to wear this much warm weather gear in a long time, but I was glad I had it. If only I remembered my jacket liner.
I thanked Bill for all of his help, and then got onto the bike. Bill had left it on the center stand (BILL IS TALL) when he parked it. I got on and rolled it forward.... and promptly dropped it on it's ride side. I think I left a body imprint in Bill's shrubs. We lifted it up, torqued the handlebars back down, and everything was fine. No damage. Case saver and my failed effort to save it from tipping at least minimized the impact.
I headed out, a little embarassed, and set off home.
The bike ran like a dream. Up and over the grapevine with no problems other than a fogging faceshield and 40 degree temps. I got home at 11:45, averaging just over 36 mpg.
All in all, I'd say it was a fantastic day. Thanks Bill!
So here I was, the longest I had ever been ridden about 20 miles in a local test ride, and I'm going from LA to Bakersfield (112 miles). Bill says: "Can it make it over the grapevine?" We'll find out.
For those outside of California, the grapevine is pass over a mountain range that separates Southern California from the central california plain. It goes from about 600 feet, to 4100 feet, back down to 600 feet. I was nervous to be sure, but feeling a bit adventurous when I decided to do it.
I spent the week tightening down bolts, checking voltage, looking for oil leaks, and working on brakes. The night before I put together an emergency tool kit for my tailbag. My girlfriend held a flashlight while we rigged together mounts for the windshield I had never used. (The upper mounts work great, the lowers don't work with my headlight ears, so I used zipties daisy chained together.)
The next morning I headed out. I had checked weather.... but the Grapevine was significantly colder than I thought it would be, and I was unprepared. 52 degrees is a tad bit chilly in my book, especially when I didn't have my jacket liner. But I made it to the top, refueled, and when down the other side in a straight shot to Bakersfield.
Meeting Bill was awesome. He's been emailing, PMing, and calling me with tips and help since the day before I went to pick up the bike. He is a genuinely awesome guy who really knows his stuff.
Bill was planning a very different day than what he got. He was planning on checking compression, tweaking a few carbs, and us going on a ride. What he got was a day of labor. "Dude.... why is your fuel brown?" he asked as he was dumping the bowls into a bucket. I was as shocked as anybody.... But I cleaned these carbs two years ago, they haven't run much, I used phosphoric acid in the tank! But it came back, and it fouled everything. Little pockets of solidified brown dust had accumulated in the carbs, especially in the valve intake, restricting fuel and creating a lean condition.
We dipped the carbs, blew out passages, and Bill even fixed my choke rail. I didn't know it, but apparantly my rail was a modified clothes hanger. Thank you PO. That's why I was so glad to have Bill there, he sees things I never would have.
We then focused attention on the source of the rust, the tank. We rinsed and agitated it as much as we could; we cleaned the petcock and petcock filter. Unwilling to see his work go to waste, we headed out for an inline gravity filter. The local shop had some, but they were 1/4". So off we went looking for hose clamps to make it work.
By the time we got everything installed and lined up to go, it was beginning to get dark. Bill took it for a test run. "Bike runs great! But your brakes are scary" I know. So we began trying to bleed them again, every way Bill knew how. Whether we fixed it or the lines will go soft again will be determined in a day or two.
As the sun completely disappeared, we got a flash light and Bill did me the huge favor of fixing my clutch cable (I had it on wrong) and replacing my out of spec clutch springs.
At 9:30pm I was ready to go. I'm not going to BS anyone. In the week preceeding this trip I had visions of me being broken down on the side of the road. Now that I was going home, back over the grapevine, in the dark, it was magnified. I knew it would be colder, so I put my pant liner in, and put my pants on, made a garbage bag into a tight fitting wind breaker, then put on my jacket, my MilSpec reflective vest, glove liners, gloves, ski mask, and helmet. I hadn't had to wear this much warm weather gear in a long time, but I was glad I had it. If only I remembered my jacket liner.
I thanked Bill for all of his help, and then got onto the bike. Bill had left it on the center stand (BILL IS TALL) when he parked it. I got on and rolled it forward.... and promptly dropped it on it's ride side. I think I left a body imprint in Bill's shrubs. We lifted it up, torqued the handlebars back down, and everything was fine. No damage. Case saver and my failed effort to save it from tipping at least minimized the impact.
I headed out, a little embarassed, and set off home.
The bike ran like a dream. Up and over the grapevine with no problems other than a fogging faceshield and 40 degree temps. I got home at 11:45, averaging just over 36 mpg.
All in all, I'd say it was a fantastic day. Thanks Bill!
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