Sometimes ya just gotta go.

[gustovh]

I have been itchin to do a ride that was not a out and back. I have just resusitated am GS 850 gl 1980. I had ridden it a couple hundred miles and was just chompin at the bit to get away........
Hon! Dave called...he said that if I wanted to come down...(West War..SCA) to Gold Beach he would gate list me....questioning look...well I would ride down Friday morning and come back Saturday! Only one night she says.... Well I would like to stay a day and come back Sunday morning! "I do not have a problem with that" she says. I double up the old mental fist and go "YES". Ok I will be back Sunday eavening some time I say.

[gustovh]

I spent Thursday preping the 850. Checkiing fork pressures, oil levels, mounting a Slipstream windshield. Installed the Givi saddlebags and moved it outside.
Friday morning came, misty, I got up and made coffee, checked me e mail and went back to bed to read untill the coffee was done. Turned off the book and took a shower, got dressed in loose light cloths, went outside and sat on the porch to enjoy a cup of coffee.
Back inside I fixed a breakfast and cleaned the shield on my helm. I went outside and filled the saddlebags with stuff most of which I would not use. Sleeping bag on the pillion seat to lean against, tent and air mat on the rack. Tank bag with camera, book, 2 appels, 2 bottles of water........
915 time to go.

[gustovh]

My route was almost straight south outa Vernonia. S on 47 very short stint on 26 and back onto 47 until it hooked up with 99s at Rickreal I diverted to Dallas and visited a buddy. It was at this time that I found out that I was not charging my bat. On goes the charger.....drink more coffee and the day gets warmer.....I am 100 miles into a 350 mile ride and need to get going to have the most daylight on the tail end of the ride in case of problems.
I took 223 south out of Dallas to hwy 20 and went east for about 3 miles to catch 34 west which would take me to the coast and 101 from there I would go south on 101 untill about 7 miles short of Gold Beach...two miles on country roads to the interior and I had arrived. I did not dare shut the motor off, I am sure that it would not restart again, so I was registered right there in the saddle of the bike. I could see my destination....Day Break Coffee and Crapes.
I pulled the bike up to his gen. and plugged in. I had bought a trickel charger in Coos Bay at a Honda shop. I needed one anyway.

[gustovh]

It a full day and a half to charge the battery. That was 350 miles of runing the lights and sparking the engine. At least I would leave with a fully charged battery.
I left Sunday morning at 830 and headed north on 101, destination Reedsport where I would catch hwy 38 east to I 5 north and a chance to do a speed faster than 60. This is when I found that it was quite difficult to get the engine to turn up more than 5 grand. True that is about 70 but still.....when you cranked the throttle it would just bog....prolly the batt.

At Corvallis I turned west again on 34 to retrace my steps up 232 to home. My average gas fill up was 2 gal. for just around 47 mpg. The bike handeled very well and showed all the Harleys it's tail.
3 days 2 riding, 700 + miles. It was a good shake down, I found the issues I need to find and most of all.....GOT OUT OF THE HOUSE!!!!!

[Rover]

Good job making the trip despite the curse of the charging system.Hope the repair is straightforward.

[Tuner Automotive]

Nice memoirs . I to am a fellow oregonian preparing for my bikes 1st shake down . Cheers

[gustovh]

Hmmmm Bend hu....Will you be attending the 3rd.PNW ralley?

I turns out that there is another issue with the motor as well, intermittent spark on #1 cylinder.
V