Going on 11,000 mile trip - suggestions for preparation?

[Anonymous]

In February, I bought a 1978 GS550E in fairly good shape. After having done a fair bit of regular maintenance items, it's running and driving pretty well. I've been riding it quite a bit since I got it, and have put around 1,500 miles on it, mostly in the past month. I'm planning to take a long trip this summer, 11,000 miles or so, from my home in Southern Oregon through LA, Dallas, Charlotte, Nashville, Minneapolis, Chicago, eastern Maine, and back home. I'll be riding my GS, visiting family and friends and doing migrant farm work. I'll be leaving June 7, which is in about a week and a half. I've been working through my list of things to buy and work to do on it before I head out, and after reading the Maintenance before LONG trip thread from last week, I thought I'd throw my hat in the ring and see what you guys think about my preparations, and see if you think I should do some other things I've considered but aren't on my list.

Just FYI, the list of things which will be done before I head out:
New tires
New chain and sprocket - going up 1 tooth on the front for better highway gearing
Carb tune-up (not rebuild with kit, just dissasembly, cleaning, synchronizing - carbs work well but I only get 35mpg)
Top end rebuild - clean and grind valves, replace valve stem seals, replace piston rings (I have 75psi compression on all 4 right now), check and adjust valve clearances
New front and rear brake pads, bleed brakes
Front fork reconditioning - cleaning, new fork oil and seals
Inspecting/cleaning/replacing wiring
New spark plugs and points/condenser set
Oil and filter change (with Amsoil synthetic - did this when I got it 3 months ago also)
Change from stock airbox to pod filters and from stock exhaust to 4-into-1 header and muffler
Repack wheel bearings with synthetic grease
Install driving lights (55W each)

There are several items that I considered, but since I'm on a pretty tight budget, have not planned to do. These include replacing the battery (it's been checked and is good, the bike also has a kick start so I rarely use the electric starter) and replacing the regulator/rectifier with an Electrex one (probably too expensive). I thought there were other things but can't remember them now since I didn't write them down.

I have done a fair bit of amateur mechanic work and will be carrying my own tools plus stuff like JB weld, carb cleaner, chain lube, duct tape, etc, and the Haynes manual. I'll also be carrying spare fuses, bulbs, tire repair kit, etc. I'm fairly confident in the condition of the bike and my ability to fix it, but it's always better to be prepared, and best to not need to fix it. Is there anything I left out? Is there something I should be aware of that I haven't thought of? I know you guys have the secret knowledge about these bikes, and I want to make this trip on the schedule and cost I've set, not the schedule and cost the bike sets for me.

Alex

[Pete's GS]

It looks like you've covered all the bases in terms of preparing the bike. I wouldn't bother with the pod filters unless you want to have to put a jet-kit on it as well, though some 4-into-1s such as MACs won't require a jet-kit if you use the stock airbox and filter. I'd ensure the stator and rectifier and regulator are all up to snuff first, since they're you're most likely potential problem with an old GS. Other than that, read some touring literature like Peter Egan's or, if you really want a challenge and your trip is going to be more internal than external, Robert Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. You're going to have a fabulous time.

[earlfor]

Re: Going on 11,000 mile trip - suggestions for preparation?

The stock headlight draw on your bike is about 60 watts. Your stator will not support the addition of a pair of 55 watt driving lights resulting in a total headlighting draw of 170 watts. All that combination will get you is a dead battery and a non running bike. The better, and cheaper, choice is to replace your stock headlight with a halogen H-4 kit or if you already are set up to run a halogen H4, buy a Sylvania Silver Star H-4 60/55. The light output is about the same as a standard 100 watt halogen, but it only consumes 60 watt. It is also easy to carry a replacement bulb (theyre small)if you want to be sure you are not left in the dark anywhere. :-)

Earl

[quote="alexlockhart"]
Install driving lights (55W each)

[first timer]

keep the sock air box and filter, with pods your bike won't be happy when it rains. and you will hit rain in a 11,000 trip.

-ryan

[SqDancerLynn1]

Take a list of emergency phone #s
I'm in LA Ca 9096239819

[first timer]

chicago 3125880991

-ryan

[Hoomgar]

I suggest a pillow. To sit on! 8O

[scotty]

plastic or paper $$$ solves all potential problems.

[HiSPL]

I would encourage the pod filters on this bike. It lets you remove and install the carbs in about 10 minutes. This could be a great comfort if you have carb problems on the road. The stock airbox on a 550 is one of the hardest I've ever seen to install. If you use oil on the pods like your supposed to, you won't have any problem with rain. Oil and water don't mix. Thats how ducks keep dry in the rain also.

I would suggest a quiet-ish exhaust. The drone of a small engine with a buzzy exhaust note can get quite hypnotic over time. The stock Harley Davidson cans on your headpipes would be a great (and cheap) solution Click Here

Don't forget to factor in a few months time playing with the jetting after your mods. Take your time and get it right, it IS worth it.

The only other thing I can think of is making sure your coils and plug wires are in top shape. The coils from modern Bandits, Katanas, and some GSXRs will fit and are cheap on ebay. It wouldn't be fun to find out you have rotten plug wires in the middle of nowhere.

Good luck!!

[Don Lobacz]

A back brace (stretchy girdle thingy). Warm gloves. Waterproof suit. Good helmet. Make sure you have a good quality 5" vise grip - it can do anything.

Gun? Oh wait, that's another thread.

[Anonymous]

Look into a sheepskin or gel seat cover, they strap right onto the stcok and make your tush very happy, cost $25-50, no tush pain or hemorrhoids... priceless. Also a decent rainsuit with no hood- the hood chokes you at speed- I know I was cheap once. Definitely upgrade your your stator and rectifier, at least the rectifier. The best place to buy that I have found is denniskirk.com around $111.00 for an electrex rectifier and the shipping is free if you spend over $100. Finally the cheapest and probably one of the best items I recommend for any roadtrip is earplugs helmet or not. It's proven that road noise fatigues, and if you don't hear it you'll make it longer on your 11,000 mile ride. And best of all good luck and safe passage...drop a line if you end up in or near Minnesota...612
724.4338 nick. Just say say your one nick's bike buddies so my wife doesn't freak out.

May the road have many curves and no gravel.

[Anonymous]

One last thing didn't think of before. A windshield...dorky as they look they are a life saver, the bigger the better...keeps the elements off of you and the fatigue is also cut way down because you won't be getting buffeted by the wind constantly. After about 500 miles without a windshield at 65 mph+ it feels like you just did a round with a pro boxer. And a lot of guys I know including myself usually sleep about 15 hours the first day out when they didn't have a windshield because of the buffeting. Also check the ironbutts website. These guys have all the long distance tips. You aren't an ironbutt until you hit 100,000 miles.

[Anonymous]

Wow, thanks for all the helpful replies. I was most surprised to find how many of you sent me your phone number and location in case I need some emergency help. SqDancerLynn1, I don't have your name, and it's not in your profile. One person sent me a private message with his contact info, which seems like what I'd do instead of publishing my number on a wide-open forum, but you can do what you want with your phone number. I suppose I should post my itinerary up here so everyone will have some idea of where I'll be and when. Much as I hope to not have the kind of emergency when I need to call someone for help, I know it may be unavoidable, and I really appreciate the offers.

My favorite bike shop here had a set of Cobra F1 mufflers for a few relatively new bikes like a Interceptor 500, Magna 700, Ninja 900, etc, which the owner couldn't get rid of and was willing to sell me the right side muffler for his cost ($70). So this afternoon I took my 4-into-1 header to the bike shop to see if it would fit, and on the way, in the pouring rain, my chain (which I haven't replaced yet - new chain and sprockets will be here in a few days) popped off the rear sprocket. Fortunately it was at very low speed and didn't lock the rear wheel or break the chain, so I just found a spot off the road to get the bike on the centerstand and pop the chain back on the sprocket and move the rear wheel back as far as it will go. The chain is still a little loose but works ok now, so I went to the bike shop and got the muffler. It and the header will go on tomorrow and I'll see how it sounds. If I had known about the HD pipes, I might have gone for that, but I really like the way the 4-1 header looks, so I'll just use what I've got.

One of the big reasons why I want pod filters is not for the performance from better breathing, but rather for how easy it will make it to work on my carbs, and the ability to use what is now the airbox under the seat as a good-sized tool storage compartment. As HiSPL said, the stock manifold and airbox is about the hardest to remove or install, and I really want to be able to play with the carbs as needed and use what is now the airbox as storage space. The added performance will be a welcome by-product. I'll put on the new pipes and muffler tomorrow and the pod filters when they get here early next week, and then I'll play with the jet sizes some and see how it goes. I'm leaving in a week and a half, so I won't have much time to play with it before I go, but my roomate is an excellent mechanic and was a professional bike mechanic for a few years, so I'm confident that he and I will be able to get it right.

What's the procedure for checking coils? My Haynes manual wants me to pay someone to do it. What I've always done to check a coil is to just pull a spark plug, plug it into the wire, ground it on the engine, hit the starter, and notice the size, color, and sound of the spark. I know there's a more scientific way, but the above has worked fine for me so far. I haven't experienced any spark-related problems since I put in new spark plugs and new points and condensers, so I don't have any reason to suspect anything bad with the ignition system. In fact, I haven't had any problems whatsoever with the electrical system, but I'll be checking all the wires and cleaning all the contacts before I go just to stave off such things.

I already have the driving lights, cheap $25 Walmart ones, they are quite white and bright and use easily-replaceable H3 bulbs. I haven't installed them yet, but my roomate said he's mounted standard 55W driving lights on different motorcycles and has had no problems. Yes, the total current draw will be 170 watts plus tail lamp, instrument lights, and ignition system, maybe 200 watt draw total with everything on at once. Is that too much for the alternator? My manual doesn't publish the total alternator capacity, does anyone know what it is? The alternator in my Geo is rated at 50 amps (I think), which at 12 volts means 600 watts. The Delco alternator on your average GM is rated at 75 or 90 amps. All of this is huge amounts more than the 200 watts total draw on my bike. If the alternator can put out 200 watts (17 amps) or more, wouldn't that be enough for everything? Maybe I'm missing something, but it seems to me that even on a small bike the alternator should be able to produce more than 200W.

The reason I wanted driving lights is not because my headlight doesn't put out enough light. I'm not sure if it's a sealed beam or H-4, but I think it's H-4. It produces plenty of light, especially on high beam, but it puts most of it in one little spot in the middle of the road directly in front of me. A Silverstar would be great, but would cost as much as my driving lights and would still put most of the light in the little spot in the middle. The driving lights are mainly to get a wide and even spread of light all across the road so that I can see the whole thing, which is especially helpful for corners, or animals running into the road, etc. I'll be wiring the lights in with their own separate wires and switch, and will only use them at night outside of cities when I need the extra light on the sides of the road.

Thanks for your suggestions for riding gear and seat covers etc. I've got a complete set of rain gear, a few different pairs of gloves for different conditions, a new Arai Astral helmet (which, by the way, is the finest helmet ever made), ear plugs (which I do use on longer trips like this, under my helmet), and a large hiking pack to carry all my stuff. I don't have a windshield and don't want one, I have relatively low handlebars and lean into the wind, which makes the wind buffeting minimal. It also keeps my butt from getting sore - with a normal (not stock, but not much better) seat, my butt just doesn't get sore. I'll be carrying complete camping gear since I'll be living in my tent while doing migrant farm work, and I have no aversion to being stranded in the middle of nowhere, especially with all the gear I'll be carrying. I've been stranded several times before, and never had a bad experience, so I expect to be fine even if something "terrible" happens. I've read just about everything on the iron butt website, most of pashnit.com, have followed www.thedogteam.com for several years, and am at least psychologically prepared for anything that might happen on my trip.

That was a lot more than I had planned to write. Keep making suggestions, I can never be too prepared.

Alex

[Anonymous]

I already have the driving lights, cheap $25 Walmart ones, they are quite white and bright and use easily-replaceable H3 bulbs. I haven't installed them yet, but my roomate said he's mounted standard 55W driving lights on different motorcycles and has had no problems. Yes, the total current draw will be 170 watts plus tail lamp, instrument lights, and ignition system, maybe 200 watt draw total with everything on at once. Is that too much for the alternator?

Yes, it's too much. Put the lights on your car or truck or put them on poles to use instead of lanterns when you go car camping.

It's much wiser to fix the light you have than add more load to your power supply. Remember, that is the big weak point on these bikes. I run a H4 headlamp on my 450, transplanted from a 650 I think. I use a Sylvania XtraVision bulb. I haven't used a Silverstar because they're so stinkin bright, but I can tell you that the XtraVision is hella bright.

If you're in Tri-Cities, WA, give a shout. I suppose you won't be stopping here as it's so close to home. But still, if you are, send me a PM before you go.

Michael

[daveo]

in regards to the pods...you may want to check where the water runs when poured onto the gastank....on my '81 750 the water would run off, right into #1 and 4 pod filter, which makes her run like crap when raining...you could maybe take a big plastic soda bottle and cut in half lengthwise to cover the tops of #1 and #4, secure with a ziptie, don't forget to bring lots of zipties!!! and some big ziplock bags