Shake down ride.

29 August 2008

Today started out hot with a thunderstorm rolling in. A quick look at the sky suggested that I would be riding ahead of the storm. So I didn't get in too much of a hurry as I made last minute adjustments to my ride.

This was going to be a shake down run, not too far from home but enough to see if the repairs and modifications would hold up. I had been having a real rough running time the last couple of days and ended up putting everything back to original factory settings. I had built a new exhaust system and seemed to be experiencing a little vibration that I couldn't seen to locate a reason for. So this would be a short but thorough run over the mountains.

I topped off my tank at the one stop and left out the acetone. I figured to run a hundred or so miles on plain gas and see if I noticed any difference at the factory tune up setting.

I got out into traffic that was surprisingly heavy for a Friday morning and settled into a smooth 55 mph. It seemed to be purring perfectly for the first 10 miles. As I got on to Hwy 412 and headed east traffic thinned out and I had the opportunity to open the old twin up a little. I was pleased at the engines performance at a wide variety of speeds. I guess that maybe I was trying to get a little too much out of a stock ride. I was really beginning to like this new ride sensation. Factory settings, who'd of thought...? One of the best non factory parts of trip is the Glass packs. They are for a small car or truck. The sound is awesome and I really enjoyed it all throughout this ride. (I'm also sure everyone in earshot did too) That is also one of the best things about a twin, V or side by side, they always sound good.

About 30 miles down 412 a light raid started. I pulled over at a small gas station figuring to put on the pants for my rain suit as they are hard enough to put on when it isn't raining. As I rolled in I noticed a Vrod and slid up beside it. It's owner was coming out of the store and asked if the rain was any lighter behind me. His name was John and he seemed relieved when I told him I hadn't had any rain until I got to this store. John said he had ridden through heavy rains in a couple of places that was so hard that he couldn't see. John was from Houston TX and had been riding around Arkansas for the last week. Now, on his way back home he was hoping to go back through Oklahoma and miss the worst part of the storm. I got into my rain gear and wished him well and we took off. For the next 40 miles I rode through light rain and cool damp air. Man! It was nice.

Since I was close I stopped off and had a bite to eat with my mom and visited a couple of hours.

Before I pulled out I had looked over a website that had indicated a big bike rally at the Hub. So I headed in that general direction. The Hub is Is Bike oriented Motel and convention center with a really good restaurant called scooters. I rolled in to the Hub in the early afternoon and realized that I had either read the website wrong or someone had mixed up the dates. The big rally was no where in sight. However, the Free Masons were having their international ride in. There was about 70 or eighty bikes around the motel and the restaurant was full. These riders, The Free Masons, were a good bunch of people from several walks of like. Just about all of them I came in contact with stopped to talk a little and offer a handshake. This atmosphere made the wait for something to eat a pleasant wait. While waiting I had another nice surprise, my niece Katy came through and I found that she is working at the restaurant until she leaves for school.

The food was good, as always and the added plus of my niece sitting with me and of course a room full of bikers made this one of the better meals of my life.
After eating I visited with the Hubs owner and found out what was planned for the next couple of weekends and decided to head out. As I headed over the hill on Hwy 7 spur I couldn't resist, I let the engine hold back in third gear all the way down. Just to make sure everyone got to benefit from my nice old truck sound. I hit Hwy 7 and back to Jasper, topped off my tank and made a slow lazy climb up the mountain. The Newton County Fair was going on and I stopped in for a quick look around. I saw a few old friends that I hadn't seen in years and visited and caught up a little. I had planned on heading towards Clarksville to spend the night but I guess homesickness took over so I headed back to my place at Deer and visited with the family and got a good nights sleep.
30 August 2008
I had a quick breakfast with mom and visited with my brother and pulled out. There was NO traffic on hwy16 and that always amazes me. I let the hammer down on my old twin and started putting miles on. The bike was running better it seemed than it had yesterday. I floated down the road for about 20 miles and came up on a couple on a big Suzuki cruiser. They seemed to be slowly taking in the area and I zipped by with a wave. Over on the Boxley mountain I fell in behind a group of riders that were riding in the herd.Going along slowly. They were 10 of them riding all different kinds of big tourers and cruisers. I'm not knocking them but they would speed up for a mile or so and then slow down. This got old after 12 miles. When we got to Kingston I pulled over and let them get about 20 minutes ahead of me. That worked for a little while. I ended up following them to Huntsville where they headed for Eureka Springs. the rest of my little ride was nice and moved along smoothly. I got back home in time to help the son put new tires on his bike. Really, could it get any better?
Total of 284 miles. The repairs held nicely.
Next weekend if the Guard doesnt send the son to do Hurricane relief we are planning on hitting the big bike ralley at dogpatch @ The Hub.
Proud Member of the 365 Group.
(I rode mine today)