Ralph & the Fajita

Ralph showed up a little later. His fajita was steaming hot. He had a nice ride up also. He started with another fellow who had some mechanical issues and had to turn back. Ralph rides a Piaggio MP3. It may be the three-legged dog of the scooter world, but its a real good machine.

Corydon Indiana

Corydon was the original state capital of Indiana. Apparantly they are very proud of this fact.

Riding to Lunch

Three of my friends were able to make it this morning for the ride to Corydon for lunch at The Real Enchilada.

Rooster Run

I took my first ride of any real length on the new bike. I was watching Princess Bride afterwards on the couch and fell asleep. When I woke, it was due to an incredible pain on the top of my foot. It was a cramp in my "shifter muscle"! I feel kinda stupid. It was however a fabulous day for riding, and with some highway miles my mpg improved slightly. I ran out to Bardstown Kentucky, visited the fabled "Rooster Run" and grabbed a soda. After that I ran past Four Roses distillery, and Jim Beam on the way home. My Barefoot Willies Cool Cup came today so I put it on and it worked great. Best part about that was that directly from their site it was only lik $23. I would like to get engine guards and pegs, as well as a sissy bar and rack for carrying a few extra things, but right now I will just be happy to get the power cable for my GPS installed. Today was a nice ride.

River Road Saddle Bags

Alice (my 2008 Suzuki Boulevard) came with saddle bags already installed by the previous owner (PO).  Not only had he burned a bit of the bottom of the right one (which you can tell because of the burn that it's PVC and not leather) but also lost one of the straps.  The River Road saddle bags come with straps that have their "quick connect" on the leather buckle which is a plastic widgit usually found on backpacks, and other things with nylon straps.

I visited River Road's website but could not find a quick connect that looked like mine.  A quick email was met with a quick reply.  After asking for a picture, Sherrie at RR simply replied "I'm pretty sure we have the right one. What is your address?"

I rode my motorcycle in the rain...

Kat took this pic of me last week when I picked up Alice from the shop. Yes, I have decided to name her Alice.

Finally got around to taking a few pix of the new bike.

I hope you enjoy these. I may actually get to ride tomorrow!!!

I picked up the new bike today. Between the repairs and the belated first service that the jackwagon previous owner didn't do, it was expensive enough that if figured into the purchase price, I would not have bought it. I drove in the rain with full gear directly to the county clerk's office where they did the VIN check and transferred the title to me. When I got home, I put the cover on and went in to dry off. I am doing pretty good making the transition from CVT to manual transmission. I'm still a little choppy in shifting but I credit that more towards getting used to the throttle. Besides the automatic trans, the one thing I am missing right now is the highway pegs. In order to have them on the Boulevard, I have to get engine guards. There are about two...one made by Suzuki which is really for mounting pegs only...it really doesn't protect the bike in case of tip-over. The other one made is from Cobra and extends quite a bit further out. They run about $175 (without the pegs). Both bolt right on with no big trip to the shop-bonus. I plan to take it for errands tomorrow and get some practice in.

Parts (aka UPS sucks)

Well folks, I (though very uncharacteristic of me) optimistically went by the Suzuki of Lou today to check on the (as yet unnamed) Boulevard.  The mech said that UPS used to come in at 9am…you could set your clock by them.  Now they are lucky if we get UPS in before 2pm.  It was 1:30 or so when I was there.  I considered waiting around, but didn’t want to appear as the guy who pesters the shite out of them…I left.

This is how it went…

ME: So I guess the parts didn’t come in today?

TROY: We used to get them around 9am, but now we don’t get UPS in here until almost 2 o’clock some days.

ME (trying for nonchalance): So you can give me a holler when the parts come in.

TROY: (irritation in voice) I’ll call you when it’s ready to pick up.

So…prayers for either the parts to come in or my sanity are appreciated.

Torn apart...

My bike is completely torn apart and ready for when the parts come in. They expect they will get the parts no later than Tuesday & can button it back up same day... That's great but I kinda was hoping they could get the parts in the next day or two so I could pickup Friday or Saturday... I have been down so long now and I am really feeling it...

Clutch pads, springs, etc.

I got a voicemail from the mechanic at Yamaha-Suzuki of Louisville.  The estimate is $450.  He has to replace the clutch pads, springs, flush the gear oil, etc.  It is basiclly (from the sounds of it) just this side of major work.  He said he's ordered the parts and it will be 3-4 days to get them in.  I expect the bike back next week, but I'm gonna run by on Friday and 'check in'.

 

Trailering…yet again

Monday after class, Ralph and I run up to get the bike.  Its good on the way up…Ralph is a very intelligent guy with lots of varied experience.  It’s always cool to talk to him and hear about his experiences.  I have always liked a good yarn…

We get to the VP and Brittney is still there.  We load the bike up and this dude on a little Ninja sportsbike comes over for some small talk.  He says how it looks like a really pretty bike and that “it’s pretty cold.  I don’t blame you for taking it home on a trailer.”  As I told Ralph later that is when I had the energy to want to kill somebody and this guy was it.  I told him.  “It’s not running right.  That’s the ONLY reason I’m not riding it home.  This weather is fine!”

Having already called the shops in town, I knew none were open on Monday.  Ralph was nice enough to let me keep it on the trailer overnight.  Furthermore he was nice enough to haul it over to Yamaha-Suzuki of Louisville for me.  I talked to Ty in the shop and told him about the bike, that it was an 08 with only 2700 miles and I just bought it and had to have it towed and trailered.  I told him that I needed it looked at that day—not necessarily repaired in case they had a huge waiting list—but I needed to know how bad it was.  He was nice enough to get me in.

After school I went over to check.  Sure enough it was the clutch.  The mechanic said that somebody had overly tightened the clutch adjustment and the clutch pads had been rubbing and causing constant friction which is what burned them out.  He said it was not great but not bad.  I said “so are we talking like $1000????”  and he said that it wouldn’t likely be that much even worst-case-scenario.  I was relieved—I had the money to fix it (just barely).  I asked him “what about $500?”  he said with a couple hours and labor it might get into $250-300.  I was relieved.  I told him I know they probably couldn’t work on it right away because I figured a lot of other people were ahead of me.  He said “I was gonna tear it down today and order parts.  I can let you know something for sure tomorrow morning.”

That’s where we’re at right now.

Initial thoughts while on the side of I-65

My primary thought was that I would REALLY like to get my hands around the throat of the guy who sold me this bike.  Quickly after that, I start looking for something I must have done.  My theory was that, with only 2700 miles on the damn bike, how could anyone have possibly screwed it up!?!?!?!?

I think “what about removing the baffles?” and “maybe test riders screwed it up” and “did I hit a button or something” and lastly “he did something to it on purpose”.  I was fit to be tied.  I did something slightly naughty.  I had meant to call my insurance company at Kat’s moms and switch insurance from Molly to the new bike.  I did that asap while sitting in Kat’s charger along the side of the interstate.  One little bright spot—the damn bike was STILL cheaper than my 08 Yamaha Majesty scooter to insure…and with LESS deductible!  Kat called the info for the Indiana State Police to try and get a wrecker.  They were sending someone but he was about 60 minutes out.  We decided we could wait that long.  Almost that time goes by and they call to tell us there’s been a mistake and the first tow truck could not make it. 

This is about the time a state trooper pulls up behind us.  I am sitting here looking at the expired plate on the bike that I never changed.  I am thinking about how I just an hour before got insurance on the vehicle…. Come to find out, he was a really nice bloke.  He warned us of the laws we were breaking without documenting it or writing any citations.  He offered to call dispatch about a tow truck and he ran the VIN on the bike to make sure it wasn’t stolen.  He came back after running the VIN and said it was clean, but “with the laundry list of traffic violations he has, it’s good the seller is getting rid of this bike.”  I thought that was a hoot, but not enough to smile.  We told him we’d already called about a tow and so he asked if we wanted him to wait around until it got there.  I thanked him profusely for his help and told him he didn’t have to stay.

Kat has to pee, and I am frustrated so I call my insurance company to see if I get any free towing.  I explain that I just bought the bike and switched insurance about an hour ago then the bike died on the way home.  The insurance company said they would send someone.  About 10 minutes later a tow truck (sent by the police dispatch) showed up.  He said he was sorry but still had to charge me $65.  It would be another $65-70 for him to tow us into the next town (Columbus Indiana) so we told him to beat it after paying.  Shortly after, the insurance dispatched truck shows up.  He has a regular tow truck—not a flat bed.  Still he says it won’t be a problem and he does this all the time.  He puts the bike in a sling and lifts it with the winch.  The seat bends and pops up!!!  Still it’s too late so we let him haul it.

We end up at a Village Pantry which I have called and spoke to the manager to see if it’s ok to leave it overnight.  She was kind and it’s no problem.  If you’re ever at the VP in Columbus, say hello to Brittney.  I called my friend Ralph who has a trailer and even though he’s at a basketball game, he takes a few minutes to talk and let me know that we can come up Monday with his trailer.  At this point I am too tired and hungry to be upset or anything.  We go to Target to get a couple bicycle cable locks to put through the wheels.  Brittney gives us tape and I tape a note to the bike with my name and phone number and “please do not tow”.

The Suzuki Boulevard C50

I found a couple of these around the area, but didn’t find any right in Louisville.  I wanted to go see one near Munfordville on the weekend.  Kat said she would go with me to look at it but reminded me we were going to Indy on Saturday.  I made arrangements to see the bike on Sunday.  The guy seemed nice.  The bike was an 06 with only 4200 miles on it.  The asking price was $4500 which is right around book value so I thought he might take a bit less.  It was set up with a windshield, saddle bags, and a luggage rack.  I would be sorely missing the storage capacity of Lois (my Yamaha Majesty) so I knew these would be very handy.

I phoned the fellow and he said he had a guy coming to look at it on Saturday but he would call me if it sold.  I told him I would call and check with him.  Saturday came and we rode up to Indy. On the way Kat asked if that was the only bike I liked in the area and if there might be any near Indy.  I produced the print out of another C50 in Indianapolis….  Kat nearly insisted that we go see it.  She is such a total sweetheart! I was surprised, but called to see if it was possible.  The lady (Carolyn) said that it would be fine if we wanted to come and take a look.  We went and saw it.  It was a 2008 with only 2700 miles on it!  It sounded loud, but was a pretty bike.  I told them I would contact them if I made a decision.  I wanted to see the bike near Munfordville first.

I called the guy about the 06 on Saturday night at 9:30 and left him a message.  I thought he would probably get back with me in the morning.  Morning came and I had heard nothing back.  I looked on craigslist and the page was deleted….  We left for Indy with cash and a pretty strong intention to purchase that bike.

We looked, signed papers, signed more papers, and agreed on a price.  They were pretty firm so I ended up paying the full amount.  It was worth it…the bike books for almost $6000 with that kind of low miles!  I found out the reason for the loudness—the jackwagon son who owned it removed the baffles from the pipes.  I am thinking this whole time "I can get new ones to put in”.  Meanwhile the thing wasn’t like Harley loud…  I got my gear on and rode it to Kat’s mom’s house.  I liked how smooth it rode, but I was kinda disappointed about how little torque it seemed to have.  It felt like if you gave it too much gas instead of picking up speed it would just overrev.  Still it was comfortable, looked nice, was shaft driven, fuel injected and my research revealed that it got between 40-50mpg and was not as heavy as Vince’s Burgman.  The son also allowed the right saddle bag to rest on the pipe at one point.  The bag was damaged but not shot.

We did our visiting with Kat’s mom and I just kept having this nagging in my gut about the torque/overreving situation.  I called the son back about it.  He said that he had never noticed anything like that.  I thought perhaps that it’s just the way this particular bike handles.  On the way out of town I resolved to experiment a little and see what’s what.  I found that if you keep it down low in the gear it does fine, so you can accelerate, but the acceleration totally sucked.  It got up to 70+mph on I-65 no problem, it just took it a while to get there.  I was figuring that this is just the way a modern cruiser would ride…  I did some more playing with the throttle and found if you let it just stay ‘overrevved’ for a bit then it would finally grab hold and put you back in the seat with a little g-force.  That was nice to know.  So now it would accelerate, but just had a little lag before doing it.

At this point I would like to state that 99% of my manual transmission experience was with automobiles…

The phenomenon I was experiencing was apparently called “clutch slipping”.

 

Yes, indeed.  I was on I-65, about 35 miles from Kat’s mom’s and suddenly no matter what gear or how much throttle I give it…it is still decelerating!!!  I go from left lane to right lane then finally to breakdown lane.

A new(er) bike…

I have already resolved the motorcycle vs. scooter issue in my brain.  I will always hold scooters first in my heart.  They are easy to ride, perfect to learn on, and fun.  They are great on gas mileage, quirky-cool, and the thinking man’s Harley Davidson.

My problem is that, although I do love scooters first and foremost, they are difficult to find at a deal.  I cannot afford to plunk down $6,000 to $10,000 on a brand new scooter.  I am not wealthy enough to do it on a car either.  So with that as a given, I have always looked for a bargain.  I want a newish bike with low miles for a good price.  This is all but the holy grail when you are talking about a scooter, mainly due to their popularity being so much less than your traditional motorcycle.  It’s the law of averages working against me.

Until I started riding, I never knew the joy and exhilaration.  Once you understand, it becomes like a drug.  It has become a drug I need.  Just the other day somebody who knew my bike was down and I wasn’t riding any asked me how long it had been since I’ve been riding.  My answer was “so long now that I just don’t look before crossing the street anymore…”  The fun I get from riding is a natural mood enhancer that I have come to rely on.  Without that, I am just not right.  If you don’t believe me, ask my fiancée or my kids…

The GS850 has just not been working out like I need it to.  It is a vintage bike which is really cool, but it is old-tech and that’s something that might not be a good decision for me.  I ride year-round if possible.  The Yamaha Majesty was perfect because it had wind protection and fuel injection.  It would start up and go in any weather and give you a pretty comfortable ride wherever you needed.  I have been 20,000 miles to Montgomery Alabama, St. Louis Missouri, Sturgis Michigan, and all over Kentuckiana on that bike.  I needed something more reliable than a 30 year old dog no matter how cool it was.

It was time for me to hit craigslist again.  This time, since practicality had won out over style on the scooter vs. motorcycle issue, I decided to find out what kind of motorcycle I was going to look for.  I had some requirements:

1. Good gas mileage

2. Not a big engine(see number 1)

3. Not too heavy

4. Comfortable

5. Fuel injection

6. Shaft driven

Fuel economy was the primary reason I got onto two wheels.  I was not giving that up for anything else the whole deal was pretty pointless in my brain.  I didn’t want a big engine—firstly for gas mileage, but also I had heard that the more power the worse your insurance will be.  I didn’t want a bike that was too heavy.  The GS850 weighed in at about the same as my buddy Vince’s Burgman 650.  I didn’t want to go much more than that.  The bike had to be comfortable.  If you can’t stand the ergonomics of the bike then its no good.  The scoots excel at that, so I had to have something that was not too bad.  Fuel injection as I have said before was something I have come to need.  I have dealt with carbureted vehicles in the past in both automobile, scooter, and now motorcycle and cold starting always ended up leaving a bad taste in my mouth.  My friend Jeremy warned me about older bikes and the adjustments that needed made and how often that would be required.  That got me thinking about chains and belts in general.  Well, the old 850 was shaft driven, so I was thinking I wanted another shaft drive bike.

I narrowed my search down to two bikes.  The Honda Shadow 750cc, and the Suzuki Boulevard C50 (805cc).  Of the two, I liked the Suzuki better…maybe because of Molly, maybe not.  I started a search on these two bikes and found a few of them for sale on craigslist in the area.

Molly title issues

Sadly, the guy I am (still) trying to buy Molly from has not been in contact with me about the title.  The 81 GS850 is originally from Tennessee and he has never had it transferred to Kentucky.  The County Clerks office explains that even though he signed the back of the title, he cannot legally sell me the bike.  He has to actually have the title in his name first.

On top of that, I have been trying to ride the bike around the parking lot and a couple blocks in the neighborhood and it is difficult.  In order to keep it running, you have to have the choke (manual) pulled out some…actually 3000 rpms.  That makes it hard to get into first and is very difficult to manage.  If you set the choke any lower, it dies at idle.  It likely needs the (four) carbs cleaned out and synched, plus maybe the gaps set.  I am not willing to do that. 

I have decided that they fellow either needs to produce a title (which would allow me to own the bike—even though I have already paid for it!) or take the bike back and refund my money.  I don’t care either way.  It’s a nice bike and would be absolutely perfect with just a bit of work.  Its only real fault is that its old-tech.

Sad...

This weather is depressing me.

Wiring Harness

I got the wiring harness for my Garmin done. Now I just have to attach it. I'm in no huge hurry for that. Snowstorms are on their way again. This is about the time of year I start thinking "the snow isn't sticking on the roads...I should be ok to take the bike..." and looking at the historical data on weather.com to see when it should start getting into the forties.

Molly rocks!

The weather has been for shite the past several days so I have not ridden. Last time I rode the choke kept sinking back down and she was dying at stops. Not cool. The battery the seller included was his old ATV battery (complete with some mud still on it) and I have been wary of it.

Today at about 5pm I went out to start the Suzuki GS850GX (I found that similar to the Majesty, the Suzuki uses a letter to indicate year of manufacture) the G stands for shaft driven and the X stands for 1981. That old gal is a fighter! Even at 23 degrees she battles her way to life with only a couple pushes on the start button! I am quickly falling in love with this bike!

Grrrrrr....

Finally after almost three months I get some wheels and then... . Day 1: rode it home Day 2: rode it a short distance to my sister's and back (almost froze) Day 3: weather forcast calls for snow and rain Day 4: raining (today). . I did find some very good internet resources for specs, diagnosis & troubleshooting the Suzuki GS models... Also (as you can see in the pic) I got my scooter cover to mostly fit Molly (with Ralph's help). I don't feel near as bad about leaving her outside now. . Maybe things will clear up and I will be able to ride Thursday. Tomorrow is professional dress day here at school.

Is she gonna start???

My worst mechanical fears were not realized (for once). Molly, on full choke, grumbled awake with only 3 tries at 40-something degrees. God bless the Japanese!

Molly (named by Kat)

This is my 1981 Suzuki GS850G purchased today in Pendelton, KY and ridden home to Louisville.  I gave Kat the honor of coming up with a name.  I really feel like I am a scooter kind of guy, but this is a nice little bike, well kept, and in very good shape.  I hope to ride it for a while until I find something that is perfect for me.  Who knows...if I get used to this bike, it may end up being with me a while.  I already like the way the large diameter wheels and big cushy seat gives a nice smooth ride.  I rode back KY-42 on the way home and got only got it up to 70mph for just a moment, but it seemed to have plenty of power.  Since I had never ridden a shifting vehicle before, it took some getting used to and I killed it a couple times at stops.  I am familiar with the concept of a clutch from automobiles which probably gave me a great advantage over someone who had never ridden before.

My biggest concern is starting an older carbureted vehicle (with a manual choke) during this colder weather.

Some other ideas

The thing is...there are just a LOT more motorcycles out there than scooters...

Some more examples:

1983 Honda VT500 Ascot - $1800

 

1999 kawasaki 500 vulcan - $1800

 

2001 suzuki sv 650 s - $1950

 

77 CB 750K Stretch cafe - $1200

 

1999 Yamaha V-Star 650 - $2200

 

If you're not too picky (which I can't afford to be at this point in time), then there might be some good bikes out there.  Some of you may be thinking a used bike would be trouble--especially an older one.  But I have found that parts are not usually an issue--somewhere in the world they can be had.  From there it is just finding someone who can work on the bike.  Dealers will not touch anything that is more than ten years old.  That is a statement of fact.  You have to find a trustworthy mom-n-pop place, but there are good ones out there that will service older bikes.  I have already covered the parts availability issue and finding a mechanic when I had the Roketa scooter.  I know this can be worked around.  

The stigma about a used vehicle never bothered me.  If it ain't used when I buy it--it sure as hell will be once I get ahold of it.  I don't purchase bikes to polish and let them sit.  If I had my druthers I would ride everywhere I go, year round.  Not everybody can say that and more than a couple who do might not be telling the whole truth.  

Bottom line:  Being without a bike is not mentally healthy for me.  I have figured this out in the last almost one hundred freakin' days.  Lets just say I don't look before crossing the street no more.

1986 YAMAHA RADIAN 600

1986 YAMAHA RADIAN 600

So, what do you think about this? It would need some saddlebags and a case immediately..

This would probably be my new dream bike.

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/mcy/2155921768.html

The touring package on this bike is pretty awesome.  Too bad it’s about $4K more than I can afford right now.  I have opened my list of possibilities up to include motorcycles.  I feel like I am not right since the demise of my Majesty and I really feel the need to be back on two wheels as soon as possible.  I would like to move up to a Honda Silverwing or a Suzuki Burgman 650, but those are a lot more expensive.  I know the 02 and 03 Silverwings came in a really nice red color…

Vince on Goldwing

While Vince and I was at Station Park Honda picking up the broken mess that used to be my bike, he tried out a Honda Goldwing to see how it felt. I was thinking the behemoth Goldwing doesn't look quite as big with somebody on it...only when its empty and sitting there by itself.

Joe at Station Park Honda

Joe at Station Park is a heck of a guy. He said I have to let him know soon whether he's to put it all back together, or leave it like it is. He said he could even just slap it back together just enough so it would have the rear wheel and roll. He's only charging me an hour of labor right now. He also said no problem if I want to leave it there up to a month and try to find somebody who will buy it for parts.

Epic Fail

My bike is toast. Damage to crank shaft, piston, rings, cams, cam holders, cylinder head. This is basically replacing the entire engine. Nothing can be saved. As my daughter says "epic fail".

What to do?

I contacted all of my mechanically inclined friends for advice. Most of them said "get it to a Yamaha shop for a second opinion" but there were the few people in the scooter group who I know quite well and they insisted SPH would do a good job and were trustworthy. I went in Saturday and although Joe had no clue how it could have happened, he said that after Tueaday and one hour of labor they could tell the full extent of the damage. He called me later on the phone with devestating news. Joe said he suspects that when I did the oil change I put the new oil filter in backwards, and this completely destroyed the engine. I was completely in disbelief. I have changed the oil numerous times, and the way its set up, the filter has a small hole about the size of a pea on one end, and this fits up onto a peg. It has to go that way in order to put the cover back on. I could not believe I had done it wrong. He said he's seen this happen before on other bikes. Most likely I would be looking at a complete rebuild, not just rings, etc. I am gonna get in there on Tuesday so he can show me. I am still in denial...

Blown engine?

Some of you will know that my bike has been in the shop for over a month now. This is prime riding weather for me and its really killing me to be caged. On the tenth of last month, I changed the engine oil, transmission oil, and all the filters (both oil-1 and air-3). I had done this before so I figured I knew what I was doing. After the regular maintenance, my friend Ralph and I took it for a test ride. Between 1/4 and 1/2 mile it had a huge power loss. I turned in at the first side street and it died. I tried to restart with no luck. There were no indicator lights of any sort, so the theory was that perhaps I had sprayed the air filters with a little too much filter oil, causing air starvation. We quickly removed them and tried to restart with no luck. I had dinner & club reservations, and was going to propose to my girlfriend that night so we trailered it back to Ralphs. I came in a day later and changed out the plug thinking lack of air caused it to get too much fuel and flooded, fouling the plug. Changing did no good. Both of us were unsure what to do next, so we decided to take it to the shop. They closest one was Station Park Honda, but they apparantly can work on about any bike. I double checked with them and Yamahas are no problem. The mechanic told me "hopefully it will be something simple like the carburetor." which sort of worried me. My bike is fuel-injected and does not have a carb! I didn't hear from them for about a week, so I went in to see if everything was ok. That's when they told me it would be another two to two and a half weeks before they got to it. I was bummed, but resolved to get it fixed. I went in every week and they said "almost" and "just a couple ahead of you". Finally they got to it on a Friday, and called me with the news. "Your engine is blown and will need a rebuild costing $1000-$2000." I was shocked to find this out because nothing I have done would indicate the bike's engine was ready to go.