Updates from the road

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Tue Aug 17, 2010 6:44 pm

New car, new trailer and a freshly worked over bike: really, what could go wrong?

Not much thankfully. The trailer shimmies a bit between 85 and 115 kph. Swapped in the spare but not much differnce. Went and talked to a tire shop and they felt the tires were OK but the trailer was too lightly loaded. True, it's rated for Gold Wings (800+) and Duck only weighs 250 lbs. So with a bit of joint head scratching they suggested lowering the tire pressures from 35 to 25 psi. Hopefully that will do the trick on the next leg of the journey. Mind I'll stop frequently at first and check the tire temps!

On the way down the tire temps were fine up to 120 kph, just slightly warm to the touch, but they increased dramatically above 125 -- maybe 8" wheels aren't meant to spin that fast? ;-)

Otherwise it tows like a dream.

The Duck is running a treat and is completely oil tight -- wonderous what not overfilling the oil will do. The only problem is me! Speed limit is fine but, when you up the ante, I couldn't properly string together two corners if you installed eyebolts at the apexes and gave me rope. Dunno what's up but the rhythm's not there. Too much praire living is not good for the soul. I guess I'll just have to ride more with the wick a little higher!

Cheers from Nelson

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Wed Aug 18, 2010 9:07 pm

I had a lovely 100 mile ride with my sister today. She of Burgman (sp?) 400 fame. Out of Nelson over the Ymir road, through Salmo and a hard left at Fruitvale. Up hill and over dale, past wineries and a break at the Waneta Dam. Then along the back way into Trail and out to visit our old house in Castlegar. Slurpied up to combat the +34 temps and back to Nelson again.

The Duck behaved faultlessly though a little flat on the top end (probably slightly lean in the moister interior air). Still not a drop of oil anywhere, which is bloody marvelous. Things also went much better after I explained to my sister that her speedo was out by 10 kph! The air cushion from the extra speed helped keep the hands from going numb.

Little bit better at linking corners today though I hear Rossi is not looking for other work just yet.

Nice work if you can get it...

coyoteran · Post by **coyoteran** » Wed Aug 18, 2010 11:36 pm

Sounds like some awesome riding. The combo of the bitsa and a baby burg must turn some heads. Enquiring minds want to know. What did you end up getting for a car and trailer? I have been sort of out of touch.

Just a note for your sister. The speedo on the burg (and almost every modern suzuki bike) is almost exactly 10% high. 90=81, 100=90, 110=99 etc etc etc. Strangely though, the odometer is spot on.

Happy trails
Trevor

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Thu Aug 19, 2010 12:30 am

Surprize, surprize, another Volvo wagon, a V70. We looked hard and long at the VW Golf and Passat wagons but the Volvo was just that little bit bigger. The trailer is a Stinger trailer

http://www.stingertrailer.ca/

If it runs better with the tires at 25 psi, I'll be singing its praises. It's amazing how quickly it folds into an easily manageable package. If it's still a bit shakey, I'll just have to strap a couple of hundred pounds to it!

coyoteran · Post by **coyoteran** » Thu Aug 19, 2010 10:02 am

Nice rig. I looked at them initially but the requirement for a 2spot quickly took it out of contention. The only other one similar to it that I saw was the trailer in a bag 2 spot. But after shipping, canada mods and exchange the aluminum one ended up being the cost winner. Don't think you can go wrong with any of them really.

Ride safe
Trevor

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Thu Aug 19, 2010 11:52 am

So I have been riding with my sister to help her get ready for her interm license test. She's a good rider but her nerves freeze her solid during the the drills. This is her fourth try. Everything was going well: slow speed balance, tight corner, cones, all no problem. The last drill is emergency braking.

They run the obstacle course in a tight parking lot area with a solid wall on one side and curbs with no run out elsewhere: not good at all and worse for some with nerves. She accellerated and then froze on both the throttle and the front brake. Front end slid out and the bike hit the curb HARD. My sister is fine but the forks were bent for a start. Fortuitously the motorcycle shop is just around the corner so I drove her there two up. We'll see an estimate in a day or two.

Sigh...

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Fri Aug 20, 2010 11:59 pm

No estimate yet but it will need new forks and triple trees. I was relived to hear that the frame is straight; it was a pretty hard knock. She's fine but was quite shaken once the shock had worn off.

Been working on my cornering: coming along nicely, thank you. There's one in particular I just love. To get it right at speed, you need to apex before you even can see the corner. It's a real joy to get right. I just nailed it the other day when, to my surprize, there was a Nelson city worker watering flowers in the meridian with his truck parked right in my line! Thankfully I missed...

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Thu Aug 26, 2010 5:41 pm

The lower tire pressure and balancing the wheels -- jumping jimminy, they took a lot of weight!! -- did the trick: no more vibration. I've gone from pleased with the design but concerned about the reality to completely delighted with the trailer. Wait until you see how small it folds.

A couple of short rides on the Duck in Jasper. Still runs like a trooper and dry as a bone. Time to recheck the valve clearances. I left 'em loose initially and, now that everything is bedded in, I'll set to spec and it should be a good deal quieter.

Cheers!

Angelo · Post by **Angelo** » Fri Aug 27, 2010 10:04 am

Just got back from a couple weeks in calif and had a glorious time with the family. Spend 1 week in Monterey/Carmel and 1 week in San Fran. The best of both worlds. Showed up 2 days late and missed the monterey/Carmel car show which was to bad, but I did watch them loading Million dollar cars on amazing trailers for 2 days! One in particular that was a once in a million treat was the 1.3 million dollar barn yard find 289 Cobra. The new owner insisted that all the original dirt inside and out were untouched! Lots of amazing Ferrari's and other European one-off's, pretty cool stuff.

I discovered traveling in San Fran that a person can get in shape pretty damn quick walking through the city (or Die ). There are mainly 3 choices of Rides. Vespa, BMW's riden by vey old men ;0), and Honda elite's ( they were everywhere!)

Visited Barry at The San Fran Scooter Center. Nice people, very busy scooter shop, lots of history. Was lucky enough to be let loose on the 2nd floor to explore the private collection of amazing scooters, I can't even begin to tell you what they had upstairs, all locally bought scooters as well. I couldn't believe that he had an actually D racer in the corner. I promply slipped it into my bag and am wondering when he will notice that it is missing!

We hit one of San Fran's only heat spells this summer that lasted 5 days, (reminding me alot of Edmonton in that respect) so that was cool, and got home in time last nite to almost have the car distroyed by hail! Boy did I miss this place! ;0)

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Fri Aug 27, 2010 10:49 am

Sounds like a great trip Angelo. Glad to hear you resisted temptation and didn't take any illicit Cobra rides. Welcome back to paradise -- sorry about the hail. Won't happen again -- it will be snow!

I hope you took lots of pictures of all the scoots upstairs, especially the D racer. Was that the one in Scoot?

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Fri Aug 27, 2010 4:28 pm

K&N blues: the darn thing needs servicing after riding in a trailer. The air blowing by removes the cleaning oil. I'll have to either carry extra filter oil or wrap it in plastic.

Absolutely miserable in this mountain paradise.

;-)

Angelo · Post by **Angelo** » Fri Aug 27, 2010 6:00 pm

jbcollier wrote:Sounds like a great trip Angelo. Glad to hear you resisted temptation and didn't take any illicit Cobra rides. Welcome back to paradise -- sorry about the hail. Won't happen again -- it will be snow!

I hope you took lots of pictures of all the scoots upstairs, especially the D racer. Was that the one in Scoot?

Hey John, I beat you home? you really are living the life! haha

I didn't get a chance to ask Barry many questions about his collection as he was crazy busy, but I can't imagine there are to many D racers in san Fran, it probably is the one!

The guy loading the truck must have seen the lust in my eyes because he let me sit in the Cobra, it's then that I saw the keys dangling in the ignition many thoughts crossed my mind ( including scenes from bullit and I'm the guy getting away!) I don't think I'll ever get that chance again so It will be cherished..

BTW I almost forgot! I'll be checking the K&N filter on lefty this weekend! thanks for the reminder...

Barry did let me look at the new arrival in his shop that day. the 185 Casa kit and it looked very nice, he thought it looked to tame. Most of the guys in the area are running 225 reed valve kits...

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Sat Aug 28, 2010 2:31 pm

If it looks tame to a chap who hops up scoots all the time, it's probably a perfect set-up for the road.