Friday, May 27, 2011
Mechanical Problem?
Starting about a month ago my Ducati has made a metallic creaking sound when I got off the bike or put it on the centerstand. At first it was just an occasional thing but lately it has gotten worse, or maybe I'm just more aware of the noise. Thinking that it was merely a lack of lubrication on the shock mounting points I took the entire shock assembly apart and lubricated all the parts. Still had this darn noise. Since I had reached the limit of my ability to fix the problem I took the bike to Redline in Yorktown. John took the bike right in to the service techs and they ended up disassembling most of the rear suspension. Bottom line, there was an assembly problem that might have dated back to when the engine was rebuilt. Now everything is back together and the bike seems to be 100%. I'd like to point out that the shop is extremely busy and a bit under staffed but they still took care of my problem so I could make this trip with peace of mind...even though I had no appointment. Yes, I have been a good customer over the years but this kind of service and consideration is priceless. Thanks to John, Dave, and J.B.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Getting the bike set up for a long trip
"This is not my first rodeo"...that's supposed to tell everyone that I have done this kind of long trip before. What it really means is that I'll make mistakes this time that I have either not made before or forgot in my old age. Let me show you my best guess as to what will make this trip a success:
This is what I think the bike will look like for the trip. I have two panniers (hard bags) and one soft bag for all my stuff. That should allow me to carry about 50% more than I really need but at least I can leave home thinking that I am ready for heavy rain, snow, searing heat, and everything in between. That's not an exaggeration. Oh, and I have an almost new front tire along with a brand new rear tire. The rear might not make the entire distance, expected to be about 8,000 miles but that's about all you can expect from a motorcycle rear tire in this day and age.
Maybe I'm just a coward but I carry a few tools with me even though these bikes are really dependable. Still, they are made and maintained by humans. The worst breakdown I ever had was my own fault! Here's my tool kit. You can see that it's pretty simple.
I have modified the bike over the years. Now I have a controller for heated gear, a volt meter, and the control for the automatic oiler (this bike is chain drive, you need to keep the chain lubricated or it will live a much shorter life).
There is a long story with this but the short version is that I had to have the engine rebuilt and that led to quite a few modifications for more power, smoother running, and longer life. One of those was an aftermarket exhaust. It's too bad that the new exhaust is not compatible with a centerstand. As a result I had to make a new chain guard which also does double duty as a stop for the centerstand. You can see that this is safety wired because if the guard falls off the centestand will hit the chain. That would be a real pain in the ass!
While we are at this part of the bike I'll show the dual feed for the oiler. It puts oil right on the rear sprocket so there is nothing wasted. An oiled chain is a happy chain.
The Pro Oiler system requires an oil bottle and pump. I made a bracket for both and mounted it where I can easily add oil. This much automatic transmission fluid will get me abut 3500 miles!
Knock on wood, I have never run out of gas on this motorcycle. A couple times I was really worried and it was not fun. We will be traveling in some pretty remote places so a bit of extra fuel will make me feel better. I'm also carrying extra water. If you break down in June you really appreciate having something to drink. This also shows how I think I'll secure my soft bag.
Sitting on the saddle this is what I'm seeing, the GPS is on the left.
My windscreen (windshield) is larger than stock and it shakes with the wind. I decided to stabilize that and the mirrors by making some brackets. This is untested so I can hardly wait to see if my 'good idea' stands the test of the open road.
As a final bit of farkle I added a sticker to each hard bag.
Maybe I'm just a coward but I carry a few tools with me even though these bikes are really dependable. Still, they are made and maintained by humans. The worst breakdown I ever had was my own fault! Here's my tool kit. You can see that it's pretty simple.
I have modified the bike over the years. Now I have a controller for heated gear, a volt meter, and the control for the automatic oiler (this bike is chain drive, you need to keep the chain lubricated or it will live a much shorter life).
There is a long story with this but the short version is that I had to have the engine rebuilt and that led to quite a few modifications for more power, smoother running, and longer life. One of those was an aftermarket exhaust. It's too bad that the new exhaust is not compatible with a centerstand. As a result I had to make a new chain guard which also does double duty as a stop for the centerstand. You can see that this is safety wired because if the guard falls off the centestand will hit the chain. That would be a real pain in the ass!
While we are at this part of the bike I'll show the dual feed for the oiler. It puts oil right on the rear sprocket so there is nothing wasted. An oiled chain is a happy chain.
The Pro Oiler system requires an oil bottle and pump. I made a bracket for both and mounted it where I can easily add oil. This much automatic transmission fluid will get me abut 3500 miles!
Knock on wood, I have never run out of gas on this motorcycle. A couple times I was really worried and it was not fun. We will be traveling in some pretty remote places so a bit of extra fuel will make me feel better. I'm also carrying extra water. If you break down in June you really appreciate having something to drink. This also shows how I think I'll secure my soft bag.
Sitting on the saddle this is what I'm seeing, the GPS is on the left.
My windscreen (windshield) is larger than stock and it shakes with the wind. I decided to stabilize that and the mirrors by making some brackets. This is untested so I can hardly wait to see if my 'good idea' stands the test of the open road.
As a final bit of farkle I added a sticker to each hard bag.
Monday, May 23, 2011
D-17, Two and 1/2 weeks to go
This will be my 5th Walkabout. No, not a hiking trip (someone asked me that last week). The idea is to take a long motorcycle trip with a known destination but no other plan. The exact timing and route are all flexible. What is known is that Mark Finkler and I will leave Roanoke, Virginia, on 10 June. We want to be in Weaverville, California, on 16 June to meet up with my west coast Ducati friends. After the rally Mark and I will go about 150 miles to see his brother. From there we will wend our way east. The trip will take about two weeks, maybe a few extra days if we get distracted.
Some background: Mark and I met through my brother, David. Both of them live in Roanoke and David is the local Norton expert. Mark bought a Norton and needed help. They became close friends. I met Mark when he went to Daytona Bike Week with David about 10 years ago. Over the years we have talked about taking a motorcycle trip together. About 5 years ago David and I did a Walkabout. It was memorable and the source of many tall tales. Mark and I decided to do a similar trip in 2009, to Alaska. That was an adventure which is chronicled on another blog. Now Mark is semi retired so we have decided to take a slightly shorter trip but one with the potential for lots of adventure.
Over a few adult beverages we have considered a slew of ideas for this journey. One goal is or Mark to qualify for the Iron Butt Association Saddle Sore 1000. That's 1000 miles in 24 hours. I have done that a couple times so it can't be out of reach for a normal person. We will leave Roanoke at about 0400 and stop somewhere in Oklahoma, right after we log the required 1000 miles. Since we are focused on rolling up the miles we will stick to the Interstate system at least for the first day. We enjoy the numbered US highways more (US66, US50, US2) so we will get off 'the slab' whenever possible. This year we need to be extra flexible due to the flooding in the mid west and recent tornadoes. These natural disasters can cause us big problems because the people who are displaced will be taking up all the motel rooms for hundreds of miles and that could easily affect us. That happened to us when David and I went west a few years ago.
Since I have had a few months to get ready I think I have the mechanical side of things set. My Ducati Multistrada 1000DS is running like a sewing machine. Dave Lillard at Redline Motorsports did a total engine rebuild after the 2009 experience and I have had time to work out any small kinks left from the rebuild. In short, the bike should be ready. I'll post photos and a writeup of my mods at a later date. Right now I am planning to take extra fuel and water even though I have never run out of fuel. Nevertheless, the few times that I have come close to empty each made a big impression. The down side to the extra fluids is storage and it means I will not be able to carry a top case. That's my most waterproof case and it's a big deal when you need to quickly don rain gear or get out a dry map. In a week I will do a dry run of about 500 miles to test out my gear and make last minute adjustments. That trip will be to Marlinton, West Virginia, for our annual Ducati Sport Touring Gathering (aka East Coast Madness).
As I wait for the Marlinton trip I find myself sorting through gear in my mind. All the stuff is laid out already but I look at the weather map showing 90+ temps and then throw in more hot weather stuff. Next I see that the Rockies have huge amounts of snow still in place so I add more cold weather stuff. In short, I will have to do some serious weeding to get down to a manageable load. Every trip is like this. Maybe it would be best if I just waited until an hour before departure and pack then. Too bad that's just not in my nature. I WILL be down to two pannier bags by the 9th when I leave for Roanoke.
Some background: Mark and I met through my brother, David. Both of them live in Roanoke and David is the local Norton expert. Mark bought a Norton and needed help. They became close friends. I met Mark when he went to Daytona Bike Week with David about 10 years ago. Over the years we have talked about taking a motorcycle trip together. About 5 years ago David and I did a Walkabout. It was memorable and the source of many tall tales. Mark and I decided to do a similar trip in 2009, to Alaska. That was an adventure which is chronicled on another blog. Now Mark is semi retired so we have decided to take a slightly shorter trip but one with the potential for lots of adventure.
Over a few adult beverages we have considered a slew of ideas for this journey. One goal is or Mark to qualify for the Iron Butt Association Saddle Sore 1000. That's 1000 miles in 24 hours. I have done that a couple times so it can't be out of reach for a normal person. We will leave Roanoke at about 0400 and stop somewhere in Oklahoma, right after we log the required 1000 miles. Since we are focused on rolling up the miles we will stick to the Interstate system at least for the first day. We enjoy the numbered US highways more (US66, US50, US2) so we will get off 'the slab' whenever possible. This year we need to be extra flexible due to the flooding in the mid west and recent tornadoes. These natural disasters can cause us big problems because the people who are displaced will be taking up all the motel rooms for hundreds of miles and that could easily affect us. That happened to us when David and I went west a few years ago.
Since I have had a few months to get ready I think I have the mechanical side of things set. My Ducati Multistrada 1000DS is running like a sewing machine. Dave Lillard at Redline Motorsports did a total engine rebuild after the 2009 experience and I have had time to work out any small kinks left from the rebuild. In short, the bike should be ready. I'll post photos and a writeup of my mods at a later date. Right now I am planning to take extra fuel and water even though I have never run out of fuel. Nevertheless, the few times that I have come close to empty each made a big impression. The down side to the extra fluids is storage and it means I will not be able to carry a top case. That's my most waterproof case and it's a big deal when you need to quickly don rain gear or get out a dry map. In a week I will do a dry run of about 500 miles to test out my gear and make last minute adjustments. That trip will be to Marlinton, West Virginia, for our annual Ducati Sport Touring Gathering (aka East Coast Madness).
As I wait for the Marlinton trip I find myself sorting through gear in my mind. All the stuff is laid out already but I look at the weather map showing 90+ temps and then throw in more hot weather stuff. Next I see that the Rockies have huge amounts of snow still in place so I add more cold weather stuff. In short, I will have to do some serious weeding to get down to a manageable load. Every trip is like this. Maybe it would be best if I just waited until an hour before departure and pack then. Too bad that's just not in my nature. I WILL be down to two pannier bags by the 9th when I leave for Roanoke.
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