Normally I have Friday's off but this week was one of those old fashioned Fivers so Saturday morning found me taking care of the types of things normally completed on my Off Weekday. That meant I really didn't get started on the bikes until later in the afternoon so getting 4 of the herd out for a little squinty sunshine was an accomplishment I'm proud of. It was a very nice day to be behind the bars, if only just barely on those 4.
Today there was a more dedicated attempt at actually riding and two of them actually had their fluids warmed (hot) and flowing.
I wasn't the only one just getting started this season.....Paul and Marietta had the diner opened up and it was great to see them again. Dave and I met for an early lunch and had a chance to get a few words in with both of them as the noon rush was taking place. There were many "welcome backs...." back and forth as Dave and I finished our smoked meat lunches.
Lock and Dam #4 is holding back this mottled ice; the river as ever determined to be 100% liquid as soon as possible.
The railroad knows no seasons like we riders and the river boats do.
Hanson Road.....yes, we found some soft and gooey but none of it was really all that bad. Our driveway back home is still worse.
Dave isn't pushing, rather getting some water out for our 4 legged companion Justin.
Dave and I easily could have and would have put a lot more miles on (did ~100) but I was anxious to get back home to take another bike out for a spin. Dave followed me home and I swapped Tran Zalp for Brutus. It's not running as well as it should but we'll get there; its lean condition will be corrected. A lot of fun to ride, we're going to be good friends and has been a rewarding project. Son Ben has taken all of my machines (that run) for test rides and hasn't always been very impressed though politely kind but he came back yesterday with a huge and very genuine smile on his face. "That's fun" and he's right....it is.
Today Dave and I made a 40 mile loop for afternoon coffee and the old Yamaha did really well. I'll see if I can't with a bit of TLC get the king and queen seat back in shape, the finishing touch to this fine machine. Again, many thanks to both Mark and Mike for sourcing this thing, extra parts they had "laying around" and for the technical help. I'm far from an expert but I do know more than I did a year ago. New shocks and tires to be added soon which should put this combination in the Good To Go category.
Now to get the others out on the road. Cooler weather is coming, much more normal for Minnesota in March but I'm convinced and we all hope that we're finally over the hump.
The first ride of the season no matter how short is sweet! Keeping fingers crossed about you being over the hump, & hoping it's warm weather from here on out.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dar, we're way better than we were just a couple of weeks ago but this week we settle back to mid-March reality. Still, the (accumulated) snow is gone, frost is coming out and though there will still be nights of freezing, 0 is just about out of the question....or so they say. We've seen snow in May, hopefully a record that will be untouched.
DeleteDoug I dug into my heated grips only to discover that the right grip is toast. Probably a break in the element somewhere in that mass of rubber. Serve me right for believing that the Oxford grips made in the far east were likely to be as good as the Hot Grips made in the US.
ReplyDeleteNow I need to buy some Hot Grips pronto. I hate cold hands.
When I buttoned the Vespa back up, I hit the starter and it fired right up, as if it hadn't been snoozing these last four months or so. Felt good, but there still too much snow to venture out.
David, I've come so close to trying the temporary wraps on the grips but just haven't done it so far. A few of my handlebars have some variation of bar end protection and so far, I've not chosen to ride, at least very far, when "colder than that" is present.
DeleteIt's been a wimpy start in my case this year. Sunday I waited for 50, my traditional >50=Fun and <50=I Can Do This? threshold. I have to say, I was very comfortable, certainly comfortable enough but I do understand. As a very recent customer of heated seats in the car, I'm quickly wondering how I ever got along without them. Better luck with your next pair!
Heated grips may be just around my corner too.
Your Vespa did well. One of mine was very stubborn over the weekend, to the point I was both exhausted and threatening to push it out into the tall grass and give it a very long timeout. Luckily for both of us, the next day it popped after just one kick, a couple more and it was running and things have been fine since then. The EFI models seemed a lot more willing.
I don't know how you keep up with all of the bikes. I have a hard enough time with just two. Are there some favorites?
ReplyDeleteRichard, you are right and right to be skeptical. None of them are treated as lovingly as mine have been in the past. I suppose I count on the fact that the important things get done and there's always that ..."well I've got a spare."
DeleteSome favorites yes and yet every time I feel pressured to respond, a ride on the next one brings a big smile and second and third thoughts. The best answer would be it's a big family and they all have their gifts.
Hooray for warmer weather and first rides of the season!!
ReplyDeleteThat Yamaha sure is pretty.
Brandy, I was thinking about it yesterday while tooling along and it hit me that for so many Springs in the past, my first ride felt so fresh, new and different. Honestly, I wasn't feeling it yesterday (and I thought about it a lot). Found myself thinking more along the lines of "just where we left off."
DeleteMaybe my new decade has a bit of crust on it. The excitement was down, the contentment up.
Ooh, thanks for the "pretty" comment. It came in as an ugly duckling, I expected more of that to continue and with only a small bit of scraping the thick stuff off and a bit of rubbing out the surface rust on the chrome, it's looking far better than I thought it would. To be true, I was confident about what was underneath all that smegma and with the level of restoration that I give them, say 6-7%, knew that I'd have something worth both my time and to keep. Again, it's going to be fun.
DeleteGood for you! I can see a lot of (cafe racer? Yes? Please?) potential in this lil' Yammy of yours. Curious what you might do with it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sonja, a Cafe bike huh?? I never even considered that and starting with a bike in the "Special" category, I'd have my work cut out for me. There's still a bike in the garage that was headed in the Cafe direction and most likely still is.....someday. For now, I think I'll keep the ol' '78 as is so that we can share a ride adventure or two before I change anything.
DeleteI suppose I'd better knock on wood over that "adventure...." comment. That potential is rather large though Mike says this one should always get me home. :)
O'Blue is start'n to look good... No K and Q seat...or I'll point and snicker... :)
ReplyDeleteYou're implying that a stylish saddle to hook up with that very lonely sissy bar is a bad thing then.
DeleteIt's like an arch without a load!
Just nice to get out on ANY bike or scooter...or even on foot! :-)
ReplyDeleteDeb, you've got that right. Just breathing air that doesn't freeze dry the lungs is a blessing!
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