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Cruiser
Posts: 52
San Jose, CA | Ran out of gas.
Rode about 600 miles round trip on Saturday to visit my parents for lunch. I really stretched the fuel (with normal riding at 75-80 mph, no trunk) during one portion. Well, when I exited to gas up the bike cut out at a stop sign. Tried turning it over 3 times and nothing. Little town in the middle of nowhere. Really dark at 8:30. I start walking the bike towards the side and try turning it over again and on the second try it comes on. I ride two blocks to gas station and gas up and put just over 6 gallons in to fill it up. The bike was really comfortable and enjoyable to ride. This was my longest ride to date on this bike. I did it in 16 hours. 4 hours there. 4 hours back. 8 in between. It will be interesting to do my Tombstone to San Jose trip next Spring which is about 960 miles in one day. I have a feeling it will be more comfortable then when I've done this in the past.
Almost blown off the road.
On the way south, I took highway 154. I was going about 70 on a hard left curve when I saw a semi coming at me. I thought, wow, this would really hurt if it lost traction. As soon as it went by and I got hit with the wind it was displacing the bike front and back was pushed to the right pretty hard. The front end was loose for a split moment (very tiny minute moment) and the rear for about half as long. Being blown to the right (and towards a barrier and cliff) I lean even harder to the left, the bike/tires had already bitten (regained traction) and I had to instantly back off my lean to stay in my lane. At no point did it feel dangerous or unnatural. It could not have handled that sudden gust of wind in that curve any better. I've come off a VTX and FJR so I know what it is like to get blown around and this was a strong gust, especially to move this heavy bike and it just performed tremendously well. The only thing it could have done better was not get blown at all but from all my years and miles of riding, I know that is not possible in that situation at those speeds. I was going up hill. The truck was coming down hill and it had a double trailer. Awesome bike!
Lay down license plate.
So Sunday, being that both the Raiders and Niners got creamed, I figured I would put on the plate that arrived a couple of days ago. I lined up the plate on the frame and then marked the top holes. I drilled (at an angle into the angled frame) and set up the top holes so that I could put my bolts in there flat. I then cut the top off to get rid of the reflector with a RotoZip. I then used a hacksaw to cut some slots at the bottom so I could bend the frame. I then angled it. I then painted the frame glossy black and attached everything on the bike.
Also took some pictures of my ram cup holder, radar detector and AZ Victory Zumo holder for your enjoyment. Still a work in progress as I will black out dash and front panel and drill hole in dash to run wires but this is where I am now.
Edited by ROBSMST 2009-10-12 9:26 PM
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Cruiser
Posts: 205
| Nice job, nice trip. Looks like you had a great time. Got all 6 gallons in there, with proof! I like it.
Can I get some detail on the lay down plate. I have to do that!
Edited by Mfoster 2009-10-12 9:51 PM
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Cruiser
Posts: 104
| Thank for the post.
Was it really necessary to lock the ram mount for the cup holder? Never had one on mine or the GPS and no one has ever touched them.
Edited by lonestarrider 2009-10-12 10:06 PM
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Cruiser
Posts: 52
San Jose, CA | I will take a picture of what I did with the license plate frame with the plates off so everyone can see the cuts, etc. And I will explain exactly what I did. I pretty much did this without the welding and I cut across in a different spot so I could use the top to drill the top holes.
http://www.vision-riders.com/bb/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=4041&pos...
On the locks, I would say it depends where you park. When I've parked in mass bike parking in downtown San Francisco I've had a Cramp Buster stolen and I never thought anyone would take that but...I now park in a garage when I go to the City but I'm sure something could happen there too.
Also, I know my areas but sometimes I travel out of state or in unknown areas...piece of mind I guess. If anyone wanted to take it even with the lock, I'm sure they would find a way. I would hate to be 1500 miles from home though and not have a radar detector or way to mount my GPS. The inconvenience of not having those items for a long trip bothers me more than them actually being stolen.
Friends had helmets with Autocom headsets stolen off a bike in a nice area. Just sitting there in a lot while we had lunch at a restaurant.
The locks just keep the honest thieves honest I guess. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | $3.40 a gallon for super? It's like $2.59 in Florida. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 137
Houston, Texas | So how many miles did you get on that tank before you ran out of fuel??? |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 725
Reno County, KS | Good for you. Thanks for 1/10 of a point. I almost understood some of it. Islanders love coco. It was Daisy Harrington's fault.
Edited by bigwill5150 2009-10-14 3:15 AM
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Cruiser
Posts: 52
San Jose, CA | STARSHIP 1 - 2009-10-13 8:25 PM
So how many miles did you get on that tank before you ran out of fuel???
244 miles so just about 40mpg |
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Cruiser
Posts: 52
San Jose, CA | cw1115 - 2009-10-13 3:32 PM
$3.40 a gallon for super? It's like $2.59 in Florida.
Yup, we pay a premium out here in CA, especially in the Bay Area. This is a top tier gas station out here plus it was the only one for at least 15 miles in any direction but believe it or not I thought that was cheap. Not rare for premium to get close to $4 around the Bay Area. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 52
San Jose, CA | bigwill5150 - 2009-10-14 1:04 AM
Good for you. Thanks for 1/10 of a point. I almost understood some of it. Islanders love coco. It was Daisy Harrington's fault.
I have to admit that I didn't set out to write Cliff Notes when I made the post. I thought of it more as a brain dump before I forgot my experience. I will be sure to run my next post by someone so it can be reviewed for clarity and meaningfulness prior to making it available to the public. After all, I want to make sure I do my part in making sure all information on the net is accurate and easily interpreted by everyone. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 725
Reno County, KS | LOL I'm so confused. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1484
LaPorte,Tx. | bigwill5150 - 2009-10-14 1:59 PM
LOL I'm so confused.
Well Dorthy, from Kansas, could it be your dreaming.  |
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