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Tourer
Posts: 444
Bay of Gigs, WA | Just got back from an 800 mile ride/camping trip with ten bikes: 7 hogs, 1 V-Rod a Yamaha FJR1300 and me, Sunday. Rode over Snoqualmie Pass and down to Umatilla, OR, camped out and had a ball, rode west and played Frisbee inside the Stonehenge replica at Maryhill, back to Umatilla, then home over Chinook Pass, where the snow was piled about 10-15 feet on either side of the road, although the road was dry as a bone and the temp didn't get below 63 on my "radio dial."
No troubles at all save a little monkey butt after four hours or so in the saddle and, of course, that squeaky belt thing. But I had a can of silicone spray in the saddlebag and squirted what I could reach each time we stopped (which was a lot, given the reduced range of the V-Rod and the even shorter range of a couple of the guys prostates, LOL), so no one even knew the squeak existed. I had earlier put belt dressing on it, mistakenly thinking it would cure the squeak, but it only made it a "grinch-grinch-grinch" sound, so the silicone lubed and quieted it down. I hope eventually the belt dressing will wear away and I won't have to spray it so much, but in the meantime I do dig the big boobies the bike is growing since I've been using it. With a stock motor save the new flash that came with the S1L2 exhaust, it averaged 48.3 mpg over all, using middle grade gas. Lots of 60-65 mph riding over the high eastern deserts of WA and OR due to the limited cruising speeds of my cohorts. For the money, Harleys oughta cruise faster than they do, don'tcha think? | |
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Tourer
Posts: 444
Bay of Gigs, WA | Also, one of the hog riders described my Vic ('08 Street) as a hovercraft. I wasn't exactly offended. I kinda liked it.
Edited by rainryder 2011-06-29 5:50 PM
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Tourer
Posts: 599
New Mexico | Ahh, memories. I have been the exact same route - beautiful! I Loved riding those roads, the snow piled high like that on each side, yet warm and dry.
Will be in your area over the 4th (flying in), but coming back in August on the bike.
Edited by Boots 2011-06-29 6:00 PM
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Cruiser
Posts: 262
Flowery Branch Ga | Try a little Carmex on each tooth of the belt. I had the same problem about 3-4000 miles ago. My local dealer mech told me the trick. I haven't needed to re-apply yet.
Wayne | |
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Tourer
Posts: 444
Bay of Gigs, WA | Got to admit-Carmex never occurred to me. I do have some Chapstick-now, that is. My lips chapped so bad over in the desert I look like some escapee from a Clint Eastwood movie. See, there's no such thing as chapped lips on the western side of the Cascade Mountains, that I was aware of. So I'm thinkin' of fillin' a pot with melted beeswax and dunking my face in it. Kinda stupid about the sun, since I really got no true experience with it...
Boots-When you ride this way, let me know. We'll have a beer and ride some of the most impressive Peninsula roads you could imagine. Weather permitting, LOL
Edited by rainryder 2011-06-29 7:09 PM
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Tourer
Posts: 394
Tucson, AZ | Harley makes a poly oil lube that works well. I use it on my belt and it lasts for a long time. | |
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Tourer
Posts: 444
Bay of Gigs, WA | Thanks! I'll check that out. | |
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Tourer
Posts: 599
New Mexico | rainryder - 2011-06-29 6:05 PM
Boots-When you ride this way, let me know. We'll have a beer and ride some of the most impressive Peninsula roads you could imagine. Weather permitting, LOL
Thanks for the invite! Coming up for a wedding and will be tight on time, but will try to make it happen.
I lived there for about 25 years (Bremerton, Gig Harbor, Port Orchard), so am very familiar with those great roads. If I got to enjoy them more than 2-3 months a year I would still be there!
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Visionary
Posts: 2118
Pitt Meadows, BC Canada | Just did 5,400 km (3000+ miles) thru Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Arizona. Not ONE bike of any description passed us. And I passed many - cruising comfortably at 130km/h for most of the trip (80 mph or so). I cannot abide riding in a 'herd' - which is what happens if I travel any slower. That is too unsafe - for any biker. Every cop I passed waved at us - and never hassled us - and there were MANY ! I passed several cruisers who were travelling at the speed limit (just don't be moving 'a lot' faster than them) - they understand why - and leave you alone.
When entering towns - I KNOW they will be there - so use some sense.
As for the belt - I guess my dealer does a great job because I have only heard a squeak or two for the first 1/4 mile - only in winter when the bike has sat for a couple of weeks. And not a sound anytime on the long trip. We are now in the 4th season of ownership - and belt has never been an issue.
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Long ride-for me...