anyone go for a ride today? Pics?

[trevor]

Met my friend Jay for lunch at wheelies yesterday. Jay started a neat little business a few years ago...He picks people up coming in on the cruise ships and takes them around Victoria for a few hours until their ship leaves again. Takes two people, one in the sidecar and the other on the back with him. Charges $225 for 3 hour ride. He now has a couple of bikes in service. Thought it would be a fun thing to do.
http://sidecarvictoria.com/




Last night my buddy Mark came over for some garage time and darts. Went out today for about 75km ride. Great day!

 

[Jedz123]

Nice stopper on that Ural!!! Really cool business venture. My old man wanted to do something similar for VT. He never followed through and I didn't really want to step down from my career to join. Maybe when I get into retirement???

Dave what is that cruiser a Vulcan?

Enjoy the weather boys and make the best of it. I really wish we could get some of that record warmth my way... Just the polar opposite. (yeah there was a pun there)

Ride safe, have fun and keep the pics rolling!!!

 

[bccap]

Went for a little cruise around the city and stopped at a beach. Should have rolled that garbage can out of the way but oh well.......

 

[1948man]

Short Breakfast Adventure ride to a country restaurant in Lake City, Fl. Good food. About 100 miles total. Temps supposed to hit 80 F later today. No pics. I never think to take any until my brother is leading and in a hurry. Refreshing ride. Bike is good.

 

[Hayabuser]

Nice stopper on that Ural!!! Really cool business venture. My old man wanted to do something similar for VT. He never followed through and I didn't really want to step down from my career to join. Maybe when I get into retirement???

Dave what is that cruiser a Vulcan?

Enjoy the weather boys and make the best of it. I really wish we could get some of that record warmth my way... Just the polar opposite. (yeah there was a pun there)

Ride safe, have fun and keep the pics rolling!!!

Yup, Vulcan 1700... aka: the worst bike I have ever had to ride. Why do people spend good money on bad stuff like this?

 

[Jedz123]

Yup, Vulcan 1700... aka: the worst bike I have ever had to ride. Why do people spend good money on bad stuff like this?

Because some people think chrome is important. They are basically paying the premium on metal for those boehmeths are so loaded with chrome and steel. It's basically investing in a mobile scrap yard... Oops did I just say that out loud?

 

[Jedz123]

Maiden Voyage out!

So the roads are clear finally but the snow pack left ALLOT of sand and salt. So I couldn't really "get after it". The sheer power this bike has is crazy. Tire would let go on anything over half throttle in any gear on this crap, I did hook up well 2nd into 3rd on a clean stretch and it felt like my innards were going to escape through my mouth... Wow. It's a frickin' rocket. The ride is very smooth and the brakes are great. The roll on in 6th gear at 2K RPM is ridiculous. the thing has torque EVERYWHERE. Might need to adjust the foot pegs but all in all, I really love this bike.

No buyers remorse here... Only could get 15 miles on before calling it quits and bringing it home. It was my only shot to ride this month so I took it. tomorrow the single digits return and more snow afterward... But I got a glimpse of spring!!! FINALLY!

 

[trevor]

Glad you got out Justin! Bike looks great too!

I washed my 83..hadn't washed it since last Sundays ride up to Tofino. And washed the rain (bmw) bike too. Great day, first time this year washing the bikes in short sleeves.

I ran into the Manchip family at Wheelies....Looking good guys!!

 

[sinkankan]

Jed, for some chroming is a viable alternative when restoring a GS, I'd rather have chrome plate than the zinc plating Suzuki used as a coating on bolts and other components, which just corrode before your eyes.

 

[Jedz123]

Jed, for some chroming is a viable alternative when restoring a GS, I'd rather have chrome plate than the zinc plating Suzuki used as a coating on bolts and other components, which just corrode before your eyes.

I really Wasn't going after the GS crowd on that... Hell I bought my B-King because of the look and I love the nice chrome accents. I loved my GS750L and it had allot of chrome too. I was saying when people buy a bike because of the chrome and with nothing else in mind. Allot of guys I know ride the huge cruisers around because they "look and sound" cool. You have a 900lbs bike powered by an inferior Oil cooled V-twin engine, clearly the whole budget for the machine went into the chrome covers, highway bars, sissy bars, fenders, engine accents, huge handle bars, exhaust, nuts, bolts etc... Chrome plating isn't cheap but an oil cooled V-twin with a 5-speed tranny is. The GS's Look fantastic with chrome. But you Didn't buy a GS because of how shiny it was... Did you?

 

[Hayabuser]

We had a great maiden voyage out in the hack today! Great to have it back on the road again.

 

[Alex]

I would have loved to go for a ride, really had the itch lately but it was minus 10 degrees celsius here today. Felt balmy compared to the -23 it was yesterday without the wind chill.

 

[bobgroger]

Took the GS out today to Enumclaw, on the way to Mt. Rainier. Sunny and mid 50s.

Mt. Rainier in the distance (sorry for the bad photography)

 

[Jedz123]

We had a great maiden voyage out in the hack today! Great to have it back on the road again.

Dave, She is sooo Damn Cute!!!!

Glad you guys had a great day!!

 

[trevor]

Took the GS out today to Enumclaw, on the way to Mt. Rainier. Sunny and mid 50s.

Mt. Rainier in the distance (sorry for the bad photography)

Thanks for the pics...your G looks awesome!

 

[bobgroger]

Oh... yah.
I left out that detail.

The splines between clutch and transmission stripped out.
Dealer has pretty much confirmed that, just this afternoon.

On this (and similar) BMW models that is a $3500 repair. Requires removing everything from rear of engine back just to gain access to the clutch area. And replacing the transmission input shaft requires complete disassembly and rebuild of transmission. THis failure is a known problem on the redesigned for 2002 6 speed transmission. And BMW never did anything about it.
I read a lot about this AFTER I bought the bike, and could yammer on about it more than anyone would likely care to hear.
So that is why I pretty much figured out that this is what happened about 3 seconds after it happened. But then I figured I had better quit trying to diagnose the mechanical problem ... and deal with the fact that I was just coasting at 75 then 70 then 65mph on a 4 lane interstate in the 3rd lane and needed to work my way over to the right as quick as possible without getting hit. I did have to wait for one car to get past me to move to the 2nd lane then got to 1st lane but by then there was the start of an exit ramp lane and had to deal with a car there (don't recall specifics). On other side of the exit lane was only a lot of room and then a curb.

At this point, I am assuming it is a complete loss.
But don't really know how it will proceed with the dealer.
Interesting thing is that before this had happened, I had meet the dealer owner/manager on one occasion. And on a ride I meet one of the head salesman. Both of which recognized me when I came in on the tow truck, and both of which say they will do what they can to help me out.

If you have heard that BMWs are expensive to own and maintain.
Well, in my case, so many thousand dollars, rode it for so many days, works out to about $900 a day.

.

Redman,
Found a Youtube video partially covering the job. Looks hard, but do-able by a reasonably skilled DIYer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INEhEkE6ejM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8do1oqeTzw
Hope this helps, or maybe you can find a local GSer willing to help

 

[bobgroger]

Thanks for the pics...your G looks awesome!

Thanks. It is an unrestored survivor, was parked inside for 18 years. Other than cleaning the fuel system and tank, and replacing all the 34 year old brake parts and other normal stuff, it is like a time capsule.

 

[Jedz123]

Took the GS out today to Enumclaw, on the way to Mt. Rainier. Sunny and mid 50s.

Mt. Rainier in the distance (sorry for the bad photography)

Thanks. It is an unrestored survivor, was parked inside for 18 years. Other than cleaning the fuel system and tank, and replacing all the 34 year old brake parts and other normal stuff, it is like a time capsule.

Truly a gorgeous specimen! Great to see such a nice GS still out and about. You guys out west really can keep your bikes pristine huh???

I'll be taking one from the book of Trevor and learning how to keep a MC spotless... Now that I have a machine that actually cleans up nice.

Keep the PIcs coming Bob, They aren't bad at all.

 

[sinkankan]

Just wondering, because I have the same bike, how rare are those black front guards.

 

[Jedz123]

I was super hesitate at first to post this... I lost the Go-Pro off the bike mid ride, no worries it's a go-pro it was no worse for the wear. tried to film some first impressions...

Oh well taking the B-king out for a spin!