anyone go for a ride today? Pics?

[Burque73]

Me and the GK (well, most of it) went for late afternoon ride.

When trying to get it started this afternoon, I was thinking of Rons statement about "....going through the carbs one more time", but then after a while it did start (and run well). Can report more on all that later.

But for now, yep, went for ride this afternoon.

Fantastic! So glad to hear it's back together.

I'll bet riding your GK without the fairing was a bit weird. Kinda like running out for the newspaper in your underwear.

 

[Redman]

. . . . . .

I'll bet riding your GK without the fairing was a bit weird. Kinda like running out for the newspaper in your underwear.

Ha !

Yah, I was trying to remember last time I had an unfaired bike. Was Long time ago when that was just normal for me.
Wow. Jeepers, wind EVERYwhere.

AH, do you mean going to front porch? paper delivery tube out at the street? or into town to a store? har har har
Yah, was wind in places I had not experienced in long time.

 

[Redman]

Got fairing and lowers back on Wednesday, and went for ride.

I was thinking:
Man, I like this bike. It seems the handlebars are wide enough and shaped just right , and the steering geometry is just right, so that the arm movement of leaning upper body provides just the right amount of countersteering.
Man, this is comfortable. Man, I missed this bike.
Have been out for hour and half or two. Where is the time clock? Oh, nope.
Was about 50degF when left home, where is the air temp display? Oh, nope.
Could turn on grip heaters for a little bit. Oh, Nope.
Hum, I could put the windscreen down a little bit. No, I can't.
Oh, what? besides all the buzzing and rattling of the fairing, sounds like some engine noise, what? what is that engine noise?

Oh, maybe it is this.......

Rode around in town for a while.
Saw some fall color yet on a few trees.

Stopped for lunch

Headed on state highway out of town for a while.
Then along the river, to this boat ramp park that also has a bayou off the river.
Well past any fall color there.

Was great to take the GK on a ride.

Okay, now maybe I can start on the leaf raking (should have started about 10 days ago, and now has rained the last 2 days).

 

[alke46]

Bike looks very nice Dave. And doesn't it feel so good that you accomplished the work by yourself?

Now you can be almost as comfortable with the mechanical side as you are with the electrical side.

 

[ddaniels]

GK looks new! Nicely done. The wrench though.....Ha!

 

[storm 64]

Dave, your GK looks great Way to go, I tip my hat to you!

 

[Grimly]

Looks like a ten mil just begging for freedom.

 

[2BRacing]

Well done on your overhaul job, Dave - very nice to see you out and about on your GK again!

 

[Redman]

Thanks Larry
THanks Dave
Thanks Norm
THanks Grim
Thanks Ben

I did have to stand there and admire it. ANd was a few times I opened grage door just to look again. ANd then admire the pictures. Is Probably 40 years old now (I should see if has manufacture date on it).

Will see how the engine stays together.
So far, all the oil stays inside, all the exhaust comes out the end of muffler, and the gas gets to carbs and mixes with air into the cylinders.
Havent been over 5K rpm yet. Seems to have more pull than before. ANd the oil fogging is decreasing.
Need to have a good 4 - 5 hour ride. Probably not till spring.

Thanks again.

 

[GS1150Pilot]

Fantastic! So glad to hear it's back together.

I'll bet riding your GK without the fairing was a bit weird. Kinda like running out for the newspaper in your underwear.

That bike looks GREAT without the fairing!

 

[dorkburger]

Great news Dave, and nice pics. The bike look immaculate as usual.

 

[Eli69]

That GK is soooo pretty!

 

[GS1150Pilot]

I did a little 70 mile ride last night to meet a friend at a winery I'd never known about. Great ride, out in the country, no traffic, and live music, good food and a decent glass of wine in there, too. This site doesn't let me upload pics as easily as others, so I won't try to resize the ones I have, and I don't use imgur, etc.. A really nice ride. Unfortunately, my friend got a ticket on her drive home-60 in a 55. Highway Patrol is lame. She was even decelerating after seeing the speed change from 65 down to 55. She's going to fight it, and I'm betting the little traffic troll who popped her won't show in court.

 

[Burque73]

That bike looks GREAT without the fairing!

Indeed. Looks just like mine in fact. Every time I pulled the windjammer off for maintenance I wanted to keep it off. Felt weird riding without it. Wind, weight difference, handling etc, all very different. After finding a headlight and indicators, I ditched the fairing and got a smaller windshield. Minimal wind protection as compared to the Jammer, but as Dave said in another post (paraphrased), after a ride I turn around and look at it before closing the garage door. Sometimes I just open the door to the garage to look at it. I'll even admit to riding by a storefront reflection more than once to see it.

 

[GS1150Pilot]

Absolutely. A small bikini fairing would be perfect on that beast.

 

[ddaniels]

Dave likes the wind protection, which is why he bought the bike in the first place.

 

[Redman]

Dave likes the wind protection, which is why he bought the bike in the first place.

Yep.

Go to http://www.thegsresources.com/botmgallery.php and check out the September 2015 motorcycle.

Third paragraph.

 

[bwringer]

Congrats, Dave. Nothing like the feeling of a pile of parts turning back into an engine, and the moment it starts for the first time...

 

[Redman]

Congrats, Dave. Nothing like the feeling of a pile of parts turning back into an engine, and the moment it starts for the first time...

Thanks.
Yah, came a time I said "hey, no parts left on work bench. So I guess should be ready to start it. Oh, wait, maybe should get some oil in it."

Then was over hour and half of it not starting. . . . I'll skip all those details of checking for spark, checking for gas flow out petcock, checking for gas in bowl, quick check compression, checking air filter, checking for gas on plugs (nope), deliberating if should use starter fluid (nope), check stuff again, thinking that maybe have to "go thru carbs one more time". Was beginning to get discouraged. Then it made a little blurble, then next time it started, and all four pipes getting warm then hot ! Yeahhh!

Had to go for ride, but didnt have fairing on (post of Nov 7th).

Then couple days later, got all the fairing and related stuff out of basement work shop, and then got all that stuff on.
Had to go for ride then again (post of Nov 11).

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Got fairing and lowers back on Wednesday, and went for ride.

I was thinking:
Man, I like this bike. It seems the handlebars are wide enough and shaped just right , and the steering geometry is just right, so that the arm movement of leaning upper body provides just the right amount of countersteering.
Man, this is comfortable. Man, I missed this bike.
Have been out for hour and half or two. Where is the time clock? Oh, nope.
Was about 50degF when left home, where is the air temp display? Oh, nope.
Could turn on grip heaters for a little bit. Oh, Nope.
Hum, I could put the windscreen down a little bit. No, I can't.
Oh, what? besides all the buzzing and rattling of the fairing, sounds like some engine noise, what? what is that engine noise?

Oh, maybe it is this.......

Rode around in town for a while.
Saw some fall color yet on a few trees.

Stopped for lunch

Headed on state highway out of town for a while.
Then along the river, to this boat ramp park that also has a bayou off the river.
Well past any fall color there.

Was great to take the GK on a ride.

Okay, now maybe I can start on the leaf raking (should have started about 10 days ago, and now has rained the last 2 days).

Yes it was a GREAT day to ride in western Michigan. Your bike looks GREAT again Davey!!!