Off for an East Coast run. Going to be the longest ride yet on the Interstate. Through some 'upstairs' NY, VT, NH, Maine and up to Canadian East Coast. Woo-Hoo!!!
Considering the claptrap, unsafe, cultist bike, I did a couple of shakedown cruises in the past few days. Sorta-kinda doubt that it will make the trip. Some observations:
My key problem is the rider - moi - and my tenet to never put something off for later, if it can be avoided all-together.
- Cup/Drink holder. Had a few but they all sucked. After a search here, the one that most appeals to me is Barefoot Willy's. No swivelling. Not sure if parts stores carry them and I might stumble on one along the way, but for now it's the ol' pockets.
- 100 miles and my butt aches. Should have popped for a KingBoy long ago. But nooooo...waited for a 'deal'.
Are sheepskins generic, or tailored to various bikes? Might scoop some if the former.
Those are the two key issues that make me lose sleep. No coffee and a sore ass? Honda sucks.
That, and my second alternator cover is bubbling. If it gets worse along the way, might have to cut the trip short.
Damn highway pegs! Have a nice set sitting here but still haven't installed. Scared of cutting into the airvents on the lower bars. Maybe I'll bring them and...uhm...while sitting at a motel I could...or not.
Ditto with my iffy starter switch. Somehow didn't get around to it...
As far as that mechanical stuff. Hmmm... I did a pre-flight walk-around. Pretty sure there's still oil in the engine, and air in the tires (they look round and all).
Ticking / knocking at idle. Searched here and I'm quite sure it's the Pair (Pare?) valves and I'm not about to throw a rod or something. Especially since it's not constant; i.e.: there are pauses at times in the noise.
Backfiring. Probably exhaust gaskets, combined with the fact that I have Mr. T's 4-inch turnout stacks and haven't desmogged yet. Most pops seem to come from left side; coincidently that side is a lot cooler on my legs.
Anyway, I'm sure I'll have all of that sorted out by tomorrow morning, even with taking an hour off today to save the world economy and stop a couple of wars.
