Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125704
o along the road. Eggs are sealed in plastic ';: bags and carried in a shirt pocket. If g> they break, no matter. eat them Q. scrambled, shells and all (egg shells are " supposedly good for one's bones). m GETTING THE MOTORCYCLE c READY M' .., '" Preparing a bike for a trip under 1000 miles is easy if it's been properly ~ maintained all along. I wouldn't set out w on a trip of an y distance unless I was familiar with the bike or on any new >- motorcycle until it had at least 500 U miles on it and the parts were all adjusted, tightened and bedded down. I usually change the oil and/or oil filter before a trip and tape wires and cables well out of the way of hot engine parts, this isn't easy to do on some bike (like my BSA) where the speedo cable runs right down the exhaust pipe. So I take out the inner cable and grease it heavily, but it's cooked out before the trip is through and I always have to disconnect it from the drive end to keep it from breaking. . . I considered replacmg the rear tIre before this particular trip, but didn't. It still had 1/8th of an inch of tread. Later, I came to regret that decision. It picked up a nail, went flat, and was tiresome to wheel on that flimsy carcass (the nearest gas station was 5 slow miles away). The bike's tool kit contains the standard assortmen t, plus a good screwdriver and adjusting wrench and a roll of electricians tape, and needlenose pliers. I used to carry all sorts of exotic tools and materials but now tbese few keep me going through all but tot.al disaster. 1 haven't seen a chIDn failure In SO long, I stopped even carrying spare master links (knock on wood). Nevertheless next time I'll add a good tire inflater (compressed air type). And if I were riding a 2 stroke I'd carry extra spark plugs. Make sure both headlight beams work, and both tail and brake lights, no need for spare bulbs if both systems are good. If one filament. breaks,. I. can switch to the otber one (ill tbe tail hghts this involves switching wires.) Take off the plastic side panels and leave them home, so they won't get lost or damaged. They interfere with inspecting the battery and getting at the i£ d Equipment and slJPplies for 4 day tour fits into zippered canvas bag (Weatherby Sporting Goods, $14.95, Los Angeles) with room left for souvenirs. Canvas sleeping bag shell (surplus stores, 35 cents) doubles as ground cloth, tote bag, and emergency shelter. toolS anyway, and I don't think they look that good. Check all the nuts and bolts within reach for tigh tneSs, especially the little ones. I found a tiny bolt missing that holds the thing that holds one coil. One hundred miles later it would be a nasty short circuit. It was replaced immediately with plain and lock washers in place. There's no need for Lok·Tite unless a bike vibrates a lot. The good. washers work like clutches and hold nuts fast. In my years road testing new bikes, I developed the habit of touching wbeel hubs with my bands after a short hard ride. Heat tells you there is excess bearing friction and a complete inspection and greasing is due. Hub bearing seizure is the only mechanical affliction I really dread. Squirt the rear chain liberally with 30 weight oil and replenish the primary chamber according to the owners manual. My bike has a 4 gallon gas tank instead of the stock 3 gallon job. I think it looks more proportional to the rest of the bike, and it goes 160 miles per filling. Finally, I remove the centerstand so that it won't grind on those exhuberant curves. I wanted to install a Usissy bar" for a luggage tie·on. A few calls to the motorcycle stores around town failed to locate any such accessory that could be used with the standard seat. I could have one custom made for $40.00 but I couldn't wait, so 1 cut off one loop of a Hodaka front fender brace that happened to be bandy and it was easy to stretch the right width and bolt it r through holes drilled in the seat frame (see picture). It works fine, looks OK and costs nothing. The canvas knapsack fastens against tbe bar with 2 elastic bands. Ii makes a dandy back rest. ON THE ROAD_ Setting out about 10 a.m., with traffic light and the wind warm, I wore my sunglasses under greay rubber goggles. I was determined to taste the air and everything in it this trip. Usually 1 prefer a face shield with a full coverage helmet. The shield keeps the bugs out of your teeth and the belmet keeps the ears warm,. At last a camping trailer for motorcycle riders. Now you can have all the plush comforts of home and still haul your bikes to your favorite riding spot. No need to spend a small fortune for a track camper and a utility trailer. lift up floor protects interior provides motorcycle storage at home Doubles as a utility trailer wall to wall carpeting custom drapes and upholstery insulated completely' * panorama view windows somewhat lost anyway (omitting roadmaps is part of'the adventure) and sunset found me at Lake Nacimiento. A beautiful sight! And a beautiful site as well. The dragon shaped lake is bigh in the coastal mountains between San Simeon and Paso Robles, Calif. Usually there's a small charge for overnighters, but noboo)' was collecting this day, so 1 made camp on a small grassy ledge near the lakeside, cooked supper (soup, stew, coffee and milk and cupcake purchased at the lake commissary) and lay back to smoke and study stars. A fawn strolled onto my knoll before I want to sleep. The Best Part In what seems no more than a blink it is daybreak. Cold, wet dawn and me 200 miles from home and destination. 1 drank a hot cup of coffee before shedding the sack and exercise madly to warm up my clothes. The evening before I'd been plagued witb a running nose. The difficulty of blowing your nose while rid ing a motorcycle is that you have to hold on to the handkerchief while concentrating on steering. I solve that by tying a loop in the handkerchief and slipping it over one finger. It's h,!,ndy, can't blow away, and the snot dries m the wind. State Road 46 is the right road to the coast, 1 recommend it. The map calls it "poor road." Hal For cars maybe, perfect for a bike. No deadlines to meet, no appointments to keep. 1 rehsh detours and wrong t.urns - it is all part of the ride. The wind turned warm as my wheels found Highway 1. Tbe road under them like a black writhing serpent, buckmg and lashing to throw off my careening machine. Tbis is what I really came for. The mountain road and I are old acquaintances. I have ridden it often since 1 first discovered it 15 years ago. Henry Miller used to live on it before he became famous and bad to move away. He used to ride on the back of myoid AJS to Nepenthe for nights of drinking and bull around the fire. I know every swerve, every camber .of it like a man knows the body of his wife. Even so, I respect its mysteries and since it became Bronson's road in the opening credits of the TV hour, it is more congested, with' cars and bikes in your line around every blind curve. ' GlAND OrENING SALE . BUENA rAil CYClE • 45" double doors for easy loading' • • * • • • In rain or cold weather I like to ride behind a windshield-fairing, hut windshields get between me and nature so I generally forego those comforts. The Wixom fairing that I have cost $50 and it is real good. It survived a couple of lay downs and it is easy to install and remove. Vetter fairing are also well engineered and quality made. But fairings do get in the way off the road. Leaving Los Angeles under its thin gas of air 1 nod to the poppies on the hillside, aim a wind distorted grin at the baby blue sky. cbuclding insanely with deligh t at the echo of my th under off the climbing canyon sides. Grab heaping handfuls of power from a seemingly endless throttle supply, ah, this is what it is all about! Don't read about it, do it. 1 have my experiences, Bronson has his - get yours. Orange blossom fragrance in the air is appreciated best by one wbo rides the wind through the orchards. Rural smells: horse manure, drying grass, the hot, papery odor of cotton fields. Strawberry perfume at picking time. New turned eartb (a moist, fertile smell). The taste of honey placed on your lips by a passing bee, dodging caterpillars humping hazardously (for them) across the highway. The feel of winter iil the mountains. Myoid friend the 'wind numbing my knees, freezing my gloves to the finl(er.marrow. Stop. Cup oJ coffee warm in my hands, strangely hot to my cracked lips. Left cheek radiating pain, shift to righ t cheek. Approas:hing Paso Robles lbe vibration magnif\es, the handle gnps seem to thicken. Stopping to locate the curse 1 find that the top engine mou~ting strap has fractured, as it must, given its miserly manufacture.. The sbaking would soon cause other fa".ure~, loosenings, bad vibes.' As luck h~ It big Joe Brown, local Ya~aha dealer, IS close by with good weldmg eqwpment and skill to match. 1 don't tell him who I am, but he spies the Cycle News decal on the headlight. "You work for Cycle News?" "1 write for them." He charges $1.00 for the weld. "I put two ribs of metal across the crack to reinforce it," Joe says, "but it probably won't hold very lang." That was a 1000 miles ago and it is still strong. It will hold forever, Joe. It may crack someplace else, but not on your weld. Never. After the brisk agonies, your body adjusts to the cold. Wear long-sleeved wool turtlenecks and two layers of windproof clothing. . 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