[ST] Finally got my ST in my garage.

[chuck boatwright <dirac@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

It only took 3 years, but I finally have one.  I rode my ST home last 
week, via a small detour in nova scotia, arriving yesterday:  2-up, 5961 
miles, 16 days.  Only downside of the trip, I missed 2 AFM races, so my 
grid position is back to the end of the pack....

A couple things I noticed.

often on starts (when warm) the startup sequence from the computer 
appears confused, the bike starts at around 2.5 - 3k rpm, this seems odd 
to me, but this is my first FI bike.  should a warm startup (i.e. gas 
fill) start the bike at idle or high off idle?

running rich.  I think I have tune 13 (or 17 ... memory is failing), but 
it was the latest tune as of march 02.  on/off gas transitions yield 
popping in the can (I have the race can).  sounds like a richly jetted 
race bike, and will backfire if one ham fists the on/off transition. 
mileage was consistently high 40s to low 50s (mpg), except when faced 
with long runs into 30+ mph head / quartering winds where mileage was 
high 30s (at 70 +/- mph indicated).  Me thinks that it couldn't have 
been that rich (yeah yeah, I am being lazy and haven't pulled a plug to 
inspect color).   The bike also ran flawlessly over four 7 000+ foot 
passes.  Until I pull the plugs, or dyno the bike, I won't know..  Why 
did I write this before putting the bike on a dyno??  hmmmmm...  PTSD 
(post trip stress decompression)???

harsh front end.  I am a "lighter" rider.  155 lbs with gear.  2-up the 
front end was perfect (albeit soft for agressive sport riding), but solo 
the bike feels very harsh (harsher than my race bikes) in city (SF) esp. 
  when riding solo.  Currently 3 lines of front end preload showing.  I 
will investigate this more.  It should be fun.  Emulators might be in 
the offing.

Cross winds, OY!  I thought that the Yamaha TDM was one of the meanest 
sails out there when it came to cross winds.  I encountered cross winds 
which required large amounts of correction and lean angle to keep in my 
lane.  Granted I was running with all three bags loaded...  I don't 
recall a thread about wind.  It was pretty rough, expecially 2-up.  I 
was following some cruisers down US 93 in idaho, and they were unphased 
by the wind.  hrmmmm

definately need new rubber now.  the rear is squared off quite badly.

This weekend is the 6000 mile checkup:  oil, oil filter, fuel filter and 
pulling the wheels for new tires.  Don't know what rubber I am going to 
get, but I need something that lasts more than 4000 miles.  (I have 
another little trip planned for labor day)

I should also mention that the passenger was a trooper like no other 
(no, she isn't on this list, so I am not brown nosing).  This was her 
first trip over 100 miles, and she willinging knocked off three 500 mile 
days in a row to get back home in time for school.


oh, did I mention that I am really really jazzed about this bike?  Well, 
I am wicked happy.  Above 7k is downright thrilling and scary --  I race 
33 hp bikes -- the roll on is organ adjusting.

more later and trip report too.

- --chuck
02 ST



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