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[ST] Ride Report(long)



Finally getting life back on track.  Vacations are nice, but it always seems
I have to work twice as hard after to get caught up.

I spent 14 days out, but only 7 days riding.  Most of it was at a pretty
relaxed pace on 2 lane roads.  See more that way.  I spent 7 days visiting
friends and relatives the other seven really enjoying the riding.

I managed 4600 miles on my trip.  No gremlins, No gravity storms, No blue
light specials.  Had some trouble with my chain in Canada.  It pretty much
rained for 2 days solid and I couldn't get the chain clean enough (WD-40)
and I couldn't find any chain lube (sitting at home on the bench Doh!).  So
all I could hear was the chain grinding around the front sprocket.  Finally
found some lube in North Dakota at a Polaris dealer and it solved that
problem.  I think a new chain is in order, but I have to put a new rear tire
on first.  Rear tire is flat as a pancake and the new before the trip front
is flat spotted now too.

I started in Albuquerque NM traveling  to NW Arkansas the first day on I-40,
then got off freeway for the rest of the trip except for a bit in North
Dakota and the last few miles back into Albuquerque.  Went on some of the
roads that the first rally did in Arkansas, then headed up towards Branson
Missouri.  I stayed on two lanes through Missouri and Illinois.  Stopped in
Wisconsin for 4 days then headed up into the UP of Michigan and into Canada
where I hit the rain - two days - back into Northern Minnesota. Then West
into North Dakota stopping for 3 days, back to Fargo and South on US 81 all
the way to Kansas.  Stopped in Dodge City and headed straight for home.

I got a Throttlemeister before the trip and didn't have a single problem the
whole trip with arm, hand or back fatigue.  They take a bit to get used to
and in hill country don't work so well as they are a throttle lock, not
cruise control, but they do give you a break for the right hand.  I used my
RKA tail bag, Eclipse Saddle packs, and Triumph tank bag.  Plenty of room,
easy to use and a lot cheaper than the hard luggage, though I think I would
prefer having at least the Triumph tail trunk.

The rain really sucked.  At first I just couldn't see anything.  The shield
didn't seem to be the problem so I took off my glasses (really officer, I
can see better without them!) and, wow, there's a road out there!  The
double focal effect of glasses inside the shield during rain just won't let
my eyes focus right.  My First Gear Jacket, Sidi Sympatex boots and Triumph
Pants kept me dry though.  I had gotten a cheap PVC rain suit in bright
yellow before I left and that helped keep the wind off me and warmer as well
as make me a more visible target.  Heated grips rule too!  I don't have
waterproof gloves, so I put doctors exam gloves over the leather gloves to
keep the wind and water out and let the heat from the grips through.  They
provide plenty of grip for throttle, clutch and brake control.

Only things I would change for the next trip are the seat.  The first day is
great, even at 800 miles.  The second day, but burn sets in.  By the third,
though butt shock sets in for the rest of the trip.  There has to be a
better one out there - maybe that guy in Washington (hmmm, sounds like a
road trip in the making).  And adding a heated vest.  Even in the summer, it
would be welcome.

I was able to get an average of 51MPG on every tank of gas but two.  Both of
these tanks were back to back heading South on US 81 in South Dakota.
Thinking back, I can only contribute the lower mileage (43MPG) to a rather
vicious head wind.  The rest of the trip, even in the rain, there was little
wind of any kind.  The other interesting thing on the notorious gas gauge (I
have the original non-leaking, non-working one) is that it works flawlessly
on day after day road trips.  Commuting (50 miles one way for me) seems to
confuse it.  Regardless, I always rely on the trip meter.

I now have 30,000 miles.  Other than the early '99 recalls, I have had only
a small oil leak at the clutch shaft seal fixed under warranty (which I
attribute to the dealer overfilling the crankcase).  This bike has been
extremely reliable.  It has never failed to start or run properly.  It has
never failed to attract the appropriate amount of attention at stops.  It's
a keeper for me.

And to that US Customs Officer (International Falls, Minnesota):  I am a US
citizen!  New Mexico is a part of the United States!  And I am not crazy to
be out riding this far from home (even if my drivers license picture makes
me look like a serial killer)!

Dan Wallander
'99ST  Red, of course
Rio Rancho, New Mexico


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End of st-digest V2001 #596
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