Jun 09, 2013 - Delays & Detours....

This posting may seem a bit unrelated to my upcoming tour on Red Girl but please bear with me and I'll try to connect it. A few days ago I towed Red Dog (my MP3-500 scooter) to Eugene's Wheel Works Vespa dealership for servicing. 

A bit of background might seem in order so to explain, this 3-wheeled wonder is also known as Red Dog. 

Anyone curious about him can find lots of posts on another blog dedicated to just him. 

Here's a link to that blog:  http://reddogscooter.blogspot.com/

In the mean time on with this tale. Red Dog's mileage had reached a point where it was time to change the drive belt. Anticipating this and as a hedge against a roadside breakdown I'd taken to carrying one with me. 

Then when his mileage reached the recommended level I figured I'd go ahead and do the change myself. Seemed simple enough...

I'd downloaded and printed out the instructions from the Modern Vespa web site and read lots of posts on how simple it was to do. Right. Of course.

Well anyway it seemed easy enough so I dove right in, yanked the old belt out and stuffed the new one in. Easy, yah shure ya betcha.... No problemo. 

Hit the starter button Larry. Wot? No workee? Hit it again....Paddles! Stand Clear! Again!... Crap, I've killed the damn thing!

I told you not to fool around with it...

Anyway I messed around and messed around and asked lots of dumb questions and changed the battery and redid everything I'd already done three more times and finally, finally I gave it up. Time to call in the experts only they don't make house calls. 

That's when I figured I needed to trailer him to Wheel Works which I did last week. I guess I'd overlooked or hadn't thought about what they would do with him once finished but one thing was for sure, they didn't have enough space to store him in their shop till I returned from my tour. Duh... 

So yesterday I received an email from them informing me Red Dog was ready to be picked up and would I please come gather him up? Yep, another delay in starting my summer ride. Buggers. But it's not so bad, I'll just head to Eugene tomorrow, collect him and be all ready to roll out Tuesday. 

In the mean time I'm told there's a small aviation show taking place in Coos Bay also on that day, old bombers, fighter planes, etc. That sounds like it would be fun to see so I'll dial that in as a kick-off starting point to my ride. 

LL

Jun 07, 2013 - Last minute stuff

Yesterday's trial run was very satisfactory, the bike handled well and the small bit of added weight [camping gear] had no ill effect. Maybe I'll tempt fate and take my smallest coffee pot & propane stove along... Not! I know if I did that the next thing would be the little cooking pot kit, plate, cup, etc, etc, and I'd end up bloated to the gills. Forget that, they sell coffee everywhere. including at the Golden Arches.

The only mechanical complaint I have is the side stand is a bit long due to the lowering job I did a few months ago. That effectively lengthened the side stand which means I have to choose parking spots with at least a neutral level and at best those with a slight slope away from the bike. I didn't have it shortened at the time of conversion as I wanted to make sure I liked the lowered version. I'll have it done as soon as I'm at a welding shop.

The last item concerns my Garmin Zumo 550 GPS. I recently opted for their "nu Maps Forever" product which allows you to download all the latest maps 3 times per year for just the initial cost of $89.95. At the same time I installed an 8-GB SD card that would hold all of the North America maps plus my music library. 

It seemed to go well enough but in actual use the beastly GPS can't seem to recognize the new SD card and continues to address the internal memory WHICH IS FULL! I contacted Garmin but of course that's a bit like contacting the Navy about your son who wears one of those cute little white hats. Their standard response was someone would get back to me in 3 or 4 days. Perfect!

The really bad part is I suspect my maps only cover the western region of the USA and not the eastern areas. I definitely need to get that fixed before leaving, otherwise my trip might take on an entirely new level of adventure... Like not being able to listen to my new Gene Autry album. Bummer!

Riley's all packed and ready to go...boy does he get ticked when he has to stay home.

Is this another Film at Eleven?

LL

Jun 08 Postscript - Yesterday afternoon I waited for 30-mins on hold at Garmin's tech support; finally gave it up. My GPS still doesn't recognize the new 4-gig SD card so I deleted 25 megs of MP3 files and replaced them with Gene Autry's Greatest Hits. Smile.... 

Jun 06, 2013 - Packed & Ready to Tour

This will just be a quick update, Red Girl's all packed up and ready to go on our summer tour and I'm thinking this coming Saturday will be departure time. Per my usual routine I'm not sure which way to go and probably won't until I actually get on the road.  

Red Girl Loaded & Ready to Tour 2013

Alaska is nice this time of year but truthfully I'm not too excited about going there, at least not on Red Girl. All that shiny pretty red paint riding on those nasty AK roads...eww, I don't think so, I've already donated two bikes to that cause and they both look the part. 

I may head to Canada and then turn east for another run to Nova Scotia, maybe even Newfoundland...Labrador? I suppose that would depend on what the weather's like; last time I went to Nova Scotia it turned really nasty and I had to make a run south to get away from it. Still the ride across Canada is beautiful in many spots and well worth seeing again.

Or, I could head south and then ride east towards Florida, maybe do Key West again. When I was there a couple of years ago I recall wishing I'd brought my camping gear so I could stay in some of the parks along the way. Per that I decided last night to include at least the basics this time, tent, sleeping bag, just enough stuff to make an overnight outdoors a comfortable option. I'm not taking cooking gear as the bike's already hauling enough and I don't want the added weight. Besides, I like doing meals at the Golden Arches...all that fat...yum!

The list of things to do before I leave is very short, check the air pressure in the tires, maybe have a look at the dip-stick to see if there's any oil left, that kind of thing. I love that Red Girl's a shaft drive machine and I don't have to oil any chains.

Ah, just thought of one last thing not on my list...still need to load my latest and greatest road music onto the Garmin GPS. 

I'm Back in the Saddle Again...! Yeehaaaaa!

So maybe I'll see you on the road?

LL

May 18, 2013 - Can you hear me now?

I freely admit to being a gear junky and as such I’ve just acquired a couple of cool new items in anticipation of the upcoming summer touring season. One that I’ll mention in this report is Uclear’s HBC 200 Bluetooth helmet set that’s now residing in my new Shoei J-Cruise open faced lid.

This is my first shot at using a Bluetooth system and I was amazed at how easy it was to install. Besides communicating with other riders you can use it to independently manage your phone calls, MP3 player, etc. There’s also the optional setup of running through a GPS so I paired mine with my old Garmin Zumo 550.

My phone is a simple TracFone, the type for which you buy airtime in blocks and there’s no monthly service fee. The GPS accesses the phone’s directory and all you need to do is press whichever one you’d like to call. For dialing there's a button that pops up a digital display screen to use for manual entries. When calls come in a pop-up icon plus an audible signal notifies you. Before answering the caller's ID is displayed at the top of the screen along with two buttons below, answer and ignore. I'm guessing but I expect it only displays callers names of those listed in your phone book, others are probably displayed as unknown. 

All calls are routed through the GPS which also holds a ton of MP3 music, especially if you stuff an 8-gig SD card in it. Besides providing for the music and phone system that’s enough memory to store all of the USA and Canadian maps. Incoming calls override the music if it’s playing as do GPS route instructions so you’re never in danger of missing a call or important turn. Voice levels are clear and easy to understand without static. I’m not sure how they managed but wind noise doesn't seem to pass through into phone calls which is really amazing. 

The Uclear combo speaker-microphone tucks neatly into the Shoei's speaker cavity

When installing it’s necessary to ensure the mikes which are part of the speakers are aimed in the same direction – there’s no boom sticking out which I really like. The speakers are fairly robust and look like they'll handle a fair amount of use. In my Shoei J-Cruise helmet I had to carve out two small notches in the plastic speaker cavities to accommodate the tiny mike's projection - it's about the size of a pencil eraser. I used a high speed Dremel Tool for this and it only took a few minutes.

Pairing the Bluetooth devices was as simple as turning the GPS on and letting it detect the phone, etc. This is a short fast routine that it performs each time you turn it on and only takes a few seconds.

MP3 music is crisp even at high speeds but of course that’s dependent on whether or not you’re riding a fully faired bike, etc. Music selection can be made by genre`, artist, album, etc, and there are pause/play/scan controls. Music volume is independently controlled via the touch screen and there’s no lack of it.

Uclear's Bluetooth receiver

For those people who choose to use the Uclear without going through a GPS there’s a mouse-looking control that mounts on the helmet. Most operators should find it simple enough to use although I like using the Garmin’s touch screen better than poking around on the side of my helmet.It has a blinking blue LED that signifies power is on and also blinks a code when pairing occurs. The unit runs for several hours on battery and the recharge time is barely 2-hours. A small charger is included with the package as are a couple of different mounting setups. 

Overall this seems like a good system, well thought out, self intuitive and reasonably priced. It’s available in a single helmet format or double if you carry passengers. Can you hear me now?

LL75

May 04, 2013 - Red Girl's Big Fat Pannier Lids

One of the nicest features about the Honda NT700 series is its built-in panniers. [aka “saddle bags”] For running around town doing a bit of shopping or picking up a few groceries they’re to die for, you can haul a gallon of milk & a fair sized bag of goodies. There’s also enough room for rain gear and that briefcase for your office biz [in case you’re unfortunate and still involved in the work thing.] Sigh…

The NT's original panniers

The stock panniers are nice enough but when it comes to longer trips, i.e. touring you really need a bit more capacity. Enter the Big Fat Pannier Lids. Available only from Honda dealerships abroad the NT700 owner is not going to find them in the USA. I checked with our local shop, Honda World, and after digging through their parts lists my Internet information was deemed correct; they couldn’t get them. Seems a bit odd doesn't it, you’d think those of us living in the colonies would at least be able to special-order the damn things but no, not so, we have to shop elsewhere. Phooey.  

So, moving right along I contacted Honda of Bournemouth in England where low and behold they would be more than happy to furnish a set. Aside from that they offer accessories for nearly every Honda sold so they’re now permanently marked in my Favorites list. Ordering a set was dead simple, choose the model and color of your bike, fill out the order form, hand over all of your money plus your first-born and you’re all set. Frankly I was prepared to wait several weeks for delivery so imagine my surprise when they turned up nine days later. That’s faster than a lot of companies here in the USA manage; very good service indeed. Here’s the link to their web site: www.hondaofbournemouth.co.uk

Seriously, do these new panniers make my butt look fat?

Size is everything...with panniers anyway

Installation of the new expanded lids is dead simple; you need only remove 4 hinge screws and a retaining strap from each of the original ones, and then mount the new lids in their place. Finally you must transfer 2 small latch attachments from each of the old lids to the new ones and that’s it, done. The entire process takes only a few minutes and you’re ready for the road.

My setup went smoothly just as above however there was just one slight disappointment. During shipment one of the lids was banged hard enough to crack an interior lip, knocking out a small triangular piece of plastic. It’s less than ¼” long and rather than crab to the shipper I took the easy way out; I covered the hole with a combination of black electrical tape reinforced with super glue. Since it’s out of the way there’s no harm done and the repair will surely function as well as the original piece.

Just as I finished my phone rang and it was Chuck Bruce checking in to see if I’d be up to a ride, do lunch, that sort of thing. Talk about timing, I said sure and 30-minutes later I headed over to his place. From there we rode north through Bandon and took the back road west to Charleston, a small fishing town replete with 100’s of boats and the occasional tourist.

Charleston, OR

Our lunch stop was centrally located adjacent to all the docks; a small mom & pop operation catering mostly to fishermen and the odd biker gang [like Chuck & me.] The food was good plus Chuck sprang for lunch which always enhances the flavors. He opted for the Halibut fish & chips while I went for the Cod version. I happen to like Cod the best; maybe because of the oil but that’s how it is. My joints never squeak!

Food...feed me!

Hey where's Larry? Am I getting stuck with the bill again?

I'd own this sign but they take it inside at night...

Mmm, mmm,  oily Cod fish, my favorite!

While we were there one of the owners showed up in his home-built hot rod so we were treated to a lengthy description of the entire build history, etc. Boy there’s a lot parts and pieces that go into one of those things, it’s amazing. 

Have you ever noticed you never see kids driving hot rods? It’s always us old geezer-type guys reliving their lost youth. There’s probably a message there somewhere but I doubt it’s important, we just know how to have fun.

So be it, done for another day and ready for the next farkle.

LL

Apr 28 2013 - Red Girl gets a trailer hitch

Last summer I decided I’d borrow the Uni-Go trailer from Red Dog [my Piaggio MP3 500 scooter] and try to get in a little camping. There were no hitches available for the NT700V so I engaged Bandon Fabrication to build one, the same shop that built Red Dog’s. The project turned out fine but because I took two trips to Mexico [on another bike] I used up all of my available camping time. Shortly after returning home I was contacted by a local BMW rider who’d heard about my Uni-Go and stopped by to ask if I’d sell it. After some discussion we agreed on a price we could both live with and it went away the next day. Hey, everything’s got a price, right?

That left me with a hitch I no longer had need for so I decided to sell it. Before it’s gone I thought I’d post a few pictures of the installation sequence in case anyone is interested in building one of their own. I won’t attempt to instruct in the actual fabrication end of it as that’s the rightful domain of people in the trade; personally I’m clueless in that area. Hopefully the photos will shed some light on how we did it.

Components included with the hitch:

1 ea Main Hitch Frame assembly w/pre-drilled plate for hitch ball

2 ea Vertical Support Rod

2 ea Upper Vertical Rod Support Bolt, 3 x ½” w/locking nylon nut

2 ea Lower Vertical Rod Support Bolt, 1 x ¼” w/locking nylon nut

2 ea Foot Peg Bolt, 2 ½” x 5/16” w/nut, flat washer, & locking washer

The photo below shows the hitch as it will be sold. The next photo shows the hitch with the Uni-Go receiver installed. The buyer will need to provide his own ball or receiver as needed. I’ve had both a regular ball and a Uni-Go receiver installed so holes are pre-drilled for each.

Installing the hitch

To begin remove the saddle and slide the Vertical Support rods down through the slots in the plastic just to the rear of the chassis box mount connection point.

Next step connect the vertical support rods to the chassis box using the large bolts. If your chassis box doesn't have the holes pre-drilled do so now, then connect the rods.

Remove passenger foot pegs. These will be the forward connecting points for the main hitch rails.

Next slide the main hitch rails into the bike from the rear. Go all the way forward until the rails are positioned at the tops of the passenger foot peg brackets. Using the longer bolts provided connect the hitch rails and at the same time re-install the foot pegs in their original position. Do not tighten yet, wait until everything is installed and aligned.

Connect the vertical support rods to the main hitch rails. 

Finally check the alignment of the rails to make sure nothing is rubbing; then tighten all nuts firmly.

This was Red Girl as set up to pull the Uni-Go trailer.

That should do it for now; I’m posting the hitch on the NT700 Owners Forum and expect it will go away fast. As for Red Girl I’m anticipating a nice long summer tour on her starting in May sometime. Per usual I haven’t a clue where I’ll head but that’s the fun of it.

Hope to see you on the road.

LL

May 27, 2012 - Ride to Cape Blanco & what's left of Sixes

I love living here on the Oregon coast, for me it’s the perfect retirement spot. I seem to find myself visiting the same places without ever growing tired of them. 

Take Cape Blanco for instance, it’s the western-most point of the lower 48 and there’s a lovely state park located there. Along with that the Cape Blanco lighthouse is open for tourist visits several months out of the year, always an interesting spot to visit and only 20 miles south of my home.

Today I rode down for a look to see what was up and met a great lady hostess at the entry to the light house. She and her husband are from the Denver area but spend a lot of their time working as volunteers in Oregon State Parks System. They live in their 5^th-wheel RV and stay at various sites for a few weeks, then move on to their next assignment. Not a bad lifestyle for retirees. 

On the way home I stopped off to have a look at the little settlement of Sixes. Nearly abandoned it still has an active post office next to the old gas station that’s now out of business. 

Just down the road a hundred yards or so the old Sixes Grange has been recycled as a “Market Place” offering hand crafted items made of driftwood and antiques, and oh by the way, Bingo. Bingo....eww...

So that’s it for now kiddies, another exciting rambling ride through the local scenic countryside around my stomping grounds. Today’s ride is a done deal, time to head home, see ya later.

LL