Summer Riding Season

[aviationfred]

Summer riding season is pretty much upon us. The ECSR is kicking off next weekend with the WCR and Central rallys a few weeks after.

I decided to put the luggage back on Casper and wired in a new middle tail/brake light with integrated turn signals mounted in the top box.

The topbox center light has yellow LEDs on each side.


Fred

[Bill_Rockoff]

Nice!

I have no pix, I haven't done anything visible yet. 

The 998 - the rear wheel is at Marietta Motorsports with a new Q3 on it, I just have to pick it up. I also have to electrical-tape a connector to make it more rain-proof.

The FJ - it finally charges itself again, now I have to heat-shrink the spade lug connectors where the new alternator connects to the bike's wiring harness so it doesn't go up in smoke.

The Maxima - I have to put the wire from the flat-four trailer harness back into the tail light connector, so my trailer will have running lights.  This weekend I have to replace the wheel bearings at all four corners. I will also replace the suspension springs while it's apart, because after last year's new shock installation the car rides so high it looks like I'm going to run 26" wheels.

The trailer - I have to buy one, and then I have to do whatever is necessary to make it carry both bikes to Boone.  And possibly to Ouray, if I can schedule an upcoming couple weeks at Ft Riley KS to coincide with "the week after the Ouray rally."

Both bikes are ready for riding season right now though, and if worse comes to worst, Andrew and I could just ride to Boone next week and ride back to Atlanta Saturday.  But he has to be in Virginia to start his summer job the following week, and the easy way all around will be for him to follow me to Boone for the rally and leave Sunday for his new work place.

[aviationfred]

At about $400.00, complete with 2 wheel chocks. I highly recommend the Harbor Freight foldable trailers. It will carry 2 FJ's without a problem. I have used mine to haul FJ's to both coasts and the Black hills. Close to 10,000 miles without an issue. Add in the Harbor Freight wheel chocks and the J&P wheel chock tie-downs and you are all set.

[Bill_Rockoff]

Thanks for the pix, that's about half the trailer I would have expected to need to haul two bikes.  Good to know one of those will do it.

(If that Spangles is immediately north of McConnell AFB, I have eaten there.)

Andrew has my old 4x8, which would be adequate except I backed it into a curb and bent an axle years ago, so it wears out those little 8" tires pretty quick on one side. The long-term fix is a whole new axle, with larger wheels and tires, slid up under there in place of the existing stuff.  That way, he can haul his 916 anywhere. (He had to bail on a track day last winter because it was 20F on the ride up.)

Craigslist is my first stop Monday; Harbor Freight will be my second stop.

[aviationfred]

Here in Wichita, when i was searching Craigslist for trailers. People were really proud of their junk of a trailer. That is why i went with a brand new Harbor Freight trailer. I did paint it black, as the red eventually fades to pink.

There are currently two 4x8 foldable Harbor Freight trailers on sale at the moment. Both have 12" tires. $299.99 for the 1195lbs capacity and $379.99 with a 1720lb capacity.

The Spangles in the photo is actually close to the main civilian airport on the opposite did of town from McConnell AFB.

Fred

[Bill_Rockoff]

I have driven past that one (if you can see it from the highway) but always ate in town when we went that far west. There was a brew pub in the touristy Olde Towne part of town that I liked a lot. Ducati Dave and I spent several weeks there in 2014.

CL trailers are in the $600 - $800 range for a 5x8 or 5x10 with real tire-sized tires (the 4.8s make me want to keep it under 60 mph) and wood decking. I have seen a lot of asking prices within $100 or so of a new-trailer price, but I want to get something with plenty of room and remaining life for two or even three bikes. There is looking like a good chance I will be trailering to Ouray and then back for work at Ft Riley on the way.

I got home in time today to put the Marchesini back on the 998, which of course takes two minutes (it's literally one fastener) and then I dropped the FJ's front wheel and replaced the 113,000 mile rotors. The OEM ones were worn well past their limit, and I have some photos on my phone that I'll upload. Returning from the spring rally last year, I was running out of brakes because the rotors are so worn that the pad backing plates were contacting the rotor, even though there was still a bit of friction material on the pads.  I know a lot of you guys have had good luck with the Chinese rotors, but RPM Racing had EBCs for $200 each, so that's what I went with.  It's an extra couple hundred bucks for the pair, but I guess I can splurge every 25 years or so.  I'll put photos up later.

[rlucas]

Craigslist is my first stop Monday; Harbor Freight will be my second stop.

If you go the HF route, have fun putting it together. It ain't a one-man job and the instructions are, shall we say, less than clear. ( I work for HF and I've built 2 of 'em for display - f'ed up both of them, for different reasons ). Also, they're heavy and the packaging sucks. Nice product for the $$$, though.


rossi

[rktmanfj]

FWIW, I just got a (email) coupon from HF for the folding trailer for $249.99.

[aviationfred]

5x8 or 5x10 with real tire-sized tires (the 4.8s make me want to keep it under 60 mph)

I have replaced mine with 12x5.8 high speed wheels and tires from Walmart.

Fred

[yamaha fj rider]

5x8 or 5x10 with real tire-sized tires (the 4.8s make me want to keep it under 60 mph)

I have replaced mine with 12x5.8 high speed wheels and tires from Walmart.

Fred

High speed, from Walmart. Isn't that an oxymoron.

I have ridden with Fred. I think he does go faster in the Yukon. 

Kurt

[aviationfred]

5x8 or 5x10 with real tire-sized tires (the 4.8s make me want to keep it under 60 mph)

I have replaced mine with 12x5.8 high speed wheels and tires from Walmart.

Fred

High speed, from Walmart. Isn't that an oxymoron.

I have ridden with Fred. I think he does go faster in the Yukon.  

Kurt

Sometimes it not about how fast you get to your destination, it is about what is seen on the way to the destination. I saw this on the side on the interstate today on the way to the Kansas Motorcycle Museum.

An Add for Chimney sweeps and there was a huge caricature of a Chimney sweep.  

Fred

[yamaha fj rider]

5x8 or 5x10 with real tire-sized tires (the 4.8s make me want to keep it under 60 mph)

I have replaced mine with 12x5.8 high speed wheels and tires from Walmart.

Fred

High speed, from Walmart. Isn't that an oxymoron.

I have ridden with Fred. I think he does go faster in the Yukon.  

Kurt

Sometimes it not about how fast you get to your destination, it is about what is seen on the way to the destination. I saw this on the side on the interstate today on the way to the Kansas Motorcycle Museum.

An Add for Chimney Sweeps and there was a huge caricature of a Chimney sweep.  

Fred

Yes, it has been there for a long time on I-35.


Kurt