First Ride in February EVER!

[PaulG]

It was a record high temperature in Toronto and most of Ontario today. It reached 18 degC (64 degF) breaking a 34yr old record.  We should be down near the freezing mark with a couple of feet of snow still.

It also coincided with all my winter maintenace and "mods" complete (more or less).

Valve shim check/replacement
Modify CBR1000 rear hugger to fit (what a PIA that was)
Install Hagon rear shock (off eBay from another FJ1200)
Re-glue front fender back together
Install RPM fork brace (so I don't have to re-glue my froint fender again)
Replace SS mid-pipe with flex-pipe from collector to Hindle cans
New (used) rear brake disc
New (used) rear brake pedal

So with the warm weather - I was actually sweating today - it was time for a test run.  Clean my chain, check my tire pressures, signals, brake lights.  I was at the DIY shop so I wheeled it outside and pressed the starter. Ka-Chug-Ka-Chug Blurp Blurp .... Sploooosh goes the gas on the road from #'s 3 & 4 carb.    Don't Panic!  A little rappity-tap with a ratchet extension and problem solved.

Okay. Restart #2. Instead of the all 4 rumpity-dumpity-rumpity-dumpity, I get a rumpity-dumpity-rumpity-donk!  I know that sound.  My #1 cylinder wasn't catching as proven by my cold header vs. the other three.  Okay, a bit more serious.  I wheel her back inside.  Last year this happened and it proved to be a bad plug.  I lift off the tank, and pull the cap off to inspect it.  Seems OK.  I put it back on and BBBrrrriiiiipppp.... rumpity-dumpity-rumpity-dumpity ... she's running on all four now.  That was a cheap fix. 

So off I go at 230pm.... right into west-end Toronto early ""rush hour" traffic.  That's OK. It's Feb 23rd and it's an unheard of 18 degC.  I eventually head out to the expressways and got her up to 120-140kph for a bit and it was like butter.  I was out for less than an hour.  I may bring her home tomorrow or next week when we get some milder weather again, just to bundle her up and wait... and wait... and wait... for the real spring to arrive. 

Happy Riding Everyone!