Wildcat Mountain Rally - Westby, WI

[FJ1100mjk]

Just returned from my second Wildcat Mountain Rally in WI. An all Labor Day Weekend Event, and this was the 28th year for it. As usual, a great time. Very good roads and scenery.

Instead of riding both Saturday and Sunday, I only rode one due to the heavy rain on my route to it. Sunday's weather was fantastic. Total trip mileage was 746 miles. Rode my '87, because my go-to ride '85 is laid up with a TBD mechanical woe. There was an issue with the '87, read on for details...

Some nice scenery on the way down. Recent rains have brought the green back to the Driftless Area's landscape...



A nice mix of bikes and riders for the rally. Three groups, depending on how you wanted to ride. I chose the fast group.



The FJ1200 awaits its flogging...



A couple of specials were there...

1977 RD400. Nice smoker...



A turbo'd XS650...



While out on the ride, my bike kept acting like it was running out of gas, stranding me by the side of the road. At first I thought that it may have been the vacuum line (new, more pliable one installed recently) going to the petcock, collapsing/pinching off when the hose got hot. A Good Samaritan helped me with another piece of hose that was stiffer. Put it back together, said my thanks, then set off. Made it less than one mile! I popped the fuel cap, expecting a whooshing sound. Nothing, but I left it unlatched anyways. After a little bit, it fired right up. Aha! I covered the opened cap with my tank bag and rode to the next town to fill up the tank a little. But how to keep the gas from sloshing out when going around the corners?

Slushie straws to the rescue!



By now, I was on my own. No big deal. Bike's running fine, and plenty of good roads to ride. Bike never missed a beat the rest of the weekend with the trick straw vents.

On the last night of the Rally, there's an awards banquet. I won the Tatkow Fix-it Award. An award that goes to the rider who has a bike problem, and fixes it the best way that he or she can. This award goes back to 1990, and once you win, you're obligated to take it home, affix your fix to the plaque, and pass the torch to next year's lucky? recipient.



More memories for the memory bank.

[charleygofast]

I was in the area sunday but didnt officially attend the rally, and I did look for you or any FJs, didnt see one but a couple of FJRs. It is awesome country around here with lot of twisties and spectacular views everywhere...if only we could ride it all year round.                                                                                                     Cheers, Charley.

[aviationfred]

By now, I was on my own. No big deal. Bike's running fine, and plenty of good roads to ride. Bike never missed a beat the rest of the weekend with the trick straw vents.

On the last night of the Rally, there's an awards banquet. I won the Tatkow Fix-it Award. An award that goes to the rider who has a bike problem, and fixes it the best way that he or she can. This award goes back to 1990, and once you win, you're obligated to take it home, affix your fix to the plaque, and pass the torch to next year's lucky? recipient.



More memories for the memory bank.

Great photos and scenery. 

Ingenuity at it's finest

Pass on the award next year with Pride.

Fred

[FJ1100mjk]

I was in the area sunday but didnt officially attend the rally, and I did look for you or any FJs, didnt see one but a couple of FJRs. It is awesome country around here with lot of twisties and spectacular views everywhere...if only we could ride it all year round.                                                                                                     Cheers, Charley.

It is an awesome riding area for sure. The riding opportunities just get better and better as you go south beyond I90. I wish it was in a day's ride for me, instead of an overnighter. If it were, I'd be down there a lot more to ride.

My FJ was the only one at the rally, and the only one that I know of on the roads that I rode on. Too bad you didn't attend. It's a good event.

[FJ1100mjk]

Great photos and scenery. 

Ingenuity at it's finest


Fred

Thanks.

There are a good number of ingenuities on that plaque. It would be interesting to know some of the stories that accompany them.

I wonder what that die/dice was used for? Must've rolled their lucky number with it, and continued their ride.

[Steve_in_Florida]

...I won the Tatkow Fix-it Award. ...and once you win, you're obligated to take it home, affix your fix to the plaque...

So, you're going to bolt the plaque to your tank? ... and some poor schlub has to TAKE IT next year???

If lack of tank venting is your issue, you might want to look into the "flapectomy" fix:

http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=2024.0

Just a thought... (plus, the little orange flaps you remove will fit better on the plaque, all by themselves!)

Steve

[FJ1100mjk]

If lack of tank venting is your issue, you might want to look into the "flapectomy" fix:

http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=2024.0

Just a thought... (plus, the little orange flaps you remove will fit better on the plaque, all by themselves!)

Steve

Steve:

Yes, I'm aware of this mod, and if my foggy memory recalls correctly, I had been into the fuel cap before to do this mod, and there was nothing in it. Perhaps the PO did the mod. I know one thing, and in the recent past, if the tank was anywhere full, and the gas tank was hot from the engine, gas would bubble out of the keyhole (pressure build-up?)! So there's something going on with the cap. I'll know doubt be back into that fuel cap in the near future. I want to do some Fall riding, before the season is gone in these parts.

Thanks.

[movenon]

Only thing I can add is make sure your feed line to the carbs are installed exactly as Yamaha spec's and that you are not using a fuel filter.

Blow some air down the fuel tank vent port on the tank clearing the short section of internal pipe going down to where the hose hooks on to. I think you will have to unbolt the cap to get to it ?  Make sure the rubber vent hose isn't kinked or restricted.

Do a quick check of the vent holes in the cap while it's off.  The problem has to be simple to solve, just a mystery  .   Not a fan of flapectomys wish the valve inside was replaceable.

Also as question when you checked inside the cap was the orange valve in it or was it gone ?  That valve can be installed backwards and will put the tank in a vacuum. fjmonkey can fill you in on that.  He is the expert. 
George

[FJ1100mjk]

Thanks for the info ^ Geo, I'll look into it. Might be a few days. After putting around 750 miles in the saddle this weekend, I think I'll let the bike set for a little while.