trip to the midwest

[DiverRay]

Headlight is still not fixed, so I'm 60 miles short of Tuscon. It was 118+ as I was riding through the Southern California Desert. I was drinking a 1/2 liter bottle of water about every hour, and pouring another bottle over my riding suit to cool things down! I did survive, and am replacing my water with a little flavor as I type. (24 oz. Becks)
I'm not positive, but I think the headlight could be related to the ignition switch wires. I've not done anything with them, and I just need a few hours to pull the fairing and get in to check.I plan on running without a headlight until I can get two or three hours in the COOL to check things out.
Bike is running good, at 80+ mph indicated. I do have cars passing me, but I do pass all the trucks, and some cars. The oil level has dropped, but I expected that. High speed and oven heat will do that to anything.
Motoman, I may give you a call. I'm going to cut NM, and go from Tuscon to Colorado. I'll then go from Jerry's house down to Dallas area, and up to maximans in OK.
The plan for now....
Ray

[MAXIMAN]

Ray

I almost had a heat stroke on my Monument Valley ride last summer. I was wearing a mesh air flow jacket but it was just too hot.

I was in the desert (near Albuquerque) it was about 105 but the humidity was low. PopRock suggested I go into a service station and soak my T...then put the mesh back on and hit I-25 at about 70 mph.

Holy Smoke Batman! Within roughly 3 miles I was wishing someone would turn the air conditioning OFF! Seriously...within minutes I was shaking I was so cold...even in 105 degree heat.

It is amazing how well that works in arid regions.

Fast forward to Oklahoma later in the summer. It was hot...about 100+ and the humidity was 50%. PopRock was about to have a heat stroke . So he tried it...HAW HAW HAW... a few miles later he said he was still HOT except now it was worse....he was soaking wet also.

[DiverRay]

Maximan,
At 118, I soaked the MESH JACKET, as well as the T shirt. It worked for about 20 miles, then the temp started to climb again.
I do know if the humidity is up, the water will just get HOT!!
Ray

[MAXIMAN]

Yeah that's what happened to me in NM last year. I got about 30 minutes of cooling then I had to stop and do it again.

Ya know Ray some body makes a cooler vest that has a reservoir. It allows you to "pump" water while you ride thus keep the vest damp and you cool.

See ya in a couple days. Depending on when you get here we might get to watch 'em strap the Maxim to the dyno. They've got the head on...valves "lashed" and cams dialed in. They installed the 38mm FJ1200 carbs today as well. Hopefully tomorrow we'll get to fire it up.

Take care bro.

Cody

[motoman]

OK Ray, I'll be home Sat. evening, as I gotta run to Colo. Springs bout 4 in the morning in a Dura-Max pulling a gooseneck to haul back a 95 Ford 7.3 Diesel that my older son bought. Half to haul it as it needs a clutch(and I'm not doing the repair, he is.) Anyway give me a call when you get close to here. Best direction is up to Flagstaff, Keyente to Cortez, through town, then left at Last light, which is Colo. 145 to Telluride, then left at intersection down to Sawpit. Couple miles beyond Sawpit at intersection, turn right on Colo. 62 to Ridgeway. At ridgeway, left on Colo. 550 North to Grand Junction. That'll be the coolest ride in more ways than one! Too hot going up Utah 191 to I 70, and is bout 40 miles farther than way I explained, which is very easy, and you'll have temts. in the mid seventy's and afternoon showers that I'm sure you'll welcome. Been 100-102 here the past week. Garage has a space for the XS, and everything for testing to find your light problem. Simple fix for sure, just havin' a place to do it is half of problem solved, and gotcha' covered, so give me a call at my cell#(970-640-7221 and we'll git' the front of that lit back up, and what ever else you need..............Brant.

[DiverRay]

Motoman, sorry to say, but I don't have time to try and make Colorado. I'm in Los Cruces, NM tonight. I have a low beam, but pop the fuse when I try the high beam. I can run at night now, but I just can't see that far ahead.
John, I hope to be at your place sometime Sunday evening. I know I have a LOT of miles to ride, so I'll try to leave somewhat early. My cousin did a Google maps to get directions to your house. I should be able to ride in, but I will call once I get off the freeway. She and her husband live in Ft. Worth, so she new just about how long it would take to drive there! I think I've got a LOT of distance to go!! It will probably be close to 12 hours ride from here, depending on head winds and water stops.
Maximan, I hope I CAN see the bike on the Dyno I know it was a good running machine before, and now it should be a tourque monster!
more later....
Ray

[MAXIMAN]

Ray

I assume you're taking I-10 to El Paso then 20 to DFW.

A very cool thing happened in Texas this month. A lot of the interstate in sparsely populated areas went to 80 mph.

At that rate you should be able to make BIG tracks. You can run 84 or 85 and DHP won't even look at ya.

Be safe.

Cody

[Special Ed]

And miles to go before I sleep.

On the old "Truth or Cosequences" TV program they had a Texas contestant , and they threw this questi0on at him: "What is miles of miles of miles of miles of miles?" He didn't bat an eye. He said "Te-ex-as." Of course he was right! If I was you Ray I'd ride all night and sleep during the day (if possable!)
Godspeed Bro!

[John]

I just got off the phone with Ray. He is in Weatherford, Tx, about 30 miles from me. I planned on meeting him there, but the police have the freeway, I20, closed down due to some kind of hostage situation involving an 18 wheeler. I couldn't have made it to Weatherford if I wanted to. If the road is open now, he should be here in about 45 minutes or so.

[trbig]

Well aint that a kick in the sack..... ride for 12 hours... butt hurting... and get stopped 30 miles from your destination. RAY.... HURRY.... MURPHY IS CATCHING UP!!!

Tod

[DiverRay]

Tod, and all,
Murphy may have a chance. I just kept today to under 300 miles, from Hurst, TX to Stillwater, OK.
The battery in the bike gave me some more trouble today, and maximan had a new battery waiting for me when I got here. Maximan met me on the "flying Kaw", and I followed him on in to his place. I didn't bring the front end up as he did, but for a loaded down bike, I did OK.
After a once over with my machine, we went out to dinner and then went to the shop to check on HIS XJ. The young mechanic was having problems getting the new exhaust system on, so maximan and I worked on it, got it installed, and fired it up. The system sounds NICE, a lower than normal tone, but quiet.
Went back to mine, as it developed a new, not nice cam chain noise. I thought it may have been the oil, so I changed it again today, and it didn't go away. I then removed the tensioner, and checked for binding. The shaft looked good, so I put it all back in and the noise was gone!
Tomorrow I need to make up for the short day, so it will be a LONG day of riding. I'm still over 1,000 miles from my goal, and need to be there soon, as I will have to head for home. Can you say "iron butt" time??
Ray

[MAXIMAN]

I guess I could go upstairs and say it to your face...but it's just so cool being able to do it this way!

Thanks for all the help on the Motad. And I'm really glad you came to visit. Also glad we got rid of that hideous cam chain noise. That had me a little concerned...not now though.

See ya in the kitchen in the morning.

[trbig]

I would have loved to ride with Ray up to meet you.... but didn't work out this time.
Ray, have a safe trip. If you start getting loopy from riding too much... get out of the saddle for a bit.... go find a nice shade tree... it can't be any more than 95 in the shade around here...

Take care.

Tod

[MAXIMAN]

Yeah well we'll hook up at Talihina...or somewhere. It wouldn't have been much fun yesterday anywho

We worked our bottoms off. Spent 2 hours getting my Motad buttoned up on Zilla and a couple hours chnaging oil and messing with the cam chain tensioner on Ray's daily ride. My back is sore this morning from all the bending and stooping.

But He should be in good shape for another 3 or 4000 miles.

[MAXIMAN]

For all following Ray's progress...he departed my driveway at 9:45 am this marn. He's headed to Tulsa, St. Louis, Indianapolis, then up to Cleveland.

Godspeed Ray.

Cg