Bob Jones Navy bike thread

[XJkid]

Samsonite trunk

I have an '81 Venture that I am fixing up that has the same Samsonite setup, but I am missing the trunk. Where could a person find one?

[Blank Slate]

Bob Jones!

[tomcos67]

navy bike !!!!

Great read guys....!!! Glad to see her running well!!!! Thanks to good friends!!! I love this site!!!!! You guys are the best!!!!

[motoman]

Navy bike after Bob Jones built it in approximately 2006. The base bike was a low miles (12,000 approximately) 81H Venturer. Bob discusses the bike's layout in his book as a future build. The book was published in 2004, but he already had the bike waiting to be built as a personal project to commemorate his Navy service. Besides polishing rims, forks, calipers, shaft housing and engine covers, Bob converted the stock front and rear rotors to EBC full-floating rotors that greatly reduce weight and rotating mass and replaced the master cylinder with an adjustable Nilsen. Pads are same as stock. He bored the engine to 1200cc and had the custom embroidery performed on the seat and backrest to match the graphics and paint.






He used the Samsonite Tri-bar rack system that allowed quick removal upon stopping at your destination outfitted with Navy emblems.


Russ Ludvicek worked with Bob at Merriam Custom Cycles. After Bob's death in 2008, he purchased the bike from Karla with about 15,000 miles on it. Here is the bike from Russ' time owning it. I remember seeing pics on the forum shortly after I joined in 2009 and lusted after it.





Unfortunately, the original Samsonite bags were eventually destroyed when hit by another bike (one at a time), but Russ sourced some replacements. Owning multiple XS11s, Russ found he was riding it less especially after the starter clutch gave out. It sat for a bit until he reluctantly agreed to sell it to me in May 2014. A gathering was set sometime around Memorial weekend I believe and Ivan, Harry, Dan, Tod, Greg, Ryan, Bohn and myself hit Kansas City for a weekend teardown to split the cases and rebuild the starter clutch. The split factory exhaust was welded up to be functional again and I rode it home to Texas. It went to XS Southeast that year for a small gathering of Bob Jones customs.



It ran great, averaging about 33-34 mpg at 60 or 90mph. In May 2015 I left on a 2900 mile week long trip from San Antonio to Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah with Tod, Greg and Bob. We visited and rode with Brant (motoman) in Grand Junction before his crash. After the Grand Canyon, Bob & I split from Greg & Tod to head home and split from each other in Clines Corners NM. A few miles from Roswell NM at 90 mph I started to slow and heard a loud noise which I thought to be a loose exhaust. As I got close to an intersection of a county road, I pulled in the clutch to listen and the engine seized up. The starter could not move it. A call to AMA Roadside assistance got me a tow to a Roswell hotel until my wife showed up with a trailer for the ride home.





Last December on Craigsllist I saw an ad for a 79SF that looked really nice with beautiful stock exhaust but was priced way high for a no title, non-runner. I waited and eventually the ad disappeared though I saved the number. Now needing an engine, I called and went to see it. It was at a shop where it was being worked on for "electrical issues" and had run up a huge bill. I think the shop owner convinced him to take my offer to settle the bill.

79SF donor on purchase



79SF after giving its life so others may live.



My week vacation in August I was planning to ride up to Sturgis and meet my Harley friend Bill (his trike is pictured above) who were trailering up. I spent that time cleaning out the garage and starting to remove the donor engine. My son Dylan and I got everything loose and ready to pull out but had zero luck coaxing it out of the frame. It lay on its side, mocking me every time I went in there.

So finally tired of hearing me whine, Tod & Greg decided to end my misery. Bill was also pushing me to get back on the road. Tod showed up late Friday night from Ada OK after fighting holiday traffic at 2330. We had some drinks and stories and to bed at 0100. While I was scrambling eggs the next morning, Tod wanders out to the garage for a couple minutes to survey the situation. I finish the eggs and go out to tell him we will get started after breakfast, Greg won't arrive till afternoon since he had carb trouble of his own.

I look in and there is the 79 upright. The engine on the floor next to it. Tod with a wry grin on his face saying "It wasn't THAT heavy." Bill showed up that morning, Greg sorted his carbs enough to arrive by afternoon from Tulsa as did Ryan from Austin.

After a full, hot day we relaxed in the AC with adult beverages.


And headed to a local food truck spot with live music near the University.


Sunday everything came together and by late afternoon the final carb sync was being performed after swapping pickup coils - apparently the 79s were bad despite only 13,600 miles and probably why the Harley shop could only run up labor charges.





The first no fairing test ride, just after dusk with my LED driving lights on I scooted a short way down the road with a huge smile on my face. This engine ran stronger than the big bore did. I almost fell off the back.

Today I am giving thanks for a site that has blessed me so many times with good friends, life long memories, and a community of which I am proud to be a part.

Did 103 miles today at 80-95 mph. 34 mpg and did not skip a beat. Feels good to be on the road again.




John

Great to see that bike living and rolling again!

[motoman]

Great to see that bike living and rolling again!

BTW J.W/. if ya wanna havw THAT motor give you long service miles, I higjly reccomend that LD cruisin' speeds be at 5,000rpm or less.........just a word from the wise.

[XJOK2PLAY]

Has the Navy bike had the FD swap John?
Or is it still the stock FD?

[jwhughes3]

Its Stock FD. I will probably just leave it Stock. I do have an 850FD squirreled away somewhere in my stash as well as an 18" rim & new tire from a 750 for testing purposes, but don't want to really wrench much until Fall. Too durn hot.

John

[XJOK2PLAY]

Yes, I totally understand. Hot here, too.

For the LD touring you do now, you'd love that 850 FD.

I did the swap on my Maxim, and couldn't believe the difference... especially on the turnpike. It's like adding the 6th gear it should have always had.
Makes for a quieter ride, too. Highly recommend it. Especially if you have one on hand!
Only downside might be all the polishing you'd have to do to make that 850 FD look like Bob Jones made yours look!
Might buddy up with Bohn........?

[BA80]

The humidity is stifling there Bob.

[madmax-im]

I dont see any improvement in the 750 FD that is on Swampthing...IMO first and 2nd gear are weak off the line and nothing really gains traction until 3rd gear...out on the hwy around here I dont get over 32 mpg...plus it whines like the 750 Maxim I used to have...so IMO this is a worthless mod...

[BA80]

Ruined your racing huh Ben? If it's noisy it was probably installed wrong and if your experiencing low power in LOW gears you probably have a tuning issue.

[madmax-im]

its not noisy at cruising speeds only as it goes thru the gears up and down...Randy installed it correctly...as for tune, its always been this way since the first time I rode it...Randy is a better mech. than ur giving him credit for...and again online diagnosis dont cut it with me...you gotta ride it then tell me what u think...

[madmax-im]

4000 RPMs @ 70 mph in 5th gear hardly feels like a 6th gear...and maybe I should revise my statement about 1st and 2nd gears...1st gear is nothing mmore than getting to 2nd in 2nd then theres more pull but both 1st and 2nd feel too tall in gearing...my XJ had more off the line with less HP...I would have been happier if Randy left well enough alone with the FD...

[madmax-im]

I do plan to have some others ride it at XSSE and hopefully gain some real world insights...

[bikerphil]

If you want better off the line response, put the stock type FD back on Ben, they are a dime a dozen.