Post Fall, ID to Victor, NY

[BillyRok]

It's almost time...all packed and I fly out of Rochester, NY at 7am Monday arriving in Spokane, WA at 10:45am PT. Mark (prior owner) is picking me up for the 30 minute drive to Post Falls. Plan is to do a few minor things to the bike, load it up with my stuff, and get into Montana while the sun is still shining. Here it is, 1980 XS1100LG [IMG][/IMG] Thanks to everyone on this site who offered advice and encouragement, hope you enjoy the ride

[Prisoner6]

Enjoy!

It's almost time...all packed and I fly out of Rochester, NY at 7am Monday arriving in Spokane, WA at 10:45am PT. Mark (prior owner) is picking me up for the 30 minute drive to Post Falls. Plan is to do a few minor things to the bike, load it up with my stuff, and get into Montana while the sun is still shining. Here it is, 1980 XS1100LG [IMG][/IMG] Thanks to everyone on this site who offered advice and encouragement, hope you enjoy the ride

Hi, Billy -

Nice Midnight!

Have a great time, and be safe out there ... and please post as many pics as possible along the way, because we love pics (and because we want to know you are safe!)

[BA80]

That's quite an epic shakedown ride Billy, good luck.

You will be passing through my old stomping grounds on the way. I was born and raised in Montana. Most of my family still lives in Billings.

You are going to be riding through some of the most beautiful and highest elevation mountain passes. Be sure to be prepared for quick weather changes and it can be cold up high, even in August.

Have fun and if you get into trouble in Montana let me know. I'll see if I can get you some help.

[3Phase]

Good luck, Billy!

Take your time if you can and have fun! Remember: Shiny. Side. Up!

.

[DeanR]

Have a great trip Billy!

[MaximPhil]

Hi Billy ,
Have a good trip. Watch your fuel consumption and remeber it is better to top off a nearly full tank than to be a few pints short of the next gas station.
Phil

[madmax-im]

Billy... have a safe trip...

[BillyRok]

Well so much for plans changed out oil in middle and final drives, a little sludge on drain plug but no water or anything shiny. Flushed brake lines, feel solid and nothing dragging. Added highway pegs to stretch my legs. Checked valve clearances, intakes were .004 and .005, exhaust were .008 and .009 - all within spec. Installed auto cam chain tensioner. Synched the carbs but no changes to idle mixture screws as plugs are still in the towers.

By the time we got all this done, it was too late to try to cover any distance so I'm staying the night here in Post Falls and plan to head to Montana in the morning. Besides I am bushed after getting up this morning at 4 and need the rest.

[jjz28]

Well, that's a very smart thing to do. Don't want to be riding too tired. I just found this thread and cant wait to come back for all the reports. Good luck.

[WMarshy]

Well so much for plans changed out oil in middle and final drives, a little sludge on drain plug but no water or anything shiny. Flushed brake lines, feel solid and nothing dragging. Added highway pegs to stretch my legs. Checked valve clearances, intakes were .004 and .005, exhaust were .008 and .009 - all within spec. Installed auto cam chain tensioner. Synched the carbs but no changes to idle mixture screws as plugs are still in the towers.

By the time we got all this done, it was too late to try to cover any distance so I'm staying the night here in Post Falls and plan to head to Montana in the morning. Besides I am bushed after getting up this morning at 4 and need the rest.

How was the balance on the carbs Bill, did you make any adjustments, did it improve any?

Guys, I talked with Bill last night on the phone and he indicated to me that #3 cylinder plug was on the rich side and the bike was "a little flat" below 2500 RPM.

Since the pilot towers are still have the caps I suggested he do a vac sync and see how it responds. The bike sounds more than ride-able in its condition so I suggested a seafoam treatment and ridin it.

From his post above I'm not sure much has changed from the sync alone. However, I can tell you Bill has the bar set pretty high. His XJ runs like a Swiss watch so he might just be overly critical. Just short of diving into a full carb cleaning out on the road I stand by my seafoam suggestion. He has the vac sync tool with him but no colortune or much experience (I believe) in setting the pilot screws, that's why I suggested leaving them alone for now if it's tolerable.

Looking forward to the next update, ride safe.

[WMarshy]

Oops, I see you have a page in the technical forum. I will leave the tech talk out of this thread and move over to the other one. That way you can focus this one on the ride...

[MaximPhil]

Hi Billy,
Good call on staying for a good nights sleep. Pace your self. Take extra breaks if it is super Hot or Cold.
Remember to take pictures.
Phil

[BillyRok]

At the KOA in Butte, MT

I finally headed east about 9:30 this morning and called it quits about 5:30. Covered 300 miles today...last time I did that was Spring Break 1984 stopped twice for gas and got over 41 mpg both times, pretty good. The bike seems quite happy running 5k at 75 mph, that's been the speed limit out. I am having a couple issues that I'll post in my other thread I started. It was over 95 in ID today, 10th straight day over 90...brutal! Pretty sunny all day and mid 70's here in Butte right now, very nice. Trying to upload some pics to Photobucket from this IPad using the wifi, not sure if it's working...May have to call one of my smart daughters for help

My cousin and his friend both showed up in Sturgis over the weekend, they came from Knoxville...after the friend rode down there from Portland, ME! I guess that guy has over 3500 miles in so far. They were at Yellowstone yesterday, my next stop hopefully, and said it rained on them for 3 hours and the temp was 48*. Plus they had to wait for herd of bison to get out of the road. After I see Yellowstone the plan will be to catch up with them in Sturgis. I'm about 150 miles from Yellowstone and then another 125 more to Grand Teton but not sure yet if I'll go that far south before turning east.

Just checked Photobucket, nothing uploaded yet so the pics will be forth coming. Be back tomorrow.

[BA80]

If you have the time and money, Jackson Wyoming is someplace you want to see while your there. Be prepared for some cool weather though.

Butte is an interesting town isn't it. LOL The Lady Of the Rockies you'll see on the mountain top headed east out of Butte.......http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_the_Rockies

I was driving that highway when they were putting one of the large pieces up there with a Sky Crane. Stopped traffic.

[BillyRok]

Wifi has been spotty out here. Did Yellowstone yesterday and Bear Tooth Pass out of the NE exit...spectacular!! Got pics to upload but haven't been able to yet. Hope to get to Sturgis today to catch up with my cousin...see Rushmore and Crazy Horse monuments...and then a cold one someplace. More later.