2019 Vintage Yamaha Rally / XS Southeast

[dbbrian]

Ironhorse

The road to IH


Twilight

[dbbrian]

I only have Sunday ride stiops

Morning group - Cherahola




Afternoon group - new section of Foothills
Seen at top beyond

[dbbrian]

Back at the ranch

Kurt's talk



Brent's talk



My Award - and I love it!

[dbbrian]

The ride home

It was a long hot ride most of the way back, but lots of good roads were found along the way. Some were actually planned.

Phil said he prayed for a paved side stop in the shade, and a Church showed up....so I exercised my "freewill" around the back



Marty and Sally took us into their lovely home for the night after we went out for a nice dinner in Kane. Thanks guys!



And then we rode home through a bit of rain, and it turned cold to remind us we were back in Canada


THE END

[dbbrian]

Thank you, thank you thank you !!!!

Thank you to all the organizers...Nancy, Kurt, Marty, Brent and Jeff. Anyone else who I may have missed.

I had a great time there at VYR and know it wouldn't have happened without a lot of effort and cost to all of you.

Thanks!

[Bergman16]

Great photos, Brian. Next year I will link up in PA somewhere and ride down, I hope! Crossing all my fingers and toes.

[JeffH]

Glad he got rid of the white paintjob. That was fugly.

Yes, this 'new look' tank is much improved

Brent arriving at the Iron Horse


After all the wrenching Brent's bike ran better than ever and got him to the Rally and safely back home without having any issues. Nice to see his xs11 back on the road again after a 2 year hiatus.

I've got more pics to post when I get home

Jeff

[MPittma100]

A Little TLC

Is all it takes to keep these bikes going. 40 years in service so far. How far can they go? Good job Brent. Glad to see you back on the Vintage Yamaha!

Yes, this 'new look' tank is much improved

Brent arriving at the Iron Horse


After all the wrenching Brent's bike ran better than ever and got him to the Rally and safely back home without having any issues. Nice to see his xs11 back on the road again after a 2 year hiatus.

I've got more pics to post when I get home

Jeff

[newc4]

Darrell's FJR is home

Well, my ride is finally concluded. All the FJR needed was a battery and it was installed yesterday; the charging systems checks 4.0. Rode it the last 58.3 miles home this evening.

On a previous ride to WV, I learned that if you think you need new tires, you need new tires. Here, at VYR I’ll add to that, if you think you need a new battery, you need a new battery. And a third lesson, don’t ride alone.

Saturday, 28 SEP, I was riding with Gary and Bruce. We choose to stop at the Old School Knife Works on US-441 to peruse their offerings just as the sky let loose. It may have been a passing shower but it was anchored overhead and continued for 2 hours. Gary didn’t have his rain gear with him so I decided to head back alone.

About 5 miles north the rain stopped, the road was dry, and it appeared the cell was moving off to the southeast. I rode back to let Gary know then turned back north on Rt-28. The sun was hot so I looked for a place to stop and shed my rain gear. Off the top of the rise to the right was the parking lot of the Cowee Baptist Church. Gear off, key in, a few turns of the starter, then the FJR was stone dead. Only response from a key turn was the tach and speedo needle to jump.

I pondered my situation. I have an AMA membership but didn’t have their card with me and I couldn’t find their roadside assistance number. I took another crack at the key and I found my electrics worked. However all I got was a clicking solenoid. I tried jump starting but that didn’t work but I did work up a nice sweat.

Noticed a number of riders from our group riding by. Then, Gary and Bruce stopped in the BP across the street. Appraised of my situation Gary – said he get his truck and trailer to get my bike. Bruce offered me a ride back. 500 lbs on twisty roads, this would be interesting. Once back, Gary and I went in search of batteries in Franklin, NC. FJR batts have a slim profile, not to be found. Ordered one online to be delivered to Iron Horse as Plan B.

Sunday, Gary lent me his truck for me to battery shop. Sorry, a special order item. Looks like I’d not be riding home.

Back at the lodge, hearing of my situation, Dwayne came up to me and offered to tow my bike home. One caveat, I would have to ride his very naked Midnight Special as he only had room for one bike on his trailer. This would become Plan A. I would ride a 100 miles, tank up. Then I’d drive a 100 miles. Repeat. What this did was make the trip home easier with discrete, planned breaks.

Sunday evening loaded the bike. Dwayne’s trailer has a 5” track but my rear tire still overhung the track. And the length of his ramp was a tad short as my muffler was scraping at the break. The brothers from Pensacola were loading their bikes so they helped us wrestle it onboard. And offered some short strap loops - you can’t tie down an FJR by the handlebars without damaging the fairing so short strap loops around the fork tops allow offer a tie down point.

Left at 0700, Mon morning. Needless to say his XS Midnight Special had a different feel that the FJR, felt lighter and a bit twitchier. Different foot peg and handlebar geometries. Different clutch and throttle response though the brakes felt fine, SS brake lines. No throttle lock or cramp buster. The seat felt fine. No sore butt. The lack of a windscreen didn’t bother me, my XS11E never had one. It took a few miles acclimating to the Midnight.

Joy “Donna” didn’t feel comfortable driving with a trailer so I got to drive her Ford Bronco. Had a glass instrument panel that I didn’t quite figure out. But the trailer followed easy and was never a problem.

While I was riding the Special I was thinking, “This feels smaller and less stable than the FJR. Maybe it’s time to get rid of my XS11E.” I later told my wife this and she was ready to roll my 11E out to the curb.

We arrived at Fredericksburg Motor Sports around 5:00. Unloading the trailer I used the spare tire under the ramp to elevate it a bit. A dead lift to the front tire and the FJR rolled down easily. They had a battery but I thought that an electrical system check was warranted. Can’t get to if for two weeks. Oh, well, worse than a dead bike on Rt-28 would be a dead bike on I-95.

I left the bike with them and waited for my wife to arrive and pick me up. Met a metal fabricator in the store. Said he could make a rail for my Holsclaw trailer to accommodate the FJR.

So I want to thank all the current and former XSisves for seeing me home. Gary Granger for trailering my ride and searching for a battery. Bruce Gerhkin for two upping me back to Iron Horse. Kurt for looking into FJR batteries – they are 2 5/8” wide. And finally, for Dwayne and Joy “Donna” for trailering me home.

Got a call 3 OCT from Iron Horse, my battery finally arrived. Please forward it to me. And while I have you on the line reserve a room for me next year.

Tires and battery should be good for another couple of years.

[madmax-im]

Darrell..glad you're home safely..what would we do without the help and support of our XSive brothers?..
Indeed when you come to the VYR and this part of the country to ride your bike(s)..Good tires and a good battery are very important stuff to have fresh..
My bike was delivered to the rally and it was NOT rally ready..such is the case when you dont have 100% control over the situation...
If the bike had been in my posession beforehand..it would have had new tires...My battery crapped out at the rally..while on a group ride no less..but there was no way to predict or anticipate that one..It was a 'new" battery from China..so you pretty much get what you pay for...
My bike as i said was not rally ready..yet i attempted to ride it anyway...not the best decision i ever made..
Next year will be entirely different...
Great job to all involved in making this rally a success.