2018 Colorado Rally, July 12-16

[Bonz]

All right guys, just sold the remaining XS1100 with the full factory hard bags to a fellow from Grand Junction. Brant, I texted you about him. He has your phone number. Really nice guy. I am a Kawasaki ZRX1200 only garage now.

I told him about the rally, hope to have him join us.

[Sebastian_99]

All right guys, just sold the remaining XS1100 with the full factory hard bags to a fellow from Grand Junction. Brant, I texted you about him. He has your phone number. Really nice guy. I am a Kawasaki ZRX1200 only garage now.

I told him about the rally, hope to have him join us.

I'm not planning on getting rid of my XS but I may be riding a new bike come rally time. I've always wanted to pick up a Ural and if everything pans out work/money-wise I may have one early next year. I would probably have a hell of time keeping up with everyone though haha!

[3Phase]

I'm not planning on getting rid of my XS but I may be riding a new bike come rally time. I've always wanted to pick up a Ural and if everything pans out work/money-wise I may have one early next year. I would probably have a hell of time keeping up with everyone though haha!

A Ural? Cool!


No Shame!
It's so easy to Gear Up, even a caveman can do it!



I'll probably be at the back there with ya on my Heritage.

[JeffH]

Dates?

Any thought yet about Rally Dates?

Sure would be nice if Cottonwood Pass was finished and that western section back open as a paved road. If not, i'd at least like to make time to ride from BV up to the summit and back.

There was some banter in my CO Ride report about maybe having a rolling rally or some sort of ride before or after the rally weekend deal. Any of you Colorado guys planning to take any additional days off before or after the weekend rally? Problem in Jul & Aug is extreme heat in UT, NM and eastern CO. Not good on bike or rider.

Jeff

[BA80]

Well Brant, I've been doing this crap for 40 years and doing it well. There is NO WAY a carb can be tuned to run well at all elevations..

Come on down and set mine so they run well here then ill come up there and see.

[3Phase]

It's still in the works, Jeff, but no problem for me so far with time or a rolling rally. Whatever gets decided gets done.

That reminds me, I still have to check on Iron Horse reservations... shoot!

[JeffH]

Greg, Yours sure is in 'the zone' up there at Mach III+ near WOT. Especially in 105-100 degree temps. Mine can't do that and stay happy. My motor would be glowing red. But out there in the flatlands you gotta roll to get anywhere, and you are set up to roll. You got a miles chewing machine

Jeff

[motoman]

Greg, Yours sure is in 'the zone' up there at Mach III+ near WOT. Especially in 105-100 degree temps. Mine can't do that and stay happy. My motor would be glowing red. But out there in the flatlands you gotta roll to get anywhere, and you are set up to roll. You got a miles chewing machine

Jeff

Very true Jeff, as would mine especially still having the the stock original final drive.

[Jerry]

Good time for riding in Colorado is late July into August, keeping in mind August is typically one of the wetter months in this state so showers are a real possibility.

I would suggest that a weekend between July 15 and August 19 would be a good "window" for a rally. Earlier in the year, May and even into June, we can still get snow in the high country. Earlier into July and the east coast group generally has a rally scheduled around the 4th, which is a Wednesday in 2018. If that is not an issue it would be a good opportunity to take the entire week off and have the weekends before and after the week of the 4th to travel. A lot of people do family events, though, and may not wish to travel far from home. Several years ago we had a rally out of Bozeman, Montana, and ended up watching 4th of July fireworks as a group from the side of a hill. Cool! JAT.

[Sebastian_99]

A Ural? Cool!


No Shame!
It's so easy to Gear Up, even a caveman can do it!



I'll probably be at the back there with ya on my Heritage.

I bet that guy is going 35MPH with that camper on there. Haha

[Bonz]

For the three rallies I’ve hosted out here in Colorado in the last four years, one or two weekends after the 4th of July weekend had been very good to us.

Get into August and the weather can start changing in a hurry and any earlier snow is a possibility through June. You guys saw the pictures I posted from June 1 in the rally thread last year. I was in 12 foot snowbanks on top of Trailridge Road.

Definitely July is the month.

The word is Cottonwood Pass should be fully paved by later summer 2018. I wouldn’t expect anything earlier. I read late summer as mid to late July. An out and back on the paved portion that already exists would be a nice ride anyway.

Another great loop would be to go south through Poncha Springs from Buena Vista on 285 to Saguache, then take 114 west/north to Hwy 50 on the east side of Gunnison, east back over Monarch Pass on Highway 50, the back to Buena Vista.

With respect to carburetors, the stock 80 SG I just sold was set up with stock jetting. It ran fine at this elevation and up over 10,000 feet. Methinks non-stock exhaust/pods lead and contribute to changes in performamce vs stock exhaust as elevations vary. That combo can be set up for an area or region but doesn’t have the versatility at higher or lower elevations relative to where it was originally tuned.

[BA80]

Made a deal the other day to buy back The Green Hornet at about 1/3 what I sold it for.

It's red now and needs to be put back together but maybe I'll give it a shot up there next year.

[motoman]

Sounds like it'll make for a good winter project Greg.

[Bonz]

I did not know the green hornet, but that sounds like a fun project!

I have a good winter project in front of me now... Changing oil last weekend on the ZRX, a piece of oil control ring came out with the magnetic drain plug. In the past month/200 miles I had seen the oil level start to drop in the sightglass and was suspicious of something but was surprised when I saw that.

I had installed ZZR 1200 pistons (used, in spec), back in January, and they had just under 5000 miles on them. The bike did great as the rally guys know so I guess reusing rings (in spec as well) may have ultimately lead to fatigue and failure.

Looking forward to riding it at the rally again next summer.

[Sebastian_99]

For the three rallies I’ve hosted out here in Colorado in the last four years, one or two weekends after the 4th of July weekend had been very good to us.

Get into August and the weather can start changing in a hurry and any earlier snow is a possibility through June. You guys saw the pictures I posted from June 1 in the rally thread last year. I was in 12 foot snowbanks on top of Trailridge Road.

Definitely July is the month.

The word is Cottonwood Pass should be fully paved by later summer 2018. I wouldn’t expect anything earlier. I read late summer as mid to late July. An out and back on the paved portion that already exists would be a nice ride anyway.

Another great loop would be to go south through Poncha Springs from Buena Vista on 285 to Saguache, then take 114 west/north to Hwy 50 on the east side of Gunnison, east back over Monarch Pass on Highway 50, the back to Buena Vista.

Sounds good to me