2019 Colorado Rally

[Bonz]

LOL, good one MP!

[MaximPhil]

Hi Jeff, with all that OFF of course it won't work A good clean and put it back together. Remember your carbs may have an electrical problem so clean the grounds too. I hope it is something simple and you get it fixed and running soon.
Phil

Hi Jeff,
Missed your question earlier. Yes it would be a hoot to take Addie but not very likely as I would need to do some proper maintenance and upgrade the brake lines to be safe on it.
Of course the connie needs some maintenance too
Phil

[BA80]

This says the guy who almost daily posts complaints about FB or his laptop not working right... right?

Hey, at least I don't leave my credit card at gas stops, then remember I did when we're all 50 miles away and have to go back...

Or... take the lead away from me on a trip when I'm going 70, knowing your tank holds less than 4 gallons, to run 80+. Then runs out at 82 miles...

I could go on... but won't. After all, the score's now 3-1 my favor.
And... I like Greg!

Good times, huh??

Sounds like he's just jealous...

Ha ha ha.....I can replace the gas, you never get time back. Did the same with Scott and his Hardley. I was falling asleep.

I ride a REAL bike, not a plastic image of one that has more to go wrong with it than right.

I've been riding Ol' Okie all over creation for 10 years now and unless I crashed it the only thing I've had to do to it is change the oil and tires.

[Bonz]

Both you guys got to the top of Pikes Peak on arguably the hottest riding conditions I have ever seen at altitude. The previous rally it was hotter at the bottom and not as cool at the top, but not the brutal slow pace that had both Greg’s XS (smoke off the engine cases) and Bob’s C14 (temp needle pegged and fans running non stop) begging for mercy in 2016. Plastic or not, old tech or new, both did their job. Others were having the same issues as well on whatever bike they rode. My ZRX1200 didn’t go above halfway on the temp gauge, but being the lead bike I could keep a much steadier pace even going slow (no clutch slipping like some guys had to do, carbs dialed for altitude and not needing to be revved and cleaned out to keep running, etc) and I have a higher flow fan from a GSXR1000 grafted onto it vs stock.

[BA80]

My engine has never been the same, I'm looking to get a fresh one in there.

I don't think it would have been as bad if it weren't for the LOOOONNNNGGG SLOOOWWWW line at the gate or the moron in the Tahoe.

[XJOK2PLAY]

Totally agree, Greg!
Didn't know which was worse! The uphill long line, or the Tahoe taking the slow long scenic tour!

Never saw my bike get that hot, never before, never since.
Harry was ahead of me, and as we sat waiting to get in the park, I could
see steam rising up all around Harry's head.
I just knew we ALL were gonna burn our bikes up on that one!
Jeff's quick thinking by going to the front and handing the Ranger his Visa saved us all! Thanks again for doing that for us, Jeff!

I had to readjust my clutch after that one.

Good times!

[Bonz]

The C14 has a hydraulic clutch, yes? Would think the heat would affect shifting/clutch action in the moment, but return once it cooled down? In 2014, Roo lost his clutch on the Nomad (soccer4m, aka Mike owns that bike now). We had to fix it at the top as best we could by turning the bar and getting the master cylinder as the high point. Then pumping the lever as much as possible and bungee’ing the lever to the bar while it cooled down and we walked around on top of Pikes Peak. Got enough lever back to make it down and then back to Cali.

Roo gets the award this past year as well. He stretched that VTX 1800 to within 150 yards of a gas station. To bad it died at that busy stoplight in South Fork... I will take the hit on that one. He told me he had about 20 miles left in the tank when we left Creede. And it was 24 miles to South Fork... I told him I would take it easy and we would make it. He is such a trusting trooper! That extra gallon of gas he carried was great, too bad it takes a long time to deploy and get pumped up to the engine through the fuel injection system.

[XJOK2PLAY]

Yes, the C14 has a hydraulic clutch.
But, even so, I had to do a lot of adjusting at the lever to get it working again.

Strangely, while it never improved and required me to put the adjustment back,
it's worked fine ever since.

I was pretty sure that jot up the Peak cost me some clutch lining.
I just knew I'd be replacing it soon as I got back, but it's worked fine ever since.
Changed oil when I got back. Had Stillwater Kawasaki check it out when I had the valves adjusted @ 40,000 miles. Said clutch still measured within spec and looked ok. Still working fine, so guess I got lucky?

I'll say this... I wish everything I've bought was as dependable as my C14.
Great bike, and best money I ever spent.
Love this bike!

[motoman]

Good to hear your bike is doing fine Bob. Sounds like you and the bike are good to make another LD ride to a rally out westerly direction.

[Bonz]

Yes, the C14 has a hydraulic clutch.
But, even so, I had to do a lot of adjusting at the lever to get it working again.

Strangely, while it never improved and required me to put the adjustment back,
it's worked fine ever since.

I was pretty sure that jot up the Peak cost me some clutch lining.
I just knew I'd be replacing it soon as I got back, but it's worked fine ever since.
Changed oil when I got back. Had Stillwater Kawasaki check it out when I had the valves adjusted @ 40,000 miles. Said clutch still measured within spec and looked ok. Still working fine, so guess I got lucky?

I'll say this... I wish everything I've bought was as dependable as my C14.
Great bike, and best money I ever spent.
Love this bike!

As far as I know, all the XS riders came away with their clutches intact as well. Not necessarily happy riders, but clutches seemed happy once it was all said and done. I think in the period tests the XS was noted for a pretty stout clutch.

Greg, how about a re-ring of your bike? Put a crosshatch on the cylinders and good to go. Gets you a fresh engine more or less. Or easier on time and effort to just swap engines out?

[DeanR]

After reading about this SLOW going up Pike's Peak, I feel pretty lucky that I had the road all to myself a few years ago, a couple days before visiting Brant.

[BA80]

As far as I know, all the XS riders came away with their clutches intact as well. Not necessarily happy riders, but clutches seemed happy once it was all said and done. I think in the period tests the XS was noted for a pretty stout clutch.

Greg, how about a re-ring of your bike? Put a crosshatch on the cylinders and good to go. Gets you a fresh engine more or less. Or easier on time and effort to just swap engines out?

I have a couple of good engines laying around. I'm a hoarder when it comes to that stuff.

BTW, the XS was known for the clutch being it's weak spot. Too much power and too little clutch.

[Bonz]

I must be remembering incorrectly about the clutches. The motorcyclist article when the XS was riden cross country fried one at the drag strip I wouldn't think that would play too much into the real world.

Of course the pikes peak torture test with something Yamaha should have done back in 1977 when they were testing the bike. Haha.

[BA80]

I think I was reading an article on drag racing when I saw that. The XS11 was used a lot in MC drag racing in the 80s and 90s.

[XJOK2PLAY]

After reading about this SLOW going up Pike's Peak, I feel pretty lucky that I had the road all to myself a few years ago, a couple days before visiting Brant.

Yep, Dean, if you had the road up to yourself...you scored.

That was rough. Until then, I never realized how far from the road the rangers hut is... and it's a lot steeper when you have a passenger and pull up 5', stop, wait 5 minutes, repeat... for like almost a mile.

Plus, it was pretty warm at the entrance that day.

It was pretty wild watching the steam rising up all around Harry's head off of his 11's engine.

Pretty understandable for the 11's, being air cooled. No air moving!

Only thing I could figure about my C14 getting so hot was the wet clutch was super heating the oil, causing the coolant temp to go up and the fans to run wide open, non-stop.

Regardless, it was slow-go. Then once we got inside, we all pulled over and let the bikes cool down.

But, it was one of those things that made the trip memorable! Lol...