Boog
Traveling Story Teller
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2013
- Messages
- 8,487
- Location
- Dumfries, Virginia
- Ride
- 2014 R3T, RAMAIR, Full Viking Dual exhaust
A youngster on the XS forum listed his '82 HS for sale earlier this week. He is down on his luck and needed the dosh to pay for truck repairs. We met an agreeable price and I rode home 80 miles via the super slab on a 39 year old machine.
Things one learns on such a short journey:
1. The mirrors don't like 80mph, at least not the left one as it swiveled out of position and now I need a wrench to sort it out. I'll do that tomorrow in the daylight.
2. The right side cover also is not accustomed to freeway speeds and left the machine in heavy, fast traffic. It was unsafe to stop and retrieve it.
A replacement is already ordered.
3. The head bearing is not right and will need a retorque ASAP.
4. For low miles (7,600) the suspension is in dire need of help. I'm not too sure there is any fluid in the front end. The bike is much too rough to let Pretty Pillion ride yet.
5. I had forgotten what riding a small bike feels like; I love it!
6. My vest is too old for unprotected freeway speed. It refused to stay snapped together on the ride home. Pretty Pillion was following me in her cage and I passed her the vest half way home. She said "I bought you a replacement vest last year, are you going to move your patches over now?!?" I guess I should...
7. The speedometer is running about 10mph low. At 60ish, she says I am running at 70.
8. Parallel twins are a tad buzzy at speed and tickle one's nether regions nicely. Pretty Pillion was not happy to her this...
9. After telling Pretty Pillion about the buzz, she said it sounded like angry bees when she was behind it. She said its name should be "Buzzy". She has spoken, Buzzy it is.
Things one learns on such a short journey:
1. The mirrors don't like 80mph, at least not the left one as it swiveled out of position and now I need a wrench to sort it out. I'll do that tomorrow in the daylight.
2. The right side cover also is not accustomed to freeway speeds and left the machine in heavy, fast traffic. It was unsafe to stop and retrieve it.
A replacement is already ordered.3. The head bearing is not right and will need a retorque ASAP.
4. For low miles (7,600) the suspension is in dire need of help. I'm not too sure there is any fluid in the front end. The bike is much too rough to let Pretty Pillion ride yet.
5. I had forgotten what riding a small bike feels like; I love it!
6. My vest is too old for unprotected freeway speed. It refused to stay snapped together on the ride home. Pretty Pillion was following me in her cage and I passed her the vest half way home. She said "I bought you a replacement vest last year, are you going to move your patches over now?!?" I guess I should...
7. The speedometer is running about 10mph low. At 60ish, she says I am running at 70.
8. Parallel twins are a tad buzzy at speed and tickle one's nether regions nicely. Pretty Pillion was not happy to her this...
9. After telling Pretty Pillion about the buzz, she said it sounded like angry bees when she was behind it. She said its name should be "Buzzy". She has spoken, Buzzy it is.
