New to the forum: 2013 Touring in Nevada

[R3TK]

bummer we did not solve the meaning of life
now i forget what the question was

Did I say 43? Obviously I meant 42

 

[English Tim]

These people who own the site said I have to introduce myself. Okay.

Hi All, this is Wild Bill. I don't know how or when that name was planted on me; it was unjust and slanderous. But it cruelly stuck somehow against my complaint. I've been riding since I was 15, my first bike being a $35.00 ring-ding Yamaha YL100 twin, the smoky 2-cycle kind where I needed a handful of plugs in my pocket to make it home - clean plugs in my left pocket, fouled plugs in my right, oily pocket, permanent grease under my fingernails, and a bug-spattered, sadistic grin on my face. That was 48 years ago, and most of that hasn't changed, at least inside. I'm still that kid having the time of his life - only bigger and more expensive, which I found out does not necessarily mean a greater happiness quotient.

I rarely ever sell anything; I buy what I like and hang on to it. I'm a maintenance freak - this has endowed me with a small collection of bikes from 1967 to present - all in perfect condition - that I ride almost every day, thanks to the excellent motorcycling weather here in Nevada 364 1/2 days per year. I'm originally from northern New England and never going back - rotten weather except between July 4th and the 18th, and September 6th. Yeah, you poor snowbound guys and gals, I feel your pain. Har!

Yesterday, I was performing minor maintenance on my 2013 Rocket Touring, flushing and refilling the antifreeze. When I was finished, I started my bike up and let her idle to operating temperature to make sure everything was functioning well and I had no air pockets to bleed off. Everything went well, and I was about ready to shut her down when I noticed the headlight seemed to have steam on the lens. Nothing unusual after a flush and fill, so I took a towel and wiped it off; only, it did not wipe off. The lens was MELTING!! In all my life I have never seen anything like this! I shut the bike down, but too late. The lens was toast. A new one goes for $220.00 from Bike Bandit - pretty stiff for a piece of clear plastic, not even fluted. Even more compelling, why would it do that, and will it happen again? BTW, the light was on low beam, and cannot be turned off when the bike is running (another bureaucratic attempt to save the unsaveable). It was all of 60 degrees F ambient temperature, and there was no heat source near the light except the light itself. I bought this bike almost unused in 2014 and have had no troubles with it whatsoever.

Welcome from here in the

 

[RKTNMYPKT]

Let’s hook up for a beer in Virginia City one of these days...,

 

[Navigator]

I'll let you all know when I will be riding from Sacramento to Ely, NV this spring. Virginia City is only about 3 hours from Sacto. How about the Bucket of Blood Saloon? Last time I was in there was during our 2008 Rocket gathering.

I used to try to get into that place when I was in high school. Bonanza Days was a big event in VC in the 60s. Of course my friend and I tried to get into just about every bar in and around north/south Lake Tahoe and Reno back then.

https://bucketofbloodsaloon.com/

 

[Bernard Vinet]

I believe it has to do with the fact your not moving. It doesn't make sense that it would do that, but People today want to keep things cheap to make extra profit. Just a thought!
That's why I always have a fan going when I work with the bike running. The engine shouldn't need it, because of the fan but I don't take chances. More air moving is better than not enough.

 

[MIG]

Welcome to the site I and fully understand the joys of riding in Nevada 364 days a year... We were moved from there to NW Louisiana last summer and after my next 365-day trip to Afghanistan followed by a hardship tour in Miami... we'll be back in Las Vegas permanently...
-MIG

 

[Boog]

Did you retire out of NAS Fallon Boog? I attended Strike U there in the mid-90s, the Joint Targeting School. I'll be riding 50 again this year. I'll start in Sacramento, cross the Sierra Nevadas, up along the east shore of Lake Tahoe, on to Carson City and then east to Ely and north to home. Typing out that route just now has brought back some fond memories. I love the ride from Sacramento to Carson City and will probably stay in South Lake Tahoe overnight.

I did retire from NSAWC at Fallon. I was an instructor at SWTI (Helicopter version of Top Gun).