Oct. 13 - is national “Go for a Ride on Your Motorcycle” day!

[robinc]

Hey Pete. Great recap on a great day. Well told my friend.

It was great of you guys to go through all you did to get up here for............more chilly and windy riding!.
To get out for a ride with the famous 'Midnight Maximum (ICICLE) Pete', Canadian parts smuggler extraordinaire and Lakeview was a real treat!

When I looked at Pete upon their arrival, this image sprung to mind.


To say Pete looked a little chilly is certainly an understatement.

Ah well, we lived to tell the story in spite of the fact that our weather can't make up it's mind as to whether it is Fall or Winter.
Apparently we both hadn't had enough of this 'Finter' riding as we each did it again on Sunday.
Days are limited now, so ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

I look forward to our next adventure, but let's wait for summer now............eh?

 

[Meddy]

Nice write up Pete, looked like a fun day even with the chilly start, maybe time to look at some heated grips?

 

[MaxPete]

Good thought Meddy - but I must say that my Honda ST1300 has heated grips and they work, but I have never found them to be of much benefit on cold rides.

 

[Skip]

Great story on what looked and sounded like a great day Pete.....
That's how we Canadians roll.....it was 8 degrees here in Halifax when I went for a brisk rip on Saturday....cold,but beautiful fall colors

 

[MaxPete]

Great story on what looked and sounded like a great day Pete.....
That's how we Canadians roll.....it was 8 degrees here in Halifax when I went for a brisk rip on Saturday....cold,but beautiful fall colors

Yeah - it must be genetic Skip.

Hey, where’d ya get those cool double disks up front?

Pete

 

[Downeaster]

Nice, Pete. Yer a better (tougher) man than I am.

I've been on the 401. Traveled from Michigan to Maine when I first got stationed up here, went via Port Huron and picked up the 401. That was 1973 and it was busy then. I can't even imagine it now.

Scared the bejeebers out of myself in Montreal. Young, dumb, driving a '69 Nova SS with wide oval bias plies on the back, and brandy new radials on the front (what did I know? Tires is tires, right?) Well after dark, raining in biblical proportions. Hustling because I'm DARN sick of driving at this point.

Don't know what precipitated it, but I did a full 360° at speed in the middle of the road. Gathered it up and kept going, but I don't think I breathed right again until I crossed into Maine...

 

[MaxPete]

Indeed DE - and driving in La Belle Province de Quebec is...."spirited". What I find there is that the drivers are nearly all fast but skillful and attentive and so if you're "from away", just stay in your lane, pay attention to the signs and your GPS and they'll work around you.

Unfortunately, in Toronto (401 country) some of the drivers are fast, some are slow and few are skillful or attentive.

 

[Skip]

Yeah - it must be genetic Skip.

Hey, where’d ya get those cool double disks up front?

Pete

Hey Pete....it's been so long I believe I bought the LH Brake caliper and disk on eBay.....the flex hose and double disc banjo bolt and rebuild kits and SS piston came from Mike's XS

 

[fredintoon]

- - - Hey, where’d ya get those cool double disks up front?
Pete

Hi Pete,
most likely from a bike breaker's, same as me. Note this upgrade is only for '77 & newer XS650s.
I've heard that '76 & older rightside calipers can be transmogrified into lefties but never tried it.
Disk is XS650 or XS11 (go mad and get a pair of XS11 slotted disks to save you a mort of drilling)
Leftside caliper is XS750/850/11 STANDARD (The SPECIAL's Weird Harold calipers are totally different)
Caliper twinning converts the stock M/C piston area/caliper piston area ratio from awful to perfect.

 

[Wingedwheel]

This year, the lake reportedly hit 80 deg. F (around 26C) which for a large freshwater lake in Canada is pretty danged warm. Of course, the Erie south coast is formed by our good friends and neighbours in the US - perhaps the high levels of "energy" presently occurring there accounts for the warm waters.....

Usually attributed to beer drinking and it's after effects! lol
I keep my head above water when in the lake....

 

[Skip]

Hi Pete,
most likely from a bike breaker's, same as me. Note this upgrade is only for '77 & newer XS650s.
I've heard that '76 & older rightside calipers can be transmogrified into lefties but never tried it.
Disk is XS650 or XS11 (go mad and get a pair of XS11 slotted disks to save you a mort of drilling)
Leftside caliper is XS750/850/11 STANDARD (The SPECIAL's Weird Harold calipers are totally different)
Caliper twinning converts the stock M/C piston area/caliper piston area ratio from awful to perfect.

Totally agree with the stock M/C ratio being perfect....many say it can't be done...but your right Fred...it is perfect...my XS will stop on a dime....and give ya change back

 

[MaxPete]

I've already got a set of XS11 slotted disks and the double banjo bolt....

 

[Skip]

Awesome Pete....your almost there....like Fred stated....try it out with the stock M/C before you swap it for more one with more fluid capacity...I love the feel of the brakes with the stock single piston M/C