Who Rode Today?

[xjwmx]

^I don't know why people don't just use a vacuum gauge to set the balance. I don't know why the whole manometer thing got started.

 

[azman857]

Not today, but lat Wed night(03-14). Bike night at a Brewery Bar. After a burger & soda and some parking lot ooggling, I didn't want to go straight home so it was Mud Check time! Over Gates pass (nice and curvy) to Kinney Rd, a less chalenging but nice road to a trailhead turnout and shut down the SG to marvel at the quiet and stars for a few. Not so much ground light so the stars really showed thier stuff. Got my fill of it and cranked her up again and took the long way home. 25 or so miles.

 

[Downeaster]

^I don't know why people don't just use a vacuum gauge to set the balance. I don't know why the whole manometer thing got started.

Vacuum gauge(s) cost money. I can build a manometer for essentially nothing out of what I have laying around. I believe the manometer is more accurate as well.

 

[bbillington]

traded my last xs650 for a '64 A65T hardtail. Which was in non running, half-basketcase condition when I got it. Two days later it started first kick. :-D

Anyway, still been riding most everyday, but have been riding my T140 and enjoying every minute of it. Only downside is that it's too noisy to ride in the AM 1 3/4" drag pipes sound amazing but are pretty dang loud. Feels like summer around here... bikes everywhere now.

 

[ReycleBill]

Been puttering around a bit but mostly I'm building stuff for the bike. Most of it doesn't work first time around so I take it off and do it again. I'm not a great fabricator but I eventually do what I set out to do. Last couple of days I've worked on side mounted luggage racks to replace my saddle bags.

Notching tubes with a grinder is a bitch.

 

[xjwmx]

Vacuum gauge(s) cost money. I can build a manometer for essentially nothing out of what I have laying around. I believe the manometer is more accurate as well.

Good point. In my own case, price-wise, I'd be buying $12 of tubing or a $12 gauge at HF, so same difference Doesn't need to be very accurate. Some recommend adjusting until both pipes sound the same. Vacuum gauge will also let you diagnose a whole range of stuff on an old car if you have one of those.

 

[timbeck]

Great day in Boston, got the bike running for the first time this year and went for a short blast, it was grand---It was good for the body and soul---This winter [?] I replaced F&R wheel bearings, swing arm bronze bushings, both sprockets dropping the rear to 30t, o-ring chain, brake pads, neck bearings, hammerhead shocks and various other stuff out in the fettling shed---Today's ride alone was worth all the work---Tuning forks forever---- tim

 

[jmink427]

I did, beautiful day,,,,,, but my bike screwed up on me.... I did this once before when I kicked it it backfired and blew the needle out of the jet and the the disc got cocked in the vacuum thingy-majig.. I had to pull over and fix it in a TSC parking lot......

 

[I am Carbon]

its been great weather here in SW Florida iv been riding every day. my baby has been runnin great. n im havein good fun for sure. one of my friends sold his triumph to someone who freaked out when some of the vacume hoses started to break. so to make a long story short.I now have a triumph in my garage and Im freakin out too but not in the same way as the other guy
http://www.bikez.com/pictures/triumph/1997/1102_0_3_3_daytona t595_Charles.jpg

 

[retiredgentleman]

Good point. In my own case, price-wise, I'd be buying $12 of tubing or a $12 gauge at HF, so same difference Doesn't need to be very accurate. Some recommend adjusting until both pipes sound the same. Vacuum gauge will also let you diagnose a whole range of stuff on an old car if you have one of those.

Vacuum gauges are meant to measure vacuum. When synching carbs you aren't measuring vacuum, you are trying to balance 2 points for equal vacuum. A manometer costs about $4 or $5, and is 13.6 times more accurate than a vacuum gauge.

 

[SINKING78]

Well, I guess I'm bring back this thread...
Here in Mid/Southern Illinois (just outside St Louis) it has been an average winter, snow/cold/windy/etc... Every few weeks there is a glimpse of nice weather but only a glimpse... Yesterday, it snowed in the morning, cleared in the afternoon and then freakin rained Today, we hit 70! I was stuck at work till 3 watching the day click away(dammit!) BUT! I managed the hit the street!!(yeah!) Ran up the street to "fill up" before jammin around and as I dismounted my steed I found my bike was pissing gasoline all over the damn place Left side carb was running out on the ground as fast as it could..(Mikunis) Eh, so I headed back home, quick. Upon arrival I dropped the float bowl, cleaned the needle, reassembled and BAM! We are IN business! Headed back out around 4:30 and blasted around in rush-hour traffic for an hour or so and was just happy to be OUT RIDING!! The next week looks like rain, so even though I didn't have the perfect riding experience today, I rode

 

[Downeaster]

I got my bike inspected Thursday, and rode it to the gas station and back, but it's still in the 20's and low 30's here, so longer putts are still at least a couple of weeks away.

 

[gggGary]

Last week I took a just resurrected, fresh carbs 79 SP II up and down the road a half mile to see if everything worked, it did. Then the buyer welched. My only ride since last November. Anyone want a 79 SPII with the cool 16-19 alloy spoke wheels?

 

[I am Carbon]

I'm getting ready for a 200 mile joy ride with my best friend.

 

[peanut]

I'm getting ready for a 200 mile joy ride with my best friend.

best friend as in XS650 ?

I hope you've got space for the GoPro ? would really love to see some footage of an XS650 ride some day. Safe trip

 

[pamcopete]

Well, I guess I'm bring back this thread...
Here in Mid/Southern Illinois (just outside St Louis) it has been an average winter, snow/cold/windy/etc... Every few weeks there is a glimpse of nice weather but only a glimpse... Yesterday, it snowed in the morning, cleared in the afternoon and then freakin rained Today, we hit 70! I was stuck at work till 3 watching the day click away(dammit!) BUT! I managed the hit the street!!(yeah!) Ran up the street to "fill up" before jammin around and as I dismounted my steed I found my bike was pissing gasoline all over the damn place Left side carb was running out on the ground as fast as it could..(Mikunis) Eh, so I headed back home, quick. Upon arrival I dropped the float bowl, cleaned the needle, reassembled and BAM! We are IN business! Headed back out around 4:30 and blasted around in rush-hour traffic for an hour or so and was just happy to be OUT RIDING!! The next week looks like rain, so even though I didn't have the perfect riding experience today, I rode

You should change the oil because some of that excess gasoline may have ended up in the crankcase.

 

[peanut]

I had a great ride the other night .

Took my 79 out along the old A30... A very old and typical English B road .Mostly open field countryside , trees and hedges with the occasional farmhouse.

The 79 is just burbling on at 55-60 mph. I can feel the warmth of the exhausts through my 501's . I find myself shifting my position occasionally although the vibration hasn't yet started to intrude through my hands and feet .I'm relaxed and soaking in the sound of the bike, smells of the country air yet keeping a wary eye out for the occasional bone-jarring pot-hole in the tarmac threatening to throw me and the bike into the ditch along the side of the road.

Sun setting on the horizon and lights being switched on the the isolated houses as they prepare their evening meal and settle down to the TV for the news.

Just a nice relaxed cruise , not heading anywhere in particular, just following the A30 ...through the quiet streets of the ancient Towns, Sherborne and then Shaftesbury back out onto the open Salisbury road toward London.

I gradually become aware of an over-powering urge to urinate which try as I may will not leave and I suddenly awake to find Peanut, my cat, with one of his claws through my lip, trying to wake me to feed him and a bladder near to bursting!..

I stagger off to the bathroom in the dark rubbing my lip and stumbling over peanut who is determined to trip me up.!

Wonder where I'll get to ride tomorrow night ? ......must get this bike finished and on the road soon

 

[weekendrider]

Going in it was jeans and a T. Coming home, leathered up.

 

[tonyc]

WD, I think we all started with jeans and T's. I will not go anywhere without full protection, either leather or other riding garb. I just bought an old 60's Korean leather jacket from a 2nd hand store for $38. Beautiful comditioned leather.

 

[nj1639]

Just got back from a 20 mile loop...65F +. Tomorrow- snow and rain mix.
Need to pull the carbs on this '77, the last two miles were rather interesting.