The Adventures of FriarJohn on Two (and Sometimes Four) Wheels

EDIT: These are things I’d still like to accomplish this year. There are many more things on the modifications list.

In light of all the problems I’ve been having with my bike, time to start figuring out just what I need to do to it. I don’t have any trips planned for the rest of the year, but I do have the Experienced Rider Course in Great Falls at the end of August. It ran fine on the way home from Nelson, but there is something I absolutely have to address before the class, and that’s the stretchy chain. The Maintenance list is obviously (?) much higher priority than the Modifications list.

Maintenance

• Clean bike stem to stern — always a good place to start
• Check every single connector for corrosion and redo dilectic grease
• Check every single wire for damage (may require unwrapping and rewrapping wiring harness)
• Diagnose Remove tachometer issues
• Diagnose short in Remove driving light sub harness (replace connectors with waterproof versions and solder connectors)
• Drain carb bowls and check for contaminants (unlikely)
• Drop main jets to 140-142 (verify that there are 145s in there now)
• Try stock needles with 2 shims (compare performance to TBS needles)
• New chain and sprockets (also buying tool for rivet-style link)
• Drill and extract sprocket cover bolt
• Inspect fuel filter

Modifications

• Install Kuryakyn voltmeter
• Install Dual disc front wheel, right side caliper, crossover brakeline, bleed brakes, swap out extended fender bracket for stock bracket
• Install Speedmaster handlebars with pullback risers and stepped riser bolts
• Build aluminum rear luggage rack
• Test fit D&D pipes
• Build new battery bracket from stock bracket
• Take gas tank to Jamie
• Rearrange headlight and hand control wiring (connectors in stock headlight) for new 5 3/4″ headlight and install
• Grind fins off stock (extra) sprocket cover, trim, drill speed holes and power coat black

Worst vacation ever, including the trip I took in 1978 with my family from Orange County, CA, to Dallas, TX, when my parents made me listen to Barry Manilow and Neil Diamond the whole way.

• Several electrical problems plagued (and still plague) my bike
• Day One saw rain most of the way to Thompson Falls
• Day Two involved trucking my bike to Spokane from Thompson Falls because it just wouldn’t run
• Day Three was probably the best, picking up the bike in Spokane, riding back to Thompson Falls, loading up and then straight on to Nelson, BC, skipping Jasper and Kamloops.
• Day Four saw more electrical problems, running on one cylinder
• Day Five brought a speeding ticket, 118kph in a 90kph zone. After early payment discount and exchange rate it should be about $100USD.
• Day Six made me watch my good friend total his bike in front of me and nearly total himself
• Day Seven was loooong, going through Spokane to see said friend after he was air lifted there the previous night for surgery

The actual route definitely looks a lot different than the planned route.

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Of course, one and a half of those trips between Thompson Falls and Spokane were in a truck, not on the bike.

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Here’s the final map as planned before departure next Monday. Total miles for me, from East Helena, is 1742mi. Leaving Monday the 13th and returning Sunday the 19th.

Monday: Thompson Falls (John Halpop’s House)
Tuesday: Saskatchewan Crossing (The Crossing, 403-761-7000)
Wednesday: Kamploops (TBD)
Thursday-Saturday: Nelson (Mountain Hound Inn, 1-866-452-6490)
Sunday: Home

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Or am I just being cautious?

I have the aforementioned British Columbia trip coming up in about a week and a half. My bike is running sweet. Yet I want to start making mods to it, which I know is a no-no this close to a big trip. This is what I have on tap yet for this year:

• Triumph Thunderbird Sport dual disc front wheel upgrade with new tire, new rotors and new pads
• Speedmaster drag-style handlebars with pullback risers (4″ up, 1.5″ back) with stepped riser bolts
• Kuryakyn Voltmeter
• Custom 5 3/4″ headlight with frenched trim ring (requires some rewiring)
• Reinstall my cheapo fog lights using my homemade lightbar
• Contruct a new luggage rack out of aluminum bits I picked up at the hardware store

And that’s just the list I expect to accomplish this year, not including several bits involved in my long awaited makeover:

• New paint on modified tin (tank still needs work)
• Kuryakyn retro bullet turn signals with brake module (rear signals act as brakelights)
• Veypor performance computer to replace stock speedometer (need wiring harness and billet cover with indicator lights)
• Black header wrap
• Fabricate mount for custom taillight and license plate mount

And those are just the parts I already have. There are many more bits I want to add for the makeover and a few I’d like to make. But those will have to wait until I settle up completely with the hospital from my little ordeal in April.

The point of all this is that I want to get on with it. I really want to make some progress on the bike this year. Granted, I have the rest of the summer after my trip and all of Fall to make these mods before putting her up for the winter. I just need to be patient I guess. But I can at least do the Kuryakyn Voltmeter and the fog lights before vacation. In fact with my recent electrical issues I’d say the former is key.