Euromedic's Blog

Hasso

2008-08-18T15:05:00.000-07:00

Our loyal companion passed away September 4th @ 230 pm.

So long buddy, it was a privilege to have you with us.

States Visited by Bike....So Far

2008-05-21T21:42:00.000-07:00

2008 MS 150

2008-04-14T19:26:00.000-07:00

Stay tuned...

Mena (better late than never)

2008-02-12T22:34:00.000-08:00

It occurred to me, that I have yet to post the Mena trip report. So with no further ado.....

Took a trip to Queen Wilhelmina State Park http://www.queenwilhelmina.com/ in Arkansas, in September 2007. John Vegas met me at the Conroe McD's. We both agreed on finding a more palatable breakfast spot for the next road trip meet.

Riding off into the sunrise......

JV had plotted a fantastic route away from major highways. Essentially, 'twas a zigzag pattern through National Forests. Here we are at a break....

And the best part about local roads.....zero traffic conglomerations.

Crossing into Oklahoma....

....through the back door of Arkansas....

We arrived in the late afternoon at Queen Wilhelmina State Park. This is where the Chain Gang has held their annual rally for the last 9 years now. Setting up accommodations....

"Headquarters"

Nice UT inspired bike

The views are breathtaking.....

....and the riding was superb.....

.....but cut short. A fellow rally attendee passed away the next day, after going off the road and falling down a cliff. We speculate that he may have had a massive heart attack while riding.

Needless to say, the mood back at camp was subdued in reverence to this event. But we feel at peace that he passed away while doing what he loved to do.

I took the trip back solo. No pics, camera bit the dust (literally). Saw an abandoned overturned ambulance, got soaked in Longview, then took a leisurely route back home.

New Years' Maintenance

2008-02-01T08:18:00.000-08:00

Bike was due for some major maintenance, and Christmas blessed me with an influx of motorbike-related gift cards.

The Supervisor :-)

Rear sprocket. Guess which one is the new one....

The rear wheel hub had 6 years' worth of grime on it. Not anymore.

New bling

I also upgraded the brake system. Rear disc was at end of useful life, so sprung for a whole Galfer setup.

Yum, more bling :-). And stops apear to be quicker now. Ready for more rides now!

Edit: Big Addition completed a few days ago.....

Moto-Sport Pannier Racks

Seahorse Cases. They are similar to Pelican Cases, but they have an optional lock integrated with the latch. Surface is also smoother. Me likey....

More road trips to prove their mettle :-)

Did some work in the living room

2008-01-24T13:51:00.000-08:00

We wanted to make the living room and front "formal" room flow together for some time now. So I decided to make this a end of the year project. My wife was a bit perplexed by the "surprise" start but, save for finishing touches, the project is done.

The middle column is there, because the drain downpipe from upstairs is there. In addition, it gives the top beams additional support. they replace the actual wall as support structure for the upstairs.

Done....for now

2007-07-18T17:01:00.000-07:00

I found some NORMA style hose clamps at Auto Zone today, better than regular drum style hose clamps (even pressure on all sides of hose).

Used them to reconnect fuel lines to pump, tank, filter, and throttle housing. The small hose on the lower left of the throttle housing was off, causing bike to "stutter". Motto for next time - double and triple-check all plugs,hoses, etc. that they are properly seated/connected.

The new fuel filter has a built-in pressure regulator, so it was rather expensive (about $110 - yikes). But it should last for a good 60,000 miles, and bonus is that the bike started right up from cold start and continued running without so much of a hiccup. Yes!

After a few miles of riding though, noticed oil residue on the motor and hoses. Crap. Turns out, another hose from the bottom of oil tank had worked itself loose. Back on and tighten the clamp tighter, presto its running just fine now.

So i took a pic of the bike in the front yard. You'll notice that i also took the time to paint the black plastic panels/trim with plastic enamel. Looking good again.

Almost back together....

2007-07-16T18:49:00.000-07:00

Been working a lot, thus the bike's been sitting while i took care of other projects. Had to take the left side cover off again, turns out the clutch cover bolts were too loose. Then after putting things back together, it should start, run a few seconds, then shut off. Went through the f650.com FAQ list of causes, but all checked good and still no go. So I took care off the crappy saddle, used rubber coated pipe insulation to boost the saddle height a bit and make it more comfy. Turned out well, and a cheap modification to boot (about $15 for materials) :

Hardest part was stapling the cover back on, but a marked difference in comfort. I boosted the middle portion to where i would not slide towards the front of the bike.

Then I found the motor culprit: the vacuum hose on the intake was still off (Doh). So its a running again, tomorrow new fuel filter on and take it out for a spin. Yes!

Progress?

2007-06-11T12:30:00.000-07:00

Got the waterpump kit installed and motor back together. A few images of the continuing project......

Rear axle bolt is the new headache. Will not budge, lots of grinding when turning it. Yup, new bearings are the next step.....

.....along with a detailed cleaning.

Part 2 - It's Off!

2007-06-02T11:36:00.000-07:00

After extensively studying the How-to process on faq.f650.com, I took the clutch cover off the bike today and studied the innards of the clutch. Everything appears to be in great shape for a bike with 68K miles on it. Parts for the waterpump have been ordered through 4dstarmotors, hope to have it all back together in the next week or so. I'm itching to go riding!

Getting to know my bike. Part 1- Disassembly

2007-05-22T15:01:00.000-07:00

In light of the leaky waterpump on my return trip from Moab, I thought it was high time to get to know my bike inside and out. Thus, I started today with disassembly of all the body and cockpit parts. The ultimate goal is to replace all the wear-tear items due for replacement (after all, the bike has 68300 or so miles on the odometer now). This project will take probably a few months, so I thought i'd document progress and share experiences.

However, between the total on-bike mileage of the trip (estimate about 2500 miles) and the abuse it took on all the trails; the waterpump leak and some minor body damage is all that happened to it. In other words, one tough bike! Stay tuned....

MOAB!!

2007-05-16T11:18:00.000-07:00

Returned from an AWESOME week in Moab Utah. Made a slideshow with all the images I collected (had 400 or so, but limited to 300 on Microsoft Photostory. Still amounts to 20 minutes of viewing pleasure). Here's the linky:

http://media.putfile.com/Moab-Slide-Report

Rode the bike there via Texas Highway 6, then West Texas backroads around Amarillo into New Mexico. Hit US 64 in Raton NM, rode it via the Carson National Forest all the way to Shiprock. Great mountain pass roads and sweepers, got to ride in snow while it snowed. Awesome!

While in Utah, did some serious offroading with several Chain Gang mates. Bill and Joel gave me some great pointers on offroading 101 and helped me gain confidence through the days. Rode via Onion Creek trail, and then also Arches National Park via Kokopelli trail. Never got close to an arch, but it was wonderful nonetheless witnessing the differences in landscapes.

Took the slightly longer way back via Colorado, I 70 has to be the prettiest stretch of interstate through there. Hit US 24 shortly after GLenn Canyon Pass, then dowon towards Colorado Springs. No idea that it went right over the Rockies. Phenomenal!

Got onto I 25 in Colo Springs, but the bike decided it had enough around Colorado City. The waterpump seal busted, and I ended up hailing a Uhaul to take it back home just to be safe. I could have trailered to UT, but this was a baptism by fire of sorts for both me and bike regarding long ride endurance. Next time i'll either ride with others (scheduling conflicts did not allow for this this time around) and/or trailer the bike. All considered, it held out tremendously, and bounced right back after each hard drop. Just need to take care of the rest of regular maintenance parts.

Great time, great decompressor and stress relief. I hope we go again next year......

Getting Ready for Moab

2007-05-02T07:27:00.000-07:00

Getting the bike and myself ready for Moab.......

Oil Change

Shot for the Chain Gang Mileage contest, put about 11000 miles on the bike since i got it....

Changed the countershaft sprocket, it was time (left new, right old. Note the "hooked" pattern)

Reused grout sealant bottle for trans fluid availability on the road to lube chain

Let the packing begin. Trunk will carry bag with clothing etc., blue bag hag has first aid stuff and tools, black duffel got tent/camping stuff, tankbag has rainsuit/jacket liner/spare parts/power outlet

Last bits tomorrow, and then departure...

The MS 150 via motorcycle

2007-04-19T18:27:00.001-07:00

Did the motorcycle marshall "main" event last week saturday April 21st.

While i tried to get as much done as possible in ample time to get the bike and myself ready, i still spent until 1 am the morning off to get last minute details ready . Wired up aux. power for Garmin SP 2610 and the Icom HAM radio. Anticipation was also keeping me up, and finished off with wiring the 3 way hyperlites before i finally crashed around 120 am.

5 am came early. Woke up, got my coffee pot going, took a shower, got the ATGATT out of the dryer (clean smells SOO much better) and got dressed. They had volunteer packets for us, among which was meal pass and a very cool t shirt in military green color (not the usual white or grey, nice change). The Garmin is a nice addition! Riding off from home it fired right up and stayed in focus on my present position the rest of the day. Now I know why having this is so much easier to find routes. Modern technology is bliss at times.

They had 2 start points set up, i picked the on at Tully stadium in West Houston and met up with Vegas and saw his light mod firsthand first time. NB started at Rhodes and did not see him all day. Have yet to see his bike in person BTW VEgas, them LEDs are BRIGHT!
Many other marshalls had their bikes outfitted with those as well and rivaled some of the law enforcement police motorbikes in amount of lights (although theirs get to be blue and red, ours had to be amber).

The day was spent in the saddle at 20-40 mph for most of the time, helping change tubes for flats, and setting a few chains straight again. The tire work involved mostly providing an air pump and road safety barrier. Them roadbike tires are rated at 100 + PSI In setting one chain, pinched my fingertip between it and sprockets. Now my nail is nicely blue Paid to have gloves on though.

As the day commenced, it got warm rather quick, but unlike some other motorbikers kept my ATGATT on at all time. The helmet stayed flipped up most of the time though, love the flip down sunshade it has!

Highlights were: Had to chase down a cement truck that almost barrelled over a bicycle or 2 (no pic, he was FLYING) and let police have a chat with him at the next rest stop, where he had to stop.

The weather was perfect!! Could not ask for better conditions. The route is superb, and now know how to get to Austin from Conroe in plenty of scenic country style.

I had to leave at the end of the day from La Grange, and head back home to be ready for work the next day Hope to be able to it for both days next year. Feedback so far is that this was the safest Houston-Austin MS ride on record so far.

What a Weekend!!!

2007-03-11T16:03:00.000-07:00

It has been a good weekend. I got to spend some time with my wife, and got to do some other things to decompress from the last few weeks of work,work,work....

My bike came with Renthal bars. It vibrates as it is a single cylinder. Got this from www.barsnake.com to help alleviate with the vibes a bit...

Simple 1" rubber tube you slide in through the handlebars using a wire. Could'nt find it at the Blue Box, so ponied up $25.

Spent saturday morning in a class, and missed the Sabine Pass ride NB and Co. did http://f650.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=209735.

I made up for it by riding through Walker and Trinity counties with Mischelle. Went along Lake Livingston, up to Point Blank

Made a loop (literally) on FM 980 back to Huntsville, then back down to Conroe. It was a nice 4 hour afternoon/evening ride.

Last year, Bill Mallin on f650.com did a stint as motorcycle marshall on the MS 150 http://www.f650.us/ride_reports/ms150_2006.htm . Intrigued, I subsequently got to correspond with Jerry Irwin, the motorcycle marshall chairperson there. A small ride in Huntsville last year wet my appetite for more. As the opportunity arose recently to get on board with this, i jumped. Did the HAM cram a few weeks ago (communication is via HAM radio), and this weekend was the training for new volunteers. Did the classroom saturday morning, and then on sunday helped with the Continental Airlines Classic bicycle ride.

Meeting at 715 am in the fog. The ride there was no fun with zip for visibility.

Line up in Montgomery

The man in charge of the 'other' bikes, Jerry Irwin

There were bikes of all makes and sizes represented. The group of riders are very welcoming too.

Some of these bikes are really tricked out. This one has flashing yellow and clear LED lights for increased warning visibility. Very cool!

Some other BMW bikes, an LT here

An an immaculate R 1100 GS. Those foglights are BRIGHT...

Gentlemen, start your motors.....

Fellow Chain Gang inmate John Vegas was there as well

The ride started cold and foggy. I did not put the liner in my jacket, thinking it would warm up soon. That did not happen until late morning, so i was a bit on the cold side

Despite the soup, these 2 young ladies were out cheering on the riders

Finally, the fog cleared and temperatures rose. Makings of a stunning day...

Rest stops. There were 6 on the route altogether. Routes were 25, 47 and 67 miles long.

Our job is to ensure the welfare of the bicycle riders along the course. Help with flat tires, simple first aid, or just give them moral support to keep riding. In addition, we are the eyes and ears for the course/ride directors.

Making new friends along the way....

Whata day to do this, it was simply stunning. Nice route too. From Montgomery Texas into National Forest via FM 149 and FM 1097. Also ventured into Grimes county.

Social minute

Following the last few riders

It was a wonderful weekend riding, and stayed away from the phone and fire pager as much as possible. A welcome break, ready for the week ahead again...the barsnake does help with reducing vibrations by the way.

Maintenance Session and New Farkle

2007-03-02T21:56:00.000-08:00

Rear sprocket was showing wear from frequent travels, got almost 10,000 miles out of it. So today I took the time to remedy this by replacing it.

Shadetree Garage

Old and New. New Sprocket courtesy of BMW Motorcycles North Houston

Yup, it was high time.....
All fixed up again. Looks better too i think.

I had been doing some research into GPS systems, as I am planning a trip to Utah. A few people at www.f650.com had gotten a deal on the Garmin Streetpilot 2610. Well, I found one on Ebay for an even better price and struck a deal.

It arrived today...

Is missing USB cable though. No biggie, found one on Ebay for cheap....

Ebay rocks, thats how i got the bike to begin with. Stay tuned for ride evaluation with GPS.

A year already.....

2007-02-11T20:38:00.000-08:00

Does time travel fast, especially when you get older. Well, high time to get this blog from first to higher gear......

Since i got my bike in March last year, I've aspired to ride it almost 10,000 miles. Mainly to work from Conroe to Bellaire, but also on errands around town, leisure trips with the Chain Gang www.f650.com, and solo jaunts in Walker county. Thus, with no further due, a short review of what transpired within the last year:

Pickup from the shipping warehouse. Who says you need a V8 to tow.....

Ready to roll into the wild blue yonder.......

First Farkles....

Some nightriding.....Mirror mirror on the handlebar........
"I sure wish you had a sidecar on this"
Mini-me....
Getting dirty in Walker county.....
A Bridge Too Far
Riding buddies/mentors Bill and Thor

More riding buddies....

Houston Photo Tag Shots....

....At Rice University

...Houston Fire Museum
...Texas Medical Center
...and the Photo Assignment 20 "moneymaker" shot. Independence Texas
My first tire change....

Success!!!

Ready to ride some more

Look forward to this year of more riding and hope to meet more like-minded people.