Motorcycles in Melvern

Picture:  That's what happens when you get to a ROMEO lunch late.  You can't find a place to sit.

 A new record for the ROMEO lunch bunch, 45 (more or less) people showed up at the Whistle Stop cafe in Melvern, KS to day for lunch. 

 Three of us made the trip to Melvern from Salina, me and the REB(Royal Enfield Bullet), Pat and his Atlantic and Louie on a big Harley cruiser.  Louie was making a test ride with his luggage as he is heading for Daytona Beach  next week with some of the other ROMEOs.  Everyone slowed down for the REB as usual but we made good time, stopping in Council Grove for coffee at the world famous Hays House.  We were clipping along on schedule until my planned route suddenly ran out of pavement.  Since it would have taken too long to backtrack we braved ahead on the gravel/rock for about 3 miles until we hit the tarmac again.  There were already a bunch of bikes there and the cafe was getting full.  Look at the picture to see what the late comers had to deal with.  Richard finally did get to set down.    We had a long wait for lunch again, seems that we can pretty much overwhelm these small cafes.  My odometer read 280 miles round trip but Pat's Atlantic high tech electronic odo read 265.  I suppose my odo is as optimistic as the speedometer.  What ever the mileage it was a long trip on the REB and my back was sore by the time we got back. 

  Hopefully my next post will be about riding in Virginia.  I'll loading up the REB in the back of the truck and heading out Saturday.

Entry for February 28, 2006

Picture:  My new "business" card 

84 degrees in Kansas on the 28th of February!  You got to be kidding me!  I don't have time to mess with a blog, I'm out riding.

  Later.........Getting everything together for my big trip.  If you happen to stumble across my humble little blog and wonder what trip?  I am hauling the Royal Enfield Bullet (REB) to Virginia to visit my grandson and his parents and hopefully do a little riding.  I have met a guy, on YAHOO Royalenfield group, in northern VA and we may get together to ride.  That would be my first ride with another REB owner.  Then it is down to Athens, GA to visit another daughter and ride with her in Northern GA.  Also hope to ride with her Women on Wheels club one day.  On the way home I hope to meet up with another REB rider in Arkansas.  I think I'm getting excited!!

Lunch in Gypsum, KS

Picture:  17 hungry ROMEOs

  I haven't had time to write anything up about today's lunch, been working on the REB.  Can you believe a bracket for the chain guard broke on the way back to Salina?  Of course you have to dismantel the bike to get to it (well almost).  4K miles and this is the first time some has broken off.

Ok, I finished with the rant about the broken bracket.  I guess I can consider myself lucky that nothing has broken or fell of before. 

  About the lunch ride.  Wasn't much of a ride from Salina, just 22 miles or so.  Pat and I were the first ones there but Bob was right behind us on his Wing.  All total 17 hearty ROMEOs showed up at the Country Cafe. We had plenty of time to visit because it took so long to get some food.  No one got their Joe Rockets in a bunch though.  Guess we are most all retired and not in a big hurry.  Don't know what the problem was but once it showed up it was pretty good eating.  A real homemade chicken fried steak for $5.25 is hard to beat. 

  Pat and I took the long way home via Roxbury, Lindsborg and up Burma road.  It was while crossing the bridge by the old mill that I realized the Enfield was making a new noise and discovered the broken chain guard.  Not to worry, I know a guy that welds.  We had fought a strong West wind all the way to Lindsborg and it was a relief to finally turn East off Burma road.  You know you are running with a strong wind when you have to go 50mph to feel a breeze.

 One doesn't usually don't have any trouble knowing which way one is going in Kansas but for those rare occasions I recently bought a niffty little handlebar compass.  Works great when the bike isn't running but once you fire it up the wires running along the handlebar screw it up.  Unless I can figure out another place to mount the thing it is totally useless.

P.S.

  The wires don't seem to be the problem.  The problem is all the metal in the REB.  Damn compass must have been designed for today's plastic bikes.

Entry for February 17, 2006 (part 2)

Picture:  Return Oil Pump, Royal Enfield Bullet

I've gone on so much about those oil pumps I thought I'd post a picture.  I almost wish I hadn't taken a picture now because it makes it look really rusty.  I promise it didn't look that bad and yes, they were brand new.  If I had it to do over again I think I would have tried to clean it up a little better.  Sure didn't hurt the performance and that is why I have to go back to stock.  The high output pumps throw so much oil on the top end that oil runs down the valve guides and gets burned (so I'm told by the experts).  So the idea of cooling the engine with higher output oil pumps isn't going to work for my REB.  Maybe someday if it gets to the point of needing a rebuild I'll add some performance parts and will try the pumps again.  For now this is about it, I'm just going to ride it like it is.

Entry for February 17, 2006 (part 1)

Picture:  Kerosene stove makes for a cozy garage.....NOT!!

 

Q: What do you do when it's too cold to ride? 

A:  Work on the bike of course. 

 

 When the predicted high is 20F and the wind is blowing this ole boy doesn't ride.  Figured it was a good time to change out that return oil pump and get them sent back to Classic.  Since the garage is on the North side of the house never warms up much but I have a kerosene stove so to take the chill off.  I lit the stove and waited about half an hour before venturing out.  It took the chill off to the tune of about 22F.  Oh well, I've already got all the stuff out so I might as well proceed...............(go to part 2)

Entry for February 14, 2006

Picture: Drinking Coffee in Lindsborg, KS

  Another 60 degree day in the middle of February.  The urge to ride is too strong to resist, especially after Pat called and said "let's ride".  A quick run to Marquette via the twisty Falun road was a lot of fun but we couldn't find a place to have a cuppa so it's over to Lindsborg (Little Sweden USA) where the pot is always on.  I felt very touristy setting at an outside table drinking coffee.  Had to get a shot of Pat and his Aprilia Atlantic for the blog.  He looks like a tourist even if he did grow up in Lindsborg.

  Well fortified with caffeine and lots of daylight left we decide a run South to McPherson is in order.  More coffee but this time just the beans at my favorite coffee roastery, Java John's (www.java-johns.com/).  A little confusing but, www.javajohns.net , (same guy) has a deal going where you can send their coffee to the troops.  Very nice of him, I may do that, although their coffee is much too good for the Army.  I'll have to ask him if he sends to the Navy.

  Another stop in Lindsborg to wish Pat's brother a Happy Birthday.  How lucky can you be to be born on Valentine's day?  Easy to remember.  Back home Pat's high tech instrument cluster shows that we traveled 90 miles and the temperature is 63 degrees.

  An oil check on the REB tells me that going back to the stock oil pump was the thing to do as the level has barely dropped.  As I still have the high output return pump I called Classic Motorworks (www.enfieldmotorcycles.com) to see if there is any advantage to keeping a high output return pump in there or if I should go back to stock.  The CMW folks are great to work with.  I asked for Kevin because that was who I had been talking to.  I had no idea it was Kevin Mahoney himself (the main man at CMW) and was surprised when they patched me through to him in Phoenix.  Long story short, I am returning the oil pumps for full credit.  You can't beat that kind of service.

  Well enough rambling for one day.  Tomorrow is a ROMEO lunch ride but I will be keeping an eye on the weather  before I set out for Burlingame, KS.  

 

Entry for February 13, 2006

So I'm sitting next to the REB intending to check the point gap.  The sun is shinning warmly on my back, there is no wind and I'm thinking "maybe I'm go for a little ride" when up pulls Pat on his Atlantic.  Said he was going out for a spin and thought he'd take a chance that I was home.  The points check out spot on, and I saddle up, can't let a nice day go to waste.

  We took a ride West by the airport and North on Burma Road when West past the zoo, South to Brookville, then back home on old 40 highway.  A little over an hour and 55 miles later I just have time to brush my teeth and ride to my dentist appointment.  I think the Doc is jealous.

Entry for February 09, 2006

 Any excuse to ride!  My friend Pat, with the Aprilia Atlantic 500, called to shoot the breeze this morning and I ended up inviting myself over in the afternoon on the premise of showing him my new riding gear.  All I really wanted was an excuse to ride and to drink his coffee. 

  After impressing him with my sartorial elegance and drinking his coffee I left him so he could get the house cleaned up before his wife came home.  Being retired with a working wife puts a lot of stress on a guy.  On the way home I got a notion to ride a little more so I could check my oil pump situation.  After 30 miles and back home I couldn't detect any oil usage so maybe changing back to the stock feed pump has solved my problem.  Now I need to determine if there is any advantage to running a high capacity return pump with a stock feed pump.  I can't see how it would help anything but I'll defer to the experts at Classic Motor Works www.enfieldmotors.com .

Winter Riding February 08, 2006

Picture:  New Jacket and Pants

 If you get new riding gear you got to try it out right?  I was tired of freezing me bum off wearing leather and decided to try some non-leather stuff.  You know, the Power Ranger looking outfit with the pads and reflective material.  I found a jacket and pants from JC Whitney that was reasonable and didn't look like a clown outfit.  The brand had been recommended to me by a ROMEO rider. 

  There was no ROMEO ride today so it was a good time to test the new duds....39F with a brisk North wind.  I took about a 45 minute, 20 mile ride around Salina, in town and 55mph two lanes.  I think I might be on the right track here cause I was pretty comfortable.  I layered of course, top and bottom.  I could move better than with the leather so although it doesn't look near as cool I'll stick with it until warmer weather.  The jacket has a removable liner and is supposed to be good in warm weather too.  It has all kinds of zippers and Velcro so will have to see.

  The bike is running great but drinking oil like crazy.  I went back to the stock feed pump but still had to add half a quart when I got back from my short ride.  You would think it would be fogging the streets with oil but it isn't.  I will do a bit more riding before returning to both stock pumps.