I have read and heard enough about BMW speedo's that they have a 5% error and that is BMW's plan, I deduct 2mpg off whatever the odo figures.I think 30ish is pretty decent for such a rig, I think mine is coming from 53rd St University Place, this is a start in sidecars and I won't be afraid to get it out in the winter here where we have salt on the roads.DB I keep my mileage logs by GPS (accurate) as well as the odometer (inaccurate). The GPS mileage gives me my actual MPG, but the odometer mileage gives me a number that I can compare to other guys, because most guys use the inaccurate ODO when posting their numbers. So anyway, on this last trip, I got 30.5 mpg but according to the ODO I got 32.75.[/QUOTE]
Don't get to the old computer much these days, but saw this thread and wanted to post a couple of 'glamor' shots of my own DMC produced work-of-art. Thanks to Jay/Doug/Barry for their meticulous attention to detail. The rig was offline for a while after I managed to crash it last year; banged up the front end and tore the fender off. Anyway, front-end has now been re-glassed, fender has been replaced and I just got it back from the shop after a make-over-flat-black-paint-job. Added some decals and am now just waiting for the bumper/light-bar to be repaired. I am in LOVE with this thing!
nice pictures above i hope that you will repost them in a new thread with a ride report or 2...... please
Beautiful...pretty streamlined- this EZS compared to my snubnosed M72d. Noticed that you wrapped your exhaust pipes with insulating tape. Does this help in less heat hitting your boots?
From personal experience! DONT DO IT. Caused my pipes to rust/rot on my GSXR1K. I had to buy a complete header. I have heard lots of stories about it causing that. Second system was Jett Hott coated. Was just as cool and no corosian
I've ceramac coated 3 bikes, hot pipes work (flow) better, the jet-hot folks also coat the inside of the headers keeps the heat moving , the O2 sensor happier and the look more consistent.DB
Did a 1000-mile loop last week from my home to Crater Lake and back. We (me and my dog Kirby) camped. Did a lot of back roads. Did some dirt. Saw a lot of volcanoes. Volcano #1--Mt. Adams Volcano #2--Mt. St. Helens Here you can see the trees killed by the Mt. St. Helens eruption with new growth sprouting in between. This is on FR 99 which BTW is quite a fun road. Volcano #3--Mt. Hood Three Creek Lake south of Sisters, Oregon. This lake is at about 6500' elevation and note the snow fields in late August. Here's the route we took from Three Creek Lake around Broken Top (Volcano #4). Note that this 7.5 mile stretch took 90 minutes to complete. Here are some shots from that section of the trip. Like always, it was either too steep or too gnarly to get pics of the really difficult sections. So when we popped out into the open south of Broken Top on Tumalo Loop Road, there's Mt Bachelor (Volcano #5). Here's Broken Top (Volcano #4), South Sister (Volcano #6) and Middle Sister (Volcano #7.) If you know this area, then you know I'm missing pics of two other volcanoes--North Sister and Mt. Jefferson. This is near the Wickiup Reservoir. If you have the chance to go here, take a pass. A most dreadful place. Looked nice on the map, though. But really awful. This here is a silt road. After escaping from the Wickiup Reservoir, we found this little water hole on Crescent Creek, just north of Crescent, Oregon. We went for a swim. I took off my boots and socks, but kept all the rest of my gear on (this was Day 3 and my gear and me were a little rank.) I love it when you come to an intersection of dirt roads somewhere up in the mountains and they let you know where you are. Here we are at Windigo Pass. The Pacific Crest Trail is under my wheels. Saw this tree coming down from Windigo Pass and just had to take a picture of it. Volcano #8--Mt. Bailey, just west of Diamond Lake where we camped that night. Volcano #9--Mt. Thielsen Volcano #10-Mt. Mazama (also know as Crater Lake) Does Oregon have more volcanoes than Alaska?
what a great report wonderful pictures i had NO idea there were so many volcanos in oregon looks like an incredible ride kirby looks awesome thanks for sharing all of this with us here
Hey, BT! Not taller. That's just an illusion when I give him his "summer cut". I shave his legs down and it makes him look tall and skinny. Come this winter he'll be back to his old "burly" look!
the more i look at the picture, the more i like it gorgeous hack incredible scenery majestic companion PERFECT
Drone; met you at CSR3 and was wondering how many miles you have on the front and pusher tires. Just curious about the mileage you are getting in comparison with the tires that I have tried. Also wanted to find out what you think of using a backrest on your saddle while sidecaring? Steve
Good questions. I have a weird pinched nerve thing in my back. Without the backrest I can ride pain-free for 30 minutes. With the backrest, 400 mile days are no problem. But this is entirely because of the untreatable non-specific thoracic neuralgia I've had since 2006. Anyway, the backrest does not seem to interfere with hanging off. I prefer to hang off in a more forwardly position anyway. I have 7000 miles on the tires. The Vredestein Snow+ pusher has no noticeable wear. On the K-60 Scout, my strategic thinking was that although this was a typical "round" motorcycle tire, the blocks were so deep I figured that the profile would become squarer and squarer as I wore down the center of the tire. Then, as my contact patch got wider and wider, the tire would begin to wear down more slowly since now the weight was being distributed over a larger contact patch. Are you with me? Well, this is happening! When I first got the tire, it left a 1" wide track in the dirt. Now my track is as wide as the tire. So even though the center tread is not as deep as it was, I expect to get many more miles from this tire. But, it's still an experiment. We'll see. However, I feel that the tire is now at its peak performance level. I'm really hoping to get 12,000 or more out of this tire. BTW, at the git-go I ran this tire at 26 lbs but after about 2500 miles of wear I bumped it up to 30 lbs.
Ah...this is good to hear that the Vredestein Snow has thus far gone 7000 miles as mine lately haven't seen too many miles after by bailout from the TAT. I assume you rode on both surfaces: offroad and slab; slab being 90%? That's great news after hunting for a more aggressive pusher tire last winter/spring. SO..we ought to convince the tire guys to stock up on these makes/brands for the coming season and of course buy a set for future uses. By the way do you see the Vredestein/Snow's tread pattern sufficient aggressive enough for gnarly roads or does one need to have a more "Jeep" type tread? Thank you...
I don't keep a log of my paved vs. unpaved miles but there are at least several hundred miles of dirt and gravel in those 7000 miles. I used to bicycle tour a bit when I was younger but I gave it up because I really only liked going downhill, and bicycling is 95% uphill. My friends told me bicycling is (duh!) 50/50 uphill and downhill, and that it only "seems" to be 95% uphill. I told them they were wrong. Do a 10-mile loop that's 50% uphill and 50% downhill on a fully-loaded touring bike. The 5-mile uphill stretch takes an hour to complete. Then the downhill stretch is over in 5 minutes. NOT 50/50! [Not me!] Dirt and paved is the same deal. I might spend 3 hours on paved roads then 3 hours on dirt roads. That's 50/50 riding. But to my tires--it's 95% paved and 5% dirt! Regarding the tread pattern, I stay away from mud. I'll ride wet gravel roads all day long, but on dirt roads I ride'em dry. Add H2O to a dirt road and watch me find a different route. I also don't ride in sand--not much sand around here. So the tread pattern is fine for dirt and gravel. Really can't say about mud or sand. Would I be on this road if it was muddy? NOPE! BTW, on my last trip I left some great "panzer tracks" on a dirt road at my campsite, and I said to myself "Elmer would like a picture of this!" So I took a picture but, sorry, it came out blurry. At least I was thinking about you!
Hola Drone... That's interesting; about the Heidenau K-60 Scout might get you 12,000 miles. Have never been successful with the front Metzeler Tourance( not the EXP) in getting more than 4000 miles. The Metzeler Karoo gets even less...eaten like saltwater taffy in no time when riding a combination of offroad and slabbing. So the K-60 looks good according to you!. Keep us posted..
Drone; thanks for the update on your tires. I was running a Federal all season tire and it only got about 5,000 miles which I think is related to using softer rubbers in an inexpensive all seaon tire. My Arizonan has about 2,000 miles on it and looks like it has very little wear - I am going to get much better mileage than with the Federal tire. I have been running a Metzeler ME 880 Marathon the front and have over 6,000 mileson it. It seems to be wearing like your K-60 Scout but does not have nearly as aggressive a tread desing as the K-60 Scout. I am not sure how much difference the front design makes since there is so much reduced weight on it and lots of mass pushing it around. H9owever, I will be looking to try the tires you are using for my next replacements. I was also looking at the snow chains that you have gotten for your rig and was wondering if you have done more than just install them? I have a 2002 GSA and there is not a lot of clearance between the tire and the rear swing arm as well as the muffler. One is going to need to keep the chains very tight to make sure that everything does not get beat up by a loose chain. Just wondering if you have had any experience running these chains? Steve
Don't know about your rig, but my front tire carries 400 lbs out of my rig's total weight of about 1350. I have not used the snow chains beyond my driveway.
