Adventure in Ohio?

[mpenner]

Originally Posted by swingset

You're only the second person I've ever heard of with intake/valve issues like that on a Vee with relatively low miles, ever.

Sucks, big time, but even the legendary Honda 750/4's occasionally took a shit prematurely. It sounds like your problem is very fixable tho.

It is kinda weird the stuff that failed while other things look almost brand new. For instance, all of the exhaust valves are fine and they are the ones that normally see the hardest service. The pistons and cylinder are in really good shape as well.

Some of what we are doing is not completely necessary to get the bike running again, but will keep the bike going longer for many more miles. For instance, the intake valves could be used again after cleaning and lapping, but they are mushroomed and went out of adjustment inside the normal adjustment interval, so Tom recommended that I replace them if I am going to keep the bike since the labor is the same for new ones or reusing the old ones.

The compression ring on the rear cylinder was sticking inside the piston groove. Cleaning would probably have done the trick, but with the cylinders already off why not replace both sets of rings.

It is fortunate that everything is very fixable. I am quite impatient since it is the middle of the summer and the bike is broken. I usually manage to get all of my major maintenance done in the winter so that I am not in this situation. I guess that I just need to chill.

Originally Posted by GregsBro

Wow that is surprising, It seemed to run fine except for the last few cool morning starts.

Yeah, in fact it seemed to run a little better every day for the first couple of weeks. I really thought that it was the fuel that we got at that creepy place near Paxson. I did the fuel mod so that I could put a more accessible fuel filter on the bike while I have been waiting for the other stuff to be fixed, just to prevent future problems.

I am sure you and I can think of a lot of places that we rode to that would have been really inconvenient and costly for a breakdown, so I am thankful that it occurred where it did.

Originally Posted by Danjal

Did you check you oil for crap in it? And what oil are you running? Im thinking clogged oil passages or timing.

There was nothing unusual with the oil. I have been running the Rotella synthetic. While the problem with the cam chains could have been caused by an oil problem or a clogged oil passage, it seems unlikely that this could cause wear on a valve face, so I am a bit stumped.

Originally Posted by dox

Shame about the return trip, Mike. Hope the Vee is healthy again soon.

Saw you took that Joe Rocket Ballistic jacket on the trip... It was a few years old when I put it up for grabs here, but hadn't seen many miles. How did it perform over the long haul?

Fortunately, my bike broke down in a good place and I had already gotten to ride all of the good stuff. The only interesting piece of riding that I had left was going through the Badlands again. The Enterprise rental place in Sheridan had a cargo van that they were anxious to get off their lot so I got a very reasonable rate. The van had an outside temp gauge in it and when I saw it get up to 102 deg across SD, Iowa, and ILL, it did a lot to fix any disappointment I felt.

The jacket was great! We saw a huge range of environments and it kept me comfortable, dry and safe. I was not sure how waterproof it was, so I took a Frog Togg jacket along. I found that the Joe Rocket jacket would keep me dry for a couple of hours or so of rain and then I would put on the Frog Togg. I really liked the longer length of the jacket compared to my old one. The venting was inadequate for the very hottest days, but that is true of all jackets except for the mesh ones.

I was really glad to have it along. Thanks again!

[Danjal]

You and me both about the valve faces. Figured logical thing was check the easier to trouble shoot problem and go from there. Rotella is good oil too. Never had a single problem with it. Just need to stay away from the low friction stuff for our wet sump clutches. Maybe the old man knows. Hes been wrenching on bikes for 40 some years now. Ill ask later if I see him.

[mpenner]

Originally Posted by MeefZah

That blows. Did you rent a U-Haul to get home, or what?

I'm surprised by that. Even after mine crapped out secondary to a wire harness issue last year I still consider them to be one of the more reliable bikes available.

Enterprise had this Nissan cargo van that was nearly perfect for the job. It had tie down spots and A/C. Some guy had had them get it for him to move to Philly about a month prior and then never came and got it, so they were anxious to get it off their lot and gave me a decent rate including unlimited mileage and a reasonable one-way fee. It even got decent mileage (over 400 miles per 18 gallon fill-up).

The only problem was that I was in a hurry and did not account for how high my windshield was. It ended up getting completely broken. Fortunately, I had never replaced it after I broke it in Colorado last year and one of the mounting holes had busted during this trip just due to the rough roads, so I was planning to replace it anyways.

One of the guys at the hotel ran home and got a loading ramp for me to use and I already had straps that I had taken along for the ferry, so I was on the road by 10 AM when it would not start that morning. I booked home and covered 1600 miles over 2 days.



The worst part was the humiliation of being the bike that broke down when I was riding with a couple of BMW's.

After some of the difficulty and tragedy that we had seen happen to others in Alaska, I was really very calm and mellow about the whole thing. I still love my V-Strom and intend to fix it properly and keep it for many more adventure filled miles. In fact, I just bought a complete set of bearings and seals for it off of the Central Flea Market that I will install this winter.

[Rich B]

Good luck on getting the bike fixed......kinda sucks with the weather we have not having a ride....

Of course all of my riding for the next week is gonna involve kerosene buzzards And the ultimate tourist destination of Algeria

[mgorman]

Originally Posted by Mikef5000

Do they have any big open grassy areas for beginner practicing?

Google is your friend. I have never been there

[mgorman]

Originally Posted by MeefZah

Wrong "Mike", you are old news man...

Good!

[Mikef5000]

Originally Posted by mgorman

Google is your friend. I have never been there

Damn!



That looks like FUN!

Upon further inspection of their pictures though, it's definitely not for me with the girlfriend in tow; even the smallest track has "smaller tables, doubles, rollers, and banked turns"; all above her level. (And Imma skeered to take my porker of a dual-sport on the bigger tracks). So unless ya'll want to talk me into it (wouldn't be that hard), I think we're out...

[alansz400]

Originally Posted by Mikef5000

Damn!



That looks like FUN!

Briarcliff is our favorite place to ride. Kyle loves the C track. My 5 and 6 year old both ride on the kids/pitbike track they let the kids on the C track a couple times a day so the 6 year old gets to ride a few laps on it. The A track is real BIG and fun to watch. The small track in the picture is a RC car track so no bikes on there. The last time I was on the trail it was a mess from the quads but it was also wet. Should be room to ride in the parking area to practice. I would like to join you but we are taking the boys camping this weekend.

[S2P]

I saw that RC track on the website. I'm sure I could clear those doubles and table top, I'll even bring my ttr125

[swingset]

Originally Posted by mpenner

The worst part was the humiliation of being the bike that broke down when I was riding with a couple of BMW's.

Well, here's the way to look at it...if you had to completely replace the engine, which you don't, you're still well under the cost of a comparable Bimmer and with what you saved in fuel and insurance over the course of ownership...you could probably buy a second motor to back up the replacement. Hell, an entire second bike.

[mpenner]

Originally Posted by swingset

Well, here's the way to look at it...if you had to completely replace the engine, which you don't, you're still well under the cost of a comparable Bimmer and with what you saved in fuel and insurance over the course of ownership...you could probably buy a second motor to back up the replacement. Hell, an entire second bike.

For what I have invested in this bike, it is impressive what it will do even with my limited abilities. I think that my bike had the highest mileage in our group as well.

OTOH, I was also impressed with Scott and Keith's BMW's and how they handled on the rough, slow, and sloopy stuff as well as their reliability. The BMW's must be really comfortable since we rode a lot of long days and I never heard any complaints. They swapped out tires for the Hiedenau K60 before we rode the Dalton, which were probably more suited than my Shinko 705's.

OTOH, my V-Strom did everything that the BMW's did, except get me home of course...................

[dyrtybyrd]

Well Swingset, of course the Strom is going to be cheaper than a damn car!
Note: Bimmer = automobile, Beemer = motorcycle

[swingset]

Originally Posted by dyrtybyrd

Well Swingset, of course the Strom is going to be cheaper than a damn car!
Note: Bimmer = automobile, Beemer = motorcycle

I was blissfully ignorant of the difference, feel free to kick me out of the MOA rally I wasn't going to attend. Strip the Roundel off of my branded clothing, I am not fit to keep my authorized service log book.

I will now slink away in my Zuki, which is a car. The motorcycles of course are known as Gixxers, brah.

[vivid dadas]

Damn!



Looks like a Picasso icon of a cow only visible to ancient space aliens.

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...NiJ0kNM__Gq6Di

[Danjal]

FWIW klim dakar pants are NOT waterproof. That is all.