Enough workin' on em , let's ride em !

[Lucasind]

Darn good SJM's (standard japanese motorcycles) Did yours have a kick starter being a 78' ?
I think at the end of the run of 650's....came the bit smaller 550's that we sold a bunch of those lil' bikes back when I worked at the local Kaw. dealership, they didn't cost much money and guys used to give em a good sound thrashing ! This black csr 650 that you see in the pic. only has 14 k on the clock ! The guy I got it from, had trouble with it (electrical) so he tore it down to rebuild the top end , when it didn't even need it. After he put it all back together it still would not run,because he hadn't solved anything.
I saw it advertised on CL,bought it , and had it running later that same day
I guess I'll just keep it...........................Tony

[trikebldr]

Today was Cindy's first trip of more than around the block in the sidecar. Went to Topeka again, about 120 miles round trip. Her comment,....."It's too smooth, it's boring!". Guess I need to replace the coil-over with a solid strut for her! Nah!
Bike ran so smooth, but it keeps telling me my oil is low. Right up next to the upper limit line in the window. Temp ran all day at four bars.
New glitch, though. The shift lever seems to be mounted with the peg too high so my toe hits the left alternator cover and I sometimes miss getting into second. Gonna remount it a notch farther down. Same with the rear brake pedal. Have to lift my foot too much to get on the pedal.
Was cruising along and saw another bike coming up on us. Another rig! We rode together on into Topeka, then saw a Ural Sidecar rig. We all three stopped at a Dairy Queen and talked a while. Urals are only 650cc so we had to hold back a bit to let him ride along with us as we left Topeka. Finally, the Beemer rig pulled off in another direction, so we picked it up and came on home.

[Lucasind]

Looking really good there Bruce ! All of your patience and hard work has really paid off !
Looks like you guys are having some nice sunshine and warmer temps . ! Unlike here.... we are getting the weather sheet-bag today .....first it started out raining in the morning, then we had a blizzard, then it started hailing, then it started thundering,then the sun came out ,and now were having a second blizzard of the day ! Couldn't do any riding today anyway....cause I woke up to go in the basement,and found the hot water tank had gone belly -up,water all over the place, so I had to go get a new one and change it out .....................glad you guys are out enjoying some great riding and weather !
here is a look at what's hap'n in Toledo right now

[Lucasind]

Bruce , when you say "the bike keeps telling me it's low on oil" does that mean that the oil light is coming on ? just got me wondering here.

[trikebldr]

Bruce , when you say "the bike keeps telling me it's low on oil" does that mean that the oil light is coming on ? just got me wondering here.

Yup! There is a warning light that blinks for a number of issues, and then there is the little digital window that says low oil. Both blinking the whole time. Considering the construction of that switch and it's location, it's not anything to be concerned about. Just a quick check of oil level in the sight glass does the trick.

WOW! Sorry we got all the great weather! And, you even got SNOW!!! Maybe you need to start looking for a good, used, Kwak snowmobile! High 60's here all afternoon.

I do have to admit that I took a big chance and have done two 120+ mile trips now on old rubber. I have no idea how old the bike's tires are, but the front is the same as what originally came on them, and the sidecar tire is the original from 1979. It has lots of rubber tread, and looks really good, but they haven't made the "Arrow" tires in years. Getting close to finishing my tire changer, so my new E3's will be going on soon as well as that Dunlop snow tire and all new bearings on the bike.

One more complaint from Cindy is that she is tall enough (6') to see over the sidecar's windshield, and felt bits of dust getting in her eyes, even with a full-face helmet and shield. So, a new model-t style top will soon be made to help deflect more crap off the passenger. I'm also going to see if a custom windshield can be made that extends a bit farther back than this original one.

[cushman eagle]

Looking really good there Bruce ! All of your patience and hard work has really paid off !
Looks like you guys are having some nice sunshine and warmer temps . ! Unlike here.... we are getting the weather sheet-bag today .....first it started out raining in the morning, then we had a blizzard, then it started hailing, then it started thundering,then the sun came out ,and now were having a second blizzard of the day ! Couldn't do any riding today anyway....cause I woke up to go in the basement,and found the hot water tank had gone belly -up,water all over the place, so I had to go get a new one and change it out .....................glad you guys are out enjoying some great riding and weather !
here is a look at what's hap'n in Toledo right now
Yeh,Tony,we have had all the weathers of Ohio today;sun, rain, sleet ,snow, high winds,and no motorcycle riding!

[Lucasind]

Yeah Loren ....dumb me, even went underneath the deck and got out the deck furniture,then cleaned and "armor-alled" it last week.....cause "winter is over"

[ekap1200]

Today was my first day out..... wrapped up on the repairs and spring clean/wax job and took it out for a short 50 mile run this afternoon. Ran like it has for the past 81,500 miles . With all the items I rpl,ed the most impressive was the feel of the new grips. That with the new avons and it felt like a new bike again. Went with 15w fork oil and it feels sweet. Weather was pleasant with just a heavy shirt. Ready for the rally....

[Lucasind]

Glad to hear your back up and running again Gene
Pam and I spent pretty much the whole day out on the XII over 100 miles, as the weather here was perfect for riding,. 70 degrees under a clear blue sky ...they say even better tommorow (much better than last weekends 8 inches of snow !).................Tony

[ekap1200]

Glad to hear your back up and running again Gene
Pam and I spent pretty much the whole day out on the XII over 100 miles, as the weather here was perfect for riding,. 70 degrees under a clear blue sky ...they say even better tommorow (much better than last weekends 8 inches of snow !).................Tony

Well that's great news Tony, Sunday did indeed turn out to be a great weather day. And with all the fluids changed, but the 4 month old gas I just had to run that tank darn near empty. At the end of the day I filled up with 5.4 gal. NOW all the fluids have been changed.....

[Lucasind]

,, Rode the XII all day Saturday, then 'having received a care package in the mail from our friend "trikebldr", I installed this neat headlight cover that he made for me. The corners nicely rounded and sanded smooth. First drilled and tapped four holes,then installed the cover with the plastic screws supplied b y Bruce,then rode the XIII all day Sunday, ran out a full tank of fuel on the 1300,and just made it to a small country gas station with the warning light blinking away !
The more I ride that 1300 the more I like it ! I'm glad I bought it !













Even got out for a bit, on the recently finished 85' LTD 1100 shaft "rat bike" it now has a total of 2000 miles on it ! The next long day out riding will belong to the new generation F/I 1400 Concourse.
Hope everyone had as great of a weekend of riding as I did !..........................Tony

[krasmu]

Darn good SJM's (standard japanese motorcycles) Did yours have a kick starter being a 78' ?

Yes, that bike ran great for me through the years that I did own it. Yes, it did have a kick starter, which came in handy as I do tend to ride is some cold and nasty weather. If the battery would fail trying to start it, I could always depend on the kick starter. Many times I would kick it a few times to loosen things up before even trying the start button. When I sold it, it had a Windjammer fairing with full stereo, Samsonite luggage saddle bags, Backrest with rack, Custom saddle, extra lights and highway pegs. I re-sprocketed it to lower the rpm's to change the pitch of the Kirker pipes I installed and give a bit more mpg. Sold it for much needed baby items when my daughter was born. Went without a bike for 25 years. Great to be back on two wheels again.

[trikebldr]

Went without a bike for 25 years. Great to be back on two wheels again.

Wow! Sounds almost like my story! I went these last 24 years bike-less, too, then saw my '85 Voyager 1300 on ebay and made them an offer. Found out I have lost a lot of my strength-of-youth, so holding up one of these behemoths is more than I am comfortable with. So, I'm back on three wheels again with a sidecar attached.
Yes, it's great to be back on three wheels again! What took us so long?

[kawman12]

Tony, here is your chance at a deal on a Voyager 1700.

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/ ... 24151.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You might want to get this 1300 also if you come to Minnesota.

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/ ... 74169.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Make it a two-fer trip!
Mike

[Lucasind]

wait a minute there Mike, that looks like Don Medina's bike ! That bike has over 100.000 miles on it ! No wonder the ad that you posted,don't list the mileage ! I heard from a un-reliable source,that Don already rode to Hurley,and traded his 2012'in on a new one along the way .......just kidding !




No, that 1700 looks like the kind of deal that I will be looking for ,2012 or newer... As you know ,there is no shortage of bikes for me to ride currently,and I have been saving my coins in a jar, ,and will be getting close to having enough cash to buy one,as I don't finance anything. I like that 1300 that you posted also, but as you know ,I already have one of those that I really enjoy riding, and I hope that I like riding the new generation 1700 Voyager as much as these older ones ! I have not rode a 1700 Voyager yet, maybe at the rally ?

[krasmu]

Went without a bike for 25 years. Great to be back on two wheels again.

Wow! Sounds almost like my story! I went these last 24 years bike-less, too, then saw my '85 Voyager 1300 on ebay and made them an offer. Found out I have lost a lot of my strength-of-youth, so holding up one of these behemoths is more than I am comfortable with. So, I'm back on three wheels again with a sidecar attached.
Yes, it's great to be back on three wheels again! What took us so long?

yes I've seen some of your handy work. very impressive. As for me, family and finance got in the way along with other interests. I actually sold my 78 KZ650 to buy parts for a show truck I was building at the time. Now that I'm an empty nester, (or at least I was before we moved my daughter and her new baby twins in last summer) I got the itch to feel the wind in my hair before it all falls out. Stumbled on the Voyager while picking up a headlight for my Honda Magna. It was just what I was looking for.

[Lucasind]

Krasmu wrote : I got the itch to feel the wind in my hair before it all falls out. Stumbled on the Voyager while picking up a headlight for my Honda Magna. It was just what I was looking for.



Guys going for parts for their current ride , then coming back home with a different bike, seems to be a pretty common thing ! I have heard this many times over the years ,and have even bought guy's old bikes when seeing a new(er) bike in their garage when showing up in response to a craigslist ad !