Frist long ride of the season

[HMB Don]

My Voyagers had been parked since the beginning of Dec until end of April. It had been hooked up to the battery charger. I have a Shorai battery which doesn't like not be used.

The first time I started the engine it ran rough and had a loud clatter. It was the lifters clattering, it took 30 miles before they pumped up and the engine began running smooth. This past weekend I rode 700 miles with no clatter and great performance from the engine. Today I rode home from Greensboro, NC, all on small back roads 231 miles with the ODO reading 60 mph most of the time and some times slower. I was able to travel 224.5 miles, when I filled the tank it took 4.594 gallons. My fuel mileage was 48.955, put a big smile on my face and just a small dent in my wallet. The price of 91 octane here in Wilmington, NC is $3.35 per gal.

[hank43]

Sure miss those long rides with you and Trish, The cheap gas here at Costco is $3.33/gallon.
Gert and I took a 100 miler last week, weather was just perfect! Looking forward to visiting The Alamoand all the rest of the gang next month, got our hotels all set up. may stop and visit my brother Richard on the way - He lives in Arizona.
Freedpm Rides having their annual luncheon and ride in, contest etc. The winner gets seats to see the Eagles perform.
You will be at the rally right?

hank43

[cushman eagle]

My Voyagers had been parked since the beginning of Dec until end of April. It had been hooked up to the battery charger. I have a Shorai battery which doesn't like not be used.

The first time I started the engine it ran rough and had a loud clatter. It was the lifters clattering, it took 30 miles before they pumped up and the engine began running smooth. This past weekend I rode 700 miles with no clatter and great performance from the engine. Today I rode home from Greensboro, NC, all on small back roads 231 miles with the ODO reading 60 mph most of the time and some times slower. I was able to travel 224.5 miles, when I filled the tank it took 4.594 gallons. My fuel mileage was 48.955, put a big smile on my face and just a small dent in my wallet. The price of 91 octane here in Wilmington, NC is $3.35 per gal.

That is pretty impressive mileage Don, Good for you.

[Steverides5]

Hey Don, My wife have been out on several day trips in the last couple months usually about 150-200 mile days just cruising back roads around NJ, DE and MD. My enguine did the same thing when the cold weather was happening. My bike will be going to my camper hopefully next weekend ,weather permitting. Cant wait to ride upstate NY again. Planning on going to Norwich NY on June 24 to see the drivers of this years Great Race. Also committed to a trip to a Quebec in September with some friends. Hope to run into some fellow riders in my travels. Enjoy the season.Steve G

[ekap1200]

Me too. Finally got my list of to do things completed. At 93,028 it needed a good head to toe inspection. All went well , but repairing the hitch from the accident did take quite some time to repair and the retro for the STP3915 air filter took some time to obtain the right plastic , engineer up and manufacture. So at 1:30 it was time for a test, 230 miles later I came home a happy man. Weather here in New Jersey was pleasant enough for just a long sleeve shirt and the sun shinned all afternoon. Took all the back roads of which I know of many thru the pine-lands down to Cape May only to find so did a million other folks. Not a parking spot to be found. Then on to the major highways for some high speed riding and log those miles on....Nothing like the feel of new tires on the old girl....I didn't even notice any issues with 3 month old gas. Today was going to be a day out with the trailer after giving that a good going over, with new wheel bearings and new lighting on the back but the weather has done a 360 on me and will have to wait another day.
With the balmy weather today it does give me a break to get tools and tooling back to where it goes and maybe give the shop a quick cleanup . I can only hope that next Christmas my wife asks my friend Tony from Toledo what I need for Christmas, A jaguar,,,, The bike lift was a surprise and well needed, working on the bike was not as demanding on this old body. And it was a big surprise on Christmas morning. A blue Jag would be nice this year
So I can go back to catching up on sockets , trim , and finally a second sale of the front fender trim that took so long to get done.

[cushman eagle]

Gene,you need to go upscale from the Jag. I see Rolls Royce just came out with a new SUV.That would look a lot more impressive than Jag.
Give that some thought!

[Lucasind]

....Nothing like having a "air lift" in the shop for working on your bikes ,that's for sure.......Even before I bought one, I always used a home-made one, you can do a much better and thorough job on whatever you are working on if you are more comfortable ! and how about cleaning of the bikes , a chore becomes a pleasure !
Now , Gene , about next year's Christmas gift.....just keep making the monthly installments as we agreed upon , and that Jag just might be next !

And Don , I was surprised to hear that YOUR bike sat in the garage for over 4 months ...... that must be a record for you ? I get it tho , the weather here was as bad as it gets since last November...... eeking out less than 300 miles on my 03" Voyager since then....,, was thinking by this time last year (2017) had nearly 2000 miles of riding time in ...........not much a guy can do about it , sit on the sidelines and wait till riding weather returns...........

[HMB Don]

Thanks guys, this year I just got tired of all the travel. I did miss taking some winter rides where is was cold enough to wear winter riding gear. But gearing up for the rest of the year. Starting with Kerrville, then with Trisha and the Motor Maids in July. August to visit my mom in Denver and a camping trip in the Colorado Rockies

Hank and Gert looking forward to seeing you both in Kerrville. Going to have some good fun rides. Beginning to get the trailer ready.

Gene, looking forward to riding together in Sept.

Tony, we had some snow here this past winter