Saturday, August 18, 2012
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Waffle House Breakfast RIde
We'll be heading up to the mountains this Saturday, August 11th. 9:30 AM departure. We will meet at the Waffle House off 400 on Holcombe Bridge Road at Old Alabama and ride up to the mountains. Since there is a waffle house on virtually every street corner in Georgia, here's a a map of the specific one you'll be looking for. It's circled in RED below.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
August on the Blue Ridge
BMW Motorcycle Owners of Georgia organized a ride and camping expedition to the Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground in Cruso, NC. This was my first organized event with the BMW MOGA and it ended up being an excellent time for everyone.
The ride was organized by Randy Miller, and we all met at the Rabbittown Cafe in Gainesville. The Rabbittown cafe offers good old Georgia country cooking with cafeteria style service. Great way to fuel up for the ride. The riders who started at the cafe included myself, Bill, Frank, David, Randy (ride leader) and first timers Alejandro and Monique. Naturally, everyone was riding a Beemer. The riders and rides were:
Me- R1150RT (Sienna Red)
David- R1150RT (Silver)
Alejandro & Monique -R1150RT (Black)
Randy-R1200RT (Silver)
Frank- K75
Bill-R65
We then rode to Toccoa where we met Paul on his R1150R in the same Sienna Red as my R1150RT.
En route, the weather was crappy. Grey skies, drizzling rain and fog suggested that we'd end up putting up our tents in a downpour. We stopped at the Sapphire Mountain Brewing Company for lunch. Nice restaurant overlooking the golf course. Several of us tried the fish and chips, but Alejandro was feeling ambitious and ordered the pizza. He felt that the 7" personal pizza was too small so he opted for the 24" truck tire sized pizza with 8 lbs of cheese and 4 lbs of tomatoes. He'll be featured on a future episode of Man vs Food. For a slim guy he's got quite the appetite!
We left the restaurant and headed for the BRP. As usual, the BRP was socked in with fog and for most of the route you could barely see past your visor. Along the way we stopped to try to get in one last phone call or text message before entering the area of poor cell phone reception.
Here's a picture of Bill taking a picture of me and my bike (foreground) while Alejandro and Monique try to get a few text messages off from a spot near the summit. Unfortunately, nobody had much luck getting a signal. Below is a picture of Randy also trying to send a text.
We rode on through the drizzly, overcast fog and as we entered the campground the sun started to poke through and we were lucky to be able to setup our camp sites without a torrential downpour.
After setting up camp, we met the others who had travelled separately to the site and proceeded to get the grill heated up and cook a few burgers and dogs. We had an excellent dinner and then downed a few beers. While getting set up a woman came around and asked our names for a door prize drawing. It turned out that the Moto Guzzi guys were holding their own event and they decided to open the drawing to anyone that showed up at the camp site. That was a nice gesture, but it turned out that the BMW riders kept getting their names pulled. In fact, one of the guys from BMW MOGA was the first name drawn and therefore had the pick of the best prices on the table -including a new modular helmet. Wisely, he chose a crappy lawn chair since he needed a lawn chair, and also because it is well know that Guzzi riders travel with guns and hunting dogs. Had he picked the grand prize, I'm pretty sure there would have been a R1200 GS laying on its side in the morning!
Anyway, it seemed like at least half of the BMW MOGA contingent won a prize ( I took home a Givi baseball cap) and the Guzzisti had the pleasure of our company until the prizes were all handed out.
The Guzzisti had hired a live band to play at the campground. The band did a great job of playing a number of completely unrecognizable tunes. As one person noted, the band actually sounded better as you walked further away from them . I was about 3 miles down the road when I thought they actually might win a grammy.
Fortunately, they stopped playing at 10:30 PM. Since most Beemer owners are grouchy old men, it was not so bad to have to stay up past the normal 9:15 bedtime.
The next morning we packed up camp and grabbed a quick breakfast before hitting the road. The campground was fairly packed -mostly with Guzzis but there were some of the other usual suspects as well. Everyone drooled over a perfectly restored BMW Toaster /5. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me when we saw it.
At breakfast, Alejandro ordered another gut-buster. The pancakes at the campground are huge. Roughly the size of a hub cab from a 65 Chrysler, and about as thick. The poor boy barely made a dent in the 6 lbs of pancake batter used to make the whopping cakes. After the prior days lunch and this breakfast, Alejandro had to reset his suspension and pump up his rear tire to 44 PSI.
On the way back we tried again to reestablish communications from the highest point on the BRP. The reason I point this out is to provide documentary evidence of numerous attempts to call for my wife who thinks I spent Saturday night at a strip club or something since I wasn't able to call.
At various points along the way riders peeled off to set their own course home. I rode with Bill through some really insane roads, including the "Goat Path", a road that was barely 6 feet wide and cut right past a goat farm. After about a mile or two on this road, which would barely have allowed a motorcycle and car to go in opposite directions, we see a sign that says "Narrow Road Ahead". You're kidding me, I think- The road actually gets MORE narrow? During this section of the ride I'm thinking -man, this looks like it's going to turn into a motorcycle version of Deliverance. At the first sound of banjo music I was gonna just ride across any open field I could find.
Eventually, we caught up with highway 400 and made our way back to Atlanta. Great riding and a fun trip.
The ride was organized by Randy Miller, and we all met at the Rabbittown Cafe in Gainesville. The Rabbittown cafe offers good old Georgia country cooking with cafeteria style service. Great way to fuel up for the ride. The riders who started at the cafe included myself, Bill, Frank, David, Randy (ride leader) and first timers Alejandro and Monique. Naturally, everyone was riding a Beemer. The riders and rides were:
Me- R1150RT (Sienna Red)
David- R1150RT (Silver)
Alejandro & Monique -R1150RT (Black)
Randy-R1200RT (Silver)
Frank- K75
Bill-R65
We then rode to Toccoa where we met Paul on his R1150R in the same Sienna Red as my R1150RT.
En route, the weather was crappy. Grey skies, drizzling rain and fog suggested that we'd end up putting up our tents in a downpour. We stopped at the Sapphire Mountain Brewing Company for lunch. Nice restaurant overlooking the golf course. Several of us tried the fish and chips, but Alejandro was feeling ambitious and ordered the pizza. He felt that the 7" personal pizza was too small so he opted for the 24" truck tire sized pizza with 8 lbs of cheese and 4 lbs of tomatoes. He'll be featured on a future episode of Man vs Food. For a slim guy he's got quite the appetite!
We left the restaurant and headed for the BRP. As usual, the BRP was socked in with fog and for most of the route you could barely see past your visor. Along the way we stopped to try to get in one last phone call or text message before entering the area of poor cell phone reception.
Here's a picture of Bill taking a picture of me and my bike (foreground) while Alejandro and Monique try to get a few text messages off from a spot near the summit. Unfortunately, nobody had much luck getting a signal. Below is a picture of Randy also trying to send a text.
We rode on through the drizzly, overcast fog and as we entered the campground the sun started to poke through and we were lucky to be able to setup our camp sites without a torrential downpour.
After setting up camp, we met the others who had travelled separately to the site and proceeded to get the grill heated up and cook a few burgers and dogs. We had an excellent dinner and then downed a few beers. While getting set up a woman came around and asked our names for a door prize drawing. It turned out that the Moto Guzzi guys were holding their own event and they decided to open the drawing to anyone that showed up at the camp site. That was a nice gesture, but it turned out that the BMW riders kept getting their names pulled. In fact, one of the guys from BMW MOGA was the first name drawn and therefore had the pick of the best prices on the table -including a new modular helmet. Wisely, he chose a crappy lawn chair since he needed a lawn chair, and also because it is well know that Guzzi riders travel with guns and hunting dogs. Had he picked the grand prize, I'm pretty sure there would have been a R1200 GS laying on its side in the morning!
Anyway, it seemed like at least half of the BMW MOGA contingent won a prize ( I took home a Givi baseball cap) and the Guzzisti had the pleasure of our company until the prizes were all handed out.
The Guzzisti had hired a live band to play at the campground. The band did a great job of playing a number of completely unrecognizable tunes. As one person noted, the band actually sounded better as you walked further away from them . I was about 3 miles down the road when I thought they actually might win a grammy.
Fortunately, they stopped playing at 10:30 PM. Since most Beemer owners are grouchy old men, it was not so bad to have to stay up past the normal 9:15 bedtime.
The next morning we packed up camp and grabbed a quick breakfast before hitting the road. The campground was fairly packed -mostly with Guzzis but there were some of the other usual suspects as well. Everyone drooled over a perfectly restored BMW Toaster /5. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me when we saw it.
At breakfast, Alejandro ordered another gut-buster. The pancakes at the campground are huge. Roughly the size of a hub cab from a 65 Chrysler, and about as thick. The poor boy barely made a dent in the 6 lbs of pancake batter used to make the whopping cakes. After the prior days lunch and this breakfast, Alejandro had to reset his suspension and pump up his rear tire to 44 PSI.
At various points along the way riders peeled off to set their own course home. I rode with Bill through some really insane roads, including the "Goat Path", a road that was barely 6 feet wide and cut right past a goat farm. After about a mile or two on this road, which would barely have allowed a motorcycle and car to go in opposite directions, we see a sign that says "Narrow Road Ahead". You're kidding me, I think- The road actually gets MORE narrow? During this section of the ride I'm thinking -man, this looks like it's going to turn into a motorcycle version of Deliverance. At the first sound of banjo music I was gonna just ride across any open field I could find.
Eventually, we caught up with highway 400 and made our way back to Atlanta. Great riding and a fun trip.
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Talking Rock GA Loop
Just thought I'd document several of the interesting motorcycle roads in North Georgia for riders living in Atlanta. I did a early Sunday morning loop from my home in Sandy Springs through Talking Rock and east to 400 and then south back to Sandy Springs.
First off, this is a pretty easy route, and usually trouble free ride if you start early in the morning. In July and August I try to get my rides started before 8AM so I can wrap up before noon. It's just not all that comfortable riding with ATGATT in Atlanta at 2 PM.
I get on 285 and head west to I-75 North and then I get off onto I-575 towards Canton. I suspect most riders like to avoid the slab altogether but often if I am riding for just a few hours I will take the highway to get out of Atlanta faster. 575 is an easy ride with limited access points between Canton and Jasper.
North of Jasper I turn at the little sign to Talking Rock. It's easy to miss so be attentive. The road makes a very turns as you head inot the busling metropolis of Talking Rock. This is a small little town with a country store and a train as the focal points of a little downtown with maybe 20 buildings. Follow 136 thru town all the way to 400. Take 400 south back to ATL. If you'd like less slab riding you can also take highway 9 south, and it becomes Roswell road. As you get closer to Atlanta you'll hit numerous traffic lights if you pick the latter route.
First off, this is a pretty easy route, and usually trouble free ride if you start early in the morning. In July and August I try to get my rides started before 8AM so I can wrap up before noon. It's just not all that comfortable riding with ATGATT in Atlanta at 2 PM.
I get on 285 and head west to I-75 North and then I get off onto I-575 towards Canton. I suspect most riders like to avoid the slab altogether but often if I am riding for just a few hours I will take the highway to get out of Atlanta faster. 575 is an easy ride with limited access points between Canton and Jasper.
North of Jasper I turn at the little sign to Talking Rock. It's easy to miss so be attentive. The road makes a very turns as you head inot the busling metropolis of Talking Rock. This is a small little town with a country store and a train as the focal points of a little downtown with maybe 20 buildings. Follow 136 thru town all the way to 400. Take 400 south back to ATL. If you'd like less slab riding you can also take highway 9 south, and it becomes Roswell road. As you get closer to Atlanta you'll hit numerous traffic lights if you pick the latter route.
 |
| Sandy Springs to Talking Rock to 400S back to Sandy Springs |
Riding Blood Mountain
Friday, July 6, 2012
New Brick in the Stable
Well, I guess I'll have to change the title of the blog. I have a new to me 2004 K1200GT. Love it. Here it is with my RT.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Cleaning the Rear Brake Master Cylinder
It started out as one of those simple little projects that should only take 45 minutes or an hour and it morphed into a series of trips to hardware stores and auto parts retailers. The great thing about the BMW K100rs is the ease of maintenance work. Most tasks are a simple DIY chore that goes as expected. But this just wasn't going to be my day.
I pulled out my new hex pro allen key set and removed the two bolts that attach the system case support rails to the the casting that supports the rear brake lever and master cylinder. I tied the support rails to the shock absorber. Then I drained the master cylinder reservoir and removed it. Everything was going smooth until I removed the 3 bolts that secure the casting to the frame. First bolt popped out with a little elbow grease. Second bolt wouldn't break loose and I ended up stripping it. The bolt is a socket cap screw with a 6mm hex socket. The problem is that it is recessed into the casting. So there is no way to get at the bolt head. So I tried to cut a slot in the head to remove it with a large screwdriver. No dice.
So I rode the bike over to Home Depot and bought a different brand of EZ Out. Trip wasted. The other type did not work any better.
Now I am getting frustrated so i thought I would just go to an auto service center and see if a mechanic had a quick solution. Bubba took one look nd said he had no idea how to get it out. Note to self : Never take a car to Bubba.
So I rode over to Pep Boys to see if they had a tool or someone who could fix it. While looking around the store I spotted a large set of torx bits in the 40-55 range. I figured I could pound the torx bit into the rounded out socket cap and get enough torque on it to break the bolt loose. It worked!
After I had the bolt removed the rest went smoothly. I took the master cylinder apart and cleaned the piston and cylinder bore with 000 steel wool and then cleaned it all with fresh brake fluid. Reassembly was quick and I then used my mity vac to bleed the air out of the system. A few pumps of the brake pedal and I had a lot more brake power.
Next time I can probably clean up the whole thing and bleed the system in under an hour. Still cost less than what a shop would have charged me, but unfortunately I ended up losing 3 hours of perfect riding weather.
Lessons learned. In my excitement to use my new tools I ended up being a bit too aggressive on the removal. But I did learn that a torx bit is a pretty good way to salvage a reamed out socket cap screw. That may be a lifesaver if I find myself onthe roadside some day in a similar jam.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Daytona Bike Week Ramp Up
During the 7 years we lived in Florida I never went to Daytona Bike Week. Now that I'm living in Atlanta, I find myself planning to ride to an event that was virtually in my back yard not that long ago. Maybe the reason I never went to Bike week is because, to a Floridian, Bike Week is a major hassle and disruption of the normal lifestyle. Every year, hordes of riders converge on the city causing lots of noise, traffic jams and public drunkeness.
Somehow, when the event is now an 8 hour ride away it becomes and adventure. We still have friends that live down there and so it really means an opportunity to visit with them again, enjoy some Florida sunshine, and take in some noise, bad traffic and watch the drunks from a distance.
I've been to Biketoberfest, but it's really a different event. Perhaps because October is the end of the riding season for some the turnout is lower and the groups are somewhat better behaved. For bikers that is.
So now I find myself trying to decide which bike I'll ride, and preparing the basic little maintenance chores to complete before a longer ride. I've bled and replaced the brake fluid, and I'll do an oil and filter change. Tires are nearly new on both bikes and the decision will probably come down to whether I want to ride in maximum comfort or to arrive with a nearly antique bike with old school style.
The K100RS is classic, reliable and somewhat buzzy at around 3500 rpm. So I tend to get fatigued a little earlier than riding my RT. The RS has less wind protection in the event of rain, and the system cases leak a little. One thing Florida is known for is pop up showers that turn into real gullywashers. Generally spring is not too bad but you never know.
The RT is a pretty smooth bike at highways speeds and has a longer range than the RS. Although I find that I usually want to stop before I need gas in the RT anyway. Usually 3-4 hours non-stop is enough to make me want to strecth a little and have a soft drink or something.
So I'll keep contemplating which ride I will take. The route will probably be the same regardless of ride. See you there.
Somehow, when the event is now an 8 hour ride away it becomes and adventure. We still have friends that live down there and so it really means an opportunity to visit with them again, enjoy some Florida sunshine, and take in some noise, bad traffic and watch the drunks from a distance.
I've been to Biketoberfest, but it's really a different event. Perhaps because October is the end of the riding season for some the turnout is lower and the groups are somewhat better behaved. For bikers that is.
So now I find myself trying to decide which bike I'll ride, and preparing the basic little maintenance chores to complete before a longer ride. I've bled and replaced the brake fluid, and I'll do an oil and filter change. Tires are nearly new on both bikes and the decision will probably come down to whether I want to ride in maximum comfort or to arrive with a nearly antique bike with old school style.
The K100RS is classic, reliable and somewhat buzzy at around 3500 rpm. So I tend to get fatigued a little earlier than riding my RT. The RS has less wind protection in the event of rain, and the system cases leak a little. One thing Florida is known for is pop up showers that turn into real gullywashers. Generally spring is not too bad but you never know.
The RT is a pretty smooth bike at highways speeds and has a longer range than the RS. Although I find that I usually want to stop before I need gas in the RT anyway. Usually 3-4 hours non-stop is enough to make me want to strecth a little and have a soft drink or something.
So I'll keep contemplating which ride I will take. The route will probably be the same regardless of ride. See you there.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
CorTech Sport Tail Bag
I picked up a CorTech Sport tailbag for the brick. Although I have a big Givi 55 monokey bag, frankly it often feels like I'm riding a station wagon when the bag is loaded on it. So I thought a textile tail bag would do the trick. I needed something that would be able to carry my laptop since I often commute on my bike. I did a little research and found that the Cortech had expandable sides that can be zipped out for a laptop.
The bag is really well made, easily accommodates a laptop , gloves, rain pants and even a small lunch bag or a few books. It attaches with bungee shock cords that have hooks on the ends. So I can easily use it on my K bike or my RT. The bag also comes with a simple shoulder strap that I keep in the side pocket and it also had a rain cover. When I get to work I just take off the bag, slap on the shoulder strap and I carry everything with me. If I'm making a quick trip to the store I also unclip it and take the bag along. Very handy.
I think I paid around $70. It's not cheap but pretty good quality for the money. I'd recommend it.
The bag is really well made, easily accommodates a laptop , gloves, rain pants and even a small lunch bag or a few books. It attaches with bungee shock cords that have hooks on the ends. So I can easily use it on my K bike or my RT. The bag also comes with a simple shoulder strap that I keep in the side pocket and it also had a rain cover. When I get to work I just take off the bag, slap on the shoulder strap and I carry everything with me. If I'm making a quick trip to the store I also unclip it and take the bag along. Very handy.
I think I paid around $70. It's not cheap but pretty good quality for the money. I'd recommend it.
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