Riding to D&H Cycle to pick up a 2016

[TomInPA]

A nice 250 mile ride from Cullman to the house at Copperhead, followed by a shopping trip and dinner. Rib Eye steak, corn, beer wind. My goodness, this place is nearly heaven on earth. Could it be the lack of women?

Well, it was near 100 degrees today coming across the south, so we cut some of the trip to come up Georgia hwy 60, but a good day overall, and John got acquainted with the bike. For me it was an exercise in tolerance as he drives the bike like a car very conservatively, but he is learning that ending up at a stop in 6th gear is a bad idea. All's well that ends well and safely.

 

[TomInPA]

I took John on the Cherohala Skyway and the Dragon today. I had a mishap and sacrificed a stator cover to a rock curb at the end of Cherohala Skyway. A bee entered my helmet and I was attempting to pull into the Indian Boundary road too hot. I came wide on the entry and the braking wheels slipped on mowed grass on the roadway. I came against the curb and landed on the left side of the bike puncturing the stator case. Minor fairing scratches, and no other damage or injuries. Oil leaking from the engine. I already had the bike upright and on the center stand by the time my brother caught up.

After calming down and assessing the situation, I knew the stator cover is not under pressure, an the leak could be repaired with JB-Weld or similar material. The problem being, it's Sunday and we're still 15 miles out of Tellico Plains. With the plan to get repair materials, rather than towing, John sent me on my way on his new 2016. I struck out at Tellico Plains at the Dollar Store, and a couple shops (NAPA was closed). I then rode to Madisonville, and arrived at Advanced Auto Parts where the guys hooked me up with JB-Weld Steelstik Putty or whatever. Anyway, this stuff is a dough that is mixed by hand and cures in 3-5 minutes and is ready to drill in a half-hour. I also got some Max Duck Tape and a quart of replacement oil and hightailed it back to my brother after leaving him 1-hour and 45 minutes earlier. I was able to quickly clean the damage and make the repair, and 15 minutes later, we were back on the road, and completed the loop around the Dragon, then back south to Blairsville.

The bike is perfectly ridable, and I wasn't using the saddlebags, so the only damage is the stator case and scratches on the lower front fairing...no exhaust dents or scratches. I got off lucky. So I'll order a new stator cover and gasket when I get home, and no one needs to tell the wife. Other than that, it was a great day and we had a fun time. The swollen bee sting on my left eye is even going down.

The cows came for breakfast.

John at the start of the Cherohala Skwy.

At a pull-off...don't underestimate those curbs!

At the end of the Dragon at Deal's Gap. All is well, and no I'm not posting pics of my buggered stator cover.

 

[eflyguy]

Ugh.. they were mowing everywhere up there last weekend, grass all over the roads.

 

[TomInPA]

Between the bee crawing around at the side of my eye, and the grass on the road, I kinda lost focus.

 

[lonerider]

Glad you weren't injured. Guess I better start carrying some JB Weld on the Feej; seems that's a popular repair item...

 

[TomInPA]

Glad you weren't injured. Guess I better start carrying some JB Weld on the Feej; seems that's a popular repair item...

It was either JB-Weld Steelstik, or a tow truck. I think $6.99 beats a tow off the Cherohala any day.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Nice hat! I know 4 guys around here with the same one!

Sorry about your mishap, but even sorrier my weekend was already booked. Would have been fun to ride with you guys for a day.

 

[FJR-Pilot]

Awesome recovery McGyver!!! Thanks for keeping us posted

 

[hppants]

Well done - JB WELD is getting added to my under seat care package. Thanks for the tip.

So.... your impressions after a 1:45 test ride on the '16????

 

[FJRPittsburgh]

The stator case puncture on the left side seem to be a more common ailment. Good on you for fixing it up and getting on your way. Now I guess you have to pick up another '16 model.

 

[Top_Speed1]

Sorry to hear Tom, but glad you got er patched up. Sounds like a fun trip minus the mishap.

See you at NERDS, nerd!...... eh!

 

[TomInPA]

The 2016 is super smooth, and the cruise control is effortless to engage when you want to free your hands. Shifting has a different feel and doesn't require any throttle roll to smooth it out. I would want more windshield than stock, and would eventually change the seats. John has canyon cages installed on his. Performance is good, but since this bike is on break-in and not mine, I can safely say the superior Gen I is much faster.

It brings up an interesting problem. I found it very frustrating riding with someone with a cruise control as they tend to cruise instead of ride. It has its place, but a personal pet peeve for someone who cruises the Blue Ridge Pkwy. and similar roads. John is not familiar with riding with others, and would lag behind and out of sight very often. and even get separated by traffic. I think this will come along with experience as he learns to move through and away from traffic, rather than with it. We jumped on the BRP south of Ashville and rode almost to the Virginia line. Weather was closing in, so I took a strategic route west to Mouth of Wilson to get around the worst of it. It truely dumped after we reached the hotel.

We are at the Ramada in Wytheville, VA tonight. I think I should do a review on the hotel and local eating options on the EOM thread. The old bike is covered, and the new one is in the rain.

There is no 2016 in my immediate future. I really like the bike, but with my suspension setup, seats, lighting, etc, I don't feel I'm missing anything but payments.

 

[FJRPittsburgh]

Wow Tom. Retirement is a *****!

 

[N4HHE]

It brings up an interesting problem. I found it very frustrating riding with someone with a cruise control as they tend to cruise instead of ride. It has its place, but a personal pet peeve for someone who cruises the Blue Ridge Pkwy. and similar roads. John is not familiar with riding with others, and would lag behind and out of sight very often. and even get separated by traffic. I think this will come along with experience as he learns to move through and away from traffic, rather than with it

Therein lies your problem. The cruise control should have been leading and setting the pace, not following.

And I disagree with your generic statement that one should learn "to move through and away from traffic". Most traffic problems are caused by those who believe they deserve higher priority so they push and shove around others. And somehow end up in the left lane blocking others. BRP is two lane so there are no left-lane cruisers but one is asking to contribute the the Federal Debt Relief Fund by attracting the attention of the BRP Police. They like proving Federal police can do a "better" job than state/local.

 

[Uncle Hud]

"Cruise control and spirited riding are incompatible." -- Uncle Hud

I use my cruise a lot ... A LOT .... for commuting, for 'passagemaking' (getting to the place where spirited riding will occur), and for speed control if I'm worried about getting a ticket. Also helps if I need a hand free for fiddling with buttons or adjusting my jacket or patting Aunt Kelly's knee.

Have a little mercy, TomInPA, John was probably wary about engine break-in limits. Doesn't excuse him getting out of sight, but hey, maybe he was messing with all the mesmerizing data screens.

 

[hANNAbONE]

"...engine break-in limits..."

new buyers still do this?

I almost killed a brand new 2003 K1200RSA BMW by breaking it in by the book.

Never again. Run it like you're gonna ride it. Up thru the gears and let off throttle, down thru the gears, then back up, repeat.

Ride the twisties a much as you can for the first 100 miles and then change the oil and rear drive.

You are done. PRESTO

 

[TomInPA]

I left at about 8:00 AM and took the express route back 312 miles to Pittsburgh, arriving at 12:40 (68 mph average) to visit with my daughter, granddaughter and to celebrate my younger daughter's birthday. Busy day. The repair made on the Cherohala with Steelstik, was tested at FJR nominal, and held up just fine. I'll order a new stator cover this week. John arrived in Brazil, IN at 5:30 after 505 miles, and says he had the cruise control on at 72-73 speedometer indicated.

A good safe first adventure for the new FJR.

For the record, I don't push new riders, and encouraged him to ride at his own pace; however I consider it safer for motorcycles moving together to stay close and essentially move as a team when in traffic. Lagging behind on a 2-lane highway is an invitation to being passed and separated as cars pull into the gap. Riding IN groups of cars and trucks is unsafe compared to riding BETWEEN the clumps of traffic. I wait at changes of direction, and it works fine as long as there is good visibility approaching the intersection, and there is a safe place to wait...that is not always the case. I lack patience on the road and nearly always ride 7-10 mph above the limit. I find riding at the posted limits acceptable, but have a hard time when at 5-10 below that. I recognize it as a character flaw, but the present intervention was unable to overcome it. I'll have to try harder.

 

[FJR-Pilot]

"...engine break-in limits..."
new buyers still do this?

I almost killed a brand new 2003 K1200RSA BMW by breaking it in by the book.

Never again. Run it like you're gonna ride it. Up thru the gears and let off throttle, down thru the gears, then back up, repeat.

Ride the twisties a much as you can for the first 100 miles and then change the oil and rear drive.

You are done. PRESTO

Ya gotta properly mash them pistons & rings into the cylinder walls under high heat and high cylinder pressure for proper break-in

 

[Uncle Hud]

TomInPA posted: <snip>
For the record, I don't push new riders, and encouraged him to ride at his own pace; however I consider it safer for motorcycles moving together to stay close and essentially move as a team when in traffic. Lagging behind on a 2-lane highway is an invitation to being passed and separated as cars pull into the gap. Riding IN groups of cars and trucks is unsafe compared to riding BETWEEN the clumps of traffic. .... I lack patience on the road and nearly always ride 7-10 mph above the limit. I find riding at the posted limits acceptable, but have a hard time when at 5-10 below that.

+1 (out of likes) on all that.

 

[TomInPA]

I ordered the replacement stator cover from Boats.com, and figured, I'd show my sins. This is the on-road repair of a punctured stator cover using JB-Weld Steelstik. Not bad at all.