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Message started by Blinky on 09/16/12 at 13:38:27

Title: Trip Report: Check List Review
Post by Blinky on 09/16/12 at 13:38:27

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Twd-wvHsKhg

I thought I would post some video of the trip and comment on my previously published check list.

Summary:
To recap, I began riding in April of this year and am in my early 60's. The trip was from Lexington Ky to North River Ny and covered 1,968 miles over 5 travel days. The longest segment was 511 miles. I averaged 48.22 mpg.

Check List: Tools and Spares I used:
1 and 1/4 quarts of oil
Paper oil funnels
Oil rag
Needle Nose pliers to break loose the oil filler cap
That is it, no other tools or spares were needed.

Check List: Gear
The rain gear I purchased was less than satisfactory. The soles of the Tour Master boot covers quickly wore through and I am concerned the ragged holes could get hung up on the gear shift lever or brake. I am going to return them to Tour Master and see what they have to say.

The rain proof sub zero gauntlets from Joe Rocket were not sub zero or rain proof. The spray from the backfraft wicks down the liner from the cuff to the end of the fingers. In addition, the liner itself is not attached to the fingers of the outer shell and comes out when the gauntlets are removed. It takes a while and a dowel or pencil to get them seated again.

All other gear including the Saddlemen tail bag worked without complaint.

General Comments
At about every stop, folks would approach me and inquire about the bike and my trip. All were very positive and wished me a safe journey, exccept maybe for this one guy. You will be pleased to know that we all will soon be rich because we now can sue Suzuki for everything they have. He has ridden all his life, owned about every bike out there, currently has a Gold Wing and admonished me for being foolish enough to undertake a trip with a 125cc bike. No, it is not a 650. Suzuki has never made a single cylinder bike of more than 125cc. He knows and will be more than glad to testify on our behalf as an expert witness. Works for me. 8-)

When I started riding in the spring, I assumed the 650 would be a starter bike and I would move on to larger and more powerful machines. I was wrong. i am going to hang onto the little Suzuki and just enjoy the ride.

Good Hunting

Title: Re: Trip Report: Check List Review
Post by Serowbot on 09/16/12 at 14:22:03

5354425B5B370 wrote:

, exccept maybe for this one guy.... No, it is not a 650. Suzuki has never made a single cylinder bike of more than 125cc. He knows and will be more than glad to testify on our behalf as an expert witness. Works for me. 8-)

Oh, goodness,...I feel like such a fool... :-?...
;D ;D ;D...

PS.. glad you had a good trip...

Title: Re: Trip Report: Check List Review
Post by thumperclone on 09/16/12 at 16:50:37

that explaines why i cant get her over 100mph ::)

Title: Re: Trip Report: Check List Review
Post by verslagen1 on 09/16/12 at 17:47:57

yep, I took a 65.2 cc bike and bored it out. ::)

Title: Re: Trip Report: Check List Review
Post by ToesNose on 09/16/12 at 18:47:53

2E293F26264A0 wrote:

Did he happen to share any of what he was smoking with you? I bet it was really good!! 8-)

Title: Re: Trip Report: Check List Review
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/16/12 at 19:56:18

Needle Nose pliers to break loose the oil filler cap.

I did the same at first, but it scratched the paint. sooo, I found a small piece of wood & cut a groove in it to pop that cap loose. I carry a small bottle, like what ya get with a weed eater, holds about 4 Oz. But Id carry somehting bigger if I wasnt headed home that day,

Title: Re: Trip Report: Check List Review
Post by PiaFea on 09/18/12 at 19:28:00

Nice video! Good reasons for riding! Thanks for sharing.

Title: Re: Trip Report: Check List Review
Post by EJID on 09/19/12 at 15:30:57

Just watched the video, and makes me want to take a good long ride too. Very worthwhile to travel all that distace to see the little kiddos ;D

On a side-note, I really like how you blended the different parts of your video together. What editing software were you using? And did you tend to leave the GoPro on for extended periods of time, or just for short bursts of time when you thought it might be good? (I've got a Contour and notice that I get lots of "wasted" footage that nobody will want to watch, but I have a hard time just deleting it :-/)

Title: Re: Trip Report: Check List Review
Post by Blinky on 09/19/12 at 16:14:33

EJID
Thanks. I used Windows Movie Maker that is standard on Windows 7. I had a 32GB SD card so I think I could get 8 to 9 hours of video on the one card. The battery life is around 2 hours or so. I tended to leave it on between fill ups when I thought I would be traveling sections of road that might be interesting. I had about 7 hours on the card when I got home.

There is no way I would even want to watch that much video. I just scanned through it real quick and picked out the footage where I was not missing shifts or otherwise making a fool of myself. I got almost 5 minutes worth! 8-)

Title: Re: Trip Report: Check List Review
Post by sjaskow on 09/21/12 at 10:02:08

Is that Marathon station at the beginning of the video the one on US 52 in Ohio across the river from Maysville off of 68? If not, it looks just the same.

I did a group ride for the March of Dimes and the station at 68 and 52 in Aberdeen, OH is where we stopped for fuel.

Title: Re: Trip Report: Check List Review
Post by Blinky on 09/21/12 at 10:50:06

Quote:

Good eye. It is indeed. I came up 68 from Lexington to Maysville, across the river, stopped for fuel in Aberdeen and then went north on 62 to Washington Court House.

Title: Re: Trip Report: Check List Review
Post by MMRanch on 09/21/12 at 12:31:37

He has ridden all his life, owned about every bike out there, currently has a Gold Wing and admonished me for being foolish enough to undertake a trip with a 125cc bike. No, it is not a 650. Suzuki has never made a single cylinder bike of more than 125cc.

Wow , I'm not alone in the world !

I've personally had 19 bikes and been close enough to 11 more to know them really good. All accross the spectrum 65cc to 1200's.

I currently have three Suzuki singles. A "Savage LS-650" ,and "S-40" and a "GN-125"

I'm 59 years young and could have any bike I want at this point in life.

You stick with you S-40 its about as good as they come !

Last year I tore-up my Sportster trying to keep up with OldFeller and Lancer on their S-40's. Sportster only had about 12000 miles on it when I got rid of it.

:)

Title: Re: Trip Report: Check List Review
Post by Charon on 09/22/12 at 04:58:21

Can't imagine anyone who would admonish a person for trying a long trip on a small machine. I rode a 125 Vespa from Biloxi, MS, to Tampa, FL, many years ago with no problems at all (except for the bug that hit me in the eye). Couple of years ago I rode a Kawasaki 125 Eliminator from central NE where I live to and through the Rocky Mountain National Park. I have also made that Rocky Mountain trip on a 250 Ninja and a 250 Star (nee Virago), as well as a Honda 200 Twinstar. None required adding engine oil during the trip, but I confess to oiling the chains. I am idly considering trying it on a Honda Elite 80, but its low speed and short fuel range have me looking at routing and fuel stops. There are places in the West where the only road is the Interstate.