SuzukiSavage.com - 19 Long Weeks!

Michael

Guest

19 Long Weeks!
03/21/05 at 11:48:56

Hey all

Just had my first ride of the season. I am in New Brunswick Canada, and its been one heck of a long winter. I put the bike away Nov 11, so it has been almost 19 weeks since I have rode her.

It is a balmy 4 degrees celcius here today (39 F) , but the sun is shining, and spring is in the air. I only went about 10 miles, to charge up the battery, because the roads are a bit scary, with all the gravel and salt from the winter maintenance. Hopefully the roads will be swept within the next few weeks.

I guess we all have a case of nerves, after storing a bike for over 4 months. I was wondering if she would start at all.
After doing all the routine servicing, such as oil/filter change, adding distilled water to battery, cleaning breather etc..etc..etc, I decided to put in the battery, and try to gear boost it. I don't have a charger, and figured I would give it a go.
I went out to the street in front of my house, which has a slight hill, and pushed along with my feet, till i figured I had enough speed, and let the clutch out in 4th gear....away she went, without a hitch....Man I was happy....big sigh of relief, LOL.. I then drove for a while, periodically stopping and shutting her off at the top of a hill, and testing the battery charge. She starts now with one push of the starter....YEA!

As we all pull our bikes out for the season, (Or those who haven't already), here's hoping your first ride, is as pleasurable as mine.

cheers

Michael

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sluggo Serious Thumper ModSquad Offline big singles lead, twins follow the pack Posts: 4744 moses lake washington Gender:	Re: 19 Long Weeks! Reply #1 - 03/21/05 at 11:53:41 how fitting, it was the first day of spring. glad you got out on the ride, the push start thing really works. 10 miles, that's an around the block ride for me. but a good start for a first ride of the year. i'm looking forward to hear more stories of first rides, because they are so exciting, and don't forget the photo's.
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PerrydaSavage Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Riding "The Rock"! Posts: 3522 Republic of Newfoundland Gender:	Re: 19 Long Weeks! Reply #2 - 03/21/05 at 13:29:07 Congrats Michael ... I envy you ... still no sign of Spring here in eastern Newfoundland though BTW a charger is great thing to have and they aren't that expensive ... Canadian Tire has a 1 Amp charger for about 20 bucks and WalMart has a better one, 1.5 Amps with overcharge protection for around $34 or so.
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Michael

Guest

Re: 19 Long Weeks!
Reply #3 - 03/21/05 at 15:47:34

Perry

Ya I do have to get a decent charger. I asked around about the canadian tire 1 amp charger. It was on sale for $22 bucks last week, but my brother said he had one and wound up taking it back, because it was crap.
I never thought about checking Walmart. $34 sounds pretty fair for 1.5, with overcharge protection...will check it out this week.
Sorry you are still under winters spell in newfoundland. keep the faith....it was colder than can be here, and seemed to change overnight. The past 2 weeks have been around 4-8 celcius. We still have tons of snow , but none on the roads.....have seen 4 or 5 bikes out already, and my buddy saw a guy this weekend wearing shorts on a motorcycle....Now that is just nuts....It was around 8 celcius, but thats pushing it a bit.
Shorts are not made for motorcycles, no matter the temperature!

Hope you get riding soon. When you do, be extra carefull of the sand on the roads.... it can be as bad as ice if you hit it the wrong way.

Cheers

Michael

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WD Serious Thumper 2005 No Login Offline Professional "scooter trash". Posts: 5207 Rosemark TN Gender:	Re: 19 Long Weeks! Reply #4 - 03/21/05 at 16:44:01 Winter for me has lasted since August of 2001. :'( Didn't have the cash to license the bike in Washington. Tore up my back in February of 2002. It is now March 2005. Longest "winter" of my life. 42 months. :'( -WD I hope I remember how to ride.
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Goose

Ex Member

Re: 19 Long Weeks!
Reply #5 - 03/21/05 at 17:21:41

i guess i shold be awlful thankfull i live in southeast texas. never have to winterize the bikes if they sit more than two weeks its because of rain. wife oldest son and i rode to yankees tavern and grill this past sunday it is located in carlos texas a 170 mile round trip from our house great weather good food cold beer and lots of bikes

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Gitarzan Serious Thumper 2004 No Login Offline ! Posts: 827 Columbus, Oh, Earth, Solar Sys Gender:	Re: 19 Long Weeks! Reply #6 - 03/21/05 at 19:58:59 You know, when I was 25, I'd have been riding for a month now. Now, 25 years later, it will probably be another month. 40 F is much colder than it used to be.
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sluggo Serious Thumper ModSquad Offline big singles lead, twins follow the pack Posts: 4744 moses lake washington Gender:	Re: 19 Long Weeks! Reply #7 - 03/21/05 at 20:10:10 Gitarzan wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:03: You know, when I was 25, I'd have been riding for a month now. Now, 25 years later, it will probably be another month. 40 F is much colder than it used to be. ya know i just dont get it. adding a pound and a half a year over those 25 years should have made for good insulation.
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Kropatchek Serious Thumper Offline Why more than 1 cylinder? Posts: 1457 Alphen a/d Rijn Netherlands Gender:	Re: 19 Long Weeks! Reply #8 - 03/22/05 at 03:14:03 Made my first ride since october last year 8). Just to get the feeling back, drove it for an hour just in the neighbourhood. Adjusted the carburator, rearbrakes. Checked the hydraulics ( frontbrake) for leaks. Going to the dealer to-day to show off my bike and look for a leather jacket. Greetz Kropatchek
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Ed L.

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"We All go a
Little Crazy
Sometimes"
Norman Bates

Posts: 2808
Sunny Florida
Gender: male

Re: 19 Long Weeks!
Reply #9 - 03/22/05 at 13:46:08

Just got back from my first ride, did about 45 miles on back roads, got a little cold on the highway but was well worth it. Seems that all the winter mods worked, with the rejetted main, sportster muffler and K+M high flow stock filter I was able to run the engine to 6800rpm in second gear. Cheesy

Did it twice just to be sure that it happened the first time. Seems to have a lot more power even using the gas that the bike has been stored with over the winter. The biggest surprise was how much different the handling is with the Superbrace. Couldn't push it in the twisties, too much gravel from the winter but hitting bumps at 60 or 70 mph was totally different. Before the Superbrace there would be a little bit of a front end wobble when hitting bumps at speed, now the bike rides as if it is on rails. Felt real good to be back in the wind. Ride Safe

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Silver '02, clubman handle bars, Cobra headlight, Sportster muffler, K+N stock air filter, 152.5 main, Superbrace, oil cooler, 1/2 inch aluminium plate forward controls, spark advance, goes like stink

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