Author Topic: 1st "Long Ride"?  (Read 9175 times)

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Juggernaut

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on: April 29, 2008, 05:20:42 pm
Just about to turn in to Vince for the 300 mile service. What great fun it's been so far!

My question is:

At about what mileage were you at when you first went on ride that was more than half an hour? I'm just asking because I'd like to gauge when I will be able to do a trip to work from home. 60mph speeds will only be for 20.1 miles then I can get off the freeway and do some stop and go to the main gate.

I've got an 08 military with AVL.

Thanks!
Sharks are winners because they don't look back. Becuase they don't have necks. Necks are for sheep.


Vince

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Reply #1 on: April 29, 2008, 05:25:40 pm
      Call me!


luoma

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Reply #2 on: April 30, 2008, 03:05:51 am
I don't think I ever take rides that are under a couple hours. Even as new as your bike is, you should have no trouble taking a long ride.


deejay

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Reply #3 on: April 30, 2008, 03:09:06 pm
60mph speeds will only be for 20.1 miles then I can get off the freeway and do some stop and go to the main gate.

Think you got yerself the wrong bike if you wanna do freeway riding.


Juggernaut

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Reply #4 on: April 30, 2008, 03:51:27 pm
60mph speeds will only be for 20.1 miles then I can get off the freeway and do some stop and go to the main gate.

Think you got yerself the wrong bike if you wanna do freeway riding.

I know I most certainly DID make the right decision on the bike I purchased.   ;D

I'd love to be able to ride my Bullet to work everyday, but I understand thats not what its for. Sadly, the sidestreet option for me will most likely triple my commute. I just was curious if it would make it once in awhile.

Also, I've had my 1st beetle-in-the-face experience at almost 40 mph.   Awesome...
Sharks are winners because they don't look back. Becuase they don't have necks. Necks are for sheep.


Foggy_Auggie

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Reply #5 on: April 30, 2008, 04:34:10 pm
60mph speeds will only be for 20.1 miles then I can get off the freeway and do some stop and go to the main gate.

Think you got yerself the wrong bike if you wanna do freeway riding.

Also, I've had my 1st beetle-in-the-face experience at almost 40 mph.   Awesome...

Hopefully you had a full face shield helmet on.  Even with a face shield - a june bug impact in the face could startle to the point of an instant distraction.

There is a lot of brain stem (primitive brain) function in riding a motorcycle.  Much like flying a fighter plane.  The higher conscious brain is working to avoid unsafe conditions (riding like your invisible),  daydreaming when possible and generally enjoying the ride.  The autonomic brain is in instinctive real time high gear.  A large bug or debris in the face will cause a reaction faster than consciously thinking about it.
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Thumper

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Reply #6 on: April 30, 2008, 04:39:04 pm
Just about to turn in to Vince for the 300 mile service. What great fun it's been so far!

My question is:

At about what mileage were you at when you first went on ride that was more than half an hour? I'm just asking because I'd like to gauge when I will be able to do a trip to work from home. 60mph speeds will only be for 20.1 miles then I can get off the freeway and do some stop and go to the main gate.

I've got an 08 military with AVL.

Thanks!

I was immediately outside of the break-in period when I did my first > 30 minute ride. Can't remember precisely what mileage constitued the end of that period though (I'd have to look at my Owners Manual...) !

Matt


deejay

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Reply #7 on: April 30, 2008, 06:17:32 pm
Hopefully you had a full face shield helmet on.  Even with a face shield - a june bug impact in the face could startle to the point of an instant distraction.

I can't imagine riding without a FF Helmet for this very reason. I've been hit by a bee in the face shield before and I swear it could have knocked me off the bike without protection. And that was only traveling at about 40mph... how the Harley guys do it with no helmets on the highways is a mystery to me (no helmet law in my state). Especially when the horse-flies are out mid-summer... YIKES


ridgerunner

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Reply #8 on: May 01, 2008, 02:35:16 am
Hopefully you had a full face shield helmet on.  Even with a face shield - a june bug impact in the face could startle to the point of an instant distraction.

I can't imagine riding without a FF Helmet for this very reason. I've been hit by a bee in the face shield before and I swear it could have knocked me off the bike without protection. And that was only traveling at about 40mph... how the Harley guys do it with no helmets on the highways is a mystery to me (no helmet law in my state). Especially when the horse-flies are out mid-summer... YIKES

I often ride with my half helmet in the summer (a la CHP) and have had a bee get wedged between the helmet and my ear/head. No worries about wrecking the bike because everyone gets out of the way of the nut riding down the road smacking himself in the head! ;D
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scoTTy

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Reply #9 on: May 01, 2008, 04:07:30 am
well since I rode bikes in the 50's and 60's and wore no helmets..  i don't wear one when I ride the X..nowdays    like to blow the cooties out of my hair every once and awhile :D


cyrusb

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Reply #10 on: May 06, 2008, 03:28:51 am
I'm not sure its a good idea to to freeway speeds for 20 mile stretches at any time. Even a sprocket change to say a 19 0r 20 doesn't change the power needed to maintain those speeds. So even though the the engines revs are lower with a larger countershaft sprocket ,the throttle opening is larger. There is no free lunch. On the other hand, it has no trouble (so far)handling short bursts. The freeway issue was one of the main reasons the original Brit bikes fell from favor, what hope do the Indian RE's have on the freeway?
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jonapplegate

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Reply #11 on: May 11, 2008, 08:17:44 am
Vince may cringe to hear this but I rode my bike home from his dealership to my place in Seattle hen she had something like 750mi. on it. Ended taking about 5 hours. I stopped a couple of times, because i was lost, no hurry. Bike was great the whole time. Needed overall adjustments afterward but I guess that is the name of the game when you are taliking RE!


sonovabich

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Reply #12 on: May 11, 2008, 09:38:48 pm
RE: long ride-after the first oil change (Do the first few early, like 50 miles, 250, then normal changes intervals.) KEY WORD:  SYNTHETIC OIL.  Mobil1, Amzoil, etc. will definately keep your beast running cooler, longer due to the fact they're slippery-er, and stay together longer than regular petrolium oils.  Harely dealers used to claim that Synthetics were too slippery, and the rollers in the bottom ends would just slide instead of roll.  Now they have their own synthetic oil, and as usual, grossly over-priced.  Huh.  Maybe they were talking ferttilizer from male bovines...
     Also the reason the british bike industry went belly-up was a combination of antiquated design, lax machining, bad electrics and the totally superior Japanese product for less money.   


geoffbaker

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Reply #13 on: May 12, 2008, 12:17:54 am
     Also the reason the british bike industry went belly-up was a combination of antiquated design, lax machining, bad electrics and the totally superior Japanese product for less money.   

You've just stated all the reasons we like the RE's so much.


Vince

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Reply #14 on: May 12, 2008, 04:38:49 pm
     Jon, you took your time. You rested the bike. You stayed off the freeway. In other words you rode the bike the way it was supposed to be ridden. I have no problem with an experienced rider  riding properly. I hope you had fun!


Juggernaut

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Reply #15 on: May 12, 2008, 04:48:07 pm
Don't Worry Vince, I didn't do it.  ;D I'll save that trek back for a weekend because I think I've found a route back that only gets me on the the 60mph stretch only over the bridge until the 1st exit. It will take me on what i hope will be some more scenic backroads and isn't that what this bike is more about?

Thanks for all the input all. Makes my 1st bike experience all the more comfortable. Are all the WA bullet owners going to meet up anytime soon?
Sharks are winners because they don't look back. Becuase they don't have necks. Necks are for sheep.


EnfieldJake

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Reply #16 on: May 27, 2008, 09:55:19 pm
I have basically followed the schedule in the manual and gradually broke in the engine in speed/time increments after the 5-600 mile service. Eventually around 7-800 miles I could take it back and forth to work at 60+ MPH (43 miles one way). I don't normally ride past 65 steadily because it likes to barf oil out the breather setup! BUT for short bursts I've managed around 80+MPH. I've used Valvoline 20w-50, but this coming oil change I'll be trying out CMW oil change package with TOP1 synthetic. I have 7600 miles on my AVL Electra by the way...
Jake


scoTTy

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Reply #17 on: May 28, 2008, 03:22:41 am
that's cool EJ..  7600 miles... I only have a little over 800 on mine..  but work is only 10 miles away.. and the speed limit is 25 to 45.. unless an SUV tries to pass me then I have these little horns that sprout out of my head...  after all the first 5 letters of my last name are devil   ;D


EnfieldJake

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Reply #18 on: May 28, 2008, 08:00:02 pm
that's cool EJ..  7600 miles... I only have a little over 800 on mine..  but work is only 10 miles away.. and the speed limit is 25 to 45.. unless an SUV tries to pass me then I have these little horns that sprout out of my head...  after all the first 5 letters of my last name are devil   ;D

Devilbiss I assume? Enjoy those miles to come, I had some issues with the bike but there is still plenty of love for my Electra. Had it not been for those issues, I probably would have been closer to 18,000 miles! I was averaging about 6,000 a year... Mild South Texas winters are great!
Jake


puchrider

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Reply #19 on: May 28, 2008, 10:10:11 pm
For what it is worth, my last 550 thumper was a 47 Ariel back in the 50's. The speed limit on OK then was 55 at night 65 in the daytime, and being young at the time, that is what I did and sometime a little more. One of my friends had a 48 Norton International and it was way faster than the Ariel. But to the point, my Electra has 1500 miles and was "RUN IN", that is the English term for break in, properly. Just like I run in my 48 MG after overhaul. I live 50 miles from Tulsa, 45 of which are 4 lane. My last 2 trips to Tulsa I ran at 61-62 indicated. That is where the thumper seems to smooth out. I see no reason why any late model 500cc single would be damaged at that speed. Oh yes I still need a taller windshield.

Don't you hate it when us old guys put in there 2 cent worth, HA  HA


PhilJ

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Reply #20 on: May 28, 2008, 11:32:14 pm
Not at all, since most of the RE riders are "over the hill".

By the way you use the term "proper", you may be English or have a lot of contact with them. I know in the winter, cause south Texas is way to hot, I brew a "proper cup of tea" most every day.  ;)


Juggernaut

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Reply #21 on: May 28, 2008, 11:44:24 pm
Thanks for the reply EJ.
Rolling up on 700miles here shortly and its been a dream. Yesterday though it seemed a little louder than what I've become used to. Then I noticed that I didn.t have my helmet on. But with it on, it still seemed a bit louder. Engine wise. I know that we go by "Loud valves save lives" and all, but should I be worried?
 ???
Also, I did my 1st two "wrenchings" on my bike. I installed my helmet lock and adjusted the play on my front brake lever. HA! It's nothing much I know, but its not my fault my bike has given me no problems. Now having made that last statement, I'm sure that the bike will explode the next time I unlock the forks...
You guys rock!
Sharks are winners because they don't look back. Becuase they don't have necks. Necks are for sheep.


EnfieldJake

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Reply #22 on: May 29, 2008, 12:58:25 am
Thanks for the reply EJ.
Rolling up on 700miles here shortly and its been a dream. Yesterday though it seemed a little louder than what I've become used to. Then I noticed that I didn.t have my helmet on. But with it on, it still seemed a bit louder. Engine wise. I know that we go by "Loud valves save lives" and all, but should I be worried?
 ???
Also, I did my 1st two "wrenchings" on my bike. I installed my helmet lock and adjusted the play on my front brake lever. HA! It's nothing much I know, but its not my fault my bike has given me no problems. Now having made that last statement, I'm sure that the bike will explode the next time I unlock the forks...
You guys rock!

A bit louder yes... I think I recall my valves sounding louder at that point. I don't think you should be worried as long as you have it maintained. I hear a loud sucking sound through my K&N on every intake stroke. Exploding forks? NAH! You'll have plenty more things to adjust in the future, it is an Enfield you know!  ;) ;D


PaulF

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Reply #23 on: May 29, 2008, 05:30:38 pm
I had my first "long" ride last weekend of 115 miles. Bike performed flawlessly. The best part was stopping in a biker bar in New Hope PA and getting far, far more attention than the customized, chromed-out Harleys that were there. One young guy, (with a heavy Indian accent-go figure), loved it so much he asked to have his picture taken with it. The few British-lovers that were there with new Triumphs naturally loved it.