[AzCal Retred]

This would be a hoot for those of us with suitable hardware. Ran last in 2019.

Rocky Mountain MotoGiro 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jp9Nhe6J6kw


https://www.motorcycleclassics.com/classic-japanese-motorcycles/classic-honda-motorcycles/1968-honda-cb160-zm0z21mazbut?utm_source=wcemail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MCC%20eNews%2003-25-21&wc_totalkey=jXeF2vGkzYlc4AC08ZscLAyz8B5F98vFZoaJvl5WBSsx6aikLJuPTyGbORUs0z_vgjWd2iIFOv33gPp0C2Hi9Q
While he’ll ride the CB160 on the winding roads around his Kelowna property, it’s a bike he enjoys using annually at the Rocky Mountain MotoGiro. Designed for motorcycles 1969 and older and 250cc and less, this MotoGiro consists of a 186-mile endurance ride and a timed 6.8-mile hill climb. According to Thompson, “The MotoGiro is a real test for machines, and for my CB160 that means continuous all-day operation at between 8,000rpm and redline at 10,000rpm.

[Karl Fenn]

Sounds cool the nearest l got to that was a couple of weeks in whales in the late 70,s many years ago, but there are some good mountain roads there especially in the Bala region. Cornwall is good a lot of high coast roads, and hills, coastal cliffs the veiws can be amazing just like flying a plane. There's a place called Poldark hill there quite a very steep one not a good idea to stall.

[zimmemr]

This would be a hoot for those of us with suitable hardware. Ran last in 2019.

Rocky Mountain MotoGiro 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jp9Nhe6J6kw


https://www.motorcycleclassics.com/classic-japanese-motorcycles/classic-honda-motorcycles/1968-honda-cb160-zm0z21mazbut?utm_source=wcemail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MCC%20eNews%2003-25-21&wc_totalkey=jXeF2vGkzYlc4AC08ZscLAyz8B5F98vFZoaJvl5WBSsx6aikLJuPTyGbORUs0z_vgjWd2iIFOv33gPp0C2Hi9Q
While he’ll ride the CB160 on the winding roads around his Kelowna property, it’s a bike he enjoys using annually at the Rocky Mountain MotoGiro. Designed for motorcycles 1969 and older and 250cc and less, this MotoGiro consists of a 186-mile endurance ride and a timed 6.8-mile hill climb. According to Thompson, “The MotoGiro is a real test for machines, and for my CB160 that means continuous all-day operation at between 8,000rpm and redline at 10,000rpm.

There's an East Coast MotoGiro as well, I believe it was the first one in US. Because of the 250cc limit I've never had anything that I could ride in it, but friends have done it and said it's a hoot.

[Karl Fenn]

Some of those old 250s had plenty of acceleration they would fly, l must say it was some of the best road riding l had done worth the slog of getting there, an amazing experience riding at height, it's flat where l live so a bit boring, l used to like 250s had a great deal of those in various formats, l liked the semi off roaders the best where l could enter new environments, the XS 250 was a good bike, you could actually tour on it, four stroke twin.

[AzCal Retred]

Karl - you are violating the Omerta!    Touring can only be done on machines of 1000cc minimum displacement, otherwise you apparently lose "points"!

Where did you wander to on your 250 in your misspent youth?

This was informative:
https://www.rideapart.com/news/247859/how-to-take-a-1500-mile-road-trip-on-a-250cc-motorcycle/

The Meteor 350 contingent should start planning now...

https://www.facebook.com/Motogiro-USA-1102022509823784/
https://www.race-uscra.com/uploads/2/9/7/5/29751819/uscra_2018_rulebook_final.pdf

[Karl Fenn]

Went to stone henge, up the North Coast down the South Coast, regularly to the beach, and many places l now forgot , oh and road to work 52 weeks of the year, that old girl would cruise at 70, they were quite a machine, l did a swap for a two stroke glad I did.

[Karl Fenn]

Well they all say that, you need a big bike for touring buts that's puppycock, if you new the miles l racked up on sub 500s in the 70,s you would know why. I would never let that mindset stop me being  an anywhere rider or the cc, l mean what do they think would happen they will break down, Well a No! Actually l just read the ladies article and what she says is so true, but l would recommend a good tent and spirit cooker, It's nice when people prove these big experts wrong, she has the sort of mindset l had in the late 70s.

[Richard230]

Speaking of 250's: Here is my daughter's first motorcycle. A 1987 Yamaha SRX250TC (price new $2,000). That bike was really fast. It once carried both of us down the I-280 freeway to pick up my repaired 1985 BMW R80 (which dropped all of its rocker bearings into the valve cover when the bearing cages let loose) at a continuous 9,000 rpm and 90 mph.   

A couple of years later she sold that bike and bought a 1990 Suzuki GS500EL ($2,800) which she used to commute from my home in Pacifica to UC San Diego every weekend. She put 85K miles on that Suzuki in just five years. I performed the maintenance on the bike and one time she didn't change the oil for 20K miles. When I finally changed it the Mobil 1 synthetic oil came out of the crankcase in strings and lumps.    It certainly was a tough little bike. Eventually, her husband ran the engine completely out of oil and it froze up. He brought it back home in the trunk of a borrowed car and then dumped more oil in the crankcase and it started right up, although it did knock a bit.  She ran the bike with the knock for another 10K miles before selling it to a Mexican fellow for $800 who rode it from Seattle where she was living at the time to Mexico City. (We have no idea if he made it there under Suzuki power.  )

[Karl Fenn]

Yep they were as tough as old boots for sure, l see you had the rocker issue with the R80, l got that T shirt to, l was lucky got mine stripped and rebuilt before it could do any real damage, it was OS exhaust side only one effected the rest were a ok, lucky l had an R80 l had broken so plenty of parts no cost.

[zimmemr]

Yep they were as tough as old boots for sure, l see you had the rocker issue with the R80, l got that T shirt to, l was lucky got mine stripped and rebuilt before it could do any real damage, it was OS exhaust side only one effected the rest were a ok, lucky l had an R80 l had broken so plenty of parts no cost.

Oddly enough I also had an R80 that  spit out it's rocker arm bearings. According to a buddy of mine, who works for the local BMW dealer that was a fairly common issue.

[Karl Fenn]

Well they were not caged in the true sense of the word, but lose in fact in situ, just like pins, they were a pain to get back you had to stick them with a smare of grease, but in saying that only got the one issue after having four R80 variants never reared its head again.

[AzCal Retred]

See? That's what happens when you get too fancy! Plain steel-on-steel Enfield Bullet rockers are the ticket - they'll warn you when they start to get loose, no reason to get stranded. About $40 and 20 minutes of wrenching and you're back in business...no newfangled needle bearings need apply!   

[Richard230]

Oddly enough I also had an R80 that  spit out it's rocker arm bearings. According to a buddy of mine, who works for the local BMW dealer that was a fairly common issue.

My dealer never batted an eye about the rocker bearings coming loose. The funny thing is that I rode the bike for some time without the bearings being in place and never noticed the difference until I checked the valve lash at 4K miles. The repair was made under warranty on BMW's dime and I asked my dealer to replace the barrels, pistons and top end to R100S specifications and bill me for the additional cost of the 1000cc parts compared with the 800cc parts. As I recall the additional cost wasn't much. 

[Karl Fenn]

Well you know the Germans everything over engineered it's something in their genes, l might agree the RE rockers are a more cost effective design cheap as chips to replace, l did not like the 1,000 cc version of the air head it was not as smooth as the 80.

[zimmemr]

My dealer never batted an eye about the rocker bearings coming loose. The funny thing is that I rode the bike for some time without the bearings being in place and never noticed the difference until I checked the valve lash at 4K miles. The repair was made under warranty on BMW's dime and I asked my dealer to replace the barrels, pistons and top end to R100S specifications and bill me for the additional cost of the 1000cc parts compared with the 800cc parts. As I recall the additional cost wasn't much. 

My experience was similar. I pulled the valve cover to do a routine adjustment and found the bearing had broken up. I changed them all to be safe and never had another problem.

[Karl Fenn]

Well l think it clear there was a design issue in the rockers with the needles, more than coincidence three of us had same problem, the design would have been more reliable with no needles just steel shafts, obviously the design engineers were to clever for their own good, it was not lubrication related there was a lot of oil going to rocker feed, l think it was the needles unable to take the stresses, with a simpler design there would have been no problem.

[zimmemr]

Well l think it clear there was a design issue in the rockers with the needles, more than coincidence three of us had same problem, the design would have been more reliable with no needles just steel shafts, obviously the design engineers were to clever for their own good, it was not lubrication related there was a lot of oil going to rocker feed, l think it was the needles unable to take the stresses, with a simpler design there would have been no problem.

I think BMW upgraded the bearings to a design that reduced the number of needles per bearing, and increased their diameter. I suspect the small diameter needles led to "crowding" which caused them to skid, overheat and fail. My buddy spent over 30 years working for the same BMW dealership and as I said told me it was a fairly common problem, especially on bikes that were ridden with "spirit."

[Richard230]

I think BMW upgraded the bearings to a design that reduced the number of needles per bearing, and increased their diameter. I suspect the small diameter needles led to "crowding" which caused them to skid, overheat and fail. My buddy spent over 30 years working for the same BMW dealership and as I said told me it was a fairly common problem, especially on bikes that were ridden with "spirit."

Well, it is true that a couple of months before I found the loose bearings, CC Products in San Jose had spun the engine up to 8K rpm on their dyno in an effort to prove that the special muffler that I had just bought, and they they had just installed for free, had increased the horsepower of my R80. So that likely didn't help the life of the rocker bearings any.    I am just glad that the damage occurred during the warranty period. 

[zimmemr]

Well, it is true that a couple of months before I found the loose bearings, CC Products in San Jose had spun the engine up to 8K rpm on their dyno in an effort to prove that the special muffler that I had just bought, and they they had just installed for free, had increased the horsepower of my R80. So that likely didn't help the life of the rocker bearings any.    I am just glad that the damage occurred during the warranty period. 

As I recall, no sure thing these days, mine had about 30K on it when the bearing let go, but it also seems that the cost of the replacement parts, was reasonable. My bike was 1978, bought new and never serviced by anyone but myself, and bearings were replaced  in 1986 or 87 as I recall, so I guess I can't complain.

[AzCal Retred]

Top 5 Reasons to ride a Small Motorcycle on a Long Adventure trip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adX56io-sr4

6 Best Small Adventure Bikes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm_ZLU8AYvI


x

[Richard230]

Speaking of rocky mountains, check out this latest Itchy Boots episode. It will keep you on the edge of your seat:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKi_vUz0sJ8

[Karl Fenn]

My bike was not old, but l did ride it with spirit sometimes, however never thacked it, it was a very low millage bike as well, l was lucky got to it in time easy fix.

[gizzo]

Some friends and I are planning a trip for Sept, should be about 3000km all up. 50/50 mix sealed and off road. I'm taking my well maintained 30 yo DR250S. It'll keep up, no worries. I can't wait.

[Karl Fenn]

Well should be ok they were a fast bike had quick acceleration.

[nicholastanguma]

This would be a hoot for those of us with suitable hardware. Ran last in 2019.

Rocky Mountain MotoGiro 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jp9Nhe6J6kw


https://www.motorcycleclassics.com/classic-japanese-motorcycles/classic-honda-motorcycles/1968-honda-cb160-zm0z21mazbut?utm_source=wcemail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MCC%20eNews%2003-25-21&wc_totalkey=jXeF2vGkzYlc4AC08ZscLAyz8B5F98vFZoaJvl5WBSsx6aikLJuPTyGbORUs0z_vgjWd2iIFOv33gPp0C2Hi9Q
While he’ll ride the CB160 on the winding roads around his Kelowna property, it’s a bike he enjoys using annually at the Rocky Mountain MotoGiro. Designed for motorcycles 1969 and older and 250cc and less, this MotoGiro consists of a 186-mile endurance ride and a timed 6.8-mile hill climb. According to Thompson, “The MotoGiro is a real test for machines, and for my CB160 that means continuous all-day operation at between 8,000rpm and redline at 10,000rpm.

Very fun, thanks for posting!