Canada 2010 or Bust!

Coco · Jul 21, 2009

BrianK said:
Folks, the last thing we need is for the OCC/poseur crowd to "move on/progress" to classic bikes = unless you are purely a seller, and not a buyer or someone who may need to buy parts in the future. FWIW.

Good point. They need to stay in the dark.

Kber45 · Jul 21, 2009

hopefully they will move on to the next yuppie fad, like chopper snowmobiles, fancy dog breeding collecting silk ties.

Cookie · Jul 21, 2009

Did you ever wonder just how many ways you can build a Harley clone? Is it like trying to find the last page of the Internet?
http://www.the-last-page.com/

bpatton · Jul 22, 2009

There's something about the spirit of a rally that I've always loved. The principal that you ride your rig to get there is pretty important. I know it represents a big investment in both time and money but that in itself is a statement of how important a deal it is to you. Like a rite of admission. The best moment ever for me was the guy that showed up with his bike in the back of a U-Haul truck. He was coming from about a thousand miles and half way one of his pushrods went south. He wasn't past the point of no return, he could have just hauled his bike back home but he didn't. At the rally parts just showed up, for free. Everybody had the best time.

Coco · Jul 22, 2009

bpatton said:
There's something about the spirit of a rally that I've always loved. The principal that you ride your rig to get there is pretty important. I know it represents a big investment in both time and money but that in itself is a statement of how important a deal it is to you. Like a rite of admission. The best moment ever for me was the guy that showed up with his bike in the back of a U-Haul truck. He was coming from about a thousand miles and half way one of his pushrods went south. He wasn't past the point of no return, he could have just hauled his bike back home but he didn't. At the rally parts just showed up, for free. Everybody had the best time.

I'm going to try to drive my MKIII to the rally. That would be my first long trip on a motorcycle. I've never ridden through the mountains either so it would be my first real road trip to my first rally, on the first motorcycle I ever bought, which was the first rebuild I've ever done as well. It is meant to be!

calbigbird · Jul 22, 2009

The rally sounds like a blast. I don't know if I want to risk trying to ride my MK III from So. California to there or not. I don't know enough history on the bike to know if I trust it that far. I may take the Hondapottomas instead. But then again, I have a long time to think about it.

bpatton · Jul 23, 2009

calbigbird said:
The rally sounds like a blast. I don't know if I want to risk trying to ride my MK III from So. California to there or not. I don't know enough history on the bike to know if I trust it that far. I may take the Hondapottomas instead. But then again, I have a long time to think about it.

There are some tips on the IronButt site that are worth looking at for anybody thinking about doing some long distance riding.
http://www.ironbutt.com/tech/aow.cfm
The most important little pearl of wisdom is that it's ten times easier to make adjustments and repairs in your garage or driveway than it is to do it on the road. I'd say they are right. It's just about exactly ten times easier.

Hortons Norton · Jul 25, 2009

We just returned home last night from the Rally in Colorado, I must say the group there did a GREAT job and we had a great time. The country side is incredible and the rides were well thought out. We also had a trip to Colorado Norton Works and I can say this is the cleanest shop I have seen, And seeing these bikes up close was a treat indeed. It must have slowed down his work that week and would like to say thanks to Matt for having us there. The people are what make the rally's special and the work that goes into making them run right must be incredible also. If you have never been to a rally you must make an effort to attend one, You won't be sorry. Being from So. Ca. and not very smart I went with no jacket and no rain gear and paid the price as one of the rides went over 3 passes that were all over 10,000 ft. The last one had rain and hail and I was wearing an open face helmet and just a T-shirt and a cotton sweater. What a memory for me and the wife, Coming down the mountain and seeing the sun down in the valley kept me going. My wife enjoyed the ride and so did I as we made it back with only a very dirty bike to show for it. So go you won't be sorry!!!!!!!

daveparry · Jul 25, 2009

Why can't she ride on back of the Commando then Coco?

RennieK · Jul 25, 2009

Coco said:
I've never ridden through the mountains either so it would be my first real road trip to my first rally, on the first motorcycle I ever bought, which was the first rebuild I've ever done as well. It is meant to be!

If you stay on the #1 hwy it will be a breeze, just watch out for wildlife on the road around Banff as the elk are fairly used to people and vehicular traffic. They walk on the road alot. Actually they think they own the road so you really got to watch them and the mountain sheep, goats and grizzlies. The hwy is well marked and plenty safe with avalanche sheds over the hwy at most of the know slide areas.

If you turn off the #1 at Revelstoke and head south to Nakusp you'll be on smaller black top roads for the final short leg of the trip which should be a lot more interesting on a bike. One of the most hairiest switchbacks I've ever encountered was out of Nakusp but heading east to Kaslo. That whole area is pretty mountainous although I think it tames down around Lumby.

The nice thing about riding a bike is it is effortless to stop and start again. I remember driving my 70 something F-250 ford 4x4 with big camper through there and if you stopped at the bottom of a hill to check out the interesting sights you would watch the gas gage needle move opposite to the speedometer as you started back up the hill. On a bike you can stop and check out all that stuff and really enjoy the trip without worrying too much about gas consumption.

Coco · Aug 6, 2009

Fullauto said:
Well, at this stage, I'm in as well. A long way to come, but......................

That is a very long way and I'll buy you a beer for sure. So how are we all supposed to tell who's who off of here? It sure would be nice to put faces with these on-screen names and it would be pretty cool to actually meet some of you who show up.

Name tags with our on-screen names?