Late 70's Desert Enduro Video

I think I have found a way to post videos......by putting them on YouTube and linking to them.  It also helped that I went to the local library that has free high-speed Wifi.  Boy, I'm getting to be such a geek!  The video was made by converting an 8mm movie that Carolyn made around 1979 or 1980.  It is of an enduro put on by my club at that time, the Chaparrals M/C.  I believe it was a national enduro based on the number of national caliber and team riders in the video.  A good desert enduro always had at least one massive downhill that scared the crap out of less experienced riders.  Enjoy!

WBDR Part 1

A couple of years ago some guys developed a primarily off-road route from the southern edge of Washington to the Canadian border.  They call it the Washington Backcountry Discovery Route (WBDR) and this is their website:  http://www.wabdr.com/.  The whole thing is 600 miles long, but the first part of it starts right in my neighborhood.  In fact, using some of the routes from my house that I have described earlier, it's possible to skip the very first few miles of the route which is all pavement, and ride mostly off-road to get to the start of the off road part of the WBDR.  This is what my riding budy Orv and I did this past Thursday and Friday.  We rode 50 miles over the local mountains to get to the Wind River Highway north of Carson where we picked up the first section of the WBDR.  The plan was to ride the route up to near the town of Trout Lake, where we would get gas and lunch and then continue on to Packwood for an overnight stay.  The next day would be a road ride home. 

The following pictures are from out ride.  I also took some helmet cam videos which I will attempt to post, but so far my posting of videos has not gone well.  There is a huge amount of data in a video, and our Internet provider is a satellite system with a pretty slow upload rate. 

This was our lunch and gas stop at Trout Lake.  Gas and burgers (good ones) at the same place.

Then we headed up towards Mt Adams.  At 12,227 feet, this is the second highest peak in Washington after Mt Rainer.  This was typical of the roads we were on, but some were much rougher.

The best view of Mt Adams is from  Takhlakh (I think it's pronouned Tok-lok) Lake.  Carolyn, Brian, Shannon and I camped, hiked and canoed at this lake shortly after we moved to Washington.  It's a beautiful place and quite popular. 

After leaving Takhlakh Lake, things got really interesting.  I had been navigating the route using my Garmin Zumo GPS, which would tell me all the turns ahead of time.  I had entered the route using the official WBDR map and knew that the distance to Packwood and our overnight was about 80 miles from where we got gas in Trout Lake.  That's a very comfortable distance to go on a tank of gas, BUT.
For some reason that I still can't figure out, the Zumo directed me to take a wrong turn.  After awhile it became obvious that we were not heading in the direction we wanted to go so we stopped to regroup.  Fortunately, Orv had brought along a Forest Service map (how quaint) and after finding a landmark that was on the map we discovered we were making a giant loop back to where we were two hours ago.  The gas situation quickly became uncomfortable.  In fact, I think I detected a hint of panic coming from Orv, who gets worse gas mileage than me.  I think he was ready to kill me.  So we basically said screw technology, and with Orv leading and both of us using the lightest throttle possible, we followed the map and some road signs back toward Packwood.  We made it to Highway 12 just west of Packwood and Orv ran out of gas before getting to the town.  However, planning for such an event, he had brought along an extra pint or so of gasoline in an empty Seafoam bottle and that got him in to the gas station.  We went about 120 miles on that tank of gas, and my bike took 1.7 gallons to fill up.  Orv's took 1.9 gallons even after adding the extra.  The bikes have 2 gallon tanks.  Thankfully the little KLXs get good mileage.  I tried to convince Orv we had just had an adventure, thanks to me.  An adventure is when you survive and a disaster is when you don't. 

The hotel where we stayed was recommended to me by a friend as "quaint and historic", and that it was.  It was built in 1909 and it's claim to fame is that Teddy Roosevelt stayed there when he came to dedicate the Mt Rainer National Park.  That was the historic part.  The quaint part was that it had bathrooms down the hall shared by everybody, squeeky floors, lumpy beds, and no air conditioning.  Since it was sort of warm, we had to leave the windows open, and I bet Teddy would not have been happy if he had 18 wheelers storming through town all night long like we did.  But one thing about lodges like this where you share facilities is that you meet some interesting people.  In our case, it was a guy, probably middle aged, who was taking a day or two off from hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.  He had started on April 22 at the US/Mexico border and still had 300 miles to go.  He was an Israeli who was living in Canada during the summers, and Israel during the winters.  Unfortunately, he was lamed-up from a swollen ankle and was fearful that he would not be able to go further.  He shared a gallon of ice-cream he had bought with all of the guests present. 

When we returned from dinner a little while after checking in, this bull elk was grazing in the field next to the hotel.  We saw him a couple more times that evening and came to the conclusion that he was trained by the town of Packwood to hang around and provide "character". 

After a restful night's sleep on my part.......Orv, not so much.......we got an early start with a hearty breakie and headed out for the road ride home.  In two days we had a little adventure and a lot of great riding and I would like to do the rest of the WBDR as soon as I can find another willing victim...I mean partner... to go along with me. 

70,000 Mile Maintenance

My road bike has made the 70K mile mark and needed a bunch of maintenance.  This bike has been completely trouble-free, but that's probably due in part to being pretty diligent about routine maintenance.  All my stuff is getting old and worn-out just like me.....my pickup truck has 175,000 miles as does our Honda Odssey van.  The Miata has 136,000 miles.   Anyway, here is what I've been doing with the bike:

This is the second bike I've had that has a full fairing.  I love the look and wind protection provided by the fairing, but it does add steps to the maintenance process.  The first thing was to remove the belly fairing.

Then I could get to the drain plug and the oil filter to change the oil.  The carpet remnant makes it easier on old knees. 

Next, to really get "under the hood", I've got to remove the windscreen.  You can clearly see the GPS mound I installed on the "dash". 

Then the dash itself is removed.  Kawasaki calls it the "instrument surround" in the service manual.

Now the main fairing can be removed and we can see there is actually an engine in there. 

The gas tank is removed, exposing the airbox.  Since this is a fuel-injected motor, the air filter is a flat element that slides out of a slot.  It is a foam element and reusable after cleaning and re-oiling.

Beneath the airbox are the throttle bodies and the valve cover. 

Removing the valve cover exposes the cams and lifters.  Valve adjustment can now be checked.  This is a double overhead cam engine with four valves per cylinder and the cams push down on inverted cups directly on the valve stems.  The cups have replaceable shims underneath for changing clearance.  This means that if change is needed, the cam shafts have to be removed so that the cups can be lifted out.  This adds quite a bit of work to the project.  Fortunately for me, the valve clearance checked out OK.  At this point I also changed the spark plugs. 

The whole job, including buttoning everything back up, takes about four or five hours.  A good wrenching session, when things go right, is very rewarding and somewhat therapeutic.  When things don't go right......different story.  I've learned over the years how to avoid most of these bad outcomes. 

Dirt Bikes Back In the Day

The late 50's through the mid 80's were the heyday of SoCal desert racing.  I got into it a bit late, with my first AMA district 37 enduro in 1970.  Just after I rode the first enduro I joined the club that put it on.  The Chaparrals M/C was just getting started.  It was created by a couple of out-of-work aerospace employees looking for something to do.  They also happened to live close to where I lived in Corona, CA.  From 1970 until about the mid 80's I was hooked on enduro competition......most were in the desert, but not all.  I used to buy a new motorcycle every couple of years, and I found the following photos of some of them.  These pictures were usually taken by a guy who went out on the course and took the pics and then, using the riding number for identification, would get the address of the rider and attempt to sell the pictures. 

This was a 1974 Yamaha DT 250.  It was the third bike I rode in competition after the DT 125 that was in my first or second blog entry.  Almost all Japanese dirt bikes at that time were street legal "enduros" that are now called "dual sport" bikes.  They usually had to be modified quite a bit to make them competitive.  The small number 5 on the number plate was my ranking in the district from the previous year's scores.  This was the highest ranking I ever got to. 

A 1976 Yamaha TT 500.  This was the first year this bike was made, and it was the biggest dirt bike I ever had.  The previous bike was sort of under powered and the TT 500 was my attempt to rectify that.  However, with horsepower comes weight, and that thing was heavy despite all my efforts to remove stuff and make it lighter.  It could also be a bitch to start.  This was one of the first Japanese dirt bikes that was not sold as a street legal bike. 

A 1978 Suzuki PE (for "pure enduro" ha ha) 175.  I went from big and heavy to small and light.  The only thing I remember about this bike is that after a year or so, it didn't run quite right and I never could figure out what the problem was. 

1980 Kawasaki KDX 175.  This was a good handling and relatively powerful bike.  It was the first of any motorcycle to my recollection that had a single rear shock, which Kawasaki called "Uni Track".  Now all bikes except Harleys and other cruisers have single shocks.  I have owned more KDXs than any other motorcycle.  It was my first Kawasaki and started my preference for them.  (Edit:  I have been reminded by one of my other old fart riding buddies that Yamaha was actually the first with a single shock by a year or two, which they called the "Monoshock".  Also, Harley Davidson makes a cruiser with a single shock, the FXDXWGHMBV or something "Softtail".)

1983 Honda XR 350.  This was the only bike that ever quit on me during a race.  (I did break a couple and get flats, but those were my fault).  It also had other problems due to overheating and a weak transmission.  I ended up selling it as a non-running parts bike.  Honda at that time, and to some extent still, was known for trying new ideas, some of which worked and some did not.  The new ideas on this bike were two carburetors on a single cylinder (dumb), and a radically steep steering head angle that gave it some dangerous handling traits in high speed desert situations.  I note now that four of the five motorcycles I show here were first year models.  Why did I buy first year models?  Because I was young and foolish and believed the magazine's hype.  Only Kawasaki makes good first year models.  (Actually not always.)

1986 Yamaha IT 200.  It was the last air-cooled bike I owned.  I liked this bike a lot and owned it for 10 years.  I rode a few enduros on it but not many.  By this time land use restrictions were cutting into desert competition and the Chaparrals club was fading.  This is the bike I owned when I moved to Southwest Washington and discovered a whole new world of dirt bike riding........on real dirt, not rocks and sand.  Looking at this picture now, I realize I have definitely lost a bit of muscle mass in the past 25 years.  But, hey, I'm still riding!

The Second Best Way

There is another way that Carolyn and I enjoy the good roads.......in our 1999 Mazda Miata.  This past weekend, as part of her birthday present, we drove the Miata to the Oregon Coast.  I bought this car shortly after we moved from Southern California to Southwest Washington because I didn't think I would be able to ride my motorcycle during the winter.  For the first few years I stored the KZ 550 over the winter, but I still wanted something fun to travel the curvy mountain roads that are abundant in our area.  The bottom line after more than a decade of owning the Miata?  It's a lot of fun for a four-wheeler, but it's no motorcycle.  No mistake, though, it has some definite advantages.......like that roof......and the heater, oh my!  Actually, even on nice days when we can ride with the top down, there is the advantage of not having to wear all the protective gear needed for a motorcycle.  Sometimes it's pretty nice to just hop in the car in shorts and sandals and take off.  Still, after awhile, I began to figure out how to keep riding during the winter.  The primary secret is electricity........as in electric vest and heated handlebar grips.  Once I went that route, along with a good set of rain gear. I was good to go.  Now I ride pretty much all year, as long as there is no snow or ice.  I don't do long rides, but I do use the motorcycle for transportation when an errand calls for short solo trip not requiring much carry space.

This past weekend was spent sort of kicking back with books and some long hikes on the coast, combined with some leisurely drives on the coast highway and other coastal roads.  We stayed at a beach house owned by a friend of Carolyn's in the town of Manzanita Beach.  Here are some pictures from the trip:

Miata at the beach house

Oregon coast beach on a mid-August weekend

Actually, we had to hike one and a quarter miles on a steep trail to get to this beach.  The park where we started the hike was full of people, but when you start hiking you lose most of the crowd.  We did a couple of pretty good walks; one of five miles and the one above of 2.5 miles and it was re-assuring to both of us that we could do OK, since both of us have had some nerve or joint problems that made us wonder if our hiking days were over.  

The Next Generations

Our grandkids from San Francisco have been visiting with us the past week, during which time Jonas, who is seven, was riding the motorcycles we keep for such occasions.  The rule is that you have to be off of training wheels on your bicycle before you can start riding a motorcycle. so Adina, who is five, did not qualify, but she is close.  I'm reminded of all the kids, including my own, who I have taught to ride.  Here are some of the pictures that have been taken recently of the next generations:

The process starts when we take the bike to a local community park where there is a large obstacle-free grassy area.  (Don't try this in a big city.)  After instructions about what the controls do and some confidence-building pep talk;

He's off, and the little duckling can fly.......... with proud dad and anxious grandpa watching and hoping he can eventually make a turn and come back. 
The next step is to ride on our own property; on the lawn around the house at first and then on trails I have made around the place. 

The pictures above were taken last year.  This past week Jonas graduated to the next level, riding the Honda 70.  I think he is hooked.

Here are some pics of the Tacoma grankids who have gone through the same process:

Brendan on left and Colin on right

 Colin and his dad riding around the property

  Colin "getting some air" over a jump Brendan made for him.

                                                      Brendan geared up and ready to go



Herd of Kaws

For several reasons I usually end up with a Kawasaki motorcycle.  I used to ride almost exclusively Yamahas, but after 1981 every bike except two (a 1983 Honda XR350 and a 1986 Yamaha IT200) have been Kawasakis.  Oh, wait, I also had a 1982 Suzuki GS 650, but I had two wrecks on it and gave it away as an unlucky SOB.  But, back to the Kawasakis; I think the KZ 550 got me sold on Kawis because it was so reliable, cheap, and easy to maintain.  Of course, it also handled well and looked good.  Kawasaki electrics, especially, seem to be bulletproof.  The KZ 550 had all the original electrical components on it when I sold it except for the ignition coils, and they weren't bad, but I thought they were when the real problem was the points had closed up. 

If Kawasakis have a weakness it is in their fit and finish.  Compared to, say a Honda or BMW, they have some cheap parts and some ill-fitting body panels.  I can live with that. 

Below is a picture of me with my herd of Kawasakis that was taken last winter after I had bought the KLX but not yet sold the KDX 220 dirt bike. The little KDX 50 that I am holding was bought for the grandkids.  Three of them have learned to ride on it so far.

Same Bike, Different Rider

In 1980 I bought a new Kawasaki KZ 550.  I loved that bike and kept it for 24 years and rode it 126,000 miles.  Here is a picture taken of me with the bike shortly after I bought it:

And here is me with the same bike shortly before I sold it in 2004. 

The bike looks pretty good; me......not so much.  The reason the bike looks so good is because I did a partial restoration on it at 100,000 miles, with a new paint job and a new top end from a doner bike; a later model KZ 550 that a friend from work had crashed.  I've had a few partial restorations myself, but none quite so successful.

I think the year after I bought it Carolyn and I rode it from Riverside up to Vancouver Island, B.C., and we camped most of the time.  Here is a picture that shows a thirty-something Carolyn and a good idea of how the bike was loaded (or maybe overloaded).  Note the high-tech trash bag water proofing on our sleeping bags. 

Not sure what mountain this is in the background.......maybe Rainier.  This trip started our desire to move to the Northwest. 

1080's Tourmaster riding jacket (no armor) and stylish leg-warmers with cowboy boots.  



I sure can't remember the story behind that stain on the road.  That was not a water-cooled bike, so it can't be radiator fluid, and I never blew the engine or lost the drain plug either.  Maybe we just went through a puddle or a creek crossing.  It's a good shot of our luggage arrangement, though.