A Day in the Life...
#561
#562
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Red Banks, Mississippi
Posts: 17,729
Received 4,197 Likes
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Wow, I thought my first 1000+ mile ride bike was crude...
I did Eureka Springs in a car once, had no desire to go back on a bike. Maybe I just hit a bad busy day, but it was creep everywhere in traffic, and it was like that on the twisties miles out from town. I liked the riding a lot better from a bit south of Russellville on up highway 7; rode hundreds of miles of side roads in that part of Arkansas, from logging trails to the switchbacks up Mt. Nebo a little south of the Arkansas River from Russellville. Went a lot of places I doubt anybody ever tried on a Harley, though, certainly not a trike. Hit some spots so rough I had to drag the bike over obstructions. I'd sure like to do all that again. Well, maybe not the bike dragging part, my joints won't tolerate that anymore.
I did Eureka Springs in a car once, had no desire to go back on a bike. Maybe I just hit a bad busy day, but it was creep everywhere in traffic, and it was like that on the twisties miles out from town. I liked the riding a lot better from a bit south of Russellville on up highway 7; rode hundreds of miles of side roads in that part of Arkansas, from logging trails to the switchbacks up Mt. Nebo a little south of the Arkansas River from Russellville. Went a lot of places I doubt anybody ever tried on a Harley, though, certainly not a trike. Hit some spots so rough I had to drag the bike over obstructions. I'd sure like to do all that again. Well, maybe not the bike dragging part, my joints won't tolerate that anymore.
Here's how I pack the Sporty when doing a solo trip-
Yeah, ES will just be base. Lots of congestion FREE killer roads out from there!
Here's a little vid from a few years back-
Here's Ride Report of a longish trip!
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/tri-g...er-2013-a.html
Kevin
A while back one of the four fender tabs on my TG front fender broke.
Yesterday we went about fixing it.
Relatively clean break-
We've done repairs on painted items a few times over the years, we'll be welding that tab back on while the majority of the fender is submerged in water, and wrapped with wet towels.
First we need to prep the areas that will be welded-
Next up is positioning it in a tub of water so that the water level comes up to right below the point where the welding will take place-
Getting wet towels wrapped around all parts of the fender that are not submerged-
We do not want any slag or HEAT hitting any area that is not the tab....it will damage/cause the paint to bubble.
The tab is mostly hidden, and painted black from the factory, so that will be easy enough to put back to looking stock. But if any part of the paint on the actual fender is damage...well, that would not be good.
The threads on the nut on the tab need to retain their integrity, so we use some anti-seize on a threaded "handle" that goes into the tab threads. Not only to keep the threads intact, but to give a way to hold the tab while welding it into place.
Tacking it in place...
...making sure it is straight before proceeding.
It was slow going, so as not to build up any heat transfer to the painted fender.
Yes, that is steam coming from the water, right below where it is being welded.
WhooHoo! No paint bubbled anywhere...even on the tab closest to the fender.
We cleaned it up, primer, and then some gloss black.
Letting it cure over the weekend. Will put some clear on it next week...then it goes back on the forks!
Kevin
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Last edited by ChickinOnaChain; 04-22-2018 at 01:22 PM.
#563
#564
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Frozelandia, Minnysota
Posts: 27,076
Received 4,632 Likes
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2,735 Posts
Nice work on that fender, never thought of putting something in water like that, great idea.
Yes, a '66 305 Honda Superhawk I bought new. Pic was battleship Alabama in Mobile in '70, long before it was moved to it's current spot. Beat the heck out of that poor bike, and it took it. Wore out the clutch, 2 or 3 chains, destroyed the original fenders, and just ignored the dent in the tank. Oversize (taller) dual purpose rear tire (lot of off road use), and the upswept pipes were because I beat the original downswept headers almost flat.
Evil bike, top heavy, really front end heavy, and needed it's steering damper, liked to do tank slappers without tension. It would outrun my later 350, 450 and even 750 on top end, that just seems wrong. The 750 would only do 110, the others not even 100. Lucky I didn't blow the 305 doing 2500rpm past redline. Ok, I'll admit it, I cheated, racing a camaro and I could just edge past him at 115 before I hit his bow wave. He said that's all his car would do, too. 110 downhill with a tailwind was the best I ever got out of it on it's own. Still, for a 305, even tweaked a bit, that wasn't bad. I've had far better bikes, but never had the crazy fun I did beating up that 305, started caring about keeping my bikes in decent shape. You don't do that riding like I did in my early years. Maybe I should consider one of my bikes expendable and have more fun...
Yes, a '66 305 Honda Superhawk I bought new. Pic was battleship Alabama in Mobile in '70, long before it was moved to it's current spot. Beat the heck out of that poor bike, and it took it. Wore out the clutch, 2 or 3 chains, destroyed the original fenders, and just ignored the dent in the tank. Oversize (taller) dual purpose rear tire (lot of off road use), and the upswept pipes were because I beat the original downswept headers almost flat.
Evil bike, top heavy, really front end heavy, and needed it's steering damper, liked to do tank slappers without tension. It would outrun my later 350, 450 and even 750 on top end, that just seems wrong. The 750 would only do 110, the others not even 100. Lucky I didn't blow the 305 doing 2500rpm past redline. Ok, I'll admit it, I cheated, racing a camaro and I could just edge past him at 115 before I hit his bow wave. He said that's all his car would do, too. 110 downhill with a tailwind was the best I ever got out of it on it's own. Still, for a 305, even tweaked a bit, that wasn't bad. I've had far better bikes, but never had the crazy fun I did beating up that 305, started caring about keeping my bikes in decent shape. You don't do that riding like I did in my early years. Maybe I should consider one of my bikes expendable and have more fun...
#565
#566
#567
#568
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Red Banks, Mississippi
Posts: 17,729
Received 4,197 Likes
on
2,440 Posts
Thank you!
WOW! Only rode a 305 once...when I was 13 and on dirt roads. Never knew it was that kind of performer. I just podunked along, avoiding the mud-holes. lol
Kevin
Nice work on that fender, never thought of putting something in water like that, great idea.
Yes, a '66 305 Honda Superhawk I bought new. Pic was battleship Alabama in Mobile in '70, long before it was moved to it's current spot. Beat the heck out of that poor bike, and it took it. Wore out the clutch, 2 or 3 chains, destroyed the original fenders, and just ignored the dent in the tank. Oversize (taller) dual purpose rear tire (lot of off road use), and the upswept pipes were because I beat the original downswept headers almost flat.
Evil bike, top heavy, really front end heavy, and needed it's steering damper, liked to do tank slappers without tension. It would outrun my later 350, 450 and even 750 on top end, that just seems wrong. The 750 would only do 110, the others not even 100. Lucky I didn't blow the 305 doing 2500rpm past redline. Ok, I'll admit it, I cheated, racing a camaro and I could just edge past him at 115 before I hit his bow wave. He said that's all his car would do, too. 110 downhill with a tailwind was the best I ever got out of it on it's own. Still, for a 305, even tweaked a bit, that wasn't bad. I've had far better bikes, but never had the crazy fun I did beating up that 305, started caring about keeping my bikes in decent shape. You don't do that riding like I did in my early years. Maybe I should consider one of my bikes expendable and have more fun...
Yes, a '66 305 Honda Superhawk I bought new. Pic was battleship Alabama in Mobile in '70, long before it was moved to it's current spot. Beat the heck out of that poor bike, and it took it. Wore out the clutch, 2 or 3 chains, destroyed the original fenders, and just ignored the dent in the tank. Oversize (taller) dual purpose rear tire (lot of off road use), and the upswept pipes were because I beat the original downswept headers almost flat.
Evil bike, top heavy, really front end heavy, and needed it's steering damper, liked to do tank slappers without tension. It would outrun my later 350, 450 and even 750 on top end, that just seems wrong. The 750 would only do 110, the others not even 100. Lucky I didn't blow the 305 doing 2500rpm past redline. Ok, I'll admit it, I cheated, racing a camaro and I could just edge past him at 115 before I hit his bow wave. He said that's all his car would do, too. 110 downhill with a tailwind was the best I ever got out of it on it's own. Still, for a 305, even tweaked a bit, that wasn't bad. I've had far better bikes, but never had the crazy fun I did beating up that 305, started caring about keeping my bikes in decent shape. You don't do that riding like I did in my early years. Maybe I should consider one of my bikes expendable and have more fun...
Kevin
#569
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Frozelandia, Minnysota
Posts: 27,076
Received 4,632 Likes
on
2,735 Posts
Mine had a noticeable increase in power after the straight pipes and tweaking the carbs. Can't remember all I did to the carbs, just that it sure ran fine afterwards. Even stock it had a higher top end than the two stroke competitors, though the 2 strokes would beat it 0-60. I got the Superhawk for it's higher cruising speed, otherwise liked the scrambler model better. The last time I saw one, it sure looked tiny compared to what I'm used to now.
#570
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Red Banks, Mississippi
Posts: 17,729
Received 4,197 Likes
on
2,440 Posts
Mine had a noticeable increase in power after the straight pipes and tweaking the carbs. Can't remember all I did to the carbs, just that it sure ran fine afterwards. Even stock it had a higher top end than the two stroke competitors, though the 2 strokes would beat it 0-60. I got the Superhawk for it's higher cruising speed, otherwise liked the scrambler model better. The last time I saw one, it sure looked tiny compared to what I'm used to now.
Kevin
Some days are just like this.
Kevin
Last edited by ChickinOnaChain; 04-22-2018 at 01:23 PM.