maximo

Great report! I love reading real world stuff. Nicely done. 

2 hours ago, texscottyd said:

I can’t remember 99.9% of the cell phone calls I’ve made, but I sure remember using an AT&T calling card at a gas station pay phone to check in back home at the end of a day of riding in Rockies.   

A 10-10 card... you could get a rate as good as $0.06/min, after the first 10 minutes at $1/minute...  

1 hour ago, 2and3cylinders said:

Smart, I have been trying to find a used but newer unlocked Kyocera mil-spec cell to do the same thing with...

I find that maps do well enough on older, underpowered phones. I download the maps onto the device, plug it into the cigarette lighter, and it works like a charm. I have several old phones laying around, so when one goes TU, I plug another one in.  I find that my every other year new phone habit is enough to feed this chain. 

13 minutes ago, 2and3cylinders said:

Cell phones are fragile and not waterproof, especially newer Apple units...

Yeah, I use my old phones for GPS duty. I wipe them clean to make sure all my stuff is gone, then make a new Google account to have access to the apps, but not to my stuff. That way if I lose the phone, or if someone takes it, I don't jeopardize my security. For connectivity I tether it to my active phone, which is safely in my pocket. 

On 10/2/2021 at 4:50 PM, 1moreroad said:

 

And heated hand grips is always the most important piece of tech on any motorcycle after the engine and wheels.

Once I got heated gloves, heated grips suddenly felt like an incomplete replacement. Now all my bikes are wired for heated gear, and my cold weather gear has the cables in the liner, so the only time I use the heated grips is if I'm riding in warm weather and do something like the Sonora Pass, where it'll be cold for a few miles. I really notice the cold on the back of my hand, tho. 

That stitchwork is fantastic on the saddle! 

A large garage is underrated. Or a marriage saver. 

9 hours ago, Old Bob said:

I stoped at the bridge Friday on Berryessa Knoxville and saw two trucks pulling jet ski boats going straight towards Lower Lake. I guess they thought it was a direct road to Clear Lake. Wonder if they’re still there stuck in a creek crossing.

Also, Old Bob, apropos of lovable goat trails, have you ridden Coleman Valley Rd lately? I see you're in SR, which is my hometown, and my favorite way to get out to the coast is Graton Rd to Occidental, then out Coleman Valley. As long as I've ridden it the road's been pretty choppy. But maybe it hasn't gotten worse? 

8 hours ago, Old Bob said:

I stoped at the bridge Friday on Berryessa Knoxville and saw two trucks pulling jet ski boats going straight towards Lower Lake. I guess they thought it was a direct road to Clear Lake. Wonder if they’re still there stuck in a creek crossing.

They probably made it as far as the RV that was stuck somewhere in there...  

On 9/10/2021 at 5:53 AM, koth442 said:

I used to love Knoxville-Berryessa when I lived in the area. Rode it all the time, even on the Daytona. However, it sounds like a few years ago it was a very different road. I absolutely loved taking the supermoto out there. Honestly, probably would still like it on the SM. 

I've taken the FJ09, the K1200GT, the cruise ship ST1100, my trusty SV650, and the FJ1200 on this road. They've all been enjoyable in different ways, even the land barges. But the road has deteriorated so much in the past few years that now it's just sketchy and dangerous in parts.  

Yeah, a SM would be right at home, as would the KLR Anvil. Those would be spot on for what it's become. 

PSA: Avoid Berryessa Knoxville Rd in NorCal. 

This little road used to be one of my favorite quirky roads to ride. It’s a goat trail in this little valley that is incredibly remote, gorgeous as can be in the spring, and exciting to ride due to the half dozen water crossings (there are no bridges, so every time you cross the creek you ride on a paved section of the creek bed – slick as snot, so you have to do it right. Now, it was never a good surface section of road, but the few potholes and short sections of chip seal gave the middle section of the road character. Along with the water crossings, it almost felt like you were riding off road, but on a paved surface.

This road is connected at the top and bottom to other incredible sections of road, with glassy pavement, little traffic, perfectly banked curves, etc.

It had been a few years since I last rode it, so I went there yesterday and I was shocked at how badly the road had deteriorated, specifically the middle section. Then I remembered that the area has been ravaged by wildfires several times, and that a lot of firefighting heavy equipment has used the road. This left the road in shambles. The road is just wide enough for a single car, and in some places the height difference between one wheel track and the other was over 2 feet.

It was an uncomfortable ride, and one that I’m glad that I finished without getting hurt. Sadly, I think this road is going to be off limits for quite some time.

https://goo.gl/maps/3SUN1Ag517dMcGg4A

On 9/1/2021 at 9:31 PM, PhotoAl said:

Pics of ur bike in a national park - I’m only suggesting this as I’m headed to Yellowstone in a couple days.  Haha!

This doesn't really count because it was taken prior to the challenge, but in memoriam, this is my bike at Lassen Volcanic National Park the week before it burned over in the Dixie Fire. RIP to that gorgeous, hidden gem of a national park! 

I pretty much stopped riding with two pieces and have exclusively gone to my Olympia one piece suits. 

The overpants I do have in the closet are Cortech/Tourmaster and Fieldsheer. Oh, I also have a pair of Olympia overpants somewhere. And another one that I forgot the brand.  The spare bedroom closet is packed with gear I don't use.  I just find the one piece gear not only to be more comfortable than two pieces, but way more convenient to put on/take off. And like the cool kids say, I have no f***s left to give, I don't care if I look like a power ranger wandering the aisles at the store. 

I love heated gear (I use Gerbings).  In order of preference/necessity:

1. Gloves. This is the absolute starting point. You can always pile up layers under the rest, but you can't pile up gloves on top of gloves.

2. Jacket. I've done both, vests and jackets, and I absolutely swear by jackets over vests. With arms being out in the wind, they get colder than the torso. I hate having warm torso and cold arms.

3. socks/soles. This is kind of a luxury thing, but it's nice having toasty feet.

4. Pants. I have them and rarely use them. I'll only put them on if I'm going to be out for a long winter's ride. Anything under 3 hours I find that my legs stay toasty enough. 

On 7/15/2021 at 3:19 PM, knyte said:

Great report, thanks for that.

Cruise is the ONE thing I really wish mine would have.  A throttle lock helps, but doesn't 100% solve it (maybe 62.2% solved).

Cruise control is the one thing that I did not want/need on a bike, until I got a bike with cruise control. I will never own another street bike without it. 

I've tried a bunch, and always keep going back to the foam ones. When I properly insert them by rolling, pulling back the ear, and sticking them deep inside the canal, the NR is amazing. The only earplug that blocks more is Macks Silicone putty, since you can literally block the entire ear. I don't like how they feel, so I don't use them much. 

When I want a little more noise I'll use the Ear Peace with the appropriate filter. They're comfy, but not as much as foam to me.  When I want still more, I'll use the Loop earplugs. These are the ones I use at concerts. The NR value isn't as much, but they block out all frequencies equally, so it provides a true "turn down the volume" feel.  Super comfy too. https://www.amazon.com/Loop-Quiet-Noise-Reduction-Earplugs/dp/B08MFDT65P/ref=pd_bxgy_1/138-7639392-9477954?pd_rd_w=kTXB7&pf_rd_p=c64372fa-c41c-422e-990d-9e034f73989b&pf_rd_r=QGYKAJAYQPNZYGNF3WJH&pd_rd_r=87e178ba-f404-400c-956a-c731480ff323&pd_rd_wg=0Tmvn&pd_rd_i=B08MFDT65P&psc=1

I also have a Seth Laam saddle and I like it a lot. 

53 minutes ago, duckie said:

This pic is of a typical turn encountered on my rides. This is pretty mild compared to other similar turns especially up in the Sierras.

Shortly after this turn, there are two quick lefts then a set of hairpins that have even greater elevation changes and are tighter.

Going uphill, A mode and the QS make these types of turns way easier to handle for me. Ive rode that road on many different motorcycles....all without a QS.

Why, first going up hill, gravity is against you. You let off the gas, as to upshift, you are going to slow faster than if you were on flat land. Which means you need to roll back on the gas more than on flat land and quicker. 

QS lets me get get on the gas and just upshift. I dont have to do anything with the throttle hand or clutch hand, just use the hands for steering inputs. 

A mode means I dont have to twist the throttle as much, which is more than being on flat ground. 

Also, in A mode, I find it easier to match RPMs for  downshifting as less throttle twist is needed.

I went into a turn like this one while going uphill in the Sierras recently, only the the change in elevation was much greater and tighter.......in 3rd gear.......it was a first gear turn. Being in A mode, allowed be to deal with the situation easier than in STD because of not needing to twist the throttle as much as if I was in STD mode. 

For lane splitting.....I use STD mode and 3rd gear. 

Don't leave us hanging, where is this delicious road?? 

10 hours ago, Skidood said:

I checked things out, according to the service manual, my bike requires the Yamaha diagnostic tool to get the readings.  Otherwise the procedure itself appears to be the same.  Would be nice if I could use my OBDII reader.

I outsourced the job. I printed the instructions and when I took the bike in for service I spoke with the tech and asked him to do it. When I picked up the bike he said "You're going to like it. It's a completely different bike now."  He wasn't wrong. 

15 hours ago, Skidood said:

I personally disagree, I find A mode way too touchy, I'd rather not be constantly hyper-focussed on my wrist movement.  Makes for a better ride where you can focus on what you''re supposed to be focussing on.  I bet a lot of people (unlike me) aren't publicly willing to admit they dont like A mode.

I completely sympathize. The bike was virtually unrideable before flashing the ECU, and then, it only became tolerable. Like you describe, any little twitch to the bike made it lunge forward, like a .00001% movement on the throttle gave it 100% throttle for a half a second. After a while I learned about the accelerator position sensor fix, and that was a game changer. It tamed the throttle so it became useable. It's still not perfect, but good enough.  But I still hold back on A mode in the twisties because I don't fully trust the throttle. 

If you haven't done the APS fix, I highly recommend it. Search the forum and you'll find step by step instructions. 

Mine starts in standard mode regardless of where I left it. The ECU is also flashed. 

I've also done all the known fixes to the throttle/fueling, and while it has significantly tamed the lurchiness, it is always right below the surface. It keeps me from completely trusting the bike. Maybe it's a good thing, as it keeps me from pushing the envelope...  

I also see that there's quite a range in the herky jerky factor. Just yesterday I rode Downieville, Sierra City, and LaPorte with @JDChico89, and he doesn't feel much of this on his '15.  But then again, he got his FJ-09 after riding a paint shaker with wheels for many years...

What a terrific ride! You hit on some of my favorite roads. You were fortunate in catching Mattole Rd in its sunny splendor. I've tried several times, but it's been fogged in every time. One time it was so bad I turned around and returned to Ferndale bc I couldn't see 10 feet in front of me, and my I couldn't wipe my visor quickly enough. 

One thing to note on this comment:   "We ultimately rode in 105deg heat for a good hour or so as we approached Cloverdale and then south on 101 before an unexpected break near Santa Rosa. Usually this area is just as hot but somehow was only in the 80s as we passed through on Monday."

What you experienced there was the microclimate that makes Sonoma County the viticulture diverse region that it is. The hills between Petaluma/Rohnert Park and the ocean are very low, much lower than the surrounding area, creating a conduit for cool ocean air to come inland (it's called the Petaluma Gap). The cool air goes as far north as Santa Rosa, but stops between SR and Windsor usually. This is why it can be 100 degrees in Cloverdale/Healdsburg/Windsor, and then the air temp plunges as you enter into the cool ocean air that flowed northward from the Petaluma Gap. This is why the central region of Sonoma can produce those complex white wines, while the northern region, just a handful of miles out, produces the bold reds it's known for. 

Back to Santa Rosa - granted, these past few years it has seen a more triple digit days than it historically has (a typical summer day has low 50's overnight until the fog clears mid morning, shoots up to 80 or so, until mid afternoon when the cool air rushes back in, cooling it down back to the 50's by the evening), but by and large it's a very pleasant climate. 

(is it obvious I worked in the tourism industry there for a while? LOL) 

17 hours ago, duckie said:

Yep......Forest Road 1 ..........thanks ........and enjoy the memories..

Forest Road 1 | California Motorcycle Roads | Pashnit

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Ride South Fork Mountain Rd - Titlow Hilll Rd - Forest Road 1 in...

 

This is a great little road. A few years ago @JDChico89 and I took this road in July, and up on the highest ridge, in the shade, we hit patches of unplowed snow on the road, some of them 30-50 yards long, maybe up to 12" deep. There were 4wd tracks to follow, but I ended up muddling my trusty SV through the snow on my well-worn Z6s. Meanwhile, JD was on his KLR with TKC-80s, and he gleefully rode that anvil through the snow, or trailblazing on the forest floor around the snow.  Never did that apocalypse-proof machine look so good to me as I paddled ungainly. 

<<I cut CA36 in half and rode the East half to CA3 on Thursday and the West half back to CA3 on Friday morning.  I rode CA3 into Weaverville and then finished the day in CA299 out to the coast, not too shabby.>>

CA3 is a hidden gem, it kinda gets lots in the grandeur of the better known roads around it. But on its own it really stands up to any of them.