SeaCat
Hey, my Halo is smoking
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2003
- Posts
- 15,378
This afternoon the sun had finally burned the fog off. It was clear and sunny and nicely cool. (75 degrees) The bike has been down for the past week because of a bad battery, Yesterday I filled and charged the new battery so this mornings job was to put it in and see if that cured the ills my bike has been having.
I fit the battery in and cursed the wiring as I attached them. I got the side covers back in place and replaced the seat. I put the key in the ignition and turned it on. Checked the kill switch, turned on the gas, pulled the choke and pulled in the clutch. Then I hit the starter and damn if the bike didn't kick over and start right up.
Oh it ran rough, coughing and snorting but it was running. I shut it down and hussled my butt back inside for my gear. Back by the bike I set the helmet and other gear on the hood of the car before restarting the bike. I let the bike warm up as I pulled on my gear. Leather jacket, helmet, sunglasses and gloves. My wallet and my cell phone were safely tucked away in the zippered pockets and the gas tank was full. The engine was warm and starting to run a bit smoother. I climbed aboard and used the clutch to walk the bike around my car.
Checking the traffic I waited for a nice big opening then off I went. I was planning a short ride, maybe ten miles. Just enough to clear the pipes a bit. My route was to the end of the road I live on then turn around in a convenient parking lot and return.
By the time I had gone three miles the engine was running perfectly. By the time I was coming to the end of the road I was thinking about making that left turn into the parking lot. I slowed down and got set to make the turn but I'll be damned if I could. The bike wobbled a bit then straightened up again, rolling the couple of feet to the end of the road. Here the road merges with a main north south shotgun. (Double Barrel Highway, two lanes heading north and two heading south.) The bike just swept through the merge, cleared it's throat and took off running like a bat out of hell.
Before I knew it I was thundering along at sixty, the bike purring happily under me as the tires sang on the tarmack. It seems I was just along for the ride. Several miles later I turned off this highway for a slower east west road which brought me back to the coast and Rt. 1 southbound.
By the time I got home from my "short" ride I was grinning like an idiot and had put another 60+ miles on the bike.
I suppose it had to happen eventually. I had heard about this strange occurance from other riders, how their bikes just seem to take over so they can shake the dust of sitting around off their tires.
So how was your day?
Cat
I fit the battery in and cursed the wiring as I attached them. I got the side covers back in place and replaced the seat. I put the key in the ignition and turned it on. Checked the kill switch, turned on the gas, pulled the choke and pulled in the clutch. Then I hit the starter and damn if the bike didn't kick over and start right up.
Oh it ran rough, coughing and snorting but it was running. I shut it down and hussled my butt back inside for my gear. Back by the bike I set the helmet and other gear on the hood of the car before restarting the bike. I let the bike warm up as I pulled on my gear. Leather jacket, helmet, sunglasses and gloves. My wallet and my cell phone were safely tucked away in the zippered pockets and the gas tank was full. The engine was warm and starting to run a bit smoother. I climbed aboard and used the clutch to walk the bike around my car.
Checking the traffic I waited for a nice big opening then off I went. I was planning a short ride, maybe ten miles. Just enough to clear the pipes a bit. My route was to the end of the road I live on then turn around in a convenient parking lot and return.
By the time I had gone three miles the engine was running perfectly. By the time I was coming to the end of the road I was thinking about making that left turn into the parking lot. I slowed down and got set to make the turn but I'll be damned if I could. The bike wobbled a bit then straightened up again, rolling the couple of feet to the end of the road. Here the road merges with a main north south shotgun. (Double Barrel Highway, two lanes heading north and two heading south.) The bike just swept through the merge, cleared it's throat and took off running like a bat out of hell.
Before I knew it I was thundering along at sixty, the bike purring happily under me as the tires sang on the tarmack. It seems I was just along for the ride. Several miles later I turned off this highway for a slower east west road which brought me back to the coast and Rt. 1 southbound.
By the time I got home from my "short" ride I was grinning like an idiot and had put another 60+ miles on the bike.
I suppose it had to happen eventually. I had heard about this strange occurance from other riders, how their bikes just seem to take over so they can shake the dust of sitting around off their tires.
So how was your day?
Cat
