Vintage 1000 Dual Sport Ride

[Rick Bennett]

Group
It lives...
Thought I should check in for an update. Two weeks out.

This project is eating hours just to get ready. Not to mention that I finished the XR75 for my grandson and he raced his first race last Sunday at Rocket Raceway. I had decided to take it easy for my race and started in the last row with the novice riders. I was going to trail ride and not get hurt before this upcoming trip. About a half lap into it I changed my mind. Having all the slower riders to pass was a blast. I finished 23rd out of 55 in the vintage race.
 
Started the motor tonight on the second kick. The lights are working on AC for now until I can add the battery and rectifier into the PVL system. My Honda headlight switch isn't going to work and has been scrapped. I need to finish putting the airbox together and make some minor adjustments. I will be hitting the streets tomorrow rain or shine.

Bikes signed up for the May Coastal ride:
79 Honda XL250
70 Honda SL350
71 Honda SL350
74 Honda CL350
74 Honda CL450
81 Honda XL500S
80 Honda CB750
77 Suzuki TS250
76 Kawasaki KZ400
74 BMW R100
69 Triumph TR6
68 BSA Rocket 3
and my 74 Penton Six Days

More in a couple days...

Rick

[Pat Oshaughnessy]

More than half the bikes entered are Honda. My experience with Jap. bikes was Honda was very reliable & trouble free. Thanks for the update on your journey.[]

[Rick Bennett]

WOW!!!!!
I put 50 miles on my Penton Six Days Adventure and it runs GREAT!!! First test looks like just short of 50 mpg, maybe 45, and absolutely NO problem doing 55 mph with 15/57 gearing. In fact it likes 5th gear to go this speed. It is just a bit too slow in 6th when you get to a hill. The transmission is shifting perfectly. My only complaint is that the clutch is dragging a bit. This bike is very stable on the road. At least as good or better than my Honda 350. The other riders are going to be surprised by this little 125. The GPS shows the VDO is clocking 58 when I am doing 55. Not too bad for a 45 year old speedo. The brakes are better than the Honda. The suspension is a bit stiff but I am not loaded with camping gear. I will do that tomorrow. I am really getting excited to do this ride.

Rick

[Paul Danik]

Hi Rick, nice ride report

On the clutch issue, possibly slacken all the tension on the clutch cable and then check your adjustment inside the clutch cover thru the access hole where you access the clutch pressure plate cam / screw adjustment.

Also, if that doesn't do the job, if I remember correctly there are two different clutch covers with one having a steeper angle on the ramp that the clutch activator that pushes against the pressure plate rides on, possibly you have the one that has the lessor angle and the other may do the job better. Possibly someone with current knowledge on those clutch covers could chime in. I am going from memory from a long / long time ago.

Glad to see you so pumped up.......

Paul

[Rick Bennett]

Paul

It is hard for me to get neutral with the motor running. This motor is not the one I have been racing, just a core I picked to rebuild. Thanks for the tip on different covers. Something else I didn't know. I will take a look at my spare motors and see what I have. I had already done a clutch adjustment and only backed out the brass screw 1/4 turn. It seems as though the center part of the cable is too long as my lever adjustment is almost all the way out. The cable is a Terry, not original and I didn't know if the got the length a bit long. I will pull the cover and recheck the clutch. I had measured the thickness of the discs when I assembled the motor and they were nearly new. I have one set of new plates I could try. As soon as the roads dry off I will be back at it.

Rick

[Rick Bennett]

Paul

If the cover has a steeper angle does that mean the cam cup was changed as well?

Rick

[Paul Danik]

So you are saying you have a Sachs engine that is difficult to find neutral in......  A rare bird indeed...

I would put a stock cable on it just to see if it makes a difference.  Possibly with all the cable adjustments towards their most extended adjustments you are losing some of the mechanical advantage / pull of the clutch lever. Don't know if that is the case or not, but good to try that first in my opinion.

Paul

[Rick Bennett]

The clutch cup and side cover are different and were changed as a set. Just had to look in the parts manual. Found one in the basement.

Well...pre riding is a good thing. I have found out that the gas cap gasket lasts exactly one day...sorry Al B., but it must be the rubber from China. Also, it is possible to melt the fuel line to the bottom of the pipe...way to go Rick for not seeing that one coming. I built a rack to hold the Rotopax one gallon fuel can on the LH side this morning. I have the tent, sleeping bag and air mattress on board. Heading out for another test.

Rick

[Richard Colahan]

Rick, do you have a Spot tracking device?
I use one for safety purposes on long distance ADV and D/S rides, especially when riding solo.

If so...let us have the web address for your trip so we can follow along each day.

Richard Colahan
1969 V1225
Upper Black Eddy PA

[Rick Bennett]

Richard
I do not have a tracker. I am taking an iPad with me and will post daily or whenever I can get connected. I will also be taking photos along the way. I haven't been able to master inserting photos with my copy, so everyone will have to wait for a presentation at a meeting or newsletter story. I could email a few photos to someone if they wanted to post them for me.

I put another fifty miles on today with the bike loaded with my camping gear. All is well with my Penton. I burned 8 1/2 quarts of fuel for the 100 miles making 47 mpg doing 50 to 55 mph. I plan on leaving on the 2nd of May, taking three days to reach Chattanooga. That will give me one day for any needed maintenance before the start of the on dirt 1400 miles.

What I need to do now is figure on what tools and spare parts to take. Any suggestions?

Adam is prerunning the entire route this week and will fill us riders in on details when he finishes. I had ask him the distances between fuel stops. He is adding them to our daily route sheets. He will be giving us the nighty stop addresses as well.

Rick

[Rick Bennett]

I shipped off 9 bottles (times five gallons times 47mpg equals 2115 miles) of Spectro to Adam in Chattanooga today along with a John Penton DVD. That should give him something to think about. One week from tomorrow morning I will be on the road. Sure hope we get some nice weather.
Rick

[Paul Danik]

Hi Rick,

   You probably have thought of these items...but.  
spoke wrench, spare charged cell phone battery. and don't laugh...small quality of tp incase a quick trip to the woods is called for.


   I would think that when John made his record setting cross country run he surely had some tp tucked away somewhere, and instead of a spare cell phone battery he had a few dimes in his shoe for the pay phone. Funny how in all those years how much some things have changed while others are very much the same

Paul

[Paul Danik]

Hi Rick,

   You probably have thought of these items...but.  
spoke wrench, spare charged cell phone battery. and don't laugh...small quality of tp incase a quick trip to the woods is called for.


   I would think that when John made his record setting cross country run he surely had some tp tucked away somewhere, and instead of a spare cell phone battery he had a few dimes in his shoe for the pay phone. Funny how in all those years how much some things have changed while others are very much the same

Paul

[Rick Bennett]

Paul

That's what I like about you...your always thinking. How about some candy bars. Worked for JP. Ya, TP is a must.

Since it is a vintage ride I rewaxed my Barbour jacket. Might as well have the whole experience. Nothing like a slightly soaked Barbour in the morning.

Rick

[Rick Bennett]

I have some news on campground locations now.
Monday night, May 6 Turnipseed Campground, Lineville, AL
Tuesday Hardridge Creek Campground, Abbeville, AL
Wedensday St. George Island State Campground, Appalachacola, FL
Thursday Georgia Veterans State Park, Cordele, GA
Friday Don Carter State Park, Gainesville, GA
Saturday back at Chattanooga, TN

Rick