Topic: First bike, first long trip, looking for advice and tips from the experienced

[Mcwilliams570]

Hats off to you sounded like a great adventure if your ever in the Delware area I have a place for you to crash at.

Matt

[jneuf]

Awesome story!!

[Syscrush]

Very good writeup, I enjoyed it a lot.

[paulmac]

Great write up and fantastic photos. Brings back great memories of my travels on my 500/4 during the 70's here in Australia.

[Kevin D]

Thanks for sharing Mark. A very nice trip and write up.

You stirred some memories for me, too. Bears, Waterton, big mile ride across prairie to get home. Did you miss the windshield?

I think I'm on my second front sprocket. I flipped it a while back to use the unworn side. The rear is original. I figure with 18/48 sprockets I'll wear out 3 front ones before the back one is gone, or thereabouts. 70000 miles.

[markreimer]

The first day of the trip I was cursing myself for leaving the windshield at home, but after that I loved riding it naked. I don't think I'd do it any other way at this point. Riding home east was better than going west, perhaps due to the trade winds.

[70CB750]

Oops... always learning something new! Thanks!

Picture worth framing, IMHO.

[markreimer]

It's been just about a year since I finished this trip and I've planned a bigger and better version for this summer - Winnipeg to South Dakota, West through Montana (taking the Ride to the Sky), to the Pacific, south a few hundred km, and back East through Northern Idaho and Yellowstone, including the beartooth pass. I'm leaving in one week from today with 12 days to finish the tour. I've learned a lot from this trip and can't wait to take the cb750 out for another long haul.

Here is the route:

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=212220975008335473536.0004c2859773fcf3fddf5&msa=0

Since last year, I made a few significant upgrades to the cb750:

- progressive springs up front
- replaced the whole front suspension with a pair of forks off a CB750A that had under 2000 miles on them - new seals, progressive springs and they bolted right on.
- Stainless Steel one-piece brake line
- rebuilt front caliper with new pads
- new sprockets and chain
- bronze swingarm bushings and new pivot collar
- new cables
- new clutch (friction and steel plates, springs)
- Stainless allen-bolt engine kit
- Pulled the rear drum apart to replace the pads, but found near-new pads and new bearings inside. Thanks PO!
- rebuilt carbs, upped main jets by one size
- K&N air filter
- new oil lines
- trued front and rear wheels - had a couple loose spokes


After making all these fixes I'm actually really surprised the bike made it to Vancouver and back in its previous state. Or that I stayed alive on it. I'm hoping to start a new thread for this trip with live reports, but that is dependent on being able to secure a reliable internet connection along the way. If not I'll be sure to share my adventure when I get back..

Anyone know of any 'must-ride' roads along this route? Something off the beaten path?

[the technological J]

i would shoot the whole way down 89 in wyoming  past the teton mountains(they are awesome) and head west at jackson

[hockeyteeth]

Your last trip was seemed rad! This one should also be great with all the experience and mechanical familiarity you have racked up. I am planning to ride from Florida to Colorado soon. I'm very envious of you right now.

Also, did you ever have any problems with your SLR from all the vibration? I once took my old Konica Minolta 35mm on a bicycle tour and the lens kept vibrating apart, and the mirror broke somehow...

[scottly]

Mark, your timing is just a tiny bit away from joining the relay this year, just like last year.

[markreimer]

THAT CANYON IS INCREDIBLE