Topic: Rider's logs

[ofreen]

That is a nice 400.

[Kickstart]

Bob... Wow! I'm really impressed ... you didn't have to do all that... but it's cool that you did.

Now I feel bad about giving you a hard time.

That is one really nice looking cb400f. 

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Bob,

I can appreciate your effort  ALMOST AS MUCH AS I APPRECIATE YOUR 400F !  and I'll help you clean up the rain when I see it  .

Still no word from Pinhead. There's ALWAYS work arounds. I'm up for Friday if you other guys are but I'm driving the chase car. Route to be determined.

[scottly]

Nice looking 400, Bob!! Did it ride as well as it looks?

[MoMo]

Very nice 400F Bob!! ...Larry

[oldbob]

Nice looking 400, Bob!! Did it ride as well as it looks?

It runs pretty well. However, I live at 8,300 feet and my riding takes me from 5,000' to 10,000'. The carburetors are never exactly right.

[scottly]

Nice looking 400, Bob!! Did it ride as well as it looks?

It runs pretty well. However, I live at 8,300 feet and my riding takes me from 5,000' to 10,000'. The carburetors are never exactly right.

I was wondering more about how it felt ergonomically? Did you need pharmaceutical help when you got home?

[oldbob]

Nice looking 400, Bob!! Did it ride as well as it looks?

It runs pretty well. However, I live at 8,300 feet and my riding takes me from 5,000' to 10,000'. The carburetors are never exactly right.

I was wondering more about how it felt ergonomically? Did you need pharmaceutical help when you got home?

Ergonomically, it's not too bad. Nothing that alcohol and ibuprofen couldn't fix once I got home.

I just started using the passenger pegs for an alternate leg position. They work pretty well, but I can understand why the later 400s moved them from the swing-arm to the frame.

Bob

[K5 Keith]

Jerry met at my home at 9:00am and we left Colorado Springs for Nederland to meet OldBob. Jerry was in the vet and it was nice to put my backpack in his car. Both our rides where clean and ready to go!



Somewhere in the rockies... For 50 miles after leaving Woodland Park there were no cars in front of or behind us. That made for a nice ride through the mountains at our own pace. My bike was running great!

The plan was to meet Bob in Nederland and have lunch but we turned south instead of north on the highway to Bob's. This delayed our arrival an hour or so but was still a very nice ride through the mountains. We arrived in Nederland and met Bob at the visitor center but heavy rain looked to be threatening so we went strait to his house for the GZ hand off.

Here he is ready to take on the rain!

We left just before the rain got to his place and got about 7 miles down the road when it started to down pour. I pulled over to get my rain gear on but was already soaked. Start up the bike and begin to head down the road when it begins to sputter and stall. It had no power. We pulled over and thought it must be shorting coils, wires, or wet points. We decided it'd be best to get out of the rain to work on it and fortunately it was mostly down hill back to his garage. We got inside the garage and took the points cover off and found moisture. The gasket was not getting a good seal so we put a bead of silicone on and closed it back up. We went inside to have coffee and dry out. After an hour or two, we left to try again, still raining. Got down the road maybe a mile when the bike started to stall again. So back to his garage. On the way back I noticed it sounded as if it was only running on two cylinders. Number 1 and 2 pipes were hot, 3 and 4 were not... so instead of ignition, we suspected air/fuel issues. We dropped the bowls on 3 and 4 carbs and they were clean with no sign of water or blockage. I then recalled reading on the forum that if the overflow tubes are blocked with rain water these bikes may not run... So I pulled the 3 and 4 overflow tubes and it came back to 4 cylinders and full power. Off into the rain we go again. Down the road it starts to sputter again, this time I simply reached down and pulled off the 1 and 2 overflow tubes and full power again for the next 30 some miles to Lyons. In Lyons, Bob turned back for home and Jerry and I continued east to meet Terry in Hudson, CO. We pulled into Terry's garage just before 8pm. There we grilled burgers and jalapeno cheddar brats for dinner and kicked back with plenty of beer! Thanks Terry for the beer, food, and letting us sleep at your place!

The next morning we left around 8 am planning to meet grassCutter in McCook, NE at noon. With gas stops and construction, we where about an hour behind. While we waited for construction traffic to get moving again, Terry remembered there is a time zone change between where we where in CO and where we were going in NE. So, we were really going to be two hours late. We got a move on without stopping for pics at the borders or other sites. Pulled in to McCook just after 2:00 NE time and met GrassCutter. Since he was on time he was able to enjoy a BBQ lunch but the cooks were sent home until the dinner service. The restaurant suggested a bar down the road for lunch, so we went there and were told they only have drinks and frozen pizza. Not too excited for pizza, it was next door for Mexican food. We signed the log and sent GrassCutter on his way to Kansas to camp.



Handoff with Zack (on left) and Keith (right)

Here is Terry (cb650), his girlfriend Lynn, Jerry (Rxman), and Zack (GrassCutter)

GZ3 ready to ride with GrassCutter who would be the last Team 4 rider I think. After lunch Jerry and I made our way back to the Springs to get there before dark.

Here's mine and Jerry's two day round trip. 824 miles total and 341 with GZ.

[RAFster122s]

Is that the blue green paint on the 750? Or, is it the Planet Blue? Pretty bike...

[RAFster122s]

Done.

I rode 288 miles today, 50+ in rain. GZ has been back to the parking lot where he met my Water Buffalo, and has returned, all on an SOHC4.

This was the first rain the 400 has seen since I restored it.

Bob

OldBob, very nice 400. I am sure the bike will get wet when washing. She's probably all cleaned up and waxed until she ventures back out and is caught in the rain.
Looks like you did a very nice job on the restore.
David

[Mooshie]

GZ-3 all pimped out cracks me up.  I love that his outfit has survived!

[K5 Keith]

Is that the blue green paint on the 750? Or, is it the Planet Blue? Pretty bike...

Thanks, it's planet blue. The tank is fading but will be repainted with the side covers to match some day.

[heffay]

Terry... where's the cooler?!   

[cb650]

HaHa you so funny!!!!!   Hauling Lyns a$$ around there is no room for a cooler.
Actually we had  one in the trunk.

[grasscutter]

Super late on getting a ride report...   I'll pick up where K5 Keith left off.

Thursday July 19th, I get off work early and head to Fairbury Ne, to spend the night with some family.
Small town in SE NE, and had good hot weather, and nice 2 lanes for the trip down.

Blinkers stopped working, so when I got there, pulled the bucket off, and found a cpl connections that were not making connection.  Easy fix. 

Re-packed the bike Friday morning, and headed west on HWY 136 across the southern part of NE to McCook.
Roads were fab.  Temps were hot.  Perfect summer trip!
Here's a pic somewhere along HWY136.


When I look @ that pic, I realize it doesn't take much to travel across country.  Think most motorcycle riders pack too much.  With what I've got pictured, there is full camp gear, 2 changes of clothes, tool set, and a softpack cooler with cold drinks, snacks, food.  Have travel many many multi-day trips with this exact set-up.

OK...back to the trip. 
Running the CB650 @ about 60-65mph.  Fill-ups are showing me @ 46-48mpg.  Life is good!

Get to McCook.  I beat the CO guys there.  Time change and road construction for them.
Eat some dang good pulled pork @ a BBQ joint while waiting for them to arrive.
K5 Keith posted good pics of the hand-off, etc.
Here's one of mine and Keiths when I'm about to leave McCook.


Head south to I-70 in KS.  Hit some heavy rain on the way.  Doesn't last long, but it dumps heavy!
Then gets dry.  Then dumps again.
Rain is over by the time I get to I-70, and begin my trek east across KS. 
Temps are hot!  99deg +!!
Bike still running good.  Speeds now @ 75mph @ around 6200rpm.
MPG dropping to the low of the trip @ 41.8mpg.

Here's an action shot.  Was getting bored with driving on I-70!


Arrive @ Kanopolis Campground for the night.  It's a decent ways off I-70.  Miscalculated my mileage getting to the lake and then having to get back into town for gas.  Let's just say, the next day when I filled up, I was on fumes!  3.4gal tank...filled it with 3.25gal.  Had a whopping .15gal left!  Cutting it close!

Here's a pic of me setting up camp.
And one of GZ surveying his empire!  Ha.

Had a great storm come through.  Was nice to watch the sunset, lightning...temps dropped 20degs for sure.
Made for perfect camping!

Packed up the next morning.  Headed into Salina KS, filled up, and kept rolling on I-70 east to Kansas City.
Was in touch with Nshadadi, and Pinhead, coordinating the meet-up @ another BBQ place in KC.
Rain for Nshadadi and his traveling partner...but all made it to the meet successful.

Ate.  Swapped stories.  Took pics.  Was good to meet some new faces.  The last couple GZ tours, I did, the route took a different path.  Was good to connect up with fellow sohc/4 guys in a different region.
GZ handed off to Nshadadi and he took him to Columbia, MO and on to a different team. 
Team 4 officially ends.

I stayed the night in KC.  Got a hotel.  Swam.  Drank beer.  Slept good!

3.5hr ride back to Omaha. 

CB650 ran flawless no matter how hard I pushed it.
Hot temps.  Higher RPM.  Don't be afraid to let the ol' girls loose!!

**Will say though....I regret that I forget to put in high speed plugs per Honda Manual.
Definitely should have been running D9EA!  NOT D8EA (<--stock).  On long trips, I always swap them out, but for whatever reason, forgot to do it this time!   According to the NGK website...one step colder, equals 70-100deg C temp drop.  That's pretty significant in head temp!  Especially running higher RPMs, for hour after, and doing it during high summer temps of 99+.

Signing off.... team 4 out...

[Tews19]

Sounds like a fun time Grasscutter! Are you stopping at Rockerbox again?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

[Stev-o]

Good report Grass. Like this shot:

[grasscutter]

Sounds like a fun time Grasscutter! Are you stopping at Rockerbox again?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

You bet!  Making it an annual trip.
See you there.

[Old Scrambler]

Good write-up, Zack..................and it was GREAT to see you today at Rocker Box!....................along with Big Bob, Tews, and a dozen or more other gearheads.

[Stretch]

I hope GZ enjoyed his brief stay in KY. The weather didn't cooperate much for sight seeing but he did get the 50 cent tour Friday.

He said he wanted to see fast horses, faster female lizards, and good bourbon. Ok, first request was pretty easy.
Problem, no horses running until October. Strike one.
Second request, not exactly what he had in mind

Maybe there were lizard women in the moat in a previous age
Third request should have been pretty easy too

Wouldn't you know, missed the last tour and tasting by about 30 minutes. While we pondered our next move, we sat at a table under a tree looking at the bourbon warehouses.
If you look closely you can see some druel.

I guess we struck out on our tour, sorry buddy I'll make it up to you tomorrow.

I headed out this morning to meet with Prokop in Beckley WVa. Since there are no paved back roads between Lexington and Beckley, I had no choice but to do the interstate. Pretty boring but the scenery is worth a million bucks. The first part of the trip is the way I'd rather gone but it would have taken about 3 hours longer...

anyhow, the weather was perfect.
I rode my V65 Sabre because the trunk could keep stuff dry if it should start raining. It wasn't an issue this morning.(remember this comment).  Made it to Beckley. Prokop came to a stoplight at the exact same time as I was pulling up to it. We couldn't have planned it that way. We pulled into the first parking space we came to and right across the street was a nice little Irish pub. We all dismounted and headed in for some gruel.

Lunch was excellent. Prokop is a great guy to talk to... and then it was time for the trip on to VA. Prokop had a lot of miles to cover so we parted company and headed home.

Pleasant journeys little man..

My return trip wasn't quite so nice. Beckley to Charleston was pretty nice. I stopped for some gas and when I looked up and these big black clouds had come out of nowhere. I made it about 10 miles before the rain started so I stopped and put on my rain suit. 10 miles later the sun came out. The suit turned into an oven so off with the suit. 5 miles later the heavens opened up. By the time I got to an underpass I was so wet that I couldn't see any point pulling the suit out again. 80 or so miles in various degrees of downpours. Everything was dry by the time I got home, except my underwear.
My total mileage for the day 525, half with GZ

This one's for you Jerry

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Thanks Magna. I'm blue blood through and through. Looking forward to the new crop and the new Rupp. Hell, maybe we can even have a football team! Naw, that may be asking TOO much but I'm hoping.

[70CB750]

First of all, the reliability of the old girl is amazing.  I literally only kicked the tires before I took her for 560 miles trip without a shade of doubt that she will get me back too.

Saturday morning I left right around sunrise, 6:10 or so.  It was nice cool morning with a promise of rain, took my favored 211 cross the Blue Ridge, Luray  to 11.  11 South got me to 33 and 33 to Franklin and 220.

Picture from Blue Ridge pass on 211.

[70CB750]

33 on the way to West Virginia has some amazing twisties with proper warning too, took a picture when I got through them.

[70CB750]

33 to Franklin and 220 to Covington.

220 is great road, nice country and no cars for miles and miles.

When I got to Covington I realized I am done playing, the time was just about right to speed up, so I took 64 to Beckley.  On the way there was a construction with the necessary a$$hole driving right behind me and also some weird bumps in the road every 100' or so that got old very fast.

Turned out Beckley is the typical Virginia/West Virginia town where the Main street is one way street, I went round the block and while waiting at a traffic light I saw Bill coming from the left.