Topic: 25 Rides in 2025, Frank's New Years resolution that we can all enjoy.

[lash]

63 mi. for #32. Turned into a beautiful day for riding! bought my wife some new riding boots. No food stops,was hoping to find a hot dog stand but no luck.

[PeWe]

#11.  206 km ride.
Today a fuel testing ride.
Shell gas stations in Sweden were overtaken by St1 2010 but continued as Shell and their fuel V-Power.

I noticed a few  weeks ago that one of my frequent Shell stations got the St1 signs.
The receipt after refueling was St1 98 ron. No more V-Power.

My local Shell station has still the Shell graphics and V-Power on the pump which is not correct.

That fuel cause pinging inside my Blue K6 engine as I proved to be a fuel issue yesterday.

I have read about Circle K and their Miles + 98.
That gas station chain was earlier Statoil which was my regular station before Shell. Statoil gas stations were before that ESSO.
 I remember late 60's and the vinyl stickers I could get when I followed my dad to the gas station.
I loved the smell of the fresh vinyl stickers.
The Esso tiger one of the better.

Anyway., I rode my blue K6 100 km away (north)  to Hedemora to refuel at Circle K today.
Hedemora was known for TT racing  many decades ago.

I got the tank reserve on ca 20km before the gas station. Refilled with 13.63 L so about 3.4L crap fuel left.

I adjusted the ignition , advanced it almost as it was before.
Filled up with their Miles + 98 fuel. (98 RON).

I was easy on the throttle in the beginning to get the crap St1 98 less power- more pinging fuel out of the carb bowls.

Bike got its torque back!
No problem to cruise in 5:th gear and slowly reach 140kmh where I whacked the throttle wide open. No pinging  around 7000rpm!
Good grunt from before 4000 rpm.

Circle K Miles+ 98 is approved by my blue K6.   
I bet my car will love it too.

Shell V-Power is no longer here in Sweden. R.I.P.
St1 98 RON is more like a lower octane fuel like 95 RON with less ethanol, E5.

My rides will be a little different, other gas stations. Circle K has more stations than Shell/St1.

Here photos of todays ride with a happy ending.
Food at home, grilled chicken wirh spicy rice and a tasty spanish red wine

Good Brie cheese and blue mold cheese with crackers.

I look forward for more rides and refill again after reserve has kicked in to get more of the crap fuel out from the system.
 It is not good for the engine.



EDIT:
I have searched for the crappy St1 98 fuel and found results that support my findings I learned the hard way this spring.

Car tuners with dyno and users:
- St1 with last versions of V-Power 98 RON  delivered in Sweden the worst fuel/lowest quality.

- OKQ8 has the best 98 RON fuel.
- Circle K comes next. (Ingo 98 same)
- Preem 98  works too. Plus others.

So last dyno late October 2022 could have been better with OKQ8 fuel
Maybe the 110whp goal might have happened then?

The rich area before 6500-7000rpm is sorted after this run. (Better needles(taper), cleaned carbs, smaller pilots and less acc pump stroke)




Funny, gas station OK  with their 98RON fuel made my K6 with 836cc to ping at 120-130kmh (around 5000rpm) when twisting the throttle from 100kmh ca 4000rpm) in 5th gear . 17:48 sprockets as today.
Esso 98  not. It was better back then 1984-

[Kevin D]

Per, Did your dad ride a motorcycle?

[PeWe]

Per, Did your dad ride a motorcycle?

Hi Kevin,
No, he had no interest in mopeds or motorcycles. Maybe not time for it due to engineering studies/work or just a lethal machine .
It should have been direct after WW2 then.

His younger brother had a small bike. Unknown brand or size. I remember a motorcycle engine at the attic of their parents house when cleaning up after them after the last one had passed in 1967.

[Kevin D]

My dad also didnt ride. He never once sat on my CB, nor my mom. But he helped me to get my first job at the Honda shop. He took a brief jaunt with the boss on the back of a 750, one time only. Both my grandmas encouraged me, my grandpas had passed.
 There is a famous picture of my comedian grandma who donned all of my motorcycle gear and sat upon my dirt bike with engine out for the photo. I cannot find the photo. My dads mother rode around the block with me, one time only, on my first BlueGreen K0, also no photo.

[BallAquatics]

I remember my Dad having a Blue 60's something BSA 350 single when I was a child.  I can remember when he bought it from this bike dealer in Urbana Ohio and the shop was in a building that had a half round roof like an air plane hanger.

I also remember the last time he rode the bike...  He had been drinking and was heading east on US 40.  He dropped off the edge of the pavement and when he tried to bring the bike back on the road, lost control.  It just so happened that a group of Ohio State Highway Patrol officers where heading east towards Columbus on US 40 right behind him.  They got him to the hospital and then came and informed Mom what had happened.

I remember that his hands looked like he was wearing latex gloves as they were so blistered.  He wasn't hurt badly, but never rode a bike again.  He was very supportive just a few years later when I started riding at 13 years old.  I think he got a big kick out of my racing and often helped me work on the bikes.

[lash]

134km. for #33. Well the weather was too good to last . Couple of nice days and then bam, +9c ,windy and rain. went out anyway and put some time on the KLR. Bridge in the picture was rebuilt a few years ago. Glad they rebuilt it as it was and not just a steel form.

[Kelly E]

Today I got ride #1 in. We rode over the Cascade Mountains to Wenatchee on Hwy 2. The weather was drizzling at first until we climbed up into the clouds. We got snowed on up at the summit of Steve's Pass at 4000ft. We rode around 150 miles total.

[willbird]

5-17-2025, #16. CB500X, 75 miles. Rode some increasingly sized rectangles within 10-15 miles of home, did not have enough clothes on for 60F and the weather was iffy. Picked up some NY Strip steaks from a local place that raises and sells beef. Got the K2 out when I got home and put 25 miles on it, first time out for it this year, grabbed some Potatoes to go with the steaks tmw. There was a guy from VFW at walamrt with poppies and a donation can. I put $3 in the can and that blew him away as if it were 300, and more importantly when he said "thank you" I said "no thank YOU, and gave him a firm handshake while doing so.


5-18-2025, #17, plopped steaks in Souse Vide at 133F, Rode Cb500X 190 miles, kinda all over, nothing photogenic really, did get along the Maumee River in Waterville and follow it west to Napoleon, OH.

5-18-2025, #18, When I got home from #17 I cooked steaks and microwaved potato, close second to a real backed potato. Then hopped back on CB500X and went 75 miles, headed to Butler, IN, then went North to Angola, picked up a few things at Meijer and then rode on home. Really niuce evening and that run from Butler to Angola can take one over some really scenic roads with hills and twists and turns.

[PeWe]

#12  a 287 km ride in fantastic weather. 22-23*C blue sky and sunshine.
It was meant to be a  refueling trip. Drain the old with 20% crap fuel, in with new better.

Again riding until reserve has kicked in. Hedemora today too but other station than last ride.
Today the gas station chain with better fuel, OKQ8 (Q8 as in Kuwait)
98 RON

I took the longer way home over Säter, Smedjebacken for refueling myself and back in the opposite direction I usually ride.
The bike likes the fuel, good torque and no pinging when giving WOT at  around 140kmh.

It needs more fuel screws now. A ride tomorrow to adjust them.

Here some photos of the views. Best views not possible to stop at.

[lash]

148 km. for #34. Still cool and windy at +11c but sunny so took a ride for a burger in Harriston, On. after spending the morning putting the engine back in my red 750. Hopefully start it tomorrow and finish up to get it back on the road.

[BenelliSEI]

148 km. for #34. Still cool and windy at +11c but sunny so took a ride for a burger in Harriston, On. after spending the morning putting the engine back in my red 750. Hopefully start it tomorrow and finish up to get it back on the road.

What needed doing?

[lash]

Compression was down in one of the cylinders last fall. Had great plans of doing it over the winter but just never got around to it until this month. God I’m lazy sometimes!

[Terry in Australia]

Geez, you guys are going in leaps and bounds! I love all the pics too, fantastic. OK, it's gone from a late summer where we were still getting 70+ degree days a couple of weeks ago, to freezing mornings and top temps in the 50's and 60's, if we're lucky. Still fine weather for the most part, but I hate the cold. Having said that, my current contract has expired, so I'm taking a couple of weeks (and maybe longer) long service leave, which suits me, I hate to scrape the ice off my windscreen at 5.15 am, so sleeping in will be the order of the day, but I'm hoping to get some more rides in when the weather tops out around midday.

Yesterday I decided to take the Rocket III for a ride, I think I've only ridden it once or twice this year and even though I'd planned to keep it forever, I've decided to sell it, and around 15 or so other bikes. There's an auction place not far from me that runs auctions every month, so I'm going to take the Triumph, the Kawasaki KZ750, two BMW's and the Suzuki T500 and T350 over in the next few weeks, and I'll keep trickling more bikes over. Anyway, I had to jump start the Triumph off my Truck, so hoped that a 60 mile run would bring the battery back to fully charged, but I guess I'll find out tomorrow. Somehow I suspect that I'll need another battery, but I can't complain, I bought that black Motobatt battery 10 years ago in November, so it's done well, considering that it's never been on a trickle charger.

Anyway, I had a great 60+ mile ride, and only two or three hours after I arrived back, I was able to feel my fingers.... #11 done and dusted.

Rocket III Sunday 18 May 2025 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

[BenelliSEI]

Compression was down in one of the cylinders last fall. Had great plans of doing it over the winter but just never got around to it until this month. God I’m lazy sometimes!

Too busy riding! J.

[willbird]

I have read about Circle K and their Miles + 98.





Circle K Miles+ 98 is approved by my blue K6.   







- Circle K comes next. (Ingo 98 same)

I'm curious, Circke K here at night, say 8PM on is a circus side show LOL. They are one of the few 24 hour places here and the meth heads and other assorted strange rangers all flock there. One can get a roller grill hotdog on a bun where the bun is more crispy than the potato chips on the next aisle.

Bill

[PeWe]

I have read about Circle K and their Miles + 98.





Circle K Miles+ 98 is approved by my blue K6.   







- Circle K comes next. (Ingo 98 same)

I'm curious, Circke K here at night, say 8PM on is a circus side show LOL. They are one of the few 24 hour places here and the meth heads and other assorted strange rangers all flock there. One can get a roller grill hotdog on a bun where the bun is more crispy than the potato chips on the next aisle.

Bill

Different kinds of customers here what I have seen. Mostly petrol heads
Their grilled sausages with mashed potatoes and shrimp salad was a favourite for 20-25 years ago.
It's time to revive that habit

[willbird]

I have read about Circle K and their Miles + 98.





Circle K Miles+ 98 is approved by my blue K6.   







- Circle K comes next. (Ingo 98 same)

I'm curious, Circke K here at night, say 8PM on is a circus side show LOL. They are one of the few 24 hour places here and the meth heads and other assorted strange rangers all flock there. One can get a roller grill hotdog on a bun where the bun is more crispy than the potato chips on the next aisle.

Bill

Different kinds of customers here what I have seen. Mostly petrol heads
Their grilled sausages with mashed potatoes and shrimp salad was a favourite for 20-25 years ago.
It's time to revive that habit

We in the USA are jealous, our Circle K has no such gourmet delights.

Bill

[PeWe]

I have read about Circle K and their Miles + 98.





Circle K Miles+ 98 is approved by my blue K6.   







- Circle K comes next. (Ingo 98 same)

I'm curious, Circke K here at night, say 8PM on is a circus side show LOL. They are one of the few 24 hour places here and the meth heads and other assorted strange rangers all flock there. One can get a roller grill hotdog on a bun where the bun is more crispy than the potato chips on the next aisle.

Bill

Different kinds of customers here what I have seen. Mostly petrol heads
Their grilled sausages with mashed potatoes and shrimp salad was a favourite for 20-25 years ago.
It's time to revive that habit

We in the USA are jealous, our Circle K has no such gourmet delights.

Bill

Maybe your Internet browser can translate to english

https://www.circlek.se/mat/korv

[Kevin D]

We in the USA are jealous, our Circle K has no such gourmet delights.

I can’t speak to their fuel qualities, I expect its fresh from the swarms of people pumping,
the BBQ sandwich I had at Buc-ees was pretty good.

[lash]

#35 done at 188 km. Rode to a town called Blythe,On. where they have a leather store called the Old Mill. The most leather I have ever seen in one place! Almost next door is the Cowbell Brewery which is supposed to have really good food so I plan to take my wife to both places while avoiding going broke!

[Kelly E]

I just got home from the 3 day ride. Day 2 we did a 137 mile loop over to Dry Falls State Park and Blue Lake.
Today we came back over Steven's Pass. No snow this time on the 150 miles back. Also hardly any traffic which is pretty rare for Hwy 2 these days.
That makes 3 rides so far. Next trip is scheduled for June 23rd, three and half weeks after my next radiation infusion treatment. 

[willbird]

I have read about Circle K and their Miles + 98.





Circle K Miles+ 98 is approved by my blue K6.   







- Circle K comes next. (Ingo 98 same)

I'm curious, Circke K here at night, say 8PM on is a circus side show LOL. They are one of the few 24 hour places here and the meth heads and other assorted strange rangers all flock there. One can get a roller grill hotdog on a bun where the bun is more crispy than the potato chips on the next aisle.

Bill

Different kinds of customers here what I have seen. Mostly petrol heads
Their grilled sausages with mashed potatoes and shrimp salad was a favourite for 20-25 years ago.
It's time to revive that habit

We in the USA are jealous, our Circle K has no such gourmet delights.

Bill

Maybe your Internet browser can translate to english

https://www.circlek.se/mat/korv

Wow that looks amazing :-).

Bill

[BenelliSEI]

I just got home from the 3 day ride. Day 2 we did a 137 mile loop over to Dry Falls State Park and Blue Lake.
Today we came back over Steven's Pass. No snow this time on the 150 miles back. Also hardly any traffic which is pretty rare for Hwy 2 these days.
That makes 3 rides so far. Next trip is scheduled for June 23rd, three and half weeks after my next radiation infusion treatment. 
[/quote


Well done Kelly! Just signed up my son and I for an upcoming club weekend ride like that. Really looking forward to it.

[Terry in Australia]

Yesterday I took two charged Motobatt batteries over to my storage unit. One for the Rocket III to see if it would start so I can take it to the auction place this week, and one for the K0, with the intention of taking it for it's first ride in a long time. I fitted both batteries, the Rocket fired right up, which is great, it would have cost me well over 100 bucks for a new battery if the 10 year old Motobatt was dead. I decided to check the fuel in the K0 and was horrified to see that the tank was empty! WTF? Then I noticed that the petcock was on reserve. Bugger. I'm guessing that whatever was in my tank a few months ago is now in my sump. Poop. Oh well, I'll drop the oil (and fuel) and give it an oil change, and try to remember not to leave the fuel on again...

So without any chance of riding the K0, I jumped on the Triumph. It started up again without any issues, but I threw my jump pack and jumper leads in one of the saddle bags, just to be sure. I didn't need them though, the bike was behaving itself, and I had a nice (almost) winter ride. It was sunny and cool, with an annoying North wind that almost felt like it was blowing me backwards. I rode on to Kilmore, and took a pic of it next to the old Post office.

Rocket III Sunday 25 May 2025 1 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

I wasn't really hungry, but rode over to the chicken place and bought a couple of steamed dim sims (stillborn rats) and a cold drink for lunch.

Rocket III Sunday 25 May 2025 3 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

After that, I rode across to Wandong, then onto the freeway to blast back to Melbourne. The bike ran exceptionally well, and I was in two minds whether to sell it or not, but I think I'll sell it and put the money back into other projects. I've been buying some parts for my 1969 Kawasaki Mach III 500, and they're ridiculously expensive, think sandcast parts, and add another 50%. Oh well, it will be worth it when I finally get it on the road. #12 down, and looking forwards to riding some of my other bikes soon.