Topic: first ride

[hymodyne]

took the bike out for my first ride of this season today. low 50's but lots of sunshine...reinflated tires and I was underway. New gloves and helmet now, soon a new jacket for my patch or pin.

hym

[csendker]

40's and sunny today in Buffalo, so I took it to work.  I ran it a couple of times in December & January when we had a warm spell, but I'm  thinking this is the official start for the season!

[Bob Wessner]

I've managed a couple of days riding this month on days when it was in the high forties. Went out today, it was 50F when I left the house, nice and sunny. Some milder days coming according to the forecast.  . I'm sure we will have some minor setbacks, we had several inches of wet snow late last April  , but perhaps we have turned the corner.

[Jonesy]

I remember the wet snow very well... went to check out the CB360 that day (which we ended up buying) and my wife and I took our motorcycle safety course the following weekend. The instructor had photos of the training area all covered in snow! Glad we waited until May!

Speaking of first rides, I took the "new" 550 out for a spin after finally getting a plate for it. Needs a few little tweaks here and there, but it shows promise!

[SteveD CB500F]

Not the first ride this year but the first "meet"

Drove out to Staines (W London - just by the reservoir that you can see as you fly into Heathrow) with Jim Shea and Eamonn (UKCB750CAFERACERS) to test ride some Triumphs (and why not).  I didn't take my license so had to tag along on the old 500.

Jim took out a T100 Bonneville and Eamonn a Speed Four.

Results?  Well I don't think either of them will be buying one...

Got absolutely soaked on the way home...   It's not summer yet.

[needswork]

It's was up to 44F/7C at lunch time today so I went home and drove the bike back ot the office (18km). First ride of the season and the new (main) jets work much better. 

[csendker]

I've ridden it to work the last two days, and I figured out two things.  First, the new gauges I put on (correct ones) aren't a clean swap - the odo was reading 1.1+ miles per mile, so off they go and back on with the original (wrong) ones.  Oh well, the black face seems to work better with the LED's - more contrast.  Second, I am an idiot.  It has been running like crap, and I was becoming concerned.  That is, until I realized that I was running the choke backwards.  Starting it wide open and running it almost closed.  No wonder it was so hard to start, and I stunk like gas when I got off. Dyslexia say can you?

[skamania19]

The first couple of rides of the season are the best! Weather's been good enough here lately to get a couple hours a week. Just got back from an hour ride. Gonna rain on my days off of course.

[SteveD CB500F]

That is, until I realized that I was running the choke backwards.  Starting it wide open and running it almost closed. 

I was hoping that Jim Shea would chip in to this thread and 'fess up about his test ride on the 2005 Bonneville. He hasn't so here goes...

After a few miles we all stopped for a piss chat about the Bonne and the Speed Four.  Jim mentioned that the Bonne went like crap and wouldn't pull the higher gears.

That's right - he'd ridden it about 5 miles with the choke on!

[csendker]

Day 1: dyslexic choke operation; all day
Day 2: dyslexic choke operation; 1/2 day
Day 3: messed up my points; fast recovery

It's shaping up to be an eventful season.

[byidesign]

Got the cb650 put back together sunday ,{65 f outside} after
 the 30's felt great.{time for a ride....}
   put the gas in it to go for a spin,turned it on, had a leak from over#3 carb.
     turned it off , and went inside for my tool kit.
       came back out 15 min. later.with my flashlight to look.
           turn the gas back on..
         {No Leaks}   the O rings and dryed out in the month I had
       the carbs off for new needles+floats.had swelled back up again
          3 more days, and 250 miles later, still not a drop.
           But what a sinking feeling when I first saw that.................
              Makes me wonder if draining the fuel out of carbs for the winter
           {which I have always done}  is that great of an idea,
               any thoughts on it?
 
                        Bruce

[Bob Wessner]

Makes me wonder if draining the fuel out of carbs for the winter
           {which I have always done}  is that great of an idea

I always did, and still do. Leaving it in the bowls to slowly evaporate will just lead to varnish collection over time and another set of problems. Just my thoughts.

Might have been a momentary float sticking also. Next year  tap the carb bodies as the bowls are filling for the first time, maybe it won't leak at all. 

[byidesign]

When I had a look see {when I first noticed it}the one leak, was coming out
   from the pipe between the carbs above the float bowl, and running
   off the side of the bowl.{ Not the overflow}, that is why I thought the
    O rings must have dryed out. but in 24 yrs it's never done that little number,
       a real sinking feeling........... takes a half hour just to get  the carbs off.
 
          thanks
              Bruce

[Bob Wessner]

Gotcha, thought it was the usual overflow problem. Might be time for new "O" rings, or maybe if it was pretty cool/cold that day, they were cold/hard/shrunk a bit.