http://www.magnaownersoftexas.com/forums/index.php?topic=2710.0
http://www.magnaownersoftexas.com/forums/index.php?topic=4049.0
Well gang,
I've done my time, and I'm looking for some adventure... wait wait...sounds like a song...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJS8j9YYB9w
"Get your motor running
Head out on the highway
Looking for adventure
In whatever comes our way"
***************************************
Just got off the phone with Allen Rugg (Roboto65),
I'm looking to ride down to TX from NYC the first week of March...and stay for about 2-3 weeks.
I'd like to wrench, go on some rides across TX, and see the faces of people on this forum I've been chatting with for the past 3 years! MEXICO?
CHICKEN FRIED BACON? Gotta try it least once... right?
The route will be approximately 1,912 miles.
I'll be bringing my clymer manual, some clothes, my leathers, and a tent. ((A couple of emergency roadside tools (tire repair kit, etc..).)
I don't plan on staying at any hotels. So hopefully I can find some patches of land b/w NYC and Tx to camp on...else I might have to sleep in a rest stop parking lot next to my Magna (reminds me of HOOTMON's picture from a year ago...sportbike in the bed).
If yall have a yard I can borrow when I get down to Texas...to setup my tent...it'll be much appreciated. I'll try not to kill the grass hahah.
Please add to this post with ideas if you got any places we can ride too down in TX, things to do, wrench sessions, etc...
I'd like to ride with the fast group...I don't mind scraping my pegs hitting those turns!
Maybe Harry (Hootmon) can meet me halfway b/w Texas & Floriduh...and come to Texas as well (wishful thinking) hahah.
Just for you lragan....I'll record my mpg haha....55+ eh?
Well as we talked about the first week is on me I have a extra bed waiting for ya and we can have a wrench session at my place and do the Chicken Fried Bacon run in that week too !!!! Lets show him what Texas is about !!!!
I have plenty of room at my place near Austin. You can set up your tent by the lake or on the hill, or anywhere your heart desires. The Hill Country starts here. Great riding, although I won't be scraping any pegs trying to keep up with you. :cool: :cool:
I doubt you will need any wrenching after staying with Allen, but I have nice complement of tools if you decide you want to. I expect to have enough red paint, clear coat, metal flake, etc. left over from the paint job I am in the middle of to do another Magna if you want to repaint it...
In any case, you are welcome here, no matter what gas mileage you do or don't get... :lol: :lol: :lol:
AND, my place is only a short ride from The Salt Lick -- great barbecue in the Texas tradition.
Be careful, my friend. Once you get down here, the experience may be so life changing that you decide to stay.
That's what happened to me in 1982. :-P :-P :-P
Wrench session at Greg's and the Cotton Gin for lunch and pie!
Love to come.. But with my present job situation, I can't afford to come, and if I get a job between then and now, I probably won't have any time off.
I know, Excuses, Excuses..
Is there a tug boat coming by anytime soon???
No Hoot probably not BUT if you come out for MOOTMag I will see if I can meet you halfway and ride the rest of the way with ya !!!
Quote from: hootmon on January 12, 2010, 10:33:40 PM
Love to come.. But with my present job situation, I can't afford to come, and if I get a job between then and now, I probably won't have any time off.
I know, Excuses, Excuses..
Is there a tug boat coming by anytime soon???
Good point Harry.
Realistically, these plans are tenative. They could change...due to various factors.
However, I'm going to make a concerted effort to plan this trip to Texas.
What city should I aim for?
Thanks.
QuoteWhat city should I aim for?
Probably the most concentrated area of Magna owners would be Moot Central (Dallas) .
Quote from: 1985v45Magna on January 13, 2010, 07:29:53 AM
Good point Harry.
Realistically, these plans are tenative. They could change...due to various factors.
However, I'm going to make a concerted effort to plan this trip to Texas.
Thanks.
Are you really riding from NY, or will you be coming from Baltimore or NC??
Quote from: hootmon on January 13, 2010, 11:15:57 AM
Quote from: 1985v45Magna on January 13, 2010, 07:29:53 AM
Good point Harry.
Realistically, these plans are tenative. They could change...due to various factors.
However, I'm going to make a concerted effort to plan this trip to Texas.
Thanks.
Are you really riding from NY, or will you be coming from Baltimore or NC??
NYC harry :)
So, when you were contemplating moving to NYC, I remember a thread about what to do with the bike -- parking expense, etc.
What I don't remember is how the issue was resolved. Obviously you still have the bike :???:
Quote from: lragan on January 13, 2010, 02:32:59 PM
So, when you were contemplating moving to NYC, I remember a thread about what to do with the bike -- parking expense, etc.
What I don't remember is how the issue was resolved. Obviously you still have the bike :???:
\
Yes. Its in MD. I'll ride it up to NYC...then down to TX?
Why?
B/c I plan to swing by the Adirondacks as well (6 hours)...but its in the opposite direction so I'm not going to do that on the same day as the Texas Ride.
:).
Unless I get offered a fair value for my bike, TX is my best option. I can't afford any more expensive shop repairs. Seems like something new always breaks right when I get out of the Honda shop. Its bad news all over...all the time.
Things are looking good for the trip.
So far, on schedule as planned :).
Does anybody know anyone 1000 miles in the middle b/w Tx and NYC?
I'd like to stop after 1000 miles but I could always find a hooker hotel to stay in on the cheap. I'm bringing a tent but if I can't find any suitable hostels to camp at I might have to crash in less suitable hotels.
Hopefully, I can pull a hootmon, and roll my magna into the hotel room with me :P
PMed ya Dan
If you make it as far South as the RGV your welcome stay at Delta Lake. I have a lot with a trailer there. You will be coming during the busiest time of the year for me. Im a CPA but I can point you in the right direction and if you plan do be here on a weekend I can ride with you on Saturday afternoon and Sunday. If you do plan on visiting Mexico (its not the safest place anymore) you will need a passport and I would recommend just visiting Progresso. Its about 35 miles from the lake. Let me know your thoughts on all this.
Ok cool got ya fixed up 8) 8)
so, when Dan gets down here a ride HAS to be arranged.
Oh but of course thinking about the Famous Chicken Fried Bacon run and we will be having a wrench session at my Casa too so Stay tuned.
This will be happening the weekend of March 6th and 7th maybe the 5th if anyone wants to I have the whole week off so will Dan so we will have to plan what day.
Maybe Chicken Fried bacon run the 6th Saturday and Wrench on the 7th the Sunday..
Quote from: roboto65 on January 19, 2010, 09:02:09 PM
Oh but of course thinking about the Famous Chicken Fried Bacon run and we will be having a wrench session at my Casa too so Stay tuned.
This will be happening the weekend of March 6th and 7th maybe the 5th if anyone wants to I have the whole week off so will Dan so we will have to plan what day.
Maybe Chicken Fried bacon run the 6th Saturday and Wrench on the 7th the Sunday..
Up here in Brooklyn, NY...there's a place called "Chipshop"...
One of there specialties is TWICE FRIED CHERRY PIE!
It is SOOO delicious but sooo bad for your health.
They also serve...
FRIED OREOS!
FRIED TWINKIES!
FRIED SNICKERS!
FRIED TWIX's!
and FRIED REESE's PEANUT BUTTER CUPS!
:).
Oh, and did I mention FRIED NY PIZZA? :P
Well everything is BIGGER in Texas LOL and The Chicken Fried Bacon is pretty good along with there small Steaks :shock: :shock: :lol:
Fried Pickles and Fried Green Tomato's down here in Floriduh..
Oh yeah.. Funnel cakes and Fresh Strawberry shortcake (right off the farm)
And of course Grits.. But not necessarily in that order..
The first weekend in March I will be on a Duel Sport ride, we will have to work something out later so I can meet up with Dan in the DFW area for a ride or something.
QuoteFried Pickles and Fried Green Tomato's down here in Floriduh..
Oh yeah.. Funnel cakes and Fresh Strawberry shortcake (right off the farm)
All popular Texas cuisine also. the town I was born and raised in, Pasadena, Texas started as a strawberry farming community. They have a strawberry festival every year. Any and everything strawberry you could ever imagine is available there.
Almost everything in Texas comes fried in at least one version, even ice cream :D, the key word down South is DEEP fried!! 8) 8)..
Costs so far:
Round trip cost of gas (1900 miles / 45 mpg (50 too high of an estimate) = 42 x $7 (fill up tank) ~ $300 x 2 = $600 round trip.
Maintenance costs:
Oil Change = $10 (on my own).
Add saddlebags/trunk (allen) = $100
Springs = $75
Brakes (steel) $55
Speakers = $150
Sliders = ?
Tires (2) ~ $200 (possibly darkside)
Speedometer from guy in Tx = $40
Food = ?
Cost to stay at various places = ?
Anything else you can think of guys for the motorcycle?
Total cost so far of trip ~ $1090
Just want to point out friendly remainder that trip is still in tentative status. Like I already told Allen, I have to figure out my situation when I decide to return to MD.
Hopefully, everything works out though :)
Re-figure your fuel cost
1900 (one-way) / 45 MPG = 42 Gals X $3.00 = 126.67
Quote from: TLRam1 on January 21, 2010, 10:33:20 AM
Re-figure your fuel cost
1900 (one-way) / 45 MPG = 42 Gals X $3.00 = 126.67
good catch...
multitasking at work hahah.
$7 to fill my tank...that's where i got that number from :)
Dont forget this stuff!
http://www.antimonkeybutt.com/
Sounds like a good cheap vacation that you'll never forget.
Just be sure you got enough money left to go home :twisted:!! Just kidding, you wouldn't be the first foreigner to visit Texas and end up staying :D :D :D..
Hey.
What's easier to install?
Progressive springs or steel braided brake lines?
I might want to try it myself prior to the trip. I think I'll have some time to wrench.
I now have a camera to upload pics too.
IMO they are pretty similar as far as difficulty. Neither are THAT hard IMO, but I have a fair amount of mechanical experience (have built a few engines and such)
for Brake lines the hard part is flushing the lines, unless you have access to a mity-vac. Other than that it is pretty straightforward.
There are some things to know that help when doing the springs. It is VERY EASY to strip the caps that hold the springs in. If you don't have the correct size socket DONT try it. it is either 24mm or 25mm, can't remember off the top of my head. I have both.
Are you planning on changing the fork oil at the same time?
Quote from: DG on January 22, 2010, 10:11:08 AM
IMO they are pretty similar as far as difficulty. Neither are THAT hard IMO, but I have a fair amount of mechanical experience (have built a few engines and such)
for Brake lines the hard part is flushing the lines, unless you have access to a mity-vac. Other than that it is pretty straightforward.
There are some things to know that help when doing the springs. It is VERY EASY to strip the caps that hold the springs in. If you don't have the correct size socket DONT try it. it is either 24mm or 25mm, can't remember off the top of my head. I have both.
Are you planning on changing the fork oil at the same time?
thanks dG
I'll try to do the progressive then...
fork oil, yes!
Of course, just when the issue is settled, here comes another MOOTster with a contrary opinion. (I am probably about as contrary as anyone on the forum :lol: :lol:!!)
I thought the brake line was quite simple -- and I don't have a mity vac, or whatever. I used an oil can with a pump in it, and a piece of clear flexible tubing the right size to fit over the oil can tip and the bleed fitting on the slave cylinder. Took the top off the reservoir, emptied out the old fluid, put new fluid in the oil can, and pumped it up the brake line from the bottom.
Learned this technique in bleeding the brakes on a light aircraft. Works great.
The solid braking performance seems more important to me than the better handling, but I like both!! One could argue either way regarding safety.
I don't know how others do it, but I put the bike up on a lift to take weight off the front wheel before removing the caps off the fork tubes. It was all I could do to get the caps back on with the springs and spacers in place and no weight on the wheels. Would take a much stronger man than I am to do it with the weight of the bike on the front tire.
The brake line can be replaced without a lift.
Of course, you could always change mechanics and bring it back to stock... :cool:
Quote from: lragan on January 22, 2010, 10:42:34 AM
Of course, you could always change mechanics and bring it back to stock... :cool:
LOL, I've unleashed an animal :)
QuoteI thought the brake line was quite simple -- and I don't have a mity vac, or whatever. I used an oil can with a pump in it, and a piece of clear flexible tubing the right size to fit over the oil can tip and the bleed fitting on the slave cylinder. Took the top off the reservoir, emptied out the old fluid, put new fluid in the oil can, and pumped it up the brake line from the bottom.
NOT a contrary opinion at all. You stated what I did, except you replaced "mity-vac" with "oil can" (damn good idea by the way).
I agree brake lines are easier overall. I have bled without the mighty vac (did not think to use the oil can method) and it is not hard, just takes forever and you get tired of pumping the brake.
If you're going to do the progressives, you might as well as pull the forks and replace the seals if they haven't been done since '84. It would suck to replace the springs, fill it with new oil, and then have it spring a leak and find out the only reason it wasn't leaking before was because most of the oil had already leaked out. If you're just doing the springs, then it's a really easy job, if you're pulling the forks to do seals, then it's a bit more complicated. Still not a bad job, just takes more work.
If you're going to do the lines, make sure you crack it at all the banjos, they like to get air caught up there. I also heard of a good tip recently for getting stuck air out of the master cyl. After you bleed it a bit, fill it with fluid, close the top, unbolt the master cyl from the bar, and flip it over a few times, that way any stuck air will have a new way out. Haven't tried it but I probably will soon as I have to swap my master cylinders out when I get off my lazy butt...
Alan, count me in when you do a ride, I've gotta meet up with some folks one of these days...
I have to agree with A65bug on the springs. It would be best to do the seals also if they have not been done recently. They WILL fail sooner than later. Also you get ALL of the old oil out that way. Just draining won't. The only special tool I needed to do the seals was an impact wrench for the bolts on the bottom that hold the forks together. If Allen does not have one I can bring mine. :smile:
So now I would totally say if your going to go ahead and do a project then do the brake lines.
Quote from: DG on January 25, 2010, 06:53:02 AM
I have to agree with A65bug on the springs. It would be best to do the seals also if they have not been done recently. They WILL fail sooner than later. Also you get ALL of the old oil out that way. Just draining won't. The only special tool I needed to do the seals was an impact wrench for the bolts on the bottom that hold the forks together. If Allen does not have one I can bring mine. :smile:
So now I would totally say if your going to go ahead and do a project then do the brake lines.
i paid $500 for the fork seals to be fixed/stop leaking...
you're telling me to take them apart now to do the progressive springs?
I'm not sure if I want to attempt that part :)
You don't HAVE to replace the seals -- they are at the bottom of the tubes, and the springs go in from the top.
I did not replace the seals on my blue '96. There was no evidence of leaks, the oil in the tubes was at spec level, and I learned long ago to "not fix what ain't broke" :lol: :lol: :lol:
Have ridden another 10K miles or so since the Progressive Springs were installed, and so far, no leaks :-D :-D
Quotei paid $500 for the fork seals to be fixed/stop leaking...
you're telling me to take them apart now to do the progressive springs?
No, I said
QuoteIt would be best to do the seals also if they have not been done recently.
$500???!!! you were robbed.
Quote from: DG on January 25, 2010, 02:54:09 PM
Quotei paid $500 for the fork seals to be fixed/stop leaking...
you're telling me to take them apart now to do the progressive springs?
No, I said
QuoteIt would be best to do the seals also if they have not been done recently.
$500???!!! you were robbed.
story of my life....DG...
getting taken advantage by people ....
yep
Well you are turning your life around and putting that behind you by coming down here because after you are done here we will have you doing it yourself.. So cannot wait to see ya is it March yet!!!
Can anyone paint?
and possibly fix a small dent on a gas tank?
:) = Angel = Dan
I can do both. The expensive part is matching the paint you have. I have two different shades of red, but neither is a standard Honda color.
The "artiste" with a paint sprayer is Charles. He will certainly do you a better job than I will, so you might want to ride through Texarkana on the way down to Houston. Or, ride over to Austin for a day or so, where I live, if second best is good enough :cool: :cool:.
I could certainly set up a small tent on the gas tank for you. don't think it would really be of use, but I will make sure it looks like a tent. I guess I could paint the tent too. ;)
Sorry, Dan, I could not resist. Actually didn't even catch the typo till the 3rd time I read it.
Quote from: DG on January 27, 2010, 04:30:12 PM
I could certainly set up a small tent on the gas tank for you. don't think it would really be of use, but I will make sure it looks like a tent. I guess I could paint the tent too. ;)
Sorry, Dan, I could not resist. Actually didn't even catch the typo till the 3rd time I read it.
LOL.
I was testing your intelligence, now I know you passed 3rd grade :P.
Quote from: lragan on January 27, 2010, 03:57:07 PM
I can do both. The expensive part is matching the paint you have. I have two different shades of red, but neither is a standard Honda color.
The "artiste" with a paint sprayer is Charles. He will certainly do you a better job than I will, so you might want to ride through Texarkana on the way down to Houston. Or, ride over to Austin for a day or so, where I live, if second best is good enough :cool: :cool:.
Paint color is not an issue for me.
I really don't care what color the bike is as long as its not pink :P.
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y196/malebust/0410081537a-1.jpg)
That's my dent again for those inquiring to the size.
This was taken before I put rustoleum (candy red) on the dent to prevent rust forming on the tank. It ain't pretty but I did it for the "rust".
unforeseen issue has come up which may cancel the trip.... :(.
I'm leaving my apartment, but I need to find a roommate to continue the lease.
If I can't find one in time, I'm going to have to keep working up in NYC till I do.
I have ad's up on CL and housing boards as we speak.
Now, I'll just pray...
After some more research,
I'm going to x nay on springs and steel.
Tires, Speakers, Lights, and Speedometer still on list.
Don't forget paint/dent fix :)