tc rides

One owner 2004 VFR bought new in 2007. 24,200 miles. Includes GIVI hard case luggage: two side boxes, keyed together, with interior take-n-go bags. Mechanically stock. GIVI windshield, new Pirelli Angel GT tires, new chain and both sprockets, new oil, coolant, brake fluid. No accidents; never been down and looks good, but certainly not a show quality bike and does have some usage blems here and there; It has been to 23 states (GA to MT, CO to NY), 7 Canada provinces and the top of Alaska. I do not ride much since having kids.

Electrical upgrades include Heated Grips, second power distribution block & ground block (for GPS, Heated Vest, USB charger, etc.). Recent battery, brake pads. Includes storage cover, trickle charger, owner’s manual, Honda Service Manual (digital version), rear seat cover. Camera/ GPS RAM mount on bars. Additional set of brake and clutch levers, spark plugs (not installed, and a couple other minor items.

If you see this ad, it is still available. Please do not waste either of our time with lowball offers or trades.

Push and hold the button below the display and it will change from MPH->KPH. I forget how long it needs to be depressed, but it seemed like a long time...>8 seconds I think.

Carvers -

Has there been anything new on this issue?

Thanks a ton for sharing.....

-TC

It would seem that you have covered virtually all possibilities of where this water/ liquid is coming from.

If I were in your shoes, I would siphon some of the liquid out of the cylinder and inspect it. The questions I would need to answer:

1) is the liquid only water? Are you running water in your cooling system or a coolant/ water 50/50 mix? If the drained liquid is (essentially) the same as the coolant, then you know you have a head gasket/ cracked block/ cracked head. Have you completed a pressure test of the cooling system? Have you had to add coolant/ water to that system? You have indicated that this only happens when it rains; does this mean that if it is parked inside, the problem doesn't exist? I would think this would be relatively easy to reproduce with an average garden hose.

2) Is the liquid a mix of oil & water, or only rainwater? Is it possible that water has gotten into the crankcase and then somehow (bad rings, etc) gotten into the cylinder? There is a dye that can be added to oil that shows under a black light. It is used to spot oil leaks in engines (mostly in automobiles I think) but could also have an application here.

3) Have you done a compression test on all 4 cylinders? How did the results compare with specs and each other? Also, when running, I would spray carb cleaner (or something similar) near that area and see if you could spot some time of external leak by vacuum detection.

4) Lastly, how does the bike run when you are not dealing with this issue? is it running on all 4 or does it miss fire at all? Does it idle different when the carb spray is introduced?

CC - I have read numerous posts from you and know without a doubt that you know what you are doing.... I am hoping that my line of questioning points you to the resolution... please keep us informed of what the solution.

-TC

Did the kit include the float needles and jets?

Should be able to see light through all the jets. Use a high pitch guitar string to clean those

I've had good luck with the spring from a ball point pen that clicks in an out;

Disassemble the pen, pull the spring off the ink cartridge, straighten and cut with sharp diagonal cutters. If you do it right, the coil at the other end can be smashed into a mini handle that allows you to rotate the straight end.

Enjoy!

The past couple years I've got east (Boston, NYC) and south (Dallas). Since I haven't gotten around to getting my passport yet, I'm thinking west might have to happen this year. Denver? Bonneville? The latter might be a little more fun in the Mustang... I've iron-butted both previous trips, don't plan on doing that again...

I think everyone should do an IB once, purely for bragging purposes. I don't mind a decently long highway stretch at the start or end of a long weekend trip, as it get the legs stretched and allows the mind to decompress. Leaving or arriving in downtown Chicago is always some work as it is always slow the closer to the city.

I am moving to north 'burbs before to long; Crewwolfy, where are you-ish?

Wow that's a first !!!!

Agreed!! ..and here I was going to offer to ride over with my electrical tape and soldering gun tomorrow!

A few years ago I did the Alaska run from Chicago. The off road portion from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay was fun for about 2 hours and then reality sets in; I was putting a square peg in a round hole. It was fine but would have been significantly more enjoyable on a KLR 650 or something like that.

The Ducati in the woods idea was entertaining, but I would be nervous to bang into a tree or wreck the plastics or something like that, and the day would not have been nearly as fun as riding a 125 enduro that has only 80 moving parts, that I could straighten by hand once they got bent (And lets face it, something would get bent during a day of fun).

Hey All-

I am finally done with school and the bike is coming out of storage... Anyone up for a meet up towards the end of June?

I was thinking one evening during the week, somewhere that we can grab a bite and kick the tires.

-Tim aka TC RIdes

Just a quick post to thank everyone above for their input. I'm planning to leave early tomorrow morning. I expect to hit Chicago early enough that I miss the afternoon rush hour. I know it will start a bit earlier on a Friday, but I still think I'll beat it.

Unfortunately, in Chicago, Friday afternoon's rush hour starts Thursday morning.

God speed and travel safe

TimC,

When is this trip happening? If you hit Chicago about noon or so, just stay on 94 (or the Skyway to 94) through downtown. 94 and 90 split on the north side of the city, stay on 94 and it will take you to Milwaukee, then take the lakeshore the rest of the way to Sheboygan.

Will you have time for lunch in Chicago?

Tim Carey aka TC Rides

Is there a cap to this event? This sounds liek a good time. The TMAC ride on Memorial Weekend is usually a good time too, but I probably can't make it this year and hoped for one later in the season.

If you are in town for a few days let me know...I am essentially in downtown Chicago....

My '04 bought new in '07 has 22K

I don't know your particular reasons for excluding a modular helmet, but I can tell you that I've been very, very happy with mine. To be honest, I doubt that I'd ever return to a non-modular again, and I've been a life-long full face helmet wearer up to this point.

I also understand that there are some valid concerns that I can completely understand why some people would not consider a modular.

+1 on this. I picked up my NeoTech a week ago and am already completely sold on this design. Quiet, functional and easy to use with more ventilation than I have ever seen in a helmet before.

I stopped by Aerostich last Saturday during my trip around the lakes and picked up my new NeoTech and absolutely love it.

It is more convenient in traffic or if I am stopping for gas, and like someone posted earlier, I like it a lot and think it is quieter than my Rf-1000 although the oilder helmet was probable past due for replacement.

I highly recommend this helmet.

Lee,

Thanks a ton for this write up. I am leaving tomorrow morning from Chicago to ride around Lakes Michigan and Superior. Part of my trip is a stop at Aerostich to look at a new pair of boots, jacket and now maybe a new helmet. I have been looking for a new helmet all summer and have tried on the Schuberth, but the $600+ price tag was a deterrent, to be honest. Even at the $300 price point, I am hesitant to make a purchase of equipment that I am not sure that I will find lacking in some way. This answers all of my 'quality' questions, and it looks like I can move forward with this purchase. And, as most of us already know, Aerostich gives a 10% discount for walk in customers.

If anyone is in the neighborhood, I should arrive there about 9:30 or 10 Saturday morning, (09/01).

Thanks again, Lee.

Tim

Booked and looking forward to the 680 mile commute to see all you people!

I am in the city at Clark and Division.

Shogun- I would be interested in the CO trip next summer. Please keep me in the loop. I made a similar trip a few years ago and enjoyed it.

I ended up with a $50 voucher from Tightwad (Wiremybike.com).

Thanks to everyone who put this together.

BR,

Last minute signup here like we discussed last week. I am not worried about the T Shirt. See you all tomorrow evening.

Lets hope for some decent weather!!!

-TC Rides

This could be a decent weekend. Leave Chicago Friday, ride a bunch of these roads Saturday and head back home Sunday?

How is up for a ride?

Great read and pics.

Published

The end of an epic trip

We got up early Sunday, July 5th and left Hyder, AK. After a cursory stop at the border, we entered the Yukon and started chewing up miles. The thought was to head to Prince George, BC and stop for the night, with the alternative to continue on to Jasper, Alberta. We made good time during the day, with great weather and beautiful scenery. Knowing that mileage was a priority, we didn’t stop for pictures often and tried to keep our gas stops short (actually, I am the one who dawdles during gas stops, with Dan being his usually patient self with me).

Towards the end of the afternoon, after crossing into BC, we crested a plateau and headed down into a wide valley. The weather had been spectacular today, but some weird looking clouds were off to our right, looking threatening and appearing to move to intersect us within an hour or two. As we continued on, the lightning storm crossing the mountains put on a show that was very impressive. As the storm crossed over in front of us we encountered rain, but as it was warm and not too heavy, it really was nice.

About this time in the late afternoon, we started to see more wildlife with 6 or 7 close bear sightings along with caribou, moose and bison off in the distance. At one point when the rain was heaviest, we came across a mother bear and her cub trying to cross the Cassier Highway. As all the RV’s and cars slowed and stopped to take pictures, a red pickup truck passed everyone in the oncoming lane and Dan and I just shook our heads. It wasn’t as if traffic had stopped, but I guess slowing down was too much for the driver. After we passed the bears, they made it across the highway and became invisible in the foliage almost the instant they entered the forest, something that continues to amaze me. I watched a moose walk into the trees a few days ago and I just wondered how something that large can disappear in 2 or 3 seconds.

We passed Prince George and made it to Jasper and found a hotel. The town of Jasper is located inside a provincial (national) park, an idea that surprised me, as I hadn’t seen that in the United States. The town was similar to my idea of what an Austrian ski town would be like in the 60’s or 70’s, just with modern facilities and RV’s. As we found a hotel, we counted 9 different languages being spoken by the people walking along, and many of them stopped and looked at our bikes, often exclaiming about the Illinois license plates. After finding that my phone worked again and making a few phone calls, we had a decent dinner at the Italian restaurant in our hotel and crashed for the night. We had ridden almost 650 miles.

Monday we got up, and knowing that we only had 260 miles to go to get to Calgary, we lounged around and got moving about noon. As we crossed over the mountain range heading south, we hit a storm that drenched the road in front of us and caused massive amounts of road spray from the many campers and RV’s. As we reached the summit, I saw on my gps that we had ascended higher than 6,800 feet and the temperature dropped to 37 degrees. Dan led the way on his ever stable BMW, but my much smaller sport bike didn’t do much to shelter me from the wind. We stopped in Lake Louise for fuel (I remembered to use Gasoline this time and not diesel) and decided that since Dan had to get to the dealership in Calgary for service, he would go on ahead and we would meet at Brenda’s house in Calgary. I drank a few cups of hot chocolate and warmed up, then headed out. Coming down the south side of the mountain range, the sun came out, the road dried out, and the final 100 miles was great. Dan was able to have minor service stuff taken care of at Blackfoot Motorsports in Calgary, and we met up again at Brenda’s, where Sassy the dog was supervising me unloading all the stuff I had loaded onto my bike.

Tuesday morning, Dan headed south and crossed the border into Montana and made it through Glacier National Park. He said later that the scenery was spectacular, and the roads were good, without too many RV’s slowing things down. He shot some video of the area, and thought that even though we had traveled 7,000 miles together so far, the scenery here was phenomenal. He made it to Bozeman, MT and stopped to say hello to a friend, before getting on the road again and eating more miles. He said that the people in Montana , just like everywhere we had been the previous two weeks were friendly, and the route he had taken, including MT 200 (a road in Montana I had ridden a few years earlier) was open and speed limits were more of a suggestion. Wednesday he got up and made it to interstate 94, and rode to Minneapolis, where his aunt, uncle and cousins made him a fantastic dinner. Thursday he headed back to Chicago and arrived home in the late afternoon, not getting caught in rush hour traffic.

Backing up a few days, on Tuesday when Dan headed to Montana, my friend Brenda took me to the Calgary Stampede, which is a 10 day long, rodeo themed event held every year in Calgary. Having been to school in Wyoming many years ago, it was nostalgic to see rodeo competition in person. Not knowing a heck of a lot about anything rodeo related, I was amazed to hear the announcers talk about this 1,800 pound bull that just tossed a rider, or that horse that just broke a calf roping record. Having relayed a story of my own extremely-short-lived barrel racing career a few years ago when we met, Brenda couldn’t resist giving me some good-natured ribbing when the woman riders made it look so easy. Trust me, it isn’t easy.

Wednesday morning, I headed out and made it across the border into North Dakota, after many hours of mind numbing highway. After 950 miles, I stopped in Jamestown, ND and grabbed a hotel. When my alarm rang at 6:30 the next morning, I just rolled over and hit snooze, and finally got out of bed after 8. On the road again across ND and into Minnesota, when Dan called and said he was 100 miles Northwest of Madison, WI, about 300 miles in front of me. More miles and more hours, and I arrived home about 10pm, “strung out from the road” as Bob Seger once said.

In all, I traveled 8,700+ miles, and Dan crossed over 9,000 with his alternate route home from Calgary, during the 20 days since we left. The only advice I can offer someone contemplating a trip like this: Plan well with some room to improvise, as we did often, and choose your companion wisely. I got lucky when deciding to ride with Dan, as he was always patient and helpful along the way, as I hope I was. Lastly, keep an open mind about people. Almost everyone we met was friendly and nice, even if they had chosen to lead a different life than most of us from larger cities.

Thank you all for your comments and emails throughout our travels. I hope you enjoyed the ride.

TC Rides