Sunday ride.

Wow, I can really get use to this.  Didn't have to put my foot down once.....funny feeling not doing that.  Anyway, went out and about.  Put on about 75 miles, country road style.  When I got back I got an email from Mike who lives nearby and a new sidecar owner too.  I think he wrote 2 weeks, so we have had ownership about the same amount of time.  I sent Mike my phone number so maybe we can do a ride out every so often.  

Back to the bike,  rode very nice but on one turn I did get some sidecar air on a right turn.  I wasn't going very fast at all,  maybe just didn't shift weight correctly (not that I weigh very much).  Topped off the tank with some "fresh" fuel, I never drained the tank, had old fuel but the color look stabilized.  It also ran ok with it too.  When I stopped for gas a guy came over to me and told me he had an R75/6 in his garage that he had parked for about 5 years.  Didn't want to sell but would like to get it running again. I offered my help and will call him tonight after 5, he's working until 4 and when I offered to help he seemed to perk up a bit.  He said he spent $3,000 at the local BMW dealer for work on the bike but not with good results.  I've heard that before.

Mike from Olney, MD called and we got together at the farm.  He has a beautiful Bonneville with cozy sidecar.  Very clean machine.  We took a short ride to the Brighton Dam behind the farm, only about 3 miles, he headed off from there for his afternoon ride, I turned back and headed home.  Enough for today plus I need to finish cutting the lawn.

That's All for today.  Safe riding!

Time to ride!

Went to the Saint Louis Church picnic and car show.  I was the only motorcycle at the show and had just as many people looking at the bike as the Ferrari AND I was the only one that would let kids and parents on and in the bike to take pictures.  You couldn't even touch the driver side window of the Ferrari !!  I was asked to come back next year too!!

Time to take a morning break

I tinker with my bikes almost everyday.  Today, or at least this morning, I took some timeout to do a little trout fishing not far from the farm.  Of course I had to take the sidecar rig......isn't that the way everyone goes fishing?

Bike rode well and I'm learning as I go along.  Need to get a sticker that says "Right turns can be hazardous to your health."

No fishing luck today but it was just nice to have a reason to go somewhere on the bike.  Beautiful weather here in Maryland.  Best time of year (except fall) to visit the area.

I just noticed it's been only 7 days since I got this bike out of a barn and it's not only up and running but going on local adventures!  Very good, very very good!

Start and Run.

Today I just ran the bike for a while to keep everything nice and lubed.  Tomorrow I might ride it to the volunteer work I am doing this week.  I venture out a little further and longer each time learning how to drive the rig.  Today most of my concern was the R60 that I want to x/c on mid July.

It's wide!

So I have been reading  Hal Kendall's Sidecar Operator Manual 2003 the last few nights and figured it's nice out this morning....time for a ride.  One thing I learned from this mornings ride is...THE BIKE IS WIDE !  It reminds me also of driving one of those early model three wheel Honda ATVs from the 70's and a little like surfing all rolled into one driving experience.

Well I made it out, around and back in one piece.

Learned a few things about the bike and about my driving skills.  Now it's not like I can't drive...been riding cycles since 1965, flying aircraft since 1967, operating boats about the same,  this is a new driving/riding experience for sure.....Tomorrow I'll go out again...or maybe even later today when it cools down. 

I think I am going to enjoy owning, maintaining and driving this machine.

15 minutes to spare

I took a break from the R60 to replace the fuel lines on the R100.  I also noticed the fuel bowl overflow dripping gas so I opened her up and cleaned everything out, reassembled and overflow stopped.  While replacing the fuel lines I installed new fuel filters too.  This bike runs very well.  While at Bob's BMW picking up parts I talked to the guy that runs around on the Ural with sidecar for some advise.  I told him about the steel weights behind the seat of the car and said to remove them...and so I did, about 100 lbs worth.

If the weather cools down later I'll take it for a ride.  Now back to work on the R60.

Runs and drives !

After changing the leaking fuel lines, charging the battery, checking fluids and a general cleanup the bike fired right up.  I ran it for a couple of minutes then took her down the driveway.......I NEED TO FIND A PLACE TO PRACTICE DRIVING THIS MACHINE!!!!!!   I mean I did ok but not without some effort.  Gosh, those German soldiers on those old WWII movies make it look so easy.......

I grabbed some 0000 steel wool and began polishing the chrome and other parts.  The bike needs a detailing for sure.....maybe I can get some one to help with that.......but I need to finish up on the R60 for the trip so this bike will have to wait a little.  I also put on the new tag so its road worthy.  And I took out the dead mouse that was in the fairing.....

Delivered today fresh from the barn.

Today I finally got a motorcycle with a sidecar.  Always wanted one and better late than never.  Here are the photos of the event loading, delivery, walk around and first wash.  I'll Post on Monday.  Need to take time off "Doctors Orders".

 

What a bucket to water can do in 5 minutes.

 

Dusty and a little rusty.

 

I'm glad the rollback owner did the hookup.

 

That's the barn in the background. Previous owners widow in pink.  Rollback owner and motorcycle guy looking it over for safe hookup.

 

A view near the barn in Edgewater just outside of beautiful Annapolis, MD.