Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Evening Ride to Fox

The combination of repairs and minor mods to the intake side of the Ural has made a world of difference. The idle speed is now consistently around 1000 to 1100 rpm, the exhaust doesn't smell overly rich after pulling into the garage and mid-throttle response is dramatically improved. Now, instead of just more intake noise, the rig actually accelerates better. There must've been a small air leak for quite a while and I didn't notice it until it got a lot worse. And I would have never expected such a change from 2 tiny little washers in the carb.

Yesterday evening was the monthly get together of the Airheads at the Silver Gulch microbrewery in Fox. This is a photo that was taken back on January 5th when it was -30°F but I hadn't asked for a copy until yesterday. We had quite a group show up yesterday and the Ural wasn't the only bike there. Quite a few in the group are planning to attend the BMWMOA rally in Billings, MT, this coming July. Unfortunately, I have a family reunion scheduled for the exact same dates. I am planning on meeting some of them in Helena, MT, before the MOA rally. Only a few are actually riding out from Alaska as many have bikes stashed at various places in the lower 48 just to avoid having to ride through Canada every time they want to go somewhere.

In the following time lapse video of the trip out, you can see that we still have some snow on some of the roads and along the side of most. But then again, it's only April.


BTW, this kinda looks like Spring!

8 comments:

  1. Good to read the changes improved things! Never did try the shimming the needles mod.

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    1. I wasn't sure that I wanted to richen the mixture but thought that trying it only cost 32¢ so it was worth the try. The air leak is what was causing it to run hotter. I have a CHT almost ready to install. Most of the parts have come in except one of the two thermocouples. I'm really interested to see what the head temperature really is...

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  2. So, did that photo make you nostalgic for the good old days of highs in the -20s and -30s? Be careful how you answer, Richard... Consider your readers in the northeast. :)

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    1. Actually, I already have a reputation as an outlier or eccentric so when I say that I prefer cooler weather, you must consider the source. But even I wouldn't consider -30°F the "good old days". There is a big difference between -20°F and -30°F than just 10°F. You can really feel it...

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  3. That was fun! Especially the curves. :)

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    1. It's a fun road. One of my favorites. The local cycle group uses Summit for hill climbs...

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  4. And it was still light out! Gets dark about 8 pm here right now.

    Big change in your weather compared to a few weeks ago. With 50˚ do you feel the need to wear shorts already?

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    1. Sunset is now after 9 and it doesn't get dark until well after 10 these days. Yes, 50°F does feel pretty warm though not hot. Just right...

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