This mornings ride in was a bit damp but there was a nice view of the Alaska Range to the south though it wasn't as brightly lit by the time I got to work. I have been able to ride everyday the last week and a half which felt pretty good. And everyday, except today, has been one of those clear, blue sky days though it has been starting to get a it warm in the afternoon. Most days after work, I have been taking the "scenic route" which winds through the Goldstream Valley before circling back home. In this case "scenic" refers to the lack of businesses and most of the houses and cabins set away from the road along little dirt roads rather than any grand viewpoints.
Still no leaking from the front master cylinder. I just received an email that the parts have been shipped from A&S BMW though I may just wait until it starts to leak again before putting it on. Re-torqued the heads and adjusted the valves the other evening a few hundred miles later than I had initially planned. Very little adjustment required though I did make a point of reducing the clearance on the rocker arm. There is no spec and the recommended technique is
"to adjust the rocker blocks by squeezing them towards each other for zero ENDplay (just oil film movement)." A pretty straightforward procedure and fairly typical of just about all airhead maintenance.
No riding for the next several days as I have a meeting in Deadwood, SD, which isn't an easy place to fly into. It is just down the road from Sturgis maybe that would be an interesting place to visit.
A small milestone was passing 4,000 miles of walking/running on the Nike+ site. I just started uploading my activity again after a long break. The non-replaceable battery in the sensor ran out and it was a while until I got around to picking up a new transmitter. I really need to start getting out and exercising some more. A year ago, I was averaging over fifty miles per week. Now, it's less than fifty miles per month.
Friday Evening - On my way home, I noticed that we have a forest/brush fire. According to the reports, it is in the hills north of Goldstream Valley. This is along the road that I commonly ride. What a way to start the summer. The wind was blowing pretty strong from the south which probably isn't helping the crews fighting the fire. As you can see, the rain and clouds didn't last very long...
Richard,
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the walking milestone, I left all that behind me with the Army....got it out of my system the hard way. :)
Re the brake leak not recurring, will you just keep the rebuild kit on standby then?
Finally, I'd heard roads can be scarce in Alaska, how close you get to the Alaska Range to your south?
Dom
Redleg's Rides
Colorado Motorcycle Travel Examiner
Yes, congratulations on the walking milestone. That's also great that you've been riding regularly and no brake issues. You certainly have great country to ride through.
ReplyDeleteThe rocker end play adjustment on the newer RT's is pretty big and the spec on police bikes is even bigger. I don't know why BMW does it that way. Like you, I've found the tighter that adjustment is, the better the bike runs.
Dom:
ReplyDeleteI'll probably just put the new front master cylinder on the shelf unless it starts to leak again. If it holds through the riding season I'll replace it this winter.
There are two highways south that go through the Alaska Range and the Denali Highway runs south of the range between the two roads.
Mike:
Looking forward to a lot of riding this summer. Only have a couple of trips planned including one to Bloomsburg for the BMWMOA rally.
Maybe BMW likes the now traditional sewing machine sound in the opposed twins.
Congratulations on the Nike+ stats!! Good on you for starting back up. I, too, am trying to get back into it.
ReplyDeleteI hate to see the smoke from the fires, but closer inspection showed the leaves coming out on the deciduous trees on the hillside. Spring!!
-Lori