Does the equipment make the Adventurer? I don't belive it does. Here's the back story...... In April I bought a 08 Wildfire 150 scooter AKA "The Virus" off of my employer that was a left over when they were selling them 2yrs ago. And I have been hooked on riding ever since, rain or shine I'm on the road, I am now disgruntled to drive my truck when I HAVE to, hauling the wife and kids. Back in July I went out and bought a 87 XL600R "The Cracken" because I wanted to hit back roads, highways and every where else I thought the scooter couldn't go, and all was well for about a month when some compression issues were realized, and it stopped all the fun till it could be fixed. So now what do I do? Back to Ole Faithful Last weekend I did a country back road group ride with a few local ADVers, and she held up very well in my opinion, and it got me thinking "What else can she do?" Well I planed a trial route to the south all back roads and a bit of gravel to the Northeast side of Lake Logan http://goo.gl/maps/4SrTl I left just before 10am Dupler rd. Well I made it where I wanted to go...... A road less traveled on an under rated beast Now for some Sunday sight seeing Checked out the dam on the south end of the Lake, water was barely trickling over If it wasn't so busy I would have stopped for a pic in front of this sign Swung by the Welcome center Even stopped by Millstone BBQ, couldn't go in (regular pay days are ify with my employer) but I got the shot Church was out by now and the park was starting to get pretty crowded so I headed back in to the woods Heading back I turned off to find a nice place to sit and eat lunch, Came across some mud in the road and there was no way around it ( he he he he) Not a DS tire Found a great spot for lunch, several canoes went by and tour groups were using the Zip lines up river I was have a great time and from the the sounds of everyone else was too. I played in the dirt for a little bit and decided to head on. A little ways down the road, the scoot's exhaust sounded different, hmmm, now mind you I gutted the exhuast when I first got it, this was alittle different? I pulled over to check it out Now I can't blame this on a bad factory weld, but it's an easy fix atleast. I had some Steel putty with me but, it wasn't necessary. I got home alittle bit after 1pm, safe and sound Not a bad trip for about $3.00 of premium gas This isn't supposed to be an epic RR, this is just me sharing my begining love with two wheels and that it's doesn't matter what you ride or how far you go, just ride where you want to go on what you have. Thank you for your time and ride safe Pete
Nice! Reminded me of long weekend camping trips two-up on a 50 cc Honda moped. The equipment does not make the adventure (but it does help a bit)
Looks like you had a fun ride and that's what counts. Years ago I started out on Lambrettas and went all over the country (U.K.) going to scooter rallies; they were some of the best times of my life.
Thanks for your support guys! Well I fixed the exhaust, was going to mig weld it but, I figured the metal was brittle enough as it was and figured welding would just make it worse so I just applied some Quik Steel. Still need to hit it with some high temp paint. Here is my route for this weekend. Hope to get alot more pics and some videos this time. http://goo.gl/maps/WVhtT I picked up some "saddle" bags as in horse saddle, that look nice for only 30.00usd It's going to be a looooong week waiting for the weekend
http://goo.gl/maps/Nheo6 Well the day started out well.... and cold 38F. Here's a look at the saddle bags from Tractor supply Here's the first photo stop I did, The scoot started to stumble alittle bit before this and the cold steel on the exhaust broke off and she was running loud. 50 miles in and she was stumbling real bad, but I kept on I really need to get a SPOT tracker At this point I was 65 miles in and she was getting real bad, so I decided to call for support which was an 1hr away, atleast it was a nice spot. I really wanted to move on but I just put some more COLD STEEL on the exhaust and was waiting for it to cure and my help was expecting me to be at this spot, so here I sat. An hour later, I make a call to see where my help was and my help is waiting for me about 15 miles down the road at another place :huh. Ok, so we decided I would head their direction and they would head mine and we would meet in the middle. Sounds like a plan right Well I made it down the road about 5 miles to here She was horrible now and wouldn't go over 35, so I pulled off and to wait for them to come to me because they were coming my direction, they are coming my direction right? :huh I pulled the spark plug while I was waiting and decided she was running real lean probly due to the exhaust. 20 minutes later nothing . They should have come by now. Check phone, no signal hmmmmm. GIVE HER HELL AND TRY!!!! Well I stumbled the rest of the way to the area I was planing to go anyway, I figured I could atleast get there and start looking at the carb and maybe adjust the air screw alittle bit to get by. As I rounded the corner I saw them sitting at the end of the parking lot, apparently they turned around just up the road from where I was stopped and went back were they began to wait for me. Well I came all this way so I wasn't about to leave for home now, anyway she was ok at speeds less than 40 so why not. She was sooo tired she took a nap It was actually quite funny really, I was doing a u turn to check out a side road I just past and she did a "Roy Rogers" (wheelie) coming back on the road, "High O Silver, Away!" and landed on her side. A few scratches,a gravely knee and one ungracefully removed speaker was the only damage. Back on the road we went I think she did great considering the roads, I'm happy Here's the new ugly side Still have some gravel stuck in between the body panels Cold Steel Stinks! Time to mig weld! My Hero I decided to go ahead and truck her home, didn't have felt too safe running her on the highway with the stumble and after the spill I still need to look her over real good. All in all it was a good day riding Thank you for your time and ride safe Pete
Good report. I'm always interested to see how far people push scooters outside their paved road "comfort zone". Other than the exhaust weld, how has it been holding up? Do you leave pavement with it often?
Thanks for the support buddy, Off pavement she does just fine, just like any other bike check I for loose bolts before and after a ride,Loctite Loctite Loctite, The small wheels make it so easy to nav between potholes at slower speeds and at higher speeds my floorboards allows me to stretch out and use my legs to absorb the bumps some what close to standing on foot pegs, I''m pretty darn happy with the factory tires over all, and I have yet to try airing them down for gravel, was going to for this last trip to get the feel for it but didn't bother. Lately when I pick a spot on the map I want to ride to I just try and find county roads that look quiet, and keep changing the route until I'm happy, This last trip I had never been on some of the roads before and I found myself turning on to "Young Rd" half hour in to the trip to find out it was all gravel (I thought Cool!) This trip was about 20 miles of gravel and if it wasn't for the exhuast I was hoping to do a lot more dirt and field, only got to do alittle bit. I will say pot holes hidden in sunshine and tree leave shadows are quite a challenge. I ride it 6 days a week to work all in-town pavement, Sundays it's where ever it will take me reguardless of roads. Her dirt nap really did a number to the muffler and brackets, I welded them back up today but I need to do a change. She still stumbled a bit on the test run after welding so I want to check the valves and change the fuel filter out tomorrow might need to adjust the sir screw due to all the holes and cracks in the muffler. Just a rant The smaller (150cc or less) Scooter will always be looked down upon by the "Real" riders They are slow, dorky and useless!, most "real" riders wouldn't be caught dead on one. Well mine will do 50 all day long, is nimble as hell thanks to the small 10'' wheels, has a lower center of gravity than most other two wheeled rides, and has no real issues off pavement other than dealing with my stupidity. It still may be dorky but I don't give a DAMN how many people have "ADVENTURE or DUALSPORT BIKES" that never get dirty! What a F*cking waste! Rant over Kick it and Twist it, Take care and ride safe Pete
Your Sand Hollow is greener than my Sand Hollow, at least most of the year I bet. Prettier sign too! This has been a fun ride report to follow along with. Ride on!
good job Pete. I have a KLR and it goes where it needs to go, but I admit I do stop and look at the Ruckus herd when I stop at my local dealer which also sells Honda & Yammy besides Kawisucker. Someday. I want a scooter just for fumbling around when the KLR is tore apart.
There is so much to be said for going back to basics. The best part of doing a bit of Europe two weeks ago was the back roads and averaging 40mph for days. You get to smell the roses.
Well, the stumble is gone, had a nice rainy day ride today, the vaccum line to the fuel pump had worked alittle loose, all better now, still need to finish welding up the exhaust though. I plan to return back there this weekend with a slightly different route, and complete the trip as it should have, me riding home. Next weekend I'm planing a 200 mile triple nickle (Ohio 555) trip to the Ohio river! Wooo Hoooo Take care and ride safe Pete
Well, today we tried to finish what should have been finished last week, This morning I was prepared, Had my winter gloves on, Checked the scoot over about ten times, Checked gear and tools about five times, Then headed out, topped of at the gas station ( $3.75 worth of premium ) and we were on the road! We were flying out of town at the speed of smell, I was warm, and full of confidence for the roads ahead! 15 miles down the road I remember to turn on the GPS trip recorder I was warm and knew the roads so I didn't stop until I got through New Lexington for a short break. Here's ya a picture in picture I was really digging having full power for the curves of 669 it was a lot better than last time. I continued on 669 to Eagleport and turned north up Old Rriver road and jumped the river on the bridge at Gaysport, where I picked up 376. I was still undecided which route I was going to take right up to the last second. I decided to go straight on Rualdale rd and pick up 284 to the south. after having to sputter north on 284 it was a blast to fly south! I tried to stop for some pics of this stretch but my damn right hand said NO! I ended 284 into 78 and there is where I had reached my destination....... The Big Huskie meets the Big Muskie so much for that idea (second line from the bottom) I wanted to get a shot of her in that bucket so bad....... I just about tried when the park attendent left but, a herd of crusiers showed up and the park started to get too darn busy From there I headed on down 78 in to McConellesville and stopped to top off the tank, she was showing just under half tank but, Better safe than stuck, I did have extra gas with me just in case. I jumped on 376 out of town and enjoyed the curves. The wind was pretty strong on top the ridge. I even had a passenger From there I continued on 376 back into Gaysport and back down Old River road, I wanted to see how the water looked so I ran on down to the Rockaby Lock This tree top was floating in a big circle From there I back tracked home, which I really didn't want to do but, I figured I better get home in one piece this time. It was the first time I had gone west on those roads though. Heading home was some what uneventful, I did have a pair of "Good Ole Boys" run right up on my ass just west of New Lex, I pulled over and they went on. I ran across a heat seeking Beagle, we damn near met face to wheel, Well within 3 inches, Wish I had a helmet cam, I was proud of my manuvering on that one. Practice practice practice All in all I had a blast, and she did great Thank you for your time Take care and ride safe Pete
Yeah, but you weren't on a motorcycle, you were on a scooter. Should've just piloted the scoot right on up there, 'cause that would've been cool to see the scoot in the bucket. If they said anything, just claim ignorance. Oh, I didn't realize that applied to scooters too. I bet you'd see a change to their rules sign. Looks like another nice ride, along with good scenery. Rock on.
Well, I hope to ride to Zanesville to do a run down the 555 to Belpre and back this sunday. Looks like it will be about 200 miles round trip so it should be interesting. I really pushing my luck now. Pete
7:45am Talk about one cold morning! 40 degrees As you can see she was a little back heavy. Made my first stop just outside of Glenford 30 miles in Made it to the begining of 555 45 miles in Just down the road about a mile. Second stop was Portersville, I didn't look at the milage, I was pretty darn cold and the keep having to deal with a slight stumble again. and for some dumb reason I decided not to top off the gas tank? Well the next 60 or so miles were a blast! Those curves were so much fun, a few corners were a little dirty but not to bad, I didn't really get the chance to stop and take pictures, I guess I was in "GO MODE", As I went the stumble was managable to deal with. Around noon I rolled to the end of the road. I looked towards the east and saw a gas station which was a good thing, I was below E and had already used my spare gas bottle. It was 6.75 to fill her up and the spare gas bottle, new record! We came this far I wasn't about to not see the river. Made a few calls to check in and started heading back. I had began to sprinkle alittle too. As I made my way back up 555 I began seeing dozens of sports cars and the like coming the other way, lots of Corvettes and import tuners, even a few Porshes. I was almost given a nice looking Ferrari when he came over a hill alittle on my side. Just before Ringgold I decided I needed a break and turned off Well the ride was pretty uneventful going through New Lexington with only 30 miles to go. I was debating on taking the main road back and having to deal with the traffic or just ride the back roads home Back roads won, sadly About 5 miles later one of the front wheel bearing began to squeel alittle, I wasn't too worried about it though. 10 miles later as I ride down a wash boarded gravel road, The exhaust grows louder.........Damn tin can metal! Muffler cracked all the way around right behind my weld, Oh well, But now she is running very rough.......We trouge on!!!!!!!!!!!! 10 miles later and we a still moving loud and rough, moving right along, still smiling about what we had done for the day. As I look down the very long straight stretchof road I can see the sun shining way down the road. Cool! First sunlight of the day we had seen! and then it starts pouring down rain can't win! Well the sunshine was gone before we reach the area where it was, on we went. As we rolled into the out skirts of town we had to pull over because she was growing too loud for some reason? Now the muffler was just bearly hanging on,the brackets were begining to break away from the muffler A few kicks and it was off, stuffed it in the top box hmmmmmm......... Called the wife, she was at the county fair with the kids, I wasn't about to ask her to bring the truck and wait around. hmmmmmmm....... She was stumbling bad and was very very loud, but we just had to make it across town and we were good. One unintentional BIG wheelie and we were about a half mile home. It really seemed like we were going to make it just fine then suddenly..... :eek1 Psssssss, Slide to the left Slide to the right Slide back to left .....WTF Back tire went flat fast! She never went down but what a wild ride! I got her off the road way, and collected my thoughts. We were about 200 yards from home now what. Hmmmmmm...... Well she still ran so I just walked her the rest of the way home. What a day! Apparently the valve stem was only rated for 2500 miles Well we did make it round trip, on our own, so to me thats a win Thank you for your time Take care and ride safe and soon Pete