Chethro's WV & Nearby Travels

Growing up not far across the border in PA I’ve been a Ginas Drive Through beer distributor customer since I turned 16
I always considered Yellow Creek as west Liverpool.

so, it begs the question: what poor sucker owns that land?

I never asked, never remember seeing a posted sign either. You piqued my curiosity though and according to tax records some is deeded to a trust and some is deeded to a holding company. I haven't been in years, but it looks like its still going good based off satellite images.

back around 1980, we dirtbikers used a plot of land outside of powhatan that belonged to a smaller coal company. we made a lot of trails and hillclimbs, but bikes don't leave as big a scar. then the 4x4 trucks moved in. eventually, it was bought by the infamous bob murray, and we were shut out.
it was the same in canaan valley, where bikes ran the blackwater 100. we only ran there once a year, and when you showed up to race, it was mostly grown over again. that is: until 1983, they started running the 3 wheeler atvs. when, 10 years later, it was so out of hand, it was shut down.
end of sermon.

Once I was on a business trip to Huntington, West Virginia. The many connecting flights went well, so I had the whole sunday to my own and rented a car to explore the area, which lead me to the Appalachians. It was a beautiful Area in early summer, quite comparable to my homeland near the Bavarian Forrest Hillcountry. That`s quite how I must have driven, as I remember small towns like Spencer, Webster Springs etc.
I sure wished I was riding motorcycle this day, as the roads where a great drive



my Rental Car in Downtown Huntington


Check out the "Wursthaus" german restaurant for the fabulous Appalachian-Schnitzel, and great Beer (...this being said by a german!)

After we finished project discussions I was invited for shooting, maybe you know some guys in the picture:

First time for me shooting an automatic rifle, as german gun laws are highly restrictive

It is funny how I am connected some how to this area:
One of my favorite bands at the moment are Flat Tracker and Natural Child, coming from this area.

Natural Child - 8 a.m. - YouTube

I like the Hatfields&McCoys Movie a lot.

And I just saw a "Mothman" documentary on TV. Beware of him while riding out there!
.
.
.

So is that where the phrase "Hold my beer watch this" was invented?

Back in after some quality shed time. I love fab work...I'm just not that good at making it pretty. I haven't received my side bags yet, so I can't do the final weld until I position the bags. This part of the bracket required the most work, so at least they are done.

I made these out of 3/16" plate and 1" x 1/8" square tube. I still need to add a 4" x 6" plate that the bag will mount to. I made a set that will angle the bags to the seat taper like my current bags and another set that are straight but stick out 1 1/2" further. I think I will use the straight ones when I use the tail trunk/bag to give a larger base for it to sit on.

The angled bracket. They still need cleaned up. A nice job for tomorrow.



They are pretty tight when the seat is on for a clean look.



The bags are roughly an inch longer than than the ruler I have clamped on. I know most don't like the angled look, but I do and it hides my ugly ass welds. I hate seeing brackets, so the more I can hide the better. The top of the bags will be as high as the seat with an option to lower them 2" when not using the tail bag.

Awesome

Really enjoyed your pics chethro. I'm over in southwestern Ohio. I try to ride in SE Ohio whenever possible. I took a day trip last year into West Virginia. Rode up to Morgantown and then worked my way southeast to Kingwood. I slowly made my way back to Ohio. I was consistently amazed by the beauty and awesome roads. I will be spending more time in WV in the future.

Thanks, I'm really wanting to do more riding in between Gallipolis and Mt Vesuvius SP. Rt 218 was blocked last year. I want to ride it, Rt 775 and Rt 790. I could just do circles in that area. Those are some great roads!

Next up are all these little squiggly white lines! If you see me and my Red Heads...wave us down!

Regarding those squiggly, white lines; pictures or it didn't happen. We're looking forward to seeing them!

Oh, there will be pictures...

Those roads are only 45 minutes from home, but I have never traveled any of them other than I77, Rt 7 and Rt 800. That is a hilly part of Ohio that is very pretty.

Here is a recent pic of the covered bridge at Cedar Lakes SP and a pic of me from the early 80's. I need to get a new shot with the old pose. A friends dad moved that bridge from Staats Mill to the park.



Matching tennis shoes and bandanna! Only the best gear back then.

Hey Chethro, I stumbled into your thread today, lot of great photos. Question: what is this place?

The old Calhoun County high school in Grantsville WV. Russet road is just behind the building and it is a nice ride to Stumptown! Seriously!

Thanks. Beautiful old building.

I looked at the map. The ride down Russet road to Stumptown, paralleling the river looks pretty nice.

How do you like the Agostini pipes? Do you have any issues with decel pop or fueling? I've been trying to decide if my V7 III is a keeper, if it is, then I plan to buy them.

It is the best sounding bike I have owned...maybe heard. I do like an old Kawasaki 1000 with a Kerker, but the Agostini's are a deep rumble. I leave the DB killers in and it is just enough sound, without being obnoxious. I have a Beetle map and get 50-55 MPG. I get a decel pop now and then, but only when I am keeping it a gear down going into a curve and I'm letting the engine brake pretty hard and even then it is very minimal. It seems to get a bit worse the closer you get to needing a valve adjustment then goes away when you adjust the valves. At its worst, you may get one pop every 7-10 curves. Mine sounds a bit like a Harley (only better) with a turbine whine as you start really getting on it.

I love the sound and feel as it rumbles thru the hills with just a bit of vibration letting you know you're riding a hot rod. I don't need no stinking music.... The light weight and handling are perfect for me on sub 65mph roads. It is a visceral machine when ridden within its limits, but you know that.

Now that the V85TT is getting more torque and tubeless rims, I plan to get one when funds allow. It will be a few years, but I plan on keeping the V7...it's too much fun. I would like the extra suspension travel and torque for times when I need to jump on the slab or go down a mild gravel road. My V7 is set up stiff (Ktech Razer III shocks and Raceteck front springs w/15wt oil) and I literally jump off of high interstate seams. It's fun on the first few, but beats you up in short order.

What mods have you made to your V85? I wonder how an Agostini sounds on it? Have you made any suspension mods? Like you I really like this color scheme. It checks all the boxes for me except one. Light weight, tubeless rims, over 5 gallons of fuel, easy to maintain yourself, shaft drive, over 6" of suspension and it looks great! I do like a flat seat tho and I don't think you could level that one out and touch the ground with a 32" inseam. I do think Fisher seats could take an inch out of the rear and add an inch in the front a get it close...so I'm in!

I really like the V7 and what can be done with it. I went to an MG event back in the fall where one V7 was setup as a cafe racer and another was setup as a touring bike with a tall windshield and hard bags. If you just glanced at them in a parking lot you might not realize they are essentially the same bike. As you stated riding on backroads is where it shines if you aren't trying to drag a knee.

I came off a DR650 so my V85TT does need to handle some light off road. I've ridden it off road on two occasions now and it has done great. It has way more capability than me. As with all 500+ lb bikes, it reveals it's weight when you stop. Once you are moving off road, it's not that much different from the DR other than the tank being much wider. Check out motogeo on youtube. He has several videos of the V85TT off road. With more aggressive tires, the V85TT could go anywhere I would have been willing to take my DR.

When I purchased my V85TT, the dealer had all of the accessories in stock. I got some of the accessories included with the bike purchase and others I purchased. I have the taller windshield, heated grips, aux lights, engine guards and center stand. The dealer was great and installed all of the accessories before I left with the bike.

Other than accessories, I haven't made any mods to the bike. So far, the suspension is fine for me. I do notice a little surging in the fueling at higher speeds, but it's not that noticeable. MG has a new map out, so I need to get it flashed.

The seat fits me fine (5'9" 30" inseam), but some taller guys complain about the step in the seat. I'm with you on flat seats though, I wish my V7 had come with a flat seat.

I think MG had to design a SB engine that could handle highway speeds comfortably all day and still have some torque for off road. I notice the difference in low end torque when I get off the V7 and then get on the V85. The V85 hits similar torque about 1000 rpm later than the V7. But I also notice the V85 keeps pulling all the way through the rev range. If MG can add more torque without losing the top end then I'm all for it.

While the V85 isn't as fast as it's competition, I think you get a lot for the money as the ADV model comes with metal bags. Since you already have a MG, you know you didn't buy it because it was fast.

Still too cold too ride with freezing temps every night and I don't ride when overnight temps are below freezing. Therefore my travels in the garage playing with my toys continues.

I finished my fabrication on the brackets. The black sheet is 1/4" HPDE. It will bolt to the bracket and the bag mounts to the HPDE. By making my own system I can put the bag exactly where I want it plus saving some cash. I will be able to use either the SW Motec Sys 10 or Sys 15 bags here.