Tomorrow starts the great journey. For only the second time since I've had it, I am embarking on an epic journey on the bike. The wife & family will follow in the cages, 710 miles, one way. Once there, I have a 365 mile loop planned in TN & NC. I'm going to start out in Gatlingburg, TN, ride the Foothills Parkway, the Cherohala Scenic Skyway, the Dragon (318 curves in 11 miles beeyatches) in each direction, the Blue Ridge Parkway to Mt Mitchell & back into Cherokee, NC, over the Great Smoky Mountain Scenic Parkway back into Gatlinburg, TN. The entire 365 miles will be in 1 day, should be freaking awesome. The 365 day will be Friday. After that, it's back to NJ. If anyone will be in the area on Friday, let me know. KC-10 FE out... lane: :usa2:
Well, my bike let me down after 12 years of trouble free operation. I getting an intermittent no start & my right fan croaked in 95f temps. I saw 251 on the gauge before it died in downtown Gatlinburg. The ride home on Sun should be VERY interesting.
I hope Sunday's ride home wasn't to eventful for you. Your thread really got my attention since I also ride a 5g which has never let me down and will be taking my yearly riders vacation to the Pacific Northwest. This year it will be through the most isolated area's of Montana, Idaho & Oregon and my biggest fear is the R&R going out in the middle of nowhere since my R&R is still stock after 30,000+ miles. Let us know how everything turned out...
OK, the bike got me home. The fan wasn't in stock anywhere within 50 miles of Gatlinburg. The key was to keep the air moving. About 75mph was the sweet spot to keep the temp right around 180-185 on the hi way. Above or below 75 & the temp started climbing. I made friends with the State Police in VA, MD & PA. Whenever I got into a traffic jam, I would simply start riding on the shoulder or median. It was either that or the bike would overheat & die within 10 min. I believe the no start condition is either from an impending RR or stator failure or the switch contacts in the hand grip is screwed up. As soon as I get the fan replaced, that's project #2. Other than the fan, I can't think of anything that would be making the bike overheat. Anyway have any other suggestions I should be looking for? Thermostat, temp switch, etc? KC-10 FE out... lane: :usa2:
Do the 5th gens have a fuse for the fan? I burned the one on my old CBR out and luckily found it a few days later when my battery died and I was checking fuses.