• Don't overlook our Welcome Package, it contains many links to important and helpful information about functions at VHT like posting pictures and sending PMs (private messages), as well as finding the parts you need.

    AD

Road Trip

Twin Town

Veteran Member
Joined
May 20, 2021
Total Posts
251
Total likes
27
Location
Big Lake
A little travelogue from 2019 (Pre covid). Solo three day ride.


DSCN1330.jpg

Loaded up and ready to ride.





DSCN1334.jpg

First stop. Franconia Sculpture Park. Near Taylor's Falls, Mn. Crossed into Wisconsin and followed the St.Croix river south. Crossed back over to Stillwater Mn. Discovered while crossing the bridge that my reserve is non functional, bike started sputtering, switched to reserve, nothing. Fortunately, the bridge is a downhill run. Made it to a gas station downtown on a completely dry tank. Sometimes a guy just gets lucky.
 
Made it to Alma, Wis. First night stop. Flea bag motel, take any room with a key in the lock, call the number to pay the bill. No pics from Alma, but spent part of the morning riding the Alphabet roads of SW Wisconsin. Roller coaster stuff.

DSCN1336.jpg

DSCN1336.jpg

Crossed back over the river (now the Mississippi) to Wabasha Mn. Rode up to Lake City and spent the night. Had a clutch problem develop as the day went on. Inspection discovered only one remaining screw holding the sprocket cover on. Made it difficult to disengage the clutch.
 
Next morning, I found a hardware store that had the screws I need.
Installed and back on the road

.DSCN1339.jpg

DSCN1342.jpg

DSCN1343.jpg

North end of Lake Pepin.
 
DSCN1345.jpg

South from Lake City to Wabasha and Winona, Down to a little town of Zumbro Falls. You motocross guys may be familiar with the name. I think they still run a National there. Bluff country, twisty roads, nice pavement, great weather. Wabasha county has some great riding.

DSCN1346.jpg
 
My plan was a three day ride, but I decided to add another day. Back up to Lake City and another night the same motel as the previous night. was a nice place. No more pics, but the next morning I crossed back over into Wis and followed the river back to Taylor's Falls and the back roads home.

I logged about 630 miles on the trip. Problems were minimal and easily dealt with.

Now that the world is reopening, I am itching to do it again!
 
Looks like a fun trip, thanks for sharing the pics and story. Riding along a river and crossing back and forth over it can yield some interesting scenery and roads, and throw in some elevation and it's a nice combo for a ride.
 
I logged about 630 miles on the trip. Problems were minimal and easily dealt with.
Thanks for the post, and pics. Funny that when we were young, and these bikes were modern, we would take off with little concern. Now, taking off on such a vintage bike seems a bit more ominous!
 
Thanks for the post, and pics. Funny that when we were young, and these bikes were modern, we would take off with little concern. Now, taking off on such a vintage bike seems a bit more ominous!

That was my exact thought when I decided to take the trip. These bikes worked back then, so why not now? I am also amazed at how many of these bikes survive with ten thousand or fewer miles.
 
These bikes worked back then, so why not now?
Exactly. The difference now is that we are much more aware of HOW the work, and the possibilities for that ceasing! :biggrin:

Somewhat of a parallel with modern cars. It probably wasn't until the last decade that I began traveling without a toolbox on-board. Modern dependability seeds complacency.
 
...that I began traveling without a toolbox on-board. Modern dependability seeds complacency.

And modern complexity precludes the need for much of a toolbox anyway, since you can't carry every sensor and test equipment it would require for most roadside maladies anyway. :eek:
 
How often have you heard " You can't even work on this new crap"?

To which I reply "Isn't it great that you don't have to".
 
To which I reply "Isn't it great that you don't have to".

...until you do. At which point it can cost a fortune once the warranty is over. And for those of us who can't even afford to buy one of them to begin with (certainly not with cash, and there are no cars sold today with a payment I could afford that I would ever want), that leaves us with... wait for it... vintage. Both motorcycles and trucks. :)
 
I hear ya Dad. My daily drivers are a ten year old Ranger and a sixteen year old Mustang. But I rack up 25000 miles a year commuting and they have both been rock solid. Been commuting for 48 years (so far, lol). Cars have never been more reliable than they are now.

But back in the day, we would repair major malfunctions that nowadays would be the death of the vehicle.
 
And modern complexity precludes the need for much of a toolbox anyway, since you can't carry every sensor and test equipment it would require for most roadside maladies anyway. :eek:

Here is the "toolkit" my 2017 Africa Twin came with (n) Looks like something you'd pick up at a dollar store.

toolkit.jpg

Not that I'm bothered anyway, I carry my own tools on the bike.
 
Here is the "toolkit" my 2017 Africa Twin came with (n) Looks like something you'd pick up at a dollar store.

Not that I'm bothered anyway, I carry my own tools on the bike.

Wow, that's what it's come to? I haven't seen a factory toolkit in decades, and it's disappointing to see what's happened to it. I mean, if that's all that you provide, what's the point? Why even bother? IMO it looks worse than if you didn't provide one with the bike at all.
 
Pretty sad eh? Why even bother. I wasn't surprised by it though, the one on my previous 2014 CB500X was only marginally better.

The clip is a fuse puller.
 
Back
Top Bottom