Where did you ride today?

Today I went out for a Thanksgiving Day ride for the very first time since I've been riding. Due to family scheduling we are celebrating with the turkey dinner on Saturday. My son and his family are celebrating that today by having his in laws over at his place.

Just finished replacing the rear tire on my AK so I needed to take it out anyway to check out if the balance beads are good and if I aligned the belt right, etc. First time for replacing the rubber myself. First time for using balance beads. First time for owning a bike with belt drive and adjusting the belt/sprocket alignment. I discovered that the TPMS may be off a little more than I thought. After getting the tire bead set using up to 80 psi I adjusted the pressure back to 42 psi using a tire gauge. Then I mounted the tire on the bike and checked the pressure using the TPMS and found it was reading only 38.5 psi. So I double checked with the pencil gauge which was still showing 42 psi. I checked with a second pencil gauge with the same result. I know that pencil gauges are not really all that accurate but didn't think two of them would be off almost 4 psi. So I set the TPMS indicated pressure to 39.5 psi instead of the usual 40.5 psi. Not much change but closer. The manual calls for about 38 psi anyway and the tire sidewall says 42 psi max. I always like to go a little higher than what the manual says as long as I don't go over the tire max. I set the front tire to 37.5 psi. All of these pressures are +/- .5 psi so the readings will vary. It is very hard to get closer than +/- .3 psi with this TPMS. Close to those numbers is close enough given the accuracy of the gauges.

I rode slower roads at first just to get a feel for the new rubber. Then I increased the speed a little at a time choosing roads that were progressively faster. Near the end I finally jumped on the Interstate for a fast run at just over 65 mph. All is well. The tire ran very smoothly. I ended up with a total of about 35 miles. Temp during this ride was around 47 F. The handlebar muffs were left on (I was too lazy to remove them) and my hands were a little more than warm as a result.

When I returned home I immediately felt the hub and axle of the rear wheel just to be sure it wasn't heating up and it actually felt cool to the touch. I think I got it right. I also checked where the drive/timing belt was running on the rear sprocket. Originally, from the factory, the belt was riding close to the outer edge of the sprocket. But still 1-1.5 mm from the edge. The spec is a minimum of 1 mm. After the ride I found the belt was about 2-2.5 mm from the inner edge of the sprocket, or just inside of center. I wanted it centered. So I did some more adjusting and got it to ride in the center of the sprocket. This was done by adjusting a little and then running the bike on the center stand for a while at around 4000 rpm. Then checking and adjusting again and running again. Will see if this stays put under power on the road.
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rjs987 said:
Today I went out for a Thanksgiving Day ride for the very first time since I've been riding. Due to family scheduling we are celebrating with the turkey dinner on Saturday. My son and his family are celebrating that today by having his in laws over at his place.

Just finished replacing the rear tire on my AK so I needed to take it out anyway to check out if the balance beads are good and if I aligned the belt right, etc. First time for replacing the rubber myself. First time for using balance beads. First time for owning a bike with belt drive and adjusting the belt/sprocket alignment. I discovered that the TPMS may be off a little more than I thought. After getting the tire bead set using up to 80 psi I adjusted the pressure back to 42 psi using a tire gauge. Then I mounted the tire on the bike and checked the pressure using the TPMS and found it was reading only 38.5 psi. So I double checked with the pencil gauge which was still showing 42 psi. I checked with a second pencil gauge with the same result. I know that pencil gauges are not really all that accurate but didn't think two of them would be off almost 4 psi. So I set the TPMS indicated pressure to 39.5 psi instead of the usual 40.5 psi. Not much change but closer. The manual calls for about 38 psi anyway and the tire sidewall says 42 psi max. I always like to go a little higher than what the manual says as long as I don't go over the tire max. I set the front tire to 37.5 psi. All of these pressures are +/- .5 psi so the readings will vary. It is very hard to get closer than +/- .3 psi with this TPMS. Close to those numbers is close enough given the accuracy of the gauges.

I rode slower roads at first just to get a feel for the new rubber. Then I increased the speed a little at a time choosing roads that were progressively faster. Near the end I finally jumped on the Interstate for a fast run at just over 65 mph. All is well. The tire ran very smoothly. I ended up with a total of about 35 miles. Temp during this ride was around 47 F. The handlebar muffs were left on (I was too lazy to remove them) and my hands were a little more than warm as a result.

When I returned home I immediately felt the hub and axle of the rear wheel just to be sure it wasn't heating up and it actually felt cool to the touch. I think I got it right. I also checked where the drive/timing belt was running on the rear sprocket. Originally, from the factory, the belt was riding close to the outer edge of the sprocket. But still 1-1.5 mm from the edge. The spec is a minimum of 1 mm. After the ride I found the belt was about 2-2.5 mm from the inner edge of the sprocket, or just inside of center. I wanted it centered. So I did some more adjusting and got it to ride in the center of the sprocket. This was done by adjusting a little and then running the bike on the center stand for a while at around 4000 rpm. Then checking and adjusting again and running again. Will see if this stays put under power on the road.
PXL_20221124_223847728.jpg
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Robert, I was wondering if you'd seen this. The Kymco CV3.
Upt'North.
download (1)_0.jpg
 
TPadden said:
Boulder City Nv, Lake Mead (water level down 130 ft).

Tom

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is this a campground?
 
Upt' North said:
Robert, I was wondering if you'd seen this. The Kymco CV3.
Upt'North.
Click to expand...

Yep, Saw that model from Kymco. They were showing information about it last year too. That is really the AK 550 with the front end reworked to add in the leaning double front forks and a few other nice additions.
Not interested in going to 3 wheels just yet. Maybe when I cannot handle 2 wheels someday. That would also be the time I decide to let the dealer swap rubber. Was enough to replace just 2 tires.

Note: The CV3 is very similar to the Piaggio MP3 which was originally a 300, then a 400, then 500, and now a 530. The CV3 uses the same 550.4 cc engine and drive train that is in my AK 550. Piaggio trying to keep up.
 
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hondawayne said:
is this a campground?
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Nope, unfenced city park (Hemenway Park) . The Bighorns wander down from the hills. Camping ($10 /old guy) is about 5 miles from Hemenway Park at Boulder Beach Campground.

Tom


www.recreation.gov

Boulder Beach Campground, Lake Mead National Recreation Area - Recreation.gov

Explore Boulder Beach Campground in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Arizona with Recreation.gov. Boulder Beach Campground is located just minutes from Las Vegas along the Boulder Basin of Lake Mead. It’s open year-round and features large paved sites th
www.recreation.gov www.recreation.gov

www.bcnv.org

Hemenway Valley Park

Hemenway Valley Park
www.bcnv.org www.bcnv.org
 
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A one day permit on the ST made for a great solo ride between a bit of a wind storm last night / early this am and probably snow tomorrow, view of the Burrard Inlet Burnaby side, east of Port Moody, rode as close along the perimeter as possible along the trans mountain property, around Surrey, tri cities, 6 - 8C early and 4 - 7C after dark makes this my coldest ride [37.4F] and about as cold as I think I'll do again. Saw maybe six other bikes and two scooters over the four or five hours around the lower mainland.
 

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W0QNX said:
It's Turkey here. After delivering a foil pan to my Daughter's house at 6:30 I noticed it's a great day for a ride. So in @drbuzzard fashion I went for a ride in the hood, or to the beach. Same thing right? So like the ol buzzard I took some pictures along the way.

First up the new 3 mile bridge across Pensacola Bay is nearing completion with all lanes open in 3 more months. This bridge is near exactly 3 miles long so this is the view from 1.5 miles "north" of the bridge. I'm going to rent one of those electric bicycles one day and peddle across the bridge like everyone does now.

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It was 63 leaving my house (inland 3 miles from the Bay) but the marine layer was soild at the Pensacola Beach beach ball water tower. Pretty good crowd there at 7:36 am for a turkey trot fun run down the beach road. Temp was only 58 at the beach so I headed back north.

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On the North side exit at the 3 mile bridge is the "Gaffitti Bridge". It's regaffitted daily at times and usually some type bs but today it's still rocking the painting of the Blue Angels airshow at the NAS a couple weeks back.

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I headed randomly north through town and took a pix of this bush putting out it's last blooms of the year I suspect.

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A another spot provided a pic of an Orange tree. The Orange trees are doing very well this year and the tree in my Daughters yard has great tasting fresh fruits.

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Crossing the Norhtern end of Pensacola bay the bridge at Hwy 98 over the Escambia river was clear of most all people so I did a bad and stopped a snap a picture right at the top of the bridge. (25' clear of the no traffic). This is where the river enters the Bay.

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I rode just 4 miles north and turned around to get a few "sea level" shots. This is a Kayak launch made to slide the Kayak right out the truck bed and into the Simpson river at the Bay. The launch ramp (pipes) runs right down in front of the ST.

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Now under the HWY 98 bridge the duck hunters were out in full force at the Swamphouse boat ramp.

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I made it to the Turkey Day chosen site (Daughters house) and the neighbors house was just asking for a picture in front of their loaded down Orange tree.

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I lived in Destin, Florida for 8 years and absolutly loved it! Enjoy!
 
Expecting a bit of snow tomorrow so decided to get a ride in before that. Left home with temps at 52 F and the temp dropped to 47 F along the way. Meandered around country roads that were still open (construction still going on) but still couldn't escape all construction so had to go through a section of road with a single lane controlled by a flagman. Explored one or two new roads (always interesting). Rode just over 56 miles. Using the handlebar muffs without grip heat and still plenty warm. Second picture I am just coming out of the first curve and the third curve is just to the left of the tree line at the bottom of the valley. There were 2 more curves just after those.
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I've been stuck in the house on Covid isolation. I went positive this past Saturday.
Yesterday midday it was warm enough to wash the bike inside my garage, but today I just couldn't stay in. The temperature was 40F. But I'm feeling great, so...I got out my new heated gear and took off for a bit.
I started off with a few minutes of low speed practice at the soccer field parking lot down the street... I'm improving but not quickly.
Then I thought I'd go for a putt. After a mile I realized I needed a different layer, I had the heated gear on, but there were some cold spots where there's no heat grid. I was wearing a ballistic shell over the Garmin liner. So I went home and put on my jacket liner in between the two layers I had used to start out. Solved the heat issue. But there's more.
I got about ten miles from home, in the woods between 2 tiny towns when I realized, there's a noise from my bike. Moaning noise from the front wheel. .
That noise was my cue to turn back, I am not about to press things. I haven't been riding in a lot of years and have just restarted last month. So I came home and ordered wheel bearings and bearing seals for my front wheel.
And then something good happened, I got an online notice that my pants to match my jacket had arrived. No more ski pants. I'd been looking for those pants for a month then I realized to just google things instead of searching stores I know of.
I'll be going back to work on Thursday. That's the 5 days for Covid. I'm a little old for a full time job, but it keeps me socialized, and away from the refrigerator.
 
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