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Message started by IslandRoad on 12/19/19 at 17:10:06

Title: Free wheelin'
Post by IslandRoad on 12/19/19 at 17:10:06

This is just a random post on a lazy day off. It's 41°C (106°F) here today. So I won't be riding, just amusing myself on the internet.

Anyway, I'm getting my bike re-registered this afternoon. So, a few days ago I got a temporary permit so I could ride the bike to get a Roadworthy Certificate (RWC). It was my first ride in over a year. On the way back, when I got to the entrance to the farm, I decided to keep going to the next town instead and enjoy more riding.

As I was leaving that town I realised I hadn't filled the tank up before I set out for the day, and there were no fuel stops between where I was and home - which was 30kms (18 miles) away and the road runs up and down through country hills. As far as I know, based off advice on this forum, the reserve on the Raptor will get about 20-25 miles. So I hit the road and hoped for the best.

Just as I left town, the bike spluttered and popped, and the power died off. So I switched to reserve. I rode conservatively but as I got further along I began to feel more and more stressed lol.

Anyway, the point is, when I got to the top of the hills I killed the engine and free wheeled my way through the winding roads back down again.

It was actually a lot of fun - really surprisingly peaceful to be gliding between farmland on a sunny day - on a silent cruiser. Rather peaceful. It was one of those moments that revivified the fun I had on my pushbike as a kid.

However, as fun as it was, it hasn't convinced me to consider an electric bike. 8-)

Title: Re: Free wheelin'
Post by MMRanch on 12/19/19 at 20:36:03

Glad you made it to the fuel station ! :)

The next time you've got a chance to pull the Raptor fuel switch , you know you can ADD some length to the raptor's tube which in turn adds more Reserve Fuel . I've got to where I carry a 1 liter fuel bottle in my saddle bag just in case I need a few extra miles.

I suspect an electric scooter might be a good thing if ya lived in town and never had to go more than 2 miles away from home.
.............................................................

The temp went up to almost 50 deg.F here in South Central Tennessee , so I took a ride around the Country Block ( about 20 miles). Yea , I put a battery pack in my heated vest under a leather jacket , zipped my chaps up , and plugged the electric gloves into the battery tender plug on the bike , put a face mask on and took off . :)

Title: Re: Free wheelin'
Post by batman on 12/19/19 at 23:16:36

Dang, the high today was 12F ,cleaned 8 " of snow out of the driveway ,but decided not to ride :o right now it's 2 degrees warner than last night's -1F but I've seen -25F a dozen times in past years so I'm not complaining .( No Sweat ! :) )

Title: Re: Free wheelin'
Post by jcstokes on 12/20/19 at 01:27:43

Could have ridden 200km today but wet on the way out plus lane splitting (hate it). Tri[p home would have been great but the car was the way to go. 2360 odd miles short of a Serowbot bronze award.

Title: Re: Free wheelin'
Post by IslandRoad on 12/20/19 at 16:21:15

584A584A47545B565D150 wrote:

Hey MMRanch, I've read about extending the reserve. But I don't think I will. I usually track my kms pretty closely. This was just my first ride in a new town, and in a long time. So I haven't yet logged all the fuel stops or got my bearings for how far I can get on a tank around here. That will come with time.

Title: Re: Free wheelin'
Post by IslandRoad on 12/20/19 at 16:23:06

6467726B6768323E060 wrote:

Jeepers Batman! The coldest I've ever seen is -1C. I don't even understand why people going skiing!! Why would I willingly walk into that?!

Title: Re: Free wheelin'
Post by nosleep on 12/27/19 at 22:36:25

maybe silly question, but I just ordered a new raptor petcock and was wondering how you would extend the tube on it?