My butt will thank me for this!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
May 25th Effie
Effie on May 25th... new handlebars, rebuilt front end, trans is in, frame welded. Waiting on motor to get balanced.
I'm Back!
I Know... no excuse for not posting sooner except I've been gone more than I've been home the past few months. It's all good. Book signings, visiting Effie, my 1915 Harley, etc...
Anyway, all is moving along. The bike is about done! We did lots of modifications, changed out the wheels, made new gas tanks ( the old ones probably wouldn't have made it out of California., worked on a headlight, tailights, etc... I REALLY wanted a front brake. The thought of riding in the hills without one was pretty scary for me. Let's see, right foot on brake, left foot on clutch. Oops... how do I hold it on a hill? Anyway, thanks to the "wonderful" Dale and Matt Walksler, I now have a nice front brake. Steve also rebuilt the front end, making me some new tubes for the forks. The old ones were kind of cracked. We got the new handlebars too. Should be good to go test ride and break the motor in around the first part of August.
I went around and around about the speedometer/odometer. It didn't have one and the way the course instructions work, I really needed one. Every morning we will get our road instructions before we leave. They look a little like hieroglyphics unless you know how to read them. It will tell you at such and such mile make a right turn, or which mile you can find gas. Important stuff like that! We also ordered a roll chart
( which is STILL on backorder). This is a well made, waterproof, easy to view contraption that will hold the instructions and allow you to "thumb: through them while you are riding. (I still think it's good to follow someone who really knows the way! lol All kidding aside... I have been taking the Cannonball very seriously and will be ready for Kitty Hawk, NC soon enough.
The BIG news is that my future chase van ( which I am shopping for now) can't follow us, but go up ahead of us and meet us at the hotel each night. Intersetingly enough, I guess I really can't call it a chase vehicle, now can I?:) The good news is that Athena Ransom, my crew can have a cold drink ready for me when I arrive and do my laundry while I'm out riding each day! I'm okay with not having 70 rv's plugging away with ius on bikes trying to see around them. This is going to be fun! I'm planning on carrying my own tools, water, gas, oil anyway. This makes it more like "real lfe: anyway. I'm all for it!
I've also have the good fortune to have some great sponsors behind me. People like:
( in no special order) Arlen Ness, A.D Farrow Harley-Davidson, Air Hawk Seats, Kaenon Sunglasses, Women Riders Now, House Of Rock Records, Harley-Davidson Motor Clothes, Bruce Cohn Winery, Maui Harley-Davidson and last but not least, my wonderful Motor Maids sisters. I just had a chance to go to my very first Motor Maids convention and it was more fun than I ever thought it would be. had a great 1,400 roundtrip ride with my riding buddies Laura Klock and Athena (Chickie) Ransom. We did a 700 mile day back from Cody, WY ( where the convention was held) to Mitchell, South Dakota where Laura lives. She was nice enough to loan me her brand new 2010 110 cu inch Screaming Eagle Harley Twin Cam. Great bike! My butt wasn't even sore!
Back to the Cannonball. I will update with some new photos when I get them uploaded. The bike is ready to fire up! Can't wait to see her again. It's been a while since I made the trip though I am in touch with Steve all the time and we've made plenty of decisions together on seats, batteries, lights, brakes, etc...
I'm ready to go!
Anyway, all is moving along. The bike is about done! We did lots of modifications, changed out the wheels, made new gas tanks ( the old ones probably wouldn't have made it out of California., worked on a headlight, tailights, etc... I REALLY wanted a front brake. The thought of riding in the hills without one was pretty scary for me. Let's see, right foot on brake, left foot on clutch. Oops... how do I hold it on a hill? Anyway, thanks to the "wonderful" Dale and Matt Walksler, I now have a nice front brake. Steve also rebuilt the front end, making me some new tubes for the forks. The old ones were kind of cracked. We got the new handlebars too. Should be good to go test ride and break the motor in around the first part of August.
I went around and around about the speedometer/odometer. It didn't have one and the way the course instructions work, I really needed one. Every morning we will get our road instructions before we leave. They look a little like hieroglyphics unless you know how to read them. It will tell you at such and such mile make a right turn, or which mile you can find gas. Important stuff like that! We also ordered a roll chart
( which is STILL on backorder). This is a well made, waterproof, easy to view contraption that will hold the instructions and allow you to "thumb: through them while you are riding. (I still think it's good to follow someone who really knows the way! lol All kidding aside... I have been taking the Cannonball very seriously and will be ready for Kitty Hawk, NC soon enough.
The BIG news is that my future chase van ( which I am shopping for now) can't follow us, but go up ahead of us and meet us at the hotel each night. Intersetingly enough, I guess I really can't call it a chase vehicle, now can I?:) The good news is that Athena Ransom, my crew can have a cold drink ready for me when I arrive and do my laundry while I'm out riding each day! I'm okay with not having 70 rv's plugging away with ius on bikes trying to see around them. This is going to be fun! I'm planning on carrying my own tools, water, gas, oil anyway. This makes it more like "real lfe: anyway. I'm all for it!
I've also have the good fortune to have some great sponsors behind me. People like:
( in no special order) Arlen Ness, A.D Farrow Harley-Davidson, Air Hawk Seats, Kaenon Sunglasses, Women Riders Now, House Of Rock Records, Harley-Davidson Motor Clothes, Bruce Cohn Winery, Maui Harley-Davidson and last but not least, my wonderful Motor Maids sisters. I just had a chance to go to my very first Motor Maids convention and it was more fun than I ever thought it would be. had a great 1,400 roundtrip ride with my riding buddies Laura Klock and Athena (Chickie) Ransom. We did a 700 mile day back from Cody, WY ( where the convention was held) to Mitchell, South Dakota where Laura lives. She was nice enough to loan me her brand new 2010 110 cu inch Screaming Eagle Harley Twin Cam. Great bike! My butt wasn't even sore!
Back to the Cannonball. I will update with some new photos when I get them uploaded. The bike is ready to fire up! Can't wait to see her again. It's been a while since I made the trip though I am in touch with Steve all the time and we've made plenty of decisions together on seats, batteries, lights, brakes, etc...
I'm ready to go!
Friday, April 9, 2010
Update on my bike & my body!
Got an update on my bike from Steve today. Things are moving along.
He is still waiting for the pistons, but is about ready to start putting the motor back together. He got the seat post rebuilt and the seat mounted. (Still need to apply the gel padding. oh yeah!)
We need to find some handlebars, as mine are badly cracked and will break if the bike falls over. Since there are NO 1915 handlebars floating around to buy, we will have to buy some repro ones.
Dale Walksler told us about a guy in Michigan who is supposedly the 'Steve Huntzinger of Handlebars. " We called Tom and he happens to have a one that he made for someone else who didn't need it. $390.00 and it's ours! Steve was happy to hear this, but wished he could get them sooner than the end of this month (April) that Tom quoted us. He will just have to work around it.
As for "My Body". I worked out Mon., Wed., and Fri. this week again with a trainer. Well worth it. I feel great, am targeting strengthening my back, shoulders and arms. Areas that I will need to pilot this old bike across the 3,300 mile ride this coming Fall. I plan on keeping the exercise program up to be in the best shape I can be in this coming September.
Also need to really start working on Sponsors. Gotta make some calls and get it going. Tis ride is gathering lots of attention and any sponsors I have will garner a lot of attention, as there are only 2 other women riding in the field of 70 riders. One from Bavaria and another from England I believe. Both will be in the single cylinder class. I look forward to meeting them both!
He is still waiting for the pistons, but is about ready to start putting the motor back together. He got the seat post rebuilt and the seat mounted. (Still need to apply the gel padding. oh yeah!)
We need to find some handlebars, as mine are badly cracked and will break if the bike falls over. Since there are NO 1915 handlebars floating around to buy, we will have to buy some repro ones.
Dale Walksler told us about a guy in Michigan who is supposedly the 'Steve Huntzinger of Handlebars. " We called Tom and he happens to have a one that he made for someone else who didn't need it. $390.00 and it's ours! Steve was happy to hear this, but wished he could get them sooner than the end of this month (April) that Tom quoted us. He will just have to work around it.
As for "My Body". I worked out Mon., Wed., and Fri. this week again with a trainer. Well worth it. I feel great, am targeting strengthening my back, shoulders and arms. Areas that I will need to pilot this old bike across the 3,300 mile ride this coming Fall. I plan on keeping the exercise program up to be in the best shape I can be in this coming September.
Also need to really start working on Sponsors. Gotta make some calls and get it going. Tis ride is gathering lots of attention and any sponsors I have will garner a lot of attention, as there are only 2 other women riding in the field of 70 riders. One from Bavaria and another from England I believe. Both will be in the single cylinder class. I look forward to meeting them both!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Effie Lives!
Pat and I drove up to see Effie at Steve Huntzinger's a few days ago. It was funny, cause I walked in and asked him where she was... I seriously didn't see the bare frame sitting in the middle of the floor in front of me! There it was, bare naked, every part off to be examined and rebuilt to make the trip across the country.
We went over what he found. The frame had a crack in it near the bottom. Same with the forks.( Though they were more just worn.) Apparently, water had gotten into the frame and froze, cracking the metal. The bike was from Michigan when Pat got it over 25 years ago, so that makes sense. Steve will fix both problems. So glad we took it to him to go over. I wouldn't have wanted to trust a 95 year old, cracked frame to go 3,300 miles! The handlebar has a crack too, so we will replace that. If not, if the bike fell over, it might break completely off... a bad way to end my cannonball attempt. Again, thanks to Steve I will have every chance to finish the race as possible.
He showed me a seat pan that we are going to use instead of the old, hard bicycle style seat. This one will have plenty of padding, a gel underneath and a sheepskin on top. Will still be a hard ride, but every little bit helps.
He already started on the motor, replacing the old pistons and valves. Thank goodness! he will also make me a replacement set of gas tanks, the same size. We think the old tanks would leak and crack with the vibration. My motor and trans looked pretty good. The gears in the trans looked REALLY good. While the lifters and pushrods looked worn, the trans was great. I wish she could tell me how that happened.
We spent at least and hour or two going over ideas for lights and brakes. Decided on 21 inch wheels to replace the 28 inch 95 year old wheels.
Things will go back together pretty quick I hope... Our plan is to go back out the end of May and ride the bike. Need to break the motor in while Steve is around to help me learn what I need to know. Every bike has it's little things you need to know about starting, running etc...
It's getting pretty exciting!
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