Cruising into Portsmouth

As promised - video proof!

Assault on Reason

I think the first picture explains the blog title just fine.

There were three main goals I had for Lizzy this season.
1)Get some more riding experience
2)Get her past inspection
3)Ride into Portsmouth, with hubby, on the weekend and park with all the bikers in front of a favorite local coffee shop. (Its quite the biker hangout)

Gabe named the ride "Assault on Reason" because it was a little nutty of an idea. But we did it folks. #3 is officially under my belt and I am positively glowing with pride. Read on.
We started with a *slightly* illegal trip over a pedestrian bridge to avoid the highway. I mean, really, there is no way with two-up.
Got some nice Fall riding in near the Pease Airport. Gabe and I both did the fist shake near the runway in our best Top Gun impression. Take that Tom Cruise.

Then we rode into Portsmouth (video posting to follow).
I ejected Gabe and parked next to some huge Harleys in front of the coffee shop and oodles of on lookers. People laughed. But whatever! At least I made an effort to get rid of my helmet hair and look good for the crowds.


Yummy Mocha and sweets - only made sweeter because I was looking at Lizzy and all the other bike porn that was rolling past.

When it was time to head out, I decided to intimidate these guys with the roar of my single. Yeah baby!
Gabe and I decided it was time to clear out of Portsmouth and head over to Newcastle for some island riding.
We got heckled by a cop! Yeah this is the guy. Right before going over the first of two "death bridges" Check the surface at the bottom of the picture. Terrifying! And two-up. I am glad Gabe and I have so much tandem bike riding experience under our belts. I wouldn't have wanted to do it with anyone else. Of course he was saying "Oh My God!" the entire time...
But we basked in the seacoast glory - if not the sun. It was mega cold.

On the way home, we ran into a Goldwing Gang. We are of the same Honda ilk, so I felt a strong kinship, all the while having a Sesame Street Moment.... sing it with me....

One of these things is not like the others. One of these things just does not belong....

All and all, great day! Thanks Gabe for making it happen. You're da bestest!

It's not cheating, Lizzy - really

A colleague at work brought in his mid 60s BMW with a sidecar and I couldn't resist the temptation to go for a ride. I mean, its a sidecar! Freaking awesome. It was slightly terrifying being that low to the ground, going at a good clip. I can't believe people race these things.

What was really awesome is just how much bystanders light up when they see the thing. It must be cool to own something that makes people happy just by being...

Anyway I got to drive the beast. It needs serious manhandling to make turns. But I have to admit it is nice that there is no way to dump the thing.


The problem is that when I tried to ride Lizzy soon after this fun excursion - she totally misbehaved! I was trying to go fast ~50mph and she lost power suddenly and then could only maintain 35mph or so on the way home --- she kept hesitating (kind of like choking). I was kind of freaked and a little bummed.

I am thinking something is funk with the spark advance mechanism since this only happens at high RPM but I dunno. I have one other idea to check.

The season is coming to an end, and I really don't want to go out on a bad note. I don't know who told her about the BMW, but they need to remember ...

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

Going Tandem

Looking back, we should have taken a picture. Really, 'cause you are not going to believe this.

Gabriel and I decided to go get ice cream on Lizzy. Together. We finally procured two helmets and we were totally legal. Keeping with our modus operandi - - "It might not be a good idea, but it will make a memory" we set out. Most of the 4 mile trip to sugary satisfaction was on back roads. The last mile, not so much. We had to get onto a road with a 45mph speed limit.

We both had to get into a severe tuck to make it up to 45, but we did it. Gabe was yelping at me the whole time. I think he was both really nervous with me at the helm, and a little amazed at how much you **feel** 45mph on a bike. Especially on my bike.




Chowing down on two cones, he fired questions at me - working up to the one that was first and foremost on his mind. 'So, um, is the vibration, um, good for you?'

Um, no.

I didn't add that I am saving myself for a Ducati. Sorry Lizzy, a girl has to aim high.

We made it back home and I wanted to continue going along the river on a pleasure cruise together. I mean, we just had a really fun trip; we laughed a lot and we were on a motorcycle *together*. Why not prolong the experience?

Because Lizzy's vibe made Gabe's butt itch too much.

Just when you are riding high, feelin the groove and that cosmic connection with your bike, your world, your man - hubby yells something in your helmet that solidly yanks you back to Earth.

And makes you laugh your ass off.

Inspected!

I have been asking around, to see who would be a good person to take Lizzy to for an 'inspection'. Someone who would 'understand' older bikes. Several folks directed me to Morrison Cycle in Madbury. I called him up, to see if he was 'receptive' to looking at older bikes. Here is an example of our conversation...
-----------
Sam: So I hear you are a good person to bring older bikes to...

Morrison: Age is irrelevant.

Sam: Ok *nervous chuckle*

Morrison: What kind of bike is it?

Sam: It's a 1973 Honda cb125s - a tiny little thing...

Morrison: Size is irrelevant.

Sam: I will come by tomorrow *gulp*
------------

According to this guy, age is irrelevant and size is irrelevant - men of the world rejoice! Anyway, I thought I was seriously screwed, and that this hard ass New Englander would never let me pass. But .... I ***did****!!!
It was actually painless, until it was time to leave. Lizzy wouldn't kick over. After 7 tries, Morrison comes out and asks if this was "normal". I told him no, that she should have started right up. I felt like I wanted to crawl into a hole and hide. Inspected indeed. But guess what!? I *really* wanted to crawl under something when he suggested I turn the key on. Yeah. I am one smooth operator.

In conclusion, it always helps to turn the motorcycle on. But embarrassment be damned, I am legal baby!

Redneck BBQ

It all starts - as it should - with the Blue Angels!!!! Yeah Baby!

What a great reason to assemble the gang and watch the airshow from the yard, while enjoying some yummy BBQ goodness!

Things didn't stay high-brow for long. Rolf and Claudiene, Meryl and Marco, & Krissy and Newton were in the house and they wanted entertainment of the Lizzy variety. After listening to the sound of freedom (thank you Angels!), it was time to listen to some beautiful OHC Single purr. But first - the thing I have been *dreading*...(drum roll)... changing the rear tire!
Marco is looking a little bored here holding the girl up, while Newton and I are looking at the rear of the bike. Newton, the crazy viking bastard, is all about wrenching first and asking questions later. Seriously, he tore into the job. Shocks in the way? Take them off. Extra nuts? Who needs them.
I must say his fashion of sandals and blue socks entertained all, as did the wife-beater cape combo. They lined the seats up around the bike and watched us work. Gabriel and Rolf worked on the rear tail light that wasn't flashing and cured the problem by removing the seat, unplugging the wire - having a drink - plugging it back in and voila! (Should I mention the other tail light mysteriously stopped working after that point? Nawhh, that would just be mean and belittle their accomplishment!)

Seriously, it was an epic day. I haven't had that much fun in eons. Or laughed that much. It was a wicked decent day.

Front Tire Fun

I decided after I commuted into work for the first time and hit blazing speeds up to 55mph, that I shouldn't be repeating the speed-racer moves with a front tire that goes flat by the end of the day and a rear tire that has cracks all in it. I ordered some tires from Depot Honda here on the NH seacoast and got to work.

Getting the wheel off was interesting. I used a jack under the engine (green thing in picture above). It only took dropping the bike one time before I lashed it to a pole. Scared the shit out of me when it happened. Poor Lizzy. Bad Mommy.

Gabriel and I watched You Tube videos of how to change a tire. Most of them were bunk. We really liked the one of the guy at the dealership who was like "Take the tire. Deflate it. Then put it on the tire changing machine." Um, why are you posting this dude? Not exactly DIY.

I used cut up milk cartons under the irons, because I was worried about scratching the wheel. It came off OK. But the new tire that we ordered from the *dealership* didn't even fit between the fork. Awesome.

My front tire was fine so I just replaced the tube - because that was totally f-ed up. Totally. It had 4 ---- FOUR ---- patches on it. Really, Mr. Previous Owner ( and I know you were a man because no woman would be this stupid) is a $8 tube too much to spend, to put your life on?

Arggghhh!
I decided to clean the wheel with Simple Green which was going fine until the break came out and bonked me on the head, when I had the thing flipped over for inspection. That *hurt*. The book should warn you those things are free ranging when you remove it from the bike.

Yeah I know it should be obvious - but still! Ouch! I was so grumpy I had to yell at Gabe even though he was across the yard when it happened.

I measured the drum ID and looked at the pads. They were OK - not great, but OK. I made sure their surfaces were clean (dry brush only) and free of oil/grease. Before putting it all together.

The new tube holds air and the old tire looks OK.

For future reference small bike folk out there - go to smalltires.com to find the freaking old things that are impossible to find elsewhere. I learned that from the cb125 yahoo group - a little too late.

Next - the rear tire. I shake with fear.