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Took the forks out, now on their way for servicing. In the meanwhile I can service the brakes, fit new tyres and oils/filters.

Fantic used to have a 50cc model named Caballero. I was closing on 14 years old, and I was looking for my first mopped. I ended purchasing a Gitane Testi Champion Super; orange. Powered by a Motori Minarelli, six speeds. I kept it exactly 14 days before it was stolen. It was too good looking I guess. Insurance reimbursed the full price, but I went for something less shiny. Fantic had been one brand I looked at before settling on the Testi.

Picked her up today after a 2hour test yesterday. Highway home from the dealer today, about 100m in cold weather. Can't wait for nicer weather. She feels light, so betting she will be fun in the mountains. More later. Cheers Tom. Sent fra min SM-S906B via Tapatalk

This article by Marco Panella describes the mood of kids growing up during that period just as I remember it. Caballero! The name is enough Between 1968 and 1971 everything happens: the battle of Valle Giulia, the student protest, the moon landing, the Cagliari championship dragged by Gigi Riva, the Azzurri defeat against Brazil in the final of the World Cup in Mexico City, the hot autumn, Renzo Arbore and Gianni Boncompagni's High Appreciation , Raffaella Carrà's Tuca Tuca , Easy Rider showing us the other side of America, Graham Hill and Jackie Stewart competing for the Formula 1 titles, Giacomo Agostini who wins everything possible in the world championship and the austerity that sends Italians on bicycles. But for a fourteen year old, in those years something happens that will change his dreams and desires. In 1968 the Brianza-based Mario Agrati and the Dutch Henry Keppel Hesselink leave Garelli, the family business of the former and of which the latter was the director for sales abroad, and founded a company with an imaginative and psychedelic name that is all a promise: Fantic Motor . A promise that will be kept. Well the following year, at the Milan Cycle and Motorcycle Show, Fantic Motor presents the Caballero, a 50cc off-road motorcycle, but which for all of us kids of the seventies was simply the motocross bike. Try to imagine a 50cc you can ride without a license and that not only looked like it was a grown-up bike, with its telescopic forks, the high fender, the unmistakable sound, the tires that looked like the carrarmato Perugina put on the road and that name, Caballero, which echoed the gringos, suerte, vamos, sangre y muerte that we read on Tex and that deluded us that we could speak Spanish. Try to imagine it and put it in the Italy of the early seventies and its leaden climate, but at the same time so erratic as to make you believe everything is possible. The fact is that behind the Caballero an entire generation goes crazy, guarantees it an uninterrupted production until 1981 and gives it an aura of legend that time has not tarnished in the least. Perhaps this is why even today each of us, when it happens to come across one of the current versions of the Caballero put on the market by a renewed Fantic Motor , looks at the little boy who drives and smiles. Marco Panella

https://www.motociclismo.it/moto-guzzi-v100-foto-spia-enduro-guzzi-82709

Very entertaining FortNine....

The F9 kid loves the X. Any of our European folks know about this one? it's powered by the Yamaha 700 twin

Replaced my busted-up front fender tonight. Just want to thank @Aldo, again. And also @KINDOY2 for all the encouragement to pursue this.

Yes, there has been mention of that in the German forum I'm active in. I've been convinced from the start that there would be more models based on the V100 platform. Seems like the next one is on the way. I hope it turns out as well as the V100 Mandello appears to have done. Incidentally, it wouldn't surprise me if those photos were "officially "accidently" leaked". They seem to have done the rounds at a remarkably cracking pace.

I'm not sure a "Banter" thread can be drifted. They are like a conversation at a party.... Drifting a "How to" thread, on the other hand . . .

@Joe Sorry, I am guilty of thread theft. Wasn't my intention but guilty.

Thanks mate That article really put it into perspective... As a kid in NZ in the seventies it was a Suzuki RV 75 that did it for me and set me upon my way! Cheers Guzzler

https://petrolicious.com/articles/this-restored-fantic-caballero-50-is-a-1970s-dream-realized-in-2020

All I know about this one is from an article I read about Cabellero making a come back as a brand. When I was a kid, Caballero made small displacement bikes (50cc) in scrambler type that we all lusted after. They were Italian, sexy, rare and out of reach for most of us. Along with “Fantic Motor” they filled many a dream of my adolescent years...

https://www.designengineering.com/ I've used material from these guys to protect the radiator hose on my Pan Am from header proximity. Lots of good stuff for gearheads.

Last night I reinstalled the rear wheel fender on my v11; PO had removed it to make the bike more naked. He gave it to me along with the other pieces of plastic he took off. I've been noticing it on pics of other bikes and like the look as well as its very practical purpose. Luckily he still had the original screws.

Oil & Filter Change.

Cool brakes. D no wind tunnel task. Hot inside is good, but not on a bike. Great engines. Cheers Tom.

Stelvio looks good for a raindeer, (green) but a bit top heavy and a little lack of power. The Duc raindeer is an amazing bike. Yes I still enjoy what she has to offer, at least some of it When they showed the V85 first time, red frame, with yellow and white paint = very nice raindeer, but not enough power IMO. Again have to say a V11 enjoying herself in the sweet area 5 - 7k, WHAT beats that !! Cheers Tom.

Yes it can be done. My Greenie was realy making me nuts, dont know how many times I tuned her, everything super, just 2800-3100rpm. So lucky to met a gent with a Quota who has the knowledge to enter the brain and use tunerpro. TPS is VERY important, and added a little fuel in that area. Probably not 100%, but she runs so good, NO stumbling at all, for sure I have tried everything to have her sneeze, ZERO. BIG smile in the helmet all day, and even when parked looking at her at night to. All of my V11 runs GREAT now. It's hope out there Cheers Tom.

Guzzis and 12 valve Cummins, some similarities there. Both rugged, simple and easy to work on. Have both in my shop as well.

Helluva beak!!

Looks like the ancestor of the modern Beak.

My apologies as well for hijacking @Joe's thread... to my defense, @LowRyter started it... @docc you could migrate the "Fantic Motor / Caballero" content to a new thread if you'd like.

Mate That's some fleet you've got now.....! Can't wait to hear your impressions as well. Cheers Guzzler

I can't stand the BEAK!!

Yes! And brake pads, clean and rotate all the brake pistons, flush fluid, Decent Tune-up . . . ready for the spring Kentucky spine Raid !

So you're losing slightly over a Volt through the wiring. I find that too much. Quite apart from your brake light problem (or maybe in connection with it...), I would be going through the wiring harness and checking and cleaning connections all the way.

I had the infamous 3000 RPM cough at stop lights when it was hot out on my Rosso Corsa..and never did totally get rid of it..despite trying many things. Then after a complete rebuild on my Scura it was doing the same thing at 3000 in in-town traffic on hot days..I tried everything I could think of , or could read about on the subject..It drove me crazy (er).... Finally I loosened up my valve clearances a little and it seemed to stop..and had still stopped a couple months later when I sold the bike...I don't know if that was a coincidence or what..but that is what happened..

I'm fairly sure that Marty meant "vapour lock" there...

I would search for "Heat Protection Film Self-adhesive Auto 1.4 mm Insulation" or similar. Aliexpress sells this: Car Heat Protection Film Fireproof Heat Insulation Mat Self-adhesive Aluminum Foil Glass Fiber High Temperature Resistant Cloth - Sound & Heat Insulation Cotton - AliExpress Or follow audiomick's advice above.

Crap, I'm out. No dog..

I would, as I assume it is there for a reason. I don't know for sure, however, how critical it is. As far as replacing it goes: When we moved into the apartment we are in now, I "built" the kitchen cupboards, workbench and so on out of second hand stuff. I decided to put the oven above the bench, and built a cabinet for it out of 18mm "built up" oak, i.e. glued together slats about 8 inches long and 1 1/2 wide. Cheap substitute for solid oak panels. Anyway, it was obvious that the inside of the cabinet had to be insulated, so I went looking. Turns out the most readily available source is shops who sell stuff to people who hot-rod and custom build cars. It seems there is a need for that sort of insulation foil to cater for blokes who put silly turbo chargers in inappropriate places and what have you, to shield against exhaust heat and such. So if anyone is looking for a source, start at your local hot-rod tuning shop, or search the same in the Net. I very quickly found any number of sources for self-adheshive foil in various thicknesses and for various temperature ranges. If I remember correctly, the stuff I used for the oven was rated at something like 850°C.

This year, I am going to blog it differently; rather than piecemeal following post additions, I will update the first post (if possible; I remember there is a limit to the number of photos one post can contain) as I complete the tour stops. Everything will be in a single post, at the front of the thread. Easier to follow. Here's the map for 2023 50 stops( not formatted for phone view): this year, there are three additional "Alternative stops" that can be substituted for any of the 50 contractual ones. Once I have made a stop, I change the color from red to green. I should report distance and gas mileage. The purple colored stops are those which I will replace with alternates. 22/23/24-Sep-2023 update: Panhandle/Marfa loop (North and West) 1753 miles (2821 km) - about 27 hours of riding time; Ten stops; total 50 stops including 3 Alternates, out of 50 Highlights: -Longest ride so far, with a single day ride of 579 miles (932 km) via US-90. -The 5:00 AM Mclean to Seagraves trip down the US-70/256 through the Caprocks Canyons -The Kent to McDonald Observatory 118 road; better than the Twisted Sisters -The US-90 scenic route back from Marfa instead of the typical I-10 -The I-20 and its 80 mph posted speed, the highest legal speed in the USA! I did take the opportunity to remove the carbon deposits from the V11. -No more fuel injection issues; I do not have any explanation other than fixing the left cylinder boot that had come out of the admission pipe. If this was it, then was a leak since I got the bike. Lowlights: -Difficult to find air at gas stations. It used to be a staple of what you could expect and now missing or not working at almost every gas station I fueled. When I departed from Mclean at 5:00 AM, the temperature was below 70 degF. With such temperature variations in Texas, it is important to be able to check tire pressure. -Drivers not switching to low beams when crossing you; driving down to Seagraves from Mclean, it was still night and most of the vehicles I crossed did not bother switching to low beams. It is especially hard with trucks with several additional lights. No nice! -In Pecos, I lost idle briefly. I think it had to do with the extremely high temperature +100 degF, combined with multiple engine starts in a short span of time (I was relocating the bike). Apart from that, the Le Mans was perfect. -I thought the temperatures would be in the 80's, but no. Most of the trip was well into the 90's or better, excepted for the early Mclean start in the panhandle. -I wanted to take a picture of the Le Mans under the starry skies of Marfa, but it was raining that night... better luck next time. -The wind! from Midland to Kent, on the I-20 SW, I had a head wind which was making the fairing waddle left to right continuously. Remember the posted speed is 80 mph on the I-20. Rear view mirrors shaking with the fairing; useless! -Fuel consumption; I rode this trip as I did all the others before. Yet, I averaged considerably less mpg. I suppose this may be related to having an improved fuel injection, but I have no rationale for it. In Pecos, there was a ribbon of plastic flying that got caught on my left turn indicator, and overheating on my exhaust pipe. It melted on the pipe and left a black streak which is very hard to get rid off. Fuel Management: 51.838 US gallons total for the trip. I noticed that it is only 1309 miles according to my odometer. Its a considerable difference with the theoretical distance from the google itinerary of 1753 miles.... Another noticeable difference this time around, is my MPG. On the way to Shamrock (Route 66), my fuel efficiency was lower than expected by a lot! I do not have an explanation for it. Also, the 3000 rpm Fuel Injection issue has vanished since I fixed the boot on the left hand side of the admission pipe. The V11 works without any fuel problem. Strange. Riding Gear & Miscellaneous I thought the temperatures will be in the 80's and I was completely wrong. It was still very hot, especially coming down from Mclean once the sun started to rise, all the way to Marfa. Nevertheless, I only wore my Bowtex Elite Shirt, and the SIXS undergarment which I have well documented on this forum. As stated in the summary, I departed from Mclean at 5:00 am, and I would have liked to check my tire pressures, but could not. This used to be a staple of what gas stations proposed. I do not understand why it is not available everywhere. Only Costco seems to have it available. Stop #36 This was my first stop after 8 hours out... this is the old bank vault with the jail right behind it... I should have explored more, but I was trying to get some rest, and the sun was pounding me at 1:00 pm! Stop #22: The depot was built in 1909 and is a typical example of the Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. It was used as a passenger station and offices for the main line of the Quanah Acme and Pacific Railroad. Today it is a Museum full of memories from those days when railway was a main mean of transportation. Stop #7: This stop needs no introduction, since Route 66 is very well known; lots of tourists in the U Drop INN historical cafe, and a Tesla charging port right behind the complex. I bumped into foreigners following the Route 66, by car though... I would have waited for the night neon, but it was only 4 pm when I arrived, and the U Drop Inn closed at 5, so I would have had nowhere to wait. Elvis allegedly sat in a booth in this Inn, he was staying at an hotel nearby in between performances. Stop #5: The "Devil's Rope" Museum, a.k.a. barbed wire. For those of you interested in history, the barbed wire as we know it was patented by American Joseph Glidden in November 1874. It was an amelioration of the invention of the French Louis Janin in 1865 himself having taken the idea from another Frenchman, Léonce Eugène Grassin-Balédans in 1860. Barbed comes from the French "Barbel", hence the French name of barbed wire: barbelé. The great contribution from Joseph Glidden was a fast way to deploy it, using reels. The Museum contains all kind and variety of barbed wires, including those not so nice used during the first and second World Wars. Overnight at the Cactus Inn, Mclean TX A unassuming hotel, clean and owned by an elderly couple. I found that some families are living in this hotel on a permanent basis. Like the driver of that truck parked upfront. When you ride early in the morning, using the back roads, you are practically alone and able to absorb so much of the beauty surrounding you. I had a schedule to keep, unfortunately, but needless to say that I could have taken countless gorgeous photos. Texas is full of wind turbines! when it is dark, they have these red blinkers on, and if there is no visible moon, it looks eerie to see those lights above ground, but nothing else.... Stop #45, Hotel Texan Seagraves; I stayed there last year, but they had no vacancy this time around. For a good reason, when I arrived there, they were preparing for the annual town festival. Some of the people setting up nearby invited me to stay, and I wished i could have had. But the road to Marfa was still long. Stop # 24 Permian Basin Museum, Midland TX; What Texas is all about, or used to be all about maybe? oil and gas. I did not have time to visit the Museum, but I will one day. It contains a lot of the historical technology that started it all. Midland is a bustling city with a lot of jobs looking for willing people. Stop #12, Odessa TX; Fortunately, only a few miles away from Midland. I was told a lot of the oil and gas workers live in Odessa since Midland is now so expensive. Stop #14, West of the Pecos Museum, Pecos TX. I will not keep a good souvenir of Pecos. The town was a gigantic traffic jam, mostly due to 18 wheeler going in or out. This is also where a long plastic ribbon got caught on my left turn indicator, and melted on my exhaust pipe. It is very difficult to remove now. As mentioned in the recap at the beginning of this report, the 118 road from Kent to Fort Davis is a motorcycle rider's paradise. Twist and turns, up and downs. The catch is there aren't many vehicles on this road, and there isn't any connectivity either. Don't overdo it because there are plenty of places with sharp drops, and you are mostly on your own. Probably a good reason to never ride alone? you can see the McDonald Observatory further up, and the cloudy skies was a good indication that I would not catch any stars that night. Stop #28, McDonald Observatory TX; The ride to there was unbelievable fantastic, and more was awaiting from there to Fort Davies. I left that site at 4:30 pm, to head to my last stop of this 2023 tour: Marfa. Stop #34, Marfa lights viewing area, Marfa Texas. It is going to rain soon, I took the pictures for the tour, and decided to go to the hotel and come back at night. The sun was trying hard to go through the clouds at this moment. On the way back to Houston from Marfa, I chose to go through the US-90 instead of the I-10. The US-90 should be considered a scenic road as it is really crossing some beautiful landscape. Here's a photo of the bridge crossing the Pecos. That's all folks! 2023 Motorcycle Grand Tour of Texas is complete... 22/23-Jul-2023 update: Dallas/Abilene loop (North and West) 1050 miles (1690 km) - about 17 hours of riding time; Eleven stops; total 40 stops including 3 Alternates, out of 50 Highlights: I did it! I rode in the currently challenging extreme temperatures of Texas. Met many interesting characters along the way, a lot of kindness and courtesy extended by strangers. I mean people stopping to ask if I was ok. Definitively, there is still some good in this world. Lots of compliments directed at the Guzzi, even if people have difficulty to differentiate a BMW from a Guzzi. Not a single issue with the V11 even in 116 deg F (46.6 deg C) which is the maximum temperature recorded on the Formotion thermometer between Albany and Abilene. That being said, the engine missing at low revs was exacerbated. Lowlights: From early morning until about 09:30, temperatures were bearable. Afternoons temperatures made the ride strenuous at times. I will expend about weather conditions below. The Formotion Thermometer sheared from its support during the trip. This is the second time. I had installed it on a rubber boss for this trip, but that did not suffice to impede its loss. Unfortunately, because I am doing the stops marathon style, my timing does not always coincide with the business hours of the places. Fuel Management: As reported here, I had to refill the tank with 87 Octanes fuel since nothing else was available. This was the 200 miles / 48.0 mpg entry. I was outside Abilene and the reserve light came on. Although I could not feel any difference, I stopped at each successive gas station to mix higher octane fuel. This is why I have three entries with lower mileage in between refills. The 48.0 mpg/200 miles and 35.0 mpg/60 miles are most likely not accurate because I did not fully refill the tank with 87 Octanes, but I did for the successive refuel. Also, the "Alon" Gas stations mostly found in rural Texas only propose 90 Octanes premium. In any case, I am confident my Le Mans does about 45 mpg average on highways, and 35 average in the city. Riding Gear & Miscellaneous I did the trip using the Bowtex Elite Shirt, and the SIXS shirts and padded shorts. In these extreme temperatures complicated by humidity, nothing is going to spare you the heat. The Bowtex offers some minimal protection against abrasion and hard falls, and SIXS gear is really the best I have found for this kind of weather. The Shirts are lighter than sports shirts, and the padded boxer shorts really help to alleviate the backside pain on long rides. Prior to my trip I ordered and received a top cover for the Guzzi, from "More Shade" at ETSY's marketplace. I am glad I did, because not everywhere was I able to park my bike in the shade. Not so much to avoid having a "hot seat" but rather to spare the tank from the UVs. I wore the Quies Earplug designed for Motorcyclist; they are more comfortable than the Alpine. The rings are smaller which combines with larger extraction tab, make them easier to extract. Unfortunately, with this kind of temperatures, it was unbearable to have ear plugs. I took them off at the first gas stop. More testing is required. Hearing Aids and Riding Care to Share your experience? HEAT! It was really hot! The first few hours from 05:00 until 9:30 were fine. Especially outside of Houston on the I-45 to Dallas. From 09:30 onward, riding became unpleasant at times. Opening your visor would equate to opening an oven door and getting a whiff of potentially burning air. The Formotion temperature were taken during stops, and with the gauge in the shade. During my ride from Albany to Abilene, on the highway, the thermometer read 115 degF, with the thermometer protected from the wind and direct sunlight. Suffocating! I also noted that while traveling you could feel temperature differences; probably due to changes in humidity. For those of us who have been in a sauna, it is the same feeling as when you pour water on the stones. The temperature is the same, but the heat index quickly increases. I did not carry any water, and did not drink between gas stops. But that's me. I have worked in deserts before, and I think I am resilient to heat. In any case, there are numerous stops offering fresh water along the way. Now, I admit that if I had had a break down, I may have regretted to not carry water with me. I simply have no room. I have seen very few motorcyclists during this trip. The majority of them were in San Angelo, on a Sunday morning for church. No helmet, T-shirts only. I bumped into another Texas Grand Tourer at the Vintage Cars Museum in Weatherford. It was his last stop, and he told me he had done the rest in May. Stop# 6 Moto Liberty Addison (near Dallas): They are a tour sponsor, returning each year. Stop# 37 Rider's Biker Supply Lewisville (Near Dallas) Sponsor, returning each year. Stop#15 Decatur: I did not understand the meaning of that mural. Stop# A3 Jacksboro (this is an alternate stop): This is the chamber of commerce of Jacksboro; unfortunately closed. This was the third alternate stop. Stop# 30 Vintage Cars Museum Weatherford: The museum was open when I got there. I looked at these cars with nostalgia, trying to imagine how it was to navigate the cities with them. I actually had the opportunity to ride in a Cadillac DeVille in the 80's, while in New-York. This was an incredible challenge to park. There's also that Suzuki 250, which seems to be at the wrong place. But it looked pretty nice! Stop# 9 Mobley Hotel (1st ever Hilton Hotel) Cisco Conrad Hilton was in Cisco to purchase a bank. Instead, he purchased this hôtel which was making good revenue by renting the same rooms to multiple individuals. This was called "hot bedding". There were some oil workers, working 8 hour shifts, and not enough hotel rooms. The lack of Hotel rooms got Hilton interested. The rest of the story is that we now have Hilton hotels all over the world. The hotel was restored by the Hilton group recently, and you can visit it. But I could not since I arrived before visits started. Stop# 44 Sinclair Gas Station Albany There are plenty of these former gas stations, restored by the cities. Memorial to the older days. Stop# 39 Fort Phantom Hill near Abilene Interesting story, but I did not find any rattle snakes. Probably too hot even for them! Stop# 48 Harbord Kourt Hotel Coleman Coleman was my overnight stop for this trip. I could not get one of the 5 rooms they typically rent unfortunately. Sold out; third year in a row. I had dinner at a local Texas dinner, and was the only one without a cowboy hat... I felt odd. I am still finishing my digestion since the amount of food they give you could probably nourish an entire school for several days! and all that for a few dollars less, not more! Stop# 31 Railway Museum San Angelo I got in San Angelo around 09:30, and the city was bustling with people going to church, including a lot of Harley Riders with their better halves in tow. Again, the museum was opening at 13:00, so I had to continue to my next stop. Stop# 26 Mural in Eden This was my last stop for that trip. The return to Houston was just as hot as the rest That's all for this trip! see you on the next one... 26-May-2023 update: Frio Canyon loop (South West) 620 miles (998km)-10hours 25 minutes ride Five stops; total 29 stops out of 50 Highlights: Did the FM 337 (one of the three twisted sisters) from Medina to Leakey, coming from Bandera's Flying L Ranch. Last year, in 2022, at the same stop the V11 would not start again, forcing me to abort and go back home. At the Texas Motorcycle Museum, I could see a Moto Guzzi Daytona RS up close and personal for the first time!!! the bike is stunning! Lowlights: I installed a bracket to hold a camera so I could record the 337 run on video. Unfortunately, this is a camera equipped with gimbals, and the actuating motors are not strong enough to withstand the wind. I did some trials before the trip, with the camera perfectly behind the screen. But I changed the placement and found out the hard way that if exposed to the wind, the gimbals lock and the camera stops recording. I realized my mistake, and made a second attempt, keeping the bike beneath 40 mph. I will check the footage and post it if interesting. At the Frio Canyon Motorcycle stop, as I was backing up the Le Mans to park, my foot slipped on gravel; I nearly dropped it. Fuel details for the trip: I started on May 26th at 06:00; tank top off on May 31st after running errands. Something to take into consideration: the more refuels with less mileage in between, the greater the possible error. The three main refuels during the trip are all around 47 mpg and almost exclusively without any traffic. In the city, the mileage is around 40 mpg. Stop #32, Alamo BMW in San Antonio Stop #10, Flying L Ranch in Bandera Stop #23, Frio Canyon Motorcycle Stop near Leakey. See the gravel on the ground? hazard when backing up the bike on the incline.... Stop #21, C-47 Aircraft, Gillespie county airport near Fredericksburg Stop #29, The Texas Motorcycle Museum, Johnston City 01-May-2023 update: North East Texas 644 miles (1036km)-10hours 36 minutes ride six stops; total 24 stops out of 50 Highlights: In Corsicana, a driver stopped to talk to me while I was taking the Clint Eastwood Mural picture. He saw the bike, and told me he had a V7 Sport Guzzi when they came out in the 70's. In Gladewater, a young rider and his girlfriend came to chat about the Moto Guzzi brand which there weren't aware existed. In Jefferson, met a retired Policeman who did active duty on Moto Guzzi 750 and later 1000. he shared some photos of him while on duty riding those bikes. He was quite emotional telling me that since he retired, this was the first time he saw a Guzzi. Lowlights: Because of road flooding, I could not take the quickest itinerary between Jefferson, my last stop, and Houston. I had to take the 59 to Center, then the 96 to Jasper, the 190 to Jefferson, and resume my planned road. From 619 miles it became 644. This Eastern part of Texas has lots of forests, single lane roads, lots of lakes, nice to ride however.... On the 190, a truck towing a boat on a trailer turned left in front of me. I do not know if he saw me, but I had to brake in emergency to avoid hitting the trailer. The speed limit is 75 mph on these roads, and the guy turned left all of a sudden. No turn indicator. This was a close call. If I had not been pressed by time, I would have chased him to make him aware that he had cut in front of me. Fuel Details for this trip; Notice the differences in gas prices with Houston and the rest of the towns I visited... my fuel mileage is pretty good on the Le Mans. One detail, I tuck myself behind the windscreen on highway rides. It probably helps a lot. Stop#11 Clint Eastwood Mural in Corsicana Stop#1 Transformer Statue in Terrel Stop#17 Derrick in Gladewater Stop#18 Gladewater Museum Gladewater Stop#16 Old Fire Truck Gladewater Stop#46 Jay Gould Railroad Car Jefferson Trip done on Monday 24th, April 2023; page updated on Thursday 27th, April 2023. Count: 18/50 Texas Side Cars loop; 5 stops; 1 alternate. Itinerary: 539 miles (based on Google Maps; Total riding time 09:00 hours (estimated). Fuel details for this trip: Stop #4: Donnie. Stop #49: Old Fort Parker Grœsbeck. Stop #19: Gulf Gas Station Waco. Stop #42 Humble Gas Station Lampasas. Stop #40 Hill Country Motorhead Museum Burnet. Stop ALT-2 Henrietta the Hippo Hutto. Trip done on Monday 20th, March 2023; page updated on Tuesday 21st, March 2023. Gulf Loop: around 400 miles total. 40 to 50 degrees F: Fuel details for this trip: Stop #33 former Kingsbury post-office: Stop 38 Chisholm Trail Heritage Museum: Stop #20 Edna Movie Theater: Stop 43 Hotel Blessing: I was warned beforehand! one of the best buffet for homemade real food... they only accept cash unfortunately. Stop #ALT1 Pete the Mule (in lieu of Stop #50 Lonestar Rider who is doing a 48 States ride): Stop #02 Buddy Holly Center: Stop #03 12th Armored Division Memorial Museum: Stop #41 Historic Comanche Depot: Stop #8 History of Coryell County Mural: INITIAL Mileage before starting the 2023 tour; Stop #27: Navasota Classic Rock Coffee Co. & Kitchen: Lady #683: I did the same mistake parking with the front end first here. This is an incline and with a heavy bike, you cannot get out anymore. Fortunately, the car parked on her left hand side moved. Stop #25: Houston Red Roof Hotel: Red Roof is a sponsor of the tour; Stop #47 Galveston Naval Museum: Approximate calculated mileage Stops 27, 25, 47: 281.3

100 meter woud be great, but no. More rural than that. My wrong, sometimes miles and sometimes km, so from now on, strickly km Cheers Tom.

Congratulations! Looking forward to hearing your impressions relative to the V11 . . .

If I wanted a dual-sport or Adv bike, I'd rather it look like this than something with beak on it.

It inserts into the removal tool to pierce the filter and help turn the oily filter. In theory it would work, but in my case after 2hrs of not getting the filter to move. I was advised by KaleV11 to look up with my I-phone camera to see if Shaun (prior owner) installed a metal band around the filter to make sure it wouldn't vibrate loose, an alas it had one. So next up was the whole pan dropped and cleaned up to remove the band and then the filter. I "bought" these tools with the bike in the couple of boxes of "stuff" Shaun dropped off with the bike. BTW he gave me a new oil filter and gasket too, what a deal right.

Beautiful docc....

Looks like a fresh front tire too!

I have seen tight valve clearances create the same scenario, you are right, it wasn’t happenstance.

Just installed a odyssey battery and I did check the voltage on that, that reading at about 12.75

Yes, I already knew about heat shields being used by the Muscle Car/Hot Rod crowd to insulate blowers in turbocharged engine and keep air intake cool, and we used to have a couple of independent shops around here that were great resources for everything automotive. Unfortunately they went the way of the dodo as everything can now be found with a couple of clicks on a keyboard. The trouble with that is you don't get to talk to anyone with any knowledge of - and even less get to see/touch - the product you're buying. That's why I find personal hands-on experience with a particular product highly valuable.

If you are ever idling in traffic, then heat can rise quickly under the tank. The result is hot fuel, which is bad. Insulation on the tank lower surface, external pump, and filter are valuable to avoid vapor lick. You can get a snort during a hot start that can pop the throttle bodies off. Don't ask how I know this. If you always go fast, then you don't need to replace it.

That sounds like it was a really great concert. The one I saw was just Deep Purple, in Melbourne (in a horrible venue....) in about 1984 after "Perfect Strangers" came out. Sure, they were a bit older, and Gillan wasn't quite up to the high notes as was in his heyday, but still a glorious concert with the "right" line-up. In later years I encountered John Lord a couple of times at events that I worked on as a sound engineer. The man was truly brilliant, polite, friendly, relaxed, everything one could wish for. I feel honoured that I was able to support his performances with my efforts. One of the the best, if not the best, Hammond players ever.

*Pretty sure* sKSR-Central (the "cottage"/602 on the park map) is 209 Jennings Rd on google maps. Looks to be more like 2 1/2 miles from there to The Lodge/restaurant/lodge rooms so, for sure, a shuttle will be much appreciated for the lodge guests!

Completed 6 stops of the 2023 Motorcycle Tour of Texas: As reported herewith: the update is below the overall map of all the stops.