Devour Miles

Skewering Nemo, Or: Windy Times at Waldo Lake

Fri, 19 Oct 2018 21:45:00 +0000

This should have been a routine camping trip: a quick jaunt up to Waldo Lake, taking advantage of some unseasonably beautiful weather to sneak in one last trip before the rainy season began. But the wilderness had other plans.

I left work early in the afternoon, hopped on my loaded-up Beast, and rode out to meet my friend 10guy and his Ural rig. We made quick time to the lake via some slab and Hwy 58. I’ve put 3500 miles on Beast this summer and the bike is running like a top.

Autumn riding at the 45th parallel means racing an ever-earlier sunset. We made it to the lake right around Golden Hour.

Let's play "spot the motorbike."

While the skies were a gorgeous blue that day, the lack of cloud cover meant the temperatures plunged as soon as the sun set. Overnight temperatures dipped close to freezing. I did not want to get out of my sleeping bag until after the sun appeared the next morning, and I needed my mug of coffee, a hot breakfast, and seat next to the campfire before I was warm enough to get riding.

We spent the day riding around the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway. The temperature was 42°F (5°C) when we left camp and 76°F (24°C) when we reached Bend, which made me grateful for heated gear and wearing layers!

Back at camp, we watched another beautiful sunset over the lake.

That night, the temperatures plunged again, this time below freezing. The wind also started to gust high in the canopy of trees above us. I wasn’t too concerned about this, as I make sure to check for dead trees and branches above when selecting a site to pitch my tent.

The next morning, it was 31°F (-0.5°C) when I went down to the lake shore to enjoy a cup of coffee and some breakfast.

The wind didn’t die down. In fact, the gusts seemed to be growing stronger, but they remained high in the tree canopy. After breakfast, I wandered back up to camp and was sitting next to the fire when there was a loud crashing sound from a neighboring campsite: a tree had fallen over next to their camp.

10guy and I decided that was a good sign for us to start packing up. We weren’t in a particular hurry, as the wind gusts didn’t seem that bad, and surely a forest next to an alpine lake is used to a bit of wind, right?

We were wrong, because half an hour later, I heard a huge crack! and watched in amazement as the tree I was standing next to broke off at its base and fell over — right in the direction of my tent!

It’s amazing how fast perceptions can change. What had been a moderately interesting windstorm instantly became a dangerous situation. Of course, it was dangerous before this moment, but due to our ignorance we didn’t realize it.

When the duff had settled, I scrambled over to my tent and found it uncrushed, but skewered by a falling branch. My beloved Nemo Obi 1p had narrowly averted disaster. I immediately started pulling up stakes and guylines while my heart pounded its way down from being lodged in my throat. 10guy helped me pick up the tent and carry it back to the rest of my gear. We were now in a hurry. You’ll have to forgive the artist’s rendering below, as I wasn’t in a mood to take pictures of the immediate aftermath.

Not ten minutes later, a third tree broke and fell down in an adjacent campsite whose occupants had vacated only a few minutes before.

At this point, we stopped packing and started throwing gear onto our bikes as fast as we could. The plan was to get out from under tree cover and find an open area where we could repack our gear properly. Though it only took a few minutes to finish loading up, it felt like forever as the cluster of trees towering over our bikes swayed in the wind.

We finally left the campsite and found a large, empty parking lot at the boat ramp. The wind gusts continued to grow in strength and whitecaps could be seen out on the lake.

Our re-packing efforts were closely supervised.

After re-packing our gear, our next concern was the possibility of downed trees on the road back to Hwy 58. Indeed, we encountered a tree partially blocking the road immediately after leaving the campground, and two more trees a few miles after that. Someone had moved the trees enough to open up a lane on the road, and we were grateful for that. It was interesting to see so many people heading up to the lake despite all the fallen trees. Like us, they probably didn’t realize just how dangerous the situation really was.

In hindsight, we probably should have moved to open ground during the night, when the wind gusts became constant. I’m no stranger to bad weather camping, but most of my windy camping has been done on the Oregon Coast, where the trees can withstand most wind short of a hurricane. In an inland pine forest, stressed by drought and an unusually warm summer, even 30mph gusts can start to bring the giants down. This was certainly a learning experience for me, and a good reminder that experience doesn’t always apply to different places.

Oregon CDR North - Part 2

Mon, 10 Sep 2018 22:00:00 +0000

I woke up at daybreak on Monday morning, with clear skies overhead and that chill in the air that means autumn is on the way. Summer, as usual, has passed by too quickly, much like this trip.

Neither 10guy or I were in much of a hurry to pack up and depart, and I enjoyed a double serving of coffee while swapping my air filter for a clean one and pulling the chain adjuster on the DR’s rear axle back a couple more notches.

We finally got underway and found ourselves on gravel roads that took us through recent logging operations.

There were plenty of nice vistas.

Despite my misgivings about gravel, I felt a little more confident today than I had been on this trip. There were a few sections of extremely deep, soft gravel, and even some areas of pea gravel, and I motored through without any troubles. I’m still not very fast in corners, but hopefully speed will come with experience.

When we reached FS Road 15 heading to Big Lake, it was nearly 1pm and we had to make a decision: ride on to Big Lake through the closed Santiam OHV Area, or turn west for home.

We decided to head west and take the long way home, piecing together a route from interesting looking roads on the GPS. Our Benchmark map showed a point called “Wolf Rock - Largest Monolith In Oregon” so of course we had to take a look.

It was a really big rock. Very impressive. We marveled at it for a while and wondered if it was suitable for climbing, as most of it looked very crumbly and unstable.

After we got back home, I did some research on Wolf Rock and found the following photo, which made me laugh.

Photo credit: Erik Keever

I also found this wonderful video of Wolf Rock, which shows off the scale of the thing.

Continuing on, there were other points of geological interest along the way.

And more vistas to see.

We reached Sweet Home just in time for dinner and a root beer float, and I rolled into my driveway right as the sun set on a most excellent trip.

Oregon CDR North - Part 1

Thu, 06 Sep 2018 19:48:09 +0000

The Northern section of the Oregon Cascade Discovery Route (CDR) runs from Parkdale to Big Lake, Oregon along the Cascade Range on dirt and gravel roads with occasional pavement. The Oregon CDR North has it all: stunning views, challenging riding, and remote campsites — and it's packed into a route you can knock out in a long weekend.

ADV Inmate Apple Jam released his GPS tracks for the Oregon CDR in 2015, and it’s been delighting riders ever since. The route has since been expanded past Big Lake, and it’s hoped that it’ll eventually run the length of the Cascades to the California border. You can download the tracks yourself at cascadediscoveryroute.org.

My friend 10guy and I rode most of the Northern CDR over Labor Day Weekend, 2018.

I wasn’t able to escape from cubicle prison until 1pm on Friday, but we eventually got underway and slabbed it from Albany to Mill City to Detroit Lake. We fueled up in Detroit and headed up NFS-46 and NFS-42 to Parkdale, which is just south of Hood River. The skies were blue and sunny, but it was pretty damn chilly riding at elevation at speed, and my DR200 developed an odd coughing issue just past Clackamas Lake Ranger Station.

My DR200, aka "Boo"

We ended up in Parkdale for no reason as someone never bothered to look at the map for the actual start of the CDR. (Oops, my bad!) Boo was still doing the weird surging thing under load and I was shivering with cold, but when it’s a beautiful day with perfect blue skies and you’re out riding, all is well in the world.

We reached the CDR proper just before 6pm, and rode for about an hour before we started looking for a place to camp. Despite the holiday weekend, we found Gibson Horse Camp deserted. It turned out to be a nice spot: free, with a vault toilet and a nice clear spring for a water source.

10guy's pack mule would not be corralled!

The statewide campfire ban made it hard for me to thaw out after the day’s ride, but some warm food and good conversation kept my spirits up. We also had a chance to look at Boo and figured out that my chain had decided to start a-stretchin’. Once a chain starts to go, it really starts to go, so chain adjustment ended up being a constant during this trip.

We rolled out late Saturday morning, and after a nice warmup on gravel, we finally hit the famed “GOOD BAD ROADS” of the CDR and they did not disappoint.

Mt. Hood from Money Shot Point

We’d heard that OHV areas were closed so we skipped the OHV section west of Wamic. I’d hit reserve at 150 miles so we headed to Wamic for fuel and resupply, then rode the Barlow Wagon Road, which was a highlight.

I spent all day wearing a big dopey grin or laughing my head off with delight inside my helmet, all the way to that evening’s camp at Clear Lake.

I woke up out of sorts on Sunday, after a night of bad sleep. The overnight temps were warmer than the previous night’s camp but for some reason I just couldn’t get warm.

Still, it’s hard to be in a bad mood when you wake up to this view.

Then it was time for more GOOD BAD ROADS and more cackling with delight inside my lid, because dirty two-track is my favorite.

I’m not a good off-road rider so the rock garden around Olallie Lake kicked my ass (sometimes literally as I was not confident enough to stand up on the pegs as much as I should have) but I didn’t stop in terror and I didn’t crash so that’s a victory.

Unfortunately, this also meant that I didn’t stop for photos at Money Shot Part Two: Olallie Lake.

IMAGINE A GORGEOUS BLUE LAKE WITH A MAJESTIC MOUNTAIN HERE

The rocks around Olallie Lake took one of 10guy’s tool tubes as tribute. Hey, if you find a pouch full of tools out there let me know, eh?

We fueled up and resupplied in Detroit, and were back on our way around 5pm. I was pretty beat up from the rock garden but was hoping to ride until 6:30 or so, but after some sloppy riding on my part I knew I need to quit sooner. 10guy found a nice spot to camp off an abandoned road in the shadow of Coffin Mountain Lookout.

To be continued…

How To Clean/Change the Air Filter In Your SV650

Tue, 14 Aug 2018 22:00:00 +0000

Just like top athletes, engines need clean, unobstructed airflow in order to perform their best.

The maintenance chart for the SV650 recommends cleaning the air filter every 4,000 miles and replacing it every 11,000 miles. Here’s a step-by-step guide how to do it.

Like all of my how-to guides, this one’s written at an exhaustive level of detail to make things easy for those new to wrenching. If you’re experienced at performing your own maintenance, click here to skip right to the summary.

This guide will show you how to clean and replace the air filter on a 2007 SV650. These instructions cover all second gen models of SV650. Remember kids, consult your owners and service manuals for the final word.

Step 1: Gather the Required Tools and Materials

Tools

large phillips head screwdriver
hex (i.e. allen) bits or wrenches: 4mm and 6mm
bit driver
air compressor and blow gun attachment (if cleaning air filter)

Consumables

air filter (Suzuki part #13780-16G00) if replacing air filter
paper or shop towels

A Note Regarding Air Filters

I’m keeping things simple and using a Suzuki OEM air filter as the replacement filter in this guide. There are aftermarket options, and many of them — actually all of them — claim some kind of wondrous performance boost if you buy one. If that kind of thing floats your boat, by all means, shell out the cash. Just know that you’ll probably need to make some adjustments to your fuel injection system (or rejet your carbs, if you have them). Such adjustments are beyond the scope of this guide, so you’ll need to do your own research if you decide to go with a performance air filter.

Step 2: Lift the Gas Tank

The gas tank must be lifted in order to access the airbox that houses the air filter, and to do that, you’ll also need to remove the seat. Use the 4mm hex (allen) bit to loosen the 2 bolts on the plastic trim covers below the seat. There’s a cover on each side of the bike. Remove both covers and set them aside.

Then, use the same 4mm bit to loosen the 2 tank bolts. I like to use a T handle bit driver to reach these bolts.

Next, use the 6mm hex bit to loosen the 2 bolts holding down the seat. There’s one on each side of the bike.

Once the seat is loose, lift it up by the edge closest to the gas tank, then pull the seat forward until it slides free. Remove the passenger seat and grab the gas tank prop. Use it to prop the gas tank up by one of the tank bolt holes.

Step 3: Remove the Airbox Cover

Locate the screws holding the airbox cover in place. Use a large phillips screwdriver to loosen all 7 screws. The plastic guides will prevent you from being able to separate the screws from the top cover. That’s good — fewer screws to lose!

Once the screws are loosened, lift the cover straight off. The air filter will usually remain attached to the cover, so gently separate it from the cover and set it aside.

Step 4: Clean the Airbox Sponge

Locate the sponge inside the airbox.

Use a paper or shop towel to mop up the goop. I also like to wipe down inside the area where the sponge sits. When finished, put the sponge back in its place.

Now we’ve reached a fork in the road, because the next steps are different depending on if you’re going to clean the air filter, or replace it entirely.

Step 5a: Clean the Air Filter

Fire up your air compressor and get your blow gun ready. Hold the air filter so that the side with the mesh screen is facing you. Use the blow gun to blow air through the filter from the mesh screen side. In other words, point the end of the blow gun at the mesh screen and let ‘er rip. Don’t force air through from the other side — you’ll push the dirt deeper into the filter which is the exact opposite of what we’re trying to accomplish!

Step 5b: New Air Filter

This one’s about as easy as it gets: take the new air filter out of the packaging and proceed to the next step.

Step 6: Replace the Air Filter and Airbox Cover

Take the filter and push it back into the airbox cover. The mesh screen will face down toward the engine.

Set the cover and filter onto the base of the airbox. Use the phillips screwdriver to tighten the 7 cover screws.

Step 7: Lower Gas Tank and Replace Seat

Remove the gas tank prop and lower the gas tank. Replace the 2 bolts at the front of the gas tank. Put the seat back on and replace the 2 seat bolts. Push the side trim covers back into place and replace the 2 side cover bolts. At this point, everything should be back together again. You’re done!

Summary

Tools

large phillips head screwdriver
hex (i.e. allen) bits or wrenches: 4mm and 6mm
bit driver
air compressor and blow gun attachment (if cleaning air filter)

Consumables

air filter (Suzuki part #13780-16G00) if replacing air filter
paper or shop towels

Steps

Remove seat and lift the gas tank.
Remove airbox cover.
Clean or replace the air filter.
Re-install air filter and replace airbox cover.
Lower gas tank and replace seat.

Fin.

SV650 Maintenance Chart - 1st & 2nd Gen

Wed, 25 Jul 2018 00:45:00 +0000

Treat your SV650 right by keeping it maintained. This chart will tell you what needs to be done when.

This chart covers 1st and 2nd gen models of SV650. You can click the blue links to go directly to a how-to guide for performing the work.

How To Clean the Chain On Your SV650

Fri, 20 Jul 2018 15:30:44 +0000

Want to get the most miles out of your chain and sprockets? Clean and lube your chain regularly. It's that simple.

The most thorough way to clean your chain is to remove it from your bike and soak it in something like kerosene. Ain’t nobody got time for that. Instead, I do the second best thing and clean the chain while it’s on the bike.

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

A picture’s worth a thousand words:

newspaper or cardboard for catching drips
kerosene (as specified by the SV650’s owner manual; I used to use WD-40, but I’m not too proud to have my mind changed by reason: Chain O-ring WD-40 exposure effects study and results)
container to hold dirty kerosene
brush (I use a Grunge Brush and a toothbrush)
gloves
shop towels
chain lube (I prefer Dupont Teflon dry lube)
rear stand (optional, but makes this and other tasks so much easier that you really ought to get one right now if you don’t have one)

Step 2: Go For a Ride

Get your gear on and take a short ride. Five to ten minutes would be perfect. The goal is to get the chain warmed up, but not so much that it’s too hot to handle.

Step 3: Scrub

Park and put your bike on the stand. Put it in neutral so you can spin the rear wheel. Lay your drop paper down from the engine all the way to the rear axle. Here’s your target:

You’ll have to forgive me for the blurry pictures as I was taking them with the camera in one hand. Bad photographer!

Pour a little kerosene into your container, dip your cleaning brush into the kerosene, and give that chain a good scrubbin’.

I use the Grunge Brush to quickly scrub all the sides (top, bottom, both sides) of the chain. Then I use the toothbrush for a more thorough scrubbing.

Once you’re done scrubbing the chain and the front and rear sprockets, your kerosene will end up looking something like this:

Step 4: Wipe Clean

I use shop towels to wipe down the chain.

Don’t forget the sprockets!

Not bad for almost 9000 miles on it.

Step 5: Lube

Take a scrap of cardboard and hold it up behind the chain so the overspray from your lube doesn’t contaminate your rear tire.

Bonus Tip: I use a sharpie mark the chain so I don’t have to guess when I’ve gone around it completely.

Apply the lube to the chain so that all the joints are covered. Pay particular attention to the rollers and the points where the links are pinned together. The goal here is to apply just enough lube to cover the parts that will rub together. Too much lube leads to fling-off which usually means lube on your rear tire. Not ideal.

Step 6: Rest

Most spray lubes need at least 30 minutes to set. When in doubt, follow the directions on the can. Why not relax and have a nice beverage, knowing that your job is done — at least until another 600 miles roll by and you have to do it all over again.

How To Disable the Sidestand Switch On Your DR200

Thu, 19 Jul 2018 21:00:00 +0000

If you're the kind of DR200 rider who prefers dirt to pavement, consider disabling your sidestand cut-off switch.

Why would you want to disable this safety feature? Imagine that you’re riding on some pretty gnarly terrain and something — a tree branch, some sagebrush, a rock — catches your sidestand and pulls it down, instantly killing your engine. This is a Very Bad Thing that could lead to a crash.

But first: if you decide to disable your sidestand cut-off switch, you must remember to put your sidestand up before riding away! This guide is merely for illustrative purposes. If you do this mod and then forget to put your sidestand up and crash because of it, don’t come back here and blame me.

Anyway, here’s how I did it on my DR200.

First, locate the sidestand switch. It’s on the left side of the bike (from the rider’s perspective) near where the sidestand is attached to the frame. It is #16 in the diagram below.

Unscrew the two bolts holding the switch to the frame and remove the switch, then follow the wire back up the frame toward the seat. Remove the plastic side trim panels and then remove the seat. Keep tracing the switch wire back and you’ll find it ends up at an electrical connector near the big bundle of wires under the seat. (See the green connector in the photo below.)

Now you have to bypass the switch. Simply unplugging the switch from the connector will not work — you must connect the green and black wires together somehow. Since I have no plans to sell my DR200 and don’t care about impacting the resale value or being able to return it to stock, I decided to cut the connector out entirely.

Then, I soldered the remaining wires together, like so:

Here’s a zoomed out view that gives a better sense of the location of the wires:

I covered the solder joint with heatshrink tubing and then put the seat and trim panels back on the bike.

That’s all there is to it. Remember, if you do this mod, you must remember to put your sidestand up before riding away!

How To Change the Oil In Your SV650

Sat, 17 Oct 2015 23:30:00 +0000

Do you take your bike to a dealership to get your oil changed? Does the sticker shock make your eyes water? Well cry no more, because after you finish reading this guide, you'll know everything you need to keep your engine bits lubricated and your wallet fat and happy.

This guide is written for those who are new to wrenching. As such, it’s written at an exhaustive level of detail. If you’re experienced at performing your own maintenance, click here to skip right to the summary.

In this guide, we will change the oil and oil filter on a 2007 SV650. These instructions will work for 1st or 2nd gen SV650 bikes, though if you own a fully-faired (SF) model, you may need to remove some plastic. For the final word, consult your owner’s manual.

Step 1: Gather the Required Tools and Materials

14mm wrench or socket
2.4 quarts oil (2.9 quarts if changing oil filter)
clean funnel
drain pan
crush washer (size M12)

If changing the oil filter, you’ll also need

new oil filter (Suzuki part # 16510-03G00-X07)
oil filter wrench (Suzuki part # 09915-40611) – a generic oil filter wrench or strap wrench for smaller filters will also work too
3/8 socket wrench

The clean funnel will be used when pouring the new oil into the engine.

The wrench shown in the picture is a 14mm, 6pt combination wrench. 14mm refers to the size of the bolt that the wrench will fit, 6pt (points) refers to the shape of the socket end (note the hexagon shape, thus, 6 points), and combination means that the wrench has an open end and a socket end. I like 6pt sockets because they reduce the chance of rounding off (wearing down) the heads of bolts, and drain bolts in particular have a reputation for being made out of soft cheese. I’m looking at you, BMW.

Sometimes, especially if you’ve had your dealer change your oil, the drain plug will be torqued (tightened) way too tight. The length of PVC pipe shown in the picture is my way of dealing with such nuisances. If you can’t loosen the drain bolt using the wrench alone, you can use the pipe for additional leverage.

An oil drain pan is used to catch the dirty oil as it drains from the engine. I like this style of drain pan because it makes transporting the used oil to an oil recycling center easy. It also includes a grate to keep the drain plug from dropping down into the oil. No more fishing for drain plugs!

A basic oil change (not including changing the oil filter) requires approximately 2.4 quarts of oil. If you’re changing the oil filter too, you’ll need 2.9 quarts. I prefer Castrol GTX 10W-40 oil. This is a conventional, non-synthetic, petroleum-based oil made for automobiles. As Motorcycle Consumer News likes to say, “oil is a slippery subject,” and which oil is “best” is a controversial subject indeed. In general, as long as the oil is not marked as Energy Conserving, it should be fine for use in your motorcycle.

Look for the API Service symbol on the back of the oil container. If the oil is energy conserving, it will be printed in the bottom half of the doughnut.

Step 2: Go For a Ride

Put on your gear and go for a ride for 15 to 20 minutes or so. You want to get the oil warmed up and moving so that it’ll drain freely from the engine, but not too hot that it’ll burn you if you accidentally touch it.

Park your motorcycle in a nice flat work area and put it on its sidestand. If you have a rear stand, I highly recommend using it.

Step 3: Unscrew the Filler Cap

Locate the oil filler cap on the right side of the engine.

Remove the cap and set it aside someplace where it won’t get dirty. You’ll want to keep this area as clean as possible so contaminants don’t get into the engine.

Step 4: Locate the Drain Plug

On the left side of the bike, the drain plug is located aft of the oil filter and below the big plate stamped with a numerical code.

Here’s the drain plug up close and personal:

Step 5: Loosen the Drain Plug

Place the drain pan in a location directly below the drain plug. To loosen the plug, turn the wrench clockwise.

In the above picture, I am pulling the wrench toward me. From this vantage point, the drain plug is upside down so “righty tighty, lefty loosy” is actually reversed. If you prefer to lay on your back and look up at the bolt, you will need to turn your wrench counter-clockwise to loosen it and clockwise to tighten it.

If the drain plug refuses to loosen despite your best efforts, take the length of PVC pipe and slip it over the end of the wrench like so:

The extra inches provided by the pipe will often give you enough additional leverage to free a stubborn bolt. Be careful, and if you still have problems, ask for help!

Once you’ve got the drain plug loosened, you can set the wrench aside and, if the plug’s not too hot, unscrew it with your fingers. Test the temperature of the plug first before you touch it with your bare hands.

The drain plug can be loosened quite a ways before the oil will come out. Once you’re past this point or so, slow down turning the bolt because it could drop at any moment. If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, you can keep turning the bolt by hand, or use the wrench.

Once the bolt is removed, let the oil drain into the pan.

Step 6: Drain Oil and Clean the Drain Plug

While the oil is draining, I like to take some time to clean the drain plug. It’s usually quite dirty:

That black sludge at the tip of the plug is actually metallic particles. The drain plug on the SV650 has a small magnet at the end to catch and hold these particles and keep them from floating around inside the engine. That’s why I’m a firm believer in frequent oil changes make happy engines.

Here’s the result after a little bit of elbow grease:

Step 7: Change the Crush Washer

Careful observers will note that there’s something missing in the previous picture. In the first picture, the bolt has a small washer. In the second picture, the washer has been removed. This washer is called a crush washer and is used to ensure a tight seal when tightening up the drain plug. The very last thing you want while on a ride is to lose your oil plug! The crush washer also helps prevent over-tightening the drain plug, which will result in stripped threads.

The crush washer is designed to collapse (i.e. crush) when tightened, thus its name. As a result, crush washers are meant to be used only once. Others may tell you that you can get away with re-using your crush washers, but to be on the safe side, change the crush washer every oil change. The SV650 drain plug requires an M12 size crush washer, which can be bought at your local dealership for pennies. I usually buy a bunch all at once.

Step 8: Tighten the Drain Plug

By this time, the oil should be almost completely drained. A few drips of dirty oil here and there can be expected unless you want to let things sit for several hours. Since we’re in this to save time and money, go ahead and put the drain plug back in its place. Tighten the plug by turning it counter-clockwise with your fingers as far as you can, then use a wrench for the final tightening.

In this picture, I am pushing the wrench away from me to tighten the plug. You don’t want to tighten the plug so tight that you’ll need to use the pipe to get it off the next time you change the oil, but you also don’t want it to be too loose or it’ll work itself back out. With practice, you’ll find the happy medium.

If you don’t need to change the oil filter, click here to skip to the next step.

Step 9: Remove the Oil Filter

First, make sure you have the necessary items: a new oil filter, the correct oil filter wrench (Suzuki part # 09915-40611) and a 3/8 socket wrench. A strap wrench will do if you don’t have the Suzuki filter wrench.

Here’s what a new oil filter looks like out of the box:

Situate your drain pan directly underneath the spot where the oil filter meets the engine. Then, place the filter wrench on the end of the old oil filter and use the socket wrench to turn the filter counter-clockwise to loosen it.

Once the oil filter turns freely, you can use your hand to slowly unscrew it. Dirty oil will begin draining almost immediately, so be careful.

Continue to slowly unscrew the filter until it comes free. Allow the dirty oil to keep draining.

Here’s the old oil filter. Don’t tip it over or dirty oil will come out! If you can, recycle it at an auto parts store or oil change place.

Step 10: Install the New Oil Filter

While the last of the dirty oil is draining, unwrap the new filter and pour some of your clean motor oil into a small container.

Take some of the clean motor oil and rub it around the rubber gasket on the new filter.

Now, take a clean shop towel and thoroughly clean the filter mounting surface. It’ll be a little tricky because the dirty oil will continue to seep out. You’ll have to work quick.

Put the new oil filter against the threaded end and turn it clockwise by hand until the gasket just touches the mounting surface.

Now, you must note a reference point on the filter so you can keep track of the number of turns made as you tighten it. I made some scratches on my filter wrench to indicate top dead center.

Put the wrench on the end of the filter, like so:

Tighten the filter 2 full turns. If you have a torque wrench, you can tighten it to 20N·n (2.0 kgf-m, 14.5 lb-ft). That’s it for the filter.

Step 11: Fill With Clean Oil

Now we’re on the home stretch and it’s time to fill the engine with new oil. Remember what I said about keeping the oil filler area clean? I like to take the additional step of very carefully cleaning around the filler opening with a clean rag.

Then, it’s a simple matter of sticking the funnel into the hole and adding the new oil.

If you’ve purchased quarts of oil, add the first two quarts and just a little bit of the third. Then stop and check the oil level as follows:

Replace the oil filler cap.
Start the bike and let it idle for a few minutes.
Turn off the bike.
Make sure the bike is level. Then wait for at least 60 seconds.
Check the oil level using the sight glass.

This is what the oil level looked like after my first check:

Before the check, the oil level read full. Now it’s half-empty. This is why it’s important to take the time to check. Keep adding oil and checking the oil level until it reads full in the sight glass:

Tighten the filler cap, and your job is done! Don’t be discouraged if your first attempt takes you a long time. Keep changing your oil yourself and you’ll find that it takes less than 20 minutes and costs around $20 (depending on which oil you buy). Now that’s a price I can live with!

Summary

Materials needed:

14mm wrench or socket
2.4 quarts oil (2.9 quarts if changing oil filter)
clean funnel
drain pan
crush washer (size M12)

If changing the oil filter, you’ll also need

new oil filter (Suzuki part # 16510-03G00-X07)
oil filter wrench (Suzuki part # 09915-40611)
3/8 socket wrench

Steps:

Warm up engine.
Open oil filler cap.
Loosen drain plug and drain oil.
Replace drain plug and crush washer.
Remove oil filter.
Rub clean oil around rubber gasket on new filter.
Screw filter on by hand until gasket touches mounting surface. Then, use a wrench to tighten and additional 2 full turns.
Fill with clean oil. Approx. 2.4 quarts if not changing oil filter, 2.9 quarts if changing filter.
Check oil level.

Fin.

Triumph Tiger Explorer Ignition Switched Power

Fri, 12 Jun 2015 20:00:00 +0000

If you're looking to add electrical accessories to your Tiger Explorer, you're going to want to use a fuseblock. And if you're installing a fuseblock, you'll need a source for ignition switched power. Here's one place to find it on the Tiger Explorer without needing to cut into the factory harness.

First, take off the passenger and front seats and the rack assembly on the tail. Note that there are three pieces to the rack assembly: a black plastic piece (with Triumph logo) that insets into the rack, the cast rack itself, and then a thin plastic “tray” immediately below the rack.

Once the rack is removed, you’ll find this:

The relay socket circled in green is for the Triumph factory accessory powered top box. This socket has two hot connections. One is unswitched (i.e. always hot even if ignition is off) and the other is ignition switched hot.

Check the always hot connection: (ignition switch is off in this photo)

Check the ignition switched connection, ignition switch off:

Now, with the ignition switch on:

You can use a simple spade connector to connect your fuseblock to the desired circuit (hot or switched).

Newhalem The Long Way

Thu, 11 Jun 2015 05:25:00 +0000

I just spent a long weekend wandering around central Washington, flirting with Canada, and generally getting acquainted with Beast and its touring capabilities.

This trip was born a few months ago when a friend of mine invited me to join her on a camping trip to Newhalem Campground, which is within North Cascades National Park along the Washington/Canadian border. I’d just gotten Beast, so this would be the perfect opportunity to give my new bike a workout.

By the numbers, the trip was five days long, covered 1246 miles, and included three nights of camping and the surprise appearance of one naked guy.

(Unfortunately, no, I’m not kidding about the naked guy.)

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Day 1: Home to Yakima Canyon, WA

Thursday, June 4, 2015

I woke up slightly hungover and wasn’t even packed, but I’ve already taken enough camping trips on Beast to be able to load up fairly quickly. After a short bit of superslab, I took backroads to Detroit Lake and FS Road 46 (Breitenbush).

46 is a terrific curvy road, and I only had to pass a group of eight slow-rolling Harleys with Florida plates to get to enjoy it all to myself.

It wasn’t long before I found myself rolling out the east side of the Cascades and into the metropolis of Dufur, Oregon. There’s gas available in town thanks to a newly-reopened gas station, but I decided to fill up in The Dalles instead.

I crossed the Columbia River into Washington and headed east on Hwy 14, and took a moment to visit Stonehenge.

From Stonehenge, I turned north on Hwy 97 and enjoyed the high desert terrain and smell of sagebrush. But my mind was occupied by thoughts of spice and honey, because I’d been tipped off to something amazing located out here in the middle of nowhere.

The place sneaks up on you suddenly, and even looking for it I almost missed it.

This small Greek Orthodox monastery is inhabited by some very industrious monks and nuns. Can you say “best baklava ever”?

Look for it on Hwy 97, just south of Brooks Memorial State Park.

The rest of the afternoon was a slog on 97 through Yakima. Lots of stoplights and commercial traffic with the temperature passing 80°F and no shade. There aren’t a whole lot of options out here to avoid it.

Eventually, I made it to Yakima Canyon. The road wound along the river in sweeping curves. I still had plenty of daylight, but decided to camp at one of the sites along the river. The campground I chose was quiet, but it had no potable water, and as I unpacked my gear I realized I’d forgotten to buy water at my last stop in Yakima. I also forgot to bring my water treatment drops and the river was looking awfully murky. Bummer!

Fortunately for me, there was a small group of people nearby enjoying the river view, and they gave me a liter of water. I tried to pay them for it but they refused, so thank you random Washingtonians for your generosity.

The sun was beginning to sink behind the hills that formed the canyon, and my friendly water-giving benefactors soon departed for home, leaving me alone except for a small camp trailer on the opposite side of the campground. I cooked up some dinner. I planned out the next day’s route on my map. I discovered that the campground was infested with ants. The dirt and grass patches around my site were pocked with ant nest holes, and my tent was covered with the little pests. So I pulled up my stakes and moved my tent over to the asphalt pad next to my bike, but as I was doing so, I happened to look at the trailer across the way just in time to see a man walk out from behind it.

Dude was buck fucking naked.

He rummaged in one of the compartments on the side of his trailer, then walked back around and out of sight. There was no way that he didn’t know I was camped where I was. Creepy! In over twelve years of backpacking and motocamping, this was the first time I’ve regretted not having a gun. My friend 10guy gave me his hatchet to borrow before I left, and let me tell you, I had that thing out at the ready.

The man emerged again a short while later, fully clothed this time. And he stayed to his side of the campground while I stayed on mine.

Just after the sun set, a VW camper van pulled into the campground and a woman hopped out and paid the site fee. I felt a lot better knowing another person was around. But I still slept with that hatchet next to my hand.

No water. Ants. Creepy naked man. The riding’s good in Yakima Canyon, but I’d give camping there a pass.

Miles: 315

Day 2: Newhalem Campground, North Cascades National Park

Friday, June 5, 2015

I awoke to this beautiful view:

I was packed up and on the move by 6:45am, and I had twisties for breakfast thanks to the north end of Yakima Canyon. I gassed up in Ellensburg, Washington and had a nice plate of pancakes, eggs, and sausage downtown at the Palace Cafe.

Hwy 97 climbs out of Ellensburg and into the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. It was fun riding when I wasn’t stuck behind a semi truck. My route then took me on Hwy 2 toward Wenatchee through hills covered in apple, pear, and cherry orchards. This section had too many stoplights, but once I got back on Alt Hwy 97 the ride was as smooth as the Columbia River beside me.

After yesterday’s happenings, a day spent doing nothing but riding through beautiful scenery might be considered boring. But look at these mountains!

That’s only one stop along State Highway 20. If you’ve never been on this road, it’s truly incredible. The mountain crags are steep and rugged, and every curve revealed a view that just kept getting better and better.

I made it to Newhalem Campground around 1:30pm, pulled my cot out, set it up, and took a nap until my friends arrived.

Miles: 261

Day 3: No Canada

Saturday, June 6, 2015

I wanted to ride to Canada and Mount Baker today.

I did not make it to Canada, nor did I ride to Mount Baker.

I did manage to find a shower at Silver Lake County Park.

I was in Silver Lake County Park because my map made it appear that the road to the park also crossed into Canada. The map was a lie. The road headed north so close to the border I could have thrown a rock into Canada, but then it curved south and eventually dumped me into Sumas, Washington, where there is a border crossing. By now, it was 85°F. There was a line of cars waiting to get into Canada. And the air was fragrant with cow manure.

I decided to save Canada for another trip.

The highlight of the day was stopping at the little farm stand outside of Marblemount, Washington for some fresh strawberry shortcake.

Miles: 216

Day 4: Whidbey Island

Sunday, June 7, 2015

After a leisurely morning of breakfast and packing, I said goodbye to my friends and headed west on Hwy 20. My destination was my sister’s house in Seattle. But first, I rode to Anacortes and wandered around for a while, stopping at Rosario Beach for lunch.

I also rode over Deception Pass, which had awesome views but was so crowded with people and traffic that I decided to press on without stopping.

This was my first time on Whidbey Island. It was very pretty in spots, and I’d like to go back again when I’d have more time to explore.

I arrived at the ferry terminal at the southern end of the island just as the ferry was about to board. My first ferry crossing with motorcycle! Boarding was easy, and motorcycles get to board first and depart first. And it made for an amusing SPOT track where it looked like I rode across Puget Sound.

Miles: 156

Day 5: A Visit To ADV Mecca, then Home

Monday, June 7, 2015

My last day on the road started off with a ride to downtown Seattle to meet my sister for breakfast. Finding parking was nerve-wracking, as was riding up and down the steep hills in the area. It’s good to know that I can handle Beast in heavy traffic.

My reward was a tasty waffle dish at Sweet Iron.

Of course, no visit to Seattle on a big pig of an adventure bike is complete without stopping by ADV Mecca.

There were lots of cool bikes parked outside.

A few of them looked like they belonged to folks on epic adventures.

This adventure didn’t end up being quite as epic, and I’ll spare you the tale of how I ended up stuck in rush hour traffic in 90°F weather. It was past midnight when I finally rolled into my garage, but thankfully my carriage didn’t turn into a pumpkin.

Miles: 298

Total Miles: 1246