Go West, Young Man

[Raj1988]

This post has been a long time coming. I just haven't had the chance to sit down and hammer it out. The school I attend as an engineering student has one of the best co-op programs in the country for. The way the system works is you submit your resume to the Job match system every 4 months. Employers post jobs on this system and student can apply with their resume for any of these jobs.  We basically are in school for 4 months and are at work for the next 4. This means no summers off and a 5 year course as opposed to 4 years at other universities. This also means student loans are almost non existent which is good.
Any how, this gives me the opportunity to work at 6 different jobs for 4 months each.   I have thus far done 3 different work terms in a Contracting firm, a large retail company's supply chain and as a teaching assistant for 1st year Engineers in my University.
Sometime between the 2nd and the 3rd work term, I grew weary of the flat well populated lands that are Southern Ontario. Having grown up surrounded by wild untamed hills, I longed for winding roads and empty miles. So the famous words of Horace Greeley began to play on my mind. "Go west, young man"
So I find myself in my 3rd year of university and applying for jobs everywhere from San Francisco to Vancouver. The closest east I am willing to spend my summer is in Calgary.
So here we are, I have had 3 interviews, 2 of which are in Calgary and one back-up job in Toronto, if all else had failed, impatiently waiting for Friday the 26th to know if I have job offers or would I have to go through an other cycle of job applications next month to get placed out West. I don't know for sure but both Calgary interviews seem very likely to lead to job offers.
Anyway, this thread is on the ROV for a reason. I intend to ride my Vision from Ontario to Calgary in the spring and hopefully all the way to Alaska in august to ride the Caissar with AKV on his BMW
Lets see, a green horn, on a 28 yr old motorcycle that he has ridden for a grand total of 2184kms, not miles, Barely any mechanical knowledge on a shoestring budget!!! If that doesn't sound like a recipe for disaster, I am not sure what does.
Anyhow, this is how I intend to spend my summer and if all goes according to plan, that is what will happen.
At this point I would like to solicit any advice you think may help me in any way.
First things first, Using Lucky's CD and countless emails and conversations with Tiger, I set about doing as much as possible to my Vision to make her as bulletproof as possible.
The following is a list of things I intent do get done before I leave. Some are crossed out as done and more will get done as and when I can squeeze some time off from school
1.   Steering Head Bearings
2.   Install 83 front end
3.   Remove side stand switch and relay
4.   Cover home made seat
5.   Swap exhausts
6.   Reposition R/R
7.   Upgrade air box to new with vacuum flapper
8.   Right side rear plastic repair
9.   Battery Cover plastic reinforce
10.   Add electrical outlet
11.   Rethread left side grab handle frame hole
12.   Install Luggage Rack from Tiger
13.   POR the Tank
14.   New Rubber
15.   Paint  and install quarter fairing
16.   De glaze Rear brake, Clean and service
17.   Send carb to Canadian_lou for cleaning
18.   Change all engine liquids
19.   Torque all bolts to Spec
Did I miss anything?
I probably did, but I've still got just over 2 months. In my next post I will try and list how I intend to carry all my gear and extra gasoline for those into the wind 10hr long rides across the Prairies.

[funkamongus]

You have friends everywhere, friends with vision! If you get to the bay area (San Fransisco area)  Let me know, Im not too awful far from there ('bout 5 hrs each way, but I get down there from time to time).   

[QBS]

Aquire a large tank bag.   Hard wire the stator connection and carry a few wire nuts to make connections in the field should the stator need to be replaced.  Find and carry a spare known good stator coil.  Find and carry a spare known good TCI box.  Install an in-line fuel filter.  Install an in-line fuel cut off valve.  Install foam hand grips.   

[fret not]

Let me suggest you change the word "disaster" to "adventure".  It is a state of mind mostly, but I feel it is important.  May your ride be entertaining and enjoyable.

[Brian Moffet]

Duct tape. It can be used to repair vacuum leaks in a pinch (yes, I know that for a fact...).

Otherwise, many people have told me that a cross-country flight is nothing more than a bunch of smaller flights strung together.  Be prepared to change direction as the circumstances change.  Carry a good credit card :-)

Brian

[xswheels]

+1 on  carry a spare stator.

[Night Vision]

Let me suggest you change the word "disaster" to "adventure". 

that was my first impression too!

my suggestion for your adventure:

purchase spare throttle, brake, and clutch cables.... route them adjacent to the ones you have and then you won't need them  ;)

[Raj1988]

A quick note before my next post on trip/bike prep. I have been reading old posts about difficulties in changing exhausts and came across many many posts that spoke for the MAC exhausts. At this point i had already purchased kev10104 's OEM which is in great shape(He had switched to MAC's). So many people swear by these that i decided to try them out at some point of time though, compared to the OEM's they look quite bad imho.
About 6 months ago i bought a parts bike from a guy who only bought it in the first place for some odd bits and pieces he was going to use in his other projects. Great deal for me since the bike came with a Euro style crash guard, a 1/4 fairing, a running engine and the opportunity to take a bike apart without worrying too much about putting it back together.
On an off chance i emailed him and asked him about his project and if he had used the exhaust at all. He replied inviting me to come pick it up if i wanted it. It was a MAC. He had cut the end off the rear pipe to try and adapt it to his needs. Also there are no baffles in the Cans. All the rust is surface rust.
I'm attaching a few pics of everything i have. Any ideas on what i need to do to make this work on my bike?
Anybody have baffles they want to sell?

[xswheels]

I don't know why you would want to put that crap sandwich on your Vision, especially if you are traveling across Canada. The cacophony will drive you nuts before you reach Wawa. Why do you think touring bikes are so quiet?  It's because noise causes fatigue. The original trumpets look so much better and deliver a great sound to a high revving short stroke V-twin. Sell that Mac to some sucker and enjoy the OEM's.

[Raj1988]

The original trumpets look so much better and deliver a great sound to a high revving short stroke V-twin. Sell that Mac to some sucker and enjoy the OEM's.

They definitely look a lot better, but they are also extremely heavy. Plus i kinda like the sound of the macs

[nwrider]

Your pic #2 shows a baffle in place.  Do you only have one of these? Perhaps you were confused by the straight-through nature of the MAC baffle.  They can be quieted down to nearly the sound output of the original pipes, I just did that with my new set and it was really easy and really inexpensive.  I haven't been able to honestly test the performance but my seat of the pants impression is that they have the same power as stock.  I haven't posted the final image of the conversion yet, maybe today. 
Wear earplugs at all times when riding.  If your pipes are louder than stock you'll still hear them at low speeds.  At higher speeds you are going to have more wind noise than pipe noise.  Keep the noise down and the fatigue factor is lowered immensely.  Not all foam roll up ear plugs offer the same noise reduction levels.  Experiment.

Ben

[akvision]

++2 for QBS list.
Is Item #6 the VR?  If so, good.
Item 7. I have a box all set up with vaccum mods... will send for Postage.
Item 15.  I thought that you were going to take the AKVision Black fairing.  It is much better protection than the Bikini Style.

Touring, get behind it.

A bike with low KM's why change out the pipes??

Lastly, Clean all the connections and grounds.

Regarding the Tour.. the roads to Ketchikan and north of the Cassier are well towned and paved.  There are stretches of the Cassiar that is not paved, maybe 20% and the spaces between villages is wild and hilly.   This section of road is approx 500 miles.
It will be an adventure.

[Raj1988]

++2 for QBS list.
Is Item #6 the VR?  If so, good.
Item 7. I have a box all set up with vaccum mods... will send for Postage.
Item 15.  I thought that you were going to take the AKVision Black fairing.  It is much better protection than the Bikini Style.

Touring, get behind it.

A bike with low KM's why change out the pipes??

Lastly, Clean all the connections and grounds.

Regarding the Tour.. the roads to Ketchikan and north of the Cassier are well towned and paved.  There are stretches of the Cassiar that is not paved, maybe 20% and the spaces between villages is wild and hilly.   This section of road is approx 500 miles.
It will be an adventure.

AK, i've got the VAC mod off my parts bike which i will swap out. Thank you for the offer. I am not going to have an opportunity be able to get AKBlack in time from my shipping address so I am more than willing to put up with the wind for now(ignorance is bliss). Yes #6 is the voltage regulator. I am contemplating a set of Dual sport tires when i join you on the ride. Thats something i will work out later. I just got a great deal on a set of Avons using a dealer that KEV10104 let me know about so i'm set on tires.

My exhaust has been patched already. It has some pinholes which threaten to pop. Also the telltale expansions under the chrome indicating rot on the inside. I have an OEM exhaust  in great shape which is prob what will go on the bike. I dont know if i will have time to get teh MAC to work.
Tomorrow at 1pm i will know for sure if i have been successful in getting a Job in Calgary. I am done with all the interviews and follow ups and now its up to the employers.
:-\

[akvision]

Good luck on the Shell thing,, hope it works for you. 

Re:tires.. I have regular Metzler Beemer stock tires.. I don't think I would bother with the D/S style of extra expense.  I had lunch with a buddy yesterday and he drove the Cassiar Highway last September... he said maybe only 10 miles of unpaved road..  Canada in BC is really good at taking care of the road system.  The road from Rupert to Prince George is velvet as well as scenic.

I have a spare TCI and Stator that was working when I took it out.  I was going to send in to Tim Parrot for a rebuild.  Will most likely have the rebuild by  August.

Maybe I could get rhpaw to put the black in "the" box and send off earlier...let me talk to him.  It will make for a much better experience.
OR as I was going to ship in May... it would only take a couple of weeks to get to you and I could ship to Canada.  I don't think the extra expense of shipping would amount to much additional postage.

Let me know.
akvision

[Raj1988]

Ladies and gentlemen, I have been successful in landing a summer job in Calgary. With 2 offers on the table, I have until Sunday to choose between them. Operation Westward is currently moving towards SUCCESS!!!

[nwrider]

Congratulations, two offers!  Calgary is a beautiful place especially in the summer. 

[Raj1988]

thank you very much nwrider. i was ecstatic when i found out

[Re-Vision]

Don't forget the stampede.   BDC

[Kenny]

   Congratulation's on the Calgary career ! I grew up in the west in the mountains-a four hour ride from Calgary west through Banff a turn at Castle mountain,through Kootenay National Park (lots of nice road)and once you get to Radium Hot Springs - you are now  in the Columbia Valley. I am envious of your move.
   We've been in Ontario since 93 and can't believe the number of excellent rides just north of the Quinte West area great corners with hardly a soul around ,up till then I thought all the good corners where in B.C.
   Don't be concerned about riding a  27/28 year old Vision across to Calgary,this is a regular thing for me, I normally put 10,000 kms on my sojourn to B.C. and back every summer although this past one was a no/go due to family issues.
   The only problems I have experiened was a broken throttle cable (was able to carry on for 150 miles using a leatherman tool to  operate the throttle between the carbs). The next Item was a blown ignition fuse (glass type since changed to the spade type.) I travel with a few spare bits and try to do a lot of preventative mtnc. before hand,
     I have gone out once in the spring and all the other trips have been in the fall.It usually takes a couple of days to get the butt toughened up,most of may days are over 1000 kms and 12-14 hrs long. Get yourself a sheepskin pad it makes a great difference! :D
                        Cheers Ken S. 

[Raj1988]

      Don't be concerned about riding a  27/28 year old Vision across to Calgary,this is a regular thing for me, I normally put 10,000 kms on my sojourn to B.C. and back every summer although this past one was a no/go due to family issues.
   The only problems I have experiened was a broken throttle cable (was able to carry on for 150 miles using a leatherman tool to  operate the throttle between the carbs). The next Item was a blown ignition fuse (glass type since changed to the spade type.) I travel with a few spare bits and try to do a lot of preventative mtnc. before hand,
   

What route would you recommended in the Spring? Thru the US or Canada 1?
Any tips on what consists of preventive maintenance. Tiger has already replace the fuses with the blade type ones. Any other bits you can recommend? all advice is useful advice.