my Sept ride accross Iowa

[don_vanecek]

I wrote this for possible inclusion in the VJMC magazine but they have already done an article on this show so I don't think it will be in print but hope you enjoy it.  

Subject   Possible VJMC magazine article


Vintage Japanese at the AMCA National meet in Davenport, Iowa, September 2010

As a VJMC member first I would like to thank the Chief Blackhawk chapter of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America for inviting us to have a booth at their 39th annual show in Davenport, Iowa September 2, 3, 4 of 2010.

I have never been to this show before but I heard from several members of our Omaha, NE based VJMC chapter that it was quite a show with hundreds of vendors and lots of bikes! This spring when VJMC President Hal Johnson asked for volunteers to man a VJMC booth I jumped at the chance to both go to the show and to have a nice ride on my 1982 Yamaha Vision.

I was also interested to see how some suspension changes I had made to the Vision in the last year would pan out. One of the modifications was to install a fully adjustable rear mono shock supposedly from a 2004 Yamaha 600 crotch rocket. I guess I would have to say the new shock works just fine but I had to compress it to fit the Vision's mounting points so even with all its adjustable setting on their softest the rear of the bike is both firm and sits higher then with the original shock. This means I have to carry a small piece of 2x4 board with me all the time to set the side stand on, otherwise the bike leans over more then is comfortable when parked and the center stand no longer lifts the rear tire off the ground. So it is interesting when ever I park to throw my little piece of 2x4 on the ground (it stores in a cubby hole in my little Vetter Bullet faring) and then I have real nice stretch picking it up when a leave, ah progress!

I picked my route for this trip so I could see as much of Iowa as possible but without adding too many miles to my trip. I would go east on US 30, then return to the west using Iowa State highway 92. Remember my goal was not to see how fast I could get there but to travel roads I had never been on before and see some of the country. Note, I already knew what it is like to travel across Iowa on I-80.

I left my house about 8:45 AM on Thursday morning. The roads were still wet on the edges from the morning rain and further storms were expected later in the day from a second cold front coming across the plains. However as I was traveling East I was going to take the chance that I would stay in front of the cold front and that the morning rain would dissipate before I caught up with it.

For those of you unfamiliar with the 1982 Yamaha Vision I was riding-by the way I am the original owner of this bike-I'm here to tell the motor for this mid size sport touring bike was quite an achievement by the Yamaha engineers. The motor is a 552 cc water cooled DOHC, four valve head V twin. It has a counter balancer, down draft automotive style carburetors and a shaft drive. Even at 28 years old, the Vision is still a very "state of the art" motorcycle. And one more comment, the motor of a well tuned Vision at highway speeds is so smooth and has such good torque it's like your right hand is connected to the rheostat of an electric motor, it is an exceptional engine and I still find it hard to understand why Yamaha did not continue to further develop and sale this motor.

I succeeded in my quest that morning to stay between the weather systems running though some light rain only for a mile or so. There was one road problem however that I could not avoid!  I soon learned that black top roads of a certain vintage were full of horizontal freeze heaves! Thump, thump, thump, there was just no way around them and with all the tight State budgets currently who knows when these roads will ever get ground down and resurfaced. Even the construction zones were more welcome then old black top with the freeze heaves. Thump, thump, thump!

Many of you know that US 30, also called the Lincoln Highway is one of the first developed roads across the United States. There is certainly no reason for it to not be as famous as "Route 66". Perhaps it was harder to write a song and get that poetic flow of words using the names of Clinton, Iowa City, Ames and Denison. Other then one historical marker, I found almost nothing of that made me think I was on an historical road. Actually there is almost 100 miles of near interstate four lane express way on the trip east on US 30.

Switching from US 30 to US 67 I finally reached the Mississippi river just before five PM. and headed for the Mississippi State Fair grounds in Davenport, IA. Gosh, the so called quad city area is a pretty good sized urban area and in the future I either need a GPS or a tank bag with a map pocket. I sort of knew where to go but the town was just too darn big and yeah, I did finally stop and ask for directions. I finally met up with Hal and club member Jerry sometime after 6:30 PM and left the Vision chained to Hal's trailer at the fairgrounds. By the way the second cold front did reach Davenport that evening and the rain poured down-but it didn't get me!

Friday started out cool, windy, and any place at the fairgrounds where water could not drain was now a mud hole. I had to wonder how some of the camper's faired in last nights rain storm. We set up our canopy, table, and banners then placed my Vision and three other bikes Hal had brought from NE in front. Our booth had a fantastic location with lots of traffic constantly moving past us, it was quite a circus. I myself really get a chuckle out of all the little Honda passports and similar small "camp ground" type bikes running all over the place. You had to be alert as you walked around or you risked getting run into by a mini bike, bicycle, or a big old Harley.  There were numerous bikes parked all over belonging to vendors, staff and the public. To our right was the building with the bike show and I would guess there were up to 50 or more beautifully restored bikes and some perhaps were well cleaned survivors.  All brands were there, Harley's, BMW, British bikes and vintage Japanese. Some of those bikes looked better then the day they were new in the showroom.

I can only guess for you that the vendors were in the hundreds. Some of the vendors had vintage Japanese bikes for sale of which some of the bikes were in very nice condition; some were for the hobbyist to rebuild if you get my drift.   Parts? Well I can tell you there were no parts for my Vision there, not that I need any. I would tend to say the vendors are still geared more toward the famous bikes from Milwaukee but take my opinion here with a grain of salt; I didn't look very hard as I wasn't after anything.            

There were flat dirt track motorcycle races that night and although we did not go to the races I did watch a few practice rounds over one of the fences. As Friday wound up and we were leaving there were lots of motorcycles arriving to watch the evening races (the races are a paid admission).

Saturday was very similar to Friday but with nicer weather and an even larger crowd. The Chief Blackhawk chapter held some technical seminars that day and I sat in on most of the session dealing with the rebuilding of older Harley Sportsters.  No, I don't plan on fixing an older Sportster but the speaker who I learned used to teach motorcycle repair classes had taken a Sportster transmission apart for his demonstration and frankly he was very interesting to listen to. I thought it was a real shame there were only about 5 or 6 people there, he really knew his stuff and frankly the principles he talked about on proper assembly, parts and clearance apply to any motorcycle rebuild. We ended Saturday going to the AMCA banquet where I stuffed myself silly on the great meal that was served.

Sunday morning was just gorgeous, sunny and with a starting temperature in the low 60's. I gassed the Vision up (I got 44 mpg on this trip-not bad I'd say) and proceeded out of town south on highway 61. Seems as I came to Muscatine, IA and started west on Iowa State highway 92 towards Washington, IA that a lot other bikers were also enjoying the nice weather and holiday week-end.

Iowa State highway 92 is more rural then US 30 and quite frankly was a better road for the most part. I can't believe Iowa keeps a 55 mph speed limit on all its two lane roads as almost no one drives that speed. I'm not going to put down in writing the speed the Vision cruised at except to say I passed people-not the other way around.

By the time I reached Oskaloosa a brisk breeze from the south had come up to spoil the day just a bit-not a big problem but does require you to concentrate on your riding more. The ride went quite well till I missed a detour sign in Greenfield and then had to back track about 25 miles when I came to the reason for the detour, a bridge under construction. Now if my map would have been handy I would have seen that I could have gone around the uncompleted bridge without going all the way back to the detour sign and not lost an hour of driving time, well I saw some more of Iowa.

That Sunday evening was our local Omaha VJMC chapter meeting at six PM and I got there about 5:15. Hal and Jerry hitting I-80 in the tow truck had arrived in town several hours before I did. One last word on the Vision-it ran great for the entire trip (about 800 miles). Not a lick of trouble from the 28 year old bike, why would I need something newer?!

Would I recommend you to go to the 40th annual chief Blackhawk chapter show in 2011, oh yes, lots of neat machinery there. If you're hoping for parts and bikes for sale, Friday may be your best day, it appeared to me the vendors had most everything out on Friday and few if any new vendors came in Saturday morning. Friday night also has the motorcycle races which I cannot really comment on as I didn't go to them. If your interest is more for the bike show and just to look around, come Saturday. Be sure to see what technical seminars and speakers that are set up for that day. Except for the meal at the banquet, there is no charge for the seminars during the day.  

More information on this show go to www.chiefblackhawk.org .

         

[fret not]

Don, nice report. 

[Lucky]

I have real nice stretch picking it up when a leave, ah progress!

nail a long cord to the board & put a loop on the other end.  toss the loop over your grip.  when you get on the bike & center it up, just pull the block up with the cord.  wrap it around the block for storage,

[AdvRich]

Thanks for the ride along Don. I enjoyed the write up.

We have plenty of frost heaved roads here in the NE and the stock Viz suspenders are definitely old school. Is it possible to use the spring from your original shock on the newer shock body you installed or is it a different diameter and stroke length?

[don_vanecek]

Thanks for the idea Lucky. AdvRico, I don't think you can take those shocks apart to exchange the springs, at least I've never heard of anyone doing it???

[Tiger]

 :) Superb ride/weekend report Don, I really enjoyed it.

Me thinks it will be another six - eight weeks before any bikes will hit the pavement. Still lots of snow and sand covered roads around my neck of the woods...Hmmmmm, better get some work done to 'The Mistress' between now and then ;)

                 8) .......TIGER....... 8)

[Cdnlouie]

Thanks for sharing your great ride experience Don! Nice to hear a piece on the mid-west 8).

[Kenny]

 Hi Don,
    Very nice piece you laid out,I do hope they put it to print. As a quick plus I hope the extended rear shock helps move a bit more of the fuel forward to give you a bit more fuel on the spaces between the gas Stations !!  ;) (Don, I know you will get a laugh out of this !)  I am waiting for the next Celebration ! ?
                               Cheers Ken S. :D

[don_vanecek]

Thanks Kenny, yes I had to quit drinking before a started to spit it out!

Nowadays I get nervous when the trip odometer shows 100 miles and I can't gas up at once!