Motorcycle Day - 2015

2735.1 at the gas station

 Officially calling Maundy Thurday, 02 April 2015, Motorcycle Day for the year.  After I got home from the ride with my wife on the MG I decided to continue the fun and run the Bullet out to get some gas at the Wawa in West Chester.  It didn't really need gas but with such great weather after this long winter I was not going to let the opportunity go to waste.  Besides, I wanted to see how much juice the new muffler and Power Commander added to the mix.

I took the regular Goshen - Strasburg Rd loop out to the Wawa.  The Bullet definitely has a lot more pep than before.  Unfortunately, the roads are still pretty torn up and full of potholes so I don't think I was able to open her up as far as she would go.  I did get a nice stretch where I was able to reach an maintain 75 mph for a shot while.  It felt like the Bullet might even go a little faster but we ran out of good road really quickly and I didn't have the chance to try it.

Other than the hole on the rode the ride out and back were great.  When I left the house I had 2725.3 miles on the odo from the morning commute to work.  At the Wawa the odo read 2735.1.  The tank took 2.254 gallons at $2.989 per gallon for a total of $6.74.  I put 123.6 miles on the odo since the last fill-up on Christmas Day of 2014.   That puts the mileage at 54.83 mpg.  I suppose that new set up will lower my mileage but I am glad to have the extra punch.

A great ride despite the potholes.  On the return home, I had 2744.9 miles on the odo.  Couldn't ask for better weather or conditions.  Unfortunately, rain is on its way so I might not be able to ride again until Easter Sunday which also happens to be the Feast of Saint Vicenç de Ferrer this year.

2744.9 at home

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Engine Guard and New Silencer

3/4 front view - engine guard and muffler

Last December I posted about getting a package from Nfield Gear with an engine guard, Power Commander, and sports muffler that I wanted to install on the Bullet.  After many delays, last Saturday morning I rode the Bullet out to Joe's Cycle to get those things installed.

Last Saturday at 09:00 the temps were right at 36 degrees and I cannot imagine a more miserable experience than riding in those temps.  Doubling up and layering up helped but, even with the glove liners that I got from Cycle Gear last December, my hands burned from the cold.  Luckily, Joe's is not that far from the house so in the end it was doable.  Joe kept the bike over the weekend and called me on Monday, despite the fact that they are closed on Mondays, to tell me that the hardware package I got from Nfield Gear for the muffler did not have the right brackets.  Of course I missed that call and I also missed his call on Tuesday.  I got a hold of him first thing Wednesday morning and he told me that he could fab up some brackets if I didn't want to wait for Nfield Gear to correct the issue.  We went with that route.  Besides all of that, they also did an oil change and a Spring check up to make sure everything was good to go.  He had the bike ready by 16:00 and I headed out there from work to pick it up.

I did not take a big ride, had other things to do that evening, but I came home via West Chester Pike and 252 and the Bullet rode very well.  I think the new muffler and Power Commander combo will make a big difference.

The attached pics are from Wednesday morning when I rode it for my work commute.  I am officially calling 02 April 2015 the beginning of riding season.  Last season I put 2715.5 miles total on the Bullet.  Not bad for a little less than a year.

3/4 front

3/4 rear

Rear port side

Rear starboard

2715.5 miles on 02 April 2015 at 08:32

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First Casualty of the Thump

Missing rear shroud round head bolt

I noticed yesterday that the rear round head bolt holding the muffler shroud had fallen out with the shake of the Bullet.  Figured that it was around a 6mm bolt, I tried removing one of the others to checked the length but at the time they were both still firmly attached so I judged from the cavity that it would not be very long.

Today, on my diagnostic trips around the neighborhood, I took a jaunt to the True Value Hardware Store in the shopping center on the West Chester Pike and 252 to get some bolts.  The shortest I was able to find was a 6mm x 12.  I settled for that and brought it back home.  Once home, I was able to remove the side bolt and it turns out that it's probably a 6mm x 6.  I put the original bolt in the rear hole of the shroud, where I have lost the original, and the replacement 6mm x 12 in the side hole.  That fits much better there, I could probably get away with a 6mm x 10 in that spot but in the rear spot it really stuck up.  I used blue Loctite on both bolts.  When I next go to big box hardware store, I will look for a 6x6 or a 6x10 to replace the 6x12 I have now.  I will also have to keep an eye on it just in case.

Original front shroud round head bolt

Replaced rear bolt with original side bolt

Hardware store 6mm x 12 temporary on the side bolt  hole

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