docc

Eh, I suppose draining the sump also drains the return line and we would never know what, or how much comes out of it . . .

Not much riding weather here in the south'n US. Time to charge batteries and build routes for the spring . . .

Since I am going to be replacing the leaking return line on my Sport, I ordered a new "reduction" from Harper's. Looks like it is coming from MGNA, ~$20US. I am interested to see what drains out of the return line when I take it loose, and if I can get the frame flushed to some extent. Those of you who remove your sump to change the filter, do you take this line loose? And: does it drain out a volume of nasty, oily fluid when you do?

Diesel smells good... even better than used gear oil. Damning with faint praise there.. Scud. Pathognomonic signs of having been under an F250 in an enclosed space for extended periods . . .

In a case like antmanbee's where there is likely metallic particulate in the crankcase vent system, what about installing an inline filter (like a fuel filter) in the return line for extra assurance?

I've heard the spine reservoir is hard to purge, especially if there has been engine damage. no engine damage here, just pushing twenty years of accumulation. How to "MammyTamper" the SpineFrame clean-out?

Now that she sat for a couple weeks, after the 104 mile New Year's Day ride, there is a little puddle of that funky yellow goop on the lift. I really don't get why it is so sporadic and unpredictable. I do get that I need to change the return line. I have a replacement line, but think I should also renew the "reduction" fitting to the sump. "Once and done," as me bud Zapp is apt to say . . . This begs the question about just how filled up my spine frame is with nasty, old oil-like fluid from 110,000 miles of crankcase ventilation; some of that with non-synth Castrol, among other debatable oil selections. Can the spine crankcase ventilation reservoir be "purged?" Does it matter?

Someone asked me why I was asking guys on a motorcycle forum about my amp. "Because I trust them," I said quite confidently.

(Looks like the replacement rectifier tube is staying powered up. Thanks for the encouragement to simply replace the tube. )

Seems my bassman amp is on the fritz and these fellows have informed my fiddle playing. Wow, yeah!

Pretty sure mine are "Legacy" and definitely have the "Hot start satellite acquisition", but I'll have to say it often takes up to ten seconds or more here in the rural Southern USA for satellite acquisition. During that time, the speedometer/odometer does not function and the trip meter (that I use for fuel range) is blank. For example, if I key the Sport on in my shop and it cannot acquire, I cannot see how many miles I have on the last fuel fill up. [edit: tonight, it took 10-15 minutes for the GPS to acquire in the shop which is deeply shielded by masonry walls, floors overhead, and some earth berming and A/C equipment just outside. Still, it did finally acquire even in this "basement." ]

All the yay-hoos say that . . .

'round these-here parts, there's a fine line between "yah-hoos" and "yay-hoos" . . .

That fork nut reflection was a total surprise. You can see Goofman standing vigil over my left shoulder. Serendipity at its best! Yeah, Sept. 6-8, 2019 (kicks off on Friday, although some arrive earlier than that, even) . . .

I recall that Tim Hayes and his wife, Bonnie, from Spruce Pine, N.C., came to two SSR's -- Vonore and Newport. Bill Ah! Bravo! I did not know where Tim was from. I remember them very well! I hope this does not diffuse the coercion being applied to Al and Orson!

"Aermacchi" can mean more than one thing . . . All most welcome!

Case in point: The world's foremost authority on the Moto Guzzi V11 series is not the factory, its representatives, published materials, importers, or any dealer-anywhere. It are us!

It occurred to me to post something about the "ride plan" for Saturday. There is not one . . . Good news, is that there will be numerous "ride plans" and routes that center on "squad" size groups (solo to six?). Y'all might hatch these plans right here on the thread, amongst one another, or at the Friday gathering. In recent SpineRaids, the smaller groups have worked swimmingly and made the Saturday evening gathering a lively time of sharing stories of the road and places and experiences. So, have look at some mapping and routing resources, get in with like riders and enjoy the area. It has much to offer for our "style" of riding! Me? I'm going the mile into town for ice cream . . .

I can write you a note! (In fact . . . I just did!)

I was mighty jazzed to ride with czakky and JRD in Tampa Bay, Florida, few years back. While JRD has managed to make the SSR, it's gonna be a lot harder for czakky (comin' outta Wisconsin) without a sidecar rig for his li'l kiddie . . . loverly family spring vacation spot, here, czakky! Getting Jaap and Paul here is gonna take a pretty serious Fund Drive I figure . . . P.Roper ain't showin' up without sumpin' to rollerize . . . Why "no one" has ever come to a South'n Spine Raid from North Carolina is kind of a mystery. This year, I'm calling out a couple veteran members, now living in NC, Orson, and al_roethlisberger . . . Ya'll come now! Ya hear?

I keep inviting some ethereal, but very cool, cat from Varsseveld - NL I'm not naming any names, but his initials are : Jaap Veldhorst . . . There would be no Spine Raid (anywhere) without him! Our Chief Whip !

YES! Thank you!

To my recollection ( ), there have been Spine Raiders from (in no particular order) Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Virginia, Ohio, Michigan, and Kentucky (if we count a no-show from a break down. And we do. ) I may have forgotten someone (speak up!), but no one from next door (NC) ? Gonna start on the Wisconsinites next . . .

That said (it had to be said), one of my highest hopes this year is that some member(s) from North Carolina will actually make it west across The Divide (not THE GREAT DIVIDE, just the wee Appalachian one . . .) I suppose Spine Raiders have crossed into North Carolina, and back west, maybe eleven of the last fourteen SSR, but no one from North Carolina has ever graced the times.

I guess we should get the requisite disclaimer and purpose statement out of the way . . . I'm just gonna lift it from last year: This is not a rally, event, or function of V11LeMans.com. It is an idea about riding, or meeting interested people. It is an idea only. There is no plan, no registration, no stickers, T-shirts, merchandise, door prizes, meals, poker runs, routes, organization, or support. Just discussion and sharing. There is no affiliation or responsibility, expressed or implied, with or by V11Lemans.com, its owner(s), Administrators, moderators, members, pets, pocket mice, or any other entity. If being at The US Appalachian Divide in September feels like a good idea to you, look forward to sharing ideas. The idea of ideas has been around for a while. I do love George Bernard Shaw's take: "If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples, then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas."