Hiawassee, Helen', Back.

     Riding the bike a little I have discovered a few bugs.  The first and most crucial was a recurring problem with the petcock.  The bike would simply cut off from fuel starvation after about ten minutes of riding.  Switching to reserve did not help but switching the bike to prime solves the problem.  Riding a bike you are not familiar with without a trip meter and no reserve is a problem.  The forums offered several solutions as well as trouble shooting ideas.  I found a 2009 petcock on ebay for $29 and ordered it.  This was a really simple repair and took less than 5 minutes to install the petcock.  Removing and draining the tank and several other parts obviously took longer but the whole process took about an hour. 

     I also got caught in the rain one afternoon.  Fenders at least a front fender was a must.  Fortunately the bike came with a good front fender so a little paint, some bolts solved that problem.  I would like to have some type of rear close fitting fender but we will see about that later as well.


      I like to ride with a tank bag.  It just helps to have a rain suit, garage door opener, multi tool, and a few other items. Not to mention picking up small items on the way home, like a sandwich or jewelry for you wife when you are late.  On the current setup this is a problem as the speedo is on the tank.  Some sport bike riders use a bicycle computer on their bikes.  This allows them to  record exact speeds as well as average speed, trip distance, maximum speed and so on.  I had a couple of the wireless versions in my shop but could not get them to work.  It may have been some form of signal interference created by the specials electrical system.  I ordered a wired version on ebay for $12.  It not only measured all the speed and distance functions but it also had a clock and a temperature gauge, two really necessary features.  Married guys need to be back in two hours when they tell their wife they are going to be back in two hours.  Really, really important, much cheaper than jewelry!  There were a few installation issues but it works pretty well.

The next issue is the seat.  Short trips 20 minutes or less the current setup is fine.  50 or sixty miles not so good.  The minimalist seat is great for hanging off in the twisties but just sitting is a problem.  I installed a set of old stunt pegs from a bicycle I had on the mounts left over from the forward controls.  I started to cut them off but leaving them was a good call.  Changing foot positions helps not only my worn out knees but my sore butt.  I am going to wait on the seat. 

Time for a little longer road trip.  Maybe about 90 miles to Hiawassee, Helen', and Back.  Up 197 and 76 then back over Unicoi through Helen.  I worked my ass off on the curves.  Sliding about half my ass off to the inside and pressing my outside knee and elbow into the tank and pointing my inner knee it really seemed to work pretty well.  I tried to also shift my head and torso inside the axis of the bike.  It was a lot of fun but I was tired and a little sore when I got up the next morning. 

 

Falls at Mark of the Potter, Hwy. 197.

 

 

Town Square in Hiawassee, GA.

 

 

On the lighter side coming back over Unicoi I ran up on a camper behind a truck on the downhill and all the sudden the bike shut off. I thought I can’t be out of gas and switched the petcock to reserve nothing. Looked over and I had hit the kill switch sliding around on the bike. Flipped it back on and it restarted. Then a guy at Betty’s Country Store in Helen, Ga. asked me if it was a Triumph. I must have done something right because that is kinda what I was going for!

A few days later I got the chance to take Thursday afternoon off and another chance to hit the road. I headed over to Rider's Hill in Dahlonega, GA. about 30 miles from home. Rider's Hill is located on the southwest corner of what is arguably some of the best motorcycle roads in the country. The legendary 6-GAPS. Rider's Hill http://ridershill.com/ is a must stop if you are ever in the area on a motorcycle. Food, gear, maps, repairs, tires, and usually lots of like minded motorcyclist sitting in the white rocking chairs that face the parking lot and all the bikes. This Thursday was not a hopping day though so I decided to tackle 3-GAP on the Special. Woody's, Wolfpen, and Neel's GAPS comprise the route for 3-GAP.

Woody's GAP North Georgia.

 

 

Just over the top of Woody GAP and the Appalachian Trail is Suches, GA and       Two Wheels of Suches.

 

http://www.twowheelsofsuches.com/

 

 

Another meeting place for motorcyclist in the North Georgia Mountains.   It was closed until the weekend so Wolfpen was next.  Right before I reached the top of Wolfpen the rain hit so I got a chance to try out the rain mods on the Special.  Rain Jacket out of the tank bag and I was good to go.  Fenders are truly a great an often over looked invention.  Really a good move to install the fender on the front wheel.  Lightening is not something I trifle with so when I got to Neel's GAP I stopped at Mountain Crossings to get out of the weather.   Wet hikers heading in off the trail, no desire to tackle the AT for months on end.

Blood Mountain Neel's GAP in the rain. 

 

After it slacked up a little I headed home in the rain.  The sun was shinning and the rain was coming down, if I could have just stopped to get a few pictures.  There was one spot I could see about two or three curves ahead through a rainbow in the falling rain.  It was spectacular!  I'm really liking riding this little bike.