2024 START (Spring Tune-up Appalachian Riding Tour) April 24-28, 2024 Newport, TN

[Motorhead1977]

Sunrise in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. (Truck and trailer with bikes in the foreground - all the way to the right, not the big semi truck on the left, LOL) It's a short 5 hours drive once we're both awake and had breakfast. (Did I hear someone say Waffle House?)

[BamaJohn]

18 hours ago, Indy Dave said:

Off and running on this chilly morning...

 

 

Nice new jacket....trousers too?

[Lowndes]

0

[Lowndes]

On 4/18/2024 at 4:51 PM, Chris K said:

 

Lowndes probably needs them more than you on his K bike!

 

Crap.  I already ordered a pair of Roat 6 GT's for the K, being mounted at CG and installed today.  $587.50. crap. crap.

 

If MikeB60 likes 'em, they're good enough fo me!!

 

The rear wasn't quite as bad, but NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR START '24!!

 

[wbw6cos]

Lowndes, why you be double posting, Yo?

 

Spoiler

Just click the 3 dots in  the upper right of the extra post and select  hide.    *End PSA*

 

[Lowndes]

0

[Indy Dave]

2 hours ago, BamaJohn said:

 

Nice new jacket....trousers too?

Thanks. They were new.... In Fall 2019. I didn't have my air bag vest on yet - which covers up the jacket.

[RTinNC]

Lowndes …. I fell like I’m living Groundhog Day😂

[Lowndes]

HELP!!  Moderator!!  Can you take off some of those dupes??  

[brianh70]

3 minutes ago, Lowndes said:

HELP!!  Moderator!!  Can you take off some of those dupes??  

What?!?!  I don’t think they heard you.  Better say it again.  

[RTinNC]

23 minutes ago, brianh70 said:

What?!?!  I don’t think they heard you.  Better say it again.  

 

[BerettaRacer]

17 hours ago, BerettaRacer said:

Good News - Bad News

 

Good News - I'm at the START hotel

 

Bad News - I'm at the START hotel 4 days early.

 

Why?? Because when I went to unload my bike from the trailer in Suches, Ga, planning for 5 days of leisurely cruising up thru the mtns, the bike was DEAD!! As in crank but no fire. I drove it up on to the trailer fine a cpl of days ago, now Kaput!

A mad dash from Suches to the BMW dealer in Asheville but that was a dead end too. To busy to deal with it on a Sat afternoon. So, decided to come to the hotel early to have a beer while I formulate plan B.

 

 

So this morning ran a few tests in hotel parking lot.

Bike fired and ran smoothly few a few seconds with starting fluid, multiple times.

Search of the K-bike forums shows these have notoriously bad fuel pumps, as in, recalled/replaced by BMW.

I don't know if mine has had that recall done, obviously all paperwork at home.

 

So, with that in mind, I'm calling it quits for this rally.

Ya'll have a good time.

See ya when I can get the beast to run again, either UN this summer, or FART in fall.

[RTinNC]

Bummer!! 

[wbw6cos]

Sorry to hear that Bill.   I hope you get it sorted soon enough to keep riding.  We hope to see you in the fall.   

[brianh70]

4 hours ago, BerettaRacer said:

So this morning ran a few tests in hotel parking lot.

Bike fired and ran smoothly few a few seconds with starting fluid, multiple times.

Search of the K-bike forums shows these have notoriously bad fuel pumps, as in, recalled/replaced by BMW.

I don't know if mine has had that recall done, obviously all paperwork at home.

 

So, with that in mind, I'm calling it quits for this rally.

Ya'll have a good time.

See ya when I can get the beast to run again, either UN this summer, or FART in fall.

I’m sorry to hear this.  I don’t know if this will help, but maybe you can check your bike’s recall status via the NHTSA page:

 

https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw8pKxBhD_ARIsAPrG45n3Em9ZHoZ7PbVE_CINj5yUoUQZNnmuXVloRUYl_4bdb7yoGs3s1qkaAhEJEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

Also, if you haven’t already, I recommend that you post your problem/findings in the K-Bike forum.  I betcha anything DirtRider will chime in with some possible solutions.

 

Best of luck, and hopefully you get it sorted out sooner than later.

[Ron-M]

Chomping at the bit to get going so Dave (F16Viper68) and I have decided to come up a day earlier.  See you guys that are there already tomorrow late afternoon.  

[Indy Dave]

[taylor1]

Nothing like stopping for a group massage  

[Indy Dave]

Yes, Bernie insisted we get a group massage!

[Indy Dave]

Air cooled Brothers...

 

[MachineJoe]

2 hours ago, Indy Dave said:

Yes, Bernie insisted we get a group massage!

You guys are a pretty tight group 

[brianh70]

I'm all packed and ready to go!  I plan on rolling out at seven in the AM.  I even set the bike's alarm so it won't sleep in.  

 

[R65_Steve]

8 hours ago, Indy Dave said:

Air cooled Brothers...

 

 

 

Nice!   Only one of those is aircooled! 

Where is that?

[Indy Dave]

Lil Switzerland,. Ironically, my first car was a 69 913 - in a darker turd brown. Well - it was that color where it hadn't rusted through! It was an East coast car I bought for $600 or $800. Broke down on the way home and it never made it to Indiana! I was 16 and had to get back home for boarding (Military school. My Aunt and Uncle - where the 912 ended up a monument in their driveway - got sick of it being in there (I wasn't going to be able to get it till next summer) so they sold it for me!

[RTinNC]

19 hours ago, Indy Dave said:

Yes, Bernie insisted we get a group massage!

[Indy Dave]

 

 

 

 

[Indy Dave]

Meanwhile, on the way to Newport yesterday, I had to keep the shiftcams boys in check 

 

 

[brianh70]

I was taking 40 to get here quicker, but ran into traffic.  So after crawling along with no end in sight, I pulled off and rerouted to avoid highways.  I’m glad I did!  This is along Crabtree Rd, just before I hit 209. 

[bluenoserswife]

Is now a good time to reveal that RUSH played at my high school in the 70s?  My cousin was president of the student council and one of my other cousins arranged for RUSH to play at BDSS.   St. Catharines is only about 13 miles down the road from where I grew up, and home of some guy named Neil, I  think.  

[bluenoserswife]

Is now a good time to reveal that RUSH played at my high school in the 70s?  My cousin was president of the student council and one of my other cousins arranged for RUSH to play at BDSS.   St. Catharines is only about 13 miles down the road from where I grew up, and home of some guy named Neil, I  think.  

[9Mary7]

Good Lord it's early.... See all y'all this afternoon.

 

[TSConver]

Roling out. Be there around 2.

 

[Dennis Andress]

3 hours ago, 9Mary7 said:

Good Lord it's early.... See all y'all this afternoon.

 

What is that?

 

Ya'll ride good!

[Cap]

12 minutes ago, Dennis Andress said:

What is that?

 

Ya'll ride good!

 A 1989 (?) Honda PC800 Pacific Coast.  Designed by Acura.  The Accord of motorcycles, complete with a trunk.

[Stresspuppy]

Thought I’d get a little warm up riding and do some BRP on the way from Richmond VA. (Though it was chilly up there.)
 

[BruinsFan]

Wet and wild... Solo ride to Dillsboro NC for some BBQ. Sorry I was busy this morning while you guys were at breakfast and just missed ya. See ya tonight. 

[TSConver]

Site 37 at koa if any one else is here.

 

[TEWKS]

Bernie’s rider meeting! 

[Wristy Rich]

[Wristy Rich]

[Brad Snodgrass]

Spoiler

 

[TEWKS]

Just how comfortable is the new BMW RT you ask? Pretty damn I’d say!  

 

I failed to complement this gent on his bike and his riding, he made this lady sing on Bernie’s “first timer” ride at START

A country rest stop! 

[bluenoserswife]

On the BRP with the Chef, Tewks, Mitch, and Bluenoser 

[Bluenoser]

First timer Group 1 KSU for track 3 to Lynch KY.

 

Lunch stop at the Sazon, tasty Mexican, group 2 and 3.  Thanks to William and Allan for a safe ride.

[BruinsFan]

Bernie would be mad at me if he knew I took MULTIPLE breaks today resting my little booboo blister on my throttle hand. I tried telling everyone it was due to the fact I was twisting the grip off of it... but No nO nO he (Bernie) said. In fact it was a special defect in the Alpinestars gloves I have been using.  Mark Marquez and Wayne Rainy and Rossi wanted me to give my opinion of these since they're kinda sponsoring me on this trip ya know. 

[brorke]

Great time today on the first timers group ride! Group 1 led by Dave and BamaJohn riding sweep. Excellent job guys. Thanks for a fantastic ride. And excellent route Bernie!! Here's a few pics

[BruinsFan]

This is one that the entire group will give me a hard time tomorrow over... but wait, there is great wisdom and reasoning behind my madness, after noticing how low the sun was and the angle of the dangle for the optimal shutter speeds in those cross wind patterns at that particular spot on the mountain, I had to risk it all for that one perfect photo y'all know. 

[mneblett]

The Temple of Tech as it was opening Thursday morning, with the box flyin' Wizard in the light blue shirt, next to Joe Pilz (the two co-conspirtors who developed the Shiftcam cam timing tool set).  See Joe for your set, as he brought several with him so you can save the shipping cost.

 

 

Wisdom posted at the Temple:

 

 

Fortunately for a passing 25' trailer driver about to hit the road, one of the eagle-eyed START folks (sorry, can't remember the name) spotted this little problem on the *far* side of the trailer from a hundred feet away!  In the spirit you would expect from START attendees, the driver was flagged down and the group immediately set to installing his spare, avoiding a potential disaster if the second tire on that side had blown at speed on the highway. 

 

 

Speaking of spirit, this noob observed much friendship, saw *many* happy people, and heard some *great* "this means you're my friend" insults exchanged. :)

 

 

Also keeping with the spirit of START:

 

 

And no one can say that START participants don't know style!  ;)

 

 

 

[DouginNC]

Boxflyer’s tent where he gives his all so your motorcycle runs it’s best, and First Time ride lunch stop in Lynch KY.  Route 03 up to Lynch was a fantastic fun and  scenic route.

[Stresspuppy]

Standing on the peak between Kentucky and Virginia. The way the signs are setup (KY sign is behind me when I took the picture) it seems a little like noman’s land