mrzoom goes zoom, bounce goes click, click, zap!

[Bill_Walker]

Yesterday, per the ride-planning thread, we met at Casa Edmonds at 8:00, had coffee and pastries that couldn't be beat, put mrzoom on Leslie's bike, and headed for the hills. We were KMG-365 (Jamie), mrzoom (Rich), russell_bynum (aka bounce) and myself.

 

Due to circumstances beyond our control, we were unexpectedly Steveless. To make up for this, we re-dubbed ourselves Steve1, Steve2, Steve3 and Steve4. Ah, that's better! Now we can ride.

 

Having read my "first fRIDEday" ride tale from the previous day, Jamie was determined to make sure that his camera batteries were fully charged. And so they were. Unfortunately, they, and the camera, were still in the house when we were many miles away. Ah, the best-laid plans....

 

We slabbed it east to El Cajon, took 67 north to Ramona, and enjoyed ourselved on Old Julian Highway. Thence to Santa Ysabel, left on 79, right on San Felipe road, and left on Montezuma road, where we descended to Borrego Springs via the "Glass Elevator".

 

While we'd had an inkling on earlier parts of the trip, it was here we discovered that mrzoom comes by his name honestly. Don't be fooled just because he's from Chicago!

 

We stopped in Borrego for fuel and Gatorade, at which point I remembered my camera:

 

and after which Russell found that his Touno wouldn't crank over. A relay would click, but the starter wouldn't turn. Battery voltage seemed good. We tried a push-start, with no luck, then pushed him into the adjacent condo complex parking lot to try a jump start from my bike:

 

Russell, poor soul, found that he'd left the 5mm hex wrench required to the removed the seat (under which the battery lies) from his bike on Lisa's bike! Luckily I had one. However, the jump brought no change in response.

 

So, wiring was inspected (while the rest of made jokes about "Eye-talian" bikes). The terminals on the starter relay were tightened, with no joy. So, the other end of the wires was sought:

"I know there has to be a starter in there somewhere!"

 

"Not there. Maybe it's on the other side."

 

So, Jamie went off the hardware store to get the 8mm hex wrench we didn't have in order to remove the Tuono's frame sliders so we could get the bodywork off. While Jamie was gone, Rich had a brain wave and used a jumper cable clamp to jump the starter relay terminals. Voila! It started! (+obligatory location shot):

 

Then Jamie returned from the hardware store

bringing a now-uneeded set of hex keys (now in his tank bag) and a small can of contact cleaner (now in my saddlebag).

 

After putting everything but the seat back on the Tuono, Russell decided to head home, so he'd only have to do this once:

You can't see it well, but he's jumping the relay terminals with a hex key. I missed the shot of the flying sparks!

 

See, it really was running:

 

We remaining Steves headed up Banner Grade to Julian, which we found very crowded (), so we headed south out of town and then up to Mt. Laguna. For Rich's benefit, we stopped at the desert overlook:

 

After that, it was pretty much a repeat of the previous day's ride (but the road was much cleaner!). Over Laguna, down through Pine Valley and Descanso Junction, Japatul Valley to Lyons Valley to something and something and 94 to 8 to Casa Edmonds.

 

Around 6, we were joined by Russell and Lisa and Steve (at last, a real Steve!) and PJ (of recent TechDaze fame) and had a nice little pizza party, featuring wine and Arrogant Bastard ale (in which I could imbibe, since Jamie insisted I spend the night).

 

With the possible exception of Russell, a wonderful time was had by all.

[Les is more]

With the possible exception of Russell, a wonderful time was had by all.

 

. . . and maybe Mama Hoon who had to sit home and wait until the pizza party started--crappy appendix! Oh well. The party was a blast and Arianrhod got to stretch her legs a bit. Thanks Rich!

 

Bill did stay the night and we had the unexpected treat of joining Steve Carr and Eagle Mike for breakfast. I love getting together with these folks but doing little other than but sitting on my butt and then having my social life revolve around eating can't be good--or can it?

[russell_bynum]

Big thanks to mrzoom for his diagnostic skills. I haven't had a chance to dig into the Tuono that deeply yet so I'm not that familiar with the various mechanical and electrical systems.

 

Searching the Aprilia Forum showed that this is apparently a relatively common problem. Replacement $5 relay from Aprilia is $75. Identical Aftermarket relay is $35. Apparently, there's a Yamaha starter relay that's rated for more amps (and even cheaper). I ordered the aftermarket relay and I'll see about getting the Yammi one the next time I see Fernando and his FJR.

 

I also ordered the quick-release pins that allow removal of the seat (for battery access) without a 5mm hex key.

 

And I moved my allen wrenches back onto the Tuono where they belong.

 

I had a great ride up to that point, had fun being the brunt of all the Eye-Talian bike jokes during the impromptu tech daze, and had a fantastic ride back up the Glass Elevator and home.

 

The pizza party was typical Casa de Edmonds fun, and I'd imagine that all guests probably have sore abs this morning from laughing so hard.

[Firefight911]

 

Sounded like a good time!!!

[Whip]

Sounds like a great time.

 

Wish we lived closer.

 

What's a relay????

[Lawman]

"What's a relay????"

 

Whip,

I think that means they took turns working on it..

[mrzoom]

Wow. What a ride. I live a sheltered life so the idea of getting off a plane from a frozen Chi and jumping on a bike for a fun ride with great friends is new to me. I think I could get used to this

Great ride with such a varied landscape, elevations , turns, oh yes the turns. It was a full mixture of every road I've ever ridden in one afternoon.

THANKS.

Russell, Glad to help. There was some national pride there as I am Eye-talian. The worst that could have happened was a burnt wiring loom.

Spent sunday with Pops Zoom and family and now am waiting to catch" de plane" back to the frozen north. Why am I not excited.?????????????????????????????????????????????????

A special thanks to Jamie and Leslie for the great hospitality and loan of a bike to ride. With 124,000 miles on that RT it was still a sweet ride. Shows what regular service will do.

See you all at Torrey if it ever warms up enought to get out of Chi Town.

[russell_bynum]

Russell, Glad to help. There was some national pride there as I am Eye-talian.

 

Funniest mrzoom quote during Tuono TechDaze:

Someone: What tools do you carry?

mrzoom: I don't carry tools...I carry insurance, and a match.

 

[KMG_365]

Thanks to Rich for the excuse to go riding on an absolutely gorgeous February day!

 

We had a light, casual breakfast and waited for it to warm up a bit (it was down into the 50's at night! ), then we headed up to the mountains and down to the desert and back again, then down through the southern end of the county before Rich cried "Uncle!".

 

The traffic was surprisingly light for a weekend day and the wind only gusted in one small spot as the inversion layer shifted in the afternoon. It was sunny and clear and as you can see from the shirt sleeves in Bill's wonderful pics it got up to the low 80's during the day!

 

Okay, Bill, I deserve the flack for forgetting my camera. I guess it's instant Karma for giving Gregori a hard time for his dead batteries (that has happened to me twice now on trips, but I usually don't forget the whole camera).

 

It was a fun 200 miles of twisties, a lot of the same great roads we do on the 343 Mile Remembrance Ride on September 11th. Rich said he hadn't ridden in three months and in 200 miles that day he had more twisties than he'd ridden most of last year.

 

It was always great to see the rest of the folks who came to enjoy the pizza party--what a fun bunch! Thanks to the Bynum's for desert (and the impromptu Tech Session! ), the Bearden's for the refreshments and also to Bill for the coffee and of course the Arrogant Bastard Ale!!

 

I still couldn't talk Steve or at least PJ into coming out to the Texas Hill Country Ride--sorry Pie Town Folks--I gave it my best hard-sell and I thought I almost had PJ talked into leaving that Steve guy here, but he was holding onto her fast!

[russell_bynum]

it was down into the 50's at night!

 

Maybe down there by the coast. But it was 37F when I rolled out of the garage at 7:15am.

 

There's really only one time I ever miss my RT, and that's on cold mornings. I kept reaching for the windshield button, but it just wasn't there.

 

Thanks to the Bynum's for desert (and the impromptu Tech Session! ),

 

Lisa gets credit for the desert...all I did was eat it.

 

The Tech Session was ALL ME, though.

 

That bike's always cranked slowly and/or been flakey starting. I always figured it was just a weak battery. So I replaced the battery before the ride with StretchMark two weeks ago...no difference. So I figured it was probably like PTTR: They All Do That.

 

Next thing I know, I'm sitting in a gas station parking lot in Borrego Springs pressing the starter button and wondering why there's no V-twin rumble coming out of the exhaust.

 

Ah well...it was a good opportunity to cash in some of that bad karma I've been building up making fun of all you BMW guys with your final drives and your alternator belts.

[SageRider]

Jamie,

It's getting to be a habit for you to go purchase a tool only to find the problem solved upon your return

[KMG_365]

That bike's always cranked slowly and/or been flakey starting. I always figured it was just a weak battery. So I replaced the battery before the ride with StretchMark two weeks ago...no difference. So I figured it was probably like PTTR: They All Do That.

Well, when I pulled the relay out both wires and all four nuts were very loose! That probably explains the slow cranking, the heat that melted the rubber cap and also probably the shortened life of the relay. A good idea for all owners of those bikes to check those nuts.

 

Oh, and it's nice to see that I'm not the only one who can't spell dessert!!

[russell_bynum]

Oh, and it's nice to see that I'm not the only one who can't spell dessert!!

 

Spell Check said it was fine, so eye figured it was good enough four this bored.

 

[Joel]

You were better hosts for Rich than I was when he came to Fort Collins in September. Heidi and I scampered off for Utah just before he arrived. You can thank me later for setting the bar so low.

 

Not bad for a bunch of non-Steves, although the way you handled your Stevelessness reminds me of the Philosophy Department at the University of Wooloomooloo.

[steveknapp]

Someone: What tools do you carry?

mrzoom: I don't carry tools...I carry insurance, and a match.

 

From a guy with a "my other car is a Snap On Truck" bumper sitcker...

[russell_bynum]

Someone: What tools do you carry?

mrzoom: I don't carry tools...I carry insurance, and a match.

 

From a guy with a "my other car is a Snap On Truck" bumper sitcker...

 

[KMG_365]

Not bad for a bunch of non-Steves, although the way you handled your Stevelessness reminds me of the Philosophy Department at the University of Wooloomooloo.

Yeah, we were doing that sketch all day:

 

Steve 1: "Rich Elarde, Steve. Rich Elarde, Steve. Rich Elarde, Steve. And Rich Elarde, Steve."

Steve 2: "What, your name's not Steve?"

New Steve: "N-No . . . it's Rich."

Steve 3: "Well, that's going to cause a bit of confusion. Mind if we call you Steve to keep it clear??"

[Francois_Dumas]

but doing little other than but sitting on my butt and then having my social life revolve around eating can't be good--or can it?

 

Ow, I don't know, can be quite nice for a change, can't it ?

[USAF1]

Man.....the oxygen must be really concentrated down there!!

 

Pat