Boney's 2009 motorcycle extravaganza!

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

The last few years I've put up a super long thread at the end of the annum to review the different things I'd done on motorcycles.

 

This year, I'm gettin' a head start. At the end of the year I'll be finished with my review. It will be chronologically organized, and I won't have forgotten anything.

 

So let me see here. I've got to look back in time to... to... okay now, how far back do I have to go? Alright, I found it... LAST SATURDAY.

 

January 3rd started cold. Not east coast cold... west coast cold. The light rain yesterday and the clearing skies left us with a frosty situation.

 

Not to be deterred, I set out on the KTM for the 100 mile stretch to Upper Lake. Along the way I met up with the guys who put the ride together. A well picked meeting place, as the temperature had fallen since I left the house and I wasn't sporting the 'lectrics.

 

Where's Marty?

 

Lazy Panorama of the lot:

 

We topped out at the High Glade Lookout. The trap door to the cab was locked. That's not something that goes unchecked in this crowd.

 

Across the ridge and into the shade.

 

No you're not seeing things. Those aren't knobbies.

 

Just around the corner:

 

The image doesn't capture the scale of the slope. It's hundreds of feet over the edge. That little truck is lucky. We all carefully threaded ourselves around, without incident and carried on. There's nothing we could do to help but cheer (and take pictures).

 

At the bottom of the hill we make navigational decisions:

 

Ride down Twin-Valley Road:

 

 

Struggle a bit on some muddy sections:

 

And blast back across the ridge in loose gravel.

 

Back down to a beautiful Clear Lake:

 

After which we cover another 100 miles of pavement to get home. When I got there just after dark, I was cold and all the muscles in my shoulders were tense from shivering. I've never needed a soak in a hot tub so desperately. Too bad I don't have one.

[Marty Hill]

Tom, the only part of the ride I was qualified for would have been having coffee with you at starbucks.

[Kinsley]

Tom, the only part of the ride I was qualified for would have been having coffee with you at starbucks.

 

You'd still be there when they got back....and your bike would be clean

[Paul Mihalka]

Super report and pictures, and illustrates why I would not do a ride like this.

I would have enjoyed sitting with Marty at Starbucks and wait for your stories when you come back

[Francois_Dumas]

Great ride and tale Tom ! I enjoyed watching those pictures !

[azkaisr]

Worthy

[dhanson]

Yep, coffee for me too. Hanging with those guys would nesitate another bike purchase.

[Marty Hill]

Super report and pictures, and illustrates why I would not do a ride like this.

I would have enjoyed sitting with Marty at Starbucks and wait for your stories when you come back

 

Thanks Paul, I always enjoy your company. Nice to see the pics of youngsters riding in the dirt.

[Huzband]

Well it's high time somebody posted something interesting around here. It's been dang boring lately.

 

Me likey.

[Whip]

Thanks

 

[Paul_Burkett]

Looks like fun Tom...but I think ATV would be more my style. I see too many people do ride reports sporting leg or arm casts as they're laid up at home.

 

Green feet too.....OUCH!

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Today's motorcycle content, a trip to the store:

 

[OoPEZoO]

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Another beautiful winter day. I had to run down to San Rafael for an oil filter for the car. Can't think of a better excuse to go the long way than some good weather.

 

Usually I hit the Bovine Bakery on the "long" way home. Today it's on the way out. The MOD (Mufffin of the Day) was Blueberry Mango. Yum.

 

Pt. Reyes Station. Looking north, toward the Bovine while on my way out of town:

 

It got a bit cooler down among the Redwoods in Samuel P. Taylor park:

 

Then I rolled through Lagunitas over this hill and into San Rafael.

 

I was going to take a spin by Marin BMW, but it's getting harder for me to get out of that place without a new F800GS. I don't need that temptation right now.

[Jacqueline]

Pt. Reyes Station. Looking north, toward the Bovine while on my way out of town:

 

That's a neat little town... and if anyone goes through there, they should check out the restroom in that Saloon (on the left)...

A curtain for a door... a hole in the wall and even one in the floor. Not to worry there is a toilet. VERY rustic .

 

I was going to take a spin by Marin BMW, but it's getting harder for me to get out of that place without a new F800GS.

 

You would look good on a F800GS!

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

I'm back from Death Valley. Had a great time. As always the comraderie is awesome, the riding is delicious, and the scenery spectacular.

 

Allow me to start at the beginning.

 

About two weeks out I get the green light from the CFO. A week out, I get the trade, and two days before take-off I get the reservation. The only person who know's I'm coming for sure is Jamie, and maybe a few astute board members who caught my hints here and there.

 

The catch is that I'm leaving from work Friday morning. I plan an epic ride, and ride it. The problem- and we all know there's always a problem, is that daylight is in short supply this time of year, and the route is rather, um, indirect. No, that's not really it. The route is... well... it's not Interstate. I didn't want to ride in the dark on either side, and started at sun up. I arrived in Beatty just after sundown, but no so far after that I had to take my sunglasses off.

 

Because I was racing the sun, I didn't take any pictures... I rode 25, 198, 178, and 190. Not to mention a few other "connectors."

 

Here's a link to a track file. The bottom track is "to" and the top track is "from" Beatty.

http://maps.innersource.com/GProject.aspx?pid=6109

 

I took the "history" shot the next morning before resetting the trip meter:

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

The following morning, I'm up a little early, so I take a picture of some of the bikes in the lot. Who's is missing?

 

Michael and I walked down the mexican restaurant and had a pretty good breakfast. After we came back, I was killing a little time with the camera. I'd never been to Beatty before so I took a brief looksy at the sights.

 

There's plenty of free parking in Beatty. And you can't miss it:

 

The Exchange Club had a restaurant and a casino at one time (it had a brothel too, but before we were coming here.)

 

The Sourdough Saloon is across the street:

 

As is the Beatty Club. I never went in, but it has an eclectic yard.

 

Check this cat out, he's been to Jack's Playground:

 

I had a nice chat with Steve and Al about the Exchange Club and it's lore, then tagged along on a little ride.

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

So off we go out highway 190 toward Death Valley. Just before Daylight Pass, Steve hits the binders pretty hard and I know what that means. We slow to a more "acceptable" speed and a ranger goes the other way. Not far up the road we get the helmet tap from a bunch of dirt bikes. Are they telling us about the ranger we just past? We keep it legal and come around the corner to find a car off the road, with a debris field of about 100 yards. LEOs on scene, so we just rubbernecked and moved along.

 

First view entering the Valley:

 

A brief stop in Furnace Creek to regroup:

 

Then up the road to Dante's View. Amazingly, I had never been there either.

 

Click here for a bigger version

 

Death Valley has the second highest recorded (reliably) temperature record in the world at 136 degrees. That was in 1932 or thereabouts. But today, the forcast was for 77, and cooler at the higher elevations. Great Riding weather.

 

After the famed story of the 49ers, after whom Death Valley is named, the discovery of a great deal of minerals and metal led to a large number of mining claims, many of which are still in operation.

 

 

Down the hill we stopped by Zabrisky Point. It is the site of many movies for the barren "moonscape."

 

 

 

The People shot:

 

 

The bike shot:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

As I was riding through the Valley the previous day, on my quest to make Beatty by sundown, I had passed the sand dunes and noticed the shadows would probably make some good pictures. So after lunch, I head out solo to the dunes to get some shots. Here are a select few.

 

Name that track:

 

 

 

 

I had arrived relatively early for the "good light" so I found a nice bowl and laid down in the shade and took a short nap. Down below the ridges, it was almost silent. The only thing I heard was the plane that went overhead and the Harley that went by better than a mile away.

 

When I woke up, the light had improved.

 

 

 

 

It's very difficult to get a landscape shot in the dunes without footprints.

 

 

 

There were a couple of Brigham Young faculty out there with their "old school" cameras.

 

 

After the sun dropped behind the Panamint Mountains, I went back to Beatty for dinner. It's the famed Sourdough Saloon BBQ. It was delicious. A good time was had by all (except maybe those who bailed on the trip.)

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Sunday comes around and I hook up with Barry, Jeff and Dave for breakfast in Shoshone and an "in search of" for the China Date Ranch.

 

100 miles down the road:

 

It turns out the ranch isn't much of a secret. Everyone we talk to has been there and tells us it's great. I check my GPS and it's in there too, so I get put in the lead.

 

As we near the ranch, the roads get progressively smaller, until we're on dirt. No one batted an eye.

 

 

 

Not much further down the road, we finally make it to the oasis:

 

It's hot down here, and a clothing adjustment is mandatory. Barry does his best Richard:

 

The store is filled with eccentricity. They have just about one of everything for sale. Outside, there is an array of old equipment and machinery. Something with which I have a bit of fascination.

 

 

 

 

Eventually, I settled in to enjoy my Date Shake. I saved the bread for later. I should have bought two- it was that good.

 

Out in the orchard the Date Palms stand majestically, fed by the springs in the oasis, against the backdrop of barren hills.

 

We deduced that coving the fruit keeps the birds out. Considering that I'd never seen dates actually on the plant, we decided to take a look.

 

 

From here, Jeff took off for home. Dave and Barry wanted to head up to Dante's View (where I had previously been) so I took off solo to Bad Water.

 

Can you pick out the "sea level" sign?

 

Salt formations in the water:

 

Then back to Beatty where I wander in on the second football game.

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Monday is a long ride home. I tagged along with Barry, since we live near each other and we rode up 95 to Fallon then across 80 all the way to the Bay. It was cold, cold, cold in Nevada. Several times I wanted to stop to take pictures but I was afraid to remove my hands from the heated grips. I'll have to go back.

 

Sun up, just before leaving:

 

3 stops later, just after arriving home:

 

What a great time.

[SageRider]

up 95 to Fallon then across 80 all the way to the Bay. It was cold, cold, cold in Nevada

Welcome to Northern Nevada in winter.... Actually it was almost summer. Dry with temps in the 20s to low 40s is downright balmy this time of year!

 

Great report!

[StuGotz]

Outstanding pics and tale Tom...

 

Thanks

 

MB>

[stubble!]

Great tale Tom, thanks for taking me to DV with ya

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

After a long night at work, and a short nap once at home, it was time to clear muy head. Luckily, I had an errand I could use as an excuse for a ride. Sonoma is a small town and we don't have the shops and resources like some might think a place so close to the metropolitain area should have. The internet is a wonderful thing, especially when the eShops will throw in shipping, but seriously; the cost of a couple of gallons of gas is worth brain cleansing it provides.

 

Back roads to Santa Rosa:

 

Bennett Valley- poor man's panorama:

 

Our very own Timmer lives out there somewhere!

 

Some local friendlies along the way:

 

 

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Gabby and Tom's first place together:

 

We rented the carriage house 15 years ago.

 

The reason for the trip:

 

 

[Twisties]

 

You got a new KTM?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Must a been a small computer... laptop... if you were going to carry it back on the KTM. Happy Birthday!

[Crazy_Canuck]

Hey Boney it was nice meeting you at DVD this year. I love the pics of the sand dunes. Thanks for posting.

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Hey Boney it was nice meeting you at DVD this year. I love the pics of the sand dunes. Thanks for posting.

 

The pleasure is all mine. Let's ride again soon.

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

The beautiful weather continues to plague us with cold nights and warm sunny days. While a good part of the country is buried in ice and snow, the riding season here won't quit. It's all fine and dandy, until one considers that this is the third dry winter in a row, and this one in which we are amidst is the driest. This January (and January alone) we are over 10 inches of rain below average. Surely this means water rationing this summer. Say goodbye to the lawn (not that I liked it anyway- but it was there and I hadn't torn it out yet). Say goodbye to clean cars, long hot showers, and water prices that were less than gas prices.

 

On a brighter note; The ride home from work was flawless.

[Jacqueline]

First place together..... very nice!

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

The weather is still holding. At least it was. We'er supposed to get rain tonight, so I figured I'd better get out. After spending most of the day Tuesday getting all the maintinence work done on the car, a kitchen pass was easy to secure.

 

I posted that I was going riding in a couple of places, and no one bit. Not even Phil. It's really too bad, as once I arrived at South Cow Mountain OHV Area, I discovered that I had the entire place to myself. Literally, I did not encounter another person on the trails all day.

 

Empty parking lot proof:

 

Right out of the parking lot, I hit the trail. It's narrow and winding with ruts, bumps, whoops, and the occasional low branch.

 

After a while I'm a few miles into the hills and the scenery is stunning.

 

I had set off with the intention to explore some of the intermediate trails. The problem is three fold; First, the map isn't very accurate. The numbers they use to annotate the trails could be for one, or maybe the other. Second, the trails are either poorly marked, or over-marked. The map says "trail 1" but when you get out there you find intersections of 1F & 1A or 12D & 9C. Third, most of the trails are not in the GPS. Each time I've done a little "exploring" at Cow Mountain, I've always ended up in a quarry near Red Mountain. The area used for intense four-wheeling.

 

This part falls under the "what was I thinking" category. I rode out a couple of roads that became increasingly rocky. Eventually I was riding a steep uphill section of road completely covered in softball sized rocks with the occasion rocky outcropping creating 8 inch step-ups. Fall #1 occured here. Not much further up the trail fall #2 occured too. Fall three was a front wheel washout on a steep downhill switchback. Oops.

 

After a while I was moving along quickly and linking trails- I'd memorize a sequence and make the turns as I came upon them. 7,9,15,20,23,25. I was having a fantastic time.

 

Creek Crossing 1:

 

The clumps of reeds in the creek were all mashed down after the latest high water (it's been a while.)

 

I'm going up there:

 

One of the trails I wanted to ride was called Boundary Ridge. It was along the boundary of the BLM area on which the OHV Area sits. After a while the trail I was riding widened a bit, and I was making fresh tracks. Well, actually it was well tracked with deer and coyote prints, but no vehicles. Around the bend I passed a little pond at which the road became more like, well, a road. Then it was gravel, then it was very hard dirt, and a little asphalt. I knew I was off the trail, but I suspected that I was on a road I had been looking for, for a long time. Sure enough, I came upon Highway 175. Yipee! The back door!

 

I backtracked several miles into the OHV area and found the turn I missed. The trail became more difficult, and eventually it turned down the ridge. Right there is where I made a serious mistake. There are some important rules when riding unfamiliar areas. One of them is "do not ride down something you cannot ride back up." Well, I went down an impossibly steep, rutted, and loose piece of trail and realized what I had done after I was at the bottom of it. There was no turning back if the trail got worse.... And it sure didn't look too good.

[psmitty]

Great Pictures! Thanks for sharing them.

[StuGotz]

Well, guess I missed the post about your ride invitiation...I've never ridden the area, but should sometime.

 

Especially liked the " all to myself " part.

 

Must be nice getting days off midweek. Better keep that parttime job!

 

MB>

[BeniciaRT_GT]

Especially liked the " all to myself " part.

Ahhhhh the advantage of weekdays off!

Must be nice getting days off midweek. Better keep that parttime job!

 

It's nice if you are willing to give up weekends and the social aspect of it! I thought you were independently wealthy Mark, and had almost every day off???

 

Nice "tail" Boney, but please do share how you got out of the hole. An old buddy of mine did that out in Carnegie and had to walk out and several of us had to go muscle it out of there a day later!

[SageRider]

There was no turning back if the trail got worse.... And it sure didn't look too good......

Alas this last post was sent out by Boney via carrier pigeon. Boney has not been seen since........

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

A carrier pigeon has delivered the latest message:

 

I found myself above another steep downhill section which would be an effort to ride. This time however, I decided that it would be wise to scout it first. I still had at least one more option to get out, and I could always explore them later, if I didn't commit to this one.

 

Down I went. It must have been about a, how do they do calculate that? A 100% grade? 12:12 roof? A 45 degree slope? A 1:1 ratio? Regardless, it was steep, and loose with little rock outcroppings to drop off.

 

After hiking to the creek, then back up the other side, which looked somewhat reasonable for the small distance I scouted, I turned around a went back to the bike to eat a little lunch, drink some water and contemplate the situation.

 

Looking across the creek at where the bike was:

 

It's down there in the bottom left corner somewhere.

 

A little water and some nutrition cleared the brain a bit. I decided that it would be wise to scout out the other exit(s) before committing myself here. I saddled up and rode up the hill a bit to the junction and set off to inspect the other trail.

 

What a roller coaster it was! Wide, fast, rolling, with small steep ups and downs winding along the hillside. As I approach the next stream crossing the trail gets steep, and turns around the corner. Keenly aware that it's better than 10 miles back to the truck- a distance I'd rather not walk, I scout this one as well.

 

Looking up at the bike as I'm headed down:

 

A little ways further I find evidence that I'm on a bike eating trail. The only problem is that I'd rather not have my bike eaten.

 

This one is not as steep as the last and is much more ridable, both up and down. At the bottom is the creek. I commit to the creek since I know I can get back up this side and I'd like to see how far up the hill I can get on the other side.

 

Self Portrait at the bottom:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

After the picture, I set off up the hill.

 

It's steep. The rear tire begins to slip and spin on the transitions between solid ground and scree covered ruts. My calves begin to burn and my shoulders feel the pump as I stand further forward on the pegs, leaning into the GPS in an effort to stay in front of the bike as the trail steepens and the front tire floats inches above the terrain for tens of feet at a time. The bike growls and shakes in waves, trying to toss me into the bushes as I torque the throttle on, then off, then on again in an attempt to gain upward movement on the trial. The trail itself, a bike eater for sure, meets my challenge turn for turn with consistent steepness- throwing rocks, switchbacks and overhanging branches my way without relent. Yet up, up, up I ride. Has it been a mile? Has it been two? My brain begins to succumb to the signals of pain and fatigue being sent from every cell of my being. The trail has yet to beat me, but it knows that the Lactic Eclipse my muscles are experiencing could mean the end of my upward mobility, and result in possibly sending me back to the bottom in search of a suitable place to re-start the trail. A victory by the trail seems eminent. The question seems now to be; "how many parts of my bike will it take away?"

[Twisties]

[SageRider]

:lurk:

Darn, this stuff is good!

Entertaining report too.....

 

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

As my brain slips into autopilot, and my eyes glaze into reflections of the terrain passing under me, I topped out. None too soon if you ask me. I'm not sure I could have taken any more abuse. During the brief stop at the top of the hill I finished the last of the water in my Camelback. Shortly thereafter the cooling fan whirs to life on my idling bike, suggesting to me that I wasn't working the bike very hard coming up the hill. We'll chalk this up to another "my bike is far more capable than I" experience.

 

The Princeton Wordnet has a few different definitions of commit(ted). Let's go through a few of them, shall we?

 

S: (v) perpetrate, commit, pull (perform an act, usually with a negative connotation) "perpetrate a crime"; "pull a bank robbery"

Yep. I committed a serious mistake riding down a hill I couldn't go back up.

 

S: (v) give, dedicate, consecrate, commit, devote (give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause) "She committed herself to the work of God"; "give one's talents to a good cause"; "consecrate your life to the church"

I suppose. I was out riding in the name of exploration.

 

S: (v) commit, institutionalize, institutionalise, send, charge (cause to be admitted; of persons to an institution) "After the second episode, she had to be committed"; "he was committed to prison"

After that last stunt? Absolutely.

 

So... I'm only 10 miles from the truck, but I've ridden better than 30 miles of single-track and steep trails. I've hiked maybe two. I'm out of water, tired, my legs and shoulders ache and my wrist is sore from an earlier tip-over. What's a guy to do?

 

Link trails 17, 20, and 1 back to the truck. That's what. You didn't think I was going to quit with so many more trails to be ridden did you?

 

Now I'm back on familiar territory. I've ridden trail 17 both directions. It's steep here and there but within the bounds of my skills.

 

At the creek crossing, way down below the switchbacks:

 

Then a quick blast on Trail 20 and for the first time today I pass another vehicle. A BLM pick-up. Once it's gone, I'm back to solitude. The mighty 640 Adventure is the only motor thumpin' about Cow Mountain today...

 

Only 44.6 total miles in 4:11. I'm not iron-buttin' today, that's for sure.

 

Then home. In order of appearance:

Truck

Gatoraid

Barista

Gabby

 

 

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Trail 1 Part 1. Cow Mountain

 

 

Trail 1, Part 2. Cow Mountain

[SageRider]

Glad I didn't finish off all the .

 

Nothing like at the movies!

 

Thanks!!!

[Effjay]

That was fun - thanks for taking us along! In Part 1 with a following sun, it was neat watching your shadow rider and front fork emphasizing the terrain video tends to flatten. I also enjoyed helmet cam action as you do quick head checks on converging trails. That single track stuff would have me eating dirt in a face plant - give me a wider trail and my jeep, please...

 

Jeff

[Bill_Walker]

Trail 1 Part 1. Cow Mountain

...

Trail 1, Part 2. Cow Mountain

...

 

God, I love singletrack. Of course, I've only done it on a mountain bike, not a dirt bike, but still.

 

Based on the video, where of course I can't judge slopes worth a darn, I feel like I could have handled Part 1, based on my mountain bike experience. I think I could have handled many parts of Part 2, but unfortunately those parts aren't contiguous. :-( In any event, it looks like fun!

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Trail 1 Part 1. Cow Mountain

...

Trail 1, Part 2. Cow Mountain

...

 

God, I love singletrack. Of course, I've only done it on a mountain bike, not a dirt bike, but still.

 

Based on the video, where of course I can't judge slopes worth a darn, I feel like I could have handled Part 1, based on my mountain bike experience. I think I could have handled many parts of Part 2, but unfortunately those parts aren't contiguous. :-( In any event, it looks like fun!

 

There's a couple of steep sections, but I think they're entirely Mt. Bikable. The drawback would be that they're pitted and whooped from all the motorized traffic. You can't see it too well, but the suspension was really working hard.

[Huzband]

After the picture, I set off up the hill.

 

It's steep. The rear tire begins to slip and spin on the transitions between solid ground and scree covered ruts. My calves begin to burn and my shoulders feel the pump as I stand further forward on the pegs, leaning into the GPS in an effort to stay in front of the bike as the trail steepens and the front tire floats inches above the terrain for tens of feet at a time. The bike growls and shakes in waves, trying to toss me into the bushes as I torque the throttle on, then off, then on again in an attempt to gain upward movement on the trial. The trail itself, a bike eater for sure, meets my challenge turn for turn with consistent steepness- throwing rocks, switchbacks and overhanging branches my way without relent. Yet up, up, up I ride. Has it been a mile? Has it been two? My brain begins to succumb to the signals of pain and fatigue being sent from every cell of my being. The trail has yet to beat me, but it knows that the Lactic Eclipse my muscles are experiencing could mean the end of my upward mobility, and result in possibly sending me back to the bottom in search of a suitable place to re-start the trail. A victory by the trail seems eminent. The question seems now to be; "how many parts of my bike will it take away?"

 

Super Hunky couldn't have written it better.

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

The last ride gave me reason to revisit a project idea that I've had for a while.

 

The big ole gas tank on the 640 is great for putting the miles on in between gas stations, but it's not so good for those times that rider is unable to keep it upright. Scratches and scoring tell the tale of this rider, and is numerous get-offs. Eventually, I'm afraid that I'll puncture the tank as it becomes increasingly worn on the front edges, leaving me stranded in the middle of a place that will require a long walk to exit.

 

Tank protectors. The crash bar currently available for the 640 are in Europe. Combine the shipping, unfavorable exchange rate, and the tendency for the crash bars to prematurely fail at the mounting tabs, and you've got a pretty decent reason to find an alternative.

 

There's a guy on some other continent that makes carbon fiber tank guards. I guess I could buy some of those. Or I could make them.

 

The following is the first few steps of my attempt.

 

Tankless bike:

 

Bikeless tank:

 

Experience and fiberglass/carbon/kevlar are definately a few words I would use together when describing myself. I've paddled fiberglass canoes and kayaks. I've flown in planes that have carbonfiber and kevlar components. I had a carbonfiber bike once. There are some very cool carbonfiber hoods available for Gabby's car, and I read a book once on how to lay it all up.

 

I drained and washed the tank. Emptying the gas into a can, I was able to drain it to the "normal" out of gas level and pour that into the other bike, then return to the KTM and drain the "reserve" amount out. It has somewhere between 1.5 and 1.75 gallons of gas AFTER the petcock is turned to reserve. That's a mighty nice number.

 

Washing and waxing the tank gave me some good insight into how much I've crashed my bike. "Quite a bit" is the right answer. But not enough to threaten the integrety of the tank.

 

Close up:

 

I'm going to do a three step process. First, I'll make a fiberglass version of the cover, cut to size and shape. Then I'll make a fiberglass mold using those guards as templates. And finally, using a vacuum bag system, lay some carbon/kevlar pre-preg over the mold and create the covers themselves. It's ambitious, but once I have the molds it won't matter how many of these things I smash on the trail. It'll be considerably less expensive to get more.

 

Right side, all laid up:

 

Unfinished product:

 

Left side layup:

Which is still in the garage drying.

 

I added a little stiffener to this side, and went back and added one to the other. I'm worried that the flex will cause a problem down the road. The lower ends have a couple of compound curves, so it's not so much of an issue there. The final product one have them, but I don't what these to get out of shape before or while I'm making the mold.

 

I'll know the results tomorrow.

[BeniciaRT_GT]

I'll know the results tomorrow.

 

So...............

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Right side template, complete:

 

Left side template, complete:

 

If got to do a little more sanding, then figure out how I'm going to make a mold from these.