Passes & Canyons Blog

So is it a good thing or a bad thing when you have a 32-year-old motorcycle with only 29,000 miles on it? If you think in terms of using the bike for what it was intended, i.e., riding it, that would be a bad thing. And even if you were selling it, I’m not sure I, as a buyer, would consider low mileage necessarily good. That would raise questions about how gunked up the carbs might be and what else might be ailing from neglect.

Or it could just mean you replaced the speedometer. I mentioned awhile back how the dial on the speedometer on my 1980 CB750 Custom has broken (see photo above) and I needed to replace it. Also, the gears inside were making a high-pitched shrieking that made riding it very unpleasant. And you can’t fix a speedometer. They’re deliberately built so you can’t open them up and work on them; otherwise, anyone could just go in and roll back the odometer and sell the vehicle as having a lot fewer miles on it.

So that meant replacing it. Joel, my mechanic at Mountain Thunder Motorsports, picked up a replacement from Steele’s and on Friday I came by to have the work done. But when Joel brought out the new (for me) speedo it wasn’t the right one. So Joel sent me over to Steele’s to get the right one.

I did, and the new speedo shows only 29,375, compared to the 84,575 miles I had on the old one. Dang, that high number gave me a lot of cred; now it looks like I’m just a wannabe rider. That’s less than 1,000 miles a year. Oh well, I know how to fix that. Ride.

And I learned a couple things. First, Joel put the new speedo on so quickly it occurs to me I could have done it myself and saved what I paid him to do it. And I’m sure Joel wouldn’t have objected to that considering that he bought the wrong one from Steele’s and can’t return it. It’s his. So the whole thing probably comes out a wash for him. Meanwhile I paid for the right speedo and for installation. I guess I need to have more confidence in my mechanical abilities. I’m not averse to working on things, I guess I’m just reluctant to screw with something that might get expensive if I mess up. But how badly could I have messed up replacing a speedometer?

Whatever. At least now I can see how fast I’m going and I don’t have that horrible screech. And hey, it’s riding season! Hot dang!

Recent from National Motorcycle Examiner
Book review: Motorcycle Journeys Through North America

Biker Quote for Today

You know you’re becoming addicted to riding when you leave your car in the garage in favor of riding your bike to work on a 36 degree morning

I’ve noticed a very surprising thing recently, which is that there is almost a total dearth of motorcycle events going on in Colorado in April. Ever since I put this website up more than 6 years ago I have listed upcoming events on my Rides and Rallies page and this is the first time that I have had to search and search and search to find anything at all to list for April.

I did finally find one event, and it’s a good one. It’s something that needs to get more publicity. The Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Museum is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a big open house on Saturday, April 21, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. They’ll have a small lunch buffet from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., they’ll be handing out door prizes, and there will be a bike show if the weather permits.

If you’ve never been to the museum you really do need to get down there. Actually, I need to get down there because I haven’t been back to it since they moved into larger quarters. They used to be in the small building just in front of Pikes Peak Harley-Davidson, but now they have moved inside the dealership and have more space.

The place was great before, so I have to assume it is even better now. Jerry Manka is the director and curator and trust me, Jerry is as much an attraction as the bikes. He’s a character.

And oh, the bikes! They definitely have some nice ones. A lot of Indians and old Harleys plus a bunch more.

Of course, the last part of the complete name is “and Hall of Fame.” I’m betting the Hall of Fame gets a bit more space now than was possible before.

So April 21 would be a good day to go, but if you don’t go then, go some other time. It’s worth it. You won’t be sorry.

Recent from National Motorcycle Examiner
2012 edition of Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America set for this month

Biker Quote for Today

I like my bike because I can overtake 4x4s down farm tracks with a week’s worth of shopping on the back.

I have to admit to ignorance here, but in the last half hour I’ve been learning a lot about Mark Bruckner. That’s because the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) just released their list of this year’s nominees to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame and Bruckner is the first name on the list.

Of course, what they said about him in the announcement was guaranteed to catch my eye: “National/international motorcycling rights advocate, past state coordinator for ABATE of Colorado, past board member/president/chairman of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation.”

Oh wow, and until I read that I’d never heard of him. So he’s a previous state coordinator for ABATE of Colorado. I know Terry Howard, the current state coordinator, very well, but I’ve never met Bruckner. Turns out he was in that position from 1991 to 1994. After that he went on to the MRF, as stated above.

Currently Bruckner is Executive Director of BIKEPAC of Colorado. I get to show my ignorance again here. I’m not familiar with BIKEPAC of Colorado. Turns out it is a political action committee (PAC). Here is what it says about its mission.

As the organization’s resources grow, BIKEPAC will contribute to candidates running for office in the State Senate and the State House of Representatives. BIKEPAC may also contribute to Gubernatorial candidates. BIKEPAC will not contribute to candidates for office at the federal and local government levels. BIKEPAC believes that the most effective way to protect motorcycling in Colorado – and to best utilize our resources – is to contribute to the campaigns of pro-motorcycling candidates at the State Senate and House level. BIKEPAC employs a full-time lobbyist. Unlike many lobbyist who represent multiple clients at the State Capitol, the lobbyist for BIKEPAC represents only one group – the motorcyclists of Colorado.

Except that maybe this info is outdated. The link I tried to follow to the website doesn’t go there, and on a lobbying site I found it listed the organization as being registered through 2006. I have more digging to do. I’ll put up more as I learn more.

Recent from National Motorcycle Examiner
Another terrific Motorcycle Travel Network experience

Biker Quote for Today

Bikes are better than women because you don’t have to talk to your motorcycle after you ride it.