Passes & Canyons Blog

I’m still counting on taking the Kawi on the OFMC trip very shortly but nothing has happened yet on the carburetor issue. For insurance I got a new rear tire on the V-Strom a couple days ago.

I got this recommendation from both Bill and Dennis, that I get the tire at Let It Ride, on 8425 W. Colfax, and then take it next door to 1 Down, Four Up Motorsports, at 8427 W. Colfax, to be mounted. That worked out great. I called ahead about the tire and they had it in stock. I asked them to hold it for me and made an appointment so I could have it mounted while I waited.

Mid-way through the job, the guy (whose name I can’t remember–I really should make note of these things) asked if I wanted new rear brake pads because with the old ones, “there’s almost nothing there.” That didn’t surprise me; I had been thinking about that possibility. So sure, put on new pads. He said the front pads are fine.

Then as I was paying he told me they had adjusted the chain as good as they could but there was some stretching and really, the chain and sprockets need to be replaced. That didn’t surprise me either.

The ride home proved interesting then. Of course I was doing some swerving to scuff up the edges of the new tire but I wasn’t so busy with that as not to notice something else. A noise I had wondered about for quite awhile was not there.

This noise is something I’ve always thought of as maybe the chain slapping. I’ve tried adjusting the tension but never made a difference. I take it now that the shop did a better job of adjusting it than I did and at least for now that slapping–which is apparently what it was–is gone. At the very least, the noise is gone. So OK, that’s something to take care of after the trip.

Biker Quote for Today

I was born intelligent, but my bike ruined me.

Bill and I decided to run up to Black Hawk on Friday for lunch and some gambling so I got on the CB750 and headed west on Hampden. I soon had one of those encounters that remind you to stay on your toes.

I was in the inside lane and first at the light, stopped at Colorado Boulevard. The east-bound traffic got the green and the turn arrow and I got ready. The light changed and the car in the turn lane seemed to be stopping for the red. I started to pull forward and the car didn’t stop and was going to run full on through the red and turn in front of me. Then she saw me, a very startled look on her face, and she slammed on the brakes.

Yeah. Be careful out there. You never know when some driver is going to do something.

I got to Bill’s and he was figuring to just run up Clear Creek Canyon and come back down Golden Gate Canyon–like he always does. I like variety so I said let’s go up Coal Creek Canyon and then come down Golden Gate. So we did.

Oh man, it’s been a very long time since I’ve gone up Coal Creek Canyon and I had forgotten how nice it is. I mean, I’ve been down it from time to time but going the other direction is like an entirely different road. It was sweet! And it was a beautiful day to ride. Bill agreed enthusiastically.

We got to Black Hawk and ate and then played some machines and both walked out with tidy sums more than we came in with. Nice day!

I knew when we parked in Black Hawk that I was going to be going to Reserve before I got home, and I was right at the mileage where I generally have to shift to Reserve. So I just went ahead and flipped the lever. When we were leaving the bike coughed when starting at first, reminding me I had made the switch. Then it ran fine.

We ran down the canyon and turned our different ways and I headed home, down 93, and C-470, onto US 85, which becomes Hampden. I figured I would do the usual and stop at Costco off Santa Fe for gas. But I got to Costco and I’ve never seen such a long line of people waiting to get gas. What the heck?

I got back on what was now Hampden and pulled in the next gas station, only to find all those pumps busy and people waiting. Really, what the heck? Is something going on that I don’t know about?

No matter. My tripmeter was reading 185 and I know I can get 225 miles out of a full tank of gas on this bike. I would just go home and get gas the next time I take the bike out.

I got to Hampden and Tamarac–exactly one mile from home–and I ran out of gas. ???? How could that be? Did I not fully fill the tank last time? I have no idea. But at this point the tripmeter was still only reading 190.

I rolled off to the side of the road and kept trying to start the bike and this guy in this pick-up behind me starts honking. Like, dude, do you not see that my bike won’t run? I waved him around and then pushed the bike up onto the sidewalk. Thank goodness for those ramps now to accommodate people in wheelchairs.

I was jockeying it around and lost it and the bike fell on the left side. Not all the way down; it came to rest on the peg and the case guard. I know how you’re supposed to pick up a bike but I figured I could just grab it and wrestle it back upright. And I did. Three days later there are no ill effects, like in my back or something. I guess that wasn’t the smartest thing I’ve ever done but apparently neither was it the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.

Being just one mile from home, I called Judy and she brought me gas. Problem totally solved. But why the heck did it run dry at 190? That tank holds 5-1/2 gallons and I get about 45 miles to the gallon. That’s almost 250 miles if you run it totally dry. Now, at least for a while, I’m going to be really paranoid about running out of gas once I get into Reserve. Motorcycles: they’re so wonderful but they sure can be a pain at times, too.

Biker Quote for Today

Motorcycles are like women: Even though they are dangerous we need them in our lives.

When Colorado opened its first high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes it was easy: if you were on a motorcycle you could use them and you did not have to pay. There was a brief period of confusion when they said even a motorcycle needed a transponder but thanks to the efforts of groups like ABATE of Colorado that requirement was eliminated.

In the meantime, though, there has been a proliferation of roads that are tolled in one way or another and because I was personally so confused over which ones I could ride on a bike I just quit using any of them. I decided it was time to clear up this fog, so that’s what I’ll do as best I can here.

One of the clearest bits of information is found in that image here of a portion of a chart found at https://www.codot.gov/programs/expresslanes/using-the-lanes. Basically, what this is saying is that all of the express lanes on I-25 and the lanes on US 36 to Boulder are free to motorcycles at all times. And they’re also saying that the express lanes on I-70 into the mountains are tolled no matter what vehicle you are in or on. E-470, of course, is a toll road for everyone.

Another good resource is this CDOT page: https://www.codot.gov/programs/expresslanes. On this page, in a section called WHERE EXPRESS LANES ARE, AND WHERE THEY’LL BE, there are links to maps showing you exactly what roads they’re talking about. I mean, heck, do you know what road they mean when they talk about the I-25 South Gap Project? I didn’t.

There is also a downloadable fact sheet here: https://www.codot.gov/programs/expresslanes/assets/motorcycles-express-lanes-fact-sheet.pdf

This is especially good except there seems to be a discrepancy. Here’s the map on the first page of this PDF.

See down there on C-470, where it’s blue. The legend says “ExpressToll account, pass and toll balance required to avoid higher license plate toll charges for motorcycles.” But the chart says C-470 is free for motorcycles. And on this page specifically about C-470 it says “Motorcyclists can use the Express Lanes for free without a pass.”

So I’m a bit confused, although I tend to suspect the map is wrong and you can ride C-470 with no issues. If anyone can confirm or refute this conclusively PLEASE let me know. Thanks.

I hope this clears most of this up for any of you who, like me, was unclear before. I guess I’ll start using the express lanes again.

Biker Quote for Today

All my friends have life goals . . . and I just want to go faster.

I’ve had this ongoing issue with the Concours not running properly, where I’ve used carb cleaner to much benefit but not total. Every time I had ridden it lately it had run better so when I took it out the other day I was hoping for it to perform perfectly.

It did not. In fact, it ran much more poorly than before, needing me to rev the engine before taking off from a stop and dying repeatedly as I came to a stop. At least that settles the question of whether I’m going to be able to address this myself or if I need to enlist professional assistance.

This business of the bike not running properly matters for several reasons. First, I want the bike to run right. That’s a no-brainer.

More pressing, however, is the fact that it is now July and that means the annual OFMC bike trip is coming up in just a few weeks. Having gone through all the hassle with getting this new top bag mounted I was really hoping to take the Kawi this year. I’ve tried to reach Joel, my mechanic, but I suspect he is up in Montana at the family farm for an extended period.

The issue here is that if I can’t take the Kawi, I’ll need to take either the V-Strom or the CB750. And both of them need new rear tires before they can go on an extended trip. So obviously, if I need a new rear tire I need to get cracking on that.

Why not just get new rear tires on both of them if they are in need anyway? Well, regarding the Honda, as little as I ride that I can probably pretty easily put that off until next year. It’s only if I want to take it on a long trip that I’ll need a new tire sooner. But the V-Strom could use a new one now. Except that, to cover my bases, I contacted Ron, my sometimes V-Strom mechanic, to see if he would be available to get a tire on this bike and he is out of the country until August 3. Ouch.

Now it’s getting serious. Frankly, I’d rather just put off new tires till later if there’s any way I can take the Kawi on the trip. So it hinges on Joel. Who I have not heard back from.

Calling Joel: Please get back to me ASAP. Meanwhile, I better find somebody to put a new tire on the V-Strom.

UPDATE
OK, this has been evolving as I’ve been writing. Joel just got back to me and will be back in town in a couple days and can get the Kawi running good before we’re scheduled to leave. In the meantime, I spoke to Bill, who directed me to a shop he and Dennis like for getting new tires put on and I’ll go ahead and get a new rear on the V-Strom just to play it safe.

Biker Quote for Today

Motorcycle mechanic only because freakin’ awesome is not an actual job title.

I had never heard of this before but it recently came to my attention: the 18th Annual Morgan Adams Concours d’Elegance.

This is not strictly a motorcycle event but it does include motorcycles. Held each year at Centennial Airport, it features aircraft, cars, and motorcycles. This thing is a fundraiser and as such it is a posh event. A single ticket is $250, so the majority of us who are not independently wealthy will give it a pass. If $250 is no big deal you might want to check it out.

The list of bikes that will be on display is impressive:

1928 AJS AK12
1930 AJS R12 250cc
1966 BMW R60/2
1968 BMW R60/2
1970 Bridgestone TMX-100
1932 BSA Blue Star 500
1959 BSA Gold Star Clubman
1960 BSA Gold Star Scrambler
1963 Cushman Eagle
1964 Cushman Eagle
1973 Ducati Imola Factory Racer
1953 Focesi Glory 100
1967 Greeves MX5 Challenger
1950 Harley Davidson WL Flathead

1972 Honda 70 ST
1972 Honda CB750 K2
1972 Honda CL350 Flying Dragon
1970 Honda CL450 Scrambler
1989 Honda GB 500 TT Café Racer
1937 Indian Sport Scout
1937 Indian Sport Scout
1987 Matchless G80
1950 Matchless G9
2011 Moto Guzzi V7 Racer
1944 Nimbus Model C
1975 Norton 850 Commando Hi Rider
1975 Norton Commando 850

1973 Norton Commando Hi Rider
1973 Norton Commando Hi Rider
1950 Norton Manx
1944 Royal Enfield Bullet 350
1966 Triumph T120R Bonneville
1960 Triumph TR6 Custom
1969 Triumph TR6C Tiger
1970 Triumph TR6C Tiger Custom
2010 Triumph Truxton
1972 Triumph X-75 Hurricane
1938 Velocette KSS 350cc
1952 Vincent Black Lightning
1951 Vincent Rapide
1980 Yamaha XS650 Special

So hey, you won’t see me there but if you go send me a note telling me about it and I’ll pass that along.

Biker Quote for Today

You know you’re a biker if your dog and your wallet are both on chains.

Sometimes the best tool for the job is not the one designed for that purpose, but the one – the only one – you have.

Take dual-sport riding, this business of taking a motorcycle down the highway to get somewhere, and then taking that same bike onto the dirt when you reach your destination. Years ago, when motorcycles were less specialized than they are today, riders were far more ready to take their street bikes in the dirt. Nowadays we have dirt bikes and dual-sport bikes, and most street bikes never see more than a short stretch of gravel here and there. Many never see anything but pavement.

I went dual-sporting awhile back in the area around Gunnison. The two Suzuki V-Stroms we were on were provided by my friend Kevin, who used to rent V-Stroms out of Gunnison. And there was a third person with us, Kevin’s wife, Janet, and she was riding her Kawasaki Ninja 500R.

The Ninja is a sportbike, the antithesis of a dual-sport or dirt bike. Whereas the V-Strom has 6 inches of suspension travel in the rear, the Ninja is limited to 3.9 inches. On rough roads those 2 inches make a huge difference. And ground clearance on the Ninja is only 4.9 inches, compared to 6.5 inches on the V-Strom.

We headed out of Gunnison on the highway, went up and over North Cochetopa Pass, and then coming down the other side we turned off on an unpaved county road. It was pretty good gravel, hard packed and stable, and well maintained. The V-Stroms, like any good dual-sport bike, were right at home. And the Ninja just cruised along, too.

As we began to climb up to Carnero Pass things got a bit rougher. There was washboard, a few ruts, and some stretches of badly disturbed surface. The V-Stroms ate it up. The Ninja took it slowly, navigating around the bigger holes, following the smoothest path. Not a problem.

Over the top and down and we followed a ranching canyon to its outlet onto the prairie. The road was once again good hard-packed gravel. Then we turned onto an unpaved county road that was broad and flat . . . and deep in loose gravel.

“That sucked!,” Janet said when we stopped in town. “That mountain road was fine. I had no problem with it. On that flat road I didn’t feel comfortable going above 40. I knew that if I screwed up it would hurt.”

“Deep, loose gravel is hard, I don’t care what you’re riding,” Kevin replied in agreement.

So the rougher, less-maintained road was really better for the Ninja.

“The suspension on the Ninja was fine. I absolutely felt confident on it. I feel very maneuverable on that bike. I can move it anywhere I need it to move to avoid obstacles in the road,” Janet explained.

That said, she added, “I’d rather be on the (paved) road.”

Janet is a serious mountain bike rider, but has only started riding motorcycles in recent years. She chose the Ninja because it was one of the only bikes she could handle considering how short her legs are.

“Now I’m thinking, ‘Oh, I want a dirt bike because I want to start doing all these gnarly roads around in the mountains.’ I want to get up in there without having to be in a car. It just catches me off guard because I didn’t expect motorcycling to get under my skin. And when I ride it gets under my skin. When I’m not riding I’m like, ‘No I don’t want to do that, I want to ride my bicycle.’”

Janet has taken her Ninja over other mountain passes on gravel roads. “It’s the only bike I’ve ever had. If I want to go somewhere it’s the bike I ride.”

It’s just that simple. For Janet, it’s the best tool for the job.

Biker Quote for Today

I need men for some things; riding a motorcycle is not one of them.

Don’t you love it when you find new roads to ride? Of course you do. So do I.

Well, this one does require that you be willing to do a little gravel but it’s good gravel. Heck, I’ve even ridden my Concours, which notoriously hates gravel, on part of this stretch once before. But no question it’s better with the V-Strom.

Judy and I wanted to get up in the hills away from the heat the other day and we headed up Golden Gate Canyon Road out of Golden. There’s a point where you come on a small lake or pond–Kriley Pond–just a short ways before you get up to the Peak-to-Peak. Immediately past the pond you’ll see a dirt road going off to the north. Take it.

This is Mountain Base Road and it takes you along the western edge of Golden Gate Canyon State Park, just inside the park. This segment is just 3.5 miles to where you hit County Road 2, also called the Gap Road. Turn right onto Gap Road.

One of the first things you’ll come to on Gap Road is Panorama Point. This is a high spot where the view is expansive, and there’s a viewing structure as well as toilets here. Be advised that you are in the park and while there is no park fee for using the roads, if you stop you are technically required to get a day pass, for $10. So use your own discretion if you choose to stop.

Heading east on Gap Road it only stays gravel for a couple more miles and you hit pavement. And where do you suppose this pavement brings you out? In Coal Creek Canyon. Who knew there was a road connecting Golden Gate Canyon and Coal Creek Canyon? I sure didn’t. And It’s a really nice road, very scenic, very pretty. Also very twisty.

The total distance is only 11.8 miles, of which roughly half is very good gravel, the rest excellent asphalt. Not a big deal but hey, when you’ve ridden pretty much every road in the area multiple times it’s really nice to find something new.

Biker Quote for Today

An intellectual is a man who doesn’t know how to park a motorcycle.

I’ll get to the answer first. I asked last week if anyone actually uses the RSS code in the sidebar and I got an answer. Yes. There are at least some people who still do, and the code apparently is still working. So I won’t be deleting it. Good to know.

If there is one thing motorcyclists recognize when they see it it’s a good day for riding. Saturday was one of those days and we were out in force.

The RMMRC did a ride and it was finally not in the high 90s temperature-wise. Then we went up in the hills and it was downright cool. How welcome that felt!

Starting out from the Phillips 66 in Morrison, a dozen of us, broken initially into two groups, crossed over past Red Rocks to Golden and then headed up Clear Creek Canyon. Through the vagaries of traffic we ended up in one group in spite of ourselves as we made our way up to Idaho Springs and lunch. One of the older members of the group remarked at lunch that he believed that was the first time he ever rode up Clear Creek but I find that too hard to believe. You don’t live in Denver for decades and never go up that canyon. Especially if you’re a motorcyclist.

One thing I found puzzling in the group I started out in was that the leader, who was not Bob, acted very Bob-like in that he took the lead position in the right side of the lane. I know Bob does that, and I finally got an explanation from him as to why, but here we go again with someone else. Isn’t it the norm that the leader takes the left position? Not for everyone, apparently.

Leaving Idaho Springs we gave up on breaking into groups and just headed out en masse. We ran up and over Squaw Pass. Although I’ve done Squaw Pass many times, I rarely go west to east, which is what this was, so it was pretty interesting. I’ve heard it said that going the other way on the same road is like taking an entirely different road and there is some truth to that. That kind of doubles your options so things don’t get too same old, same old.

Reaching the Evergreen Parkway near Bergen Park we split, with some heading south to Evergreen and the rest of us jogging north to the turn-off to Kerr Gulch. That is so much nicer than fighting the traffic in Evergreen. Then Idledale, and back to Morrison, and each in his own direction. Nothing special about the day, other than it was a really nice day to ride and everyone recognized it.

Biker Quote for Today

A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery while on a detour.