PhilJohnson Posted March 9, 2012 Report Share Posted March 9, 2012 I went into town on my bike to pick up a chainsaw chain (it's like 11 miles one way). Darn place wasn't open despite what their sign in the window said. It was kinda cold with a biting wind blowing in from the north west. I rode around town for a little bit to get some pastries and some other random stuff. I then decided to go to my parents place instead of going home. They live about 7 miles out of town. The main factor in my decision was that nasty wind. Going home I'd be riding into the darned wind the whole way home. Once I arrived at my parents I faced with how I'd get home. Now I was even farther and no one was home. I looked at the Dodge. It's been sitting in my parent's driveway since my ill fated Christmas trip (I wound up biking home on that one). I had a boat gas tank under the hood with a primer bulb. The primer bulb had a tear in it and the plugs got fouled out pretty bad. So I cleaned up the plugs and started thinking about how I could get fuel to the engine. The darn fuel pump broke over a year ago and I've been too cheap to replace it. I found an old windshield washer tank in a pile of junk and rigged it on. It didn't hold a lot of gas but it did allow for the fuel to be gravity fed into the carb. I then shoved my beach cruiser in the back seat. It fit, but barely. Started up the beast and let it warm up. I then went to take off when I was met by yet another problem, no brakes! There is a leak somewhere in the braking system, usually I have to top it off once a month if I don't drive it. I searched high and low for brake fluid but apparently the old man didn't have any. There was plenty of transmission fluid though. Since I was going to drive on nothing but back roads anyway I decided to give it a shot. I poured the ATF in there and pumped up the brake pedal. It worked! Drove it home without a hitch although I did have to fill up a couple of times. After sitting a couple of hours though my makeshift fuel delivery system was already starting to have problems. Apparently the rubber seal is not rated for gasoline and it started to leak. Oh well I guess I'll have to come up with something different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatS.... Posted March 9, 2012 Report Share Posted March 9, 2012 Glad your ingenuity got you home...kinda sounds like fun in a strange old truck guy way. I was thinking of riding my bike yesterday...then I had a nap until that nasty thought went away!!! I did take my senior citizen walker (with the seat and basket) for a walk though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1940plymouth Posted March 9, 2012 Report Share Posted March 9, 2012 (edited) Pat and Phil, I was out yesterday, take a close look and you'll see two motorcycles out and about also Edited March 9, 2012 by '40Plymouth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 9, 2012 Report Share Posted March 9, 2012 yesterday here in GA the weather was excellent for riding the bike...like an idiot, I renewed my insurance on both bike for yet antoher year and they have not so much as been out of the shop in the last two years..if not longer..I have been putting off selling them but I guess will take them out of the garage, polish them up and set them beside the road to see what interest I can generate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatS.... Posted March 9, 2012 Report Share Posted March 9, 2012 A good friend of mine prides himself for riding at least one day in all 12 months. This was taken on a January day about 3 yrs ago during a nice chinook, he rode in January of this year too and was out on it today as well. Gotta watch for the gravel but he's got the experience. Another friend is 84 and had his Goldwing out today as well, but he's as tough as nails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilJohnson Posted March 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2012 I'm afraid my bike isn't nearly as cool as some of you guy's bikes. For one it's a lot slower. But the gas mileage is excellent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desotodav Posted March 10, 2012 Report Share Posted March 10, 2012 I ride my bike every day - but then I don't have much of a say in that. Things we do for money hey! Desotodav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merle Coggins Posted March 10, 2012 Report Share Posted March 10, 2012 A good friend of mine prides himself for riding at least one day in all 12 months. I know a few guys with that same commitment. I've thought about trying it, as I have good cold weather riding gear, but I don't like the thought of all of the residual road salt interacting with the aluminum rims and frame of my bike. I'll stick to the warmer months when the roads are cleaner. Merle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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