Sep 8, 2009

My Honda ST1100 is amazing for putting up with the crap I throw its way. It just shrugs it off. Simply amazing.

The bike now has 428,800 kms on the clock. Ahh, the open road.

It has just completed its third Iron Butt Rally. During the ride down to the start in Spartanburg South Carolina (1300km), the rally itself, and the ride home (3500km) I have clocked over 22,500 kms. I have done this without an oil change. This is the second time I have competed in the Iron Butt without changing the oil in between somewhere.

Before leaving, I went down in deep mud and tore the windshield off. I rode the iron Butt with the windshield taped on with duct tape. Incidentally, duct tape does not stick well in temperatures greater than 120F. Twice it came loose, the second time it knocked me square in the face before landing on the interstate behind me. A truck clipped it before I could retrieve it but it did not shatter. It is time for new plastic.

Thanks to Tomas of the Honda ST Owners club for helping me tape it back on the first time in Texas.

During the rally, the bike shut down due to a faulty vacuum shutoff valve. I bypassed the valve, forgetting to block the vacuum line. I rode it home this way, running rough all the way. That is what can happen when you are tired.

Also during the rally, I got the bike stuck in Louisiana Bayou mud. So badly that the front fender was caked up with it. The mud was so hard it felt like I had the front brakes on. I walked the bike using its own power for maybe 100 ft or so and the front tire was hot and smoking! I had to remove the fender by flashlight and knock the mud out.

Another thanks goes out to another Honda ST Owners Club member - Mike Turley of Montana. Thanks for giving us a place to stay for the night as we were passing through!

I have new spark plugs, air filter, and fuel filter waiting to go in not to mention fresh oil and a filter. It deserves it.



Rural Montana




Tied down on the Lake Express Ferry




Shut down in Rural Alberta




On The Ferry To Martha's Vinyard





Port Angeles Washington - In The Extreme
North West Corner Of The State