After a leisurely breakfast with two friends from past contracts, I puttered on Millie, the backup car, trying to figure out why she was leaking coolant. I think I found the issue, added some stop leak solution into the radiator, and will monitor.
After lunch, the temperature was 60°F and sunny, a short ride to see how Mount Evans was looking was in order.
The sight of Mount Evans from the nearby Summit Ridge community proved to have degraded from the sharp images I'd seen in the early to mid-morning driving. It seems, I'll have to get up with the dawn to get some sharper pictures of Mount Evans, perhaps this coming Friday.
Tweaked with PerfectEffects 8 software.
The haziness cut down quite a bit using the Matte High Print effect.
Valencia's engine should have been shipped this past Friday and hopefully is en route back to Fort Collins. I've now become ambivalent about trading her in, thinking perhaps its best to stick with what's tried and true. Heck, I don't even know if I can back out of the deal you know, it's just where my mind is lately.
Hopefully, this posting finds you in good riding weather and with less indecision as to near future plans!
12 comments:
No, poorer riding weather but a beautiful sunny day. -24°F with -37°F in the forecast.
The EFI will probably help economy and it isn't like any of the changes are new technology. I would be concerned with the sling lubrication system for the main and rod bearings. I wasn't aware if that and thought it provided oil under pressure to those bearings.
But you will have to start the farkle process all over again. What would you do different? Does the new one have the solo seat?
RichardM, I believe the term used for the URAL engines is "oil slingers", not really under any meaningful pressure.
I plan on transferring the large windshield, tach, thermometer to the new rig. I will have to get a new pair of Oxford Heated grips of course, unless the dealer lets me transfer those too...trouble is removing the stock grips without damaging things....that may be a non-starter. Oh well.
The new rig is a Patrol model so bench seat, the one with the solo seat is the Gear-UP. You can order a solo seat of course but I prefer the bench seat.
Oh, and the standard Patrol now no longer comes with the nose bumper or spare tire rack....I'll have to see how she looks bumperless but I believe it'll be fine, and I have a spare tire rack so that's taken care of.
You gotta wonder if not having a more pressurized oil distribution system could perhaps have contributed to the possible under-lubrication of the crankshaft bearings....I don't know.
I would think that for someone who goes on back roads like you would benefit from the front bumper especially since it protects the lower edges on the car body as well. Kind of like rock sliders...
Your comment does remind me of the one time the front bumper did prevent damage to the nose of the sidecar....it became involved when a snowy hairpin turn and ice caused the sidecar to drift right onto the hillside....scratched the bumper too....hmmmm
Dom:
You would have thought that Ural would include the front bumper and tire rack, after all, they are necessities.
What ! no photos of Millie with a mountain background ? You could always paint Millie orange . . .
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
Bobskoot, I guess they're trying to lessen the higher cost of the new rigs.
As to pics of Millie....probably not.
To do, or not to do...that is the question! Real hard position to be in, second guessing something like Valencia vs 2014. For Sun and I, we have decided to stay with the 2013 Gear Up Stormin' Norman, for better or worse. Since each bike has it's own personality, I suspect we are best off with what we know and have shaken the cobwebs out of.
Raceway has the high volume after market oil pump that pumps nearly three times as much as the stock pump.....I am going to install that pump and a larger sump on Stormin' Norman before we begin our Epic 48 Tour. My reasoning is that oil is the life blood of the engine, and more oil will reduce wear and temperatures.....The forever oil filter sticks down in the wind to cool oil better too, and that is going on as well.
We are advancing a lot on our marathon plans, and have included a dive down from Wyoming early in our trip to see you, somewhere in later June 2015 as plans get exercised out.
Not having Valencia around probably makes for an unsettled feeling...either way, you will soon be humming along in a Ural....and that will make things feel right again! GlennandSun
Hi GlennandSun, the high volume oil pump couldn't hurt things.... might even generate an oil pressure reading? :)
As to the deep sump, you will lose some ground clearance and I believe you have to drop the sump to remove the engine otherwise it won't clear the frame. That's what I've read anyways.
Casa Chang is looking forward to your arrival!
dom
Reporting from the Black Forest: Good riding weather galore, alas no time to enjoy it (gotta work…).
Difficult situation you're in now that Valencia might be up and ready again soon. I am not in the position to give you any advice on this but let me tell you this: I want you to have the 2014 model ;-)
SonjaM, I like that about you, no indecisiveness! :)
Dom:
I want you to have the 2014 model too. Not just for the new FI engine, but for all the other new parts too
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
2014 for me as well. Sometimes the devil you know is good but here, I'm not convinced. A blank canvas. All the improvements seem to make good sense on paper.
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