Central Texas Carb Clinic 2009

The Central Texas Carb Clinic will be May 30-31, 2009 at Bluff Creek Ranch, Warda, TX www.bcrwarda.com

I will be arriving Friday evening May 29. I plan to leave Amarillo on Thursday May 29 and split the ride up into two days. Anyone from the wild west who wants to join up with me on the road, I will welcome the company. Just let me know and we will coordinate a meeting point. The ranch has sleeping accommodations of cots in the "Bunk House" which is the large loft in the barn with screening tents about the cots. There is camping, fishing, swimming, hiking and mountain biking available at the ranch. The ranch has all the basic mechanic tools but none of the specialty tools for the tune ups. Several of the "Tuners" who will be coming will provided the tuning tools. If you have some bring them on down.

I will be bringing down my 1982 XJ750RJ (Sweet Scarlet) and my brother will have the 1979 XS1100 Special there.

This is what I have so far:

Tuners:
Jeff Covington
Al Russ
Gary Schulte

Comers:
Michael Hatfield
Lee Kehoan
Dell Klotz
Tom Sedgwick
James “Neal” Pipes

Hosts:
Damon Nolan
Paul Nolan

Tuners: Please fill in the list of tools you will be bringing down so we can see what we have in full compliment and what we may be deficient in.

Now for the details regarding having the CTCC at the ranch: The ranch has a day use and camping fee (see web site) and will charge usual fees. For those individuals who bring down the tuning tools and do the main tuning/teaching, I will cover their ranch fees (call it sweat equity). The ranch will have its usual fair of longhorn burgers and steaks for sale (see web site) and I will cook up a longhorn brisket and Ranch House Rolls, Ranch House Beans and have a side of veggies and Cowboy Cookies for desert. To cover the cost of the Bar-B-Que BEEVO, the price will be $8.00. The ranch does not have a liquor license but you are welcome to BYOB, just keep it sober. All the amenities and fun things to do at the ranch listed on the Web Site are available. If it is warm enough and for those who feel crazy enough, we even have a bicycle that can be ridden off a jumping ramp and splash down into "Turkey Tank" the largest pond at the ranch (you land in about 8 ft of water). There is great fishing in the two largest ponds, Turkey Tank and Dear Park, (Bass, Catfish and Blue Gill) with no license required and is included with the day use/camping fee.

The ranch will have a full set of metric tools (sockets, box wrenches, allen keys), high and low torque wrenches, bearing pullers, c-ring spanner tools, and healthy assortment of bicycle tools that can come in handy with motorbikes. There are two well shaded, concrete floored areas in the barn runway and the carport (two full size pickups park in it) with good ventilation for tuning. There will be fans for the airheads to keep them cool while tuning. There is also a large concrete parking pad where we can put up canopies (plenty on hand at the ranch) if additional shade is needed for working areas.

There are several great roads ride in the area and I will have maps with different options highlighted for those who want to do some cruising after tuning.

For reservations email the ranch at bcrwarda@gmail.com or call the ranch (979) 242-5894. My brother Damon manages the ranch for the family and you will be speaking with him or one of his kids.

Please give me a count of who is coming and who is going to have Bar-B-Que so I can cook up plenty of chuck. You can use the ranch email or post here on the forum.

Thanks,

Paul K. Nolan, MD
Amarillo, TX
The Bike Doc
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Sweet Scarlet" http://tinyurl.com/5lnc2c
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Gray Ghost" http://tinyurl.com/5k3ck7
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Bones" (to be stripped to the bones) http://tinyurl.com/c8vya6

 

Bump!

 

Good deal, Paul! I was about to pass along the info - but am glad that you went ahead and posted it up.

Rex

 

Rex:

Shall I count you in for the CTCC? You are only 4 1/2 hours away (with your halo on;-).

Paul K. Nolan, MD
Amarillo, TX
The Bike Doc
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Sweet Scarlet" tinyurl.com/5lnc2c
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Gray Ghost" tinyurl.com/5k3ck 7
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Bones" (to be stripped to the bones) tinyurl.com/c8vya6

 

I'll know better when we get closer. I don't want to commit, then have to back out at the last moment like I had to last year...

 

I'm in. Wish it could be next week, I just did my valves, ignition coils and plugs, carbs, and fuel petcock and need help!

Looking forward to meeting y'all.
Joe Talafous, Austin, TX

 

Re: Central Texas Carb Clinic May 30,-31, 2009

Central Texas Carb Clinic is getting closer. Weather is warming, as are the XJ engines. I plan to leave Amarillo on Sweet Scarlet and a buddy on The Gray Ghost for Warda on Thursday May 28 and ride down in two days instead of lasts year's one day butt buster.

There will be a door prize for a spin on oil filter adapter with an Amsoil Filter from XJ4ever to be given to one of the lucky participants to the CTCC. I have the spin on adapters on Sweet Scarlet and The Gray Ghost. Oil changes are a quick and easy now.

Visit Len Chacal's XJ4Ever parts list on XJBikes.com http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=14561.html if you are in need of parts for the tune up on your bike for the Central Tx Carb Clinic. I will be putting together an order for parts and tools from Len three weeks before the carb clinic to have them there in time for the clinic. I you would like for me to order something for you to have at the CTCC, contact me with the parts number, quantity and I will include it with the order. Deadline for the order will be May 9, 2009. With the bulk purchase, you will get the parts for 10% off the list price from XJ4Ever. The order must be made through me. You will pay for the parts at the time of the CTCC. Please do not order if you are not certain you will make the CTCC. Email your parts order to me at: paulknolan at gmail dot com .

Thanks,

Paul K. Nolan, MD
Amarillo, TX
The Bike Doc
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Sweet Scarlet" http://tinyurl.com/5lnc2c
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Gray Ghost" http://tinyurl.com/5k3ck7
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Bones" (to be stripped to the bones)
http://tinyurl.com/c8vya6

 

Is this open to annyone or do you have to pre register, i'm up here in killeen tx so its not to far from me.

 

cost per person? also looking to see if the ranch allows rv's it mentions the electric but not campers. sounds like fun to me - but i need some details before i can commit.

 

Central Texas Carb Clinic 2009 UPDATE!

Central Texas Carb Clinic May 30-31, 2009
The Central Texas Carb Clinic will be May 30-31, 2009 at Bluff Creek Ranch, Warda, TX www.bcrwarda.com

I will be arriving Friday evening May 29. I plan to leave Amarillo on Thursday May 28 and split the ride up into two days. Anyone from the Wild West who wants to join up with me on the road, I will welcome the company. Just let me know and we will coordinate a meeting point. I will be riding down my 1982 XJ750RJ “Sweet Scarlet”, a friend will be riding down my 1982 XJ750RJ “Gray Ghost” and my brother will have his 1979 XS1100 Special waiting at the ranch.

The ranch has sleeping accommodations of cots in the "Bunk House" which is the large loft in the barn with screening tents about the cots. There are showers at the ranch for the visitors. There is camping, fishing, swimming, hiking and mountain biking available at the ranch. The ranch has all the basic mechanic tools but none of the specialty tools for the tune ups. Several of the "Tuners" who will be coming will provided the tuning tools. If you have tuning tools bring them on down.

This is the updated list to date:

Tuners:
Al Russ?
Gary Schulte (12mm colortune, 14mm colortune, Carbtune 2 sync gauge, compression gauge, feeler gauge non-X friendly)
Dell Klotz (18" right angle screw driver, aux fuel tank with two hoses)
Dewayne P. Blanco
Rex Smith

Comers:
Michael Hatfield
Lee Keohan (Carbtune 2, 14mm Colortune, and a blanking tool)
Tom Sedgwick
James “Neal” Pipes
Kevin Hunter
Joe Talafous
Midnightblu Killeen, TX?
Jim of Colorado?
Raylynn Knight?

Hosts:
Damon Nolan
Paul Nolan (YICS tool, colortune [courtesy of Jeff Covington AKA Drive Shaft], shim pool, shim tool, full set of metric tools, sockets, box wrenches, allen keys, high and low torque wrenches, bearing pullers, c-ring spanner tools, and healthy assortment of bicycle tools)

Tuners: Please fill in the list of tools you will be bringing down so we can see what we have in and what we may be deficient in.

DOOR PRIZES: XJ4Ever Spin on oil filter adaptor with Amsoil filter (x 1) fits XJ650s & 750s
JIS screw Phillips screw driver set x 1 (for those ornery JIS Phillip head carburetor screws)
Fuel filter with 90 degree elbow x 2

10% DISCOUNT on PREODERED parts & tools from Len Chacal through his XJ4Ever business. The parts must be ordered through me with a single bulk order. Go to http://tinyurl.com/oaa32f for a detailed listing of the parts and tools available. If you have any questions regarding parts or tools contact Len Chacal at info@xj4ever.com where he will be quick to answer your questions. This would be a great time to pick up some tuning tools you wanted to add to your tool box and get them at 10% off! You will not get the discount if you order separately from Len, the discount only applies to items made with the bulk order for the CTCC. The items will be shipped to the ranch and will be waiting for you when you arrive. There will be no additional shipping charges attached so the 10% discount is the real deal, no hidden costs. I will be placing the order on Monday 5/11/2009 so get your order request by part number and quantity to me by Monday 12:00Noon Central Daylight Time at paul dot nolan at ttuhsc dot edu. You will pay for the order at the CTCC with cash or check.

The ranch has a day use and camping fee (see web site) and will charge usual fees. For those individuals who bring down the tuning tools and perform the main tuning/teaching, I will cover their ranch fees (call it sweat equity). The ranch will have its usual fair of longhorn burgers and steaks for sale (see web site) and I will cook up a longhorn brisket and Ranch House Rolls, Ranch House Beans and have a side of veggies and Cowboy Cookies for desert. To cover the cost of the Bar-B-Que BEEVO, the price will be $8.00. The ranch does not have a liquor license but you are welcome to BYOB, just keep it sober. All the amenities and fun things to do at the ranch listed on the Web Site are available. If it is warm enough and for those who feel crazy enough, we even have a bicycle that can be ridden off a jumping ramp and splash down into "Turkey Tank" the largest pond at the ranch (you land in about 8 ft of water). There is great fishing in the two largest ponds, Turkey Tank and Dear Park, (Bass, Catfish and Blue Gill) with no license required and is included with the day use/camping fee.

There are two well shaded, concrete floored areas in the barn runway and the carport (two full size pickups can park in it) with good ventilation for tuning. There will be fans for the airheads (and tuners) to keep them cool while tuning. There is also a large concrete parking pad where we can put up canopies (plenty on hand at the ranch) if additional shade is needed for working areas.

There are several great roads ride in the area and I will have maps with different options highlighted for those who want to do some cruising after tuning. I will be heading back west and north on Sunday so anyone wanting to ride out with me in that direction is welcome to come. We will be bombing some great hill country roads as I take the long twisty but fast way back to Amarillo. I will split my trip back to Amarillo up in two days.

For reservations email the ranch at bcrwarda@gmail.com or call the ranch (979) 242-5894. My brother Damon manages the ranch for the family and you will be speaking with him or one of his kids.

Please give me a count of who is coming and who is going to have Bar-B-Que so I can cook up plenty of chuck. You can use the ranch email or post here on the forum.

Thanks,

Paul K. Nolan, MD
Amarillo, TX
The Bike Doc
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Sweet Scarlet" http://tinyurl.com/5lnc2c
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Gray Ghost" http://tinyurl.com/5k3ck7
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Bones" (to be stripped to the bones) http://tinyurl.com/c8vya6

 

Open to anyone. If you want a site reserved with electric hook-up you should make reservations. See the ranch web site for more information www.bcrwarda.com

Killeen is only 2 hours away. WATCH your speed on Hwy 77 coming through the tonns of Rose Bud and Lott, SPEED TRAPS! You will popped for your contribution to the local stimulus package.

Thanks,

 

See above post about the Central Texas Carb Clinic Update. RVs and tent campers alike are welcome. We have a limited number of RV hookups available so if you are bringing an RV make a reservation. See the ranch website at www.bcrwarda for more details.

Thanks,

 

Central Texas Carb Clinic Prelude (2008 report)

Below is Gary Schultes report from last years CTxCC:

Just got back from Warda about a half an hour ago. Due to mechanical issues, happenings, and mishaps - XJ turnout was limited to myself, Paul and his brother Damon. Paul and Damon and their family are great folks and a real pleasure to be around. It was a beautiful day for a ride, UT trounced OU, we told coon-ass jokes (I have a couple good ones for you now De ), ate well, and in general had a great time.

I showed up a bit later than I anticipated after having to interpret some rather, uh, colorful directions from Google maps. But since there was no hurry and it was a beautiful day I didn't mind the round about route I took. I was sure I had the right place when I rode through the bump gates, but there was no doubt once I pulled up and saw Paul's two Secas in the drive.

Paul's plan was to cook all day in the kitchen whilst others tuned, so instead we had a great day chatting and joking while Paul worked his magic in the kitchen whipping up some fantastic ranch beans, whole wheat rolls from scratch, and cowboy cookies (also from scratch) - oh yeah, and a big juicy slab of brisket, if you are into that sort of thing There were several mountain biking groups there so they partook in what you other XJers missed out on.

Paul's ranch in Warda is an excellent place for a carb clinic, centrally located in the lost pines region between Dallas, Austin and Houston. Ample space, comfortable surroundings, camping and picnic tables, potato guns, good riding and great folks. Despite the low turnout this year, we were already talking about next year - we were thinking it should be in the spring when most folks will be waking up their bikes from a winter slumber, needing a tune and eager to do some miles. Next year's event is not to be missed, and would probably be best enjoyed if you were planning to camp and/or stay overnight to see the sunset and view the nighttime sky out where you can really see it.

Pablo and Damon will be starting back for Amarillo tomorrow for a
*big* after clinic ride. They are planning to meet up with another local XJ-er from La Grange, head to Austin where we'll meetup and do some miles in the hill country on their way back. If anyone else wants to meetup for the ride, they are planning to get on the road after early church and are estimating they'll get into Austin around noon or so.

Thanks again Paul and Damon for the hospitality and looking forward to tomorrow's ride.

-Gary Schulte

 

Central Texas Carb Clinic 2008 Ride Report 1

Central Texas Carb Clinic 2008 Ride Report Part I: Getting There

To entice my brother Damon to join me on my motorcycle trip down from Amarillo to Warda, Texas for the Central Texas Carb Clinic 2008, I bought him a ticket fly up to Amarillo on Thursday 10/9/2008 to join me. Damon rode the Gray Ghost and I was on Sweet Scarlet. Around 08:00 October 10, 2008 we got on the road riding into the rising sun then turned south on Farm to Market 207 south of Claude, Texas were the fun part of the journey quickly began. This road bisects the center of the escarpment that forms Palo Duro Canyons. It runs NW to SE and pops you up and down the canyon land over hills and turns that GP riders dream of. Traffic was light, only two odiferous cattle haulers had to be passed with breath held. Ear splitting grins were the end results of our swooping ride through the canyon lands. We made the town of Quitaquay (Kitty-Quay) around 09:30. We detoured north to Caprock Canyon State park for an out and back ride through this gorgeous park I have written about before. Damon had yet to experience this hidden jewel and it was great place for a leg stretcher and butt break (the sit upon kind;-). Caprock Canyon is a wonderful park with curving roads sweet hills and fabulous views that amazes those not from West Texas who think we only have cactus, tumble weeds, wild winds, coyotes and flat lands.

>From there we doubled back to Quitaquay and continued our 120 mile journey through the canyon lands to Flomot on to Matador for a fuel stop and some fiddle time with my cruise control lever that kept vibrating loose the entire ride. Damon's redneck cruise control (a piece of bicycle tire inner tube tied to the throttle cable and wedged between the twist grip and throttle handle mount) worked flawlessly during the dry part of the journey (more about that later). From Matador we slowly wound our way out of the canyon lands and popped back out on top of the high plains around Spur, Texas.

Around 13:15 we reached the town of Aspermont, Texas and growling stomach, cranky knees and batter bottoms insisted a lunch and body break was in order. I have very simple criteria for finding a good restaurant, there have to be more than three cars in the parking lot (the cooks, the waitress and the cashiers). We pulled into the Aspermont Restaurant with a parking lot full of cars. We walked in to see a platter of thick, juicy burgers and home fries piled high enough to satisfy the wild cat, roust about oilfield workers they were being served to. Just what we were looking for... but we quickly figured out we weren't just what they were looking for. In fact we were beginning to think our motor cycle leathers, helmets and gloves possessed stealth technology. The elderly hostess glanced once at us and never made eye contact again and the waitress walked past our table, provided ice teas and menus to a couple who arrived the same time we did and never so much as offered a glass of water or menu to us. We sat there for 15 minutes and every time we tried to catch the waitress eye she would quickly looked the other way. We figured one of three possibilities beyond the stealth theory: 1. some prior bikers gave all bikers a bad name in that restaurant, 2. non-Harley riders were persona non gratta or 3 the owner made it only through the first half of the movie "Wild Hogs" at the camp seen and had seen enough, walked away from the flick and wasn't going to have nothing to do with them funny bikers. Daylight was burning, our dinner sure wasn't getting warm let alone burning and we still had over 300 miles to go so we slipped our stealth leathers back on and headed to the next town for lunch. Stamford, Texas was glad to take our money and ease our gastric and musculoskeletal distresses.

Now for those readers who think that West Texans are as parochial as those we found in Aspermont, this is not the case. I have lived and worked in West Texas many years and the opposite is true. Every other town we stopped in folks ambled up to us and chatted up about our coming from's and going to's. I'll mark Aspermont as an exception (lived up to it again on the back stroke as well, see below). One town we stopped in on journey further south, a heavily tattooed character with a Harley Davidson eagle vest on sauntered up to Damon and asked about the bikes and where we had started and where we were heading. He was impressed we were going to the Central Texas Carb Clinic to help keep these fine old machines running well. Turns out he was a Harley mechanic who did just the same to those bikes of his chosen passion. He admired our passions for our machines, commended us and wished us well on our journey.

We traveled on down highway 6 winding our ways over limestone hills, through rolling prairies and approaching Waco, Texas at the wrong time on a Friday evening right at 17:00. Traffic was building and, pleasure of open road riding was dwindling so we quickly routed ourselves southward at the town of Valley Mills on FM 317. Now, some readers may not recognize this road but suffice it to say it is the Pennsylvania Avenue of the West. It runs right through the middle of Cawford, Texas home of the Western White House where we didn't see any men in black, Cindy Sheehan or George W, though we did see one man in blue. We were wearing our halos at the time.

The Texas translation for "speed zone ahead" in Texas small towns is "tourist economic improvement enforcement zone ahead" also fondly referred to as a "speed trap". We saw several tourists engaged in forced enhancement of the local economies along the journey. The rule that I have learned in my many miles and years of traveling Texas by-ways and highways is if a road has a town limit sign, "speed zone ahead" signs or four+ lanes, the local boys in blue and the highway patrol are waiting in the shadows to improve the local economy. The two lane farm-to-market roads do not offer enough traffic volume to pay for the officer's time for speed trapping.

>From Stamford, we continued south then turned east on highway 7 in Moody to pick up the final leg of the journey south, Highway 77 at Chilton, Texas. From here, most of the curves were done with and it was mostly straight roads over gently rolling hills. As we were merging onto highway 77 south our mirrors were nearly sucked off by a driver in a Suburban doing well over 80 miles an hour. I chuckled to my self because he was about to blow into, but not likely through, the town of Lott, Texas well know to the local drivers of HWY 77 as speed trap he!! Sure enough about ten minutes later when we rolled into Lott, there the driver of the Suburban was standing on the side of the road having just finished advancing the local economy while the man in blue was helping a driver of a Honda Civic make a contribution to the local coffers.

By this time we had over five hundred miles under our butts and a least another hundred to go and the sun was down and the bugs were up. This trip I threw in my trunk box a small bottle of Windex and a soft cloth for which we found ourselves using after the sun set about every 30 miles for cleaning just to see past the bug splats on our face shields and wind shields. Warda was reached at 20:30 hours. We resisted the urge to crank it up on the last mile down the oil top and gravel road to the ranch; it would have been a shame to have dumped the bikes so close to home after such a great ride.

Saturday found us getting ready for the carb clinic that wasn't. The already well documented travails of the planned for participants whittled the clinic down to only three, the tuner Gary Schulte, Damon and me. As the Gray Ghost and Sweet Scarlet were recently carb synched and phenomenally well tuned by Ken McKay at Watts Yamaha in Lubbock, Texas and Gary's XJ was suffering a severe hangover from ethonol consumption (he can fill you in on that) we spent the afternoon swapping tales about bikes and life on the ranch while Damon and I cooked up feast for whoever wanted to share it (the mountain bikers enjoyed it thoroughly).

Paul K. Nolan, MD
Amarillo, TX
The Bike Doc
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Sweet Scarlet" http://tinyurl.com/5lnc2c
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Gray Ghost" http://tinyurl.com/5k3ck7
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Bones" (to be stripped to the bones) http://tinyurl.com/c8vya6

 

Central Texas Carb Clinic 2008 Ride Report Part II: Getting Back

As we wound down dinner and watched a spectacular sunset, we got a call from an XJer, Wit, who lived in La Grange, just 10 miles south of Warda. As Gary the tuner was leaving right at that time and we were heading out the next morning, I told Wit he was welcome to join us in the morning for a post "tune" ride. Sunday late morning we met up with Wit who happened also have a 1982 XJ750RJ Seca. It was a family reunion for three 1982 750 Secas. We took the requisite pictures of the reunion, then headed north out of La Grange and picked up FM 153 to west to Smithville, Texas were we rode into Bucher State Park and Park Road 1C that goes through the rolling hills and lost pine forest for 11 miles to Bastrop State Park. We got another picture op where a traveler obliged us with taking a picture of all three Secas and their riders at a scenic overlook. (See links below in signature line.) The ride through the park was well shaded with lots of pine needles and leaves on the side of the road to remind the bikers that the 30mph speed limit needs to be respected. Unfortunately we got caught behind a minivan driver who miss read it as 15mph. We were finally able to shed this driver and worked our way over to Highway 71 were Wit then pealed off.

From there Damon and I took FM 969 into the east end of Austin. This road follows the twists and bend of the Colorado River (there's one in Texas, too) and it provided ample throttle twisting, leaning, swooping grins to make up for the highway traffic we had to deal with when we got to Austin proper. Do to a fortunate missing of the exit for Bee Cave Road, we found ourselves on Ranch-to-Market road 2222, which has more swooping curves and rises than Bridgette Bardot. A quick call to Gary routed us over 2222 then to his place off Bee Cave Road. At Gary's we met his lovely wife Heather, enjoyed some Cowboy Cookies from the day before and rehydrated our parched throats. Afterwards, we examined the detrimental effects that an XJ can have from consuming ethanol and admired Gary's resurrection from the grave of a 1982 Yamaha XS400 (it had literally been buried up to the tank in dirt). From there Gary lead us out on his Wee-Strom for ride down Bee Cave Road with lots of great curves but way too much cager traffic to enjoy those curves on the bikes. So, we headed over to FM 12 through Dripping Springs and linked up with FM 165 south then FM 1623 north west. Gary took the tail of the pack then, turned on his bike mounted video camera (link to follow from Gary) and we turned it loose on a road that had better curves and rises than Dolly Parton. At the top of one of the hills with a great view of the rolling hills before us (and the fast rolling in rain clouds overhead) we took another photo op with Gary and Damon. We decided not to stop at the biker bar in Albert, Texas that had lots of Harleys and one snarling rider who looked like he was a Del Fuego extra from "Wild Hogs" outside making us feel less than welcome. We linked up with HWY 290 just east of Fredericksburg, Texas were Gary headed back east to beat the rains back home.

Fredericksburg was our decision point but decisions are not best made on an empty stomachs, so we parked in front of the Beer Garten Restaurant and were promptly greeted by another biker, Ross Grasse, from Kingwood, Texas, riding a 2006 Triumph Scrambler 900. Ross had two days earlier departed Caprock Canyon State Park and was winding his way down and over to Dripping Springs. Ross admired our fine old Secas and we talked bikes and invited him to dinner with us at the Beer Garten. Over dinner of brats, sauerkraut, a killer Kaluha Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie and Damon enjoying a glass of Enchanted Rock Red Ale (which he compared to Killian's Red Lager) we swapped stories of bikes, our trip adventures and life. Ross shared the sage warnings he received from wizened West Texans who inquired of his travels. After he left Caprock Canyon he was twice told in one stop by different, concerned folks, "You don't want to ride that bike after dark. Them wild hogs and deer get out on them roads at night and they could take ya out." We will learn more of that sage wisdom later on in our adventure. After dinner, we went over to admire the Triumph Scrambler. Ross fired it up and a soft but throaty bop-pop-bopping emanated from the exhaust pipes, nothing ear shattering or window shaking just the soft reassurance of a fine two cylinder machine (with no oil puddles underneath, Triumph finally got it right!). Ross showed us his "brake away" throttle lock which I will definitely look at for replacing my repeatedly failing throttle lock on Scarlet.

The decision point had arrived with the leaden gray clouds cowering in overhead. Further southern and western traveling on the wonderful Texas Hill Country roads was over for us on this trip and it was time to start making for the fastest and shortest tracks back to the Panhandle of Texas. We rolled northwest with a SE tail wind, riding for just under an hour arriving in the town of Brady Texas right at sundown. Our check of the map showed at least another hour of riding in the rapidly encroaching darkness before we would find any hope of another town with a motel, so the Best Western in Brady was our night stop. The friendly night clerk who checked us in and greeted us at breakfast, the beds that were soft and comfortable, the shower that was hot and soothing, the weather channel that was quite useful, and the complimentary breakfast of Belgian waffles, eggs, English muffins and fruit were all greatly appreciated.

The dawn departure greeted us with falling rain and cooler temps. It had been in the mid 80sF for most of the trip down and all of our Sunday drive to Brady. This day the high was 70 degrees when we departed and had dropped to 45 degrees by the time we arrived to Amarillo. Rain gear was pulled out (AeroStich Tripple Digit rain gloves proved their mettle). Taking off at 07:30 we rode in the rain for about 45 miles, and then we were able to peal the rain gear for a period of time. Damon reported that rain water defeated his redneck cruise control providing ample lubrication to keep the throttle from holding when the inner tube "lock" got wet.

Not too far down the road on a long, fast sweeping curve that we would have been coursing over in the early night hours, had we not opted to overnight in Brady, we encounter the remains of a 300 some pound wild hog that met a vehicular butcher. Had it been one of us, we would have met the porcine butcher as well. Sage wisdom from wizened West Texans should be headed. Given the count of the road kill we saw we were more likely to have suffered severe olfactory damage from any one of the number off pole cats whose count reached at least 12 on our route. There were half a dozen raccoons, no dear but one critter who, had one of us hit him the bike would have sustaned a survivable jolt but his remains would have depleted all my stocks of tire plugs and CO2 cartridges when it came time to pulling the porcupine quills from the tires. All in all, I am grateful the worst critter collisions we suffered were of the insect kind. We did have some rather colorful hues of yellow, green, red and brown on our bike leathers and boots by journey's end. Hmm, maybe that's why we couldn't get service at the Aspermont Restaurant.

Speaking of Aspermont, we rolled back into Aspermont around 11:00 the last morning on the way back. We stopped at a gas station to check the map to see if we could make the next town that had fuel or would we need to fill up in Aspermont. While we were looking over the map, a cowboy pulled up to the pumps with a fine looking cow pony in the trailer. I tried to strike up a conversation about his horse (mind you, I didn't find my hand made bull hide boots in a Wal-Mart and I have trained a few dozen horses in my time growing up in Texas), but I could not get that old cowpoke to say much more than a word or two about his horse. Maybe Aspermont folks are just leery of outsiders especially if they are riding them thar mechanical horses. Without much conversation from the local cowboy, I decided to check out the indoor plumbing at the station. While waiting for me, Damon saw two hapless motorists make their forced enhancement of the local economy with the help of the man in blue. Back to the map, we figured we could easily make the next town and the emergency fuel bottles in my panniers were a reassuring back up so we said good-bye to Aspermont and got out of town well before sunset and keeping well to the posted speeds.

The next town, Jayton, Texas, was made well into the reserve tanks but without sucking fumes or using the emergency fuel in the panniers. Unfortunately, the only gas was a no brand regular at the local Farmers Co-Op sold at prices more than the premium Shell V-Power I used for most of the trip. That batch of gas gave us our lowest mileage on the trip, 40mpg, even with that leg of the journey with the bikes at the posted limits and no attempts to enhance the local economies. The rest of the journey we pulled 42 to 45mpg with a mix of head winds, tail winds and several runs at 80+mph on the deserted secondary roads we chose.

From Jayton we rolled northwest on to the town of Spur then straight north onto Dickens, Texas. About this time the winds shifted from the south east to from the north blowing hard and cold (weather report was 25-35mph). The clouds were moving lower to the ground at the same time we climbing up into the high plains of West Texas. Just one mile north of Dickens, where the hills and the curves crank it up, the skies fell down upon on us again. Hills, curves, pouring rain and motorcycles are an unhealthy mix so we back tracked to Dickens and rerouted ourselves west towards Lubbock were the roads are flat and straight and more manageable on the bikes. Rain gear was broken out again. (Did I mention the Aerostich Triple Digits rain gloves are worth every penny I spent on them?) We dropped into the town of Crosbyton which is in shallow valley between caprock canyon rims. Teresa's Cantina's beckoned us to stop in for lunch. Actually, it had more to do with the covered parking and the worsening down poor that called us in. Being 12:00, hungry, and great food to be had inside a warm restaurant while we waited out the storm was just an added bonus. The TV weather station promised a brief respite followed by another storm line with more of the same. A quick phone call to my dear wife in Amarillo promised dropping temperatures and more rain.

Before heading out we added some insulating layers under the rain gear. We drove ever so briefly out of the rain to allow us to do another minor reroute off HWY 114 west to Lubbock and instead headed north on FM 207 which would take us to Flodayda, Texas were we could then run the hypotenuse of the triangle to Plainview, Texas on HWY 70 and shave 30 miles detoured route from to Lubbock with a 90 degree turn to Amarillo, Texas. Along the way to Floydada we dropped into a finger canyon of the caprock escarpment, called Blanco Canyon. There was a recently place historical marker there worth the time of a reading so we pulled into the rest stop. In the late 1990s artifacts were found that would link this canyon to a camp stop for Coronado and his troop of over 1000 explorers and soldiers between 1540 and 1542 seeking the fabled lost cities of gold. Along with the picture of the historical marker, I got one of Damon in his rain gear, the bikes with mud splashes and the wet, grey skies to show that we weren't just fair weather riders. (See photo links below in signature line.)

In Floydada, while I was busy avoiding a wayward dog on the road, I did not see a dip in the road filled with rainwater. It was a good thing Damon was well behind and not beside me. Only the dog, the bike and I got thoroughly hosed and Damon had ample warning to check his speed before he hit the low spot. Sweet Scarlet and I both had a full Pentecostal Baptism by emersion but came out on the other side dripping, but gladdened my sin of too much speed had not cast us into a watery hell.

From Floydada we made good time to Plainview, Texas jumped onto Interstate 27 north to Amarillo. Thankfully, there was very little traffic and fewer semis with there traveling squall lines to impede our final journey home. One fuel stop remained in Tulia, Texas were we diluted out the low grade Co-Op gas with some Shell Premium V-power. Needing a calorie kick we pulled out some more of those fine Cowboy Cookies to chase down with V-8 juice.

We rolled into Bushland, Texas right round 15:45, rain gear and bikes well soaked on the outside but clothes and bodies warm and dry on the inside. Not a misfire one in the rain between the bikes. When Damon said to me when we were inside, unpacked and kicked back, "Paul if you ever want to do a motorcycle trip like that again, just give me a call and I'll buy my own ticket to fly up and I'll join you," I knew then the trip was a complete success. I replied to Damon, "We need to find you a Seca of your own so I can have Tommy (my son) ride the Grey Ghost."

Milage down 614 miles
Milage back 717 miles
MPG bikes loaded for touring: 40-45mpg both bikes within ½ mpg of each other running at highway speeds++; with willful compliance within local speed zones :-D
GPM (Grins Per Mile): too many to count!
Home made Seca Backrest-Sissy Bar on the Gray Ghost: worked great, no rattles, no problems and Damon grateful to have a firm, stout backrest to mount his bags upon and provide him with much appreciated back support.

Bike report on Sweet Scarlet and the Gray Ghost: they both worked wonderfully; no engine, drive, suspension, frame or tire problems, save the above mentioned short comings of after market throttle locks.

Thanks for reading,

Paul K. Nolan, MD
Amarillo, TX
The Bike Doc
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Sweet Scarlet" http://tinyurl.com/5lnc2c
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Gray Ghost" http://tinyurl.com/5k3ck7
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Bones" (to be stripped to the bones) http://tinyurl.com/c8vya6

 

Central Texas Carb Clinic May 30-31, 2009 UPDATE!!!

The Central Texas Carb Clinic will be May 30-31, 2009 at Bluff Creek
Ranch, Warda, TX www.bcrwarda.com

I will be arriving Friday late afternoon to early evening May 29, leaving Amarillo on Thursday May 28 and split the ride up into two days.
Anyone from the Wild West who wants to join up with me on the road, I will welcome the company. Just let me know and we will coordinate a meeting point. "Sweet Scarlet" (1982 XJ750RJ) will be my ride and a friend will be riding the "Gray Ghost" (1982 XJ750RJ) My brother, Damon, will have his 1979 XS1100 Special waiting at the ranch.

The ranch has sleeping accommodations of cots in the "Bunk House" which is the large loft in the barn with screening tents about the cots. There are showers at the ranch for the visitors. There is camping, fishing, swimming, hiking and mountain biking available at the ranch. The ranch has all the basic mechanic tools but none of the specialty tools for the tune ups. Several of the "Tuners" who will be coming will provided the tuning tools. If you have tuning tools bring them on down.

This is the list to date:

Tuners:
Gary Schulte: 12mm colortune, 14mm colortune, Carbtune 2 sync gauge, compression gauge, feeler gauge (non-X friendly) Dell Klotz: 18" right angle screw driver, aux fuel tank with two hoses Dewayne P. Blanco (1985 XJ700N) Rex Smith (1982 XJ 650 Maxim) Tom Wyble (1982 XJ750RJ Seca) Tools courtesy of Jeff Covington (AKA Drive Shaft): YICS tool, colortune

Comers:
Michael Hatfield
Lee Keohan: (1982 XJ650 Maxim) Carbtune 2, 14mm Colortune, YICS Blanking Tool Tom Sedgwick James "Neal" Pipes Kevin Hunter Joe Talafous Maria Blanco Gracie (Tom Wyble's) Justin Anderson (2004 Z1000) Vickie Anderson (2009 Triumph Bonneville) Midnightblu Killeen, TX?
Jim Witler of Colorado? 1981 XJ650
J Melton
Steve Paquette (1982 XJ750RJ)
Witt of LaGrange, TX?

Hosts:
Paul Nolan: (1982 XJ750RJ) Morgan Carbtune Pro, Gunson Colortune Tuning Spark Plug Kit 14mm Spark Plug, YICS Port Blanking Tool, YICS Chamber Port Cleanout Tool, Idle Mixture Screw Removal and Adjuster Tool, size
#2 & #2 JIS-standards Phillips Screw Drivers, Heavy-Duty Impact Driver Set and long bits, Auxiliary Fuel Tank, Valve Shim Pool for XJ Non-X models 2.45 - 2.90 x 4 each, Valve Shim Bucket Retainer Tool, Feeler Gauge Set (Non-X), High and Low Torque Wrenches Damon Nolan: (1979 XS1100 Special) Full set of metric tools, sockets, box wrenches, allen keys, high and low torque wrenches, bearing pullers, c-ring spanner tools, and healthy assortment of bicycle tools

Tuners: Please fill in the list of tools you will be bringing down so we can see what we have in and what we may be deficient in. Add your bike to the list if not already listed.

Comers: Add your bike to the list and any tools you may be bringing in not already listed.

DOOR PRIZES: XJ4Ever Spin on oil filter adaptor with Amsoil filter (x
1) fits XJ650s & XJ750s
JIS screw Phillips screw driver set sizes #2 & #3 x 1 (for those ornery JIS Phillip head carburetor screws) Fuel filter with 90 degree elbow x 2 Throttle Rocker x 2

Parts Order for: Lee Keohan: Reproduction rubber valve cover gasket 82 XJ650 Maxim, Reproduction valve cover hold-down bolt rubber pressure washers set of 8, Reproduction valve cover hold-down bolt rubber pressure washers set of 4

Paul Nolan: OEM rubber valve cover gasket 82 XJ750RJ x 2, Reproduction valve cover hold-down bolt rubber pressure washers set of 8, Reproduction valve cover hold-down bolt rubber pressure washers set of 4, Tapered roller bearing headset and seals kit x 2

The ranch has a day use and camping fee (see web site www.bcrwarda.com ) and will charge usual fees. For those individuals who bring down the tuning tools and perform the main tuning/teaching, I will cover their ranch fees (call it sweat equity). The ranch will have its usual fair of longhorn burgers and steaks for sale (see web site www.bcrwarda.com ) and I will cook up a longhorn brisket and Ranch House Rolls, Ranch House Beans and have a side of veggies and Cowboy Cookies for desert. To cover the cost of the Bar-B-Que BEEVO, the price will be $8.00. The ranch does not have a liquor license but you are welcome to BYOB, just
keep it sober. All the amenities and fun things to do at the ranch
listed on the Web Site are available. If it is warm enough and for those who feel crazy enough, we even have a bicycle that can be ridden off a jumping ramp and splash down into "Turkey Tank" the largest pond at the ranch (you land in about 8 ft of water). There is great fishing in the two largest ponds, Turkey Tank and Dear Park, (Bass, Catfish and Blue Gill) with no license required and is included with the day use/camping fee.

There are two well shaded, concrete floored areas in the barn runway and the carport (two full size pickups can park in it) with good ventilation for tuning. There will be fans for the airheads (and tuners) to keep them cool while tuning. There is also a large concrete parking pad where we can put up canopies (plenty on hand at the ranch) if additional shade is needed for working areas.

There are several great roads ride in the area and I will have maps with different options highlighted for those who want to do some cruising
after tuning. I will be heading back west and north on Sunday so
anyone wanting to ride out with me in that direction is welcome to come.
We will be bombing some great hill country roads as I take the long twisty but fast way back to Amarillo. I will split my trip back to Amarillo up in two days.

For reservations email the ranch at bcrwarda@gmail.com or call the ranch
(979) 242-5894. My brother Damon manages the ranch for the family and you will be speaking with him or one of his kids.

Please give me a count of who is coming and who is going to have Bar-B-Que so I can cook up plenty of chuck. You can use the ranch email or post here on the forum.

Thanks,

Paul K. Nolan, MD
Amarillo, TX
The Bike Doc
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Sweet Scarlet" http://tinyurl.com/5lnc2c
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Gray Ghost" http://tinyurl.com/5k3ck7
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Bones" (to be stripped to the bones)
http://tinyurl.com/c8vya6

 

Re: Central Texas Carb Clinic 2009 Last Update

Central Texas Carb Clinic May 30-31, 2009 Last UPDATE!!! I ride out tomorrow!

Three days away to the 2009 Central Texas Carb Clinic. I

The Central Texas Carb Clinic will be May 30-31, 2009 at Bluff Creek
Ranch, Warda, TX www.bcrwarda.com

Bluff Creek Ranch
537 Owl Creek Rd. Box 110
Warda, TX 78960-0110

979-242-5894

This is the list to date:

Tuners:
Gary Schulte: 12mm colortune, 14mm colortune, Carbtune 2 sync gauge, compression gauge, feeler gauge (non-X friendly)
Dell Klotz: 18" right angle screw driver, aux fuel tank with two hoses
Dewayne P. Blanco (1985 XJ700N)
Rex Smith (1982 XJ 650 Maxim)
Tom Wyble (1982 XJ750RJ Seca)
Tools courtesy of Jeff Covington (AKA Drive Shaft) YICS tool, colortune

Comers:
Michael Hatfield
Lee Keohan: (1982 XJ650 Maxim) Carbtune 2, 14mm Colortune, YICS Blanking Tool
Tom Sedgwick
James “Neal” Pipes
Kevin Hunter
Joe Talafous
Maria Blanco
Gracie (Tom Wyble's)
Justin Anderson (2004 Z1000)
Vickie Anderson (2009 Triumph Bonneville)
Stan Hutchison (1982 XJ1100J) 12 and 14mm Color Tune plug, sync gauges, and all kinds of electrical and hand tools. I’ve also got a Mini-Vac for bleeding brake lines
Ken Talbot (81XS1100) needle-nose pliers (for removing pinch clamps on fuel line), small maglite flashlight (for working in a shady spot) digital caliper (for setting float height), straight blade jewellers screwdriver (for prying shim edge loose from bucket), magnetic pick-up tool (for plucking shims out of buckets), small butane torch (pick-up coil wire repair), solder (pick-up coil wire repair), heat-shrink tubing (pick-up coil wire repair)
Midnightblu Killeen, TX?
Jim Witler of Colorado? 1981 XJ650
J Melton

Hosts:
Paul Nolan: (1982 XJ750RJ) Morgan Carbtune Pro, Gunson Colortune Tuning Spark Plug Kit 14mm Spark Plug, YICS Port Blanking Tool, YICS Chamber Port Cleanout Tool, Idle Mixture Screw Removal and Adjuster Tool, size #2 & #2 JIS-standards Phillips Screw Drivers, Heavy-Duty Impact Driver Set and long bits, Auxiliary Fuel Tank, Valve Shim Pool for XJ Non-X models 2.45 – 2.90 x 4 each, Valve Shim Bucket Retainer Tool, Feeler Gauge Set (Non-X), High and Low Torque Wrenches
Damon Nolan: (1979 XS1100 Special) Full set of metric tools, sockets, box wrenches, allen keys, high and low torque wrenches, bearing pullers, c-ring spanner tools, and healthy assortment of bicycle tools

DOOR PRIZES: XJ4Ever Spin on oil filter adaptor with Amsoil filter (x
1) fits XJ650s & XJ750s
JIS screw Phillips screw driver set sizes #2 & #3 x 1 (for those ornery JIS Phillip head carburetor screws) Fuel filter with 90 degree elbow x 2 Throttle Rocker x 2 Weather proof clock and thermometer x 1

If not on the list and you plan on coming, pipe in now. I will be logging off on Thursday morning 5/28/2009 and will not be able to respond until Friday evening 5/29/2009.

Wild West Riders: Jim Witler of Colorado and I will be leaving Amarillo on Thursday 5/28/2009 around noon and will ride to Warda in two easy days instead of one butt breaker day. If you wish to join us let me know NOW so we can link up along the way. Post a response to my email at paulknolan at gmail dot com and I will contact you to coordinate a meeting point.

See you in Warda, or on the road getting there! I am looking forward to a great weekend!

Thanks,

Paul K. Nolan, MD
Amarillo, TX
The Bike Doc
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Sweet Scarlet" http://tinyurl.com/5lnc2c
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Gray Ghost" http://tinyurl.com/5k3ck7
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Bones" (being stripped to the bones)
http://tinyurl.com/c8vya6