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[ekap1200]

I don't recall the active topics list this small in quite some time. So here is something to read today,'
How about this weather report from Sunny New Jersey this Sunday morning. Yesterday I braved the 51 deg, mostly cloudy and windy day to go for a short run about and get the tank topped off for the end of the season. Roads were a mess of wet damp leaves from Friday nights wind and rain storm, and those miserable little plastic and wire , political signs that have blown away and into the road. So with it topped off and seafoam added , I pulled the 3amp fuse for the radio and up on the center stand with just a mere 97,920 miles on the odometer. I was hoping for at least 98k by years end , but it just didn't happen.... But as I sit here with my first cup of coffee I see now the temp is supposed to reach a high of 54 and no chance of rain. Right now not a cloud in the sky and I really don't care about the honey,do,list at this time. If honey needs it done she just may need to just GET ER DONE her self. I may just hit the park way or the NJ turnpike and roll off some miles. Just for medicinal purposes ya know, fresh clean air, vitamin D from the sun, and of course , all that seafoam in the tank should be run thru the carbs before it is put down for the season. Well I really don't need much of an excuse. And who can rake wet leaves ? Pool cover is on and secure, rain gutter guards are doing their job . Its just a darn nice day out.
Gene Kap

[cranky]

... great on ya!!!! ...ride on.....

[cushman eagle]

Sounds good Gene
I was able to add 100 miles yesterday,and 130 today
With my heavy workload the last 2 months,I am only at 5750 miles for the year It is now showing about 78,637 on the odometer.
The bike still runs excellent,but still has that nagging intermittent tapping sound coming from the top ,left side of the fairing.
I did not hear it once yesterday,and not until we had ridden it 25 miles today.
I have had the fairing off 3 times to try to find it !

[VoyKimmer]

Gene , I know excactly how you feel. I took my 02 out on Friday to my daughters to walk their dogs and when returning home I just kept going until it got dark. I'm just shy of 84,000 on my 02 and would have liked to break that mark but thought I better put her up . I seafoamed it and topped it off but it's still rideable. I'm keeping my 96 ready to ride and not ready to put her down for the winter yet. You would have thought all the riding was out of my system for the year after 4000 miles in a little over 2 weeks and riding back from NC for 3 days in cold rain but no. I don't ride for a couple of days and get the itch again. That's the way it is for some of us. I put about 15,000 miles combined in both bikes this year. Texas, North Woods trip to Apostle Islands in Lake Superior, Florida, detour home to see Don and Trisha in NC. Next year I plan on more riding.

[ekap1200]

Same for me guys. I keep topping it off/radio fuse out and seafoam in the tank . But then comes along a nice day and I can not resist it. At 54 deg and 6 mph wind ; it was a bit chilly but not uncomfortable. She sat idle for about two weeks then the weather changed again. I had the radio fuse pulled out for the past month and this Sat and Sun no/load was at 12.4 v . And as I rode around I could see the alt voltage go from 13.8 and settle down as I got near home to a textbook 13.3 .Battery sits at 12.7 so I estimate it to be at about 97 to 98 % But I do think it may be time to inspect the brush's at this stage of mileage, It may be on the list of winter service this time around. 50 deg's seems to be the cutoff for me now as I am in my 60's and the chill goes right thru to the bone's. I did succeed with getting 98,007 miles on it and am still pleased with the machine. I got lucky this year with the wiring opening up right here in the driveway. Never owned a bike like this in the past and its truly a most reliable bike. But then again , I don't drive it like I stole it or try to make it go around corners like its a crotch rocket. Heck once she is in 5th its usually there for at least 200 miles before needing to go to a lower gear. Got to know your limits of lean angle , Now I have rode with the best of the mountain riders down in the Smokies and have no trouble keeping up , who wants to scrap the pipes, or the pegs. Parts are expensive, and metal on pavement offers no traction. If I wanted to rocket around corners I would just get a bike made for that. The voyager does very well on the tail of the dragon and all the smoky mountain roads in NW- north Carolina and SE Tenn. Oh and I did enjoy the twisty roads up in Lake George this fall. Getting up there a few days early gave me a chance for some really nice twisty roads up there. Looking forward to the next 100k of trouble free riding
Gene Kap

[Steverides5]

Hey Gene, as a guy that lives only a few miles from you I was out Saturday afternoon for about 3 hours on my 1700. Followed the backroads down around Fortesque etc.Wanted to take my Electra Glide but the battery has been off its tender a little too long. Did I mention that I just bought 4 new battery tenders ( Amazon, Black and Decker for only $13.99 each) Already own 2 of these and they work well. Had fun on Saturday because I volunteered to work Sunday. The tenders were really needed as I mentally refuse to winterise. Fortunately I own really good cold weather gear. Here in NJ we are quite likely to get days of 50 deg highs even in December and February. Look closely and you may see me out there with my wife on the back. The 1700 really blocks the wind and generates heat from the motor. Works great in the cold. I can’t even bring myself to worry too much about the road salts. Working when it’s available to stash some funding for Summerville and probably Maine in September. Hope to see ya out there. Steve G , Elmer NJ

[krasmu]

This is why I don't really put her up for the winter. I never know when the urge to ride might hit me. I fill the tank with fuel and sea-foam and put the tender on. I've never really minded riding in cold. (I've ridden as low as 10 degrees). I live in northern Illinois. AS long as the roads are dry and I get the urge, I bundle up and go for a quick spin. Most years I get at least one ride in every month of the year. Weather permitting, I try to get at least a few miles in on New Years day. What a way to start out the new year. The part I warn others about is that at that time of the year up here, the cagers forget to look out for bikes, so you have to have your head on a swivel. I love all the comments I get about be crazy riding in the cold. My favorite reply is. We live in the northern part of the country where snowmobiles are everywhere when there is snow on the ground. I ask these people if they think someone on a snowmobile is crazy for riding in the cold. Almost always get "NO". Well then why am I crazy? as long as the roads or clean and dry. I can dress warm just as they do. Kind of shuts them down a bit.

anyway, stay safe out there, wherever and whenever you do ride. The season up here is growing short. stay warm.

[Mr Jensee]

My poor bike has sat in the garage now for more than a month. I cannot ride it even though I have finally got it exactly the way I want it. I have suddenly come down with intense pain in both knees. I can barely walk right now. Have seen 3 doctors for it who have taken MRIs given me cortisone injections and nothing has helped. The pain seems impervious to pain medication so I have just stopped taking it. If this doesn't change I wont be riding my Voyager any more because I wont be able to hold it up or use the foot controls. I have survived 2 heart attacks, kidney failure with dialysis, a triple bypass surgery and now this. I am just about to the point of giving up. It is hard to remain positive after all this. But I am trying. Anyway I dont have much to add on these pages anyway these days.

[cranky]

Asking for the Very Best for you! Keep lookin’ for a fix...

[cushman eagle]

My poor bike has sat in the garage now for more than a month. I cannot ride it even though I have finally got it exactly the way I want it. I have suddenly come down with intense pain in both knees. I can barely walk right now. Have seen 3 doctors for it who have taken MRIs given me cortisone injections and nothing has helped. The pain seems impervious to pain medication so I have just stopped taking it. If this doesn't change I wont be riding my Voyager any more because I wont be able to hold it up or use the foot controls. I have survived 2 heart attacks, kidney failure with dialysis, a triple bypass surgery and now this. I am just about to the point of giving up. It is hard to remain positive after all this. But I am trying. Anyway I dont have much to add on these pages anyway these days.

I am so sorry to hear of your knee pain,Mr.Jensee I will certainly put it on my prayer list
Keep us posted on how you are doing

[VoyKimmer]

2 inches of snow this morning and temps in the Teans now and single digits Sunday morning. Time to put the bikes away for the winter.

[ekap1200]

Hey Kim, sounds like it is time. With the snow , comes the road salts. That when it is time to put them to sleep. Its the time of the year I plug the air box off to those little rodents with a oiled rag wrapped with some metal screen. No need to offer them a nice cozy place to weather out the winter. AND chew your air filter up to make a basement in your air box.... I am going to hold off on that until they salt down here. I do want to keep it ready to ride in case of a nice day on a weekend.


Loren, did you ever find out that noise ? Could it be a snapped bolt in the framework for your front clip plastic. I did take a fall at the ( fair grounds ? ) or where ever it was when it fell over on you a while back ?

Steve, are there any trim items made for the 1700's My 1200 sales of trim has fallen off and I am looking for some bling to make up for these newer bikes. It is what keeps my shop lights and heat on in the winter months. And we are close enough for me to drive over in my truck to measure up and design some items.

Mike, my heart and prayers go out to you. Sounds like you have a full plate of issues regarding you health. Getting old is no fun as I am finding out myself. There for a while I was finding the voyager a bit heavy to hold up myself.

[cushman eagle]

No,Gene,I have not found the source of the noise I have checked everything I can think of,and it is so inconsistent,and, so far,not reproducable in the garage,that I can find the cause.

[Steverides5]

Went out with the local chapter of the Retreads on Sunday November 18. 5 bikes in all. Temps were between 45 and 50 highs. Went from Salem CountyNJ Through northern Delaware and around up in Amish country in the Lancaster PA area. Stopped in Quarryville PA for lunch and back around some of Brandywine Creek before returning home. Approximately 180 miles total. Nice ride and nice people. The Retreads are a national group dedicated to simply riding often. I went out with the South Jersey Chapter. We definitely hit lots of snow melted water and gravel on the roads so the bike needs a bath but that suits me just fine. One less day of wishing with winter closing in.

[ekap1200]

Hi Steve, Yes the retreads are a great group. I try to ride at least one ride a year with them. The best times are the Wednesday's rides. But I have to play hookey from work to do that. They do like to ride quite a bit and are a fun group. They are also a close knit group , close enough to have many activities throughout the year at each other's homes. Looks like the last of the season for me, as I came home last night they were spraying down route 322 east with calcium . So its over for me, I don't like my wiring turning from copper wire to hollow tubing. Time for my bike to go up on the lift and do some general maintaining and perhaps some new brake lines.
Gene Kap.

[Thud300]

My 91 remains on its center stand in my garage after the drive spline failure, awaiting the final part needed, either another final drive or the male splined input coupler.

I found that by ordering a driveshaft for a ZG1000 Concours for $15, I could get the female part of the coupler, just a snap ring on the inside and it's off, same part as on the Voyager. (If you try to get it by itself, it's $45) Found a tube of Yamalube moly grease for 6 bucks at the local bike dealer, cleaned up the splines and applied the lube, and the coupler is a direct swap, easy peasy.

The downtime has allowed me to address several issues in the rearset that were on the list: replacing the rear wheel bearings, rebuilding the rear caliper, installing new EBC pads, installing a new EBC rear rotor, cleaning up and painting the swingarm, cleaning and painting the Markland hitch, which was frozen in the tubes but will now come apart the way it's supposed to; and cleaning and repacking the swingarm bearings. All I need now is the final drive, or coupler, and maybe a rear shock as the boot on the left side one is torn.

I keep stabilizers in the fuel, and putting a trickle charger on about once every week keeps the battery up, and starting it and letting it idle for about ten minutes keeps the carbs full.

Meanwhile, I have my Concours to ride, but probably haven't been on it in about two weeks, hoping to get a ride in soon.

[cushman eagle]

Hi Steve, Yes the retreads are a great group. I try to ride at least one ride a year with them. The best times are the Wednesday's rides. But I have to play hookey from work to do that. They do like to ride quite a bit and are a fun group. They are also a close knit group , close enough to have many activities throughout the year at each other's homes. Looks like the last of the season for me, as I came home last night they were spraying down route 322 east with calcium . So its over for me, I don't like my wiring turning from copper wire to hollow tubing. Time for my bike to go up on the lift and do some general maintaining and perhaps some new brake lines.
Gene Kap.

Yes to the brake lines Gene
After putting on the new brake lines from Don,it is as though I have a different braking system,which uses much less lever travel to stop the bike.
Try to stay warm as winter blasts in to our lives

[Steverides5]

Hey Gene, certainly the calcium and road salts are a detraction in NJ. Hope your winter maintenance goes as planned especially with an older machine this can be challenging. My 93 Harley looks every bit of its age and winter riding is part of the reason why. Hope to ride with you in the spring and the holidays are fun for you. Call me whenever you want those bike measurements. Just for laughs did I mention that the Kawasaki dealer in Bridgetown is selling both a used 1700 and a older 1200 Voyager right now. I’m taking mine there soon for some winter maintenance myself. Happy Thanksgiving.

[Danger4u2]

No winter storage here in the Great State of Oklahoma. We ride year round. With heated gear when needed.
Saturday was a different story, 70 for the high. We rode all day at Crosstimbers off-road riding area @ Draper Lake in Okc.

Added a kick stand, ASV clutch perch and replaced a broken exhaust mount Friday night.

Gene found the mud hole I missed.

[Danger4u2]

What a difference a day makes in Okc. 38 for the high, so I broke out the Hot Wire heated gear and went out for Central Okla. Tag Rider pictures.
https://advrider.com/f/threads/central- ... s.1109837/
The old tag picture was disqualified because of a locked gate. Rule # 2.

Locked gate

So I tagged a new picture.