|
After several requests from people wanting to know the details of maintaining a motorcycle during a 52,000 mile journey, I assembled
the log, tool list and spec sheets below. My smartest maintenance move was to buy a nearly new motorcycle, and buy a Harley. I do most maintenance myself, outside in the field (literally) with the tools I carry with me.
NOW LISTED CHRONOLOGICALLY.
|
| |||||
| DATE | MILES | JOB and PARTS LIST | COMMENTS | ||
| May 13, 1998 | (4,600 original miles on odometer) | 
| |||
|
July 10, 1998
| 1 Gal H-D 20/50, 1 H-D Filter Primary Oil Change
| Could only use 1 1/2 quarts of chain lube, so I throw away a half quart (at $3.50/qt.) I leave the old oil with Steve. | |||
|
August 14, 1998
| 1 Gal H-D 20/50, 1 H-D Filter Transmission Fluid Change
| NEW JERSEY - On Maggie's Hungarian pepper farm, in Somerset. Free-roaming chickens battle me for shiny tools. I dump the oil in an oil-recycling tank on the farm. | |||
|
September 20, 1998
| 1 Gal H-D 20/50, 1 H-D Filter Primary Oil Change
Spark Plugs Change
| WISCONSIN - At a campground near the dells. I buy an aluminum roasting pan, and use tar paper for a ground cloth. I Balance the bike by tying it between 2 picnic tables, as instructions say to check primary fluid level "with vehicle upright," and out here, I don't want to screw it up. I take old oil to a county garage. | |||
|
October 20, 1998
| 1 Dunlop 402 II Tire | MISSOURI - Service done at Denney's Harley-Davidson, Springfield. | |||
|
October 22, 1998
| 1 Gal H-D 20/50, 1 H-D Filter Transmission Fluid Change
| MISSOURI - In Don's side yard, in Joplin. He loans me an oil pan and plays Roger Whittaker tapes for me all morning - I hurry through this. I finally clean my hydraulic lifter oil screen, because I found a way to unscrew the cap - with an old church key. I Check my drive belt tension, and take old oil to a parts store. | |||
|
December 1, 1998
| 1 Dunlop 402 Tire Front Brake Pads Replace
Oil & Filter Change
Primary Oil Change
Air Filter Change
| CALIFORNIA - Serviced by L.A. Harley Davidson, at $60/hr. The first time I hire someone to change my oil, I hire the most expensive people in the country. Go figure. | |||
|
January 2, 1999
| 1 Gal H-D 20/50 Transmission Fluid Change
| TEXAS - In a horse stable on Ernie's ranch, in Corpus Christi (above photo). Can't change the stupid oil filter, because I can't take the stupid fuel injector sensor off, because the stupid screw head is stripped out, because it is a stupid, stupid design, and what would Mr. Harley or the Mr. Davidsons think of that!! | |||
|
February 15, 1999
| 1 Dunlop Tire Oil & Filter Change
Primary Lube Change
Transmission Oil Change
Rear Brake Pad Replace
|
FLORIDA - Service Done at Scott Smith's Harley-Davidson.They also do a full 5K mile check-up.
Scott Smith's offers to sponsor me on this trip, giving me two of these service packages and free labor on tire changes. They also end up giving me helpful advice on the phone, when I'm out on the edge nowhere and out of clues. | |||
|
March 1, 1999
| 1 Dunlop 402 Tire | FLORIDA - Didn't want to replace this tire, as it still had 10,000 miles. That is, it did, before it ran over a nail. Nobody will plug these things - gosh, wonder why? Service by Biker's World, Daytona. | |||
|
March 29, 1999
| 4 Qts. RevTech 25/60, 1 H-D Filter Primary Oil Change
| NORTH CAROLINA - At my brother's house, in Swansboro. Can't find a Harley dealer, so I buy this off-brand. Sure hope the thing doesn't blow up. | |||
|
April 9, 1999
| 1 H-D Throttle Cable | VIRGINIA - In parking lot of Hampton Roads H-D. Cable broke as I rolled onto Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, blocked traffic until tow truck carried Bob to safety. Rode 40 miles through major storm, holding cable in one hand, to West Point, then back days later. | |||
|
May 23, 1999
| 1 Gal H-D 20/50, 1 H-D Filter Transmission Fluid Change
Repack Trailer Bearings
| TENNESSEE - With my brother, Doug, discreetly, behind an Autozone, in Millington. We don't spill anything, but I have the hutzpah to ask them to take my old oil, even though I didn't buy my oil or filter there. I buy a pair of Bearing Buddies for my trailer, which Doug installs, after replacing my bearings, which were about to melt, make my wheels fall off, and make a real mess of everything. | |||
|
June 26, 1999
| 4 Qts. H-D 20/50, 1 H-D Filter Primary Oil Change
Rear Tire Replace
| MONTANA - At Yellowstone H-D, in Belgrade. Mike changes the rear tire, packs the bearings, and lets me change the oils in the parking lot. It feels great to have new rubber back there! | |||
|
July 28, 1999
| 1 Gal H-D 20/50, 1 H-D Filter Transmission Fluid Change
Patched Trailer Tire | OREGON - I buy supplies at Harley dealer in Yakima, WA and pay highest price in entire trip. "You own a Harley," sneers the unattractive counterwoman. I Change oils at MK chainsaws, near Mt. Hood. I Panic at milky white tranny fluid, but a call to Scott Smith's H-D, in Florida calms me. "You got a little water in it, Mark," Craig says. "Don't worry." Greg, at Les Schwab tire, in Portland patches tire for free - thanks! | |||
|
Aug. 17, 1999
| Primary Oil Change
Transmission Fluid Change
Replace Clutch Cable
| NEVADA - I spend the entire day in the Reno H-D parking lot, under a broiling, Nevada Sun. I replace the cable, change the fluids (Tranny fluid is white again) chase a leak and fry my brain. Ol' Bob is shifting hard - hope this fixes it. The mechanics are helpful and think the leak is my inter-primary gasket. Before parting with $200, I seal the F.I. sensor and scrub the casing - I'll keep an eye on it. | |||
|
Aug. 23 & 24, 1999
| Primary Oil Change
Transmission Fluid Change
Repair Clutch
| IDAHO - After 1,000 miles of trying to adjust the clutch, I surrender. Bill, at Cycle Nuts & Bolts, in Boise, opens Bob up and finds a shattered spring plate and little pieces of rivets at the bottom of my pan. He replaces the plate and changes the fluids (the tranny is white again!) It looks like the leak has stopped, so he closes it up, the guys clean her up, and $300 later, I'm on the road again. | |||
|
Aug. 25, 1999
| 1 Gal H-D 20/50, 1 H-D Filter | IDAHO - Dan Fry loans me an oil pan and lets me work in his yard, on Cougar Mountain (his mountain.) I'm nervous about spilling oil, and he insists that I not worry. Then he points to a trail of fluid left by his Catapiller bulldozer, and asks; "You're not an environmentalist, are you?" | |||
|
September 9, 1999
| Front Tire Replace 2 Dunlop D402 Tires Front Brake Pads Replace
Front Wheel Bearings Replace
| COLORADO - Service Done by Mike, at Pike's Peak Harley-Davidson, Colorado Springs. He also packs the rear bearings. They clean the bike, and $500 later, I'm back on the road. | |||
|
September 18, 1999
| 1 Gal H-D 20/50, 1 H-D Filter Transmission Fluid Change
| SOUTH DAKOTA - In Kent Wells' driveway. I may have this damned oil filter problem solved, and I cut a notch out of my cap filter wrench, so it clears the fuel injection sensor. As Kent surmised, the wrench is now too weak to grip the filter. I do manage to loosen it enough, though. | |||
|
September 30, 1999
| Auxillary Battery
| NEBRASKA - Nearly every night on this trip, I sit in my camper, and I run a laptop off my battery, for up to 7 hours. By now, I'm really tired of push-starting ol' Bob in the morning, so I put a second battery in my right saddlebag. The weight makes the lid rattle, and it shook a bag guard rail mount free. And those rails were so handy when push-starting... | |||
|
October 19, 1999
| 4 Qts. H-D 20/50, 1 H-D Filter Primary Oil Change
Front Brake system flush | OKLAHOMA - At my good friend, Warren Myers' home, in Tulsa. I discover an oil leak near the valve cover of my forward cylinder. I put a hose clamp around the oil filter wrench and get it to work - finally! My euphoria dampens my depression over the leak. Bert, at C&C Cycles tries to get my brake light to turn off, but $25 later, it still glows solid. | |||
|
October 21, 1999
| Spark Plugs Change
Replace Gaskets
| OKLAHOMA - At C & C, we see the front rocker box leaking. Bob replaces the gaskets on that cylinder and that takes care of it. At $150, it's the first engine repair I've had to make on this machine, and I'm pretty impressed. Bert taps a small screw into my brake lever and actually gets my brake light to behave. | |||
|
December 16, 1999
| 1 Gal H-D 20/50, 1 H-D Filter Transmission Fluid Change
| LOUISIANA - At Nickey's camp in Dularge. I use a couple of roasting pans (2/$1) to collect the oil, and drain it into a gallon milk jug. A cement contractor working next door, takes the oil to his shop. | |||
|
February 5, 1999
| FLORIDA - At Scott Smith's Harley-Davidson, Maitland, Florida. I stop in to check on a new exhaust system, and I mention to Jake, the service manager, that one of my engine mounting bolts might be loose. He takes one look at Bob and starts shaking his head. He refuses to let me back on the road as he pulls my weary beast into the shop. A mechanic finds that both of the front nuts are missing, and he replaces both bolts before the whole V-twin just falls off onto the street. Thanks guys! | ||||
|
February 9, 1999
| 1 Gal H-D 20/50, 1 H-D Filter Transmission Fluid Change
Primary Oil Change
Rear Brake Pad Replace
Rear Tire Replace
|
FLORIDA - At Scott Smith's Harley-Davidson, Maitland, Florida. Jake and his crew give my bike the thorough going-over it deserves so badly. After carrying me the equivalent of two laps around the Earth, this machine could use attention.
They replace my 8th motorcycle tire and my 4th set of brake pads, they give me my 15th oil change, and numerous other things. No major repairs are needed, however (it is a Harley.) Many thanks to SSH-D and to all the wonderful people in all 50 states who helped me! | |||
|
February 10, 1999
| Kerker Slip-ons "fishtail" caps | FLORIDA - Had wanted a louder exhaust since I bought this hog, nearly two years ago, but didn't want to risk overheating with the trailer. Bought a beautiful pair of Kerkers. They sound great! | |||
|
|
|
Bob staying between the ditches, in South Dakota.
Why "bob?" Simple; Bob "Harley" (When your theme song for a 19-month trip on the road is "No woman, no cry," the connection is natural.)
|
|
|
Sitting between the Christmas trees and pepper plants on Maggie's farm
Make: Kompact Kamp Weight: 300 lbs. Year: Late 1980's Specs of current model: Sets up in 2 minutes (I can have mine up in less than 1 minute) 260 lbs., 4'6" x 6'6" bed, 6'4" interior height. Notes: I have this rigged up with an electrical inverter and a small desk and chair. I can work inside of it for hours and hours, and it is where I do most of my writing and web site design. It's really cramped in here, but it's home, and when people offer me a spare bedroom or (ugh!) couch, I ask them if I could just borrow their driveway! In case you're counting tires, I replaced 4 on the trailer, for a total of 12. |
|
|
These are all of the tools I carried with me. They include ones for working on the motorcycle as well as on the camper trailer. |
Return to our
MAIN page
