Strattuner and the 50cc: Updates

Prepping motorcycle for 5000 mile ride. Collecting gear, changing oil. Stay tuned for more updates from Mrs. Strattuner, who will be adding to this thread.

Ride safe.

Grey1one said:

Ride safe.

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I've added red reflective tape to the rear of the saddle bags (Nelson Rigg CL-855)s. I had white taper back there, but I was reading law enforcement looks kindly on red being back there... explains why Harley marker lights are always red.


Also, I had to figure out a way to have a drink at hand so I can take a sip now and then. My cup is a Plastic double sided jobber with a screw on lid. The straw is machined so that it won't come out without unscrewing the lid.
The holder is a large drink cup from Carls Jr. (Hardees). I cut the bottom out and strapped it to the saddle bag.
The cup goes in and out of the home made cup holder easily.
I've practiced the "no look" drink just sitting on it... now the question is willl I be able to do that, safely, at 75mph?


Hoods/Shades for the GPS and speedometer. I usually run with a shade for the GPS, but I was reading a post about someone who described sun damage to the stock lcd instrument panel. I've gotten decent at making shades for these, so I made a second.
Material: I use the plastic from a "report cover". It's the kind of small binder you will find in stationery departments at Walmart. It's plastic, opaque, and thin enough to be easily cut to shape.

The mp3 device is connected to the the battery directly via a ciggaret (female) connection with a two-usb male connecter in it. The cigarette/usb port is inside the frunk, and the wires for the devices are threaded through the frame from there. Yes, I had to drill small holes in the frunk to accomplish that!
This lets me power the GPS and MP3 over USB (gotta love three-letter acronyms!). I put down a bed of blue tape first. then velcro strips to hold the mp3 player on.

Excellent, have fun!

StratTuner said:

I put down a bed of blue tape first. then velcro strips to hold the mp3 player on.

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Ah now that is clever - is that a special type of tape? I wanted to attach a velcro patch to my helmet (for a camera) but I was worried about damaging the paint/surface - that seems like a great solution.

Best of luck on the trip...

Speaking for myself 3M blue masking tape is made for jobs where you may have to leave the tape on a surface for a few days and/ or the tape may be exposed to dew or rain. Regular yellow beige masking tape has to be removed quickly or else it leaves adhesive behind or disintegrates. 3M makes a tape you can leave on surfaces for over 30 days. It's green if I recall.

We use all these tapes and more doing teak or paintwork on boats. It's a great idea to use it on the paint of a motorcycle to protect it for a few days.

nelmo said:

Ah now that is clever - is that a special type of tape? I wanted to attach a velcro patch to my helmet (for a camera) but I was worried about damaging the paint/surface - that seems like a great solution.

Best of luck on the trip...

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3M makes it and it's official name (written on the inside core) is "3M Blue Painter's Tape". It's designed to stick to a surface then come off without damaging the surface.

nelmo said:

Ah now that is clever - is that a special type of tape? I wanted to attach a velcro patch to my helmet (for a camera) but I was worried about damaging the paint/surface - that seems like a great solution.

Click to expand...

That blue tape is pretty low tack. For Strat's MP3 player, which is light and isn't getting much wind pushing it around, I think it will be fine. For a camera on a helmet, I'd want to experiment with a wooden dummy camera or similar for a while before I put a real one to the test.

It looks like you thought of everything. Nice setup!! Enjoy the ride!

Safe travels, slightly jealous, doesn't look like a long trip is in the cards for me right now. Enjoy!

Fluids: usual for me K&N 204 filter and Rotella T6. Coolant level is near "UPPER" in the reservoir, and I'm contemplating cleaning the air filter...which it really isn't due for, so I'll wait.

Clothing: full suit (Tourmaster Centurion) and a mesh jacket with armored textile pants. the riding gear I'm NOT wearing takes up one entire saddle bag, but at least I'll have a choice for hot/cold situations.

One pair of pants, two shirts, and spare lycra t-shirts and bicycling shorts. My plan is to keep away from cotton.
I'm packing the "Freeze Out" brand underwear as they are quicker to get in and out of than zippering/velcroing in the Centurion suit liners.

I hope the deatails are interesting to some...

Mrs. StratTuner has volunteered to update this thread as I progress. I don't own a smart phone, and I'm still divided about taking my notebook PC (Windows/Ubuntu). I probably will... for the trip home when I have time to log in from various Motel 6's.

I generally do necessary maintenance at least a week or two in advance of a long ride so there is little chance of me breaking or messing something up right before leaving. The things you mentioned are easy things to do however, with little risk.

Motel 6......we will leave the light on for you!

IBA has an article on long trips, and that's right up there. [HERE]
NO major maintenance right before a long trip.
If I put the oil filter on wrong, then it could cause a problem!
I'll do a test ride to morrow to see if MAC (my NC700x) is running smoothly.

2400 miles from Point Loma, CA to Jacksonville
stop every 150 miles for gas

2400/150 = 16 gas stops

15 min per gas stop
15 x 16 = 240 minutes (or 4 hours)

google maps estimates 33 hrs for all 2400 miles.

IBA alots 50 hours for the 50cc (coast to coast in 50 hours or less).

50 - 33 - 4 = 13 hrs .

13 hrs for sleeping/eating and possible mishaps.

The numbers make me think I can do this.
More updates later...
Hope springs eternal....

You have the math correct for the fuel every 150 miles at 70 mph. Only one problem as I see it. Speed limit in Texas and a few other states is 75 mph. So, unless you care to be run over on the interstate you will be driving 80 mph quite often. I have ran out of gas in as little as 124 miles on I-10. I had extra gas with me, but putting in the extra gas is not fun while standing on the side of the interstate. The 18 wheelers will blow your bike over while putting gas in. Point is to watch the gas gage close, as it is not fun running out of gas on I-10, and there are a few places on I-10 where the gas stations are few and far between..

After 10 PM gas will get hard to find in some places on I-10, make sure you are full of gas shortly before 10 PM.

I wouldn't be comfortable until I had telephoned every single gas stop and confirmed their operating hours and whether their receipts contain the info required by IBA. I have a friend who found himself in the middle of the nowhere in the middle of the night making his planned gas stop alright, only to notice there was no locating info on the receipt. He had a hell of a time scrambling to find a store that was open so he could make a purchase to get an acceptable receipt and it came damned near putting him out of the running.

Don't forget that a station you see on a map and are counting on may have gone out of business or be closed for construction or something as well.

I will take that as it happens. It's not as much an adventure if it all goes without some drama.
Most gas station CC receipts are time stamped, and if they're not, the records the CC company keep are.
If I find one with no time stamp, I'll go on to the next. It's unlikely that many of them will go without a time stamp.

Looks like you're ready and minded for this trip ... Wish you a safe, quiet and fabulous adventure !

StratTuner said:

I will take that as it happens. It's not as much an adventure if it all goes without some drama.
Most gas station CC receipts are time stamped, and if they're not, the records the CC company keep are.
If I find one with no time stamp, I'll go on to the next. It's unlikely that many of them will go without a time stamp.

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Don't worry about timed stamped gas receipts except at the start and finish. There will be enough paper to document a dash across the continent. If one, two, three, etc don't have correct time the other 13 will. Also you will have your witness forms. I think the IBA ride rules mention the importance of CC start and finish paperwork and downplay the intermediate gas stop receipts.

See you in the sunshine state!

It's 21:00 hours and bed time for over-ambitious, aim high, downright imprudent motorcycle riders.

Up at 05:00 hrs and first gas station at Point Loma, San Diego by 08:00 hrs! (or sooner)