2023: What did you do to/with your NC700/NC750 today?

[Paulplex]

Alas, I don't have a garage to keep my bike in - and although I keep it under a cover, the winter hasn't been kind to the old girl. Today then, I took advantage of a family member's garage to do some TLC, with the rust that was forming in places. Stems for the mirrors, a scuff on a crash bar where they did their job protecting the bike from a fall, kickstand - but most surprising to me was the swingarm.

Some photos of the before...




...and then after a lot of cleaning and sanding back the rust, the Kurust treatment:



...and finally, direct to rust Hammarite paint. And yes, spray would have been better ...but it's my bike and I'm happy with what I've got to hand and as long as it protects against rust coming back, I'm happy:



Tomorrow it gets a second coat and then I'll hope to remember what order to put things back together

 

[670cc]

Looks nice. Did you remove the swingarm for this rust repair work? I found in the past that it is fairly easy to remove the whole swingarm.

 

[Paulplex]

Curious as to the black line on the fork...?

 

[mogonc34]

even though it's raining and 40-something degrees, I de-winterized by swapping the wind shield and hand guards.

Last week, however, I rode to Waco TX & back for a family gathering - the voices in my head quieted when I started the 2nd day continuing toward destination (vs. home).

Great 4+ days of riding thru South Carolina, mid-Georgia, mid/lower Alabama/Mississippi/Lousiana/Texas and returning via a more northerly route thru northeast Texas, lower Arkansas, and upper Mississippi/Alabama/Georgia/South Carolina.

 

[Paulplex]

Looks nice. Did you remove the swingarm for this rust repair work? I found in the past that it is fairly easy to remove the whole swingarm.

No, just doing it in situ with the rear wheel off - first time I've ever removed the rear wheel, so not 100% confident to be honest! But saying that, and having watched some YouTube videos, I am thinking I might do just that later in the year. Crawling under the bike I'm reasonably confident I'm getting the worst bits of rust treated, but I'm feeling more comfortable with checking swing arm bearings having gone this far ...and they'll be due for that service in a few thousand miles...

 

[the Ferret]

Day 85, 42 miles @ 57 degrees and cloudy

 

[cornbiker]

Curious as to the black line on the fork...?

It's a zip tie to see how much suspension travel is used during a ride/or just when the bike is under a load. Previous owner had the fork seals redone so maybe he wanted to keep an eye on it. I've had adjustable forks on bicycles with an actual rubber ring on them for the same purpose.

 

[Dav2ison]

Today i install the center stand. Yesterday, I installed a new brackets for Shad Top box 58X and 3P mounting system. I also looked the bike over and cleaned it up a bit.

 

[the Ferret]

Beautiful Easter morning ride. 58 miles @ 56 degrees and sunny.

 

[skills4lou]

I took mine out this afternoon for my first ride in maybe two years. My son rode on back, and we got 42.8 miles in. I also topped up the tank with fresh fuel.
I’m very happy with how it rides, even two up. I will be getting bar risers soon, and the Airhawk probably needs a little air let out. Aside from that, great ride to start getting a feel for her.

 

[the Ferret]

77 miles on today's ride. Another beautiful day, Was sunny and 56 when I took off and sunny and 69 when I got home.

 

[GregC]

Another oil change on the 2015 DCT, and the about an hour and half ride, you know, just for testing purposes.

New battery going in later this week.

 

[werdigo]

Yesterday (Monday 4/10/23) the 2014 NC-700X and I did one of my two standard loops on rural county roads, this one 72 miles... with some trepidation. Almost a month ago a deer leaped into my 2018 DCT Gold Wing (my "Oh Deer...Again" thread, with a photo, is on the 2018-and-later board) and, though I kept the bike up and was able to ride it home and to the dealer, the insurance company totalled it. Fortunately I love my NC and have it pretty well accessorized for touring. But believe me, quite a few miles of those narrow rural roads, through fields and woods, were taken in 3rd or 4th at 25 to 30 mph! Not a deer was seen. This was my first ride since the Wing incident.

 

[dduelin]

Yesterday (Monday 4/10/23) the 2014 NC-700X and I did one of my two standard loops on rural county roads, this one 72 miles... with some trepidation. Almost a month ago a deer leaped into my 2018 DCT Gold Wing (my "Oh Deer...Again" thread, with a photo, is on the 2018-and-later board) and, though I kept the bike up and was able to ride it home and to the dealer, the insurance company totalled it. Fortunately I love my NC and have it pretty well accessorized for touring. But believe me, quite a few miles of those narrow rural roads, through fields and woods, were taken in 3rd or 4th at 25 to 30 mph! Not a deer was seen. This was my first ride since the Wing incident.

I imagine you will be wary for a while yet.

I used to ride with a guy really involved in Iron Butt and organized rally riding. Scared me to death and I couldn’t continue doing it. Think all night and high speeds. He hit a bear late at night on the Blue Ridge Parkway and that didn’t slow him down. The first deer in the Maine woods didn’t put him down but the second one in the same night (2 hours later) did. He still rides.

 

[the Ferret]

I've ridden with that guy Dave, while he was up here for an OH-SToc in 2010. Even shared a room with him.

I've been hit by one deer and have able to avoid many, many others (also coons, possums, skunks, coyotes, goats, turkeys and vultures). I too live in rural Midwest, curvy roads, no lights, lots of farm fields, woods and deer. I do believe in fate however, and if it's going to happen, it's going to happen, although I'm going to do my best to avoid it. I try not to ride too much at first and last light, or in the dark, but critters can and do travel at all times of the day and night, and the vultures sit in the roads around blind corners to clean up the ones that didn't make it all the way across.

Try not to worry about it too much or you won't enjoy the rides.

 

[dduelin]

I've ridden with that guy Dave, while he was up here for an OH-SToc in 2010. Even shared a room with him.

I've been hit by one deer and have able to avoid many, many others (also coons, possums, skunks, coyotes, goats, turkeys and vultures). I too live in rural Midwest, curvy roads, no lights, lots of farm fields, woods and deer. I do believe in fate however, and if it's going to happen, it's going to happen, although I'm going to do my best to avoid it. I try not to ride too much at first and last light, or in the dark, but critters can and do travel at all times of the day and night, and the vultures sit in the roads around blind corners to clean up the ones that didn't make it all the way across.

Try not to worry about it too much or you won't enjoy the rides.

He also took out a buzzard now that I think about it. One man wrecking crew.

I also hit a buzzard (turkey vulture) 1.5 years ago that I had forgotten about.

 

[the Ferret]

Two rides today, a solo 43 miler this morning on my CB 1100, and then a 44 miler on the NC with my wife on her PCX 150. 68 degrees and sunny this am, 73 degrees and sunny this afternoon. Saw a kettle of black headed vultures feeding on a possum on this afternoon's ride, but they slowly hopped out of the way for us to pass. (stupid birds)

 

[cornbiker]

Another group ride, ~80-90 mi. round trip to Alice's Restaurant (usually a biker destination) and a quick stop at a place called Applejacks in a small little enclave called La Honda. Cardo's were acting up and Mr. BMW Rider is becoming a person I don't think I want to ride with much (impatient, questionable judgment, a know-it-all). The other guys kind of roll their eyes and put up w/ him for the comedy factor I guess. /shrug/

 

[mlc]

He also took out a buzzard now that I think about it. One man wrecking crew.

I also hit a buzzard (turkey vulture) 1.5 years ago that I had forgotten about.

California vulture was having a snack last week-end on Mulholland Drive in a fast corner.
It picked up what it was eating (squirrel? rabbit?) and took off. Would have been safer if it hadn't moved, since there was room in the lane and nobody coming the other way.
Those things have a huge wingspan, and I was less than a foot from clipping it with my windshield and helmet...
Later same night a rabbit wanted to cross the neighborhood street in front of me, to follow its friend. Was right under my right boot for over a second trying to find an opening, then finally decided to zig right. Glad it didn't zag left. There was literally no other car for the next five minutes, or probably the previous 5, and it had almost jumped under my tires.
Not many deer around, but regularly coyotes and skunks. Less instant damage but large enough to throw people off their bikes.

 

[mzflorida]

California vulture was having a snack last week-end on Mulholland Drive in a fast corner.
It picked up what it was eating (squirrel? rabbit?) and took off. Would have been safer if it hadn't moved, since there was room in the lane and nobody coming the other way.
Those things have a huge wingspan, and I was less than a foot from clipping it with my windshield and helmet...
Later same night a rabbit wanted to cross the neighborhood street in front of me, to follow its friend. Was right under my right boot for over a second trying to find an opening, then finally decided to zig right. Glad it didn't zag left. There was literally no other car for the next five minutes, or probably the previous 5, and it had almost jumped under my tires.
Not many deer around, but regularly coyotes and skunks. Less instant damage but large enough to throw people off their bikes.

The near-miss between riders and vultures is a pretty common thing down here in SW Florida. Those creatures are all over the place here, especially around the Everglades. Definitely makes a few things tighten up bracing for impact.