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Older bikes can still tour..

575 views 5 replies 6 participants last post by  kb0ou 
#1 ·
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July 13, my buddy on his 83 Suzy gs1100g and me on my 85 Interstate took off for 6 days like we do every year we can. We only did a few minutes on the slab the whole time because of all the good roads around.
We did the Hawks Nest (rte 97)at the PA/NY border. You have to find the ROEBLINGS bridge from Lackawaxen,PA toMinisink Ford, New York,to cross where we did which we missed at first. There is only a SMALL sign pointing to it.
We did the 'KANC' in NH.(Rte 112) which is a mini blue ridge parkway (only 37 miles long vs 500 for the BRP), and had lots of bikes on it even on the weekday.
Did Smugglers Notch VT (rte 108) and RTE 100 which is beautiful in the fall. The road surface sucks now since the last time I was there which was about 10 years ago.
Also did up and down and around the Adirondacks in NY. You dont realize how steep some of the hills are until you see how much you have the throttle opened.

Here are two good places to stay.

Killington Motel - 1946 RT 4 - Killington, Vermont
http://www.lodgingkillington.com/
Older motel but clean with very nice owner. He makes a really nice home made breakfast as part of the $68 fee for room with 2 beds. Would stay again without hesitation.

Shaheens motel
314 Park St, Tupper Lake, NY 12986
http://www.shaheensmotel.com
Again nice older motel that is clean with friendly owners. There were other bikers there and all thought it was a good place to stay.
Continental breakfast included in the $80 for room with 2 beds. Owners supplied clean rags to clean off the bikes too. Restaurant next door has excellent food. Again
would stay here again any time.

As usual best places to eat.. small local diners.
Anyways we had a blast and both old bikes ran great,6 days 3400klm
(sorry no pics as neither of us carry a camera any more)
 
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#2 ·
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Yeah, the old bikes can do great. We rode 2300 miles to the Grand Canyon and back 3 years ago. There was me and my wife on our 76, Leon and his wife on his 78, and John and his wife on their 79. My wife and I had a trailer with all the gear we couldn't get on the 3 bikes. It was a great trip. Other than a blown tire in Utah that took 2 days to get a replacement for, it was a great, trouble free ride. My avatar is our bike in a park on the last road to the Grand Canyon.
 
#3 ·
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Great report,,,,,,,, sounds like you had a good time, and a safe one. Yepper,,,,,,,, can't knock the older bikes at all.

I know the Roebling Bridge and Hawks Nest very well. It is one of my fravorite day rides. I do it a few times each season.
 
#4 ·
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Why wouldn't they? Used to be a man took some pride in his machine. He kept it running. They'd just keep rebuilding them and riding them, year after year. It was their little sweetheart. I think this is one of the things that is missing in the 'modern biker'.
 
#5 ·
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go to this site:

http://www.klr650.net/

Here are some kids that take care of their rides, completely rebuilding them in many cases........ The bike is cheap, home-repairable, and there exists a ton of aftermarket farkles that makes the bike almost unrecognizable..... this crazy old bike, from 1987-2007, had no major design changes at all...... Kids with balls of brass have ridden them to the four corners of the earth....... and successfully......

I'm sure enjoying the living heck out of mine!

try this thread in particular:

http://www.klr650.net/forums/showthread.php?t=69383
 
#6 ·
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Hey,
I am LarryC's brother, JohnC (kb0ou).
We are so old we think our bikes are modern!!!!!!!!
Cousin, yes those KLR bikes are tough.
I rode the heck out of my BMW r75/5 before I sold it.

BTW my avatar is my 79 GW that my wife and I rode out to Grand Canyon and back.

The next week I did a Iron Butt ride on it too.

73 John kb0ou
 
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