Harrison East experiment

 Beautiful day, for the most part...so we took a trip up Harrison East FSR again. There are tourists aplenty, occupying any space they can find, along this route.
Read about the trip HERE.

CT90 issues again...

 Just when I thought I had it all worked out...
Took her CT90 out for a good workout the other day...it had been sitting for a while, and being idle is the worst thing for these, so I took it for a nice long ride; 17 miles to be precise.

About halfway through the ride, I noticed things weren't quite right...whenever I shifted into 1st from Neutral, the bike lunged a bit. I tested the clutch action and it was non-existent again...I thought I had addressed this a while ago!

Brought her home and dismantled it once again...which means draining the fuel, removing the battery, the footpegs, shifter and starter....and draining the oil. A quart of AMSOIL with less than 200 miles on it, seemed like a bit of a waste, but this is necessary in order to access the clutch.
Placed her on her side and went at it....in a few minutes, I had the side cover off and removed the retainer nut with that special socket you need to buy:

Once out of the engine, I have the clutch basket broken down and all pieces out. Check for obvious problems...verified the placement and order of all the clutch discs and re-assembled. 
Back together and re-installed into engine. A few minutes later, the bike is back together and ready to be tested.
Start her up and let her reach operating temp...kick into gear, but hold shifter up...give her some gas...rear wheel spins....damn!
That's enough for today......

The following morning, after much research, I decide to tear into it again, but this time I am going to de-glaze the friction discs and measure everything with a vernier caliper. Sure enough....everything is to spec, so I re-assemble and re-install.....with the same results as before.....damn!

After venting my frustrations on the Facebook CT90 page, I got some feedback from a fellow name Mike, regarding the adjustment as depicted in the owner's manual.
He suggested that, with the engine running...I turn the adjustment screw CCW, as they mention but once I encounter resistance, to continue turning it outward, as if to activate the clutch.
Next morning, I start her up again and wait for her to warm up, then I tried his suggestion...loosen locknut...turn screw until resistance is felt, then continue past. At first, it sounds like the clutch is being disengaged when something inside POPS and suddenly, I have no resistance. 
I continue to loosen the screw until I eventually encounter resistance again....another full turn from where I was...and at this point, I follow the adjustment procedure from the manual.
Mike suggested that upon re-assembly, some of the parts are not properly 'mated' together, so if an adjustment is made until one first encounters resistance, this is just where the unmatched parts impinge upon each other. By continuing to turn the screw out...these parts are forced into alignment (while the engine runs) and a more accurate adjustment is achieved.
Once I did this, to my surprise, I have a properly functional clutch once again.

So...big shout out to Mike of the FB CT90 page for the help...you saved me AND my wife's bike....and now that it's working properly, I might try another 20 mile ride tonight!

Deadman Valley ride.

 Over the May 14th weekend, we explored the ravaged Deadman valley.
Read about it HERE....

Another "first ride"?

 ....well, it's the first ride under new conditions. 

Read about it HERE.

Return to Gill road

Since this is only a blatant repeat of another ride, I will just post it here instead of giving it its own page.
It's been raining for days...not particularly torrential, but still there hasn't been a day without some amount of rain, in a few weeks now. Tonight....a clear slab of horizon means that I should get out of the house and onto the seat.
Gill road always serves as a nice distraction; on this evening there was almost nobody around and most of the mud (from last time) had been re consolidated and untouched by idiots.
Stopped at the usual spot, then continued for a bit until I ran out of land.

There's always "one"....

Close up...

Returning panorama...

Days are getting longer....that's nice.

First ride of 2022

 Not true...it's actually the 2nd ride.
Wife and I did the first ride last weekend when the sun was shining...but I didn't bring my camera so as they say: "Pics or it didn't happen!"

Today's trek was a short, local jaunt to a familiar place...read about it HERE.

"Winter Wonderland".....?

When I hear that phrase, I always think of a Currier and Ives type of scene with snow-flocked pines, a  horse-drawn sleigh and a thin wisp of smoke rising from the chimney of a log-cabin nestled deep in the woods. 
Our version of the winter wonderland involves knee deep snow, freezing rain and a residential street that never sees a snow plow. After the floods of November, we returned to a sense of normalcy for a couple of weeks, before WINTER descended upon us. Since mid-December, it's been one winter storm after another as Mother Nature continues on with her cruel vendetta against BC. 
The northeastern corner of this Province has seen windchills of -50C...temperatures like that will cause frostbite within minutes of exposure. Central BC has had its share of cold as well, with temps around -10 and winchills nearing -30. For us down in the southwest corner...the temperatures have been tolerable (being an ex-prairie-dweller) but the precipitation, be it snow, rain, sleet or a combination thereof...has been the issue. Our street rarely sees a snow-plow and everyone in the area seems to think that our street is the ONLY MEANS by which to get to their homes....so any snow on our road is quickly compacted to  a glacier-like mass within a day or two. Over the past week, we've received another foot or so of snow and freezing rain, so the resultant compaction of snow on our street means that we won't be seeing asphalt for  at least another month.
During the last week, we've had freezing rain that has coated power lines, trees and buildings. Power outages for several days are the norm...and many homeowners are cutting apart hedges and trees that dangle precariously near homes and vehicles.

Today...January 9th, the thermometer is reading 5 C at 10 am....and I am watching chunks of ice melt and fall from the neighbours trees...and this gives me hope.
The Old Farmer's Almanac said that the first week of January was going to be ugly in this part of the world, and they were right. I'm hoping that their forecast of a mild/drier Winter also proves to be accurate.

I just want to go for a ride.......