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12 tips to taking that first ride of the year on your vintage
bike
 I own five bikes, most of them less than 25 years old, but in
2002 I restored a 1972 Honda SL350. It dons a collector’s plate for
my state and I take it out several times each year to attend vintage
bike events. While most of the attendees of these events trailer or
truck in their iron, I enjoy riding to and from the event as well.
Inevitably I see a crash now and then, come across a breakdown
and not an event goes by where I don’t hear the thunder of straight
pipes on an old bike. There’s a number of things I do each year when
I dust off my bike to insure I have the best experience I can when
I’m out having fun.
- Don’t just kick the tires – If your bike has been
sitting all winter you’ll surely want to get your tire gauge and
pump in motion and inflate the tires back to the recommended
levels before that first ride. But there’s more to
consider than just that. Like how about the age of the tire
itself. The older a tire gets, the harder the rubber becomes and
the less traction you can count on when you hit the road. Even
if you only ride your vintage bike a hundred miles each year,
you should consider putting new tires on it every 3-5 years.
Ditto for inner tubes and valve core replacement. And remember,
if the vintage event you’re riding in is a dualsport it’s okay
to air down 10-15% on the unpaved areas just as you would on a
modern day dualsport bike.
- Old gas be gone – Old gas sitting in a carburetor for
several months can tend to clog the jets by going bad and
becoming the equivalent of turpentine. There are several ways to
stop this from happening before it starts. During the fall when I
know I’ve done my last ride for the year, I take the bike to the
gas station and fill it full of premium. Before I close the gas
cap I pour in the appropriate amount of fuel stabilizer based on
the 2.2 gallon gas tank. On the way home I make my final move by
shutting off the petcock a few blocks from home and leaving the
bike running when I arrive until it dies from thirst. With an
empty carb I park it and throw a cover over it.
- Battery check – Just like tires, batteries can become
less reliable as the years go on. It’s best to change these
every 4-5 years and don’t wait until the as-needed moment
arises, which may not be in as convenient a place as your
garage.
- Re-fuse to win – Most vintage bikes feature the old
style glass tube barrel style fuses known as British Plug types.
With all the vibration, an old bike can make these eventually
fail by coming apart in the fuse holder itself. You can keep
this from happening by replacing the old school fuse
configuration with a blade style ATO fuse and fuse holder. To
reduce further vibration, mount the fuse using a little Velcro on
the frame or battery cradle.
- Oil leaks – Walking around the parking area of a
vintage event it quickly becomes apparent that most old bikes
leak oil. Mine included. Seems that every time you fix one leak,
another comes up. I can put up with a small leak for awhile but
there comes a point when enough is enough. I recently saw one
rider who had so much oil pouring from his head gasket it was
creating a dangerous volume of smoke that would fill his helmet
at each stop. An oil leak like that is unhealthy for the rider
and a waste of oil as he was losing a quart of oil about every
fifty miles. With today’s technology there are computerized
gasket cutting machines that can recreate gaskets for any kind
of bike. Is it time to locate the one nearest you?
- Exhaust annoyances – Loud pipes in excess of legal
decible levels aren’t relegated to just the Screamin’ Eagle and
Cobra straight pipe crowds. Many vintage bikes are notorious for
exceeding legal exhaust decibel levels. Not doing anything about
it won’t help you when you’re trying to keep an event going year
after year while the locals ask government to put the pressure
on to shut down your event. Quieting your pipes will help non-
participants forget you’re around and save your own hearing as
well.
- Take a test ride – The day before my first ride event
of the year I pull the cover off the bike and roll it out for a
safety inspection. Tires, battery, oil, brakes, lights and
throttle all get checked before I finally throw a leg over the
bike and give its first kick of the year. It usually starts by
the second try! Then I take it out for a five mile ride, listen
to it, feel it and correct any issues before my big ride the
next day.
-
 Gear up! – Having done some extensive research on
what people wear when they ride, I know that about 83% of the
riding population is not dressed to crash. Make that about 98%
when we get to the vintage bike segment. Vintage bike events
tend to draw a lot of classic poser styles of clothing. I’ve
seen it all from German wool war fatigues or the basic Levi
jeans; to skimpy nylon vests or t shirts sporting the logo of a
heritage club. The reality is that none of these items will do
much to protect you in a crash. Regardless of what kind of bike
you plan to ride each day ask yourself when you get dressed in
the morning – ‘Am I ready to crash?’
Above: Just because your bike was built in 1960, there's no
reason to wear blue jeans designed in 1860. Always wear
the gear.
- Ready for the breakdown? – When you get ready to ride,
be sure to bring along the items that will get you out of a
pickle if need be. The proper assortment of fix tools, a tire
repair kit, a small pump, spare bulbs and fuses don’t weigh much
and can get you or a riding friend back on the road quickly
without having to call a tow truck. Some riders like to carry a
small tube of slime to handle flats, but remember to get the
tire off as soon as possible to limit any corrosion that slime
can cause to various types of metals or powder coatings on wheel
rims.
- You ride well, but... - How about that stranger in
front of you? – For some riders, vintage bike events are the only
time they ride. I know the owner of a dealership who doesn’t
ride all year until late summer when he pulls the old Triumph
out for the vintage poker run. His riding skills leave much to
be desired and the message here is to keep your distance with
plenty of room between you and the riders in front of you.
Expect the worst and be prepared to react.
- Know your bike’s limitations – I spend most of my
riding time on bikes with plenty of power and great braking
abilities as a result of the disc brakes they have both front
and rear. When I step onto my 1972 model that all goes out the
window. I need a lot more braking distance for those drum brakes
to stop me and there’s hardly enough power for passing
moderately moving vehicles. As long as I keep this in mind I do
a good job staying out of trouble.
- Clean it up – After the event clean your bike up so
it’s ready for the next time. Getting dirt and gunk off it right
away will insure the hard effort you put into restoring will not
be without cause and you’ll have more time to ride and spend
less time refurbishing later.
TM/Spring 08 |
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