XH Motorcycles Forum

General Communications Forums => General Discussion Similar to Facebook => Topic started by: Donkey Hotey on September 06, 2015, 10:52:41 PM

Title: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on September 06, 2015, 10:52:41 PM
OK people, post 'em up. 2000 motorcycles, people are bound to be riding them interesting places. Where did you ride your Super X today? Post a picture, date and location. Eatery, national park, bike hangout, vista point, whatever. GO!

Here is 1989 catching some sun on the edge of the helipad at Los Angeles County Fire Camp 9, 3000 feet above the San Fernando Valley, this afternon, September 6th, 2015.

Edit to add:
Not able to see the pictures?

For those viewing on phones or tablets, you may not see the pictures unless you're logged in.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: ChadeArndt on September 07, 2015, 02:47:09 AM
I am really looking forward to my first 'real' ride.  1989 is one beautiful machine.  Must be a thrilling ride to the top of that escarpment.

1973 is being prepped for now
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on September 07, 2015, 01:15:42 PM
Good enough. What are you doing to her that's keeping you from riding?
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: ChadeArndt on September 07, 2015, 10:22:04 PM
All required upgrades, and maintenance.  Not to mention I can't seem to get regular work at home
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: 2CoolWheels on September 08, 2015, 11:23:31 AM
I took 741 back through the Twin Oaks area for lunch on Sunday.  We rolled through the Walker Basin and greeted may other riders this weekend. And of course, the Super-X attracts bikers everywhere it stops!
Greg, I still want to hook up with you one day, you're only 40 miles away. Even if it's for a short ride and a quick meal.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on September 08, 2015, 02:39:37 PM
Mike, Mike, Mike, pictures man! You didn't take a single picture?
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: 2CoolWheels on September 08, 2015, 03:33:24 PM
Yeah, my bad. I'll get some up....
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on September 14, 2015, 07:13:10 PM
HMMM... Yesterday, I rode 1409 to Church... Then up to Haymarket and Manassas to visit my Brother and the Bank for some $$$... Around the back roads and almost hit 4-5 Deer.... Ahh.. Yess... Fall and cool riding on an Super X... Just watch out for Critters!!
Jumper
 :P
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on September 19, 2015, 12:44:17 AM
Mike? Jumper? Pictures? C'mon, I'm the last guy in the world riding a Super X? Nobody takes pictures of their bikes?

I cheated on fixing 1525 today. I rode the Jennie to lunch and thought I'd take a little detour on the way home. The little detour turned into 260 miles.

Here she is chasing the San Andreas Fault, along Cerro Noreste Road in Ventura County.
(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/89.jpg)

And climbing Highway 33, heading toward Pine Mountain Summit, then south to Ojai.
(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/90.jpg)

Looking back over the Carrizo Badlands, from Reyes Peak Road.
(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/92.jpg)


Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: ChadeArndt on September 19, 2015, 01:59:10 AM
Damn that's a gorgeous bike Greg!!
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on September 19, 2015, 07:14:23 AM
Hmmm... Didn't have a Camera with me.... The X was dirty... I just got my Computer fixed and on line... Let's see... I can come up with a few more excuses if ya like!!!
Jumper

 :P
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on September 19, 2015, 01:42:41 PM
OK, you get a pass (temporarily) because of the computer, though "dirty" is not an excuse.  :)

A dirty X is just a ridden X.

(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/88.jpg)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on September 28, 2015, 01:52:07 AM
Here is watching the last glimpse of sunlight, reflecting off of 333's tank, in the center of the Mojave National Preserve last night.

(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/104.jpg)

Here she is outside the local Habit Grill, tonight.
(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/110.jpg)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: franknsr on September 28, 2015, 08:20:48 PM
Just riding mine to work. That way I can be happy at least twice a day. ;-)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on September 28, 2015, 10:38:38 PM
OK, here is 333 at the California Aqueduct, overlooking the Antelope Valley, on my way to work this morning. If you look really closely at those mountains in the distance, 2CoolWheels is waving.

(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/111.jpg)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 04, 2015, 12:50:36 AM
333 taking the long way home after lunch today. Old Ridge Route, Los Angeles County, Antelope Valley in the background.

(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/112.jpg)

California 138, eastbound toward Lancaster.
(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/113.jpg)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: 2CoolWheels on October 05, 2015, 09:25:54 AM
You should have given me a holler, I'd have rode with you a bit. Remember, two Xes are better than one.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on October 06, 2015, 02:51:53 PM
Hell... Get two Xer's together and you got a Rally!!
Jumper
 ;D
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 11, 2015, 08:53:45 PM
Man, people must have some ugly Excelsior Hendersons. Nobody riding? I expect at least some choice shots from the Barber trip, if not a full-blown ride report.

In the meantime, 1525 is back online as of about 1:00 PM today. After spending fifteen years in pieces, the most clicked Excelsior Henderson on the Internet is once again a whole, running motorcycle.

Tilting at windmills near Willow Springs, CA.

(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/120.jpg)

Rolling into Mojave, CA.
(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/121.jpg)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: wytfut on October 12, 2015, 07:39:25 AM
Nice job!!
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Berlin Bob on October 12, 2015, 02:18:31 PM

nice  job... pat youself on the back for taking the job on ...i like not being affraid of jumping into it and  get' it  done ...i have done  4 engines so far and still will do it again    berlin  bob
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: 2CoolWheels on October 12, 2015, 03:37:21 PM
How's she run Greg? She ought to be sweeeeet!

I love the pictures. Some of the wind turbines in the background are GE 1.5mw machines built in the facility in Tehachapi where I worked for 14 years. I lived in Mojave for almost 20 years before moving to Tehachapi.....I know exactly where those pictures were taken!
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 12, 2015, 10:25:08 PM
Quote from: Berlin Bob on October 12, 2015, 02:18:31 PM

nice  job... pat youself on the back for taking the job on ...i like not being affraid of jumping into it and  get' it  done ...i have done  4 engines so far and still will do it again    berlin  bob
Taking on this job wasn't really an option. I bought that bike the last day of July 2000. When you type Excelsior Henderson into Google, that bike is the one that shows up. In the photos, I didn't even have the license plate on it yet. Vibration destroyed that camera on the way home from those photos being taken. They were the only photos I had of the bike running.

I banged out 5,000 miles in three months. I rode that thing EVERYWHERE! I had three or four other street bikes at the time and the X got ridden constantly. Just after 5K, it cracked the front cylinder head and let me know in a quite spectacular fashion.

I disassembled it, then started the wait for parts. People on the Resource Board reassured me many times that there were numerous new cylinder heads at the factory and it was just a matter of time before I'd get one.

And time it was. In the ensuing years, I moved. The cardboard boxes were damaged, then redamaged, then reboxed. The extremely small number of fasteners that were lost astounded me. Fifteen years in boxes and I was able to identify everything. Then it was just a matter of accepting that the transmission needed to be done and that I was not going to get away with not replacing the cylinder bolts with studs. Maybe I'll do a thread about her resurrection. I've got photos of the whole thing, including making the bearings for the transmission and drilling for the cylinder head studs.

Quote from: 2CoolWheels on October 12, 2015, 03:37:21 PM
How's she run Greg? She ought to be sweeeeet!
Honestly? 333 is the best sorted of the three I have. Now that I've ridden a remapped bike, I really understand how badly the other two need the ECUs reflashed. I was going to ride 1525 today but, I could hear pinging yesterday and don't want to push my luck. I really hate having to take out the ECUs and mail them across the country but, it is what it is.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 12, 2015, 11:40:27 PM
Can you tell Winter is coming? I'm trying to make up for a missed riding season. I've been riding every chance I get. Today was a commute down to the Los Angeles basin but, that was still an opportunity to get 333 back out on the road.

(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/122.jpg)

As always, the headlight managed to add texture and beauty to the ride--even if it was nearly 6:00 PM on a Los Angeles freeway.

(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/123.jpg)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 22, 2015, 10:54:29 PM
1525, climbing Big Pines Highway, Valyermo, CA. Sunday October 18th, 2015.

(http://www.ehforums.com/ehwebsite/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=215;image)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on October 23, 2015, 07:46:50 PM
Welp.. No pictures but... I had a date with a Harley Chick who could ride her 2015 Touring H-D like a maniac! S/N 827 was having a hard time keeping up with her. Ground the floorboards a tad..hehehe..
Jumper
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 23, 2015, 09:44:19 PM
That's just double the reason why you should have posted a picture.  ;)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: 2CoolWheels on October 24, 2015, 10:23:04 AM
  I participated in the "Love Ride" last weekend. It's one of the largest charity rides on the west coast to support veterans. They estimated 12000 bikes attended, since it is to be the last Love Ride. They ran out of parking lot space, and we ended up parked in the dirt after an hour wait just to GET parked! Twelve thousand bikes, only one Excelsior Henderson among them!
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on October 24, 2015, 02:14:49 PM
Mike... Congrats on the Love Ride... Have read about it for years. There was one X and 11,999 other bikes... Bet yer's wuz the prutty wun....

Jumper

Oh yeah, like Greg says... PICTURES!!
ehheheeheh

 :o
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 24, 2015, 11:49:53 PM
Not just the Love Ride, the LAST Love Ride and--supposedly--the only Excelsior Henderson there and you didn't take a single picture? What's wrong with you?  :)

I'm being serious here guys: you guys don't take pictures of your bikes? Man, I LOVE polishing these things to death, then taking them out and snapping pictures. They're beautiful machines.  How could somebody NOT take pictures of them?

Edit: wait! I see pictures now! I wasn't logged in! Good job, man!!

So what kind of comments did you get?
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: ChadeArndt on October 25, 2015, 12:17:45 PM
Greg your X photos are my new spank candy
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 26, 2015, 12:14:04 AM
More spank candy then... ;D

Four weeks ago, yesterday, Beulah set her wheels down in California. The next day, I had her running again. She was showing some bumps and bruises from people who didn't covet her as she deserved.

She went from being the "bike in the bubble", eight short years ago...

(http://www.excelsiorhenderson.com/ehwebsite/photo/cache/x-rider-submitted-gallery/dan-amp-hunter-sturgis-2007/eh-hunter-dad-sturgis-2007_131_595.jpg)

To being a Craigslist refugee, with deep gouges in her tank, peeling clear coat and a couple of dings.

She spent sundown on the end of her fourth Sunday in California, running free on southern California roads. She has covered 990 miles in four short weeks, despite not even being taken for a formal "ride" anywhere (I said I ride these things to death). With her odometer not even 100 miles into 6K, I'm riding her 38 times as much as she's been ridden in all the rest of her years.

Her fuel tank leaks no more (repaired last night). Her scratches have been filled in, sanded and faired into the rest of the paint. The peeled clear coat from the fuel leak, got painted-in today. The dent in the rear fender was repaired yesterday. In a week or two, she'll get a fresh coat of clear over the tank and the paint restoration will be complete.

Happy one month Beulah. Glad to have you in the stable. Here she is descending from the top of Mount Wilson, in the mountains above Pasadena, CA this afternoon.

(http://www.ehforums.com/ehwebsite/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=225;image)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on October 26, 2015, 12:39:22 PM
Sniff sniff  :'( I get so misty eyed over such a heart warming X story!!
Jumper
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 29, 2015, 11:48:57 PM
Beulah (333) is getting all the attention lately. I pulled Molly (1525) out of the garage a couple of days ago and started on my way to work. I finally decided that the jingling coming from the front fork is obviously not a poor fitting headlight reflector and more likely something loose on the fork. Upon closer inspection, it looks like the damper is unscrewing itself from the right lower leg. Yeah, back in the garage until I can tear into it and fix whatever is making the noise.

So Beulah got another fall ride in the Angeles National Forest. Two days ago was her turn atop the Los Angeles County Firefighter's Camp 9 helipad, above the San Fernando Valley.

(http://www.ehforums.com/ehwebsite/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=229;image)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on October 30, 2015, 10:41:46 AM
Check the strut cover and tighten it with a leather strap...

 :P
Jumper
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 30, 2015, 11:17:54 AM
Yeah, it's obviously one of those parts ringing around. How thin-walled is the strut cover? I'll take it apart if there's any chance at all of bending or pinching the wall.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on October 30, 2015, 08:01:12 PM
Plenty thick enough to tighten. It's really bad when they loosen up and come off. That'll make a racket. A dab of blue locktite does wonders..
Jumper
 8)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 31, 2015, 11:13:53 PM
Thanks for the tip, Jumper! That's exactly what it was. I unscrewed it the rest of the way, put some blue loctite on the threads, then screwed it back down with a couple of wraps of a strap wrench.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on November 02, 2015, 01:07:36 AM
In three short weeks since being put back on the road, Molly (1525) has accumulated over 500 miles. Three hundred of those miles were today.

Today was the annual Norton Owner's Club Hansen Dam gathering and ride (http://socalnorton.com/wp/calendar/). It's open to all British brands but, the parking lot attracts all kinds of exotic and vintage bikes. There were a couple of CBXs, old CB750s, /2 BMWs, Airheads and more. Some guy named Jay brought out one of his Brough Superiors (http://www.car-stock-photos.com/photos/pb-concours-60th-jay-leno.jpeg)--just because he can. The guy is an ambassador and true to himself and the hobby of cars and motorcycles. If I were filthy rich, I'd live exactly like him.
 
 The weather was absolutely flawless. I'm sorry in advance for the people who already have winter upon them. It was 70F by 8:00 AM and the skies were crystal clear. Many hundreds of bikes turned out and Molly was there. I figured the engine was developed by Weslake and the electrics are the same as modern Triumphs so that makes it kind of British, right?
 
 (http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/128.jpg)
 
 There were plenty of people who knew what it was and she got her share of attention. At 10:00 AM, the ride departed. I didn't follow. It was a short ride and not everybody joined in. To be judged and ranked, the bikes had to complete the ride. By the lingering bikes in the parking lot, many were perfectly content to kick tires and look at everybody else's stuff.
 
 There was also an Italian and French car show  (http://www.franceanditaly.com/)and swap meet going on about 15 miles away. Many of the people who showed up for the Norton gathering, diverted to the second event for the afternoon. Before heading over, I took Molly up Little Tujunga Canyon Road. She took her turn on the helipad at LA County Fire Camp 9. This was about noon over the San Fernando Valley.
 
 (http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/129.jpg)
 
 No pictures from the car show. I got there about 1:30 and the cars were already thinning out. I made my way through what was left, checking out all kinds of exotic and unusual cars. There were also pockets of motorcycles and scooters. It was an event in its own right.
 
 When I got back to Molly, there was a note from somebody asking me to contact them. Apparently, the owner of 1526 (one serial number apart from Molly) was at the car show and randomly spotted her in the parking lot. I'd have paid money to see the look on his face when he discovered the serial number on Molly.
 
 I was supposed to meet a friend at the car show but, he was nowhere to be found. Thinking he could have taken the riding opportunity to go to the Santa Monica Mountains, I took a quick loop up to the Rock Store and the Snake. Nope, no Joe. 3:30 PM on a Sunday and there are still a few stragglers. Two different guys thought it was a brand new motorcycle and one asked me where the nearest dealer was (not joking).
 
 (http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/130.jpg)
 
 At that time of day, my return route home is either via a clogged 101 freeway, or the coast and sneak around the whole mess. And that's just what I did. With the sun rapidly setting, I got this shot from Deer Creek Road, just past the Ventura County line, looking south-east toward Malibu.
 
(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/131.jpg)
 
 And a sunset shot from Pacific Coast Highway, looking down the same stretch of coastline.
 
(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/132.jpg)

Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: wytfut on November 03, 2015, 05:41:14 PM
LOL.....
I get that "its not new?" question every once in a while....    it elates me...    As most of us owners know, the looks of our X's is pretty much timeless so far....   and its easy to see....    Look at any other 1999 breed of bike out there, and quite frankly most of the time they look their age/era. ...

My Nephew Devin Nielsen, wants to print up a tshirt that says "its not a harley"....   as that is usually the most typical question we get asked at shows, etc. ...   

Still amazes me how many folks don't know or have ever heard of them and are in motorcycle world.... and then the next time, everyone has to tell me about their test ride at Sturgis back then....       can't ever out guess the mode...
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on November 04, 2015, 09:48:50 AM
One guy at the Norton gathering was an early investor and was telling his GF the story of the company when I walked up. Plenty of people at those kinds of events know what it is. Then again, those events bring out the really rabid motorcyclists. There were few casual enthusiasts there. Most were heavily invested into some niche or another.

My favorite comment overheard recently (different place) was a know-it-all telling somebody it was a Kawasaki. He talked like he really knew something about it. He was critical as hell and wearing a Harley shirt. I smiled to myself and kept walking.

You did nail it, though. Our bikes are still very contemporary. Except for the displacement being relatively mid-sized after the cubic inch wars of the last ten years, the bike could still go into a showroom today. With a displacement bump, ABS tucked into the electrical box and maybe a counterbalancer (there's room for it), this motorcycle could still compete. I demo rode a $40K CVO Harley two years ago and it didn't leave me any more impressed than my own EH.

I honestly wonder sometimes, what it would take to bump start the EH supply chain after 15 years.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Berlin Bob on November 04, 2015, 12:27:15 PM
I often thought about the possible restart myself...could get the community to buy out Dan,hehehehe ...like the employees of harley did back then ????   what a thought that would be !!!!   if I hit the power ball...I would honestly try it ....more of these bikes should be on the road and seen,instead of being thrown into history  books ...as many of us have about three or more of these machines ...we sucked them up hoping to be an investment later ...but we fell in love with them instead and kept them...you can only ride one at a time...as the others sit in a garage waiting to be rode...how lonely that must be...but I am glad to be a human though....just my 2 cents
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on November 04, 2015, 09:48:53 PM
Maybe some bought them as investments. I buy my bikes to own and ride. If they depreciate, that's the cost of enjoying them. If they go up in value, that's just a bonus.

I was posting the story of buying 1525 on another forum. I bought it in July 2000. A guy I know jumped in and accused me of "Buying a boat as it was sinking" and accused me of not considering the resale value or anything else.

My reply was that--no--of course I didn't. I wanted my choice of color and accessories. I had zero intentions of selling it, then or now. I bought that bike to stay with me forever--death. I took it out of the crate, I did all the recent engine work, it's MY motorcycle, more than any other bike, ever.

I bought my Jennie because it's what I originally pined for all those years ago. And I still wanted it. That was all the reason needed.

I bought 333 because I made the mistake of linking some pictures of a black one on another forum. By the time I was done explaining the exceptional paint finish on the bikes, I was in love with the black paint and decided I needed one of those too.

"Investment" implies that one would sell a bike. I haven't sold a bike in 13 years.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on November 05, 2015, 11:09:37 AM
Last night I totally forgot to address the idea of relaunching the brand. Here are some things to toy around with in your heads. The company, the brand and the motorcycle didn't disappear. The only thing that disappeared was the final assembly plant.

The most controversial piece--and one that I don't have firm ideas on--would be how to market them. Would boutique dealers be interested in picking up the brand again? There ARE plenty of dealers who deal in odd brands like Moto Guzzi, Royal Enfield, ATK and Ural. Maybe even the dealers who sell Triumphs. I always believed the untapped market for these bikes was the guy who wanted a really nice cruiser but, wouldn't be caught dead on a Harley.
The bike would need to be different from what we currently own. Nobody is going to buy a new one when new bikes are still languishing with MSO tags and no miles. It would need a few updates:It would represent redesign but, nowhere near the cost of a clean sheet offering. It would follow the idea that Dan had back in the beginning: what would it look like if the company had never gone out of business and continued to evolve? This would simply be another 15 year leap.

I dropped into a local Indian dealer last night. I am in love with both the new Scout and the Chief. I took a demo ride on the Chief two years ago at the Long Beach Motorcycle Show. It's a great motorcycle. It really is. They even came out with some metallic paint offerings for 2016 and that fixed one of my biggest disappointments with them.


It's 15 years newer, created by a very mature Polaris Industries, with all the experience of Victory behind them. I'm still not entirely sold on the totally enclosed, plasticky look of the back half of the Chief. I'm not sure what I'd have done with that part of the bike but, aesthetically, what they did doesn't quite work for my eye.


Aesthetically, I still like my Excelsior Hendersons better. Yeah, they have a deep valenced fender. I still think our front fenders are far more attractive. Ditto for our forks. This honestly isn't me trying to justify what I have over what I might supposedly want. In a way, it's a little disappointing to not have anything out there that makes me want to trade up. These Excelsior Hendersons still--in many ways--are ahead of their time.



End of my rant and hijack.  ;D
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: 2CoolWheels on November 05, 2015, 03:28:40 PM
Greg,
  Love your comments, many of the same thoughts have crossed my mind. All the new Victorys and Indians are throttle by wire, and cruise control is standard. Easy upgrades for our bikes, since they've already got EFI. A stepper motor on the throttle plates would be the only additional hardware in addition to a newer ECU.
  I suggested to Dan some time ago that we might bring the brand back incrementally.....starting with just the engine. Our engine was way ahead if it's time, and could compete today on the aftermarket engine market for custom bikes (like S&S). It wouldn't take as much reverse engineering to get it to market, and a far smaller facility to produce. Once it started making money, then the business could expand to the rest of the bike frame.

Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on November 08, 2015, 11:45:37 PM
November 7, 2015: Beulah on Lake Hughes Road, near Castaic California.

(http://www.ehforums.com/ehwebsite/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=237;image)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on November 14, 2015, 04:44:20 PM
Shenandoah Valley with Jamie, Joe T. from Indiana, Ed T. from Chicago and myself...
Jumper
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on November 21, 2015, 09:08:12 AM
Umm... Rode up to Marshall Diner this brisk sunny Sat. morn....
Let me say THIS!!!

UURRRPPP!!!
Good food!
Jumper
 ::)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on November 22, 2015, 09:40:33 PM
Long Beach International Motorcycle Show this weekend. Beulah spent two days in the parking lot, attracting lots of looks and questions. I wore an Oyster EH button-down on Friday night and the black one on Saturday.

Lots of people remember the brand and plenty have stories of their own. Always a good time.

The weather was terrible: low 80s and a light ocean breeze. Thousands of motorcycles in the parking lot. Only one Excelsior Henderson.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: rt66john on December 07, 2015, 11:16:58 AM
I didn't get a pic of #2016, but I did ride to the annual Chicagoland Toys for Tots parade yesterday.  It was a great day for this time of year in Chi-town and there were lots of bikes.  I put about 100 miles on for the day.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on December 09, 2015, 01:05:08 AM
Too bad you didn't get some pictures of your own. 100 miles in metro Chicago? 10-12 hours of riding? You're an animal!
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on December 09, 2015, 08:07:08 AM
Hey Greg... You ever ridden around Chicago? Those Folks are crazy drivers for sure!!! Any Xer that survives deserves a medal!!!

Jumper
 ;D
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: rt66john on December 09, 2015, 11:55:18 AM
LOL, not quite 12 hours.  We stopped once or twice to wet our whistles.

I found a pic someone else took.  She took one of her Vulcan 900 and I just happened to be parked next to her.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on December 10, 2015, 01:08:59 AM
HEY! Look at that! An Excelsior in the wild! It's a beautiful thing!

Yeah, Chicago can be really trying and that's coming from a guy who grew up with Los Angeles traffic. It took us 3.5 hours to get from McCormick Place to the airport on a Friday afternoon. We honestly thought we were going to miss our flight after giving ourselves four hours to go 19 miles. We literally had to drive through residential neighborhoods almost the entire way because the freeways were gridlocked.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: 2CoolWheels on December 12, 2015, 08:52:50 PM
 Well, I didn't really ride them (unless you consider riding onto a trailer 'riding'), but I did get my Xs down to the Bakersfield fair grounds for the big toy run tomorrow. There is usually around 6000 attendees to this event, and I'm sure there will be a small crowd around 741 and 901.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on December 12, 2015, 11:10:46 PM
Mike... What are you doing?? Close ups of the bikes too!

Jumper

 :o
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: 2CoolWheels on December 13, 2015, 05:43:51 PM
Jumper, you act as if you've never seen one!  ::)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: 2CoolWheels on December 13, 2015, 05:49:11 PM
"Wow, who makes it?"

"Is there a dealer nearby?"

"Oh, another Japanese Harley wanna-be."

"Wow, I love the front end!"

"Nice bike, except for the front end."



By now, you guys have heard them all..........
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on December 14, 2015, 02:54:57 AM
Man, I was going to head out there and just troll you with stupid questions and comments. By the end of the day, you surely heard them all. What was the deal with the inside area? Displays for vendors and show bikes or something?
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: 2CoolWheels on December 14, 2015, 08:47:35 AM
Greg,
   I belong to a conservative motorcycle group that promotes our Constitution. We set up a booth at the Toy Run every year for exposure, always looking for more patriots who like to ride. I put the Xs on display to draw attention to our little group. We got lucky this year, the coordinator put us right in front of one of the entrances, so the Xs were the first thing people saw as they entered the building.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: ChadeArndt on May 19, 2016, 09:47:37 AM
It's been a while since we've had some great shots, and I'd love to see this keep going so I'll contribute.  Last week went to the car show at Quaker Steak and got a sneer from a Harley guy.

Funny how in certain places the bike is a lightning rod of amazement. 

Memorial day around the corner, sure to be a lot of riders out on their X's.  Let's see some more glamour shots!
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: ChadeArndt on May 20, 2016, 09:07:34 AM
How in the hell do I get my photos to post?  Seems impossible to put anything up small enough to be 250kb? :o
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on May 22, 2016, 05:50:51 AM
I'll try to get shots from Rolling Thunder next weekend..
Jumper
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: wytfut on May 22, 2016, 08:59:08 AM
I'm glad I said something Chad....
I'm just not smart enuff, and was too embarrassed  to say anything. Greg posts regular.... 

Lol
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: wytfut on May 22, 2016, 09:01:05 AM
Lol... I just looked at the cannonball posts and see I did post a picture from the 2014....   lol, now if I can only remember
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on May 25, 2016, 01:35:08 AM
Quote from: ChadeArndt on May 20, 2016, 09:07:34 AM
How in the hell do I get my photos to post?  Seems impossible to put anything up small enough to be 250kb? :o
Two different issues there: the screen size of the image and the file size. Big pictures can still be smaller file sizes by using more picture compression. If your phone or camera doesn't give you the choice of how small to make the file size, there are websites you can upload to, select a new size and amount of compression and it will cough your picture back to you with those settings. Then you can save it, upload it here and share.  :)

The compression trade-off is that it tries to estimate what pixels next to each other should be, instead of storing the actual pixels. As a result, some details can get lost with higher compression. You'll notice it with things like the clarity of reading the tank decal in the photo. A smaller file (highly compressed) will lose the fine detail.

Looking forward to seeing more pics.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: rt66john on June 03, 2016, 11:04:01 AM
Not glamorous, but I rode to work today.   :D
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: wytfut on June 03, 2016, 03:50:32 PM
Hard not even mentioning the word glamorous, when around a jennie
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: rt66john on June 08, 2016, 11:57:12 AM
Quote from: wytfut on June 03, 2016, 03:50:32 PM
Hard not even mentioning the word glamorous, when around a jennie

The bike, sure.  The location and me, not so much.   :o
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: ChadeArndt on June 10, 2016, 02:22:22 PM
Wow!  That Jennie is gorgeous!
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on June 11, 2016, 02:50:54 PM
 8)
Nothing fancy here today... I rode to work in D.C. at 5 a.m. this Sat... D.C. is nice... A straight shot out of Marshall on I-66 which dumps you on Constitution Ave. where at that early hour just Joggers... I twist the throttle and make noise when I go by the White House... I figure Obama is probably up and has a grin on his face thinking.. That damn Jumper is at it again!! Hehehe.. Rush hour during the week sucks and I don't ride much as we know how our X's react when hot and sitting in traffic!
Jumper

Sorry Greg.. No pictures.. Just as well as S/N 1409 is filthy...
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: rt66john on June 13, 2016, 03:19:27 PM
Me on Jennie #2016 with two friends on Road Kings.  We're on an old brick section of Route 66 just south of Springfield, IL.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: rt66john on June 13, 2016, 03:24:43 PM
My #2016 and one of the Road Kings from above under a cool mural in Gillespie, IL.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: ChadeArndt on June 13, 2016, 05:34:23 PM
Parking a Jennie next to a Harley is kinda like putting Kate Upton next to Hillary Clinton.   but I might be partial ::)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on June 14, 2016, 05:06:13 PM
That John... He get's all the Girls!!!

Jumper ;D
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: ChadeArndt on June 17, 2016, 01:10:36 PM
Got to ride with Wyfut, his nephew Devon, and my welding buddy Darin these last couple of weeks.  It was a beautiful experience with the best X'rs around here in the heartland. 
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: rt66john on June 20, 2016, 12:12:56 PM
Those Jennie bikes sure are purdy.   ;D
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: 2CoolWheels on June 20, 2016, 01:11:11 PM
Hey....I recognize that Wytfut feller........heck of a good Xer!
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: wytfut on June 22, 2016, 01:09:56 PM
 :)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on June 23, 2016, 07:22:45 PM
Yeah... But he drinks Black Label BBEEEERRRR!!.. Or is it Schlitz??!!
(Hey Bruce... I won't "drunk dial you" .. again..) Hehehe...

Jumper
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: wytfut on June 24, 2016, 06:09:35 AM
Spoiled brat....
You live on yeiung ling country....
All we get is swill out here in the flatlands......
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: 2CoolWheels on June 27, 2016, 08:52:06 AM
Y'know Jumper, if you were really his friend, you'd ship him a case of the good stuff!
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: wytfut on June 27, 2016, 07:17:10 PM
Here here
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: ChadeArndt on June 27, 2016, 10:21:41 PM
How are these forum replies happening without pictures? 8)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on June 30, 2016, 05:45:59 PM
I think you gotta be logged in to see the pictures...
Jumper
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: ChadeArndt on July 01, 2016, 05:14:10 PM
Omaha to St Joe.   Perfect weather, and might have to do a photo op with my other steed! :)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: ChadeArndt on July 03, 2016, 07:08:14 PM
Both the same model year,   the next generation in versatile transportation with my Jennie safe at home
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: 2CoolWheels on July 06, 2016, 09:04:45 AM
Yeah, but the Jenny's got more horsepower..... ::)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: rt66john on July 25, 2016, 04:36:44 PM
Another non-exotic locale, but this is after 10 miles or so in the rain.  The trailer in the back ground is the classroom for the MSF courses I teach a few weekends a year.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: wytfut on July 25, 2016, 07:58:41 PM
👍
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: ChadeArndt on September 05, 2016, 08:10:33 AM
Was able to get a tour of the immediate riding area around St Joseph, Missouri with Mr Blackheart before labor day, and enjoyed some great riding during the weekend.

The X runs as good as she looks, and made extra sure to detail every nook and cranny.  Keeping 1973 in near concours condition is a bit of a task, but one that I'm happy to stay on top of.  Happy labor day X'rs.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: ChadeArndt on September 05, 2016, 08:12:24 AM
Last two
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: wytfut on September 06, 2016, 06:03:32 AM
Looking good X Chad...
Glad you got caught up with Rich...

Some day you are going to be on a mission to waver lo y to show me how to post pictures......
Or maybe I'll just text them to you to post for me
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: rt66john on September 13, 2016, 01:37:14 PM
Last Saturday, my ABATE chapter held it's annual run.  After, I tagged along with a few friends for them to get a few letters for HOGs "ABCs of Touring 2016".  This sign is on IL38 in Cortland, IL.  IL38 through here is also the most famous of the named highways in America, the Lincoln Highway.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: ChadeArndt on September 14, 2016, 09:47:50 PM
Gorgeous!   The Lincoln highway in Nebraska was a bit of a historic piece too, before the interstate system.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: CardwellH on June 30, 2017, 01:02:41 AM
Quote from: Donkey Hotey on September 19, 2015, 12:44:17 AM
Mike? Jumper? Pictures? C'mon, I'm the last guy in the world riding a Super X? Nobody with pictures of their bikes?

I cheated on fixing 1525 today. I rode the Jennie to lunch and thought I'd take a little detour on the way home. The little detour turned into 260 miles.

Here she is chasing the San Andreas Fault, along Cerro Noreste Road in Ventura County.
(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/89.jpg)

And climbing Highway 33, heading toward Pine Mountain Summit, then south to Ojai.
(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/90.jpg)

Looking back over the Carrizo Badlands, from Reyes Peak Road.
(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/92.jpg)

Awesome pics!
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on July 02, 2017, 12:00:37 PM
I got out on S/N 827 a few days ago... 960 this morning...
Jumper
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: franknsr on July 03, 2017, 03:45:05 PM
Quote from: Jumper on July 02, 2017, 12:00:37 PM
I got out on S/N 827 a few days ago... 960 this morning...
Jumper
Pictures! ;-)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: rt66john on July 12, 2017, 02:05:57 PM
Scenic overlook just north of Guttenberg IA last week with the PCRC Rally crew.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: rt66john on July 13, 2017, 09:03:42 AM
Me standing between my Jennie #2016 and Tony Krivak's r/o #1391.  The photo was taken in Elizabeth, IL last week.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on September 10, 2017, 03:29:10 PM
Looking good John!
Come on down to Arkansas in a couple of weeks!
Jumper
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on September 17, 2017, 01:32:44 AM
Too much time has passed but I finally got back out on two wheels today (thanks to a failed clutch master cylinder on my car  :-[ ).

333 at Vasquez Rocks Nature Area  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasquez_Rocks)this afternoon.

(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/134.jpg)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Berlin Bob on September 17, 2017, 12:50:59 PM
NICE !!!!
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on September 24, 2017, 02:00:59 PM
1663 on Bouquet Canyon Road yesterday. Shaking it down and taking baseline pictures of it after purchase. No bath, no mechanical work, nada. Put almost 200 miles on it and it runs & rides great. The chrome on the front end needs some work but, the rest of the bike seems to be pretty good. I'll wash it today to get a better idea of what I'm really dealing with.

(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/141.jpg)

The Old Ridge Route, looking across Antelope Valley toward the Tehachapi Mountains in the distance.
(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/147.jpg)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on September 30, 2017, 07:12:55 AM
Arkansas!! With a bunch of Xer's. Website won't accept my pictures, but we had a great time!!
Jumper
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 01, 2017, 04:12:05 AM
As is normally my modus operandi with a new bike in the stable, 1663 got ridden again today. What began as a 50 mile loop to get lunch, organically grew by 220 miles as I was finishing the last bites at almost 4:00 PM.

Stopped at the Saint Francis Dam Disaster memorial  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Francis_Dam)in Santa Paula California (https://www.google.com/maps/place/201+N+10th+St,+Santa+Paula,+CA+93060/@34.3556577,-119.0613058,219m/data=%213m2%211e3%214b1%214m5%213m4%211s0x80e9b59b83131499:0xb1a7cfb8277fb9b0%218m2%213d34.3556566%214d-119.0607586).
 
(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/152.jpg)
 
 Past Ojai, California and heading north on Hwy 33.
 (http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/153.jpg)
 
 Climbing toward the summit on 33 and capturing a POV shot from the GoPro.
 (http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/154.jpg)
 
 At the junction of 166 in the Cuyama Valley.
 (http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/155.jpg)
 
Slowly getting her sorted out. A few minor issues have cropped up but, they're easy fixes. Passenger seat and backrest are on the shelf. I need to find a set of fender spacers so I can remove the sissy bar next.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 06, 2017, 11:33:13 PM
Thursday night, 1663 at Bike Night, Cycle Gear, Palmdale, CA.

(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/157.jpg)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 23, 2017, 12:34:05 AM
What an awful way to spend an October Sunday afternoon: 80 degrees, light traffic on Pacific Coast Highway and a Super X thrumming away under you. It's tough but, somebody has to do it.

(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/165.jpg)

(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/166.jpg)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 26, 2017, 04:51:11 PM
1663 yesterday on Glacier Point Road in Yosemite. A little dusty from the miles of road construction but, still a fine ride.

(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/170.jpg)

Later, on the valley floor (and more construction delays).
(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/172.jpg)

Taking a break at the base of El Capitan, pondering which route to take home: the short one (with 2 hours of construction delays) or the long one (ninety minutes more)? The long route won: 748 miles in a single day.

(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/173.jpg)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on July 02, 2018, 01:17:27 AM
Man, how time has flown. Time to kick this thread in the pants.

1663 did a 300 mile day about a month ago.
(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/175.jpg)

There she is just past Pine Mountain Summit on California Hwy 33.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on July 02, 2018, 01:24:09 AM
Then June 10th, I wasn't feeling very inventive so I did a similar loop again but, tacked on some additional to round it out to nearly 400 miles.

This is descending into the Santa Ynez Valley along California Highway 154.

(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/176.jpg)

And nearly home, blasting across the Mojave Desert.
(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/177.jpg)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on July 02, 2018, 09:55:13 PM
That was June 10th. Have the bikes sat since then? Heck no!

My original baby, 1525, that I've owned for nearly 18 years now had not been out in three years. Gotta' keep them going.

Pulled her out Sunday morning, gave her a quick bath and a coat of wax, then headed off to Newcomb's Ranch for lunch, along California's Angeles Crest Highway. There was still a decent number of bikes in the parking lot, considering it was already 1:30 in the afternoon.

(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/178.jpg)

With the long summer days and absolutely perfect, mild weather we had this weekend, I headed down the mountain toward Los Angeles with no particular destination or route in mind.

Habit and conditions led me to the Santa Monica Mountains again, where I randomly mixed up roads back and forth across the ridge. A favorite has always been Saddle Peak Road--named because that's exactly where it runs: along the ridge of the mountains, with the coast below.

That's LAX and Marina del Rey just about the center of the top of the photo. The Palos Verdes Peninsula extends southward to the right.

(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/179.jpg)

Being 5:00ish PM by the time I got to the Rock Store on Mulholland Highway, there weren't enough bikes to bother stopping so, the route continued out to Encinal Canyon, before dropping us back to Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu for some late afternoon pics.
(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/180.jpg)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Thirteenhundred on July 21, 2018, 04:43:05 PM
My wife and I recently went to Grand Marais MN.  I rode 1300 and she rode her Vic.  270 ish miles from home, went about 650 miles on the entire trip.  I never did manage to get a photo of the bikes with Lake Superior in the background but we enjoy the north shore so next time.  1300 ran good except for an occasional miss on the ride back, haven't had time to look into it yet.  Never have I had a bike that drew so much interest; stopped for gas and ran into someone who helped build the factory as well as people just curious about the bike..."it's an Excelsior-what?"  Good times for sure.  I'm having trouble with pictures at the moment but I'll try again later.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on August 26, 2018, 03:34:26 PM
We had a good turn out up in Reading, Pa. a few weeks back...Snamrocks place... A few X's and a lot of fun!
Jumper
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: 1090 on November 04, 2018, 07:05:09 PM
New EH rider, picked up # 1090 last week.  Rode in a local policeman's benefit ride yesterday and today rode out and dropped in on a super nice couple unannounced.  I was delighted to discover Marty and Jamie Jones live only about 25 miles from my house. Thought it would be nice to see where my bike could go for Rx.  Rode up a holler and found their house, rang the bell, and was like meeting an old friend.  He showed me around his shop and got to view  a good number of customer bikes.  Was happy to find out he had done most upgrades on mine years ago.

Lucky to live near  such a great resource!

Robert
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: wytfut on November 05, 2018, 01:11:27 PM
Robert....
You are so right.... the best people...  great skills...
And you are very lucky to be so close.... Imagine us west of the Mississippi getting our X's to them. Its a known expense.

Bruce
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on November 05, 2018, 10:31:59 PM
And another bumperoo to this fine thread. 1525 (Molly) on Piuma Road, high above Malibu, CA, yesterday afternoon. The fog below was right down on the deck but it was sunny and warm on the hillsides.

Took her to the annual Hansen Dam All British ride-in and rally earlier in the morning. When a few people asked why, I said: "Alan Hurd was the chief engineer and the engine is a Weslake so it's at least half-British." Nobody had a problem with that.

Honestly, it's an all brands event, with all kinds of exotic, odd and rare bikes. I was proud to have her all waxed up and on display there. I can't believe this is an 18 year old motorcycle.

(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/181.jpg)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on November 08, 2018, 10:18:43 PM
Haha! Well, imagine my dumb luck. I was out for a ride on Sunday not long after the photo I posted above. There was a roadside photographer along Mullholland Highway. He was in a shady corner, it was kind of harsh afternoon light, shadows were getting long and I never would have even checked his website for the results. Surely they must have been bad.

The friend I was riding with sent me the link the next day and not only did the guy get a good shot; he got THREE good shots, sharp and in focus. Very much worth the money I paid for them. Dammit, would you just LOOK at the shine on that 18 year old tank!
http://highwayphotos.net/

(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/182.jpg)

Because I bought all three photos, he included this panorama shot with the package and all three images in the same frame.
(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/183.jpg)

He even complimented me on how clean the underside of the bike was (due to the thorough scrubbing she got the night before). The full-size images are so sharp you can see the flats on the fasteners.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: wytfut on November 09, 2018, 07:22:00 AM
Wow ..
Gorgeous!!
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on November 10, 2018, 02:15:33 PM
Hey Bruce!!! LOOK!! Three R/O's in a row!!! Looks like they all dress alike too!!
Jumper
hehehe...
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on November 10, 2018, 07:13:17 PM
Now that 738 has followed me home, I had to take her out for a shake-down run today. She's got a couple of the common but, easily fixed problems, including that front end shake when you loosen your grip on the bars. I hope the guy before me didn't think that was normal. I'll fix that either tonight or tomorrow. There's is some light pitting here and there but, she's in overall fine shape.

Anyway, took her to lunch, then across town to see long-time EH owner Doug Hoffelt at his shop. For those who don't know, Doug not only specializes in old Japanese bikes but, he's also equipped and ready to service Excelsior Hendersons on the west coast. In fact, he has a Green / Oyster waiting in the back for parts right now. Always good catching up with Doug.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on November 17, 2018, 08:42:50 AM
738 took a nice ride through the Angeles National Forest yesterday, on her way to the annual International Motorcycle Show in Long Beach California. Since I like to get there early and roam the parking lot looking at bikes, she got parking all the way up front where people could see her on the way in.

Yes, she attracts attention. I personally spoke to 8-10 different people who were either fascinated by the design (and shocked to learn the bike is 19 years old) or, they remembered the brand but, had never seen one in person.

I also ran into some old Excelsior Henderson family inside the show. More on that tomorrow...

I'm about to shower and head back for day two of the show. Saturday is always the big day.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on November 18, 2018, 01:33:41 PM
738 crossed the Start / Finish line for the Long Beach Grand Prix on her way to day two at the International Motorcycle Show. A grounding / battery connection issue reared its head on the trip down so excuse the check engine light. She rolled 9998 coming into the parking lot.

I didn't wear any EH stuff on Friday night and still managed to run into original Excelsior-Henderson employees & owners, Mike Shell and Nick Trumbo. I returned on Saturday with a 1998 Sturgis shirt and my jacket for a photo op. It was great meeting Mike and even better catching up with Nick: Good people.

Thanks to the jacket, I also met Paul, another X owner who had many questions. He should be here shortly to change / update his registration.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on November 18, 2018, 04:50:48 PM
Greg!! Glad you met up with Nick and Mike!! Good Folk....
Give Doug a Howdy Do from me … We are planning a West Coast meet up Fall 2019... FYI..
Now Greg... On a serious note.... Do you have an X problem?! I mean.. I should talk with me sitting on 9 X's right now... None the less... I see you are trying to catch up with me...
"Hello, I'm Jumper... I ride a Super X...".( the Group says Hi Jumper!) heheheh….
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on November 19, 2018, 12:14:12 AM
Haha! No, I don’t have a problem. I haven’t bought every Super X that has crossed my path. Man, I passed up a blue/silver in the right condition maybe three years ago and was kicking myself ever since.

You’re just mad that you tried to buy this one 11 years ago.  ;D

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Excelsior-Henderson-Resource-Board/conversations/messages/26397
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on November 19, 2018, 11:08:48 PM
As long as I'm sharing pics of where my Super X has been, 738 took her first tow truck ride Saturday night. Yeah, I left that part out.

On the way down to the show on Saturday, I started getting the flickering charge light and the occasional backfire. When this happened on the Deadwood, it was a bad ground in the electrical bay. I ignored it and figured I'd get to it on Sunday.

Well, it got worse and worse. I parked her and went into the show. When I came out, she wouldn't start. With the help of another rider, we push started her and I didn't drop it (stupid, stupid, stupid--should have called the truck, what if I dropped it?).

Took off for home: 94 miles. She went from bad to worse. I kept her going as long as possible. Made it 38 miles before she coasted to a stop. Waited 90 minutes on the freeway for the tow truck.

Sunday morning I found the problem: a poorly installed Battery Tender lead was sticking out where the swing-cage could poke and rub on it. The positive battery screw had backed almost completely out of the battery post and was shorting against the battery box. It alternated between that and the cable making intermittent contact. The post was destroyed on an otherwise usable battery.

Bought a new battery. Opened up the electrical bay anyway. Made a nice supplemental chassis ground jumper. Wired a new SAE lead into the master ground and the main circuit breaker. That won't happen again.

Remarkably: the charging system was unharmed. She's back on the road again, less than 24 hours later.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on November 30, 2018, 07:25:29 PM
After her battery mishap in the last post, 738 hadn't actually been back out on the road. Today was a chilly but sunny low-50s day here in the So Cal desert. I pulled her outside about 1:00 PM and did my usual lunch run down to Santa Clarita for fish tacos. The weather warmed as I descended down toward Los Angeles. It was a good ten degrees warmer down there.

Lunch went quickly and I opted keep riding a bit more. I wandered out Sand Canyon to the Camp 9 Fire Suppression station and helipad above the San Fernando Valley to take a few pictures. The low winter sun, some patchy clouds and angle of the mountains made for some lousy pictures but, it was a nice ride nonetheless.

I meandered my way back toward home as the sun was setting. I realized I was probably going to just make Vasquez Rocks about sundown and that would make for a nice picture of the bike.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: wytfut on December 01, 2018, 11:36:01 AM
yes indeed it did....
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on December 09, 2018, 02:29:00 PM
It's not quite winter here in the southern California desert. Our winters aren't like what some of you get in the midwest but, in another few weeks, I'll be lucky to see 50F as a daytime high. Since the weather was forecast to peak at 56 yesterday, I took the opportunity for an afternoon ride.

Despite what most people think, there is scenery to be had in the desert. There are many beautiful, hidden valleys that traverse the landscape between the more commonly traveled highways.

738 went out for a shakedown ride on her brand new Dunlop American Elite tires. Combined with balancing beads in the tubes, the bike was ultra smooth on the road. I managed to do 210 miles in total after lunch and got home just after sunset.

The first shot was from US 395, just south of Red Mountain, looking out toward Pilot Knob. Pilot Knob is that flat-top butte on the horizon at the very left edge of the picture. Many used that as a navigational landmark to get from the various mining towns in the Mojave Desert, to Death Valley, including the famous Borax 20 Mule Teams.

The second shot is on Redrock Randsburg Road, just outside of the near-ghost-town of Randsburg. The Sierra Nevada mountains are visible in the distance.

The third is bombing down CA 14 toward home with the last daylight.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: wytfut on December 09, 2018, 07:00:43 PM
Your comment about the desert and aesthetic....
We have hiway 20 Threw Western NebrasXi. It's the Sandhills or prairie. Couple hundred miles worth..... And in my opinion one of my favorite rides due to beauty and flowing roads. When it's green out there it's amazing...
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on December 09, 2018, 09:23:22 PM
Yup. Agreed, Bruce. Even the drive across 80 was cathartic driving in my minivan. You can't keep track of everybody here but, my Jennie came from Omaha (http://www.ehforums.com/ehwebsite/forums/index.php?topic=226.msg478#msg478). Loaded her up about 9:00 AM and headed west with her; enjoying the rolling hills all the way across before the plains of Wyoming.

Here she was: loaded up and ready for the two-day journey to California.

(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/mc/2000excelsior/images/j03.jpg)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: wytfut on December 10, 2018, 05:12:07 AM
Your reply surprises me. Most folks I know who travel NebraXi, travel I80, complain hard about how boring NebraXi is.
I always respond to see the real NebraXi, take 2.

I80 across Iowa/NebraXi, I'm sure could get old.... 1000 miles....

Maybe in the future I could lead you across 2 if you ever come back...
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: wytfut on December 13, 2018, 06:28:10 AM
https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nebraska/remote-sandhills-ne/?fbclid=IwAR0h3kttsJfKC4Z3nUQTx8gdbNZOC_NpHq3WKHSJyhEQ2cAqodVmq9OdcdU
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on December 13, 2018, 11:06:56 PM
Looks pretty. It kind of reminds me of here. This is the west end of Antelope Valley which is where I live. This is along my local, favorite short ride: rolling grassy hills with various roads zig-zagging their way across and around them.
(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/146.jpg)

Different day, same loop:
(http://www.cifumotorsports.com/ak/excelsior/177.jpg)

Some time in the spring, I'm planning to go chase the San Andreas fault up to the bay area. It's beautiful, isolated, rolling hills just like in that article.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on December 16, 2018, 10:19:30 PM
It got to 60 degrees today (for about an hour, at 2:00 PM) so out for a ride. Take 'em when I can get 'em this time of year.

A short 80 mile loop down Bouquet Canyon to Valencia for fish tacos, then back on San Fransisquito Canyon to return to the Mojave desert. The trees are still changing color and dropping their leaves around here.

And--as usual--isolation can still be found only 15 miles outside of town; even in crowded southern California.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Jumper on January 01, 2019, 10:49:40 AM
Gotta say... The thin white walls look good!
Jumper
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on January 01, 2019, 02:48:18 PM
Thanks for noticing. Those are the new Dunlop American Elites. In the past, the only narrow whitewall I could still find was the Dunlop D402 tires. They happened to also have Harley Davidson embossed on the sidewall. Dunlop got smart and made some more agnostic tires for the rest of us.

I wanted just a hint of white, to pick up the white on the tank logo but not so much that it was the first thing you noticed.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on January 26, 2019, 12:12:59 AM
It's winter, with all the normal cold and rain that comes with it. We've still had some warm days sneak in. If it gets out of the low 50s and the sun is out, I'm game for a short ride.

Predictably: 738 is closest to the door and has a windshield so she was the choice last Saturday afternoon. We did a short 100 miles of general meandering through the local forest and mountains. The picture is from Pine Canyon Road, looking out across Antelope Valley, toward the Tehachapi Mountains and the Mojave wind farm in the upper right distance (that's where they grow wind to keep us cool during the summer).

A sharp eye will notice that she still has her stock plastic air cleaner housing. Yes, that means the stock throttle body bracket is still in there too--after 10K miles! I have no clue how or why this one survived but it has.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on January 28, 2019, 10:40:48 PM
Another mildly rideable day and another 250 miles on Babe. Rode one of my lazy routes along the San Andreas Fault, out to the Cuyama valley. From there, the plan was to turn south on Hwy 33. After surviving a chains checkpoint (on a 50+ degree, dry day!) we were eventually thwarted by a closed California highway 33.

The first shot is one of my favorite picture spots, crossing this last little valley that literally flanks the San Andreas fault (the ravine on the other side of the hill). The second is further west, also on Hudson Ranch Road, overlooking the farms of the Cuyama Valley and the wrinkled hills of the Temblor range (part of the fault).

After the road closure was discovered, it was back through the San Joaquin Valley where it was very hazy and cold. First half of the ride: good. Return: just okay.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: rt66john on April 12, 2019, 12:04:38 PM
Finally got out a couple of Saturdays ago.  Took a ride along Route 66 in IL. 

First pic is outside a burger / hot dog joint in Wilmington.  The second is a few miles down the road at another hot dog / burger / ice cream joint in Braidwood.  The third is of an old cinder block two-cell jail in Gardner.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: wytfut on April 14, 2019, 03:53:48 PM
Thought for sure John u we're gonna say 3rd burger......
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: franknsr on May 05, 2019, 08:28:08 PM
Quote from: rt66john on April 12, 2019, 12:04:38 PM
First pic is outside a burger / hot dog joint in Wilmington. 
The Launching Pad! Is that place open again by chance?
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: rt66john on May 06, 2019, 02:43:51 PM
Quote from: franknsr on May 05, 2019, 08:28:08 PM
Quote from: rt66john on April 12, 2019, 12:04:38 PM
First pic is outside a burger / hot dog joint in Wilmington. 
The Launching Pad! Is that place open again by chance?

Yes.  It's under new ownership.  They had their grand opening this past weekend.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: rt66john on May 08, 2019, 01:41:28 PM
ABATE of IL held it's annual Freedom Rally this past Sunday.  I rode #2016 from Joliet to Springfield and back on a gorgeous Sunday; 350-ish miles.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on September 11, 2019, 12:09:52 AM
Damn! A picture thread and no recent pictures. Well, time to catch up.

A couple of weeks back, Babe (738) was out for a nice afternoon 300 mile ride. Victory Jon of Highwayphotos.net was at his usual spot on Mulholland Highway. I've decided to get a photo of every one of my bikes, sooner or later so there we are, enjoying the Saturday afternoon.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on September 11, 2019, 12:12:51 AM
A friend told me that night that he was going to ride up Angeles Crest Highway for breakfast and to check out the bikes; was I interested? Beulah (333) hadn't been out in awhile and needed fresh gas so off we went.

Unfortunately, her day ended on a tow truck. The clear fuel hose on the pump assembly cracked open and spewed all of her fuel pressure back into the tank. It was still a good morning for her and this prompted me to remove the tank and finally get around to finishing the paint touch-up I've been working on.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on September 11, 2019, 12:19:05 AM
Having not bought a bike in almost a year, I did the only logical thing: drove 2,100 miles to Wisconsin to adopt a green / oyster 2000. That's the color I walked into the dealer wanting back in 2000, before ending up with my red / oyster (which I don't regret). Nonetheless, the green is pretty and she was worth every mile to retrieve her.

And after 19 years of personal ownership, the factory in Belle Plaine was a must-see on the route home. My original plans had me getting there late in the day on Sunday for sunset shots but, time caught up to me and it became an overnight stay.

Nobody batted an eye as I unloaded the trailer on the lawn behind the building. A few knowingly waved. A local cop drove up as I was parked in the no-parking zone at the corner of the property for one last shot of my van, trailer and bike. She also waved and smiled.

A fine job on that building Dan. As you said in your book, it looks more expensive than it probably was but, those were brilliant choices on the gingerbread and details to dress it up. Oh, what could have been...
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on September 11, 2019, 12:26:54 AM
Her next stop was a short one in Beulah, Wyoming for a burger and fries at Gregg Forsberg's 333 saloon. An inquiry as to the possible whereabouts of Beulah's crate end turned out to be fruitless but, it was a nice stop nonetheless. I spotted her old license plate nailed to a beam above the bar.

The next stop for her was Cody, Wyoming, to ride Chief Joseph Scenic Byway and Beartooth Highway between Cooke City and Red Lodge, Montana. If there is a better motorcycle road on this planet, I haven't seen it. Somehow, I got two, back-to-back days of warmth and sunshine. Even cresting Beartooth pass above 10K feet, it was still t-shirt weather. I've now crossed that road off the bucket list but, I will return.

On this ride, 1940 found her own name (as they all do). The recurring theme driving across the country was stopping over and over at Sinclair gas stations where I was greeted by their smiling green dinosaur. Since this one is green and got her fill-up in Red Lodge, Montana at a Sinclair station, the name seemed fitting.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on September 11, 2019, 12:31:55 AM
A glance at a map of Wyoming will show that the two roads I just mentioned are outside the north-east entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Not having ever been in my life, this was to be my chance. The next day, I rolled out of Cody before dawn, bound for Chief Joseph and Beartooth one more time, before going into Yellowstone for the day.

It was a typical day in Yellowstone: distracted drivers, traffic and awful smells belching out of the earth. Nonetheless, Sinclair was a fine ride and we didn't return to Cody until after 9:00 PM. It was quite the day.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on September 11, 2019, 12:35:31 AM
Upon returning home to southern California, Sinclair needed one last ride to round out the week of goodness. I took my usual loop of So Cal bike haunts: Newcomb's Ranch (Angeles Crest Highway) for lunch, The Rock Store (Mulholland Highway) for a Gatorade, up Pacific Coast Highway to Highway 33 through Ojai and up to Lockwood Valley. In all, Sinclair came up 30 miles shy of an even thousand miles in seven days.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 28, 2019, 03:52:08 AM
I saw that others were commemorating the birthday of their bikes over on bookface. I never really thought about the fact that the manufacture month and year is stamped right on the VIN decal on the steering head. DOH!

Well, it's still October for a few more days. It's appropriate then that 1663 got some very much needed love during the month of her 20th birthday.

I finished up a long list of cosmetic repairs on Sunday afternoon and still had time to take her for a fifty mile loop through the mountains for fish tacos.

She got a VERY long list of new or refinished parts, including a new front wheel, new front springs, new tires, an upper steering head bearing, replated rigid fork, two NOS mirrors, new E-H grips, a new horn housing and emblem, Kuryakyn chrome levers, a rebuilt ignition lock, a proper black air cleaner emblem, a new oil filter emblem and these flame-themed IRC Wild Flare tires (pic attached).

The accessories came off and went on the shelf and all the original, stock parts went back on the bike. She spent her birthday looking almost as good as the day she was born.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: wytfut on October 28, 2019, 06:10:19 AM
Nice Greg!!
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on November 20, 2019, 10:48:53 PM
Last weekend was unseasonably warm. The forecast in Yosemite Valley was 74 degrees. That meant the higher elevations would be cool but, not unbearable. Even crazier, it's the middle of November and the road to Glacier Point and Washburn Point were still open.

But I am a cold weather wimp. Departing early in the morning from my house would mean temps in the 30s for the first few hours. Not going to happen. Fortunately I recently picked up an old Chariot Cycle Sled trailer I was dying to try out. After replacing the wheel bearings on Saturday, I decided it was Jennie's turn to go somewhere.

Loaded her up and killed the 260 miles between home and Wawona (inside Yosemite NP) from the comfort of my van. Fifteen minutes and she was unloaded and straps put away. It was 4.5 hours of pure, distilled riding: out to Glacier Point and back, down to the valley floor, a couple of laps down there to make sure all the pics that needed taking got taken, then back to the van: exactly 100.0 miles.

Loaded her back on the trailer and arrived home just after 9:00 PM.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: blackheart on December 25, 2019, 07:41:26 PM
Well, in midway USA it's been unseasonably warm the last few days and we broke a 64 yr record yesterday by a few degrees.   So today I took out the old EH on a nice ride up the river to Rulo Nebrasxi and back across the river to Mound City then back home after stopping to see a friend North of St Joseph Mo.  A nice 120 miles on decent roads at unheard of temperatures.   I couldn't resist since I'm still breaking in the #204 engine in my chassis after I disassembled and pinned the bearings,  grooved the early style crank on the RH main to aid in rod oiling.  I've actually come to appreciate these are pretty decent bikes at the core although they have some issues which would have had to be addressed.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: franknsr on December 27, 2019, 10:17:33 AM
Yea, crazy weather for sure. I'm in Northern Illinois and have been riding every day just because I can.

Got 'ol 1080 dialed in and dare I say; its probably giving me the best overall experience of any bike I've owned. Man I just love riding this thing.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on December 29, 2019, 12:23:13 PM
I’m jealous. I’m in “sunny Southern California” where it has snowed TWICE this year already. Snow isn’t impossible where I live but it’s unusual and never been twice in the same year in the 25 years I’ve lived here. It hasn’t been out of the 40s in days and the yard is still covered.

A friend is home outside of St. Louis for the holidays and rode Christmas Day and the day after. Enjoy it while you can.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: rt66john on January 06, 2020, 02:00:34 PM
I live probably within 15 miles of Frank and managed to get out on the Vulcan for a bit a couple of Sundays ago.  Had to take advantage of the "global climate warming changing".  :)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on September 10, 2021, 02:53:53 PM
Damn. Been a long time since updating this. Anybody out riding their Super X? Share those pictures...

1525 is now old enough to drink. Like any relationship, it's been a lot of ups and downs but she still looks as good as the day she came out of the crate. This was just a short evening ride down Bouquet Canyon Road between my house and Santa Clarita, CA on August 21st.

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=635;image)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: bobbybhb on September 10, 2021, 05:53:13 PM
Short ride north of Calgary. On 1488.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on September 11, 2021, 12:42:53 AM
Ooh, solid Henderson Blue. That was the first color I saw in the wild, June 2000. That led to buying a Super X a month later.


I was about to put my foot in my mouth with a comment about antique tires. Haha. Man, they still make those? Dunlop got their money out of those molds.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on September 11, 2021, 01:50:06 PM
0738 needed the fluids stirred. I was out before sunrise to give her a bath before a short 240 mile ride yesterday.

Scenic southbound Maricopa Highway (CA 33) on the way toward Ojai, California.

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=639;image)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on September 18, 2021, 10:42:10 PM
Today was Sinclair's (1940) turn for a ride in the sunshine. 260 miles in the Mojave Desert, southern Sierra Nevada mountains and Tehachapi Mountains.
CA 178 climbing west to Walker Pass
(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=641;image)

Climbing Caliente-Bodfish Road south, leaving Lake Isabella (in the background)
(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=643;image)


Winding down the mountainside, still on Caliente-Bodfish Road.
(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=645;image)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on September 25, 2021, 09:21:06 PM
Nobody out riding? Sinclair (1940) got another outing today. The California Central Coast Classic Motorcycle Show was today in San Luis Obispo. It's a short 200 mile ride along the San Andreas fault out to the coast for this one. Woke up when I woke up and headed out, wearing a vintage Excelsior-Henderson t-shirt.

The shirt paid off. Not ten minutes inside the show & swap area and another X owner found me: Jim Alford. We had a good chat, ended up going back to where Sinclair was parked to continue swapping notes and stories. It was a first meeting but surely not the last.

Also had a conversation with a tall, older gentleman who was looking at the bike and also spotted the shirt. "Is that yours? I test rode one of those back in the day!"

Okay, lots of people test rode bikes back in the day. I wasn't sure what he meant by "test rode." I asked some questions and he was full of energy on the subject. I suspected I knew who this was but, with the modular helmet instead of his trademark beret and the beard more scruffy than the photos we've seen, I wasn't sure.

About that time, one of his friends walked up to tell him where they decided to go after the show, "Clem, we're going to head over to..." When they finished I looked at him and quizically asked, "Salvadori?" He nodded.

Been a fan of his writing for far too many years. 40 years in moto-journalism?
https://ridermagazine.com/2017/09/28/retrospective-1999-2000-excelsior-henderson-super-x/ (https://ridermagazine.com/2017/09/28/retrospective-1999-2000-excelsior-henderson-super-x/)

Parking lot in San Luis Obispo. Lots of bikes represented.
(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=647;image)



Passing the remains of the Neenach Volcano on the western end of Antelope Valley. 400 total miles today.
(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=649;image)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: bobbybhb on September 28, 2021, 06:18:14 PM
Almost sounded like you were talking to Willie G but Clement Salvadori is best. Cool guy.

Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on September 28, 2021, 10:37:20 PM
Agreed. San Luis Obispo is his backyard. Being a classic bike event on a perfect weekend pretty much guaranteed he'd be there.

I really should have arrived earlier and parked in the non-competition, exhibit-only area. It was a small event. There was a Gilroy Indian with a sidecar parked over there. Oh well. Next year.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 06, 2021, 09:12:33 PM
Took Jennie (1989) with plans for a really long day last Friday. A few miles from home, she had other ideas. After some sputtering and stalling, she rolled to a stop. The audible spraying sound of fuel inside the tank was what I feared: ruptured aorta (blown fuel transfer hose on the pump assembly). With zero fuel pressure, we weren't going anywhere.



After rebuilding the fuel pump assembly with fresh o rings and a hose, she's back in action. Did 85 miles this afternoon as a shakedown and senseless waste of fossil fuel.


We did one of the usual local roads, this time headed toward Lake Castaic. Here she is on a super-secret forest service road that I never knew they paved.
(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=655;image)

And a few miles later, above Lake Castaic, from Lake Hughes Road (Valencia, CA).
(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=657;image)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 13, 2021, 06:12:28 AM
Had plans to take Jennie for a few longer rides but, she had other ideas. Last Friday, only 40 miles from home, the clutch started to get flaky. Stopping to check, the slave cylinder dripped a few fatal drops from the primary cover. Hmm...how long ago did I rebuild that? Wow, I guess it was nine years ago already. Okay, back home for new o rings.

After a good bath, she got out Sunday for a shakedown run. With no other problems and clear skies ahead, we wandered off to the Santa Monica Mountains and Mulholland Highway for pictures. While I recognize not everyone lives in So Cal where you can get your picture taken by a guy like Victory Jon (https://highwayphotos.net/), most bike roads do have similar local photographers. Treat yourself and buy a photo or two of yourself on your bike.

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=659;image)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: bobbybhb on October 14, 2021, 02:49:04 PM
Looks like a great ride and bike. I’m Jenny jealous.  1488 will get some predictive maintenance on the slave cylinder soon. I rebuilt the master based on your info. It works very well now. I just ordered the Kuryakyn 7427 levers for me and the bike.
 Bobby Baum Calgary
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 14, 2021, 11:08:44 PM
Hey Bobby, I think you'll like those levers. They genuinely match the bike better than the stock parts. They also have a smoother feel to the gloves and I like the wider contact face with the barrel shape of the grips.

I was rereading your interview / article out there about Excelsior-Henderson the other night. Good stuff.

Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 14, 2021, 11:20:09 PM
I've been trying to get all the riding possible before winter sets in. Next up in the rotation was 0333: Beulah Forsberg (the only bike to have a last name). Like the Jennie, she too blew out a fuel transfer hose. Hers was over two years ago on a short local ride. The failure was similar: erratic running, then completely stalled. I was in the middle of restoring her tank. Inertia set in (next to a few dozen other projects) and she sat...and sat.

Sit no-more. She returned to the road Monday night. She then needed a few other things fixed that had been put off for too long and had the parts collecting dust. Yesterday was a shake-down and today was a proper 300 mile ride through the southern end of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

We started with a ride through the Tehachapi Wind Farm, around the Tehachapi mountains and out to Bakersfield. From there, a quick joggle up the freeway to enjoy some roads through the Sierra foothills before catching CA-155 toward Glenville.

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=661;image)

155 winds up the hillside and through an area that was burning out of control only a few weeks back. If you saw national news on California fires, this is part of where it was. Fortunately, some was spared so we have these pics of how the rest of the road once looked.
(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=663;image)
155 eventually drops down next to Lake Isabella. A turn north for about five miles got us to Kernville where we gassed up. As I was filling the tank, I heard someone over my shoulder, "Excelsior-Henderson? Are they making motorcycles again? Wow, that is some bike!"

I got to explain that it's 22 years old and then went on to share the story. He's a rider of many brands, including Harley and now a KTM. He knew all about Victory but, somehow the Super X missed him. After getting him caught up on the brand and chatting about bikes for a few minutes, we were off again.

The meadow out there is actually the bottom of Lake Isabella. It has indeed been some very dry years out here.


(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=665;image)

After winding around the east end of the lake, it was CA-178 eastward toward Walker Pass. We chased the edge of daylight all the way over the mountain and down to CA-14, before turning south toward home. Just over 300 miles today. She ran flawlessly.

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=667;image)

It's also somewhat shocking to ride one of these bikes completely naked (the bike, not me  ;D ). Many of us get used to the extra 80 pounds of accessories (yes, the stuff really weighs that much), Beulah is a ballerina in comparison to her more completely-equipped sisters.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 16, 2021, 08:51:57 PM
With the weather cooperating, today was another chance to get out before winter arrives. Beulah got to go because it was picture day. She's the last of my Super Xs to be shot by Victory Jon. That meant Santa Monica Mountains.

And Santa Monica Mountains means the obligatory stop by the Rock Store. It was 2:30 PM by the time I arrived and most of the interesting bikes had been and left. The infamous "snake" portion of Mulholland Highway  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmQCtHflWfk)just up the road from here, was damaged in a fire a few years ago. Due to all the problems they've had, there has been no rush to repair or reopen the road. As a result, fewer bikes make it to the Rock Store these days. Okay, and I could have got my lazy butt out of bed earlier.

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=669;image)

Obligatory shot on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu.


(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=671;image)

And finally, headed eastward toward home, through the farm lands of Oxnard, Camarillo and Santa Paula. No, it's not the freakishly clear most of the time. Today was an exceptionally clear day for sure.
(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=673;image)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: bobbybhb on October 17, 2021, 10:44:59 AM
The Rock Store is definitely a bucket list place for me. Many great articles have been written about the bikes and riders attending there. Thanks for sharing.

Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 18, 2021, 01:11:08 AM
Would it help if I said the Rock Store doesn't live up to the legend on most weekends? The road closure may have a lot to do with that. The other 'destination' spot is Neptune's Net out on Pacific Coast Highway (https://neptunesnet.com/). Both places have too many people trying way too hard to be cool.


The real gem is/was Newcomb's Ranch up on Angeles Crest Highway. Unfortunately Newcomb's has been closed since the pandemic hit and is now up for sale. In the past, the parking lot would almost always have something interesting or unusual out there. Sunday afternoon used to be riding up there for lunch and then sitting on the bench outside to watch bikes come and go for a few hours.


Not my picture but, this was a very typical Saturday or Sunday mid-morning at Newcomb's. Twice this many bikes was not unusual.
(https://s3-media2.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/eEEOR-2bWUCVrNI-YLvx2A/o.jpg)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 18, 2021, 08:39:30 AM
Ahh, just downloaded the latest batch of pictures from Victory Jon on Sunday. Beulah has now done her 'school pictures' as well.

When Jon shot the first of these bikes, he made a comment about how clean the underside of the bike was. He made an accusation about detailing that too. No particular care had been paid to the underside but, it did become something to be aware of for future shots.

Only now is it obvious that the underside of the front frame cross member was missed before these shots. Every bath, this bike gets a little cleaner but she still has a ways to go.
(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=675;image)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on October 26, 2021, 07:22:13 PM
When Victory Jon started shooting the pictures  (https://www.highwayphotos.net/)of the different bikes, he had this idea brewing and suggested it. While it seems horribly self-indulgent, yeah, so what? At this point in life I've got them, Jon photographed them and was nice enough to put together this collage of all six. We aren't dying until we stop buying motorcycles.  ;D

Knowing Jon was going to do this, I was careful to always show up at the same approximate time of day, same weather conditions and somewhat same season to keep the lighting consistent. It's been in the works for a few years now (thanks Covid!). One extra lane of closeness to the camera in the uphill shots meant that he ran out of room trying to squeeze them all in. That's why the change of direction from the original grouping of three.

And I'll explain (again) why the bikes all have names so people don't write me off as completely insane. I had my original 1525 with the intent of keeping it womb to tomb. I unboxed it, prepped it and nobody else has ever touched a wrench to it. Jennie came 12 years later. In conversation about them it was always "the Jennie" or "the other one." Since most outside the community don't know what a Jennie is, it sounded like I liked the new bike more and named it. Out of respect for the original, she got named Molly.

That worked until 0333 was on the trailer coming home. That wasn't too difficult since she spent her earlier life in Beulah Wyoming. The Deadwood was self-named. Babe the blue ox was kind of easy.

Sinclair (the green dinosaur) got its name while drinking a Gatorade at a Sinclair gas station in Red Lodge Montana. I had stopped on the 1,600 mile tow home to ride the newly-purchased bike a few days in the Yellowstone area. I had just come off the most amazing motorcycle ride of my entire life: Chief Joseph Scenic Byway and Beartooth Highway (https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=beartooth+highway&iax=images&ia=images).

Sitting in the shade of the tree, staring at the green bike, I pondered almost out loud, "What name do you give a big green motorcycle?" Only then did I notice the green dinosaur logo behind her and had just filled her tank "with Dino Care." Sinclair it was (though I believe their mascot's name is simply Dino).

Two days later, at the Sinclair gas station at Old Faithful Lodge, I found two styles of logo'd keychains. Not able to decide between them, she got both.

Now you all know the story...
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: bobbybhb on November 05, 2021, 01:48:55 PM
A short ride to the car wash and some photos of Calgary before the snow.
Notice the shift linkage. Different script on reverse side. Like it.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on November 05, 2021, 07:54:09 PM
Very nice. The pictures don't look too cold.

They sure are nice looking bikes when all the touring accessories come off.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on November 07, 2021, 06:23:10 PM
Today was once again the Southern California Norton Club's annual Dam Ride (appropriately held at Hansen Dam). Thanks to Covid, last year was "cancelled" though I learned today that there was still an unofficial gathering.


Sinclair got to go to the Central Coast show a few months back. Molly was at this show three years ago. The Deadwood went two years ago. It seemed reasonable that Babe the Blue Ox got the nod this year. She was already clean and waxed but, not good enough for a show. She got another bath and even more wax yesterday in preparation. Had to make sure the white striped tires were clean!


The weather was so cold I had to wear a sweater under the Aerostich. It may have been 50 degrees when I rolled out at 6:30 this morning.  :)

Unbelievably, there were TWO complete freeway closures on the short ride down there. I'd have taken back roads but, wanted to see bikes and kick tires ASAP. Had I known in advance...

Got there in plenty of time anyway. Maybe 200-250 bikes of all kinds. Two years ago, a Hesketh  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hesketh_Motorcycles)showed up so the Super X was not the only Weslake-engined bike in attendance. Today, she was the only one.
(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=720;image)

At past events, I've either been involved with or overhead accounts of Excelsior-Henderson, who the company was, what happened, how many years, etc. I started hanging story boards on the saddlebag at past events. This time, it went a step further: an aluminum document frame, mounted to the right master cylinder cap at face level. All the major specs and a very brief history of the brand right there for people to see.

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=722;image)

There is usually a very nice car show about 15 miles away to attend (always the same weekend and time). My back wasn't up to another couple of hours of walking so I opted for a nice ride toward home. Along the route was an In-n-Out Burger. Opinions of their burgers are kind of exaggerated, but I hadn't had one since the pandemic started and today was as good as any.
(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=724;image)

After a number 1, no onions, we were off again. Not knowing how the back would behave, I took the longest route possible, while never being more than 45 minutes from home.

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=726;image)

With weather in the high 60s and bright sunshine, it was Bouquet Canyon to Elizabeth Lake Road (like so many of my local rides) and west across Pine Canyon Road, overlooking the western Antelope Valley. We returned home just as the reserve light started to glow on the cluster.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: bobbybhb on November 08, 2021, 09:10:54 AM
The Blue Ox looks great. Nice idea for the info sign.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on November 08, 2021, 10:34:57 AM
In case you or anyone else wants to copy the document holder, here's a picture of the back. I've been through a bunch of different versions of something that would fit in the saddlebag, be visible, not get in the way of seeing the bike, not blowing over in the breeze, being too low on the ground to read, etc, etc.

It's mounted with a common door hinge that has a removable pin. The main piece is a document-size, front-loading snap frame. I bought it on ebay but, they're available from other sources. The front edges of the frame snap open, the plastic protector face comes out and you put whatever you want inside. It was much more sturdy than the cardboard and wood frames I've tried in the past.


The hinge is riveted to the lower edge of the frame, upside down. With the hinge in this position, the frame can't flop over and allow the frame to hit the tank (!?!). The frame is blocked by the master cylinder if it tries to pivot forward and away from the bike.


The hinge hole spacing was close but, not exactly the spacing on the master cylinder cap (54 mm). I used the mill to elongate the edge of the holes but, a Dremel or even a file would work. M5 x 15mm screws to fasten it. I glued a small piece of innertube to the underside of the hinge to protect the paint on the master cylinder. I ride to the event, pull the frame out of the saddlebag, install the hinge pin and it's ready. At the end, pull the pin, stow the sign in the bag and ride away.

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=728;image)

The hinge isn't pretty but, it's only installed for events like yesterday. Two screws, the bracket comes off and it all goes back in the original cardboard box for protection.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on February 12, 2022, 09:17:40 PM
It's been a few months since a post. Much of the country is probably still experiencing some form of winter. In the southwest, we are just coming to the end of a brief heatwave that gave spring-like temps in February.

There's an annual National Parks Pass slowly expiring in my wallet. Zion National Park happens to have a very popular 'scenic drive' in the park. It's so popular and so narrow that parking is extremely limited at popular spots along the 6 mile Zion Canyon. That limited parking means the park service had to close it to public traffic about 18 years ago. Trams now provide free service around the park and they encourage you to leave your vehicle behind. That's very nice but hardly in the spirit of riding a motorcycle.

On a hunch, I checked the Zion website on Thursday. It seems that during the few brief, slow winter months, the trams are suspended and public travel is again permitted in the canyon. As it turned out, the heatwave we were enjoying in southern California did indeed spread to southern Utah. Friday was forecast to be a clear and sunny 69 degrees in Zion National Park.

Winter will return in a few days so making a full-blown bike trip out of it was out of the question. Zion is luckily one full tank of gas from home in my minivan. I could load a bike on the trailer, leave in the middle of the night and be in Zion by mid-morning. Ride the park all day, load up at sundown and drive the 425 miles back home without worrying about retreads and animals on the road.

And so it was, Friday morning. I've been trying to get pictures of each of the bikes at a different national park. Babe the Blue Ox had not been to a park yet. The cool blue and silver paint was thought to be a nice contrast to all the red rock colors of Zion so she got the nod. I overslept and didn't get out until nearly 5:00 AM. 6.5 hours later and losing one time zone, we rolled into the parking lot at Zion: 12:30 PM local time.

Here is the start to the forbidden canyon and the mechanical gate that normally blocks access to private vehicles.
(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=730;image)

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=732;image)

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=734;image)

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=736;image)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on February 12, 2022, 09:24:18 PM
The canyon is reportedly nearly 3,000 feet deep in places. It's also very narrow. It makes the place extremely challenging to convey in photos. Even the wide-angle GoPro lens struggled to capture it all. Of course, our headlight buckets provide a flowing visual experience as we ride. This is how much of that reflector was consumed by the looming canyon walls all around.

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=738;image)
The road ends at The Temple Of Sinawava (https://home.nps.gov/zion/learn/historyculture/upload/ADA_Main-Canyon_Brochure-2.pdf). This is where hiking trails continue along the Virgin River, up to places like the narrows.

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=740;image)

Riding back down the canyon toward the rest of the park, the light changes and the cliffs take on a different look.

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=742;image)

Of course, there is more to the park and it is accessible to a private vehicle year-round. This is part of the landscape on the east end of the park, beyond the Mt Carmel tunnel.
(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=744;image)

Despite the canyon road being only 6 miles long and the main road less than 12 miles from west entrance to east entrance, I managed just under 90 miles. I lost count of how many times I rode back and forth in Zion Canyon and did two trips through the tunnels. The van and trailer got 850 miles for the day.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: wytfut on April 14, 2022, 03:18:32 PM
You've got some beautiful country out there Greg..... very envious at times...

I've been riding on and off this winter, as weather permitted. I don't volunteer for cold weather riding much anymore, so you know it was nice. I'm not much of a photo bug as you.... sometimes I wish I was, but mostly I just don't want to bother.

Monday here it was hi 40's, Then Tuesday it was 91. That night 33. Very irregular weather this year.
So Tuesday I rode into Lincoln to watch my grandson run in a track meet. With that heat we had 50 mph gusts. Honestly on the highway I hadn't minded it much. But once into Lincoln at the traffic lites I really had to watch my balance.

I'm very proud of my state (lived here my whole life) and don't mean to make it sound so desolate. The most popular ride in this area is call the Louisville run. Most bikers who will actually get out on the road from Lincoln or Omaha know this ride. For the flat lands its a dandy down on the Platte River, buttes, curves....    70 mile round trip.

Out west is my favorite when I used to travel to Sturgis out in the sand hills. Over whelms me everytime. Commercially, my thoughts everyone is used to either mountains or oceans to appreciate our planets beauty. Sand hills are spectacular. Miles of curvy roads with nothing but maybe RXR tracks.

sorry got carried away.. LOL
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on April 14, 2022, 05:04:05 PM
Haha, to point out the obvious: Zion was a 416 mile tow before the bike even got unloaded. For another hundred miles you could tow a bike to Rocky Mountain National Park, somewhere in the Black Hills or a bunch of other places. Man, that was a long day (but worth it).
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: wytfut on May 02, 2022, 02:26:57 PM
I’ve road RMNP... it’s nice, especially for scenery.
Black hills are great. Scenery AND a bit technical riding.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on May 13, 2022, 12:36:35 AM
Day one of the California Spring Super X Rally is now in the history books. Here are Mike Locklear and Doug Hoffelt discussing the meaning of life outside the now-closed Newcomb's Ranch on Angeles Crest Highway (California Route 2). Doug ordered nice weather for the weekend. The snow drifts, low 70s temperatures and heavy traffic here in the mountains didn't dampen our spirits.

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=754;image)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on May 14, 2022, 12:28:34 AM
Day two is now complete. Remember kids: adventure begins when your plans fall apart.

Mike Degrood braved the vast California desert only to ride his old stomping ground. First stop today was Willow Springs Raceway (https://www.willowspringsraceway.com/). The Mikes take turns insisting that their lap times would be at least a second and a half faster than his.(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=756;image)


Later north, we stopped in the middle of the Tehachapi Wind Farm (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tehachapi_Pass_wind_farm). Ever wonder where wind comes from and how it's made? It turns out that Mike Degrood is a specialist. He explained how much wind this farm makes every day. Thanks to his dedicated work, it was a cool, sunny day with a nice steady breeze.(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=758;image)


Beyond the wind farm is the Tehachapi Loop (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tehachapi_Loop). The railroad grade climbing through Tehachapi is so steep from California's central valley that trains actually have to make a large loop part-way up the mountain to gain extra elevation. We stopped at the vista point. You often have to wait 15-20 minutes for the next train to come through. Doug again delivered on the entertainment. Just as we pulled up, a train was beginning it's lap over itself, right on his cue.(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=760;image)
Further north, we continued the zigzagging over the Tehachapi Mountains. Here, Mike Degrood takes in the view from one of the last switchbacks on Caliente-Bodfish Road, high above Lake Isabella.
(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=762;image)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on May 14, 2022, 12:47:24 AM
The day began with a plan of less than 300 miles; many of those were going to be fast miles. Knowing we'd have time to burn, Mike Locklear arranged for his front brake caliper drag link to come off, allowing the caliper to clank into the moving front fork leg. He had some problems with this on his way to the start of the rally and it had returned.


Luckily, he arranged for this to happen less than 2 miles from the shop of a good friend of mine. We made it down the remainder of the mountain and rolled into his parking lot. I had literally been texting him from the vista point above, to tell him to wave and I was sorry we couldn't stop. Mike made sure that I at least stopped to say hi. Remember kids: you're never too busy to stop and say hi to your friends.


The brake link repair took some time and meant complete removal of the front wheel. Thanks Jon!
(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=764;image)
We got a late lunch and headed east on California 178. After cresting Walker Pass, we dropped back into the Mojave Desert. From there, Doug took us south. Highway 14 all the way back to the hotel? Nah. Doug? He knows someone everywhere we go.

We dropped off the main highway and onto the old road through the area: Sierra Highway (US 6). We stopped by the closed business of car customizer Gene Winfield (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Winfield). Doug spent a few minutes pointing out some of the creations parked around the lot.
(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=766;image)


Eventually a guy comes out to talk to us, opens the gate and steps outside. Doug starts talking to him and--of course--they both know some guy and have stories about him. Can't take Doug anywhere. He knows everyone (Not your aunt Ethel, huh? I'll bet he knows the neighbor next-door to your aunt Ethel).(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=768;image)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on May 15, 2022, 06:33:01 PM
Three days in a row, three of my Super Xs got a turn to go to the rally. Saturday was Babe's turn. The remaining four won't talk to me now. Beulah was up at dawn this morning, waiting to go for a ride. Poor Beulah.

We met at Doug's house. The bikes got their daily buffing and dusting and we were off. After a 20-something mile smattering of Los Angeles traffic, Mr. Locklear assured me that they have rush hour traffic in Ohio. I reminded him: "Yes but, it's Saturday morning."

After Doug and I's super-secret route, we stopped at the first of the less well-known vista spots on the backbone of the Santa Monica Mountains. Behind them is all of Los Angeles and the pacific coast sweeping south toward Palos Verdes Peninsula.

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=772;image)


Following more boring vista points, we made it to the famous Rock Store in Cornell California. We were passed on the route by literally dozens of old British sports cars who were very possibly there. Someone must have told them the Excelsior-Hendersons were coming and they got out just in time. I'm convinced that Doug called ahead and made sure they had enough pulled pork to make two sandwiches for Mike and I (we got the last of it).
(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=774;image)

With lunch done and daylight burning, we dropped down to the pacific coast and headed north toward Oxnard and Ventura. One of my tired and much-used photo spots in Malibu.

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=776;image)

The ride continued north, Point Mugu visible in the distance.

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=778;image)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on May 15, 2022, 06:54:54 PM
Pacific Coast Highway veers inland at Port Hueneme and doesn't return to the ocean until beyond Ventura. That would have to wait for another day. We rode inland, through the farm fields of Oxnard and Camarillo. At a stoplight, Doug tried to explain to Mike how they get the manure smell off the strawberries growing in all these fields.

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=780;image)

A few miles later we entered the old town of Santa Paula, California.

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=782;image)

Blocks into town, Doug spotted two motor officers waving to us. They were frozen in time (left side of the picture), riding their Harley and Henderson motorcycles. We stopped for a visit.

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=784;image)

The Mulholland Water Project was to build an infrastructure to supply water to Los Angeles. Numerous dams and aqueducts were built over the years. One of those was the Saint Francis dam, built in a narrow canyon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Francis_Dam), 37 miles from this spot. We visited that location earlier in the day. Two minutes before midnight, March 12th, 1928, as the dam neared it's first complete fill, it failed. The dam broke free from one of the footings and the entire canyon full of water was released. It was the largest single loss of life in California history.

The water traveled down the Santa Clara riverbed toward the ocean. Two police officers--one on a Harley and the other on a Henderson four, rode through the small farming community with sirens blaring and horns honking, trying to wake the residents and get them to higher ground. This monument was erected in their honor and on this day, the road club paid a visit.
(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=786;image)


Short video here: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDWUKfBf3bA)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDWUKfBf3bA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDWUKfBf3bA)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on May 15, 2022, 07:09:15 PM
After a fill-up, it was the final leg toward home. We used Bouquet Canyon Road, full of more tired photo spots of mine. It was a brisk pace back to Lancaster and Doug's house.

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=788;image)


Doug's good friend George (also an avid rider) had smoked an entire barnyard of animals for us to feast upon: beef, pork and chicken. The lamb and goat escaped and he won't say what happened to the duck. He didn't ride with us because he said he'd rather hang drywall than be seen with the three of us on these bikes. At least he returned for stories and dinner. Doug's wife prepared sides and had things waiting when we arrived. It was the perfect end to three great days.

The lame dad jokes in this ride report are all based in things that actually happened over the past three days. Only those of us who were there will get them. There is always the next time...

Crown jewel indeed.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on May 16, 2022, 02:37:43 AM
Part of our route on Saturday was the obligatory ride past the https://highwayphotos.net/ (https://highwayphotos.net/) camp on Mulholland Highway. Jon has always delivered mind-blowing quality on his photos. I made a call from the last vista point before we were going to pass his spot. He asked us to space out and he'd get a full set of each bike as we rode by.

We also did a second pass where Doug and Mike practiced drafting off of my wake. I wasn't nervous. Both guys are great riders (not really, Jon does this for customers using Photoshop trickery, trained riders on a closed course, do not attempt to duplicate).

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=794;image)

Mike also got to be the honored thumbnail shot on the website for all the photos that morning.
(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=792;image)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: bobbybhb on May 16, 2022, 02:19:31 PM
Thanks for the great update and photos.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: wytfut on May 19, 2022, 08:07:52 PM
Very nice job Greg...
Love any and all reports of any X event.
Jumper did this great. Greg, you are right up there..

FlatlandersupportingXworld
Bruce
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on May 19, 2022, 09:41:42 PM
Thanks guys. I kept wondering if Doug or Mike were going to post here. I'll have to post for them.  ;D

The photographer knew we were coming but, didn't know when we would show up. As the lead bike, I didn't get these artsy shots of me coming up Mullholland Highway with the spring flowers around me.
(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=796;image)

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=798;image)

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=800;image)

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=802;image)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on May 19, 2022, 09:46:49 PM
The quality of his camera and lens are only exceeded by his skill. The photos had to be greatly downsized to post here. Not every frame ends up this razor sharp but, this is cropped out of the image of me on Babe. You can see his flash reflecting in the paint. He captured these images as we rode past at 45+ MPH.


(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=804;image)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: bobbybhb on May 21, 2022, 10:48:07 AM
Very nice.
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Donkey Hotey on May 29, 2022, 11:06:14 PM
Memorial Day weekend and Beulah was still feeling neglected from not getting to join in the club ride with Doug and Mike two weeks ago. I've been making a point to drain the gas out of the bikes when they come home. No gas = no rust or other degradation, right? Haha. I did such a good job that this one ran out at the end of my street on Saturday. I literally had to walk home, get a gas can and go back to give her enough gas to make it a mile to the gas station.

Doug had intended to take Mr Locklear all the way over Angeles Crest Highway when he was here. The signs at the bottom said it was closed (from the winter) but, the weather had been warm for a long time. Well, we got all the way to the summit and sure enough: gates were locked.

Went back today, from the opposite side of the mountain. Signs on the back side also said it was closed ahead. I ignored them and sure enough, the road was open this time. This is some of what you missed Mike! Sorry.

Looking south toward the Los Angeles basin. They call that "June Gloom." Marine clouds pour in and bury the city. It looks miserable and people don't venture to the mountains. A few miles up the hill and you're out of it, into clear blue skies.

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=806;image)

Opposite side of the mountain, looking out across the Mojave Desert where Doug and I both live. Mike Degrood used to live beyond the tall mountains to the left of the photo, in the distance.

(https://xhmotorcycles.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=848.0;attach=808;image)
Title: Re: Where did you ride your Super X today?
Post by: Berlin Bob on May 30, 2022, 12:10:05 PM

real nice brother !!