25 Years of Hes Day 1, Friday

Well we got of to a good start today. The first stop was breakfast at the Chuckwagon Cafe  in Turner Valley. If you ever get a chance, it's well worth the trip. We made it to the boarder cross at Chief Mountain without insident or any tickets. The ride to White Fish was spectacular, it's what riding is all about. We hooked up with the rest of the gang at the Super 8 in Whitefish, and went over our days ride over a few well deserved cold beers. This year is the 25th anniversary of the Hess Run, funny that there would also be 25 riders. Once we were all together, it was off to Bull Dogs for a burger and beer. What a great way to finish off a day of riding. That's a wrap to day 1, time to get rest.

Hess Run 2012

Watch for daily posts and pictures on the 2012 Hess Ride. We'll be traveling through Alberta / Montana / Idaho / Washington and then back to Calgary. I'll be posting photos and information on our trip as we go. So drop in and it check out . Thanks.

You bought the bike, now get out and ride.

 You bought the bike, you have the gear, now it's time get out and use it. With so many interesting places within a couple hours of Calgary, you can make a day ride into a great adventure. Over the coming months, I'll be post some great destinations for day rides and also rides to other parts of Canada and the US. The best part of owning a bike is the freedom it allows to go off and explore. Recently, I decided to leave the pavement behind and get back to exploring the back roads and small towns. This doesn't mean extreme off road by any stretch of the imagination, but exploring the many miles of  back roads that Alberta has to offer. So top up the tank, and lets get on the road to adventure.  Recently, a group of us decided to take a trip to a small town just outside of Drumheller called Wayne. It's an interesting little place with a funky diner called The Last Chance Saloon, situated in the Rosedeer Hotel, nestled in a valley surrounded by the hoodoos. Once you leave the highway, you travel down a secondary road, complete with 11 bridges. The road is user friendly for both street and dual sport bikes, so no need to worry about the Wing. Great place to stop and have a burger and beer, and do a little socializing with other travelers.I can't think of a better way to spend a day. All you have to do is grab a map, pick the destination, and get on the bike and go. Here's a few pictures from some recent rides.

Here we are at the Last Chance Saloon, located 5 mins.out of Drumheller in a town call Wayne. Once you hit Wayne, just follow the signs

Here's a few pictures from a trip we did going the other direction. There's just some much to see if you take the time. If you have a favorite destination or ride, and would like to share, feel free to post it.

The BVP 113 Bike Rack from Motovan

So you want to haul your bike but you have a topper or a box cover on your truck . What can you do? With the BVP 113 Bike Rack from Motovan, it's no longer a problem. Just roll your bike up the ramp and into the carrying channel, secure the tires with the bolt in pins (supplied.) Once the bike is in place, unhook the ramp and secure it to the frame, and your good to go. It comes with a corrosion-resistant powder coated finish to help keep it looking good. The carrying channel measures 5" W x 76" L. and fits into your 2" hitch receiver. It has a 500lb load capacity, so should be good for most bikes. With a price tag of only $225.00 plus shipping and taxes, this is a great solution to one of those "What should I do" problems. If you have any questions or need more information, feel free to contact us. Just leave a comment, or send an email from the contact page on our website, and we'll be sure to help. Watch for more on helpful tips and information about our product line and touring blogs. Thanks.for looking.

1983 Suzuki GS1100E restoration project.

Back in early 2011, we had a customer approach us in regard to restoring his 1983 Suzuki GS1100E. When the bike showed up, it was obvious it had seen better days. Between being badly weathered and the fact it had not run in several years, it looked like it was going to be somewhat of a challenge to bring her back to life. The first thing we had to do was to get a sense of the mechanical state of the bike. Starting with the basics, check the engine for oil, do a compression test, check for spark and remove and clean the carburetors. After re-installing the carbs, we fired her up after a long sleep. It fired up and seemed to run not  bad for a bike that had sat for so long. Now that we had it running, it gave us a chance to check out the charging system, and then put it on the Dyno to check the clutch and transmission, everything seemed to be working. At this point, it was decided that it was worth carrying on with the restoration. The first step was to  disassemble the bike, clean and inspect all the parts, and make a parts list. This is an important step as it helps prepare an estimate for the customer. It must be stated that this is just an estimate based on the initial inspection, not a firm quote. With all restoration work, there is always hidden problems that can only be found once you've stated. With a preliminary budget established, the customer decided to proceed with the work. With the approval and a deposit, we got to work. Step one was to strip the bike to the frame. Then off to powder coating for the frame / fairing brackets / side and center stand and engine plates. The next step was to deal with the paint and graphics. Because it had been left in the weather such a long time, the paint was in pretty bad shape. Though the mechanical side of the job is important, the paint is the first thing you really see, which is why we put so much work into the paint and graphics. Because the decals and graphics are  hard to find, we had Rick Janzen from Streamline Studios re-create all the striping and lettering. Between Rick from Streamline and the paint magic of  Rod Stevenson, not to mention his first class body work, we return her back to the show room beauty. Now it was time to start putting her back together. We wire brushed and serviced all parts as they went back on. Then we replaced the seals and bearings where required. The next move was to completely re-build the front and rear hydraulic brake systems. The seat was sent out to Andrea of Power Sport Seats to be re-covered. With the end in sight, we had a few more challenges with the electrical system and wiring, but ended up resolving the problem by making a new harness with parts from a GS 1150. Then with some final tweaks to a few stubborn body parts, we were finished. In the end, we managed to get her back to her former glory, not to mention a very happy customer. Jobs like this can be a real challenge, not to mention expensive. What really makes a project like this worthwhile is when you sit back and look at the finished bike. The overall restoration took a little over a year to complete. You can't put a time limit on a jobs like this, they'll take what they take. Hope you enjoy. Thanks.

                                   

                                                                                                                          

Friday Night Dust-off

After a long winter sleep, we decided to get together with a bunch of like-minded souls and go for an evening ride. It was a beautiful night for a ride, sunny with not too much wind. Altogether, we had 13 bikes for the ride. Our choice of destination would first take us out to Bragg Creek via the #8, then swing over to highway #764 using the #22. For those that have run the #762, you know it was made for bikes, and you just can't beat the scenery. Once we hit the end of the #762, we tried taking a short cut that would have hooked us with the #22 to Turner Valley, but due to a road wash out, had to track back to the #549 and over  to the Millarville turnoff. From the Millarville turnoff, we headed south to Turner Valley on the #22, then on to Black Diamond on the #546 that turns into the #7 at Black Diamond. Our main goal was to stop at the Tom's House of Pizza in Okotoks  for some food and drink, not to mention great conversation and a lot of laughs. After being well feed and watered, it was back on the road and time to head for home. Overall, it was a stellar first of the year ride, great weather, no tickets, and only a brief hold up due to an electrical problem with one of the bikes. A big part of owning a bike is getting out with friends and enjoy the trill of the road, not to mention all the laughs and memories along the way. Over the coming months of the season, I'll be posting blogs on rides / great destinations / maintenance tips / and the latest in accessories to help you to get the most out of  your riding  experience. If you have any routes, and would like to share them, please feel free to leave us a comment. You bought the bike; you bought the gear, now get out and use it. Thanks for dropping by.