2007 SMOG East Trail Ride (Part 3)

The best part about the SMOG ride is seeing all the old bikes that people have dumped a small fortune into. There were some absolutely beautiful bikes on display and a few of them were even ridden on the trail.


This sweet looking Bultaco Astro flat-tracker wasn't hitting the trails, but it was on display. It had a fantastic air-brushed mural on the back fender that reminded me of a custom van from the 70's. It was like a flashback to my Jr. High School days. I should've taken a photo of that mural, but I was having a mentally-challenged moment.


There was also this very clean and original-looking Ossa MAR (Mick Andrews Replica). It had also been signed by Mick himself. That alone probably doubles the value.


Fellow Stateline and SMOG member Mark B. rode his Bultaco Pursang. Later he hopped on his son's 300 Gasser and we did one hot-lap together. There must've been 20 riders stuck on one hill when we came blasting through. People scattered like teenagers from a keg party when the cops show up.

Of course meeting new Spanish motorcycle enthusiasts is also a highlight. Since most of us suffer from the same affliction (okay, we're nut-jobs) Once again I met a lot of nice people, some from as far away as Iowa, and bench-raced with old familiar faces. Lots of people complimented on how well-behaved my children were. They should've been around when we got home.


Capital Area Trail Riders Assn. (CATRA) showed up in force and we proudly displayed our banner. Left to right - Russ G., Sponge Bob, Dave G. and Trials Pete. Not pictured are Victor and Nina P. (they left early), Kenny (we couldn't find him) and the oaf behind the camera. My kids were tired of having their pictures taken by this point.


We found Kenny! He was about to collapse from trying to start his Ossa Super Pioneer. I don't think he'd started it since the ISDT Reunion Ride in 2003. I snapped this photo of Sponge Bob explaining to Kenny the technique of not kicking like a girl. Kenny was mumbling something about bad gas. Not sure if he was talking about gasoline or something the guy in the yellow Fox jersey was passing.

For me it was another successful SMOG Ride. All my bikes started and two of them were ridden on the trails as a prospective buyer took the 2001 Gasser for a test ride. Nothing was broken on either the bikes or my body. That's three for four.

2007 SMOG East Trail Ride (Part 2)

For October, the weather was unseasonably warm. Don't tell Al Gore, he'll want to make another mockumentary calling for an outright ban on Spanish motorcycles. Before the catch phrase Global Warming/Global Climate Change (or whatever they are calling it these days) people referred to this weather as Indian Summer. I guess that's not a PC term anymore. A couple of EZ-Ups provided shade and, at times, there was a slight breeze.


Here Lauren practices her "Thumbs Up" for the camera. Her favorite part of the day was the group photo. Perhaps she wants to be a model when she grows up?

The ride kicks off at 10:00 a.m. with a group photo. Well, it's supposed to be 10:00 a.m. Around 80 riders were in attendance for the 17th annual ride and the group photo was taken just before 11:00. Ken McGuire, who does a great job organizing the SMOG East Rides and running SMOG, takes the group photo and holds a brief riders meeting. We were told the loop was 10-miles in length. Ken is an attorney... the loop was just over five miles. Maybe it just seems a lot farther on a vintage bike.


I loaded Jacob, Lauren and Kyle onto my Bultaco and pushed them over to where the group photo was taken. None of them fell off and I didn't pull anything important in the process.


Sponge Bob on his 100% original, unrestored, Ossa Super Pioneer. You'd be hard-pressed to find another unrestored '75 enduro bike in this good of shape. However, riding a vintage enduro bike like this makes you glad to get back on a modern enduro bike.


CATRA VP and Sherco dealer, Trials Pete, showed up with this Bultaco model 199 Sherpa T. One of the last models to ever roll out of the original Bultaco factory in Barcelona. He also brought along a Bultaco Alpina and a Bultaco Frontera and not only rode, but completed loops on all three, despite some problems with the Alpina.

After the group photo, everyone hits the trails. Most don't make it around one lap. Lots of vintage bikes were broken down on the trails. Also a few riders were having trouble getting up some of the hills. This is the only time some of these guys ride all year. The trails were bone dry and quite dusty. Sponge Bob and Trials Pete helped keep an eye on my kids while I did two hot-laps on my '03 Gasser.


At the three previous SMOG rides I attended this was the bike I rode, back when it was in Alpina trim. I'm older and wiser now. This year I rode it around the field and had the kids sit on it during the group photo. Trailer Queen much?

Click here for part 3.

2007 SMOG East Trail Ride (Part 1)

Once a year SMOG, the Spanish Motorcycle Owners Group (you really didn't think I was talking about air pollution, did you?), holds a trail ride near the town of Ravena in Upstate NY. This years trail ride was Saturday October 6th, followed by a road ride on Sunday. I've been attending the SMOG Ride since 2004. Finally I brought a camera and, instead of using it to keep paper plates from blowing away, took some photos.


See, I told you SMOG doesn't stand for pollution. Next year is the SMOG 20-year anniversary. The SMOG World Rally is planned to take place in Jonesboro, IL. Wonder if the wife will let me go?


Friday night, after rebuilding the top-end in my 2003 Gas Gas EC300, I loaded my Spanish armada into the trailer. Imagine that, three Spanish motorcycles and all three run. Left to right - 2001 Gas Gas XC300 (For Sale), 1973 Bultaco "Sherpina" 250, 2003 Gas Gas EC300.


Actually it was more like wedging all three bikes into the trailer. That's a tight fit. I hope the trailer can handle the load.

Ravena is less than an hour from my house, depending on which road you take. You know you're getting close when you see pickups and trailers full of old dirt bikes. Most caravan over from the Ravena Diner, but being a thrifty individual, I stopped at Dunkin' Donuts, grabbed a dozen and some coffee before heading over to the ride. Occasionally you'll see someone driving around in circles because they are lost.


Our destination, once again, was Dave Flach's farm outside of Ravena. Fellow CATRA and SMOG member Sponge Bob was in attendance. He brought three Spanish motorcycles as well. A Bultaco Frontera, a Montesa Cota and an Ossa Super Pioneer (not pictured). He rode all three around.


For the second year in a row my wife had something planned for that weekend, so I brought along all three of our kids (three kids, three motorcycles, coincidence?). Here Jacob is demonstrating to Lauren and Kyle the proper way to do the "Thumbs Up" Bultaco trademark (shhh, don't tell Hugh). This was Jacob's fourth SMOG Ride.

Click here for part 2.

Gas Gas Maintenance - 2

There's nothing like a component failure to make one get off their butt and do some long overdue preventive maintenance. Such had been the case when my 2003 Gas Gas EC300 died at the Rocktoberfast Enduro.


New Wiseco forged piston, wrist pin and bearing installed on the connecting rod.


Once the piston was installed all I had to do was slip the jug (cylinder) over the piston. Even though it was stamped "A", the Nikasil plated cylinder does not require honing, but was worn enough, ~0.0005" to fit a "B" piston. Prior to installation I cleaned the cylinder and exhaust power valve assembly.


Here you can see the engine is all back together. All that's left is to install the expansion chamber, silencer, gas tank, seat and side panel.
But first...


I pulled the carburetor and reed block. Then installed new Boyesen Power Reed valves in the block.
And then...


I pulled apart the silencer and cleaned about 10 lbs. of carbon out of the screen, spark arrestor and end cap before repacking it. Note the budget packing. High temperature fiberglass insulation courtesy of Lowes. Sure you can buy fancy motorcycle silencer packing for $20, or spend $5 and repack your silencer 5 times. Hmmmm tough decision. Remember I'm a member of the Budget Racing Team.

Gas Gas Maintenance - 1

Piston from my 2003 Gas Gas EC300. Some carbon dragging, from the power valve, on the exhaust side of the skirt.

Buying a used bike is always a gamble unless you know the previous owner. Even then you might know them, chances are good you'll find a hidden surprise or two. The previous owner of my 2003 Gas Gas EC300 was one Doug S., whom I've known for a few years. In fact Doug was the original owner of my 2001 Gas Gas XC300 (I'm the third owner of that bike). I'd been warned that Doug's mechanical skills are on par with those of an 8th grader who sniffed too much gasket remover in shop class. While I have yet to confirm this warning, I will say that Doug never did any mechanical work to the engine in the four years he owned the '03 Gasser.

I should have listened to my inner voice when it told me to do a top-end. Actually I should've listened to a lot of things my inner voice was telling me. However, with limited time to perform preventive maintenance I ignored my inner voice. The result of this misfortune can be seen in these pictures.

Here you can see the main culprit. The compression rings are stuck in the ring grooves on the exhaust side of the piston.

I'm not going to make any excuses or blame the previous owner or the bike. This failure, and my subsequent DNF at the Rocktoberfast Enduro, was the result of my laziness. Prior to the Newark Enduro I should've changed the main jet from a 175 to a 178. While the 175 was fine for short full-throttle bursts, running WFO in top-gear through open fields and back roads was a big NO-NO. When the air filter became clogged with dust, this actually prevented air flow into the engine. Less air meant the engine ran hotter. The combination of all three caused the rings to stick in the grooves.

This week I'l be putting in a new piston, cleaning the exhaust power valve, installing new reed valves on the intake and repacking the silencer. In case you're thinking I'm forgetting something, I already installed a 178 main jet in the carburetor.

2007 Rocktoberfast Enduro

How's that old saying go?

"If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have any luck at all."

Well that pretty much describes my 2007 Enduro season. Back in May, while playing soccer in the backyard with my oldest, something went "pop" in my knee. Previous experience told me this was a torn MCL. While not as severe as a torn ACL, a torn MCL will heal on its own, it was still very painful. So I refrained from Enduro competition until it healed. My first Enduro after the injury was the Mudslinger, Where I houred-out at check 6. I rode two more Enduros, Speedsville and Newark, since the Mudslinger and finished both of them. I even trophied at Newark, but everything comes at a price.

Towards the end of Newark, my bike was running horrible. I blamed this on a clogged air filter due to all the dust. Such was not the case. My bike nearly refused to start Saturday afternoon and when I did get it running, it sounded horrible. I hoped that I could nurse it through the Rocktoberfast Enduro, but such was not the case. Around mile 18.6 the engine died and refused to start. Luckily there was a checkpoint at this location.

This week I'll be replacing the top end (piston and rings). Hopefully I can get it running for the SMOG (Spanish Motorcycle Owners Group) Ride on Saturday.

There's still two more Enduros left in the NETRA season. The Gypsy Moth on 10/14 and the Black & Blue on 10/28.

C'est La Vie!