Views From the Motorcycle over the Weekend

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Yakima Bike and Snowboard Rack System Mounted on a Ford F150

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I am using the Yakima track system on my F150 with the 6.5 foot box and also have used it on the 5.5 foot box F150. I have used this track set-up on my F350s and my 3/4 ton Dodge in the past. The key is to have a versatile set-up. The initial set-up involves purchasing the pieces that you need first and then add on to it. The main components are the track, I would recommend buying the longer track. You can always cut them down to fit and I use the shorter pieces to make a short double track. I bought the widest bars because you can always cut them down. I have 10 of the towers so I can mount them all and move the bars on the track and leave the towers in place. I have 1 set of towers that are 32 inches apart. The 32 inches is the distance to mount my Yakima rocket box and it is the distance to mount my snowboards for the bindings to fit.      

With the turn of a key and you can lift the cross-bars out and have the whole pick-up box open.

This is a shot of the double track. I use a double track for a short bar, the reason for a short bar is to carry a motorcycle in my pick-up along with 4 bikes on the rack. The reason that you need a double track is that the towers will swivel and you don't want the tower to swivel. So with a short bar the 2 towers anchor the bar which are 18 inches long on each side of the truck.

I decided this year to simplify the bike mounting system, I removed the fork mounts from the wheel tray of the bike rack. Then I use the 2 straps on the rear wheel on the back bar. This way I can remove each bar separately if I need the whole pick-up box space.

A very clean and simple bike set up. This mount system is very strong and versatile.

I have 4 fork mounts on this rack and there is room to add 2 more for a total of 6 bikes on this set-up.

I also have a roof rack system that I can mount on the roof if I need more rack space and I can carry my Yakima Rocket Box on the roof for more storage. I like the track rack on the pick-up box because it keeps the bikes and snowboards down out of the wind and it is so easy to set the bikes on the rack.

1976 DT 400 Yamaha & A Good Day on the Salsa Mountain Bike

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This is a CLASSIC DT 400 Yamaha 2-stroke...1976...Wow!! Talk about a flashback, this 400 Yamaha has 5000 miles on it. The motorcycle is 36 years old.

Gather around and I'm going to tell you the 400 Yamaha story.

Way back in the year 1976, I was about to trade in my 3 cylinder 500 Kawasaki crotch rocket on a new left over model, DT 360 Yamaha Enduro. Well the Yamaha dealer had my deposit and I was pumped to get my new motorcycle in the spring of 1976. Every year back then I sold or traded my previous years motorcycle for a new model. I would switch back and forth between an Enduro or a pavement scorching road motorcycle. I had a couple of 2-stroke 3 cylinder 500 Kawasakis over the years. So back to the  400...When I found out the new 400s were only an extra $100, I talked to my sales guy and switched from the DT 360 to the DT 400 and bought the 400 instead.

Many fond memories of the DT 400 Yamaha. Back in the day, a guy could ride off-road all over in the Minnesota River bottoms. I had plenty of woods and creek areas to explore. The 400 was the best street legal enduro motorcycle money could buy back in the mid 70s. It could reach speeds up to 85 mph and creep down a singletrack trail in the woods. A fun ride was blasting down the farm roads in the river bottoms and accelerating hard out of the corners. Pin the throttle down the straight, throw it into the next corner, power slide out and speed along the river banks. Ducking my head and keeping the handle bars straight when a flock of blackbirds swooped out of the cornfields, feeling them bouncing off my helmet and arms. To swerve meant ending up in the river or in the middle of a corn field. Every day riding the 400 was an adventure.

The practical side of the 400 was that I rode it 30 miles round trip to work every day. In those days I would ride right up till the snow fell. One day I came out of work and there was 3 inches of fresh powder snow covering the motorcycle. Brushed it off and rode home on the snow covered roads. Many "GOOD TIMES" on the DT 400 Yamaha. 

A Good Day on the Salsa Mountain Bike

Sweet singletrack at Murphy Hannerhan.

Great to have a day to spend on the trails. Two and a half hours on the bike.

The new drink of choice...low carb, high protein and a healthy shot of caffeine. Energy before the ride and recovery after the ride. A hearty sandwich and an ice cold beer tops off the day back at the truck.

4th Of July Tour Up To Mille Lacs Lake & Whitefish Lake, Minnesota

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The classic Lake Mille Lacs Walleye in Garrison, Minnesota.

 I rode a Honda Gold Wing up north on the 4th of July. With temps in the mid 90s it was refreshing to take a break on the shore of Lake Mille Lacs with a cold ice tea and the breeze off the water.

 The flag flying high over the land of the free, in the north woods.

Two wheel touring in comfort, The 1800 Gold Wing.

F150 EcoBoost Road Trip / 1 Day 800 Miles Round Trip to Retreive a Yamaha

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I am really happy with my 2011 Ford F150 EcoBoost. A couple snapshots of real life mpg, 17.5 and up to 17.6 mpg. The mpg is acually about 5%  better than the computer reads because of the larger BFG tires that are on the truck (285/70/17 @ 33 inches tall). This engine makes it's max torque at 2500 rpm (420 ft pounds), so running at 70 mph is effortless along with it's 365 hp.

 This was the temp, 102, while I was loading the motorcycle in the back of the truck. I worked up a very good sweat needless to say. The ice cold Rock Star Energy drink in my cooler sure tasted great when I got on the road towards home. My truck also has the cooled leather seats...wow, nice feature on a day like this.

   A bit of damage on the left side of the Yamaha.