Another R2 in NW Arkansas

Though I've been a member and reader of this forum since shortly after its inception, I finally found the right bike to buy so that I'd actually be a R2 owner. A few days after buying "Ole Blue" I decided to take her out for a bit of a baptism. Little did I realize what that would entail.



It was a beautiful Fall day, a bit cool, but the mountains are really coming alive now as the trees shed their green for the rainbow of colors this time of the year brings to Arkansas.



If you've never ridden in Arkansas, then you've missed some of the best backroads riding there is. The vistas are stunning and there's always something new and interesting around each corner. If you want them, you can find plenty of challenges too. We've had a lot of rain lately and the creeks are running pretty high. I found a particularly slick one that resulted in an immersion baptism for both Ole Blue and yours truly. No pictures of the deed, but the result was...



Oops! For me, it meant...



No news to those of you who own R2s, but some of the really great things about the bike that I realized after my swim... The switch that kills the engine when the bike goes horizontal is excellent insurance and probably kept mine from taking in a lungful of water. There's nothing quite like fuel injection! Though she sputtered a bit after her bath, Ole Blue started right up (OK, maybe it took two short cranks of the starter to get her going) and ran like a top after our failed creek crossing. The airbox is easy to access and to drain. Mine is REALLY clean now.

Thanks to all of you who contribute the tons of useful information on this site. It's great!

For future rides, please keep something in mind...it's only water. Have fun.

-JD

Hey JD! Glad to see you got your scoot You might want to change the oil after that swim...

SheWolf wrote:

Hey JD! Glad to see you got your scoot You might want to change the oil after that swim...

Thanks for the welcome SheWolf.

Yeah, changing the oil and filter was the first order of business the day after I got back. Fortunately, the oil looked good (not milky) when I changed it.

I went for a ride yesterday and blew a headlamp bulb, maybe because there was some water in the lamp housing that bounced up on the bulb and caused it to explode. When I went to change the bulb today I found lots of moisture in there...as well as lots of bits and pieces of glass. Wow!

Ride safe.

-JD

Headlight bulbs are cheap compared to a hydraulic'd engine. You might want to dump some methyl hydrate into your fuel tank as well. Yes...water can get into there as well. I do that also in the winter just as a precaution.

SheWolf wrote:

Headlight bulbs are cheap compared to a hydraulic'd engine. You might want to dump some methyl hydrate into your fuel tank as well. Yes...water can get into there as well. I do that also in the winter just as a precaution.

Great idea! I've got some in the garage and will put some in this morning. Many thanks!

-JD

Welcome, HI!

*great intro. I see some nice RR's from this one!

Thanks for sharing the pics & congrats on the purchase.

inspector wrote:

Welcome, HI!

*great intro. I see some nice RR's from this one!

Thanks Inspector and WRoldman. In the future I hope there will be a greater emphasis in RRs involving drier challenges and less on lack of operator skill/judgement...not that taking a bath had anything to do with problems on my part of course.

-JD

SheWolf wrote:

Headlight bulbs are cheap compared to a hydraulic'd engine. You might want to dump some methyl hydrate into your fuel tank as well. Yes...water can get into there as well. I do that also in the winter just as a precaution.

Sorry, I shouldn't be asking in this thread but.....what does it do, where do you get it, something I can just add once in awhile?

Methyl Hydrate displaces water, and won't hurt the engine. We use it all the time in the logging truck in the air lines, and in all our vehicles over the winter months. It's cheap insurance in the fight against fuel tank condensation...and also works if you end up with a bit of water in your gas after going for a swim. You should be able to get it at any hardware/automotive store. It's a common product, and you don't need much.

SheWolf wrote:

Methyl Hydrate displaces water, and won't hurt the engine. We use it all the time in the logging truck in the air lines, and in all our vehicles over the winter months. It's cheap insurance in the fight against fuel tank condensation...and also works if you end up with a bit of water in your gas after going for a swim. You should be able to get it at any hardware/automotive store. It's a common product, and you don't need much.

You can buy it as "Heet" in the U.S. at automotive and large stores (e.g. Walmart). I think methyl hydrate is also the primary active ingredient in "Stabil" gas stabilizer.

-JD

if you are up for some trail riding in NWA, PM me! I am free on Sundays. This weekend Ill be riding in Clayton, OK...

boogn1sh wrote:

if you are up for some trail riding in NWA, PM me! I am free on Sundays. This weekend Ill be riding in Clayton, OK...

I'll definitely be getting ahold of you boogn1sh! Your card is still on my desk. I drove past adv. sub. the other day and almost stopped, but saw you with a customer so didn"t want to ruin a potential sale. Most days the weather is nice I'm ready to ride. Except for the no money part, not working at a regular job has its advantages.

-JD

Hey glad to see you are enjoying that bike, come see us sometime
Chad.

Hey How is Claytopn for Riding? I went there with some buddies with rock crawlers so we didnt see many trails really