Posted by Kelly Melvin on August 06, 1999 at 22:16:26:
Well just got back from our visit to Yellowstone National Park. We started our trip on Friday July 30th in Green River WY (south west corner of Wyoming)
and headed to Jackson Hole. Just before leaving (lunch hour) i had tried to pack all the stuff in the little trailer and found that i still had too much stuff. It came to a choice of
ice chest or sleeping bags. So i took the bike back to work with the trailer (Construction Coordinator / Inspector for water treatment facility) and had some of the electricians
help me make a conduit cage on the front of the trailer to hold the ice chest (worked great). @ 4:00 we left our house and started on our way.
history on the trailer.... had a freind with a goldwing and trailer.. sold goldwing, still had trailer... bought it for 75 bucks (yea) and spent 60 on wheel bearigs.. found out next day
that hub assemblys in harbor freight magazine are 25 (bummer). tried to make a hitch but am a poor welder.. took to welding/fab shop and had him fix the welds i screwed up and make a nice
hitch.. 225 (for hitch and new backrest for passenger seat)... oh, took exst back rest and moved behind me with brackets to the fender support and had welder bent 5/8" bar stock to make taller
back rest for my wife. both make a big difference!!!!!!!!!!! Bought a windsheild and pad for new back rest out of JC Whiteny about 40 bucks each.. both are great.. windsheild brackets were for a
7/8" handle bar so had the welder drill it out on his milling maching to 1" to fit..15 bucks.
any way.. after a four hour ride to Jackson Hole with no problems but a major shower (we had rain gear) slowing me to 40 mph and causing me to hudle behing windshield
we decided not to camp but stay in a cabin were we honeymooned 2 years ago. Jackson was having its fair so all motels & campground where full.
All of the sudden the bike shut off.... no lights, nothing. (blown fuse) have never changed a fuse on it since owning it (7 years) so took the
thing apart in a parking lot in the dark (flashlight)with a phillips and a pair of plyers, only to find they stuck it an easy spot. A bit of advise.. keep some
20 amp fuses with you.
Couldn't figuer what caused the fuse to go, except that the trailer might be drawing too much power for the lights??? so after blowing about four more
fuses, we unplugged the trailer. Not more than 5 minutes later a police officer pulled us over to inform us that the lights were out on the trailer. After expaining the story
he lead us to the high school football feild and told us where the cycle shop was. We camped there and early the next morning left the trailer and went to find the cycle shop.
After the owner arived and i explained the story he made me feel stupid by saying the trailer had rubbed a wire and shorted..( duhh) He also looked at the rear tire and said that
he would have to replace it. I new it was low on rubber but the trip to jackson had worn it to the cords!!! (yikes) He said he might have a tire and said he could change it
and i could use his tools to fix the wire short. I was very nervous about the price that was previously undiscussed.. Dennis Kirk had tires for $150 and since this is Jackson Hole
Wyoming, i was nervous... It ended up listing for 92 and he sold it to me for 85 and 25 for removal and mounting...
I highly recomend this shop!!!!! JH cycle. The two young owners just bought it and the service is unmatched in my opinion... (plus its the only one close to yellowstone), if in Jackson, stop and stay Hi!!
No other problems for the rest of the trip.. saw great sites, animals and people. Surgis was about to begin so there were alot of bikes going trough at the time.
after yellowstone we headed east to Cody WY and then back to Green River. 1000 miles in four days.
8 miles from home the swivel on the tounge of the trailer decided to break.. no problems though. the safety chains drug it behind us and all i felt was a small tug. left it on the side of the
road and went back with a pickup 1/2 an hour later.
The bike pulled the steep grades just fine (300lb. trailer 285lbs. in passengers) and could even run 75 mph if you wanted to, never did untill the last day home and our butts were tired.
our milage varied from 43 to 55 mile/galllon and we stopped as often as our backsides needed.. no overheat problems or oil problems.
For our next trip we will have saddle bags (have a sissy pack) and new seats!!! We sat on little pillows the last day heading home (300 miles)