Lake Lure/Old Fort NC

[rideandfly]

Yesterday was a beautiful day for a ride so took the CB500X for a Dual Sport Ride. Headed to Lake Lure NC, then to Old Fort NC, eventually getting home before dark. If I had a few more hours could have rode some gravel roads up to the BRP and taken Rt. 181 on the way back down the hill, maybe next time.     

The CB is working out nicely for twisty & fire road riding. The stock fork springs are a little stiff and will eventually replace them.

Always take too many photos,

On the way to Lake Lure:



Lake Lure has nice twisties in the area:



Had a fine lunch at Black Mountain:



On the way to Old Fort:







Old Fort NC area:

[Brick]

Great stuff! Looks like you did ride a bit of dirt if you went past the Geyser by Old Fort.

[rideandfly]

Great stuff! Looks like you did ride a bit of dirt if you went past the Geyser by Old Fort.

Thanks!

Yep, the dirt road was in perfect condition.

Learned about that road on a DS ride with DPippin and a large group several years ago. Met everyone
at Bat Cave NC, and got bit by a bat on my way, no joke! Riding to Bat Cave around sun up and the bats were
swooping down at me when one got hung up in the mesh on my left arm when it bit me. Had to go to the
emergency room that night and get four rabies shots and follow up several times for more shots!

Here's another DS rider on another nice dirt road @ Roan Mtn TN:

[Brick]

What??? Are you kidding? Would have thought you would need rabies shots. You gotta be kidding.

Who is that old guy on the cool SV650?

[rideandfly]

What??? Are you kidding? Would have thought you would need rabies shots. You gotta be kidding.

Who is that old guy on the cool SV650?

Had to go through complete series of rabies shots!

Believe the young  guy on the SV is a MSTA member!

[HawkGTRider]

Re: bats
Cindy & I rented an old cabin for a weekend in Townsend, TN a few years ago. Cindy woke up in the middle of the night feeling like something had brushed against her face, and when we turned the light on, there was a bat flying around in the room. It didn't seem to like the bright light and eventually landed before disappearing into a crevice in the wall.

We were in the cabin loft and the light was overhead where you had to stand on the bed to get to to the pull cord. I had tied a piece of dental floss to the cord to extend it so we didn't have to jump on the bed to turn the light on and off. The next morning when we woke up, we found the bat had come back out and gotten tangled in the dental floss and was hanging there just above our heads. Creepy. We put the bat in a cooler, still tangled in the dental floss, and passed him along to the local health department for rabies testing. Later we realized this could be the same bat Cindy had felt brush against her face, but there was no guarantee of it. The bat tested negative, but under the circumstances, she and I both were advised to get the rabies shots. Fun.

[rideandfly]

Re: bats
Cindy & I rented an old cabin for a weekend in Townsend, TN a few years ago. Cindy woke up in the middle of the night feeling like something had brushed against her face, and when we turned the light on, there was a bat flying around in the room. It didn't seem to like the bright light and eventually landed before disappearing into a crevice in the wall.

We were in the cabin loft and the light was overhead where you had to stand on the bed to get to to the pull cord. I had tied a piece of dental floss to the cord to extend it so we didn't have to jump on the bed to turn the light on and off. The next morning when we woke up, we found the bat had come back out and gotten tangled in the dental floss and was hanging there just above our heads. Creepy. We put the bat in a cooler, still tangled in the dental floss, and passed him along to the local health department for rabies testing. Later we realized this could be the same bat Cindy had felt brush against her face, but there was no guarantee of it. The bat tested negative, but under the circumstances, she and I both were advised to get the rabies shots. Fun.

Believe rabies is always fatal, heard of one case when a young lady did not die when she was placed in an induced coma for a while.

When my Wife & I were dating in the early 70s, we were riding two-up with open face helmets on a HD 250 one night when a bat swooped down & hit her on the cheek while riding pillion.

[HawkGTRider]

I had a bat hit me in the arm while riding one evening. No bite and no shots required, but as small and light as they are, it felt like a rock hitting me.

Sent from my SM-G900R4 using Tapatalk

[stevegrab]

Who is that old guy on the cool SV650?

Why's he riding that nice bike on a dirt road, doesn't he have a bike more suited for DS riding?

[rideandfly]

Yep, view bats differently after one bit me. Radar is up & running (pun intended) when I see bats flying! 

Have seen folks on FJRs riding that dirt road the young fellow is riding his SV on. It has nice hard packed surface.

Here's additional shots from the Lake Lure/Old Fort ride:

[Brick]

Who is that old guy on the cool SV650?

Why's he riding that nice bike on a dirt road, doesn't he have a bike more suited for DS riding?

Well yes... "He" has a perfectly good Super Tenere'. But you know... ride what you bring!

[wardie]

 

The CB is working out nicely for twisty & fire road riding. The stock fork springs are a little stiff and will eventually replace them.


[/quote]

I have a 2014 CB 500 X...top case and Blaze Saddlebags.

Yes any high speed cornering where surfaces aren't smooth and you'll likely get chatter. I too am looking for springs and emulators. I wouldn't be indifferent to opening up the oil holes in the fork dampening rods. I can't complain for it being an inexpensive  small bore peashooter it gives a good account of itself across the board. Wardie

[rideandfly]

Ordered a set of Hagon progressive springs. They are available in the UK, so getting Dave @ Dave Quinn Motorcycles to add a set to one of his bulk orders. The Hagon number is 400-468-00.

Tried a set of Race Tech springs for the CBR500R, part number  FRSP S3534090. They felt much better than the OEM springs but ended up cutting a 180MM spacer as per Race Tech instructions. Thought the CBR springs would work since several parts in the front suspension are the same between the CBR500R & CB500X. On thing I did not compare was the  fork travel of the CBR @ 4.3" and the CB @ 5.5". OEM spacer is 149MM for CB 387MM springs compared to 180MM spacer needed for the Race Tech CBR 340MM springs.

Expecting Hagon springs to arrive in 2 or 3 weeks.