I did almost a 400 mile round trip from sudbury to timmins and back again

[decoherence]

i just want to know what was the normal cruising speed & size of rear sprocket. & about how long in between breaks.
i have been wanting to make a couple of long trips. i have a 36t & can hit 33mph. i wouldn't be driving it @ WOT though.
i think i am going to see if i can find a 30t & see how the bike handles.

 

[whelan wheels]

I'm running a 48 tooth rear sprocket and i had one of my older mufflers on it that i had left over from one of my ch 80 motors that i ported out so that the engine would breath better and also did the same with the manifold intake pipe left over from one of my other ch 80 motors and was running an ngk b7hs spark plug ,also was running at a 25:1 fuel mix ratio and kept the speed at a constant in between 17 to 19 m.p.h.

 

[Texhun]

How did you rig up the racks and everything I'm curious as to how I can get my bike to have more of that touring look, I'm most interested about the front bags and racks. Could you post pics of how you did that, did you buy the racks or did you make them? I've had the idea of riding from WacoTX to PortlandOR, it's a 2200 mile trip oneway. I figure if I could ride 22MPH non stop and not worry about filling up "if that's possible" I could make in about 100 hours, providing nothing goes wrong with my engine, I might have to carry 1-2 extras with me just to be safe. But man oh man would that be a blast of a trip!!

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

Truly awesome, man! I admire your spirit!

I'd LOVE to build and ride my bike in the continental United States.

I'd be using my Tanaka engine, for sure.

 

[ddesens]

Great pics, Nice country, very inspiring!

 

[whelan wheels]

Well just to ansewer a few of the questions, i got the front rack which is actually a rear rack with a single mount bar hooked up to the loop hole on the front fork and 2, 4mm allen bolts hooked up to the loop holes on the bottom of the fork stays. the two front bags are large capacity lunch bags converted into pannier bags with hand made mounting brackets. Sorry i don't have any good pic's yet but eventually i'll try to get some up here for ya to see. The rear rack is a steel rack i mounted on with a custom mounted bracket holding it in place on the top part and two 4mm allen head bolts holding on the rear stays. the rear bags are a pair of mongoose pannier bags that i got at zellers up here in canada. Heres a link to my pic's of my touring bike.
http://motorbicycling.com/f15/pics-mb-touring-bikes-32442.html

 

[whelan wheels]

Well heres a couple more links of my past travels as well. On the one with my trip to narin center shows how far my bike has come from a basic touring bike to where you see it in the next one on my trip to massey. Also in the two pics that show how my bike looked like just after i rebuilt it earlier on in the winter time as well, it goes to show how far the bike has come along from it's humble beginings to a long haul mb touring bike.
http://motorbicycling.com/f16/my-road-trip-narin-center-29517.html

http://motorbicycling.com/f16/my-trip-massey-32383.html

 

[The_Aleman]

Looks like you're having a great time!

 

[vincent713]

That was quite and impressive trip! So you didn't run into mechanical problems at all?

 

[whelan wheels]

Thanks there vincent for the comment and no there was not a single mechanical issue at all that happened what so ever. The bike and motor performed quite well through out the entirety of the trip.

 

[skyl4rk]

Wow, I have done that route in a car and just want everyone to know that this trip was through some empty wilderness and it is a long haul.

I have done the Soo to Thessalon to Chapleau route one time, then on to Timmins to see what was there. Timmins is a very long city. I was somewhat intimidated by the silence and the isolation, because I was driving alone and started to realize how remote these areas are. I just camped along side of the road in the middle of nowhere.

Another time I did Soo to Sudbury to Timmins to Rouyn Noranda, to Matagami to Chisasibi, as far north as you can drive on Hudson Bay (actually James Bay). This was the greatest road trip of my life, I will never forget it. I would like to go back again. If you like adventure travel, I recommend this area very highly. I have some pics I can post if anyone is interested.

South Haven Charter Township, MI 49090 to Chisasibi, QC, Canada - Google Maps

I love the Northland!

 

[leadfarmer]

Whelan Wheels, how did you get your mechanicals straight. For instance, my chain tensioner(like yours) can't go more than 60 miles or so before the chain is loose or the tensioner is tilting towards the spokes. Have you been sorting the bike for a while?

 

[FileStyle]

wish I had taken more photos, but I had done a 300 mile round trip to from Decatur, IL to Indiana and back home. stopping in Kansas IL to meet up with another MB enthusiast. Iam planning several long trips this year. my first trip this spring is to go north to starved rock state park (N. of Bloomington,IL) and hopefully catch some waterfalls and ride a few trails. my second trip is to try and make it to Missouri, cross the mississippi and say that I made it out of state.and the third trip is planned for southern IL. all trips will include pulling a trailer with camp gear (for three people,)as I did going to Indiana. the trailer weighed about 50-60 pounds full of gear and was still able to run top speed 28-30 mph, depending on road and weather conditions. so Iam hoping everything goes well and also a few more daring souls would like to try these adventures as well. so this spring and summer I promise I will take more pics and then submit to the site. Ride safe everyone and keep the shiny side up.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Whelan Wheels, how did you get your mechanicals straight. For instance, my chain tensioner(like yours) can't go more than 60 miles or so before the chain is loose or the tensioner is tilting towards the spokes. Have you been sorting the bike for a while?

Once the tensioner is sorted, it will go the life of the bike with no attention other than the occasional check and lubrication.

 

[happycheapskate]

Weld that lollipop on there, or replace it. Some people make a brace that covers the chain stay and seat stay, or replace it altogether with a spring type automatic tensioner. Ian Hawker has them for $50, US made.

Whelan Wheels, how did you get your mechanicals straight. For instance, my chain tensioner(like yours) can't go more than 60 miles or so before the chain is loose or the tensioner is tilting towards the spokes. Have you been sorting the bike for a while?

 

[robin]

Weld that lollipop on there, or replace it. Some people make a brace that covers the chain stay and seat stay, or replace it altogether with a spring type automatic tensioner. Ian Hawker has them for $50, US made.

I had mine spin into the spokes and stopped the rear wheel dead -- almost got run over by a lady--then i drilled a small hole thru the cro-moly frame old thick one and it fixed it !!

 

[DIANY]

this guy looks scary!! id totally ride with him LOL all i can say is WHAT A BAD ASS!!! i hope some day i can be as cool as this guy (SERIOUSLY) true freedom...i cant wait for my trip...i need to man up

 

[happycheapskate]

That's interesting. How were you treated by their police and customs?
What did you have to obtain or carry to travel there?

Wow, I have done that route in a car and just want everyone to know that this trip was through some empty wilderness and it is a long haul.
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