Well, now I know how long a well-maintained Harley engine will perform.  It’s 227,689 miles. 

I was still having the problem I had when we were visiting Bradley awhile back.  The brake pedal was not returning and I had to put my foot under it and pull it back up.  It didn’t drag, but the brake light stayed on after the pedal was released.  So, before I left for Georgia with the 2008 Harley Ultra with a Harley sidecar rig.  I dropped the Limited at Tucson Harley to have the brake pedal fixed.  The 2014 Harley Limited was still running fine and not using any oil.  I’d go 5000 miles between changes and it would be almost full.  That bike was the best motorcycle I’ve ever had.  And I’ve had a bunch since my ’67 BSA Thunderbolt.  Except for tires and replacing the battery at two years, that bike had only routine maintenance.  And the battery was still ok, but I’m too old to push start that bike and since I usually ride alone, a new battery is good insurance.

The condition of the engine and its performance were due, in part, to my oil change routine.  I always change it hot.  Pull the drain plug, drain the pan, replace the plug.  Then, pour a quart of the cheapest thinnest oil I can find, start the engine and let it run for five minutes.  During the five minutes, rev the engine from time to time to make sure that the oil runs through the engine and flushes out anything that might be collecting in there.  Then pull the plug again, drain the quart I added and continue with the oil change.  After 5000 miles, you’ll drain oil that looks almost new.  That and leaving the bike completely stock and you’ll get long life out of your engine.

While I was on the road I got a call from the Tucson Harley shop saying that they thought there was unusual noise in the cam case and asking for authorization to open in up.  I told them to go ahead.  A day or so later I got another call.  They said that metal from the cam tensioner assembly had likely gotten into the rest of the engine.  I doubt that there was much since I flush the engine every time the oil is changed.  I was about ready to tell them to replace whatever was worn and put it back together.  Before I could say anything, I was told they had already talked to the extended warranty company and gotten approval for the proposed fix. 

The proposed fix is pretty good; they approved a new engine, from the factory, in a crate.  That means a whole new engine.  Cases and all.  They just R and R the whole engine.  The cost; $50.

I was considering one of the new Milwaukee 8s, but now this one is probably good for another 227,689 miles.

Incidentally, the sidecar rig performed very well to Georgia and back.  I found that it seemed happiest running about 75 mph in 5^th gear.  The only problem was a blow out on the motorcycle rear tire.  A sidecar is a nice thing to have when you blow a tire.  It took AAA some time to get a flatbed set up for motorcycles but with the Premier coverage on the AAA card I got it hauled the last 100 miles to the Harley shop in Columbus, GA without charge.  Columbus was the destination anyway.  Patricia’s son-in-law picked us up at the Harley shop.

It was a nice visit with the daughter, son-in-law and the three grandkids.  But I can only stay two or three days before I get the itch to get back on the road. 

Left Columbus Tuesday morning for Nashville.  Patricia wanted to have dinner with her nephew, his girlfriend and their 6 month old son.  We had dinner with them and stayed in a motel near the airport.  Wednesday morning, I took her to the airport in Nashville to fly home.  She was to pick up her younger daughter, son-in-law and their 8 month old daughter who were flying into Mesa.  She would drive the 100+ miles to the Mesa airport.  And I wasn’t sure how long I would wander around getting home to Tucson.  I stayed Wednesday night in Oklahoma.  I was thinking about dropping in on my niece Mari and her husband Marcus but it was pretty late when I passed through that area.  So on into the panhandle. 

If you are passing through Amarillo I recommend eating at the Big Texan.  It’s right next to I-40.  There are about 50 billboards on the road advertising there 72 ounce steak.  That didn’t sound good to me but I only had a steak quesadilla and couldn’t finish that.  Tourist trap but pretty interesting spot.  I ended up going from somewhere in western Oklahoma to home on Thursday.  Took I-40 into New Mexico, then US Highway 54 to Alamogordo and then US 70 to Las Cruces.  It  is an interesting ride.  Not much out there but a couple pretty interesting small towns.

The backroads are usually the most interesting route.  Except for I-70 from Richfield, Utah to Denver I try to find an alternate road.  A lot of towns that used to be on main routes were suddenly left almost ghost towns when bypassed by the Interstate highway system.  Duran, New Mexico is one of those towns.

Not a lot happening in Duran these days.  But I have a picture at home that my step-son Justin took on a California 500 that he and I did in the 1982 sidecar rig in front of a closed up store in Arizona.  That was about 34 years ago and I figured the two pictures would go good together.  But I think I’ll have to go back when I have a photographer; the old picture has me sitting on the bike.  Maybe next trip I’ll take the tripod.  If you take that route, don’t let the fuel get too low.  It’s a pretty good piece from pump to pump.

Anyway, I’ll be in the Bay Area in early July, then maybe up to Oregon.  Gotta break in the new motor in that Harley Limited.