I've been getting out for daily rides during this past week, and the enjoyment is just as great as ever, particularly when the bikes are behaving well. It's nice to revisit all my favorite circuits around the back hills of Steuben County, especially the ones that pass through forests and Amish enclaves. The Amish folk smile and wave, without fail. But, what's still a treat, even after ten years of riding CJs, is watching people examine the bike while you're inside a restaurant having a burger. They're usually able to pick me out as the owner when they come inside and will often walk over to the booth to ask questions. And, of course, I'm usually quite happy to talk bikes with them. What's sometimes quite surprising is the knowledge that sprouts from people who you just don't expect it from. I met up with a pair of Middle Easterners today, one of whom blew me away with his knowledge of prewar Beemers. Often, it's the old-timers who are the most fun to talk to, especially WWII veterans who recall all the German sidecars they encountered. I'll never get tired of meeting these people.

September 3, 2011

We recently had a major tragedy in the family, and as a result, updating CJU has become a low priority. I expect things to get back to normal after a little time has passed.

July 10, 2011

That's it. My seven weeks off from work end tomorrow, and today's ride was the last one for the next month or so. I was out on the tan M1 for close to three hours, almost entirely on farm roads. These roads tend to be arrow straight for miles, so you can really wind it out a bit. I didn't see one other vehicle the entire time, and that was pretty nice. The other thing was the dust plume kicked up by my bike. Watching it in the mirror, I kept thinking how cool it would look in a video clip. Now, both bikes are under covers in their little corner of the garage, waiting to be hauled out once again in late August. That's definitely something I'll be looking forward to.

June 27, 2011

Had the tan bike out for a little spin today, and it did something that SVs are known to do when they're trying to tell you something—it seized up momentarily. By the time I pulled over and got off the bike, all was fine again. I double-checked the oil level then continued the ride, but with a slightly different riding style.

So, what was up with that? Well, the bike is usually saying one of three things:

• "I'm hot." There's not enough air moving across the jugs due to low (or no) speed. Climbing a long, steep trail in low gear is an example, as is being stuck in traffic.

• "Slow down!" If you work the engine too hard for too long, the bike will let you know that it's not appreciated. Sustained high RPMs will only be sustained for so long.

• "I need a drink!" This is your bike's first warning that it's low on oil. The next one will be far more interesting.

You'll need to decide which message (or combination thereof) is being delivered. My advice is too heed the warning as they'll get progressively less subtle if you choose not to. In fact, that first warning may be the only one you get. This time, I knew exactly what the bike wanted me to know... that it was starting to overheat. I adjusted my riding accordingly, and the next couple of hours were the usual CJ treat.

June 19, 2011

CJ owners are well aware of how lousy the brakes are. But, they're more than adequate if you look after them. My brakes get adjusted regularly, and two or three times per season, I pull the wheels off, clean everything, scuff up the linings with 200 grit sand paper and reclock the levers (if they need it). What a difference all that makes. I adjust the linings until they're just barely rubbing against the drum, then back off a touch. There's no better way to do that than to have the wheel off the ground so you can spin it while adjusting. A bike with freshly serviced brakes is the way we wish they were all the time!

June 17, 2011

It was a decent day so I rolled the tan bike out for a ride, but the battery was flatter than a pancake. I rode the bike yesterday, so this is a puzzler. I wonder if leaving the ignition switched on overnight could possibly drain the battery. That's about the only possibility, and it's pretty remote at best. Very strange. Anyway, I'm fortunate to be the owner of two Changs, so it was simply a matter of riding the other one instead. The ride was superb, as they usually are. I followed country lanes over to the river valley and took the main road back home. All in all, a very nice afternoon.

June 1, 2011

Six weeks remain of a seven-week vacation. The first week went by in the blink of an eye. I'm getting caught up on a lot of stuff around the old settlement and will soon be able to spend an hour or two riding every day. On Memorial Day, Mrs. Danno and I rode to Keuka Lake State Park on the tan M1. The weather was pretty decent, but the bugs were also out enjoying the long weekend. Several hundred became highway statistics on the way home.

Unless it rains, we'll be attending an antique car show in Elmira on Sunday. In years past, we've taken Edsels, however this year, we may opt for something with fewer wheels on it. We'll see.

April 16, 2011

Only two days remain before I leave town for Lebanon where I'll spend the next five weeks earning a living. But, thanks to an impending transfer, I'll then have seven weeks off—during the best part of the riding season! So, in spite of what I may not love about my job, you won't hear any complaints.

Sadly, it's drizzling today, and the forecast calls for non-stop rain for the remainder of my leave. Bummer. The bikes will rest until I get home.

It seems like the service life of the motor in my red M1 is reaching an end. There's no telling how many miles were on it when it first arrived here, probably millions. I've had it apart plenty of times, replacing valves, pistons, crank, and even the cam. There's quite a difference in performance between the two bikes, that's for sure. But the most telling indicator is the sound. While the tan bike has a tight, quiet and strong motor, the red bike is quite the opposite. The best way I can describe it is loose. If anyone out there has a decent 6V SV engine for sale, please get in touch at edsel400@yahoo.com

Meanwhile, the tan M1 has something funky going on with the drivetrain. I suspect the pinion gear in the final drive might be wearing out. The symptom is major backlash when transitioning between acceleration and deceleration. It mimics what you'd have in a car with bad U-joints, but unfortunately, all the slop is inside the final drive. It might be easier to just replace the whole thing.

By the way, with US gasoline prices pushing past $4 per gallon, I'm curious how fuel efficient our bikes are. Has anyone ever calculated fuel mileage on a Chang? I'm thinking about testing this using the odometer in my wife's car and precisely one gallon of fuel. We Americans consume a quarter of the world's petroleum, and we cry like babies when prices approach half what people pay in certain European countries. I've been in Houston traffic jams where the HOV lanes are virtually empty. (Vehicles only need two occupants to use them.) The freeways turn into enormous parking lots, partially occupied by idling Escalades, Navigators, Hummers, etc. But hey, what's five bucks a gallon to someone driving a $70,000 SUV? Enjoy this cheap fuel while you still can. You ain't seen nothin' yet.

April 10, 2011

Since my Changs don't have blinkers, hand signals are the order of the day. Unfortunately, people under a certain age don't have a clue what's going on. Although they seem to understand the left-turn signal okay, the right signal often produces waves, blank stares and even the odd smile. It probably doesn't really matter (as long as I don't get creamed again.)

One cool thing about making right turns is having the sidecar becoming slightly airborne. Granted, the first few times it happened, I got a little freaked out (as did my passengers). Anymore, though, it's second nature. It only happens when riding around town, pulling into parking lots and whatnot. About half the time, the chair will levitate just a few inches, then gently set itself back down. I don't even give it a thought, but sometimes wonder what nearby motorists might be thinking.

April 8, 2011

Every now and then, a gearbox adjustment is in order. CJ gearboxes are noted for jumping out of gear or landing false neutrals if they're not kept adjusted just right. My tan bike recently took to doing the latter which is quite annoying, especially in traffic. It's now okay, thanks to the information found here. My approach to gearbox adjustments is this: make an adjustment, then hit the road with a 14mm spanner and a flathead screwdriver in your coat pocket. Run up and down through the gears a couple times, then, if there's still any sign of trouble, pull over and make the indicated adjustment. Repeat as necessary until all the gremlins are gone, then go enjoy a nice ride. There's something satisfying about the sound a CJ gearbox makes when the gear you want properly engages. It's the one and only good "clunk" you'll ever hear from a Chang.

April 4, 2011

Yesterday, the tan bike got a pretty decent workout. With the exception of oil leaking through the generator and a couple false neutrals while downshifting, she did pretty well. A little tinkering will solve both problems.

I had the red bike out for just under three hours today, and I couldn't help but notice how effective these machines are for setting things right with the world. When work or family matters start cluttering up the brain, I find that a ride in the country helps me get things in a better perspective. Most riders will agree.

March 30, 2011

It's been ten days since I last wrote anything here, and in that time, I've only been out riding three times. This year's winter has been like an uninvited party guest who doesn't realise it's time to go.

Having said that, I just got back from a ride. It's still pretty nippy, but the sunshine made up for it. I piled on the cold weather duds and hit the back roads. The bike was fine, but we were caught behind a 14-wheeler full of liquid cattle manure for a few miles. Fortunately, at the spot where I fork left, he forked right, so the ordeal was shortlived. Whew.

Installing ammeters is by far the most sensible thing I've done with my bikes. Today, I noticed that I was watching the ammeter almost as much as the speedometer, keeping a vigil for trouble that never came. The Delco-Remy 575 voltage regulator seems to be just what the doctor ordered for a 6V Chang. There was a brief period of charging at the start of the ride, then the needle stayed centered for the duration. It's really great being able to keep accurate tabs on the charging system—given its knack for not always working properly.

The forecast says there's more warm weather on the way... accompanied by rain, unfortunately, but I think there'll be some riding weather somewhere in between.

March 20, 2011

Once in a blue moon, things don't turn out quite the way we had hoped. My HD fender project falls into this category, and once I've blown off a little steam, all will be fine in the world once more. It's particularly annoying when most of the responsibility lies with yourself. It always seems better when you can blame someone else. Anyway, after spending a fair amount of time and several hundred bucks, the results are very disappointing. The front fender is too skinny for my 4" rubber, and the paint on the rear fender isn't the best match. Although the bike is still quite presentable as is, it's a far cry from what I anticipated. The obvious solution is to simply ride the heck out of it and chalk the rest up as experience. So, on that note, I'm about to take the first ride of the season. See you on the funway.

March 14, 2011

Hello from Malta. In two days, I'll be back home for a five-week vacation from work that will coincide quite nicely with the arrival of riding season, and you probably can't imagine how much I'm looking forward to it. The red bike is still partly in pieces, but it shouldn't take but an hour or two to get everything buttoned up. The wheels are still off, waiting for new tires and tubes. (The latter were on back order, so we fell slightly behind on this year's big winter project.)

As is usually the case during the off season, things have been pretty slow here at CJ Unlimited. Luckily, nobody had to be laid off this year. As bikes start emerging from sheds and garages, the pictures should start flowing in again. I hope you'll consider that an invitation to send a few pics of your bikes so the rest of the CJ world can enjoy them. Send them to edsel400@yahoo.com. Operators are standing by.

February 20, 2011

While looking through CJ pictures tonight, I became acutely aware of how my bikes are in a constant state of change. The red bike bears no resemblance to the thing we uncrated ten years ago. Granted, it's been smashed up a couple times, so opportunities for changing things presented themselves in big ways. But, even without wrecks, these bikes evolve continuously. Paint is the most obvious and significant thing you can do to alter the personality of a bike. My Changs provide all the evidence you need. The financial aspect is the only downside since the bikes are worth but a fraction of what's been "invested" over the years. Luckily, when you're out for a nice ride on a summer day, it doesn't matter. At the end of the day, these investments were good ones.

February 14, 2011

In a few hours I'll be on my way to Aberdeen. A month from now, when I return, this miserable winter should be well on its way out. But then, we do get some pretty serious blizzards here during the month of March, so we'll just have to hope for good riding weather when the time comes. Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for a &%#$ inner tube so I can finish up the big winter project on the red bike. The tires should have been done two weeks ago, but, as sometimes happens, we're at the mercy of a &%#$ vendor. The other bike is pretty much ready to roll once the weather breaks. I had it out in the snow a few times in January, before the really nasty weather arrived. That was fun indeed.

We're looking forward to this year's steam traction engine meet in Canandaigua, NY. My brother-in-law (owner of an R60) will ride the tan bike and I'll ride the red one. There's always a bunch of motorcycles at this event, mostly Harleys and antiques, so many in fact that one section of the parking area is set aside just for all the bikes. Although the meet is primarily steam engines, they have just about everything else there that men like—antique trucks and cars, tractors, construction and farm equipment, models, and the biggest flea market ever (where vendors aren't allowed to sell yard sale crap or cheesy new stuff.) Hopefully, this year's journey won't be as eventful as last year's when I took the red bike out for the first real shakedown after its latest wreck rebuild. (On the way home, the condenser failed and had to be replaced along the side of the road.) Of course, we seasoned CJ riders know exactly which tools and spare parts to carry. (Not having them can turn a minor inconvenience into a completely ruined day.) Having said that, a Triple-A card and phone come in pretty handy if the problem turns out to be more than just roadside maintenance. Trust me on that one.

January, 28, 2011

I've been home for only a week and am already tired of winter. Last week, it was downright frigid here. Since then, a heatwave has brought the temperatures almost above freezing. Even on these toasty days, the roads are still drenched with salt brine, and that stuff is absolute murder on a Chang. Looks like tinkering will be the extent of my bike activities for now, and I'm bored out of my mind. The red bike has quite a few things being done to it, but I've been limiting myself to a couple hours a day to preserve the enjoyment factor. If spring ever gets here, this bike is going to get some serious miles put on it, that's for sure.

January 1, 2011

Hello from Bergen, Norway which is as good a place as any to celebrate the New Year. In our line of work, holidays come and go without much fanfare since we operate 24-7-365. It's just another day at the office.

2011 is kind of a special year for CJ Unlimited since it marks ten years since the site went live. There's no telling what surprises the next ten years might hold for us, perhaps some new sponsors, or even another bike. Whatever happens, it's bound to be good.

2008    2009    2010    2011