2022 Pashnit Touring on a Hayabusa

[pashnit]

Earlier this year in April, we rolled into San Juan Batista to top off the light-mileage bikes, and discovered one of our riders had a flat. Few minutes later, all plugged and on our merry way. Months later, here we pull in to the very same fuel station, and I look down at the rear tire of our one new rider, Jean’s BMW S1000XR. Completely flat, completely. Strange sense of déjà vu. Now mind you, in nearly 20 years of plugging more tires than I can count, there’s never been a tire we haven’t been able to plug. Monya once had two nails in her tire at the same time- and on Mosquito Ridge. One of our season pass holders, Tom, had a cut in his tire last year in way northern California in the middle of nowhere, and we still managed to patch it. 100 miles later, another flat on the same tour. Ten minutes and done. When your success rate is 100%, you come to think you’re the shizzle, but there’s always that one. First, we had to find the hole, that alone took 10 minutes. The tire was so hot, it was steaming as we poured water on it to find the hole, finally finding it in the tread, at the thinnest part of the tread. And of course, it was a brand-new tire. Tour guide Shizzle steps up to the plate and denied! Leaking. We tried mushrooms three separate times, couldn’t get a seal. These always work. Not today. Out come the worms. Tried one, leaking. Shove another one in, leaking, Mark finally managed to shove three worms in the hole, and still leaking.

Couldn't get a seal with the mushrooms plugs. Plan B is worms.

 

[pashnit]

Tried one. Leaking. Then two. Leaking.

Still leaking.

Then we poured in a can of Stop Leak, waited, still leaking, but not a lot. Good enough. Just happens to be a bike shop 8 miles away. And they had the exact same tire that’s currently on the bike in stock. How’s that for luck. Always an adventure. Jean headed off to the bike shop, and we headed up to the summit of 3100 ft Fremont Peak.

 

[WuzzaCBXRider]

These have worked every time I’ve used them, even a double nail flat about an inch apart. Those black worms are unreliable.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/slime-4-in-tire-plug-117107499--1?store=2459&cid=Shopping-Google-Local_Feed&utm_medium=Google&utm_source=Shopping&utm_campaign=&utm_content=Local_Feed&gclid=CjwKCAiA0JKfBhBIEiwAPhZXD3mgwhMg1wNlACdOSTLn6w2AvmHnFvxgbKs20Lz9zNg7HHjcr_SbLBoCt6kQAvD_BwE

 

[LC4CARL]

Awesome. Ran into a fellow biker at the filling station today as he was shoving a worm into the rear tread on his Yamaha. We got to talking about how squirly the bike handled with low tire pressure and that he is three hours from home. I shared some local knowledge about the biggest shop in town. Hopefully they had a tire on hand for him.

What is that tire? Looks like a good all around street tire.

Baja wheel lift.

 

[pashnit]

What is that tire? Looks like a good all around street tire.

Not sure, but it's a common sport-touring tire. Somebody will recognize that tread pattern.

Edit: It's a Michelin Pilot Road 4 GT

 

[pashnit]

San Juan Bautista near Monterey is a historic mission town, as in it has one of the historic missions dating to the late 1700s that line the California inland Coast Range stretching from San Diego to Petaluma. But we weren't here for the mission, we are here for Fremont Peak. At 3100 ft, it's not the tallest, but it's the highest in the region along the coast that's easily reached via a paved road. Plus, we've never been up here with a tour group.

Up through the canyon first

 

[pashnit]

Last time I was up here, it was spring and green everywhere.

 

[pashnit]

The Tiger I'm on handles the bumpy road a lot better than my TL1000R did.

 

[LC4CARL]

Love the camera set up!

 

[pashnit]

Climbing in elevation

 

[pashnit]

At the summit is a small primitive campground

 

[pashnit]

The first time I rode up to the top of 3100 ft Fremont Peak, it was on my TL1000R, and the TL wasn’t happy. This bike was not designed for bumpy backroads, but I’ve seemingly ignored that rule. The goal then was to quickly check out what was at the summit and ride on, figuring it could be included in a tour route someday. Fast-forward a few years later and this time, I’m riding Mark’s Tiger. He had said the suspension setup was a wee soft. But while headed up North Canyon Rd to the summit, the Tiger merrily gobbled up the bumpy trek to the top, and the bike loved this road. I concluded the suspension was perfect! Tall bolt upright seating position and wide bars. The tiny windscreen was perfectly positioned, and it is height adjustable! Who knew?! At the summit is a small parking lot and a campground. While the ocean is only miles away, today it was perfect blue skies above and perfect weather.

If you read my articles, you know I’m a big fan of local history, so here’s the skinny. Captain Fremont was this dude in the 1840s who led a team of 60 armed surveyors. They wondered if the peak had strategic military value. However, the local Mexican authority General said you dudes need to get the eff off my mountain. Good ole Captain Fremont said go eff yourself, make me. And proceeded to build a fort atop the peak and raise the American flag. Legend has it his flag on Fremont Peak blew down overnight and this was thought to be a bad omen, so Captain Fremont & his entourage left the peak and on to other adventures including discovering gold in the Sierra Foothills and becoming wealthy. He eventually became the governor of Arizona.

Mark said it was time for a nature hike, ya gotta see this.

 

[pashnit]

 

[pashnit]

 

[pashnit]

Great bunch of riders, some of us have been riding on these tours for 15 years together, these guys become like extended family

Field trip over, the guys were ready for lunch after our short hike

 

[sixpack577]

Not sure, but it's a common sport-touring tire. Somebody will recognize that tread pattern.

It's a Michelin CT somethin, lol
I had them on my Concours.

 

[pashnit]

One last look, great view up here

 

[pashnit]

 

[pashnit]

Fremont Peak for the win. Cool place.

 

[pashnit]

Reaching Tres Pinos to top off the low-mileage bikes. Next leg is nearly 100 miles between fuel stops.
Can't do another 100 miles, then you need to top off.

Breakfast for lunch is the best. Could I have another syrup, gonna drown this thing for sure.

Guess who showed up with a new tire during our lunch stop, Jean managed to get over to the shop, and they swapped out her tire for a new Michelin Pilot Road 4 GT in record time. Ironically, they had the same exact tire that was previously on the bike in stock. The only thing she missed was our ride up to Fremont Peak.