Post by ericr on Feb 2, 2020 14:47:08 GMT
Last week after re installing the engine in my '73 340 Oly (with a '72 hood) the local watering hole had a Sunday vintage ride- about a 24 mile loop with five total stops.
My friend from back home (where I left in '85 to seek my fortune etc) rode my '76 Deere 300 (which ALSO got a southern engine refresh a couple years back) on the run.
Temps were mild for MN that time of year, mid 20's to low 30's. Overcast- the grooming had NOT been done, plus by Sunday all the late models had trenched it up pretty good Friday and Saturday.
There were only a handful of leaf spring machines on the ride, the majority were late models and "classic" era as they are now called in the shows, early 80's Indys and such.
The snow was like sugar in places, really laboring the engines. A couple times I thought I heard my 'Doo pinging and it seemed to lose power, I backed off and slowed down from time to time, I was running 91 octane (highest I can get locally) at a 40:1 mix.
In the above picture, the guy on the left is the son of Fred Ostendorf, who owned the Ski Doo dealership in Sauk Center MN (about 20 miles SW) from 1969 to 1989- his son has his hand lettered helmet- that Citation SS was bought out of the dealer originally. I am to the right with the helmet on the hood- the young man to my left was riding a VERY NICE '72 335 single his uncle gave him- his uncle being former Ski Doo dealer and local collector Al Burgenthies. Not often a 16 year old who also has a 90's XCR 440 will choose to ride an old one lunger over that!
The big fella to the left of him was his 16 year old friend Kale- now days before the ride, Kale's dad posted he was having some issues with the 73 of his- runs up on a stand but had no power. Now the Facebook brain trust on the Yellow Fever vintage board immediately went in to "Put a Mikuni on it!" mode... I merely suggested that he was running on one cylinder.
Kale's dad replied that was EXACTLY the problem. And that they lived near by and were going on this run.
NOW when Tony and I rode in to the town of Grey Eagle to meet up for the ride, Kale's dad JD came over and introduced himself- said that it drove on the trailer fine but would only run on spray. I pulled a spin on Tilly filter from my tool bag and handed it to him, but said to make sure his had not come loose. I moment later Kale rides up on his machine. Yep, loose filter!
I learned quickly to follow the young guys on the bogies- following the late models, they float over the bumps- I would watch Kale and if he shot in the air I knew I had half a second to grit my teeth and brace for it.
The trails in the part of central MN I am in are through woods and swamp in spots- and very twisty/tight. Not the groomed higways I have experienced in northern Wisconsin etc.
Here is the last stop, the Rock Tavern-
Random pics of the "back in the day" artwork on the young guy's 335-
Then I used the 'Doo to get some firewood a day later-
My friend from back home (where I left in '85 to seek my fortune etc) rode my '76 Deere 300 (which ALSO got a southern engine refresh a couple years back) on the run.
Temps were mild for MN that time of year, mid 20's to low 30's. Overcast- the grooming had NOT been done, plus by Sunday all the late models had trenched it up pretty good Friday and Saturday.
There were only a handful of leaf spring machines on the ride, the majority were late models and "classic" era as they are now called in the shows, early 80's Indys and such.
The snow was like sugar in places, really laboring the engines. A couple times I thought I heard my 'Doo pinging and it seemed to lose power, I backed off and slowed down from time to time, I was running 91 octane (highest I can get locally) at a 40:1 mix.
In the above picture, the guy on the left is the son of Fred Ostendorf, who owned the Ski Doo dealership in Sauk Center MN (about 20 miles SW) from 1969 to 1989- his son has his hand lettered helmet- that Citation SS was bought out of the dealer originally. I am to the right with the helmet on the hood- the young man to my left was riding a VERY NICE '72 335 single his uncle gave him- his uncle being former Ski Doo dealer and local collector Al Burgenthies. Not often a 16 year old who also has a 90's XCR 440 will choose to ride an old one lunger over that!
The big fella to the left of him was his 16 year old friend Kale- now days before the ride, Kale's dad posted he was having some issues with the 73 of his- runs up on a stand but had no power. Now the Facebook brain trust on the Yellow Fever vintage board immediately went in to "Put a Mikuni on it!" mode... I merely suggested that he was running on one cylinder.
Kale's dad replied that was EXACTLY the problem. And that they lived near by and were going on this run.NOW when Tony and I rode in to the town of Grey Eagle to meet up for the ride, Kale's dad JD came over and introduced himself- said that it drove on the trailer fine but would only run on spray. I pulled a spin on Tilly filter from my tool bag and handed it to him, but said to make sure his had not come loose. I moment later Kale rides up on his machine. Yep, loose filter!
I learned quickly to follow the young guys on the bogies- following the late models, they float over the bumps- I would watch Kale and if he shot in the air I knew I had half a second to grit my teeth and brace for it.
The trails in the part of central MN I am in are through woods and swamp in spots- and very twisty/tight. Not the groomed higways I have experienced in northern Wisconsin etc. Here is the last stop, the Rock Tavern-
Random pics of the "back in the day" artwork on the young guy's 335-
Then I used the 'Doo to get some firewood a day later-
Yep, spoke with him at the next watering hole, he had run home to grab what ever used belts were hanging on a nail in the shed! 