|  | Topic : T-Bird to the extremes |  |
| | | MotorMac | | Jupiter |  |  | | Reg. Date | : | 29/08/2010 | | Posts | : | 1,850 | | Location | : | Nor Cal, United States |
|
| | Posted : 31 Oct 2015 - 18:31 Post title : T-Bird to the extremes | | | After two back-to-back trips across the Mojave desert at 112+F (45C), and last week's ride across Monitor Pass and along the crest of the Sierras up to 8000ft and down to 36F (2C), I can now vouch for the Thunderbird's performance under extreme conditions at sustained high speed. Mine is a first-year 1600 with short Tors (incl. tune) and no engine mods other than fluid changes and a new battery after 5 years. Still has the SAI, pretty much as it left the factory. Cruising at 75mph, all bundled up with ear plugs and a full-face helmet, it felt like running at 35-40. We hit a freshly-paved stretch of asphalt with absolutely nothing in sight to the horizon in all directions, and the bike decided it had to go 95-100 until the headlights behind disappeared in the distance. That seemed like 60, smooth as silk. (When my friends caught up to me at the next town nobody said a word. They still haven't mentioned it. ;-)
395 has some of the most spectacular scenery anywhere. The stretch from Bishop north goes past Mammoth, Mono Lake, Lee Vining, Bodie, thru Bridgeport then passes near Lake Tahoe to Reno. Any number of mountain passes go west, each truly spectacular: 120 thru Yosemite, 108, 89, 50 to Tahoe, 431 over Mt. Rose - God's country and motorcycle heaven. An acquaintance purchased a bike in Las Vegas and flew out to pick it up. A friend here volunteered to meet him at Bishop and when I saw a 3-day window of sunshine and clear weather, I decided to tag along. Was a chilly 600-mile ride, but with fall colors and winter on its way I couldn't pass it up. Any excuse is a good one, right? Have to get back up there next summer.
| 
|
|
| | | Swagger | | Jupiter | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 15/04/2012 | | Posts | : | 1,100 | | Location | : | United Kingdom |
|
| | Posted : 31 Oct 2015 - 19:02 Post title : Re: T-Bird to the extremes (Re: MotorMac) | | | Like the sound of that. I know those roads from my past ... that area is spectacular at anytime of the year. 
| The Force is strong in this one
|
|
| | | Sennaista | | Set | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 23/09/2014 | | Posts | : | 234 | | Location | : | London, United Kingdom |
|
| | Posted : 01 Nov 2015 - 13:19 Post title : Re: T-Bird to the extremes (Re: MotorMac) | | | 120 through Yosemite is one of the most scenic routes I've ever driven. Gorgeous.
| All that is solid melts into air, all that is holy is profaned, and man is at last compelled to face with sober senses, his real conditions of life, and his relations with his kind.
|
|
| | | kashcraft81 | | Set | | | Reg. Date | : | 02/05/2024 | | Posts | : | 17 | | Location | : | United States |
|
| | Posted : 24 May 2024 - 17:35 Post title : Re: T-Bird to the extremes (Re: MotorMac) | | | I want to ride out there so bad, one of these days it'll happen.
|
|
| | | MotorMac | | Jupiter | | | | Reg. Date | : | 29/08/2010 | | Posts | : | 1,850 | | Location | : | Nor Cal, United States |
|
| | Posted : 26 May 2024 - 02:32 Post title : Re: T-Bird to the extremes (Re: kashcraft81) | | | Make it so. Thanks for digging up that old post....
Gotta say tho, 120 thru Yosemite was all tourists, tour busses, traffic, cars lining the highway, not to mention park fees and fires. Fire hit the area again a few years ago.
108 Sonora Pass was spectacular, more Yosemite than Yosemite. Camp grounds, scenery - happened to hit perfect 75F weather on highway's spring opening (video from 2017: Link - gas at Bridgeport was $4.40 then, x2 now).
Mojave and Nevada desert is quite a ride, too.
|
|
|
| | | mexicanbob | | Set | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 11/08/2014 | | Posts | : | 93 | | Location | : | Eskdale, Victoria, Australia |
|
| | Posted : 24 Jun 2024 - 10:39 Post title : Re: T-Bird to the extremes (Re: kashcraft81) | | | I quite liked Glacier National park
| Badges! We don need no steenkin badges 
|
|
|
| |
| |
|