Finally, I am back on a bike. Thanks for all your suggestions and very helpful information. 
:bravo: I guess I spent much more than I initially intended to, but looking at a couple of second hand bikes, made me think that it was worth it.
I agree with truant, a nice shiny exhaust would be great addition to this already very shiny bike. Hope it will stay this way, though.
Thanks again, and we will post some pics soon.
Hey, what’s the shift pattern on those Hartfords? My FZR is one down and 4 up. Is it like those Legends where it 's a four speed that goes around in such a way that you can shift from fourth to first ifyou aren’t paying attention?
I find that weird if it is. I know I could get used to it. Those little bikes seem to have lots of snap and looks are pretty cool, too.
The HDs are the same 5-down circle as all the Sannys and Kymmys.
[quote=“canucktyuktuk”]Hey, what’s the shift pattern on those Hartfords? My FZR is one down and 4 up. Is it like those Legends where it 's a four speed that goes around in such a way that you can shift from fourth to first ifyou aren’t paying attention?
I find that weird if it is. I know I could get used to it. Those little bikes seem to have lots of snap and looks are pretty cool, too.[/quote]
I already did this once, although, it was into neutral, so there is some safety factor for your gear box.
[quote=“ratlung”][quote=“canucktyuktuk”]Hey, what’s the shift pattern on those Hartfords? My FZR is one down and 4 up. Is it like those Legends where it 's a four speed that goes around in such a way that you can shift from fourth to first ifyou aren’t paying attention?
I find that weird if it is. I know I could get used to it. Those little bikes seem to have lots of snap and looks are pretty cool, too.[/quote]
I already did this once, although, it was into neutral, so there is some safety factor for your gear box.[/quote]
Yeah, you get used to it.
Only time I ever have a problem is when I got a couple in me and get the rude awakening of shifting from 5th into neutral.
I didn’t know that the Hartfords were 5 speeds! Cool!
Here are the pics. Ratlung and I were keen to take our new bikes out for a decent trip to get the things well on the way to being ‘run in’.
We left from Taoyuan and went via Shimen Dam/Reservior, Fuxing, the gorge (#7 from Fuxing to Yilan), and then back to Taoyuan via the #9 to Taipei and then the #1. Good trip, but it started to rain about halfway between Fuxing/Yilan, and the temp up in the mountains must have been very low single digits I’d say. That made it hard going and slowed us down a bit. 10 hrs around including a couple of decent breaks (and a bit lost finding the bridge out of Taipei 
)
Click for full size:
[quote=“Truant”]Here are the pics. Ratlung and I were keen to take our new bikes out for a decent trip to get the things well on the way to being ‘run in’.
We left from Taoyuan and went via Shimen Dam/Reservior, Fuxing, the gorge (#7 from Fuxing to Yilan), and then back to Taoyuan via the #9 to Taipei and then the #1. Good trip, but it started to rain about halfway between Fuxing/Yilan, and the temp up in the mountains must have been very low single digits I’d say. That made it hard going and slowed us down a bit. 10 hrs around including a couple of decent breaks (and a bit lost finding the bridge out of Taipei )
Click for full size:
[/quote]
Yeah, was a great, long and in the end cold trip, but still fun. So the hot shower afterwards felt even better. Great pictures truant.
You guys are troopers! C…ccc…ccc…cold! :happybiker:
bobepine
[quote=“bobepine”]You guys are troopers! C…ccc…ccc…cold! :happybiker:
bobepine[/quote]
I tell ya, the cold, the wet, the drivers that seem to like tooting at us to get the fck of the road and out of their way (er…to where exactly?), and the slippery manhole covers strategically placed on each corner…it’s amazing we survived.
The bikes are covered in crap now too. 
In better weather, I’d love to do more of these day or half day excursions.
rant over.[quote=“Truant”]
rant over.[/quote]I waved a couple of those Taiwanese wanna-be drivers good by when we drove by them in a steady pace in that 5km traffic jam before Pinglin. Wanted to knock on their windows to make sure they see me, but that was not worth the effort.
[quote]The bikes are covered in crap now too. Sad [/quote]I noticed you got the alloy wheels. Good move but…Muahahahaha! Those are a bitch to clean. 
bobepine
Wouldn’t mind joining for the next outing if you don’t mind having a non-Hartford along…And providing you go on a bit balmier day
well I dunno. Ratlung, the Chief and myself have got the north Taiwan chapter of an full-on Biker MC in the making. We can even get some Hell’s Angels Jackets to wear backwards.
Next thing Ironman will be wanting to bring a TWO stroke along… 
But, yeah. I reckon we should do it on a regular basis. 3-4hr ride finishing up for beers/BBQ somewhere. 
well I dunno. Ratlung, the Chief and myself have got the north Taiwan chapter of an full-on Biker MC in the making. We can even get some Hell’s Angels Jackets to wear backwards.
Next thing Ironman will be wanting to bring a TWO stroke along…
But, yeah. I reckon we should do it on a regular basis. 3-4hr ride finishing up for beers/BBQ somewhere. [/quote]
Yeah, count me in…And Ironman won’t be alone on a two stroke. The exhaust fumes don’t smell that bad, and after a couple of hours you’ll get used to it while fumbling round with that circular clutch 
I did that same route a couple of months ago, and it was a fantastic, but really long day. If the pseudo-Harley boys are that willing to do the distance, then even a quick, overnight pop down to Hualien is possible. Have done it many times.
Sounds good. I dunno if it just me, but I hate that #9 from Yilan to Taipei with a vengence. Car or Bike, it is just one sucky piece of road. Most of my near-death experiences due to idiotic passing moves are on the #9.
I’d be tempted to take the #7 to and from Hualien. There is that south branch that connects to the central cross island highway that would be worth considering.
I honestly think it’d be quicker to take the #7from Taoyuan anyway, sure seems like it.
Anyway, we’re not Harley boys, we’re HarDly Davidson boys.
[quote=“Truant”]
Sounds good. I dunno if it just me, but I hate that #9 from Yilan to Taipei with a vengence. Car or Bike, it is just one sucky piece of road. Most of my near-death experiences due to idiotic passing moves are on the #9.
I’d be tempted to take the #7 to and from Hualian. There is that south branch that connects to the central cross island highway that would be worth considering.
I honestly think it’d be quicker to take the #7from Taoyuan anyway, sure seems like it.
Anyway, we’re not Harley boys, we’re HarDly Davidson boys. :p[/quote]
Yeah, they don’t call it (highway 9) the “Ghost Road” for nothing. All that traffic must mean that the Shrting-Ilan connector isn’t finished yet, and everyone has to take the east side of the 9 to get to Pinglin. That should be finished soon, and will negate the traffic issue almost entirely.
I’ve done the Hualien route both ways, and surprisingly the 7 is slower than the 9 (even from down here) by about 30 minutes. Go figure. Like you, I MUCH prefer the 7 to the 9.
HarDly Davidson…I like that.
you must have missed this one earlier:
[quote=“truant”]
Well, I can think of one more thing you should do to it. Some new tank decals:
[/quote]
We can probably make some great taiwanese smoked salmon if the 2 RZ’s are in front. But no doubt, it will be difficult to keep them in the back.
I figured #9 would be quickest to get to Yilan from here. Has anybody done the #7 branch that goes up to HeHuan from Yilan. Looks like a nice drive through a valley.
But yeah, Central Cross Island Highway, Hualien, sunrise on HeHuan, all sounds wonderful to me. But I agree with MJB, the weather needs to be more suitable for such tours. Meanwhile, I would be happy with some dry, short trips in Nothern Taiwan.
Yeah guys, I’d like to be in this. There could also be safety in numbers when the cars attack.
The RZ’s don’t smoke much unless you nail the throttle open. Mine has a lump of brass jammed into the muffler to quiten it down and could prove very interesting for those bringing up the rear if the brass decides to exit under heavy acceleration.