The Oil and Tent test |
|
After a few day with not so pleasant wheater (rain and slippery and wet ) I rode
to work and back on a friday. Going back I thought : This does not feel right!
For the "Red Rascal" is rumbling. What can it be? At home, after a cooling
down, dI first checked the oil.
Very shamefaced I have to say that the dipstick found NO oil. Not even at the lowest point of the dipstick. That was not good, realy not. But the oil-pressure warning light had not yet lit, what means that there still was enough oil to build up any pressure. chekcuing my maintanance log I found out that the last oil-check was over 2500 km. ago. Quickly I took the spare oil, and emptied the can into the CX. Now the dipstick had oil, just enoug to get the marked area. The next day to THV motoren in Veenendaal. to get oil, and I took a detour home, totaly 50km. At hjome I took again a look at the oil level. The oil level reached just the lower end of the dipstick and that was, again, way to low. Again, I filled up until the markings clearly were reached. But could my Cx use that amount of oil in such a short trip ? Concerned about the fate of my so terrible neglected "Red Rascal" I put my question to the forum of the Dutch Honda CX-500 club Doomscenario's containing oversized oil-springs, and replacement of valve-seals passed the board. But Edward was a little bit more optimistic. He had a theory over the oil, that had to be 'settled' into the engine. To be short : There was so much oil disappered from the system, that punts that had normally plenty of oil, now were dripped dry, and the fresh oil had vanished inside these points. Not a very technical explanation, but sure a relief. There was only one way to find out if this was correct, a testride. To combine two things I put my tent on the CX as well. That tent had to be my home away from home in Vechta, at the "Güllepumpe treffen". But I had to try it out first, to see if it was complete. I started with an oil measurement. The oil was above the half of the marked area, a good starting point. |
 ... good starting point ... |
|
I started at the A12. No problem, lovely weather to ride a bike. I planned
to ride 50km. and there, after a cooling down period, check the oil again.
50 Km on the A12 brought me 10 Km. into Germany, on the exit
Emmerich/'s Heerenberg. I choose 's Heerenberg, where I park the CX under
some trees on the 'Stadplein', the town square. Now wait a while, until
the CX is cooled down a bit.
|
 ... under some trees ... |
|
While the CX cooles down, I do the same, on the terrace at "de Snor".
Some milk, a sandwich with cheese, life can be good !
After half an hour it is enough, Time for the second measurement this
day, the 50km measurement. With a little excitement I look at the dipstick.
Is it good or.... With joy I see that the oil is equal to, or maybe even
above the level from the first reading. There is enouigh oil, and it did
not disappeare
|
 ... 50km measurement ... |
|
Time for the second part of this trip, and the second goal. First, back to
the Netherlands. Again I choose the A12, where a motorrider reminds
me that we are in Germany, and there are no speedlimits on some roads.
My odometer points at 110 km/h, but it looks as if I am standing.
He did go reallly, realy, fast!
I'm not that fast. With a gentle speed from around 110 km/h I ride into the Netherlands again, to the exit Ede-Oost. First in the dirction of Arhem, then towards Otterlo. Thre I choose Ede, and about 5 Km's from Ede I park the CX at the parkingplace called 'Roekelse Bos'. It is a place were often tents are put up, for testing, and today it is my turn. I unfold the package, before me on the grass. This must be a tent.... |
 ... must be a tent ... |
|
Ten minutes later is looks something already. The inner tent stands, and
it is time to place the outher tent over it.
|
 ... looks something ... |
|
That goes fairly smooth, and the result, after putting all the
pins into the ground, looks real. The only problem is, I'm missing two
tent-lines. For now I fixe it with an temporaly solution, as long as it holds.
My old camping stretcher fits inside. The tent doesn't look to be a
3-persons tent, more like a 2-person.
|
 ... looks real ... |
|
Now I know how to put the tent up, it is time to get it down. It has been
standing for under ten minutes, as the I start with putting it down again.
Less than one hour after my arrivel I have put everything on the CX
again, and leave for home. The last kilometers go quick. At home I let the
CX rest for one hour, before measuring the oil for the last time.
|
 ... last oil measurement ... |
|
I look at the dipstick with a smile. The oil level is almost equal to
the level from the first measurement this day. The CX is ready for Vechta,
the tent is ready for Vechta. Now I have to get ready for Vechta.......
|
|
|