[MDairheads] VA/MD Summer Soltice Tech Weekend

[Will Andalora]

Again, many thanks to Dale and Carol for their hospitality this past weekend.

I managed to arrive about five hours earlier than last year... and was greeted by many familiar faces. I came on four wheels instead of two this year and was eager to assist with other people's projects.  There were plenty to go around, and one in particular was very humbling.

Andre came from Manassas, Virginia with a new to him R65 that he could not get to run consistently. It was fitted with Mikuni 34mm round slide carburetors, a Motorrad Elektrik Alpha V.3 ignition system, and a BROWN Dyna coil.  We tried everything we could think of to get the bike to idle and run consistently... In the end we could not make the bike run as it should.  Andre, to his credit, left not dejected- but determined to contact Rocky Point Cycles for information on jetting and adjusting the carburetors. We also suggested swapping in a known good ignition system as a check against what was installed in his motorcycle.  With all the combined knowledge available (which should have been more than adequate), we simply could not make the bike run.

We spent time working on other motorcycles with measured success, but I was unsuccessful at replacing the speed sensor/odometer connection to the rear drive of my 93 Volvo 940. I will chalk that one up to mismatched components and the inability to get a positive connection between the sensor and wiring assembly.  That will have to wait for this coming weekend... We did manage to make Mark's bike come alive again with some carburetor adjustments and other modest interventions.

All in all, it was another fine weekend in Culpeper, VA. I was sad to have it end, and at the same time I am not sure I could have endured a third evening...

I am already looking forward to next year's event!

All the Best,

Will