With the Duc safely curled up for it's winter nap, it's time to plan what's to come for 2026. First things first, I plan on putting more miles on the bike as I barely rode more than a few miles this year. Life has been busy, and work has been insane. There are multiple issues I need to address, mainly around corrosion and the ever present oil leak/consumption. However, having only one bike makes it hard to take the Duc out of commission to make those repairs, when it's still ridable but just a little leaky.
- Check the vacuum side of the carbs for more black mystery gunk.
- The oil cooler looks awful, time to replace it with the used one from eBay.
- Replace any corroded hardware, including stud nuts (cylinder head, and exhaust).
- Revisit clip-on placement for maximum comfort.
- Investigate oil leak and consumption.
- Check mixture. (Possibly get it on a dyno for proper jetting.)
If, and that's a big if, I were to add another bike to my garage, it would be something like a TW200. The ol' TDub has been on my wish list for a very long time. A perfect around town and camping bike, as long as you can avoid the highway. Other than that, I still plan on getting a Ural Gear-up / Patrol to take the goblins camping but that won't be for at least another year, probably two. With the release of the new Ural Neo or whatever that abomination is called, I imagine the "retro" style bikes will increase in value.
I was reviewing my gear the other day, and I'm definitely due for a new lid, and I need to sell a pair of riding boots I bought prior to my trip in 2024. First, I don't believe they offer me any more protection than the work boots I wear every day. Second, they have a logger style heel and that angers my back if I have to do any walking in them. I'm really surprised at how poorly constructed a lot of riding boots seem to be these days, especially for the price tag. I'd love to have another pair of the Icon El Bajo boots (but in my correct size). I have a pair but they are too big, so I doubled up on insoles and wear thick socks. However, the soles are worn out (I bought them second hand. Don't do that, and if you do, sanitize them very very thoroughly. You don't want second hand double enthusiastic athlete's foot.). I really want a quieter helmet, with less buffeting at highway speeds. I love the visibility from ADV style helmets but they don't work well on the Duc. I'll probably stick with LS2, due to the internal shape, and multiple shell sizes; but I've also been eyeing some of the vintage style helmets from Bell and I like the MIPs technology. Anything to help keep the old meat suit safe is fine with me!
No pictures, no funny gonzo style writing, just a brain dump as I sit at my PC and there's inches of snow and ice outside.
- stay safe out there.
