[JamesPal]

Last July Mike and I took our bikes on the Whidbey Island loop. We left the house at 9:00 and did a total of 230 miles. During the trip my 450 hit the 600 mile break in. It was a lot of fun, about 60 miles on the freeway and the rest on secondary hi ways. Leaving the house in Bellevue, WA we went north on I-405 to I-5 North. We got off at Conway and headed East to Hwy 20. At the North end of the island there is a bridge across Deception Pass. There is a ferry at the south end of the island to get back to the mainland. Hwy 20 goes south down the island. Whidbey Is is the second to the longest Island in the lower 48, second only to Long Is NY. It sits at the eastern boundary of the Straights of Juan de Fuca. This video is the part of the ride up Mount Erie. Mt Erie is a rock that sits 1273 feet above seal level. There is a narrow paved road leading to the top. The vistas are great. This is a long video (28 Min). It is for people who love the sounds and sights of a great running classic Honda Twin. Enjoy

 

[JMobile]

Wow, 600 miles on a 450? I have a 400 and mine seems to handle a freeway not so well.

 

[JamesPal]

Wow, 600 miles on a 450? I have a 400 and mine seems to handle a freeway not so well.

JMobile, 600 miles was the break in point for the engine. On that day we did 230 miles with about 60 on the freeway. I run the 450 at 70-75 most of the time. Being 63 YO I was pretty beat (in a good way) by the end of the day. Having the bike properly setup for touring is key. I'm working on a GL1100 and that day left me really feeling the need for it.

 

[ScramblerCurtis]

What a gorgeous ride and video. Your bike sounds heavenly. Thanks for sharing!

 

[David Babbitt]

Jim: I've been to Mt. Erie as well for PSE as we have a comm site on the top of it. Always in a company pool car though.

 

[Carnivorous Chicken]

Great ride, love it up there. My dad lives in Bellevue and I have a 550 parked at his house that I take out when I am there. Sometimes do the Bainbridge loop just to do it (and it's nice that bikes go straight to the front of the ferry -- first on, first off!).

 

[Brent]

Ran like a charm. That 250 miles is a long day when your being sporty once you hit 60. It takes me some time to get the joints working after 100 miles on the 400. I did 160 in one go last year and had seized up enough I had to sit on the bike for a minute until my back would allow the command to my leg, "lift and swing".

The video reminds me of here, a twisty road with trees to the edge of a narrow strip of pavement and accents of rock cuts and cliffs. There fun to ride and push it but too far is so close. Great view from the top again pretty similar granite peaks and lakes in the valley. Ours are hills though, we don't break the magic 1,000 feet.

 

[BenjaminRoot]

Ha, I know this thread is old, but I was so happy to stumble upon it while watching your carb intake video. I grew up in Anacortes and learned to ride on those roads on my '69 CB350 back in the early 80s. I knew where you were immediately, and every second...knew those two trees were coming up before you did. Now I live nearly 600 miles away. But I just recovered that bike from 25 years in a barn in Yakima (hence the carb video). And my mother still hikes that Mt. Erie road a couple of times per week. Fidalgo Island is beautiful. And the bike flashbacks are perfect. Thanks!