Little Juniata Machine and Cycle

Service Completed

I dropped the bike off on Saturday. The service was complete of Monday. I was thrilled to get the message. Being able to have the Himalayan worked on locally was something I wished for but firmly believed I only had three choices — haul the bike to the dealer a hundred miles away, do the service myself, or sell the motorcycle. None of those choices felt good. Finding Little Juniata Machine and Cycle purely by accident was an unlooked for gift.

My friend Howard drove my to Tyrone to get the Himalayan so I could ride it home. Brent Knarr, the owner and machinist/mechanic is standing on the right.

Cold and Barely Wet

Forty-seven degrees Fahrenheit makes for a cold motorcycle ride. Thirty-five miles of backroads and just under an hour of saddle time meant I really had to dress right. I hate being cold. Worse as I get older. I’m glad I donned the insulated riding pants, a couple extra layers, and brought along my Gerbing 7V battery powered gloves.

A heavy gray sky always makes the world seem colder. For me at least. And continual light rain on the visor had me wondering if the ride would get colder. Thankfully the road remained dry the whole way home.

The important part thought was the bike ran great. Felt good to know I had a couple years ahead without any maintenance worries. And should a problem arise I can reach out to Little Juniata Machine and Cycle for help.

Riding Through Halfmoon Valley

Once across Bald Eagle ridge the Himalayan and I settle into a relaxed ride up through Halfmoon Valley. I only saw a handful of cars over the next ten miles allowing me to concentrate more fully on deer identification. Normally, riding at the end of the day isn’t my first choice because the heavy deer population begins to move. At least on these lightly trafficked roads I could cruise along at 40 mph without anyone pressuring me.

If a deer collision happens, a lower speed is preferable. There have been many encounters where riding at higher speeds may well have been a sad story. I like to have options to brake and swerve.

The service on the bike was pretty simple. The valve check revealed the intake valve was a two-thousandth of an inch too tight, and the exhaust valve was a two-thousandth of an inch too loose. Brent adjust them and I swear the bike runs better. Talk about the power of suggestion. The spokes were checked, a front brake switch replaced, oil and filter changed, and a few other checks to do the PA Safety Inspection.

I’m not getting rid of this motorcycle. Service was my only real concern. Now I can just ride until I can’t anymore.