4-Day Trip to the Great Salt Lake: 2010

[SpudRider]

Thank you for the kind words, Stew. I use a Canon, Powershot A590 camera; I just point, and shoot.

Spud

[katoranger]

I love those cameras. I am on my third A570is. The little brother. Number one was stolen by my wife, number 2 succombed to a purple haze problem and number 3 is chugging away for me.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by katoranger

I love those cameras. I am on my third A570is. The little brother. Number one was stolen by my wife, number 2 succombed to a purple haze problem and number 3 is chugging away for me.

I like them also, Allen; they do a very good job as compact, point-and-shoot cameras.

Spud

[SpudRider]

Descending from Bountiful Peak, I returned to my Zong. Even at the bottom of the peak, the view is beautiful. I took another look at Antelope Island, and the Great Salt Lake beyond it.



Looking northwest across Clearfield, Utah, I saw the Promontory Mountains I had visited the day before, and the vast salt flats that used to contain the northeast arm of the greatly diminished, Great Salt Lake.



Riding northward, I arrived at Francis Peak, and snapped several photographs of the view to the west.





The town of Morgan was nestled in the valley to the east.





Looking farther southward, East Canyon stretched to the horizon.



Passing through an unlocked gate, I climbed a nearby hill and photographed the panorama from Morgan, in the east, to Bountiful Peak, in the south.











Beautiful green canyons descended the Wasatch Range to the east.



Spud

[FastDoc]

The Zong continues to look amazing. Very thoughtful and productive mods, Brother Spud.

I'd like to see some side by side pics with the current Zong and the original pre-modifications unit.

[SpudRider]

Descending the peak, I traveled another trail northward to obtain a better view of Hill Air Force Base, and the area just south of Ogden.



After enjoying the view to the north, I traveled down a canyon to the east to obtain a different perspective of East Canyon. The late afternoon sun was beginning to cast shadows on the east side of the mountains.







Backtracking to the south, I ascended the peak I had visited earlier, and took a few more photographs looking to the east, and south to Bountiful Peak.







I had decided to visit a favorite, Chinese restaurant in Salt Lake City; therefore, I backtracked my path southward, past Bountiful Peak, and began my descent into Bountiful. Reaching a favorite, final overlook, I paused to admire the view of Bountiful, and the Mormon temple, before I descended into the valley.





Spud

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

The Zong continues to look amazing. Very thoughtful and productive mods, Brother Spud.

I'd like to see some side by side pics with the current Zong and the original pre-modifications unit.

Thank you, Doc. I posted a before/after post of my Zong modifications a few months ago, in the Dual Sport Forum. My Zong has become a great little trail bike, and the 4.1-gallon fuel tank also makes it a great little adventure bike.

Spud

[Weldangrind]

Amazing photos Spud. Thanks! That's welcome relief on a rainy Saturday.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

Amazing photos Spud. Thanks! That's welcome relief on a rainy Saturday.

You're welcome, W&G. The good riding weather is gone for the rest of this year, so now is a good time to post ride reports, and reflect upon pleasant memories.

Spud

[MICRider]

Originally Posted by SpudRider

You're welcome, W&G. The good riding weather is gone for the rest of this year, so now is a good time to post ride reports, and reflect upon pleasant memories.

Spud

(And buy more bikes for spring...)

[SpudRider]

After spending the evening in Bountiful, I went to the local CostCo to enjoy breakfast at the food court. This day I was going to travel south of Salt Lake City to Lindon, and American Fork. In Lindon I was going to visit Pitster Pro, and test ride the LXT 400 motorcycle. In American Fork I was going to test ride the TMEC 200.

After a hearty breakfast of pizza and ice cream, I headed out the door, ready to negotiate the aggressive traffic along Utah's Wasatch Front. 8O Passing the tire department, I noted this particular CostCo was selling ATV tires! The "Grim Reaper" appeared to be a nice, 12-inch tire.



The “Sand Shark” seemed it would be effective for its intended purpose.



The “Spartacus” had the most aggressive tread, and the highest price tag. 8O



I have two questions. Aren’t these tires expensive, and who thinks up the names for them?

Spud

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by MICRider

(And buy more bikes for spring...)

Indeed! I bought a 2005, Honda XR650L this fall. I know a certain gentleman in Canada, suffering from Konker Remorse Syndrome (KRS), who might acquire a smaller motorcycle to complement his very nice KLR650.

Spud

[SpudRider]

I won’t ride my Zong on limited access highways, so I rode State Street (U.S. Route 89) south of Salt Lake City to Draper, Utah. At Draper Route 89 merges with Interstate 15. 8O Therefore, I had checked my GPS maps for frontage roads to bypass Interstate 15 at Draper before I left Idaho to travel to Utah. If I were riding my Honda XR650L on this trip, I merely would have rode the interstate highway for a few miles. However, since I was riding my 200cc Zong on this trip, I needed to research the route in advance to avoid the interstate. You can certainly travel the length of this hemisphere on a 200cc motorcycle. However, you must not be in a hurry, and you must be prepared to find alternate routes in situations such as this one.

After riding the frontage road to American Fork, I got back on Route 89 and proceeded to Pitster Pro in Lindon. When I arrived at Pitster Pro, a new LXT 400 awaited me, ready to ride. After chatting a few minutes with the friendly people at Pitster Pro, I mounted the LXT 400 and rode west, toward Utah Lake.

Spud

[SpudRider]

As you can see in the following photographs, the LXT 400 did not have a license plate, so I traveled cautiously westward until I reached the shore of Utah Lake. At Utah Lake I stopped to take a few photographs before I rode southward down the lakeshore. Here’s a view of the bike posed in front of Utah Lake, with Lake Mountain rising in the west.



The rear wheel had a size 2.15x18 rim, with disc brake.



Here’s the right side of the LXT 400 engine.



The front wheel had a size 1.60x21 rim.



Here’s a view of the left side of the LXT 400, with Mount Timpanogos in the background.



I placed a stone under the kick stand to get the bike more vertical for this next photo.



Here’s a view of the front disc brake.



The left side of the engine is pictured below.



This photo shows the left foot peg, the shift lever, and the kick stand.



Here’s the left side of the rear wheel.



The rear of the LXT 400 is pictured below.



Here’s a photo of the right crankcase cover, the rear brake pedal, and the right foot peg.



The headlight and turn signals appear in the photo below.



After doing some slow speed maneuvers in a parking lot, I rode south along the lake to Sunset Heights, and took a few photos in a grassy athletic field. Here’s the rear end of the bike, shod with a size 4.60-18, Kings Tire.



This photo shows another view of the right side of the engine.



Here’s a closeup of the right foot peg, and rear brake pedal.



The bike’s radiator and exhaust header are shown in the following photograph.



Finally, here’s a view of the left side of the motorcycle, posed in front of Squaw Mountain.



After I rode back to Pitster Pro, I had a nice chat with Gary. The people at Pitster Pro were very friendly, and I very much appreciate their courtesy letting me test ride the LXT 400. Several LXT 400 owners have posted reviews of this motorcycle in our Dual Sport Forum. I encourage anyone wishing to learn more about this bike to read the threads posted there.

Spud

[SpudRider]

After visiting the folks at Pitster Pro, I headed back north to American Fork to examine a TMEC 200 motorcycle at Less Stress Auto & Powersports. To the best of my knowledge, none of our forum members owns this motorcycle, and nobody has posted a report on it. Therefore, I will make a few comments on this bike, based upon my brief inspection of it.

Here’s a view of the left side of the motorcycle.



The next two photos show the left side of the engine.





Here’s a closeup of the left foot peg and the shift lever.



The following photos show two views of the left side of the front wheel.





Here’s a view of the left side of the rear wheel.



This view of the rear wheel gives a better view of the lower shock linkage.



Here’s another view of the lower shock linkage, the kick stand, the left foot peg, and the shift lever. Please note this motorcycle does not have a mud flap.



This photo show a close up of the tool box, and the absent mud flap.



This motorcycle has a strong luggage rack.



I was only allowed to ride this motorcycle around the large parking lot, but I noted the bike had a well-padded, comfortable saddle.



Here is a view of the bike's instrumentation.



The following two photographs show views of the bike's switchgear.





This next two photographs show rear views of the motorcycle.





Here’s another view of the luggage rack.



Here’s a closeup of the right side of the rear wheel, and the rear disc brake.



The following photographs show the right side of the engine, the kick start lever, the right foot peg, and the rear brake pedal.





Here are two views of the right side of the front wheel.





The following photos show two views of the right side of the motorcycle.





Finally, here’s a view of the front of the motorcycle.



Spud