Atlanta to Denver - Tip Planning

[BillInGA]

I'm just under two weeks out from my trip to Colorado, so I thought I'd share some of my trip planning with you.

I plan on taking mainly state / federal highways. Interstates will be unavoidable and actually preferable transiting larger metro areas: primarily Memphis and Denver. You can see my planned route here: Atlanta to Denver

I'm planning on about 500 miles per day. Ambitious, I know, but I've done a test ride of 500+ miles (Atlanta to Nashville and return) and I'm confident that it's doable for me. If not, or in case of weather / mechanical issues, I have a few days of flexibility built in to my schedule.

I'm taking my "new" bike, a 2000 Kawasaki Vulcan 500. I've been going over it thoroughly, checking it out mechanically and performing maintenance. Over the weekend I did the following: cleaned air cleaner element; inspected brake pads & linings for wear; adjusted brake play; adjusted clutch & inspected clutch cable; changed coolant; inspected radiator hoses & connections; changed oil & filter; inspected, cleaned & adjusted spark plugs; inspected throttle play; inspected tire wear, pressure & age; and, finally, adjusted valve clearance.

The valve clearance was a lot of work. Here's what you have to do to get the the valves: remove seat; remove fuel tank; drain coolant; remove coolant reservoir tank; remove radiator fan; remove coolant and breather hoses; remove valve cover. Whew! All but one of the valves were within spec. One exhaust valve was a little tight. While I had the bike apart I took the opportunity to do a lot of cleaning.

Still on my To Do list: check battery electrolyte level; change brake fluid; check chain & sprockets for wear; clean, lubricate and adjust chain; tighten nuts, bolts & fasteners, spare bulbs & fuses; and lubricate several areas. Oh, and I still have those nasty mangled mufflers to deal with, but I think I have a plan for them.

I have to rework my packing list since I won't be taking my tank bag - it doesn't work with the tank-mounted instruments. I'll post my packing list later today.

Bill