The day started out just fine - above 50F as we rode our bikes to the usual Starbucks meeting location in Clifton, VA. Mike was the first to arrive, followed by Allen and then Rose & Jim. We chatted a bit and sipped on our Starbucks coffees. Yes, life is good. We soon realized how good we had it at Starbucks as we rode up Route 28, going from Clifton to Chantilly. Allen's chopper, the one we see all the time at those Hooter restaurants, suddenly loss power. It just plain quit running. Allen pulled over and after a few minutes determined that all electrical power was gone. The battery was good as it was just replaced a week ago (yes, Allen killed the previous battery by jump starting the bike with a car battery - it melted the bike's positive battery post). The problem is probably either a blown fuse, a dead ignition switch, or perhaps a bad engine management system. Let's hope it's just a fuse!
Anyway, Allen determined that the only option was to push the bike over to Devil Dawg in Chantilly - about a mile away. Seems easy enough because the route is mostly flat and the chopper had two good wheels on which to roll. Allen wanted the rest of the group to get on with the ride while Allen pushed the bike but nobody would leave. Instead, the WORMS provided an escort as Allen, then Jim, then Mike and then lastly Allen again proceeded to push the bike what felt like 20 miles. We arrived about 45 minutes later and since Devil Dawg was closed (until Tuesday mind you), Allen locked it up and the WORMS continued with a ride back to Allen's house so we could get the backup motorcycle (Fatboy). Rose was kind enough to let Allen ride her bike so Allen took the group on the backroads of Clifton and the best road was Fairfax Station. Once Allen had his Fatboy, the group rode over to Lorton and the WORMS enjoyed some Z Pizza as the warm afternoon sun was starting to finally bring the temperature above 60F. So we ended the ride on a positive note, and let's hope the chopper doesn't disappear before the shop opens and maybe it will be an easy fix.
Update on 28 March: Guess what? It was a bad battery! The battery was only about 2 weeks old and apparently either failed open or shorted. Either way it measured 0.0V when removed from the Pitbull chopper. The boys at Devil Dawg (Tim actually) replaced the battery under a warranty claim, and then he did a full electrical system checkout to make sure the bike was running well. He also checked the compression releases (electric ones mounted in the heads of both cylinders) and they worked fine too. The issue of starting the chopper in the winter months is really due to a small amount of room available to house the battery. This results in a battery that's a bit undersized for the engine it's trying to start. So having a 2nd motorcycle battery nearby in the garage during the winter months will be the way to go from now on. No more jumping the chopper with a car battery (it melts battery terminals) - only the spare motorcycle battery that Allen has on hand since it has a melted positive battery terminal and was replaced a few weeks ago which started this whole mess.
We had a few new WORMS members on this ride - please welcome Linda and Richard. Richard has a Honda Shadow that you'll see below in the pictures and Linda rides on the back. We met at our usual Starbucks in Clifton around 1230-1300 and then headed south through Clifton / Manassas to arrive at the Manassas Hooters! Oh boy, Allen on the chopper and another opportunity to extend the 'round the world Hooter tour. As you can see we did manage to arrange a photo shoot with three nice ladies (Mindy, Megan and Sharon). Sharon was our waitress and she is the middle girl on the bike. Mindy is in the front and Megan is on the back. The manager, Damon Richards, was very kind and even suggested that we come back again for their bike nights that start March 26th (every Thursday night afterward). Sounds like a most excellent plan!
Only a few WORMS (Mike & Allen) were willing to brave the low 40's weather this fine Sunday following a lovely Valentine's Day spent with our spouses. Woody was willing to ride but he was still in a Florida airport waiting for a plane to take him home. Jim was working on a fire alarm panel - as if that were more important than a WORMS ride! Rose may have been talked into the ride if Jim was able to attend. In any case, Mike and Allen met at the Clifton Starbucks and decided to head south through Manassas, turning at Catlet to ride the fine backroads down to Route 17. From there we headed down Route 1 and Princess Ann Street in Fredericksburg VA. There wasn't much traffic and the roads were clean.
The boys arrived at Big Daddy Leather about 3PM and fortunately they didn't close until 4PM so all was good. We spent a few bucks on some stuff and even Doug (the owner) came over to us as were were getting back on our bikes - saying hello to the WORMS. He recognized us probably due to our muscles and powerful Harleys. After a few minutes talking about upcoming events (check their web site) we headed around Hyperion Espresso before going back up Route 1 to Route 17 and then to Arby's for some roast beef sandwiches (thanks Mike) and then on to I-95 for the return home. All around it was a good ride. Allen forget to wear his thermal underwear and Mike doesn't have heated gloves but we were warm enough. The WORMS are a tough bunch I tell you. We be biker dudes.
We hope to meet some new potential WORMS riders on the next few rides. If it warms up we are expecting Linda and Richard O'Brien and possibly Elliot Abascal who owns a very tricked out Fatboy. New riders are always welcome on our rides and as all WORMS know - it's all about having fun riding our bikes around Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and maybe even North Carolina this year. The WORMS are mostly weekend riders but some of us commute during the week and many of us take some days off during the year to enjoy an extended WORMS ride.
The boys (Woody, Mike & Allen) needed a break from the wives today. We've been working off the honey-do list items all winter long and it was time for some fun. So the ladies found other things to do while we took off for a nice little ride down the George Washington Parkway. We started at our Clifton Starbucks meeting spot, rode up Route 123 to the George Washington Parkway, and then took in the view of Washington DC along the Potomac all the way to Old Towne Alexandria. A short rest and photo shoot (pictures taken by an young Irish lad on holiday) and we got back on the road towards Mount Vernon and George Washington's home. Further down Route 1 we ended up at the Hooters restaurant in Woodbridge. Yes, it was time for some hot wings!
A nice young lady came to our table and immediately realized we weren't just a bunch of tired old men. Nope, we were the WORMS and these WORMS wanted some chicken wings. She was so impressed by our styling that she dropped a drink meant for another customer! But alas, we couldn't stay forever admiring the view. It was time to return to our normal lives and the chores that are part of the package. Or was it? Allen rode to the next door gas station to fill the chopper while Woody and Mike headed up the Prince William Parkway. Suddenly a Hooter's girl came over and just insisted that Allen return to Hooters with the chopper for a photo shoot. Allen explained that he was married and this probably wouldn't be appropriate, but the Hooters lady said they wanted to have pictures of them on the bike, not me. Oh, well that's different but maybe we could work something out. A few minutes later just about all the Hooter girls were coming out for pictures while other guys who rode their bikes could only stand around with their mouths hanging open. When Allen left there were smiles everywhere and as you can see below, we have a few nice pictures.
One more thing. See that little boy in one of the pictures? His mom was taking his picture with the chopper and Hooters girls so she could send it to her husband fighting the war on terror over in Iraq. I'm sure the WORMS will be participating in several rides this year to support our troops. We are considering the 9-11 ride and of course we'll do the Rolling Thunder on Memorial Day Weekend.
