what did you wrench on today??

[Guest]

fried wire

I was dreading checking the valve clearance not because of the valve clearance process but because of the PO's promise that there was "nothing wrong with this bike".
a sure sign that there were some mysteries to be found as soon as I took the tank off.

Of course I didn't get to the valve clearance because what I found was one of the wires to the fuel gauge sender was fried and then covered with electrical tape that also melted. Somehow, the sender still worked, but the frayed. bare wires had to be replaced.
100_3564.jpg

and I cleaned up the non-existent alarm wiring that was all leading to a dead end.

[limeex2]

I replaced the Vance & Hines slip-ons with a full Rinehart exhaust system on the Sportster. Loaded a new map on the efi controller but it's still not quite right on the bottom end, so I have asked Fuel Moto to do another map, after which, it'll be dyno time.

Why doesnt the tuner adjust the map according to his findings on the dyno?

[limeex2]

Thanks Dave! Yes, I remember that very well! Must have been some of my earliest posts on GSR around January 2009!

Here is a photo where my son (#6) is struggling to stay ahead of the previous year's champion (#1) and nearly getting it crossed up into the corner!



The Walbro carb (very common on small 2-stroke engines) has 2 mixture adjustment needles (for low and high speed). On the 100cc engine in the go-kart the carb sits behind the driver and quite low down, so my son had to find the high speed needle "by feel" to adjust it when the engine started to get hot near the end of the races.

I strapped an old carb to a belt and made him wear it around the house, and practice to put his hand down and back to find the needle and tweak it slightly to make the mixture richer! I replaced the diaphragms after every race in order to ensure maximum performance, and we came second in the championship that year by 2 points, so I knew my way around those Walbro carbs!

Very glad to hear that your chain saw is running again Dave!

Aren't 2 strokes fun! Go carts are so intense, precise.

[Jedz123]

Some work on the Fizzy!

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Today, realizing my state inspection sticker has a #8 on it, I headed to the dealer after work. When I got there I remembered that when I took the back wheel off to change tires last week, I noticed that the welded tab that secures the chain guard at the front was broken, and I just hadn't bothered to come up with a fix for it, and so hadn't bothered re-installing the chain guard. I asked the shop guy if a chain guard was necessary to pass inspection. He said, "unfortunately, yes". So back home I go with no new sticker.

After thinking about it for a while, and not wanting to spend any money, this is what I came up with. I'm no metal fabricator. But I have a dremel and a bench sander, and neccessity is the mother of invention.

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Yeah, I mentioned the HDs with the open belt primaries (which I think are really stupid and dangerous) to the guy . He said he doesn't pass those either.

[GSXR7ED]

Today, realizing my state inspection sticker has a #8 on it, I headed to the dealer after work. When I got there I remembered that when I took the back wheel off to change tires last week, I noticed that the welded tab that secures the chain guard at the front was broken, and I just hadn't bothered to come up with a fix for it, and so hadn't bothered re-installing the chain guard. I asked the shop guy if a chain guard was necessary to pass inspection. He said, "unfortunately, yes". So back home I go with no new sticker.

After thinking about it for a while, and not wanting to spend any money, this is what I came up with. I'm no metal fabricator. But I have a dremel and a bench sander, and neccessity is the mother of invention.

That is pretty cool, Rich!

Ed

[Guest]

No pic's but I learnt a valuable lesson yesterday... wash your bikes!

Having a bad run with shocks at the moment. When I parked the 450 for my time off from work I noticed the left shock was leaking. It's an Ikon and I have a spare seal here so I can rebuild it.

When I parked the Kat after my Saturday ride last weekend I discovered on Sunday a pool of shock oil coming from the right shock. It's a Koni so rebuildable, but I just went throught that on the left shock a few weeks back and they've only got around 3000km's on them since I rebuilt them initially, so I'm taking it as a not so subtle hint that I shouldn't bother. I've ordered some inexpensive JBS branded shocks for the Kat. I'll put the Koni's aside and think about them later.

Back to the 450 and my less learnt... because I never wash it (being my daily rider), crunchy road grime has built up around the shock and compromised the seal. The right one is fine but of course I'm going to wash it now to make sure it stays that way!

I'm currently battling the gland nut on the left shock so I can replace the seal.

[Guest]

Used to be that gators were available after-market to protect shocks. Or so I heard.

[Grimly]

Used to be that gators were available after-market to protect shocks. Or so I heard.

Or a sleeve made from a section of old inner tube... fancy blinged- up ones cost more.

[Guest]

I have gaiters on the 450's front forks but hadn't contemplated any for the shocks. I do recall older shocks being completely covered though... probably worth investigating given the 450 gets parked on the footpath near work every day.

The new shocks on the Kat are effectively upside down, so the seals should be less prone to grime build up I would think.

Mind you, regular washing will now occur...

[Buffalo Bill]

Next year preps?

Looking to improve my track bike for next year, took some side photos for analysis of body position.
I just bolted on some new foot pegs to convenient bolt holes. Seems I don't need to buy setbacks, just lengthen the shift lever, brake lever is ok.
Looks like I need to relocate the clip-ons to below the top fork brace, and cut some off the body cowl to fit the clip-ons.
This summer I ground some sole off my boot tips, but I weren't leaned over adequately…meh.
New 2" higher foot pegs, brake lever not modified:

tuck, elbows are bent = bars too high.

[Guest]

Ah interesting! That's the sort I was thinking of.

[1978GS750E]

I converted the front wheel to tubeless when I spooned on a new Shinko 230 Tour Master tire on the GS750E today.

After I went to NAPA and paid $5.12 for a valve stem, I found a 2-pack of the exact same stem in "Slime" packaging at Autozone for $4.99. Guess I should have tried there first!

[trevor]

Not really wrenching...but made a make shift paint booth in my garage today to paint my Yosh exhaust in preparation to install on my new to me 750