what did you wrench on today??

[wymple]

Worked on my friend's 100 dollar RD 350. Got it streetable, pulled the swingarm & everything around it , cleaned & painted. New brakes, etc. Very mild resto job.Can't believe he fell into this.

 

[Hayabuser]

Did an oil & filter change on my 2013 Bonneville.... took me almost two hours to chisel the old oil filter off thanks to the gorillas at the dealership over-tightening the **** out of it! Robert Pirsig was right, no one cares as much about your bike as you do... :dejection:

 

[LongTimeSince]

Bike - 1983 GS1100 E
Well not today but a couple of days ago.
But the tale goes back even further.
I had a host of electrical problems, this year, including but not limited to warning light control module, stator, solenoid, rectifier and battery, not to mention slow leak in the rear tire -needed new ones anyway.
I sorted/replaced all of the above and even after all of that she would start just fine for about five or six times then act as though there was no juice in the battery.
Arrggghhhh!
Then about a week ago I hit the starter button and there was a nasty and very loud metallic crack.
Took the starter motor out and opened it up.
As I pulled the long screws out I noticed tiny flakes/chips stuck to them.
Took the back end off and there were all sorts of chips and flakes everywhere and two magnets out of place.
Clearly the two magnets decided they did not want to be separated from their friends any more. What would cause that?
One also had a large chunk missing.
Ok that explains a few things.
Did a search for a replacement stater motor.
$300.00!!!!!
Found a used one on Ebay for less than $100.00 including shipping from wehaveyourpart.
When it arrived I found the brushes were well worn and the power connection was less than solid so swapped that out with the original from mine.
A few skinned knuckles later -I did not want to take the carbs off- and perfect starts every time.
I'M BACK ON THE ROAD! YEA!!!

 

[gordinho80]

Haven't wrenched yet... but took it for a test ride after doing forks a couple of days ago. Noticed a rattle coming from the left side when accelerating while in gear. I'm thinking it might be low gear oil in the front. Will have to see...

 

[trippivot]

getting a few loose ends together before the winter, bought it last spring in baskets -- she's almost ready to make noise.

 

[Guest]

Nice looking bike Trip. I take it you`ll be racing it next year?

getting a few loose ends together before the winter, bought it last spring in baskets -- she's almost ready to make noise.
View attachment 42594

 

[gordinho80]

This can't be good...

 

[loud et]

Sandblasted, primed and painted the frame and a variety of parts for my 850 brat project.
Making good progress. Ill be assembling a rolling chassis before ya know it.Oh yeah.

 

[trippivot]

Nice looking bike Trip. I take it you`ll be racing it next year?

not sure - I bought 2 of these slingshots because I am a total sucker for this era of Tupperware rockets - that is where it stops the bodywork.

for sure my bracket bike is GS under a prostock version of this body! I'll be racing it as much as I can afford. but switching to anything but a GS ? -if I did I may do a sportster/buell - been looking at doing that.

uncomfortable as heck - but I sure like to look at it.

ok I am working on a 1980 gs1100 today - Ill put some new batteries in the camera .

 

[Grimly]

Finally got out the leetle booger that's been bugging me for days - the stub of stud that I'd drilled out and which stubbornly refused to come out of its little hidey hole next to #3 exhaust port.
I gave up trying to coax it in the end and just drilled a thread insert size hole, stopping just short of the stub, then had another wiggle at it. It came out suddenly, like a rotten tooth, which was nice, as it allowed me to complete the hole to the proper depth and put an insert in.

 

[520eek]

Got my bike project under way for the sidecar hack I am putting together....

 

[edgeofvamp]

I am sad, I wish I had a garage.....

 

[JTGS850GL]

Screwed up and installed a reverse polarity battery in the dark. Needless to say I've got some work ahead of me. Seems like the left turn signal doesn't work now and the charge voltage is 15.6V @ 5000 RPM. Tried a spare turn signal controller and still no go. Looks like it's time to replace my ratty wiring harness that came with the bike. Too many splices anyway.

UPDATE:
Started a more detailed troubleshooting and find that I'm even dumber then I thought! Replaced the original battery with the new correct AGM battery and now I find the terminal charge voltage at 5000rpm is 14.54V. All is well with the SH775 R/R. We now know it can take a reverse polarity and survive.

While looking into the source of the no flash on left side turn signal problem I found that the headlight bulb socket was partially melted. Not related to the reverse polarity issue but is something that needs to be addressed. New main harness will fix that along with some other wire slicing issues that are there from the PO. After some trouble shooting I did eventually find the source of the problem. While I had the seat open the metal back piece touches the left rear turn signal housing. When that is touching the left side doesn't work. I hear a rapid cycling of the flasher relay. When I return the seat the signals started working. Weird to say the least. So, it looks like there's no permanent damage from the reversed battery after all.

As for the components (harness and SH775 R/R) that I've ordered, looks like the main harness will be replaced after all and the GS850 will get a new R/R.

 

[Guest]

Putting a new motor back into my turbo 1100. I need to swap clutches, swap ignition and coils, adjust the valves etc. Still, I got the turbo in and I'll get the header on tonight.

 

[rudeman]

Synched the carbs on my 1000EN. I have the old mercury filled carb sticks and they're a little low on mercury. This is problematic because the well gets low and the tubes begin sucking air and throws off the accuracy. It took a while but I got her done.

 

[rudeman]

I swapped the fiber clutch plates and springs in my 1000EN yesterday. The factory manual shows 7 plates but there were 8 installed. I reused one of the old plates and ordered an 8th one.from BB. Also changed the oil.

 

[Grimly]

Trial-fitted the Windjammer IV on the Tug.

 

[ramblnman]

pulled the carbs off the gs1150 today... what a bitch!!I know I will have my hands full getting them back in! was going to change the rear shock but seems that you have to drop the whole swing arm gonna save that for another day....

 

[Guest]

Went looking for that little noise I had on the front end. Pull the brake pads and found it. Left side, inboard pad was gone. The other three pads had a bit over half the pad left. So, replaced all the brake pads front and rear. Suzie has new shoes lol.

 

[Ric]

I finally had a day off, so I put the pods on and rejetted the carb. What yall think?



By the way, she runs richer than ten feet up a bull's @$$ now! Thinking I raised the needle too high, gonna put another fiber washer on it and see what that does. Maybe drop to a 125 main?

At least it's not running too lean anymore.