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What did you do in the garage today?
- Thread starter mitchntx
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- Ed
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- Baker
ok, the RC51 used to be the cat's meow, but the newer bikes are surely better, faster, with more power and suspension. I watched Nicky Hayden come in second on one, at Daytona one year by a millisecond, only because he forgot to shift into 6th gear on the final straight! And I can scare myself on this one real quick as I don't ride sport bikes anymore, and it gets up to speed very quickly
Lets ride when you're legal
OldTLSDoug
Forum Supporter
Today we got some more goodies. I wasn't happy with the lever feel on the RC8R, so our buddy Jim (skinless Jim, Jimmy the Scab, etc.) came over. We did 3 quick bleeds on the master cylinder and the lever is now rock solid. Perfect. I may have to bleed the Super Duke too as it feels a bit soft relatively. So there are the RC8R brakes sorted.
Then Mr. Postman delivered the CJ Designs gas cap for the Super Duke. I am digging this thing, but I think Jasen is on the fence. Very nicely made, fit perfectly and installed in minutes with no instructions (yes, it is that simple). Now I no longer need a durned key to fill up.
So with the gas cap on the Super Duke sorted I went back to Mr. RC8R and installed the beautiful new EarthX LiFe battery. Took no time and now Mr. RC8R has plenty of cranking power. Hopefully I will get the title before it becomes too cold to ride. She needs a good shakedown ride. Looking forward to it.
FInal activity in the shop involved staring at the bikes, mainly the RC8R and wishing I could ride it on the road. She is a beautiful machine, jewel like in the fit and finish. A purpose built big dose of Whoop &$%! As Mitch says, there ain't nothing on there that doesn't make it lighter or help it go faster.
Then Mr. Postman delivered the CJ Designs gas cap for the Super Duke. I am digging this thing, but I think Jasen is on the fence. Very nicely made, fit perfectly and installed in minutes with no instructions (yes, it is that simple). Now I no longer need a durned key to fill up.
So with the gas cap on the Super Duke sorted I went back to Mr. RC8R and installed the beautiful new EarthX LiFe battery. Took no time and now Mr. RC8R has plenty of cranking power. Hopefully I will get the title before it becomes too cold to ride. She needs a good shakedown ride. Looking forward to it.
FInal activity in the shop involved staring at the bikes, mainly the RC8R and wishing I could ride it on the road. She is a beautiful machine, jewel like in the fit and finish. A purpose built big dose of Whoop &$%! As Mitch says, there ain't nothing on there that doesn't make it lighter or help it go faster.
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- Ed
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- Baker
And if you do ride one of the big singles we love, eventually your hands will become inflamed with perhaps incurable "carpel something". Don't ask me how I know after owning probably 8 of em over 600cc in my life, plus a handful of smaller XLs including 2 125's, 3 250's and 2 350's, an IT465 and a WR 450 and about 190000 offroad miles between em all. And the winner of the big vibration sweepstakes is: the IT 465 I rode near daily from 1990-1995 in the coastal range in CA instead of hitting the gym. Way mo fun. It took both my hands and ears out. That thing could eventually ruin every part of your body for life, and that's before you fell off, which I did fairly regularly. It was not the best flat tracker, but it was usually the fastest, once you got out of the turn.... Made you feel like Kenny Roberts on the Yamaha TZ 750 on a dirt track.
I remember riding a 500 Brit bike in the 70's. Triumph 500T? I don't remember what was worse, suspension, handling, or lack of brakes.
But it had such stupid torque it was a blast to ride trail style.
I heard from the PO of my KTM that they found the title. Yay! I've known them over 20 years and wasn't worried, but now that it's going to sell that's good.
I pulled the wheels and cleaned and lubed things. Rear brakes were inop. Lots of air in the line, that'll do it.
Ready now to put the seat frame and such back on tomorrow. I've already changed the 2 filters and cleaned the screen ones, so time to top off the fresh oil, put the tank on and add fresh gas, and lite this thing up. The bracket for compression release is broke, so I'll be putting on a knee brace first. lol.
Then hopefully this guy has broken his piggy bank and shows me the money!
But it had such stupid torque it was a blast to ride trail style.
I heard from the PO of my KTM that they found the title. Yay! I've known them over 20 years and wasn't worried, but now that it's going to sell that's good.
I pulled the wheels and cleaned and lubed things. Rear brakes were inop. Lots of air in the line, that'll do it.
Ready now to put the seat frame and such back on tomorrow. I've already changed the 2 filters and cleaned the screen ones, so time to top off the fresh oil, put the tank on and add fresh gas, and lite this thing up. The bracket for compression release is broke, so I'll be putting on a knee brace first. lol.
Then hopefully this guy has broken his piggy bank and shows me the money!
What did I do in the garage today?
After a couple of weeks repairing, replacing & painting fascia, soffit & trim on my sister-in-law's porch & while I put away my power tools, I did some rearranging, some spot clean up & got rid of a few things that needed to go in order to make little room. As I toiled away, I kept seeing this baby out of the corner of my eye... calling me, tempting me. Been spending most of my riding time lately on the 1150GS & thought I should dust the cobwebs off the Mighty K... gonna be a nice day for a ride tomorrow!
After a couple of weeks repairing, replacing & painting fascia, soffit & trim on my sister-in-law's porch & while I put away my power tools, I did some rearranging, some spot clean up & got rid of a few things that needed to go in order to make little room. As I toiled away, I kept seeing this baby out of the corner of my eye... calling me, tempting me. Been spending most of my riding time lately on the 1150GS & thought I should dust the cobwebs off the Mighty K... gonna be a nice day for a ride tomorrow!
holey moley that's a sharp ride!!
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- Loggins
Began a bumper build on my XJ.
Still need to finish the ends, add D ring tabs and paint.
Will probably weld in frame support as well as the frame on the XJ is unibody and I want to be able to use the D rings for recovery points without worry.
Still need to finish the ends, add D ring tabs and paint.
Will probably weld in frame support as well as the frame on the XJ is unibody and I want to be able to use the D rings for recovery points without worry.
a little sturdier than stock, methinks.
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- Baker
nice work. I wish I had the metal working ability and tools for those projects. Would be really useful around the farm here.
Vance and Hines true dual with slash tips on the bagger, Drag Specialties straight drag pipes with short internal baffles on the Sportster.
Sporty sounds better without the baffles, but runs better with that tic of back pressure.
I don't ride loud to be a hind-hole, I do it for another layer of protection against daydreaming texting (expletive stream here) cagers. And deer!
Many times pulling in the clutch and cracking the throttle has snapped a driver to attention, or sent a deer flying in the opposite direction.
A lot of people hate the old cliche Loud Pipes Save Lives, but they do like it or not.
I would not feel comfy on some whisper quiet machine. Dang near hit one once. He did some iffy lane changes to pass me in my car.
Had I heard him before I saw in the mirror his front fender was about touching my trunk lid, we could have had a more pleasant encounter.
Of course I was the one receiving the central flying digit of enduring friendship.
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- Ed
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- Baker
well, a difference of opinion here: after losing my hearing in no part due to the probably 30,000 miles of expansion chambers on 2 strokes without hearing protection before reaching 18, then "tuneable" super traps on my single 4 strokes, plus maybe 1000+ live performances playing guitar, you guys knock yourselves out, but be assured its a very heavy price to pay if you live long enough and lose your hearing. I had no idea of the significance of the handicap, so advocate for quiet as can be now. The "loud pipes save lives HD BS" is just that, not to mention this riding noise really ticks off everyone in the general public today. Competent, skilled riding saves way more lives, even if you are a competent hooligan like some of us used to be Heck , nowadays I even back off my acceleration on my 2011 R1200 GSA if I've dropped a gear or two to pass a car and that's a stock exhaust. Old age is making me a bit more socially conscious I guess, but I still loved the old days of 3 of us passing everyone as we could at 120 on a 600 mile day sport tour.... I always loved riding San Jose Ca to Boise ID the long way through the twisties in warp mode, until a buddy dropped his K1 into a hotel fence upon arrival due to exhaustion, requiring thousands of $ of parts replacement to be perfect again.. And that was back in 1998; stuff happens.
Heck , nowadays I even back off my acceleration on my 2011 R1200 GSA if I've dropped a gear or two to pass a car and that's a stock exhaust. Old age is making me a bit more socially conscious I guess, but I still loved the old days of 3 of us passing everyone as we could at 120 on a 600 mile day sport tour.... I always loved riding San Jose Ca to Boise ID the long way through the twisties in warp mode, until a buddy dropped his K1 into a hotel fence upon arrival due to exhaustion, requiring thousands of $ of parts replacement to be perfect again.. And that was back in 1998; stuff happens.
my hearing is totally screwed from my profession. I can't ride without earplugs, and going to shows is no fun anymore.
I don't intentionally try and PO anyone, but I stand by my loud pipes comment as I have so many examples of it working for me.
if the "general public" wasn't so focused on texting or watching the mini home theatres in the middle of their dashboards, things might be different.
we agree to disagree.
I don't intentionally try and PO anyone, but I stand by my loud pipes comment as I have so many examples of it working for me.
if the "general public" wasn't so focused on texting or watching the mini home theatres in the middle of their dashboards, things might be different.
we agree to disagree.
OldTLSDoug
Forum Supporter
I have used hearing protection since I was a kid, I have had loud pipes throughout the new millenium, so there's that. Hearing still great.
after having metal dug out of my eye 2x in my life, having a touch of hearing loss, and seeing people suffer and reading about COPD from sources like woodworking/sanding, other than tobacco smoke, I've gotten rather OCD about using ear, eye and lung protection.
serious OCD here as well, but sadly too late for my hearing.
Added two bikes to the garage today.
We use a Motrac MX125 (Grom clone) for the TMGP endurance races. We bought it's twin for three reasons: 1) to have a B bike during the races; 2) to allow two people to practice at the same time during the pre-race practice; and 3) most importantly, to give my wife a bike to race for her intro to CMRA racing in the Grom class. The 17 bike is our current bike, the one on the left is the new twin.
The other bike is a Whizzer bike / motorcycle. Unfortunately it is not mine, just brought it from Austin (same seller, where we picked up the Motrac) up to Dallas as a favor to the new owner.
We use a Motrac MX125 (Grom clone) for the TMGP endurance races. We bought it's twin for three reasons: 1) to have a B bike during the races; 2) to allow two people to practice at the same time during the pre-race practice; and 3) most importantly, to give my wife a bike to race for her intro to CMRA racing in the Grom class. The 17 bike is our current bike, the one on the left is the new twin.
The other bike is a Whizzer bike / motorcycle. Unfortunately it is not mine, just brought it from Austin (same seller, where we picked up the Motrac) up to Dallas as a favor to the new owner.
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Adjusting fuel pressure under a chained down F100, before I got out from under it, the *** in the cockpit put it in AB, and I couldn’t hear for three days, then 7 more years in the USAF As an aircraft mechanic, and just down hill from there. Got hearing aids from the VA, and now I like the bikes quiet. Evan though I wear hearing aids, I use ear plugs, and don’t even hear my own bike. But it sure is nice to hear the wife and family.
I did finish the basic service on the KTM today, but I can't kick it with enough conviction to start it.
Right knee is pain free, and I need it to stay that way. I want to really swing into it, but I can't chance it.
The guy that wants it will have to do the start. IF he has the coin. Otherwise it goes in the for sale section soon.
I could kick with the left while standing on a short crate, I suppose. hmmmm.....
Right knee is pain free, and I need it to stay that way. I want to really swing into it, but I can't chance it.
The guy that wants it will have to do the start. IF he has the coin. Otherwise it goes in the for sale section soon.
I could kick with the left while standing on a short crate, I suppose. hmmmm.....
Re-geared the BRP a couple teeth lower, new sprockets but the old chain fit and is still serviceable until next time. Countershaft had minimal wear thanks to the PO putting on a wide sprocket!!! Added Real brush guards and took off those stupid ‘flag’ hand guards that are stock.
Test ride involved looking at Christmas lights and watching the local fireworks show. Real easy getting out of the parking lot, just cut across the field and wheelie thru the trees! Got some funny looks and one horn blower but I just ignored it. Passed a couple kids walking to their car, young girl (18-20?) holleted “I like your bike, Sir!” Suddenly felt very old...
The bike is now ready for some serious off-roading, just wish the rider was in as good a shape...
No pix necessary...
Test ride involved looking at Christmas lights and watching the local fireworks show. Real easy getting out of the parking lot, just cut across the field and wheelie thru the trees! Got some funny looks and one horn blower but I just ignored it. Passed a couple kids walking to their car, young girl (18-20?) holleted “I like your bike, Sir!” Suddenly felt very old...
The bike is now ready for some serious off-roading, just wish the rider was in as good a shape...
No pix necessary...
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Thanks Tom, and Clay I like the sound too but it was too much.....I’m going to add a supertrapp in place of the tailpipe and see if I can find a quieter middle ground.
. FYI that ole thumper had more pull on the top end with that long pipe!
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- Drumm
I’m an earplug guy as well, whether on a Kubota, KLR, or Caterpillar....
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Yeah... had really planned on making it out of 1/8" but the metal mart only had it in 1/4". Stock is just sheet metal, likely 16 gauge and just an outside shell.
'
Wow!
You may not be able to recover the jeep, but not because of that piece of steel.
You may need stiffer rear springs ....
LOL...yep. Actually already did the springs though. They were part of the 4 inch lift. As mentioned above....it's heavier than I wanted it to be, but I guess I won't have to worry about it getting damaged.
