Kawasaki Concours Forum
Mish mash => Open Forum => Topic started by: tweeter55 on January 16, 2023, 08:03:32 PM
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Hello Hello Hello Hello
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Can't hear you. Sorry, but I'm hearing impaired and I hate to wear hearing aids. But I do wear ear plugs when I'm riding. So there's that.
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WHAT? WHAT? WHAT? WHAT already? :rotflmao:
Seriously though, it can get pretty quiet on here through the winter months since many are not riding or wrenching.
If you are still riding/wrenching, then please post what you are doing so we can all kibitz and live vicariously through you. ;) :grouphug: :chugbeer:
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I’m doing the same as you, Boomer.
Nuthin’ to see here, either.
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If you are still riding/wrenching, then please post what you are doing so we can all kibitz and live vicariously through you. ;) :grouphug: :chugbeer:
I've spent the last few days riding in the rain. Been pretty rainy for Phoenix. Kinda weird. I'm really glad I had my Frogg Toggs Road Toad jacket. Had to get some rain pants, too. First time I've ever needed them, even riding in monsoons.
Just put a new front tire on the ol' lady's GSX1250FA. Kinda nice that it's the same size as the C14. Went with the RS3s for her as well. Waiting on another for my front.
Ordered and received new clutch disks for my 2010 C14. Clutch lever is almost all the way out before it grabs. Going to be dead here before too long. Not bothering to replace the steel disks. I don't want to have to go through the whole sizing process. I should probably measure the steel disks while I have it apart so I can do it next time.
Been tinkering with the idea of having my scuffed saddlebags wrapped in vinyl. Just ordered a bunch of funny stickers, so I might just sticker blast it. Dunno.
Last weekend we swapped the front passenger inner fender on my best friend's 1963 Nova. The inner fender IS the subframe, so it's a bit of a chore. Next weekend is the driver side as long as everything goes well.
Lots of other hobbies too. Been practicing my electronics soldering, playing with my longbow, and trying out new cooking recipes.
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Since I am "down" with a trapped nerve in my back again, I am planning and designing.
I am working on a "nekkid" C10 but with a bit of a difference. She will be single seat with a swingarm mounted rear fender and the lights/tag mount on the rear of the fender.
However, I will still be able to mount the rear subframe so I can still fit the side-bags and a trunk for riding to rallies. At the moment I am stuck as I need to bend the steel bar (10mm x10mm) that will be the mount for the rear fender and I cannot get enough heat into the bar with a MAPP blowtorch, so when my back heals some I'll be going to a friends who has Oxy-Acetylene and a big anvil.
Then I need to fabricate mounts to be welded to the bar and the swingarm so it can be bolted to the swingarm and to the Final Drive.
Once the rear fender mounts are fabricated and welded I can send most of it off for powder-coat and start prepping the rest for paint.
I also need to design and fabricate a bespoke bracket for the headlights and make some adapters for the new front fender.
I want to be doing but at the moment planning and designing is about it.
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Winter project - 2-wheeled but not motorcycle
Due to poor brake cable practice on my part, the rear rim on my road bike wore catastrophically on one side. Bought new rim and spoke wrench from eBay, and just recently installed. If for frugality reasons, you don't have a truing stand, the bike frame can readily be used. Only broke one spoke during disassembly.
So, it's all trued and happy, reinstalled and waiting for Canadian Spring, which occurs sometime around July.
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-In the middle of charging all my vehicle batteries with my monthly trickle charge for winter.
-Joined a pistol league for something to do in winter, 8 weeks, 8 different targets shot at your leisure, awards in March.
-Adjusted rear combat sights on pistol for said league.
-Getting ready to watch the AFC playoff games this weekend. Problem is, we like them all. Buffalo vs Cincinnati will be a real dilemma.
-Never kept a battery in the bike over winter, have the C-14 battery in and on a tender, I wasn't even going to think about taking that battery out.
-Very little snow for us this winter, down 17 inches so far.
-Getting back into building scale models again. Just finished a Sherman tank for my wife's desk, it's a silly Meng from a game called "World War Toons". Look it up, it's humorous in a weird way. Hey, it's Japanese, or Chinese, not sure, they are both kinda weird on stuff like this. Will start on a serious 1/35th M41 Walker Bulldog next week.
-Still have the Christmas tree up. we like it, my wife's Christmas was just a few weeks ago anyhow. Feb 1st it comes down.
-So, what's up with eggs? Did the number of egg laying chickens suddenly go WAY down? We don't eat them much anyhow.
-Hoping Ford comes out with an electric car, not the silly stuff they have now.
-Ohio is losing money from the gasoline tax that applies to maintain the roads because we aren't driving as much and they say more have electric cars and not buying gasoline. They are floating a "miles driven" tax. So they really think right now folks are not devising a way to unhook their odometers. Not sure I see it going very far as Ohio is quite conservative, this is a media driven idea.
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Down 28 inches in snow so far this winter
Getting a Dutch oven, a Staub, they are on sale
Lent now, My wife is Russian Orthodox, meat on Sunday only
Seth Laam still has my seat, 3 years now
Put a trickle charge on all the batteries
Still wanted to see if anybody is home here
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I'm here everyday in the shadows...
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Well I took one for the team and it was tough, been on vacation since 2/23 and go back to work tomorrow. The C14 doesn't need anything but the ZRX has had a very small issue at idle and light throttle, and just didn't sound right on trailing throttle/decel. I worked a bit and took frequent breaks (upper 70's to mid-80's here in Houston ;D ), I replaced all 4 carb boots that bolt to the head including new o-rings in each and that solved the problems. It now runs like it should, throttle response to the very smallest movement and it sounds right again. Since the weather was so nice, between the frequent breaks I also rebuilt the clutch master cylinder, put on a new slave cylinder, and installed new Galfer clutch line and all brake lines. It was too nice to work in the garage so I pushed out onto the driveway and ended up with a little sunburn. 8)
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I'm here everyday in the shadows...
As I am also, Jim. Work pulled me out of retirement for a few days to help stay ahead on a project. Kinda nice working inside at 65 degrees when a couple weeks ago it was pushing zero outdoors.
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I'm always here too, I just don't like to type.
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I check here most days but not doing much at the moment due to lower back issues.
I started both bikes on Sunday, ran them until the cooling fan kicked in but that's it.
Had an MRI on my lower back yesterday, so now just waiting to see what they find.
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The rear end on my bike started making noise after the accident. Tow truck took it down to the dealer yesterday. I haven't ridden it in about 3 weeks and I am sad.
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Well, oh righty then! If all of you are here in spirit, maybe I'll just ramble on for us all........ ;D Maybe not.
This time of you here in Ohio, we get HUGE temperature swings, 65F today, maybe 5 inches of snow Friday, then 42F and sunny this Saturday, it makes it very difficult to go out in the garage and look at the bike all packed away and not want to get it out, cause sure as s**t, we'll get 5 inches of snow and they will salt the living hell out of the roads, literally folks, you can shovel the salt.
After almost 3 months, I finally got the the retirement paperwork, internet,automatic withdrawl, healthcare thing figured out, well, we think. What a major PITA, I have more colorful words. Amazing how many times I mildly suggested over the phone, on numerous phone calls, to people who say they are dedicated to my happiness, well being, and easing my journey to retirement, that, essentially, part of your job is actually doing your job.
Manischevitz makes wine in 1.5L bottles. These are pretty big bottles. My dad drinks it, he's 94, it's awful. I think it's a generational thing.
I got the main body and suspension done on the M41 tank I'm building, lots of tiny little parts, never knew there were many grab handles on a tank before. airbrushing it this weekend.
I couldn't care less who is the host of Jeopardy and the drama around the decision.
My brother-in-law the cop, who I used to refer to as my idiot brother-in-law the cop who was an idiot, is not really an idiot, he never really was, family politics, misinformation and a bit of real mental health issues deluded my vision. The whole fire/police thing never came into play, we don't do that silly nonsense.
I moved the sights on the G3 9mm Taurus pistol, I'm doing better in the pistol league, I won't be winning anything, but it keeps me busy when it's cold outside December-April.
Snow is very dirty, it's like natures vacuum, dirt/dust is how snowflakes are created so when it snows, it cleans out the air, don't eat snow unless you have to and make sure it's not yellow.
I can see Orion's belt this time of year, wish I could see the Southern Cross at any time.
4-wheeled drive is different than all-wheel drive, you find out on sharp turns.
OK, is that enough for now?
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Excellent report!
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But wait! There's more.
-I bought a riding lawnmower cause the one I'm using now is my neighbors and it's over 20 years old and I know it was never designed to last this long, I've been cobbling it together every spring and it is on it's last legs, literally, it's a Husky with a Kohler motor, almost thought about getting a frame from Harbor Freight and using that motor. The new mower is a John Deere 110, which Deere told me they were not making anymore, the dealers were not going to get any anymore, this was back 3 years ago. I did not want a monster 2 cylinder mower. The dealer ignored me, but also told me if I bought a mower anywhere else to forget about bringing there for service.......WTF? Asshats, I bought it at Lowes for less. I work on it myself like I do now.
-Gonna watch "North and South" again, Kirstie Alley had wonderful eyes and still had that big ole Texas hair.
-When you go to a doc nowdays, you really have to watch what you say.
-We have a 2014 Ford Fiesta and the older it gets, the better the gas mileage, 114,000 miles and 34mpg average and about 50mpg on the highway. Gas is how much these days, and tell me why only the Japanese not only make small cars but are the only ones making cars period, guess we don't collectively don't remember the 70's? Diehard Ford family, will not be buying a Ford next time, I want a car, not a 4000lb $50,000 SUV. Wake up America.
-Will be working on the C-14 next few weeks, new pipe, new "KMW" stickers
-Noticed birds not hanging around my feeder, then saw a gigantic hawk swooping silently across the yard in an angled attack, amazing.
-Lake Erie sometimes has waves 12-15 high during high wind episodes, almost like the ocean.
- OK, gotta go for now
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Just got off the phone with the shop. Insurance is going to total my bike. Bent the swing arm when I got hit.
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Just got off the phone with the shop. Insurance is going to total my bike. Bent the swing arm when I got hit.
Sorry to hear that, Red. Hopefully, they’ll give you enough to replace it. Most important thing is that you came away from that crash relatively unscathed, yes?
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Yes, thankfully I am fine. And the other guy’s insurance has taken full responsibility. I kept the bike up and took no injuries other than some tightness. The inspection from the Kawi dealer came back today as “this is totally because of the accident”. As my fiancé said to me earlier today, it’s been the smoothest accident one could hope for. I’m going to buy the bike back, and I’m getting a complete rear end from a local yard, for a very reasonable price.
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Glad you walked away from that one. 8)
You do seem to have an awful lot of rear-end crashes in the USA.
They are so rare for motorcycles here in the UK/EU that I have never even heard of one.
The most common motorcycle crashes here are known as SMIDSYs (Sorry Mate I didn't See Ya), where the blind/distracted/incompetent car driver pulls out of a side turning.
Hopefully it's just the swingarm that's damaged, but if it was me I'd insist on getting the frame x-rayed before I bought it back as that kind of force may have cracked the rear of the frame.
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The most common motorcycle crashes here are known as SMIDSYs (Sorry Mate I didn't See Ya), where the blind/distracted/incompetent car driver pulls out of a side turning.
Hopefully it's just the swingarm that's damaged, but if it was me I'd insist on getting the frame x-rayed before I bought it back as that kind of force may have cracked the rear of the frame.
That's basically what it was. Hit me on the rear crash bar and pushed the whole bike over to the side. I rode it for a week after the accident and there was no sign of issue until it started making noise in the rear. I'll take a look at the frame. I'm buying it back even if it's irreparable. The accessories and engine are worth more than the buyback, I'd wager.
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I that case you shouldn't have any frame damage but please do check it carefully when you have the busted swingarm off. Any crack should be visible.
The monocoque frame type is way stronger than the older steel tube frames, but when they do go it's a snap rather than a bend.
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I got a ballpark buyback price, so I will be doing it. And I will definitely check the frame well when I have it apart.
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I’m getting $5k back after buying back my bike. Hope to have it Monday.