syscrusher

I wish that an influential person would write a viral piece coming out against waving. It's slightly dangerous depending on conditions and location and one feels that they have to wave or seem stuck-up, etc. I don't really like feeling like I have to be on alert for other guys to wave to in traffic when I should actually be watching traffic, operating the clutch, enjoying the scenery, etc. The damned wave is a curse and a scourge. A plague upon motorcyclists of every stripe.

I wish that an influential person would write a viral piece coming out against waving. It's slightly dangerous depending on conditions and location and one feels that they have to wave or seem stuck-up, etc. I don't really like feeling like I have to be on alert for other guys to wave to in traffic when I should actually be watching traffic, operating the clutch, enjoying the scenery, etc. The damned wave is a curse and a scourge. A plague upon motorcyclists of every stripe.

Got some of my ideas from Snaggletooths version but mine is special. I'm not sure if the fork boots are stock issue because I'm pretty new to these machines, does anyone know? If you make one like this I would suggest the part that is just 1 1/2" PVC pipe should be 4" or so instead of the 3" that I used. This is because 4" would easily go all of the way under all of the boot when it is squished and may help avoid damage to the top most ring where you put your tiewrap after the job is done. I cut my boot at the very top and rolled it down so that the PVC pipe could jam against the lower triple tree, which is what you want. With a longer pipe the rolling down is unnecessary. I then used a piece of wood and a one handed sledge on the bottom of the fork outer to drive the seal home, which I could do since the seal was fully in contact. So, the parts are 2 hose clamps about 2", 4" piece of 1 1/2" PVC, a 1 1/2" PVC coupler, and a 1 1/4" PVC coupler. Using PVC glue, glue the 4" of pipe inside the 1 1/2" coupler then split it with a saw or 4 1/2" grinder with cutoff wheel, etc. Split the 1 1/4" coupler similarly. The 1 1/4" coupler fits the seal rim perfectly but normally would not fit inside the 1 1/2" coupler except that we split all of the pieces. Clean up and slightly round off all of the cuts. The 1 1/4" coupler has a butt rim inside that needs to be trimmed away with a Dremmel, half-round bastard file, or a grinding point, etc. does not need to be smooth. Wash off all of the powdered PVC though so it doesn't end up inside your new fork seal. I started my seals by hand, pushing them as far as I could into the lowers using just my fingers. I had been using a 3/4 piece of the old seal to drive the new ones but I would tap it on one side and the other side would rise up. This seal driver is used by assembling the split haves of the upper driver part first over the seal on the fork tube and holding them together with the first hose clamp placed around the center of the 1 1/2" coupler part a little bit loose. Push this upward to make room for the split parts of the 1 1/4" coupler and assemble those pieces using the washer over the top of the seal itself to align the bottom of the pieces perfectly flat. Clamp these a little loosely about 1/2" from the bottom and then slide the lower upward to force the 1 1/4" coupler underneath of the 1 1/2" coupler. When this is accomplished tighten both hose clamps fully and commence-a-whacking. My seals went in kinda difficult but this really did the job for me.

I just installed a new Cee Bailey windscreen on my Gen 1.2. It had a sheet attached saying not to use most anything including Windex. It does not mention Pledge but I don't want to ruin it. Anyone else have one of these and recommend anything? BTW, it's about twice as thick as OEM, I had to buy new longer screws to mount it.

Just commenting on tx2sturgis comments on my comments: "There are no 'filtered' LEDs that I am aware of used in the way we use LEDs in normal automotive applications. The LED color, or spectrum, is created physically with the type of semiconductor material used and the way it is constructed. " True, red and amber LEDs with colored plastic casing are fairly uncommon and ancient now. "A red LED will shine brightly thru a red lens as long as the colors match pretty closely. But the same red LED projected thru a clear lens will be even brighter, since there is almost no filtering being added." So you address the filtering loss in that application and I agree.

The HID capsule takes a bit to warm up to full brightness. If you have the brights on for a while on the split version where brights are a xenon or halogen capsule separate from the HID capsule then it may seem like it's lights out for a few seconds when you switch back.

The rider in front acts as the pinion of the "rack and pinion" attached to those front wheels. Actually there are handles on a crossbar connecting the front wheels and the front guy "captain" moves them left or right and the wheels turn right or left, opposite. The "stoker" in the back has a stationary set of handlebars to help hold on and focus power. The captain has all of the responsibility for braking, gear changes, steering, etc., usually. This bike also breaks down into three sections for transport. I have four so-called "recumbent" bikes, which is the style of this bike, and three traditional "diamond frame" bikes.

Just my .02, if you are not using clear lenses then a clear led with a colored lense will be the brightest. When an led is colored it is because it is filtered and this causes a loss of brightness. When this colored led is put behind a colored lense it is filtered a second time with an additional loss of brightness. Typically colored leds are used with popular clear lenses, a look that debuted about ten years ago.

Sorry this isn't very current. I was just looking at photos on my phone and found this one from the Ragbrai send-off this year in Council Bluffs, IA. It looks fun. Someone had mentioned on here about how some of us were or are avid bicyclists as well.

No, I get it. The inductor has the slash on the side and the active device is wired between 85 and 86. when the timer pops the inductor is energized and draws the iron core into the stable spot which throws the contacts to NO. Or at least thats what it looks like now that I've been told what it is. I'm just not used to seeing things, primarily the contacts, depicted in that way and it threw me. Do you know of a standard for this style of schematics that I could follow up with? This is more what I'm used to: http://www.team.net/www/morgan/tech/electrical/relay/Schematic.jpg [/url] I just now realized the pin numbers are standardized.

It's the diagram itself that doesn't make any sense. I've looked at a couple of representations for schematic symbols thinking maybe my "vocabulary" was not up to date but I still don't get it. It does not look like relay contacts and when you said don't connect 87 which I thought would be the flipper or output it makes no sense at all unless it's NO and either connects +vcc or gnd to the wire between 30 and 87A depending upon input, but where is the input terminal?

What does that wiring diagram indicate? Can you label the pins for me, I had an associates in ELT and worked around EEs on various projects as a software engineer for many years but I just don't recognize the facilities denoted by that wiring diagram?

What if you take off the valve spring? What keeps the valve from dropping into the cylinder?

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3Re9wpdNFg]Seal Doctor - looks like a helpful tool for forks.[/ame] Not much more to say but the link is to a video. The reviews seem positive.

Black Owl was kind enough to send me one. Thanks.

Like it, want one. Much better than the $36,000 for a Chief just a few years ago. Seems like a screaming deal in comparison.

Because the effects are similar, as I said already. Do you refute it? Get specific. 38 is way too high for my dual sport bike. Interesting the picture of a sidewall flexing to make less contact - I would only agree for very low pressures where the actual mould of the tire comes into play otherwise it's largely just a big bag of gas. I have time left for paying up, don't see the need to rush things. I don't have a physics degree and that means I don't need to defer to another who also lacks those credentials. What is MOF? Mofo? Did you call me mofo? You're naughty.

Sounds like you got a wild ride out of it Wing! You have stories to tell of the kind I hope never to have. I've had my share of moto-mishaps but not the slip-and-flip, not for years anyway. Snaggle, thats the kind of scene that reminds me of a slapstick bit. You fight the terrain all the way up the drive only to anticlimactically fall over when you come to a stop. There was an exceptionally muddy Motocross championship on around 2pm today but I didn't see that move.

Randy, unless one has topped off the brake fluid reservoir after the last time pads were changed and levels were set then the excess capacity of the reservoir will provide space for the brake fluid to be pushed into, unless the reservoir was overfilled to begin with. Remember, you are adding pads of the same thickness, within tolerances, as the ones that just wore out. There is no "extra fluid" to displace. If the reservoir needs to be topped off at odd intervals then there is a leak in the brake system that seriously needs to be repaired for safety's sake. There probably is only a slight chance of air entering the system but as long as you keep the system closed there are no worries.

I don't understand this advice, unless he has Speed Bleeders this is likely to introduce air into the line. I would not do this. If you cannot press the pistons back with your fingers alone then find a larger open end wrench and use that inside the caliper slot for leverage in spreading the pistons apart. If need be you can use a 'C' clamp to push the piston back. Don't open the line when doing a caliper replacement unless something gives you the idea that there is already air in the lines or you want to flush the old brake fluid out. If you do open the line or the brake reservoir is emptied for some reason then you will have to bleed the brakes to ensure that there is no air in the brake system.

Condor, I included that link to illustrate the effects of under and over inflation. These factors are similar for all round rubber bags of air rotated at speed in a load bearing application. Note that one of the positives of over-inflation is the perception of better handling felt through easier steering. The underlying fact is reduced contact patch and tendency to slip at higher force vectors. Increased wear is not a concern when I play it off against increased propensity to lose traction. I also like the additional shock absorption offered by a softer tire. I appreciate the link you sent and I will read it later but I take note that it is authored by a lay person and not an expert on tire physics. This quote: "The Honda spec of 33psi for these bikes is way too low and is designed for maximum comfort and grip but minimum tire life" is very telling however and agrees with my point of view concerning inflation pressures. Grip is the single most important characteristic of my tires.

I read the thread and I'm still dazed. It is given as the "Max" pressure even on the tire and I typically like some margin under the max in many things, but not all. I have a VN2000 that I run on the darkside and I keep the pressure below 32 for it because the flexibility of the sidewall is integral to turning under that paradigm. I suppose one could get more miles out of the tire as long as they avoid burnouts which would be easier with the smaller contact patch. I am still unconvinced and I think Metz should work on their temp handling instead of getting people to over-inflate the tire. Don't you feel every little bump in the road with the tire that hard? Tirerack article on tire inflation

50 pounds sounds like an awfully hard tire to me. I am no expert but at pressures like that I think it would be more susceptible to breaking loose. May be good for burning rubber but you are minimizing your contact patch, Not to mention being tougher on pumps than is really necessary. Try 33 psi and see what you think about your ride.

I've heard tell that the electric anti-dive is a big draw. Maybe remove power to that?

I'm sorry, I guess you see this sign on CA Hwy 36 between Fortuna and Red Bluff, one of the finest motorcycle roads in the US. If you have the time.... If you like the circus, don't miss Venice Beach either. There's so much to see where you're at now.