What did you do to your bike today?

[motoman]

3Phase, wrong forum as there isn't one for 'what did your bike do to you today'..........bettin' if there was one, it would have some INTERESTING situations and results.......hmmmm, JAT. Scott, glad your somewhat okay......did it hold you down till U 'tapped out'?....guess these ole' scoots are like most horses........don't grab aholt' and try things from the 'off' side....

[3Phase]

did it hold you down till U 'tapped out'?

Oh, it held on long after I tapped out! My right side was backed against a tool cabinet so I couldn't just slide out from under the bike. I couldn't yell because the saddlebags were sitting on my chest and I had stuff stuck in my stomach so I could only take shallow breaths.

I managed to use the toe of my boot to snag my work chair and wedge it under the edge of the fairing while I rocked the bike up a couple of times by pushing the front wheel hard over to one side and then sort of oozed out from underneath the saddlebags, footpeg and brake lever, then pulled my leg away from the crash bar.

Fortunately for me I have been losing weight or my fat ASCII would probably still be stuck underneath the bike.

[motoman]

Well, sounds like the tables turned with the 'just one more thing'........it's lying in wait for you.......gonna have to figure out how to sneak up on it undetected before beating it into submission......

[BA80]

The bike is VERY patient.....................it's waiting....................and it WILL get you again.


Helpless feeling ain't it? BTDT

[motoman]

Yup Greg, think we all been there done that at some time or another. Some 4yrs. ago my ST had me pinned into submission against the garage wall. Least could hollar for some help and even at that it wasn't gonna give it up easily.

[motoman]

Actually rode it!.......Been some three weeks since dropping the ST and after getting it on its feet, pulled lower back muscles(nope, hard to do it the correct way with butt up against seat using legs, as it's a reach to get hold of anything and the bars are fully adjusable Heli-Bars and would rotate under that heavy of a load). Figured I had got the carb issues straightened out and wanted to make a shakedown/test run before it shows itself at the rally next weekend. Other than the intermitent correct operation of the vacuum advance can, it's as close to 'dead-on' as it gets!. Rode south which is a rolling hill 4lane. Run it a a steady 65mph@4300rpm(GPS verified speedo is dead-on as is the tach) for 50miles down and the 50 back. Re-filled tank at same station using same pump. Got a solid 37mpg and smooth as silk. IMO, with a operating correctly ALL the time vacuum can, at this constant speed it would be pushing 40mpg. Don't think I could ask for any better considering ALL original stock......well, cept for the Special carbs that are on it. Those having the shorter quick taper needles knock down the mileage I'm sure. But overall, being a weighed 700lb. with full tank of fuel sled, barn-door, taller than stock windshield fairinged factory full dressed scoot with stock differential........it seems happy, so makes me happy to not have to screw with it anymore. Having the ST for the main ride(least when the XS can't be beatin' into submission)and just riding it when frustrated with the Venturer, makes it easy to put the Venturer on ignore with a dunce-cap in the corner of the man-cave. Hence, the four yrs. to get it back to be fun to ride ALL the time. Prior, I just tolerated its somtime ill-temperedness........Amazing how hosting a rally will remove something from the bucket list.....

[MaximPhil]

Well, gave the old warhorse a paint job! Kept thinking of that old saying puttin lipstick on a pig but SWMBO said make it pretty! Than I swapped out the final drive. WOW what a difference! Heading for Vermont next week so I figure I'll change the oil and see if I can put on the bigger standard gas tank. I'm not sure of the gas stations in Canada. Sometimes they can be a long ways between.

Hi b1lock,
I presume you intend to take HWY401 through Ontario on you way to Vermont. Be aware the section in Mississauga (West of Toronto ) will be closed on Saturday (25th) for bridge demolition. Hwy 407 TOLL road will send you a bill, no need to stop
Trafalgar Road exit has gas which will get you across Toronto.
Next stop Bowmanville has gas right beside the highway.
East of Toronto the Service centres are closed for renovation.
XSNorth Rally in North Bay if you have the time.
Phil

[3Phase]

The bike is VERY patient.....................it's waiting....................and it WILL get you again.


Helpless feeling ain't it? BTDT

I was stupid, careless and in a hurry because I had less than an hour to change the middle and final drives, then go sign legal some papers.

I always work on the bike on the centerstand, with supports when necessary, but "I knew what I was doing!" so I took a shortcut to drain the middle drive. The drain pan won't fit under the bike with the centerstand down so I did a fast drain while it was on the sidestand, then just held the bike up level to finish draining the last bit of oil.

I set the bike back on the sidestand, walked around to the other side and, complete brain blank, started to swing myself underneath with one hand on the saddle to put the drain plug back in. Up and over it came.

That Royal Purple gear oil is some mighty-fine fluid but it makes my leg hurt when I use it.

[latexeses]

I was stupid, careless

That's just how Colombo gets you.....

[jwhughes3]

thats how Columbo is

Columbo always had a surprise blindside ending!

john

[3Phase]

Columbo always had a surprise blindside ending!

john

Oh, the surprise ending is much better than I would have believed during the rising action and the denouement.

This is going to be the last trip for the old 750 Final Drive. It's not pining for the fiords just yet but it's not far from being an ex-parrot with the Royal Purple nailing it to its perch.

I've changed the middle and final drive fluid four times in the two years since I did the FD mod and the oil and the magnetic drain plugs have always been clean; oil just starting to get a little dark. This time there was gray stuff on the FD drain plug magnet along with some dark sludge. The oil only had a touch of gray but it looked a little sparkly with pretty swirls in it.

The FD mod lasted well over 35,000 miles while I tried to kill it so I think I got my $30 out of it. It might last a lot longer, Special ED rode I don't know how many miles with no oil at all in the final drive of his '79 Special, but I'll change it out when I get back from Durango and do a proper post mortem.

[BA80]

Were you useing the early FD Scott, or the later one with the screw in the bearing plate?



Sorry about the pic. I took it with my phone.

See the phillips screw?

[3Phase]

Greg, it's the later Type II final drive with the screw. I'm actually really glad that it's lasted as long as it has.

When I first got it out of the shipping box I could barely turn the coupler with my hand so the pinion nut had been overtightened at some point. I don't know how long it had been that way but I bought a new crush washer for it; checked the gear faces, all bearings, races, and shims for damage; painted the gears and used a dial indicator to make sure the gear lash and bearing clearances were good to go then put it in the bike and rode it.

It's run basically perfectly since then and this is the first oil change with any visible amount of metal in it.

[jwhughes3]

phillips

Greg/Scott-

What does that Phillips screw do? I assume that type is preferred.

I am thinking about the mod.

Thanks
John

[BA80]

It just keeps the pinion and bearing from coming out when you remove the pinion nut and coupler. It's just an easy way of telling the early FDs from the later ones.

The early ones didn't have that feature and the lash was adjusted with shims rather than a crush sleave and were MUCH easier to intercourse up.