What boots do you ride in?

[psycoreefer]

No, you just need to ride backwards, or side saddle some times. I'm sure you've seen the zip-splats on the freeway doing crazier stuff....

[draketrumpet]

Cheap

If someone's looking for something cheap to fill in the gap until they can get a better shoe, I just bought these:

http://www.shoebuy.com/shield-stalker/217864/473531


I had the good fortune of using a coupon code (SPRING) that may or may not still work to give 20% off. They are overall comfortable and seem well built (just cut off the plastic tags before tying the shoe the first time, otherwise it might put some fierce leverage on a shoelace holder and rip it off).

Until I make more money, I'll likely continue to purchase these should I need to buy more in the future.

[CatatonicBug]

Drake - Be careful with shoes that short. You really want boots that cover the ankle and prevent you from twisting your foot backward if your foot was to catch on something like the pavement!

[CatatonicBug]

I'd just wear what ever shoes I had on for riding but I can't seem to stop the oil leak around the alternator wires...

I had a similar problem recently, and a $.65 o-ring from the auto-parts store was all it took to fix it. The galley plug just needed a new o-ring. It was so easy, a caveman could do it!

[cywelchjr]

I had a similar problem recently, and a $.65 o-ring from the auto-parts store was all it took to fix it. The galley plug just needed a new o-ring. It was so easy, a caveman could do it!

Coming from a progressive customer like me that is funny! Of course, with the horror stories about Geico and claims, only a caveman would go with them.

[Geezer]

I had a similar problem recently, and a $.65 o-ring from the auto-parts store was all it took to fix it. The galley plug just needed a new o-ring. It was so easy, a caveman could do it!

I have a lot of O-rings but not that special seal that goes around the stator and field coil wires on an XS11. Can you provide a part number or pix on how you fixed this?

The last time I checked Yamaha only sold this seal with a new stator...

Geezer

[CatatonicBug]

Are you talking about the right side crank seal? Are you sure that's where it's leaking from? I may be wrong on this, but IIRC, that seal can only be replaced by splitting the cases. The seal I'm referring to is the galley plug, at the lowest point under the alternator cover.

[draketrumpet]

They actually do cover my ankle. I passed them by the MSF instructor who was going to teach the class tomorrow...but now I have to wait 2 more months (UGH!)

[CatatonicBug]

They may be "legal" for the MSF course, but if you look at any actual MC boots, they always have a much taller profile (like 8" or more). They're your feet, but I just wanted to point out the possibility of a lack of support being provided by shoes that short.

[Larrym]

Boots in Motion: The FootPeg Vs The FootPath

Ok...I really wear these:



$24.00 at WalMart.

Just High-top hiking boots that lace up. Thing is that I always tuck the laces inside. All it took was one incident where I tried to put my left foot down at a stop sign and found out that the laces were snarled around the shift lever. (Fortunately the right boot hadn't decided to do the same...)

My reasoning is that I'm riding but at some point I'm gonna get to where I'm going, hopefully. Then I'm gonna do what I went there to do in the first place: get off the bike and walk/hike around as a barelybipedal hominid.

This usually includes tramping around for a couple miles carrying discs for disc golf. Uphill, downhill, level, grass, dirt, puddles, sand, rocks, etc.

Then when my arm is too sore to throw anymore I walk back to the XS, stow my gear in C-Bug's old saddlebags, and ride away.

I like the fact that the boots are laces so I can adjust them to feel as tight or as loose as I need. Never been a fan of the slip-ons even though they'll never trip up on a shift lever or brake pedal. They start out too tight, break in to OK, but then get loose as a goose after a while.

Big plus is that the hiking boots are light. Full fledged leather riding boots are nice when you're trying to stay upright between the lines but heavy after an afternoon of chasing after errant discs that you'd swear couldn't go that far in the wrong direction.

If I did have a real pair of riding boots I'd have to bring along these hikers in the saddlebags and change before I hit the first Tee.

I keep one saddle bag empty just in case I need to stow a lady-friend's golf gear while giving her a ride home. Not gonna fill that saddle bag up with a pair of smelly boots unless there's no way around it.

[Geezer]

Are you talking about the right side crank seal? Are you sure that's where it's leaking from? I may be wrong on this, but IIRC, that seal can only be replaced by splitting the cases. The seal I'm referring to is the galley plug, at the lowest point under the alternator cover.

I'm talking about a rubber bit that goes around the stator and field coil wires. The galley plug on my bike is fine. The bike drips a tiny bit when parked on the center stand and will blow oil on my left foot at freeway speed. Around town riding isn't a problem.

Geezer.

[CatatonicBug]

I'm talking about a rubber bit that goes around the stator and field coil wires. The galley plug on my bike is fine. The bike drips a tiny bit when parked on the center stand and will blow oil on my left foot at freeway speed.

Ok, now I'm confused... The stator and field coil are on the RIGHT side, and there should be absolutely NO OIL in that area. If you are getting oil that comes out where the alternator wires come out of the cover, you need to fix the actual leak. It can only come from 2 locations - The galley plug and/or the crank seal. Fix those items, and you won't have any more drips.

How are you getting oil on your LEFT boot??

[Geezer]

Ok, now I'm confused... The stator and field coil are on the RIGHT side, and there should be absolutely NO OIL in that area. If you are getting oil that comes out where the alternator wires come out of the cover, you need to fix the actual leak. It can only come from 2 locations - The galley plug and/or the crank seal. Fix those items, and you won't have any more drips.

How are you getting oil on your LEFT boot??

I'm dyslexic, my other left. The XS11 has an alternator that runs in oil and will leak around the wires. Any chance you're thinking of the XJ1100 that runs the alternator dry?

Geezer

[Ivan]

Eh, no the XS11 has a dry alternator, the VMax and Ventures had wet alternators though, IIRC

[CatatonicBug]

Thanks Ivan. The Alternators on all the XS's and the XJ's are dry (perfectly dry) and the right cover can be removed without losing any oil. Just don't start the bike with the cover off, because the right cover holds the galley plug in. Just remove the right cover and that will take the Stator with it. You can do this without doing anything else (no oil draining, or other things need to be removed first). If you leave the bike on the side stand, you may even be able to pull the galley plug without dripping any oil. If replacing that o-ring doesn't stop the oil leak from around the wires, then you have a leak at the crank seal.