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Expectations
Reading the stuff by the dragon... I realised sth.
I had old bikes, rebuilt most of their engines, well, as it turned out, patched em up so they would run.
The first one was 86 MZ 250 ETZ.... an ugly stroker, nice to ride tho.... Fixed the crankshaft/clutch problem (typical prob), replaced a few gears some other stuff too, but the electrics were still bad and couldnt do a decent job... It was good for 10-30 miles, before the battery went flat. The bike was cheap to buy, and it was in pieces when I bought it. Reassembled at POs house, the material needed for the repairs was cheap... work wasnt. Spent bout 6 months sorting out the mess. It ended up in a garage of a friend of a friend. A friend owes me a complete paintjob of a bike of my choice. Might as well, as my parents were nagging for space in the garage and I bought my 2nd bike meanwhile.
Second one was a Moto Guzzi V35. A nice little 350cc V twin, sounded like 650-850. Shaft drive, linked disc brakes all around.
Synced the carbs, rewired some stuff, had a tiny spill, nothing major. I could ride it (painfully tho - it was converted to a cafe racer, and more than an hour on it was a pain). Had to sell the V35 due to my ex friends stupidity and another friends favor.
A week later the ex friend came to his senses, returned the cash he owed me (for buying his bike), so I got the 3rd bike in autmn.
The 3rd bike was a 85 kawasaki GPz 600R. ZX600R in the US.
Ran smooth and nice that winter, not much snow, so I did bout 6000 miles. In the spring a crankshaft-conrod bearing went on a highway, but the bike still got me home. The damage was done, so I spent another year or so sorting it out. Got a new crankshaft, conrods, bearings.... Got it together and a similar sound emerged from the engine. This time from the top. I found out the cams dont get enough oil, so I changed the oil pump. By then 1/3 of the threads in the cases were gone, so I patched it together and sold the bike. It could do another 60.000 miles or only 60, I wasnt sure. So I sold the bike. I had enough of crankshafts, gearboxes, camshafts, engine heads sitting in the garage for a while, and I wanted something I could ride with relative confidence. I spent 2 of 3 seasons in the garage instead of riding. So I was in the market for a nice bike. No such luck, here came the 4th.
A friend (who sold me the kawa and helped a lot when it broke) was always teasing me bout an XS that was in boxes. Sort of a joke. So when I announced I was gonna go check out a XJ650, he said dont bother, lets go check out the XS. Now what am I gonna do with a XS, that was in boxes, probbably for a reason.
Everything inside me was screaming NO, NOT AGAIN (or was it only my girlfriend)! OK, so we went to check it out. As a joke. But the bike looked good even with its engine in boxes, handlebars on the shelf and rear wheel in a corner. The price was a joke too. 250$ US. Middle drive bearings went, PO got a new camchain, primary chain and 2nd gear. No middle drive bearings tho...
Bout a year later and 1000-1500$ later the bike burns oil bigtime, left lower crankcase was cracked a bit from a previous spill, but repaired, no biggie, left crankshaft seal is leaking oil, even tho the oil seal has been replaced, left front fork is rusty at the oil seal, should be rechromed, both wheels were bent and repaired by one of POs, but I doubt they can be balanced, the frame seems straight, but PO reported any speed in XS of 70-80 MPH resulted in a big wobble, no problem 120 when two-up.
So I ride a bit, as much as I dare without a licence, did 300kms (cca 180 miles) till now, theres some dried oil on the left side of engine head, not leaking thru the gasket, and did I mention it burns oil? I replaced the valve oil seals to no avail, compression is good, but the bike would need a big bore kit. And again I'm fed up with all the wrenching and stuff. The bike is exactly my age, my favorite color and looking damn good. So I probbably wont sell it. Well, maybe for a ridicously large sum. My XS can do bout 100-200 miles, then I would probbably have to add some oil and clean the plugs, but its not good enough for me. Another engine might help, but theres still the forks, tire rims, god-knows-what that makes it wobble, rusty gas tank.... work for another year and another 1000-1500$.
And I figure 1500$ should get me a pretty nice bike. OK, 2000-2500. And it has to be of nineties vintage. At least.
So, I got to spent 4 years wanting to buy a bike, but I was too young and had no cash. Another 2 years being old enough and almost had the cash and had a bitch girlfriend, parents didnt help a lot. 3 years wrenching, 1 winter riding the kawa, 3/4 of a summer riding the guzzi, and I was completely street-legal for 2 months (in 4 years).
Sometimes the only way out I see is winning a lottery. And I wont hold my breath.
Sadly, buying a bike here is like a lottery. Sometimes you win. Most of the time you loose. The kawa was a perfect example of a well maintained bike when I got it. The best brakes I ever even tried out (new BMWs with ABS... go hide in shame), but still, kaka happens.
And to top it all off, here and there a friend gets killed falling off a bike. Averaging 2-3 a year. Not to mention the ones I don't know.
And what really creeps me out is the attitude of licenced workshops and their so-called work.
A friend of mine (owns CBR600) went to a nearby race track to test some tires. He went and installed the tires, then he went to another shop and got his brake lines replaced for the steel braided ones. Loaded the bike on a trailer (no need killing yourself on the way back) and went to the track. In a sharp corner he fell at 280 kmh because the bike wouldnt brake. One of the bolts where the brake line goes into the caliper was leaking badly and he lost his brakes. He was OK, one bruise, dont know bout the bike. Another friend had a spill after his 1st maintanance service at an authorized shop. They forgot to put back the oil draining screw after replacing oil. Another one found her rear axle wiggling around after a trained and qualified dude forgot to tighten the nut. Another one almost lost his engine on a new ZRX1200 after they installed engine guards and used too short bolts.
So thats why my bike wont see a shop. And I'm fed up wrenching. So, Im back to the lottery. And even if I win, get a bike, someone might still steal it. And still I can get killed on it.
And all the ramblings above melt in a nice ride, no matter how long/short it is.
LP
PS: I dont know what I wanted to write here, so if there is no point, dont bother.
Its 4.30 am and I have to get up early.
I had old bikes, rebuilt most of their engines, well, as it turned out, patched em up so they would run.
The first one was 86 MZ 250 ETZ.... an ugly stroker, nice to ride tho.... Fixed the crankshaft/clutch problem (typical prob), replaced a few gears some other stuff too, but the electrics were still bad and couldnt do a decent job... It was good for 10-30 miles, before the battery went flat. The bike was cheap to buy, and it was in pieces when I bought it. Reassembled at POs house, the material needed for the repairs was cheap... work wasnt. Spent bout 6 months sorting out the mess. It ended up in a garage of a friend of a friend. A friend owes me a complete paintjob of a bike of my choice. Might as well, as my parents were nagging for space in the garage and I bought my 2nd bike meanwhile.
Second one was a Moto Guzzi V35. A nice little 350cc V twin, sounded like 650-850. Shaft drive, linked disc brakes all around.
Synced the carbs, rewired some stuff, had a tiny spill, nothing major. I could ride it (painfully tho - it was converted to a cafe racer, and more than an hour on it was a pain). Had to sell the V35 due to my ex friends stupidity and another friends favor.
A week later the ex friend came to his senses, returned the cash he owed me (for buying his bike), so I got the 3rd bike in autmn.
The 3rd bike was a 85 kawasaki GPz 600R. ZX600R in the US.
Ran smooth and nice that winter, not much snow, so I did bout 6000 miles. In the spring a crankshaft-conrod bearing went on a highway, but the bike still got me home. The damage was done, so I spent another year or so sorting it out. Got a new crankshaft, conrods, bearings.... Got it together and a similar sound emerged from the engine. This time from the top. I found out the cams dont get enough oil, so I changed the oil pump. By then 1/3 of the threads in the cases were gone, so I patched it together and sold the bike. It could do another 60.000 miles or only 60, I wasnt sure. So I sold the bike. I had enough of crankshafts, gearboxes, camshafts, engine heads sitting in the garage for a while, and I wanted something I could ride with relative confidence. I spent 2 of 3 seasons in the garage instead of riding. So I was in the market for a nice bike. No such luck, here came the 4th.
A friend (who sold me the kawa and helped a lot when it broke) was always teasing me bout an XS that was in boxes. Sort of a joke. So when I announced I was gonna go check out a XJ650, he said dont bother, lets go check out the XS. Now what am I gonna do with a XS, that was in boxes, probbably for a reason.
Everything inside me was screaming NO, NOT AGAIN (or was it only my girlfriend)! OK, so we went to check it out. As a joke. But the bike looked good even with its engine in boxes, handlebars on the shelf and rear wheel in a corner. The price was a joke too. 250$ US. Middle drive bearings went, PO got a new camchain, primary chain and 2nd gear. No middle drive bearings tho...
Bout a year later and 1000-1500$ later the bike burns oil bigtime, left lower crankcase was cracked a bit from a previous spill, but repaired, no biggie, left crankshaft seal is leaking oil, even tho the oil seal has been replaced, left front fork is rusty at the oil seal, should be rechromed, both wheels were bent and repaired by one of POs, but I doubt they can be balanced, the frame seems straight, but PO reported any speed in XS of 70-80 MPH resulted in a big wobble, no problem 120 when two-up.
So I ride a bit, as much as I dare without a licence, did 300kms (cca 180 miles) till now, theres some dried oil on the left side of engine head, not leaking thru the gasket, and did I mention it burns oil? I replaced the valve oil seals to no avail, compression is good, but the bike would need a big bore kit. And again I'm fed up with all the wrenching and stuff. The bike is exactly my age, my favorite color and looking damn good. So I probbably wont sell it. Well, maybe for a ridicously large sum. My XS can do bout 100-200 miles, then I would probbably have to add some oil and clean the plugs, but its not good enough for me. Another engine might help, but theres still the forks, tire rims, god-knows-what that makes it wobble, rusty gas tank.... work for another year and another 1000-1500$.
And I figure 1500$ should get me a pretty nice bike. OK, 2000-2500. And it has to be of nineties vintage. At least.
So, I got to spent 4 years wanting to buy a bike, but I was too young and had no cash. Another 2 years being old enough and almost had the cash and had a bitch girlfriend, parents didnt help a lot. 3 years wrenching, 1 winter riding the kawa, 3/4 of a summer riding the guzzi, and I was completely street-legal for 2 months (in 4 years).
Sometimes the only way out I see is winning a lottery. And I wont hold my breath.
Sadly, buying a bike here is like a lottery. Sometimes you win. Most of the time you loose. The kawa was a perfect example of a well maintained bike when I got it. The best brakes I ever even tried out (new BMWs with ABS... go hide in shame), but still, kaka happens.
And to top it all off, here and there a friend gets killed falling off a bike. Averaging 2-3 a year. Not to mention the ones I don't know.
And what really creeps me out is the attitude of licenced workshops and their so-called work.
A friend of mine (owns CBR600) went to a nearby race track to test some tires. He went and installed the tires, then he went to another shop and got his brake lines replaced for the steel braided ones. Loaded the bike on a trailer (no need killing yourself on the way back) and went to the track. In a sharp corner he fell at 280 kmh because the bike wouldnt brake. One of the bolts where the brake line goes into the caliper was leaking badly and he lost his brakes. He was OK, one bruise, dont know bout the bike. Another friend had a spill after his 1st maintanance service at an authorized shop. They forgot to put back the oil draining screw after replacing oil. Another one found her rear axle wiggling around after a trained and qualified dude forgot to tighten the nut. Another one almost lost his engine on a new ZRX1200 after they installed engine guards and used too short bolts.
So thats why my bike wont see a shop. And I'm fed up wrenching. So, Im back to the lottery. And even if I win, get a bike, someone might still steal it. And still I can get killed on it.
And all the ramblings above melt in a nice ride, no matter how long/short it is.
LP
PS: I dont know what I wanted to write here, so if there is no point, dont bother.
Its 4.30 am and I have to get up early.
preferably a really old one..that way she wouldn't want to ride on it with you...and you could tell her that riding your NEW (take your pick) makes you appreciate her EVEN more than you already do!!!
seems like you got the qualifications.
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