foxbass
I prefer being on top
First off tho, I'd like to thank the forum for giving me the courage to actually do this small but tricky sounding job!
Second, just want to share my day yesterday to give International members an insight as to how feeble my country can be. This story is a repeat of what happens about every time I try to do anything - even non-bike related......
Having done the chain/sprockets, oil & air and plugs, (a simple job made hard by the bike designer IMHO) I realised that I should also balance the TBs. Found the how to thread and noted the home made manometer thingy and thought "What can go wrong?"
Well..........(deep breath)
I knew that I had a vacuum gauge hidden somewhere in my garage, so happily rode the 18 mles from my GF's to find it. Or rather no, I didn't. Rooting about for 30 min made me think it must be 15 miles further away at our engineering workshop facility in yet another tool box. Rode over to discover..... nope, not there either. Only then did I remember that when my garage was burgled 15 yrs ago, loads of stuff went missing. I'd had the gauge over 30yrs and hadn't used it since. (I mean, you take your eyes off something for 5 minutes and you never see it again! Or is it just me???)
No worries, thought I, I'll get a new one. They're cheap.
Now prepare to glaze over with dis-interest here.......:shakehead:
First, the good news!
Hanging on a wall in the workshop was an ancient manometer!! Tah dah! One job out the way.
Onward for the vacuum thingy!
I rode for 75 miles and 2hrs asking EVERYONE on the planet in 12, yes 12 tool outlets for the simplest item. These ranged from the obvious motor factors to big trade showrooms like Machine Mart and Tool Station plus several bike stealerships and the classic little bikers curiosity shop specialising in vintage bikes and run by a vintage bloke and always has everything!!!
Oh yes, plus two boatyard chandleries as apparently they use them a lot....
Blank.:eyebrow:
By now I was losing the will to live. Most staff didn't even know what I was on about and it got boring repeating myself every time.
In short, I gave up the whole idea as the bike was running ok. While having lunch a mile from my garage, I wandered 60 feet round the corner to a bike workshop and asked the owner if HE knew where I could get the gauge. I look around and spot my old mechanic mate from the scooter dealership I used a few yrs back, now working for him. Suddenly its old times and the owner takes on a different color. He pulled a plate off the wall with 4! of the buggers on it. Told me this is what I need. I patiently explained that all I needed was just one as I had the manometer and just wanted to check one TB first.
Blow me down if he didn't then proceed to unscrew one and loaned it to me on trust!!:rockon:
Rode the mile back to my garage and didn't even bother to 'off' the tank. Just fished one hose out from under and connected up. Result! The right hand (as you sit on the bike) cylinder was bang on 8.5.
Almost 4 hrs after I started out I'd sorted the first stage in about 30 seconds.
Right, back to the workshop. Turns out nobody knew where the manometer had come from as it arrived stuck to one of the partition screens years earlier. Also turns out one of the attachments was missing that adapts to small hoses. (Great. Here we go again.)
You guessed it - back on the bike for nearly 2 hrs rushing around half the places I'd been earlier for the bits of hose and adapters. Including a pet supplies warehouse place as they sell stuff for aquaria, I was told. No they bl**dy didn't!:banghead:
Hose? Easy. Other stuff....... Oh dear.
Eventually, on my hands and frikkin' knees, begging, explaining, drawing out, etc etc, i found what looked like some bits that just might fit - get this- in the very same small independent store I had originally bought my vacuum gauge more than 30yrs ago!!! He could also have ordered in a gauge for me in 2 days for £25 (Thats over 30$! No way. Besides, I'm a kinda "I'm doing the job now coz I've got the time" guy)
Anyway, 3/4 of a tank of gas later and almost 6 hrs high-tailing I stood before the bike tooled up. Jesus H!
Up went the tank, on went the pipes and out came the screwdriver. Damn! Not enough fluid in the pipe. I remembered a forum member posting just such a problem with the result the fluid fizzes up and is unreadable. So, more oil down the tubes and wow! 3 minute job. Just like that!!
I washed my hands just as the workshop guy was locking up for the night. Damn, that was close!:BLAA:
Rode 30 miles back to the GF's in brilliant weather and seconds later - rain storm! REAL close!
Nett result?
It was almost worth it.:rof:
The bike runs more even at idle and throttle control is a tad smoother. I'd swear the engine braking is stronger too and the power band feels flatter in the mid-range. Plus of course I now have use of all the right gear when I need it.
I'm off on it again now for physio to remove the large lump of 'LIFE' from the back of my neck.
Me, I'm from London UK. I live in the backwoods of the world. :tard:
Hope this brightened your day guys!:cheer:
Second, just want to share my day yesterday to give International members an insight as to how feeble my country can be. This story is a repeat of what happens about every time I try to do anything - even non-bike related......
Having done the chain/sprockets, oil & air and plugs, (a simple job made hard by the bike designer IMHO) I realised that I should also balance the TBs. Found the how to thread and noted the home made manometer thingy and thought "What can go wrong?"
Well..........(deep breath)
I knew that I had a vacuum gauge hidden somewhere in my garage, so happily rode the 18 mles from my GF's to find it. Or rather no, I didn't. Rooting about for 30 min made me think it must be 15 miles further away at our engineering workshop facility in yet another tool box. Rode over to discover..... nope, not there either. Only then did I remember that when my garage was burgled 15 yrs ago, loads of stuff went missing. I'd had the gauge over 30yrs and hadn't used it since. (I mean, you take your eyes off something for 5 minutes and you never see it again! Or is it just me???)
No worries, thought I, I'll get a new one. They're cheap.
Now prepare to glaze over with dis-interest here.......:shakehead:
First, the good news!
Hanging on a wall in the workshop was an ancient manometer!! Tah dah! One job out the way.
Onward for the vacuum thingy!
I rode for 75 miles and 2hrs asking EVERYONE on the planet in 12, yes 12 tool outlets for the simplest item. These ranged from the obvious motor factors to big trade showrooms like Machine Mart and Tool Station plus several bike stealerships and the classic little bikers curiosity shop specialising in vintage bikes and run by a vintage bloke and always has everything!!!
Oh yes, plus two boatyard chandleries as apparently they use them a lot....Blank.:eyebrow:
By now I was losing the will to live. Most staff didn't even know what I was on about and it got boring repeating myself every time.
In short, I gave up the whole idea as the bike was running ok. While having lunch a mile from my garage, I wandered 60 feet round the corner to a bike workshop and asked the owner if HE knew where I could get the gauge. I look around and spot my old mechanic mate from the scooter dealership I used a few yrs back, now working for him. Suddenly its old times and the owner takes on a different color. He pulled a plate off the wall with 4! of the buggers on it. Told me this is what I need. I patiently explained that all I needed was just one as I had the manometer and just wanted to check one TB first.
Blow me down if he didn't then proceed to unscrew one and loaned it to me on trust!!:rockon:
Rode the mile back to my garage and didn't even bother to 'off' the tank. Just fished one hose out from under and connected up. Result! The right hand (as you sit on the bike) cylinder was bang on 8.5.
Almost 4 hrs after I started out I'd sorted the first stage in about 30 seconds.
Right, back to the workshop. Turns out nobody knew where the manometer had come from as it arrived stuck to one of the partition screens years earlier. Also turns out one of the attachments was missing that adapts to small hoses. (Great. Here we go again.)
You guessed it - back on the bike for nearly 2 hrs rushing around half the places I'd been earlier for the bits of hose and adapters. Including a pet supplies warehouse place as they sell stuff for aquaria, I was told. No they bl**dy didn't!:banghead:
Hose? Easy. Other stuff....... Oh dear.
Eventually, on my hands and frikkin' knees, begging, explaining, drawing out, etc etc, i found what looked like some bits that just might fit - get this- in the very same small independent store I had originally bought my vacuum gauge more than 30yrs ago!!! He could also have ordered in a gauge for me in 2 days for £25 (Thats over 30$! No way. Besides, I'm a kinda "I'm doing the job now coz I've got the time" guy)
Anyway, 3/4 of a tank of gas later and almost 6 hrs high-tailing I stood before the bike tooled up. Jesus H!
Up went the tank, on went the pipes and out came the screwdriver. Damn! Not enough fluid in the pipe. I remembered a forum member posting just such a problem with the result the fluid fizzes up and is unreadable. So, more oil down the tubes and wow! 3 minute job. Just like that!!
I washed my hands just as the workshop guy was locking up for the night. Damn, that was close!:BLAA:
Rode 30 miles back to the GF's in brilliant weather and seconds later - rain storm! REAL close!
Nett result?
It was almost worth it.:rof:
The bike runs more even at idle and throttle control is a tad smoother. I'd swear the engine braking is stronger too and the power band feels flatter in the mid-range. Plus of course I now have use of all the right gear when I need it.
I'm off on it again now for physio to remove the large lump of 'LIFE' from the back of my neck.
Me, I'm from London UK. I live in the backwoods of the world. :tard:
Hope this brightened your day guys!:cheer:
