Inconsequential ramblings of an Old Git

[mangocrazy]

Couldn't help but think of these!



Will they be going on the MT09 risers?

Hah! Yes, they'll be going on the MT-09 risers. They're a clone of the steel bars I'm using so I can test out which is better for vibe-resistance, steel or ali bars. I had the tubing lying around and have a pillar drill and horizontal bandsaw, so it's a little low-cost exercise.

But I suspect that synchronising the throttle bodies will probably cure the vibes I've been noticing... ho-hum.

What are those bars off that you posted?

[mangocrazy]

Spurred on by conversations in other threads about spannering in cold mancaves/sheds I bravely and heroically ventured out to the shed and put the fan heater on at its highest setting.

And then went back to the warmth of the house for an hour or so...

By the time I got back it had reached the balmy heights of 12 deg C and was almost comfortable enough to work without gloves. The recipient of my attentions was the VFR - it's got to go back together before April so I can ferry it down to the S of F for my annual spring time bout of house-bothering. Today was a case of checking and re-torquing all the front end bolts I'd loosened when removing the forks, wheels and discs to try and pin down the source of the dreaded clonking. I'm pretty sure the clonking has been fixed - if it hasn't it's just tough and I'll have to live with it.

Then it was a case of reacquainting the VFR with its top fairing, fitting it and reconnecting lights, indicators, mirrors etc and making sure all cable runs were correct with no fouling. It's so much easier when everything you're working on is at a convenient height - there's a reason the Skylift is my favourite piece of mancave kit.

No pictures this time, but there will be when I next venture out. This time it will be a case of removing the standard exhaust from cans back to collector box and replacing them with a pair of more aesthetically pleasing (and significantly louder) carbon cans and stainless link pipes. I'll probably need to re-jet the carbs to suit, but I'm not thinking about that right now...

[Taipan]

At least you work in a shed. I’m shall be outside on Saturday,braving the wind and all the strength it can muster as it howls up the Thames estuary and into my garden workplace whilst I’m trying to wire in heated grips!

[mangocrazy]

At least you work in a shed. I’m shall be outside on Saturday,braving the wind and all the strength it can muster as it howls up the Thames estuary and into my garden workplace whilst I’m trying to wire in heated grips!

You have my sympathy (for what it's worth). I've been in that situation and it's pretty f'n unpleasant. Could you borrow a tent or something similar to work in?

[KungFooBob]

I changed the passenger front wheel speed sensor on the wife's car last week at 6:30pm on the unlit drive. It was a balmy 3c and I had to use an old bedside lamp to see what I was doing.

Double hard northern bastard me.

[Taipan]

At least you work in a shed. I’m shall be outside on Saturday,braving the wind and all the strength it can muster as it howls up the Thames estuary and into my garden workplace whilst I’m trying to wire in heated grips!

You have my sympathy (for what it's worth). I've been in that situation and it's pretty f'n unpleasant. Could you borrow a tent or something similar to work in?

In-Laws have a big double garage with lighting etc, which I can use, but I like being at home with my own tools etc!

[weeksy]

At least you work in a shed. I’m shall be outside on Saturday,braving the wind and all the strength it can muster as it howls up the Thames estuary and into my garden workplace whilst I’m trying to wire in heated grips!

I'd be getting a big tent and sticking it up to keep the wind chill off. I Reckon you could get a tent up in 15-20 mins that'd do the job easy.

[Skub]

At least you work in a shed. I’m shall be outside on Saturday,braving the wind and all the strength it can muster as it howls up the Thames estuary and into my garden workplace whilst I’m trying to wire in heated grips!

There's no way I'd be working on a bike outside in Winter unless it was a matter of life or death.

[Yorick]

At least you work in a shed. I’m shall be outside on Saturday,braving the wind and all the strength it can muster as it howls up the Thames estuary and into my garden workplace whilst I’m trying to wire in heated grips!

There's no way I'd be working on a bike outside in Winter unless it was a matter of life or death.

In my yoof, outside in the garden was all I had.
First garage at 26 was magic.

[Taipan]

At least you work in a shed. I’m shall be outside on Saturday,braving the wind and all the strength it can muster as it howls up the Thames estuary and into my garden workplace whilst I’m trying to wire in heated grips!

There's no way I'd be working on a bike outside in Winter unless it was a matter of life or death.

Riding without heated grips in this weather is a matter of life and death!

[Bustaspoke]

Riding without heated grips in this weather is a matter of life and death!

I would point out this fact to Mrs T & bring the scoot indoors for 'essentail unavoidable maintenance'

[Taipan]

Riding without heated grips in this weather is a matter of life and death!

I would point out this fact to Mrs T & bring the scoot indoors for 'essentail unavoidable maintenance'

Lol, I have done before, but now I reckon she'd play the old "now the lounge needs decorating" card on me!

[Supermofo]

Riding without heated grips in this weather is a matter of life and death!

I would point out this fact to Mrs T & bring the scoot indoors for 'essentail unavoidable maintenance'

Lol, I have done before, but now I reckon she'd play the old "now the lounge needs decorating" card on me!

Sat/Sun looks like the temps rise a bit. A balmy 11c on Sunday afternoon. You'll be able to work in shorts

[Taipan]

I would point out this fact to Mrs T & bring the scoot indoors for 'essentail unavoidable maintenance'

Lol, I have done before, but now I reckon she'd play the old "now the lounge needs decorating" card on me!

Sat/Sun looks like the temps rise a bit. A balmy 11c on Sunday afternoon. You'll be able to work in shorts

Good news. It was minus 4 when I left this morning!

[mangocrazy]

On the basis that the shed roof was frost-free for the first time in nearly a week when I looked out this morning I decided that some shed time was in order. Unfortunately my normal routine of wheeling the LC outside so I have more room to work on the VFR was stymied by it starting to rain the second I walked out of the house. So instead it was a case of trying to contort myself into shapes that really didn't befit an Old Git.

Bit of a re-cap; the reason I need to fit different exhausts is that the currently fitted exhaust collector box sticks out rearwards about 50mm more than it should, meaning it's impossible to remove the rear wheel without dismantling the rear suspension. This is clearly a nonsense; if I ever get a puncture while out and about I would be completely unable to fix it.

The reason why the collector box is misplaced is because I fitted a set of Motad stainless downpipes to replace the OE steel ones that were nearing the end of their life. Replacement OE systems have been NLA for 10-15 years, so when I bought the Motad downpipes I thought I was making a smart move. Unfortunately I didn't buy the matching Motad collector as I already had a couple of OE ones squirrelled away. But as I later discovered, the Motad downpipes do not play nice with the OE collector. By the time I'd discovered this Motad had very inconsiderately gone bust and ceased trading.

In the longer term (assuming I keep the bike) I will need to get a replacement collector box made up (preferably in stainless) that has an overall length reduced by 50mm from OE. But as this will take some time and I have a spare aftermarket exhaust cluttering up the shed, that's what will get fitted. But first I need to remove the current exhaust system back to and including the collector box. This is what the RH side of the exhaust system looks like:

DSCF3941.JPG (465.11 KiB) Viewed 1062 times

And this is what things look like at collector box level:

DSCF3949.JPG (492.62 KiB) Viewed 1062 times

And with the RH can removed from the collector box, here's a close-up of the ridiculously small current clearance between tyre and collector box - there can only be about 10-15mm tops.

DSCF3951.JPG (457.22 KiB) Viewed 1062 times

Before I can get the collector box off I'll need to remove the swingarm to linkage bolt, so I can lift the rear wheel up and give enough rearward clearance between tyre and collector box. And for that I really will need to punt the LC outside and have room to swing a cat (or a skylift). Maybe tomorrow?

[Supermofo]

Is that a very old school way of tyre warming

[mangocrazy]

Is that a very old school way of tyre warming

It's close to being a friction warmer...

I'm currently reading up on tyre 'fling'...

[Demannu]

2 things may help, and they're related.
Adjust the chain to give more wheelbase or fit -1 sprocket, and fix that tight gold link!

First time spannering in IoM, rider comes in after EMP moaning that the bike is a bit loose at the back. Had a quick look and there was a gouge all around the tyre centre and rubber sprayed over the shock and linkages.
Checked the tyre pressure and it was 8psi!

[Rockburner]

Can't you shave 50mm off the downpipes? (Once it's all apart)

[mangocrazy]

2 things may help, and they're related.
Adjust the chain to give more wheelbase or fit -1 sprocket, and fix that tight gold link!

First time spannering in IoM, rider comes in after EMP moaning that the bike is a bit loose at the back. Had a quick look and there was a gouge all around the tyre centre and rubber sprayed over the shock and linkages.
Checked the tyre pressure and it was 8psi!

The chain is currently about mid position in the adjuster slot in the swingarm, so the wheel has about 60mm clearance to the swingarm. But I will have a good look at that gold link. It's quite possible it was fitted with excessive pressure and it's tight as a result.

With the (rusty) OE Honda downpipes fitted, everything lines up and the collector box sits where it should and doesn't protrude rearwards. With the replacement Motad downpipes fitted the collector box sticks out past the swingarm by about 50mm, giving me major clearance problems. It also means the centre stand can't be fitted, as the collector box occupies the space the centre stand should when not in use.