Intermediate Idiot DIY Maintenance Day and Ride 7/23/05

[Honclfibr]

I've been tossing this idea around with a few guys on the site for a while and got the green light to use my father's place in Atkinson with his nice big garage on Sat, so it's time for the first annual "Dude where's my engine" FIY (That's fuckitup yourself) motorcycle maintenance day.

Most of you know me and my reputation for screwing up my motorcycle in all sorts of ways in the quest to learn more about my bike. Just a partial list of things that I have fucked up in the past: Oil changes, coolant changes, spark plug swaps, jet kit installations, carb synchs, valve jobs, stainless line installations, brake bleeding, and more. This saturday I plan to tackle a fork oil change; with any luck my bike will be totally fucked and completely unrideable just in time for thursday's trackday. I wouldn't have it any other way.

So if you're tired of a well-running bike and have it in your head to bolt on some baubles or synch a carburetor or two, you're welcome to join me in Southern NH sometime between the hours of 8am and...well I'm hoping to have things all bolted back on for around 1-2pm in time for a nice ride up north somewhere to find all of the loose bolts I forgot to torque down properly.

Anyone with have a clue knows better than to let me touch their bike, but I do have a wide assortment of tools and half a brain when it comes to explaining how things *should* be done, whether or not I actually end up doing them that way.

I've got tools to bleed brakes, sync carbs, replace chains and sprockets, and install pretty much any bolt on crap you could think of installing (torque wrenches that go down to inch-lbs, etc etc etc). Sky's the limit assuming you can get your ass and your bike out of my garage by the time the day's done, I don't intend on storing bikes overnight and I'd appreciate you respecting that wish.

Two caveats:

1) I don't reckon on disposing of a bunch of your fluids, so if you've got a mind to come change your oil/coolant/whatever you better bring a gallon jug and some bungie cords to take it on back with you. I don't mind storing a pint or two of used brake fluid but I'm not a hazardous waste disposal center, you bring it you take it back.

2) Valve jobs, I know a few of you are itching to do 'em and I understand that, but a valve job is going to be a two day job most of the time. If you want to pull your valve cover and *check* your clearances I've got feeler gauges, but I'd appreciate you not pulling your camshafts and swapping shims.

So post up if you're game, and if you're inclined to stick around Sat night for a few beers and ride up to the races on sunday I can probably clear some floorspace for you at my place in Derry given some advanced notice.

[OreoGaborio]

hmm... i may be up for this. i've got an itchin curiosity to see what my valve clearances are, though i suspect they're relatively within spec. maybe a little tight, but nothin that she can't handle.

I'd also like to checkout my carbs & see if they're all on the same page w/ one another.

I DO plan on headin up to NHIS on Sunday... since ya offered i'll think about hangin around there for the night... it's a possibility

Oh & i watched Peter "Da Mastah" Kates change up my fork oil & tear em all down so now i'm as much of an expert as you are, if not more

[gonzo6]

ill pm you with some quetchins'

[Honclfibr]

Few things I forgot to mention. Firstly if you want to bring your wife/girlfriend/SO/whatever you're more than welcome to do so, if they want to learn about wrenching on bikes awesome, otherwise we'll make sure they don't end up stuck in a corner, I spend more time bullshitting than working usually anyway

And if they get sick of us, my father's garage (where we'll be workin on the bikes) is about 75 feet from his dock/beach on Big Island Pond, so they're welcome to spend time swimming and sunning themselves if the weather's nice.

And if y'all want to throw a suit in your tankbag a swim is a good way to cool off and wash off the grease before the afternoon ride (Pete I know what you're going to ask and the answer is NO you may not skinny dip ). Hell if you can't make it early enough for the maintenance come around noontime jump in the lake have some pizza and go for a ride with us afterwards.

I'll post up directions sometime tomorrow, it's an easy 5 mile ride off of Rt 93 exit 3, or if you don't feel like slabbing it PM me where you're coming from and I'll try to help you out with a backroads route.

[OreoGaborio]

first no jerking off in your shower, now this????

[Tricky Mike]

Baaaaaah.
this post is hilarious.


Just a note...
From my past experiences fucking up various bikes (I think the only thing I've fucked up more consistently than bikes is relationships... I RULE and ruining a perfectly healthy relationship),
Aaaaaanyway... valve clearances need to be checked with the motor cold... "overnight cold" is usually the way it's described... like a nice blanket-less night on the couch.

[Kham]

with all that restrictions, seems to me you just want some extra pair of eyes so you don't have extra screws lying around when you'r done putting your bike together. right?

[Honclfibr]

Well just got back from a ride up to 1A, Pete and I did a bit of wrenching today...I adjusted my mixture screws and changed the fork oil, pete synched his carbs, cleaned out his disgustingly filthy airbox/filter, and tightened up his steering head.

With regards to the changing of the fork oil...HOLY DAMN! The shit that came out of there was nothing short of disgusting, what do you expect from 6 years of road sludge I guess I had the compression and rebound both cranked up as hard as they would go and the bike was still pogo-ey, after the change I tried to push the front end down and it was stiff as hell, backed off 7 clicks in rebound and comp and the bike was back about where I had set it, yeah that's right the fork oil was so awful that full stiffness was the equivalent of halfway with new oil. Dropped the forks in the triples 5mm and holy christ, between moving the forks and the triples it feels like a new bike, really carves into the corners better and there's a whole new book of feedback coming from the front end. Can't wait for the 28th to see how it feels on the track!

Then adam and his g/f stopped by and we did a loop of manch/derry, stopped for some taco bell and zipped up 111A to rye beach, nice ride hope everyone has returned safely to their homes, thanks for coming guys and I'll see y'all tomorrow at the track

[chr|s sedition]

Originally posted by Honclfibr
I've been tossing this idea around with a few guys on the site

*SNIP*

another strong contender post of the year. that was fucking halarious.

[richw]

That was fork water

[OreoGaborio]

Originally posted by richw
That was fork water

didn't look like water... looked like fork.... um.... fork......... fork shit? Only way it was water is if it was dirty sewer water. when it first started pouring out i didn't think it looked that bad, but all the DIRTY ASS SHIT was in the bottom :barf:


Gonzo..... your bike.... if i haven't said it enough.....








































































































FAHKIN... NAHDEE