[Ayers Garage]

Started laying out a rack. This is the mock up to make sure I have the loop about the right size. Should get it finished this weekend.

[Alan LaRue]

Looking good!

[Alan LaRue]

Looks like hillintx and Ayers Garage are both in the DFW area.

[barenekd]

Gotta fix a taillight/brake wire that came adrift under the fender. It's kinda rubbing the tire.
Other than mowing the lawn I don't know what to do with the rest of the day. Too many other projects so have to figure out if I need to do any of them!
Already got Autocad installed. Answered priority emails. Did the laundry.
Oh, well, I guess there's not much wrong with retirement.
Bare

[Okie Enfield]

Oiled the chain, Polished the chrome, spent some extra time on the wheels then cursed myself after the chain splattered the rear wheel.    Still waiting on the replacement upswept exhaust  .

[clubman]

I had it serviced yesterday and reported that the downward gear change was getting very sticky and prone to leave me stuck between two gears. There's another thread here about that and the common consensus is that it's related to the clutch cable condition and play. Rode the bike 10m yesterday after the service and the gearchange was better but not flawless. Today I set about doing the normal things I do after getting it serviced - readjust the chain to my preference, (it's always done way too tight), and put the tyre pressures back to how I like them for example. That done I detached the clutch cable, lubricated it properly, (engine oil force fed through it), and set the play at barely 2mm. Off for a ride and it was transformed! Perfect gear changes in both directions, smooth, excellent power - right back to how it used to be. Extended my planned 10m test run to about 50m and grinned like an idiot. Decided to give it a clean and polish when I got back as a little thank you. Great stuff!

[Ducati Scotty]

Wouldn't it be nice to blame it on bad design or a major mechanical issue instead of neglect of basic maintenance.  I mean c'mon, the problem can't be my lazy butt, right?

Glad it's smooth again.  Just confirms again that clutch play setup on these bikes is dead critical.

Scott

[clubman]

I am amazed at the difference. I have long understood that chain adjustment is important to both the gear change and general smoothness but just oiling a cable? I'm shocked!  I'd been experimenting with cable play for the last couple of thousand miles, anything from 4-5mm to almost zero but the down change was getting worse and worse no matter what. I have completely neglected the cable even though I have the proper force feed type oiler in the shed. It's been dealer serviced at 3.5k mile intervals and it's always had a bit of grease applied then but I'm pretty sure now it's not actually been removed and oiled properly from end to end. Yes, I have to admit that in this case routine maintenance as recommended in the schedule and 2mm play as also recommended to has proved to be spot on. The handbook is right! Shocking! 

[jartist]

I'm surprised that cable adjustment and lube could make such a huge difference but then again the clutch pull is so easy that maybe there isn't enough force to return the clutch if the cable gets sticky.  The cable is so cheap and lined with a slippery plastic, I think I would rather replace it than introduce oil that might gum up.  I like my modern-type cables dry.

[barenekd]

Try Dri Slide. It's a graphite powder that has a liquid carrier that takes it though the cable housing then dries up and the cable is then just lubed with the graphite. It is excellent stuff and will give you some great cable life. I've been using it for that last 40 or 50 years. Never disappointed.
Bare

[Ice]

+1 to dry slide,,,,good stuff.

Thanks for the reminder ( I am out ) 


I have been using DuPont's teflon multi use on my clutch and brake cables and drive chain and the lighter feflon / silicone for throttle and de comp cables and throttle twist.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_213197-39963-D00110101_?PL=1&productId=1059839

http://www.lowes.com/pd_124699-39963-D00100101_?PL=1&productId=1007929


What other slick-em's are we using ? What are we avoiding ?

[hillntx]

Looks like hillintx and Ayers Garage are both in the DFW area.

I think Ayers Garage bought his from the same dealer I did after seeing our friend Brad's Royal Maroon C5 (one of the four).

[Ayers Garage]

I think Ayers Garage bought his from the same dealer I did after seeing our friend Brad's Royal Maroon C5 (one of the four).

Yep, I got mine from RE of Fort Worth.

[Arizoni]

I decided to peek into the electrical side cover on the left side of my G5 to make sure everything was happy.

As the dealer installed a sealed battery, there was no fluids to check but while looking at the battery cables my eye spotted a worn spot on the red (positive) battery cable end.
On closer examination it turned out that it wasn't just worn.  There was a hole completely thru the plastic.

A corresponding bare spot was on the inside of the cover.

I'm surprised it didn't short out and fry some things because, as you know that is a metal cover and although the upper locators are rubber it could become grounded to the frame thru the key latch.

The problem was the copper metal connector under the plastic was sticking straight out from the battery terminal towards the side cover.
A careful bending of this copper  to get it to point downward now provides enough clearance so that it won't rub (I hope).
Bending it also presents a unworn area of the plastic cover in case it does decide to start rubbing again.

The other wires in the electrical area were still covered by the rubber tubes I installed when I first got the motorcycle and they are doing fine.

While looking at the battery I noticed another shocking development (pun intended).
The side cover latch has been trying to eat a hole thru the wall of the battery at the lower rear of the battery side.

I don't know how thick the battery case is in this area but the latch had made a noticeable gouge into it.

I have some very thin (.015") steel sheet metal on hand so I cut a piece about 1" X 1 3/8" (25mm X 35mm), loosened up the screws that hold the battery clamp and slid the new steel armor up from the bottom of the battery so that it is trapped between the battery and the inside of the clamp.
After positioning this armor so it covers the damaged area I re-tightened the screws to hold it in place.

I'll have to check on this in a few weeks to see if it has moved.  If it has, bonding it in place with some silicone RTV might be a good idea.

If you have a similar problem and decide to make some sheet metal armor remember to round off all 4 corners.  You don't want the sharp corners eating into your battery.

To finish today's tasks I lubed the clutch and throttle cables and the chain.

[barenekd]

I rodeover to an Open House at SoCal Triumph and Royal Enfield dealer this morning. it was rather chilly out, but the sun was shining and it was warming up as I went. The shop is about 6 miles from my house. Since it was early the place wasn't packed, but the guys were lining up for the demo rides on a variety of Triumphs. I didn't notice whether there were any Ducatis in the mix or not. Didn't see any Enfields. In fact, there were no other Enfields to be seen in the rider's parking at all.
But I did see some scantily clad young sweeties washing bikes in the back. As mine was pretty grubby, I rode it around to the washing stall and let them do their thing. They hadn't quite gotten the the bikini thing yet, but they did when they got done with my bike. It was still chilly and worse when the sun went behind a cloud. They said they weren't cold.
The bike looks a lot better!
I talked to Ron Greene for about a half hour. He said the cafe racers were going to be here in a few months, but I don't think it's my place to give the particulars. They are very excited about it! It will apparently go a bit faster, but not quite the ton.
It should prove to be very interesting
The Ducati was the best bling shot I could find.
Bare