so much for new paint

[ps2/bikevision]

i had a doc. apt. this afternoon and planned on riding the vision. after putting on all my gear on and backing the bike out of its stall i did my preride routine. choke, twist the throttle and hit the starter. crank, crank, crank, crank, crank, stop. twist the throttle again and crank, crank, crank, crank, clunk. take a min to say a silent prayer, twist throttle again, crank, crank, crank, clunk. come on you b**ch start. hit the starter again and the battery is dieing. dam it. i get off the bike and go to push it back into its spot with a few choice words and  BAM bike hits the ground. the kick stand caught the rubber mat that  goes under the engine. busted the left mirror completely off, busted the left front turn signal lens, put another dent in my tank and put a nice gouge in the tank too.

all i did a few weeks ago was give her a new paint job, and since then its died on me twice and almost didn't start back up. started leaking oil again, and started to sputter and stumble.

guess ill never paint it again. ill just buy some stickers and plaster it with them.

[YellowJacket!]

I feel your pain!

I almost lost YJ again yesterday.  I have been repainting my fairing which got damaged at work when she fell over during the monsoon.  I had sanded off the primer and was lazy and didn't sweep out the garage.  I was backing in and my right foot slipped out from under me and we ALMOST went over.  I mustered up every bit of superhuman strength that I could find and pulled her back up before she went all the way over.  It was like arm wrestling Arnold Schwazzaneger but I won.

David

[inanecathode]

This is why i dont ever want to paint anything, it looks really good but it can get screwed up so easily.
That, plus i'm a clumsy oaf and i'd drop it 5 minutes out of the booth :(

[h2olawyer]

Last week, while dad was still in the hospital, I was riding the V back and forth from home.  I was pulling into a parking space, and with my mind not being totally focused on what I was doing, I came to a complete stop before I had completed pulling into the space.  Feet still on pegs.   ::)   Well, we went over.  At least I managed to get my right leg down and slowed the tip over, but I was nowhere quick enough to catch it.  Anyway, I was extremely fortunate.  Nothing scratched or broken except for the reflector on the side of the lower fairing & I have about a half dozen extras of those.  I decided at that point I was going to stop riding for a while until I can get my mind fully on my riding again whenever I'm out.

Problem was that I was having truck troubles - it wouldn't start.  Beenlike that for about a week & a half.  Anyway, my race car driving friend came over today & we attacked it.  I've put about 60,000 miles on it in the 10 years I've owned it.  Been religious about oil & filter changes and keeping the chassis, suspension & u-joints lubed.  Also have done front & rear axle seals, wheel bearings, hubs & all that stuff.  However, I ignored the fuel filter, plugs, cap, rotor & plug wires.  I have no idea when those were done last.  I've never touched them.  (sorry, Tiger)  Replaced all that stuff, the truck started right up and ran smoother than it has in months.   ::)  The starting problem just felt like a fuel starvation issue as it would 'almost' run - the engine would speed up for a few seconds as the starter was turning, then it would just be turning over by starter alone.  I immediately thought fuel filter, but just hadn't gotten around to replacing it.  That was probably the primary issue, but it was time for all the ignition electrics to get replaced anyway.  Whatever, it should be ready for many more miles - AND I'll remember to change the fuel filter every 15,000 miles like the manual says.  (especially now that I have the special tool to do the job)   ::)

H₂O

[Lucky]

I feel your pain!

I almost lost YJ again yesterday.  I have been repainting my fairing which got damaged at work when she fell over during the monsoon.  I had sanded off the primer and was lazy and didn't sweep out the garage.  I was backing in and my right foot slipped out from under me and we ALMOST went over.  I mustered up every bit of superhuman strength that I could find and pulled her back up before she went all the way over.  It was like arm wrestling Arnold Schwazzaneger but I won.

David

that's how i dislocated my elbow a couple of months ago!

[inanecathode]

H₂O have your racecar buddies come over and fix my beetle! It wont start when its cold and it vaporlocks.

[h2olawyer]

I feel your pain!

I almost lost YJ again yesterday.  I have been repainting my fairing which got damaged at work when she fell over during the monsoon.  I had sanded off the primer and was lazy and didn't sweep out the garage.  I was backing in and my right foot slipped out from under me and we ALMOST went over.  I mustered up every bit of superhuman strength that I could find and pulled her back up before she went all the way over.  It was like arm wrestling Arnold Schwazzaneger but I won.

David

Man, you guys run with some high powered company if you're friendly enough with the Governator to arm wrestle him!   ;D

H₂O



that's how i dislocated my elbow a couple of months ago!

[YellowJacket!]

Ohhhh.... I see another photoshop image on the horizon.....


David

[Rick G]

I don't feel so bad, listening to you young fellows. I've dropped mine at least 5 times and my XL350 4 or 5 more , all in the last year on it. Some times I've dropped it due to loosing my footing and some times due to dumb shittedness . Part of my problem is the diminishing strength, due to age , I used to be a human fork lift , I unloaded GL1000's with nothing but a furniture dolly , single handed. Part is due to my inheriting my mothers short legs. Some is just s**t happens.

[h2olawyer]

H₂O have your racecar buddies come over and fix my beetle! It wont start when its cold and it vaporlocks.

Put some braided stainless fuel lines on it & then insulate them from the heat to stop the vapor lock.  Insulating alone may work, but I've heard the braided stainless helps.  May also require a heat shield for the carb.  Cold start is likely a choke issue.  It's a beetle - just go to a manual choke.  Problems solved!

There's a great book for owners of old VWs called "How Works a Volkswagon".  Lots of fantastic tips & hints in it.  Hope its still in print!  One of the best tips involves driving the VW Van.  When turning, it says, "the front tire is under your butt, remember?"  There's lots more great nuggets in that manual like that one.  Think it was written by a group of stoned hippies in the late 60s while they were testing their latest batch of "Mellow Yellow".  (quite right!)   ;D  It sometimes takes a  full page to get to the crux a simple hint.  It's a great book, easy to use, fun to read and very useful.  I used it for each of the 5 times I rebuilt my VW engine.  It kept throwing a 3rd cylinder valve because the 1200 engine had troubles getting sufficient cool air to that cylinder.  Swapped to a 1300 & upgraded from 6 to 12 volts - also with the help of that book - and it ran flawlessly until the shifter gate wore out a couple years later & I sold it.

H₂O