Lisa Duke Was Right

When I first bought the Interceptor I bought a new battery and tried turning it on. At first I didn’t get lights or anything. After checking the fuses and just generally messing around, but doing nothing substantive, the lights came on. A little more messing around and I could get the solenoid to make a clicking noise. But the bike wouldn’t turn over. I played with it now and then but still to no avail. By the time I took the bike into class the battery wouldn’t hold a good charge (that is to say hold a charge up of 12+ Volts, you really want 12.6) despite repeated attempts to charge the battery. Even so, I explained to Lisa that I had had a new battery in their and the bike wouldn’t turn at all. She told me to get a new battery. I explained again that it had had a new battery and that it all my attempts previously hadn’t worked and maybe there was some other problem electrically between the battery and the starter. She was having none of it. She said you need a new battery before you start playing diagnostic doctor and refused to look at the bike until I did (In fairness I’m not even enrolled in the class so that is totally her prerogative). So I did get a new battery and on Saturday I put it in and hit the starter and what do you know? The starter turned over like warm kitten. I didn’t have the carbs in (and I am two bolts short, having stripped them getting the carbs disassembled, so I have to wait on that but I suspect once I get the carbs back in the bike will run. I can see that the carbs need adjusting visually and it’s going to need some more parts (fuel filter, oil filter, radiator cap, etc) but I believe that the engine is going to be running maybe tonight.

Incidentally, on the way to pick up bolts for the Carbs I drove by a &^!#ed up GPz550 on the road. I pulled over and checked it out and it looks like an ‘83 (which is the same year as mine) that has been sitting outside since ’84. The airbox and carbs are missing but I think there is a lot of salvage I could use off of it. The tank has no dents (unlike mine) and much less rust. Also the blickers and fuse box, I could use. I’m going to leave a note and see if I can pick it up as a parts bike...I feel the slow inexorable slide to becoming a grease monkey with a yard full of motorcycle parts.

Photos For Now

Some pictures and hopefully and update after Saturday. Apparently the battery I bought previously went bad/sucked ass so I'm getting a new one for class on Saturday. For now, a couple of pictures as the bike looks now.

Moto Classes

Incrementally someone emailed me and asked where and what classes I’m taking.

All the class are through San Francisco City College (the local community college also know as CCSF or simply City College around these parts). The classes are at the Evans campus in Bayview.

Last semester I took the Intro Motorcycle Maintenance Class (Moto 60) and this semester I’m taking General Service and Repair (Moto 72). I also show up for the Monday-Wednesday Moto 60 class being offered this semester to get some extra time in and to work on some projects for the motorcycle club (aka the Monkeywrenchers).

I highly recommend the program and encourage anyone with any interest to contact me.

Not So Bad After All

I talked to Dave (the teach) during class about my broken carb housing and he said not to worry about it and not to even bother with glue. All the other bolts should hold it in place just like Lisa said (sorry to doubt you Lisa). So I open it up and cleaned out all the jets, needles etc. and really, it was all pretty clean. There was one that was a little sticky but all in all it probably wasn't necessary, which is fine. I managed to get some carb experience under my belt and it's good to know that the carbs won't be any issue in the future. One more potential problem alleviated.

I also got to think about my battery. I've been leaving it on the trickle charger days at a time between classes and while that shouldn't matter maybe it does. I'm going to take it home on Monday and then Tues at lunch I'm going to start charging it, by time for class at 6:30 it should be fully charged and ready to go, if not I know it's the battery and not the charging method and can just worry about getting a new one.

And that is where I'm at.

*!&@^#*!@&(*#&!*&)!^(!(#)*-*^!

I went by class last night only to find that my cheap ass battery is toast. It just won't hold a charge despite my having bought it less than six months ago. I don't know what is wrong with it, no one does, but it's crap so I'm out $50 and about a week of trying to get it to work. Now I need to order a new battery.

I decided that I might as well get to work on something since I had a few hours. Last week I had opened up the carbs case and they were sticking, so I decided to take them out. That way I could clean them on Saturday while I waited for a new battery.

I followed the instructions in the book and at the stage where it said "Now lift the carbs out being careful not to damage them" I had some trouble. See they wouldn't lift. I pulled and pulled and nothing, so I looked around to see if there was anything bolted on but there wasn’t. I pulled some more and still nothing. leaned in with all my strength and not a budge. More looking, more pulling to no avail. So I got a 2X4.

I know, I know, I know. I assumed that the rubber boots that were holding the carbs in place were just sticking and with a little leverage they would give. And they did! It really was just the rubber boots holding on! But despite that I still gave them a little to much force (though honestly I am at a total loss on how one is expected o get the carbs out without a 2X4). In any case, I cracked one of the metal parts that holds all four carbs together.

I don’t know how much it is going to cost to replace them but I think ‘a lot’ is probably the answer. Lisa saw my despair and busted out some optimism on me. She said that the part I broke wasn’t a pressure point and that we could maybe use some industrial glue to hold it together. Maybe some spot welding too. I hope so. A while back I promised to start only hobbies that were cost neutral (surfing) or that actually made money (vending) but somehow here I am with a hobby that, so far, is just costing me money.

Also I found two springs that came off the carbs. I have no idea where the go and really I couldn’t be bothered to figure it out then. Saturday is another day again.

I hope I can get this bike running.