Where is this land of goat buddys who ride with you through the city on your back that I have always dreamed of?
Monday, July 13, 2009
Goat backpacks?
Where is this land of goat buddys who ride with you through the city on your back that I have always dreamed of?
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Youtube DMV Videos
Looks like the California DMV went high tech and put up some very useful videos on youtube about taking the skills test including common mistakes, course layout, etc. as well as videos on rider safety generally.
If you are taking the test I'd recommend checking these out.
If you are taking the test I'd recommend checking these out.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Out With The Old
And in with...well, the old, but new to me.
I sold my KZ1000 Police bike to a fine gentleman who I believe will appreciate it. The primary reasons I sold the bike is that is was to wide for splitting lanes in SF, to wide too park in my backyard and only has one seat, so no passengers.
Fortuitously, last week Lisa Duke (of the CCSF motorcycle department) requested that I buy a shop bike in an effort to reduce the amount of bike in the shop. So I did. It's a 1992 Suzuki GSX-F 750 (aka the Katana). For you that are interested in such things, it's the same engine as the GSX-R (pronounced Gixer), a bike renowned for street racing and injuring inexperience newb's, but with a different body configuration and is, in any case, my first Suzuki. The bike ran when it was dropped off at the class so I have some optimism about getting it in running order before class is out (two weeks!).
It looks almost nothing like the picture below. I mean there are reasons bikes are donated to the class and 'too pretty' isn't one of them.
This will be the fifth bike I've owned in 2006. I think I'm going to hang on to it and take a break from the whole motorcycle repair thing a a while.
I sold my KZ1000 Police bike to a fine gentleman who I believe will appreciate it. The primary reasons I sold the bike is that is was to wide for splitting lanes in SF, to wide too park in my backyard and only has one seat, so no passengers.
Fortuitously, last week Lisa Duke (of the CCSF motorcycle department) requested that I buy a shop bike in an effort to reduce the amount of bike in the shop. So I did. It's a 1992 Suzuki GSX-F 750 (aka the Katana). For you that are interested in such things, it's the same engine as the GSX-R (pronounced Gixer), a bike renowned for street racing and injuring inexperience newb's, but with a different body configuration and is, in any case, my first Suzuki. The bike ran when it was dropped off at the class so I have some optimism about getting it in running order before class is out (two weeks!).
It looks almost nothing like the picture below. I mean there are reasons bikes are donated to the class and 'too pretty' isn't one of them.
This will be the fifth bike I've owned in 2006. I think I'm going to hang on to it and take a break from the whole motorcycle repair thing a a while.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Motorcycle Driving Test for CA
This is pulled from a post I on did on the CL Motocycle Forum a while back:
Pardon the excess detail but I wanted to get everything down before I forgot anything.
So I just took the test and some of you on this forum have voiced questions about what is on the test let me elucidate the process for you.
I went in to the driving test window at the DMV and provided my motorcycle permit, proof of insurance and current registration. From there I was given a slip and directed outside to the parking lot. There are three lanes and any one of which I was supposed to park in and wait for the examiner. Lucky for me I was only behind one person (who was also taking, but failing, the motorcycle driving test).
The examiner takes the papers that were handed to me inside (my motorcycle permit, proof of insurance, current registration and cover sheet from the DMV) and checks to make sure I am me, and the bike is the correct bike (VIN and all).
Next, six questions. Identify the following items on my bike...I really shouldn’t be telling you guys this because if there are any potential test-takers out there, and they can’t pass this portion, they (and potentially, we) are in for a world of hurt. Anyway, identify the following items on my bike.
1) Starter (they mean the starter button)
2) Choke (if it has one)
3) Clutch
4) Throttle
5) Gear Shift
6) Brakes (front and back levers)
They also asked me to turn on the left and right indicators and to use the horn (nothing about brake lights which was surprising, maybe they mix it up or he forgot).
Next the riding portion. The examiner directed me to ride over to the area I was to be tested in.
The space between the lines is about 2ft. and the dots are cones about 10-15 ft from each other. The circle is about 30 ft in diameter.
On the first test I had to zigzag through the cones till I got to the circle, enter the circle and go around twice (direction doesn’t matter) and then come back zigzagging through the cones again.
On the second test I had to ride down between the lanes ‘slowly’ (I have no idea how slow he meant) and enter the circle in the opposite direction I entered in the last test, go around inside the circles twice and then exit using the other lane to come back.
During both of these test I was informed that if I put my foot down I would fail IMMEDIATELY. Ditto if my front tire exits any of the lanes (i.e. the path formed by the concentric circles or the path formed by the parallel lines). He didn’t say anything about the rear tire, maybe there is more leeway there. If I failed at any point I don’t move on to the next test and must make a new appointment. No second tries, and no practicing (though I suspect after hours you might be able to sneak in).
The final test was just to start the bike at one end of the parking lot and accelerate while up-shifting, to the other end of the lot.
After that the examiner gave me a slip, I went back inside to the queue for test takes (which is nearly always empty). They gave me a form to sign which is a temporary license good for two months. The regular license should arrive in 2-4 weeks.
A few observations.
The guy in front of me taking the test was on some new, shiny, larger sport bike. He had a VERY hard time of it. He didn’t make it past the first set of zigzags before he put his foot down. Ditto several times around the loop. Heavy bike = bad. Don’t know if using a sport bike was better or worse.
I had a ’84 gpz550 that I’ve been riding forever and feel very comfortable on and it still felt like a bear to get around those cones and stay in that circle at low speeds. Part of the trouble is that I couldn’t see the front tire so I wasn’t sure exactly where I was. As many others have suggested, borrow the smallest bike you can find for the test.
I did the whole thing in first gear. I’m not sure I could pull it off in second.
That previous posting on revving engines totally worked. I was having trouble on the second trip around the circle and upped the RPMs and like magic it seemed more stable.
As always I was dealt with by competent but indifferent staff, which is fine by me, I’d rather have that then incompetent and friendly staff.
As always if you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact me.
Pardon the excess detail but I wanted to get everything down before I forgot anything.
So I just took the test and some of you on this forum have voiced questions about what is on the test let me elucidate the process for you.
I went in to the driving test window at the DMV and provided my motorcycle permit, proof of insurance and current registration. From there I was given a slip and directed outside to the parking lot. There are three lanes and any one of which I was supposed to park in and wait for the examiner. Lucky for me I was only behind one person (who was also taking, but failing, the motorcycle driving test).
The examiner takes the papers that were handed to me inside (my motorcycle permit, proof of insurance, current registration and cover sheet from the DMV) and checks to make sure I am me, and the bike is the correct bike (VIN and all).
Next, six questions. Identify the following items on my bike...I really shouldn’t be telling you guys this because if there are any potential test-takers out there, and they can’t pass this portion, they (and potentially, we) are in for a world of hurt. Anyway, identify the following items on my bike.
1) Starter (they mean the starter button)
2) Choke (if it has one)
3) Clutch
4) Throttle
5) Gear Shift
6) Brakes (front and back levers)
They also asked me to turn on the left and right indicators and to use the horn (nothing about brake lights which was surprising, maybe they mix it up or he forgot).
Next the riding portion. The examiner directed me to ride over to the area I was to be tested in.
The space between the lines is about 2ft. and the dots are cones about 10-15 ft from each other. The circle is about 30 ft in diameter.
On the first test I had to zigzag through the cones till I got to the circle, enter the circle and go around twice (direction doesn’t matter) and then come back zigzagging through the cones again.
On the second test I had to ride down between the lanes ‘slowly’ (I have no idea how slow he meant) and enter the circle in the opposite direction I entered in the last test, go around inside the circles twice and then exit using the other lane to come back.
During both of these test I was informed that if I put my foot down I would fail IMMEDIATELY. Ditto if my front tire exits any of the lanes (i.e. the path formed by the concentric circles or the path formed by the parallel lines). He didn’t say anything about the rear tire, maybe there is more leeway there. If I failed at any point I don’t move on to the next test and must make a new appointment. No second tries, and no practicing (though I suspect after hours you might be able to sneak in).
The final test was just to start the bike at one end of the parking lot and accelerate while up-shifting, to the other end of the lot.
After that the examiner gave me a slip, I went back inside to the queue for test takes (which is nearly always empty). They gave me a form to sign which is a temporary license good for two months. The regular license should arrive in 2-4 weeks.
A few observations.
The guy in front of me taking the test was on some new, shiny, larger sport bike. He had a VERY hard time of it. He didn’t make it past the first set of zigzags before he put his foot down. Ditto several times around the loop. Heavy bike = bad. Don’t know if using a sport bike was better or worse.
I had a ’84 gpz550 that I’ve been riding forever and feel very comfortable on and it still felt like a bear to get around those cones and stay in that circle at low speeds. Part of the trouble is that I couldn’t see the front tire so I wasn’t sure exactly where I was. As many others have suggested, borrow the smallest bike you can find for the test.
I did the whole thing in first gear. I’m not sure I could pull it off in second.
That previous posting on revving engines totally worked. I was having trouble on the second trip around the circle and upped the RPMs and like magic it seemed more stable.
As always I was dealt with by competent but indifferent staff, which is fine by me, I’d rather have that then incompetent and friendly staff.
As always if you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact me.
Monday, August 14, 2006
SOLD!
I recently sold two of my bikes, a Kawasaki GPZ550 from Sony’s old roommate Eric (top) and a 85 Honda VF700 Interceptor purchased from Dave’s down stairs neighbor.These two bikes represent the second and third bikes I’ve owned. My first was a old Honda 250 cruiser but that was so long ago and for such a brief period of time I have neither pictures nor recollection of the exact model. The GPZ550 is the first and only bike I ever went down on (knock on wood) and the Interceptor is the first motorcycle I bought in non running condition and brought back to life.
I now have a KZ1000P and a Aprilia Scarabeo 50 scooter. My next semester of motorcycle mechanics classes start on Thurs and I just posted an ad on CL for another broke down bike to work on. As a bonus Amanda will be joining me to work on her new 1969 Honda CM90 cub.
Monday, May 22, 2006
New Bikers Guide To Riding and Buying
Hello and welcome. This guide is designed for you, the new rider. You can read through the guide from start to finish or skip to one of the three sections below. Feel free to ask any questions you have in the comments section below or on the Craigslist Motorcycle Forum.
The first thing you are going to need to do is to get authorization from your state to ride. There are two ways of doing this;
There are several positive reasons to do this. First, attendance in the course grants you a motorcycle endorsement on your driver’s license once you pass the written test at your local DMV or RMV. Second, riders who have attended a safety course are significantly less likely to have an accident. Third, most insurance companies will reduce your insurance payments up to 15% every year for having attended a MSF approved course. This can easily pay off financially if you intend to ride for more than a few years. It is the recommended method of acquiring a motorcycle driver’s license.
The process is this. Sign up for the course. Attend the course. Get the slip from the MSF instructor showing that you passed the course. Go to the DMV or RMV and show them the paper slip. Pass the written DMV test. Walk out with DMV license.
To graduate from a permit to a license, you must pass a skills test at the DMV, during which you will need to demonstrate proper safety and handling skills while riding on an enclosed course. It is recommended that you make an online appointment before you go in order to cut down on the time in line at the DMV. Again, taking the MSF course allows you to skip this second step while at the same time reducing your insurance costs, giving you hours of practical motorcycle riding experience while riding on someone else’s bike and coaches you on how to be a safer rider.
There is much debate, both within the motorcycle enthusiast community and among motorcycle manufacturers domestically and internationally, with regard to what is the ‘safest’ helmet. To read more on the details of the debate, check the article “Motorcycle Helmet Performance: Blowing the Lid Off” by Motorcyclist Magazine.
Ultimately, it is my opinion that a Department of Transportation (DOT) approved helmet provides an appropriate level of protection for all riders. Since this is a requirement for all helmets sold in the US, you will be well served in terms of safety with nearly any selection provided in a shop.
Ultimately the best helmet is one that fits well. Visit a local motorcycle shop and try several helmets on. At this point, don’t bother looking at the price tags. The ideal helmet fits snugly on your head and has very limited motion as you swing your head right from left and back and forth. Wear each helmet for a few minutes to get a feel for it. Does it press uncomfortably on your forehead or behind your ears? If you don’t find anything comfortable, go to another shop. It is not unusual to have to visit two or three shops until you find the right helmet for you. Now pick the top two or three helmets you like and compare prices and features. A more expensive helmet is not safer, since all helmets must meet DOT safety guidelines. Generally, the higher cost reflects reduced weight and more features (better venting systems, anti-fogging visors, etc.). The price of helmets can vary enormously, from $79.95 to over $1000.00. It is very realistic to find a good helmet that fits you comfortably in a price range from $100 to $300. Again, don’t let the price of a helmet make you feel that your safety is being compromised. Purchase the helmet you prefer.
Note: It is highly recommend that you NOT purchase a used helmet. The material that protects you in a crash is the lining inside the helmet. During an impact, that material deforms to take up the force of the impact, thus preventing or reducing head injury. To determine whether a helmet has been in such an impact, an x-ray is required to view if the lining has collapsed -- a visual inspection will not suffice. If the lining is damaged from a crash, the safety of the helmet is compromised. Because of this, even if a used helmet does fit comfortably, which is rare, there is no guarantee it will protect your head in an accident. Also note that the interior lining degrades when exposed to UV light, solvents, and even sweat. It is recommended that you replace it a minimum of every five years.
It is nearly every new rider’s instinct to get something new and shiny and expensive. You are not unique in this. And since I’ve been a killjoy so far, I find no reason to change my tune.
The first thing I’d like to stress is that your first bike is to learn on, not to ride forever. You want a bike that you will grow out of, not a bike that you will need to grow into.
You should purchase your first bike with the understanding that you will be trading up to something newer, shinier, and more expensive in the next year or so. For your first bike, you want something that is appropriate to your level of experience and something that won’t either take you to the cleaners or make you cry when you drop it.
First, size. Bikes are generally divided by size and type (Sport, Standard, Cruisers, etc.). Size refers to engine size and is measured in cc’s (cubic centimeters of engine displacement).
For a new rider, the size of the engine should reflect your experience, and most rider’s recommend a bike in the range of 250cc to 600cc depending on your size. A smaller, lighter bike is more maneuverable and easier to handle than a larger bike.
Maybe this is just the inner cheapskate in me, but the second recommendation is that you buy a cheaper used bike in good working order. The reason for this is because as a new rider you are very likely to drop the bike. Dropping a bike with lots of chrome or plastic can easily cost hundreds of dollars to replace. You might be better served with an older beginner bike that you will feel less upset about when you forget to put down the kickstand and it falls over. You can find many such motorcycles advertised in the classifieds sections on Craigslist or other publications. In a year, or when you feel comfortable, you can then sell that motorcycle right back into the used market to the next beginner with little or no financial loss and put that money into your new, shiny, expensive bike.
As a last point on motorcycle selection, it is worth noting that insurance coverage for motorcycles varies on many factors (having passed an MSF course, age of the rider, etc.) but is heavily influenced by the type of bike being ridden, with sport bikes being the most expensive to insure. It may be worth calling your insurance company and getting a quote on the bike you are interested in. It is not unusual to spend $800 to purchase a used sport bike only to turn around and spend nearly that much to insure it per year.
The first thing you are going to need to do is to get authorization from your state to ride. There are two ways of doing this;
- Option #1:
There are several positive reasons to do this. First, attendance in the course grants you a motorcycle endorsement on your driver’s license once you pass the written test at your local DMV or RMV. Second, riders who have attended a safety course are significantly less likely to have an accident. Third, most insurance companies will reduce your insurance payments up to 15% every year for having attended a MSF approved course. This can easily pay off financially if you intend to ride for more than a few years. It is the recommended method of acquiring a motorcycle driver’s license.
The process is this. Sign up for the course. Attend the course. Get the slip from the MSF instructor showing that you passed the course. Go to the DMV or RMV and show them the paper slip. Pass the written DMV test. Walk out with DMV license.
- Option #2
To graduate from a permit to a license, you must pass a skills test at the DMV, during which you will need to demonstrate proper safety and handling skills while riding on an enclosed course. It is recommended that you make an online appointment before you go in order to cut down on the time in line at the DMV. Again, taking the MSF course allows you to skip this second step while at the same time reducing your insurance costs, giving you hours of practical motorcycle riding experience while riding on someone else’s bike and coaches you on how to be a safer rider.
- Step One: Protect Yer Noggin
There is much debate, both within the motorcycle enthusiast community and among motorcycle manufacturers domestically and internationally, with regard to what is the ‘safest’ helmet. To read more on the details of the debate, check the article “Motorcycle Helmet Performance: Blowing the Lid Off” by Motorcyclist Magazine.
Ultimately, it is my opinion that a Department of Transportation (DOT) approved helmet provides an appropriate level of protection for all riders. Since this is a requirement for all helmets sold in the US, you will be well served in terms of safety with nearly any selection provided in a shop.
Ultimately the best helmet is one that fits well. Visit a local motorcycle shop and try several helmets on. At this point, don’t bother looking at the price tags. The ideal helmet fits snugly on your head and has very limited motion as you swing your head right from left and back and forth. Wear each helmet for a few minutes to get a feel for it. Does it press uncomfortably on your forehead or behind your ears? If you don’t find anything comfortable, go to another shop. It is not unusual to have to visit two or three shops until you find the right helmet for you. Now pick the top two or three helmets you like and compare prices and features. A more expensive helmet is not safer, since all helmets must meet DOT safety guidelines. Generally, the higher cost reflects reduced weight and more features (better venting systems, anti-fogging visors, etc.). The price of helmets can vary enormously, from $79.95 to over $1000.00. It is very realistic to find a good helmet that fits you comfortably in a price range from $100 to $300. Again, don’t let the price of a helmet make you feel that your safety is being compromised. Purchase the helmet you prefer.
Note: It is highly recommend that you NOT purchase a used helmet. The material that protects you in a crash is the lining inside the helmet. During an impact, that material deforms to take up the force of the impact, thus preventing or reducing head injury. To determine whether a helmet has been in such an impact, an x-ray is required to view if the lining has collapsed -- a visual inspection will not suffice. If the lining is damaged from a crash, the safety of the helmet is compromised. Because of this, even if a used helmet does fit comfortably, which is rare, there is no guarantee it will protect your head in an accident. Also note that the interior lining degrades when exposed to UV light, solvents, and even sweat. It is recommended that you replace it a minimum of every five years.
- One More Thing, Good Looking
- Step Two: Protect Your Other Bits
It is nearly every new rider’s instinct to get something new and shiny and expensive. You are not unique in this. And since I’ve been a killjoy so far, I find no reason to change my tune.
The first thing I’d like to stress is that your first bike is to learn on, not to ride forever. You want a bike that you will grow out of, not a bike that you will need to grow into.
You should purchase your first bike with the understanding that you will be trading up to something newer, shinier, and more expensive in the next year or so. For your first bike, you want something that is appropriate to your level of experience and something that won’t either take you to the cleaners or make you cry when you drop it.
First, size. Bikes are generally divided by size and type (Sport, Standard, Cruisers, etc.). Size refers to engine size and is measured in cc’s (cubic centimeters of engine displacement).
For a new rider, the size of the engine should reflect your experience, and most rider’s recommend a bike in the range of 250cc to 600cc depending on your size. A smaller, lighter bike is more maneuverable and easier to handle than a larger bike.
Maybe this is just the inner cheapskate in me, but the second recommendation is that you buy a cheaper used bike in good working order. The reason for this is because as a new rider you are very likely to drop the bike. Dropping a bike with lots of chrome or plastic can easily cost hundreds of dollars to replace. You might be better served with an older beginner bike that you will feel less upset about when you forget to put down the kickstand and it falls over. You can find many such motorcycles advertised in the classifieds sections on Craigslist or other publications. In a year, or when you feel comfortable, you can then sell that motorcycle right back into the used market to the next beginner with little or no financial loss and put that money into your new, shiny, expensive bike.
As a last point on motorcycle selection, it is worth noting that insurance coverage for motorcycles varies on many factors (having passed an MSF course, age of the rider, etc.) but is heavily influenced by the type of bike being ridden, with sport bikes being the most expensive to insure. It may be worth calling your insurance company and getting a quote on the bike you are interested in. It is not unusual to spend $800 to purchase a used sport bike only to turn around and spend nearly that much to insure it per year.
- Okay, Fine, A List
- Honda Nighthawk 250, 550 or 600
- Honda Rebel 250
- Honda Shadow VLX 600
- Honda VTR 250
- Kawasaki Ninja 250
- Kawasaki Ninja EX500
- Suzuki GS500
- Suzuki GZ250
- Yamaha Virago 250
- Yamaha XT225
- All Done
Monday, January 09, 2006
What's Up Next
I have been creating posts and them not finishing then off which is lame. Today I decided to pump them all out seeing how I’ve finished class and signed up for class next semester (Auto 123 - Body Repair and Refinishing and Moto 72 - General Service and Repair)
Moto 72 is the next motorcycle class for the certificate and I’m going to see if I can use the auto body class to work on the fenders and gas tanks on my motorcycles. I'm also going to try to slip into a Biology seminar called The Biology of Point Reyes. It's one weekend long and is mostly and excuse for me and the lass to head out to a bed and breakfast for a weekend.
In any case, there should be a couple post you haven't read below. Don't expect much in here till the end of January, when class picks back up.
Moto 72 is the next motorcycle class for the certificate and I’m going to see if I can use the auto body class to work on the fenders and gas tanks on my motorcycles. I'm also going to try to slip into a Biology seminar called The Biology of Point Reyes. It's one weekend long and is mostly and excuse for me and the lass to head out to a bed and breakfast for a weekend.
In any case, there should be a couple post you haven't read below. Don't expect much in here till the end of January, when class picks back up.
Another Semester, Another Bike Running
The big deal about the last day of class is that you have to have your bikes out of the Cage and off campus by the end of class. I wasn't sweating it though because I had been able to get the interceptor started last week and expected the same result today.
So you can imagine my dismay at the fact that I couldn't get it started again. I tired all the tricks that Ken had showed me to no avail. After about an hour of zero results, and with panic setting in, this grizzled old dude walks by and asks what the problem is. I explain I had had it running last week but now it is doing the same old thing, turning over but not catching. And he asks the first question anyone should ask when a bike won't start, "is the gas on?"
See, on a motorcycle, for reasons still not adequately explained to me, there is a switch on the gas tank that turn them on, off and to the reserve tank. The reserve tank is effectively that light that comes on in cars telling you that the car is almost out of gas. On a motorcycle you run till the bike dies, flip the switch to reserve and get your tail to a gas station (you usually have a gallon or two at that point). This is a really fun trick on a freeway as you are splitting lanes trying to pass semis on either side of you. Off has been a mystery to me, I suspect it is probably there to make taking off a gas tank less of a fuel splattering exercise. I dunno. In any case, a bike will not run, or maybe only run for a minute with the switch in the off position. Mine was in the off position. I turned it on, cranked it a couple of times and she roared back to life.
Great, it was running, I had all my gear packed and said my goodbyes, then I noticed the rain. Pouring rain, Portland rain, rain that you can feel in you bones isn't going to stop for the next week.
The plan had been I'd ride the GPZ home (the bike I had ridden to class) and Jackie would drop me back off at class to pick up the Interceptor. Now I would be taking two trips through the poring rain, something I had vowed I would never do. I was thinking of maybe just parking the interceptor in the parking lot and picking it up later in the evening in case the rain broke for a bit. Dave Miller recommended against it. He pointed out that campus was located in a very poor neighborhood with lots of homeless people, that a quarter mile away there was a scrap metal yard that bought metal for recycling and lastly, that my former piece of scrap metal could easily be rolled there.
To compound all my problems I had grabbed a new pair of gloves that I had bought at a garage sale that, on the way to school, I realized were way to small for my hands and which preventing me from really riding safely (e.g. being able to reach the breaks, etc.) So I mounted the GPZ in the pouring frigid rain and began my ride home. On the freeway it takes about ten minutes. However, while I was now breaking my vow to never ride in the rain there was no way I was getting on the freeway. I instead took the side roads. It took a half hour. By the time I got to Jackie's I couldn't feel my fingers enough to take off my helmet strap. I walked into the bathroom and filled the sink with what I hoped wasn't scalding water and just massaged my hands in there. I had to replace the water three times because my hands were cooling the water down room temperature. It took five minutes before the burning started and ten more before it quit.
After pickup my gloves we set off to pick up the interceptor. Riding back home on the interceptor I determined that the front and rear breaks need A) new break pads and B) had to have the break cylinders rebuilt. But I made it home and all is well.
Also for any of you that have ridden in the rain, what is the deal with all the water funneling down to you crotch. It is so odd. You take off all you water proof gear and the crotch on you pants is just totally wet even if the rest of you is dry. It is bewildering and really difficult to explain to someone believably.
So you can imagine my dismay at the fact that I couldn't get it started again. I tired all the tricks that Ken had showed me to no avail. After about an hour of zero results, and with panic setting in, this grizzled old dude walks by and asks what the problem is. I explain I had had it running last week but now it is doing the same old thing, turning over but not catching. And he asks the first question anyone should ask when a bike won't start, "is the gas on?"
See, on a motorcycle, for reasons still not adequately explained to me, there is a switch on the gas tank that turn them on, off and to the reserve tank. The reserve tank is effectively that light that comes on in cars telling you that the car is almost out of gas. On a motorcycle you run till the bike dies, flip the switch to reserve and get your tail to a gas station (you usually have a gallon or two at that point). This is a really fun trick on a freeway as you are splitting lanes trying to pass semis on either side of you. Off has been a mystery to me, I suspect it is probably there to make taking off a gas tank less of a fuel splattering exercise. I dunno. In any case, a bike will not run, or maybe only run for a minute with the switch in the off position. Mine was in the off position. I turned it on, cranked it a couple of times and she roared back to life.
Great, it was running, I had all my gear packed and said my goodbyes, then I noticed the rain. Pouring rain, Portland rain, rain that you can feel in you bones isn't going to stop for the next week.
The plan had been I'd ride the GPZ home (the bike I had ridden to class) and Jackie would drop me back off at class to pick up the Interceptor. Now I would be taking two trips through the poring rain, something I had vowed I would never do. I was thinking of maybe just parking the interceptor in the parking lot and picking it up later in the evening in case the rain broke for a bit. Dave Miller recommended against it. He pointed out that campus was located in a very poor neighborhood with lots of homeless people, that a quarter mile away there was a scrap metal yard that bought metal for recycling and lastly, that my former piece of scrap metal could easily be rolled there.
To compound all my problems I had grabbed a new pair of gloves that I had bought at a garage sale that, on the way to school, I realized were way to small for my hands and which preventing me from really riding safely (e.g. being able to reach the breaks, etc.) So I mounted the GPZ in the pouring frigid rain and began my ride home. On the freeway it takes about ten minutes. However, while I was now breaking my vow to never ride in the rain there was no way I was getting on the freeway. I instead took the side roads. It took a half hour. By the time I got to Jackie's I couldn't feel my fingers enough to take off my helmet strap. I walked into the bathroom and filled the sink with what I hoped wasn't scalding water and just massaged my hands in there. I had to replace the water three times because my hands were cooling the water down room temperature. It took five minutes before the burning started and ten more before it quit.
After pickup my gloves we set off to pick up the interceptor. Riding back home on the interceptor I determined that the front and rear breaks need A) new break pads and B) had to have the break cylinders rebuilt. But I made it home and all is well.
Also for any of you that have ridden in the rain, what is the deal with all the water funneling down to you crotch. It is so odd. You take off all you water proof gear and the crotch on you pants is just totally wet even if the rest of you is dry. It is bewildering and really difficult to explain to someone believably.
An Ode to Ken(ji?)
In the last week of class I had managed to unbreak everything I had broken on the interceptor. I had also replaced all the fluids, filters, spark plugs, battery, etc. All was as it should be. Except when I pressed the START but, start it would not. Lots of click-click but no start. Same problem always. Then up walks Ken. You could hear the birds quiet down and the wind pick up for just a moment. Dark clouds began to form. "What seems to be the problem he whispered" eyeing the unsuspecting motorcycle with disgust. "It won't start" I replied plaintively. "Won't start? Let's see."
He took out the fuel filter and sprayed Carburetor cleaner in the intake port. Carb cleaner is like a commercial form of a Thermobaric weapon and the intake port is where the engine gets the air it is going to mix with gas. The mixture is then ignited by a spark plug.
By replacing the air in the normal mix with Carburetor cleaner what I imaged Ken had done was set the stage for a nice sized explosion, with the engine forming large chunks of shrapnel and myself supplied as the Darwin award recipient. "Hit START" Ken said. I reflected on my life, reflected on that one day when I should have let lust over power reason, took a deep breath and hit the button as I gunned the throttle. VRRRROOOOMMMMMMM!!! sez the engine. It is running loud an nasty but it is running. I was jubilant! The universe is Just! All is well in the world!
And then the engine dies and I was back in the emotional void that is my life.
Ken said, "Let me see a [spark] plug". "They are brand new", I tried to explain. His cold, dead eyes say no more. I looked down and muttered, "but they are brand new..." as grabed my tools and took one out. He looked them over and said, "Anti-Seize", handed it back to me and disappears as mysteriously as he appeared (and by 'disappeared' I of course mean walked to the other side of the room).
What had happened was, in my zeal to replace the spark plugs, I had smeared anti-seize grease all over the contact points of the spark plugs. Anti-seize is applied to the thread of a bolt to make sure that they don't lock in place, a serious problem with spark plugs as they heat an cool frequently. The contact points are where the spark forms on the spark plug. Thus fouled (ie, coated in anti-seize) they were only sparking erratically, not enough to cause the normal fuel-air mixture to ignite. Ken having added carb cleaner (very volatile and combustible) to the air supply, allowed the plugs to ignite the mixture and burn, thus running the motor. As the carb cleaner burnt off the engine returned to trying to burn air and fuel, failed and shut down.
After cleaning the spark plugs, the bike started up just fine, though a bit smoky. Actually much more that a bit. It was smoking so much that after a minute I started looking for fire. I cut the engine and asked Dave Miller if that was supposed to happen. He said for a bike that has been sitting it is pretty normal. The heat from the engine is burning off all the grease and oil that has built up externally on the bike. So I started it up and began to panic again and think, yeah maybe it is supposed to smoke a little but it was getting a little out of control. After checking with some of the older folks who concurred with Dave I took the bike outside so as not to pollute the inside of the building. After about half an hour all the grease burned off and it ran with no smoke.
All looks well for taking the bike how on the last day of class.
He took out the fuel filter and sprayed Carburetor cleaner in the intake port. Carb cleaner is like a commercial form of a Thermobaric weapon and the intake port is where the engine gets the air it is going to mix with gas. The mixture is then ignited by a spark plug.
By replacing the air in the normal mix with Carburetor cleaner what I imaged Ken had done was set the stage for a nice sized explosion, with the engine forming large chunks of shrapnel and myself supplied as the Darwin award recipient. "Hit START" Ken said. I reflected on my life, reflected on that one day when I should have let lust over power reason, took a deep breath and hit the button as I gunned the throttle. VRRRROOOOMMMMMMM!!! sez the engine. It is running loud an nasty but it is running. I was jubilant! The universe is Just! All is well in the world!
And then the engine dies and I was back in the emotional void that is my life.
Ken said, "Let me see a [spark] plug". "They are brand new", I tried to explain. His cold, dead eyes say no more. I looked down and muttered, "but they are brand new..." as grabed my tools and took one out. He looked them over and said, "Anti-Seize", handed it back to me and disappears as mysteriously as he appeared (and by 'disappeared' I of course mean walked to the other side of the room).
What had happened was, in my zeal to replace the spark plugs, I had smeared anti-seize grease all over the contact points of the spark plugs. Anti-seize is applied to the thread of a bolt to make sure that they don't lock in place, a serious problem with spark plugs as they heat an cool frequently. The contact points are where the spark forms on the spark plug. Thus fouled (ie, coated in anti-seize) they were only sparking erratically, not enough to cause the normal fuel-air mixture to ignite. Ken having added carb cleaner (very volatile and combustible) to the air supply, allowed the plugs to ignite the mixture and burn, thus running the motor. As the carb cleaner burnt off the engine returned to trying to burn air and fuel, failed and shut down.
After cleaning the spark plugs, the bike started up just fine, though a bit smoky. Actually much more that a bit. It was smoking so much that after a minute I started looking for fire. I cut the engine and asked Dave Miller if that was supposed to happen. He said for a bike that has been sitting it is pretty normal. The heat from the engine is burning off all the grease and oil that has built up externally on the bike. So I started it up and began to panic again and think, yeah maybe it is supposed to smoke a little but it was getting a little out of control. After checking with some of the older folks who concurred with Dave I took the bike outside so as not to pollute the inside of the building. After about half an hour all the grease burned off and it ran with no smoke.
All looks well for taking the bike how on the last day of class.
One Bolt
One bolt.
Problem: Rust inside the tank.
Options: A) replace or repair tank B) Mickey Mouse something until A) could be completed
Selection: B)
That pretty much involves replacing the fuel filter with a shiny new one and getting as much rust as feasible out of the tank. This involves filling it with gas, throwing some bolts in it and then shaking the living crap out of it. The bolts both dislodge the rust and, according to Lisa Duke, bind the rust to them to some degree. Since the tank already had old gas in it ("Hey Lisa how do you know if gas has gone bad", "You can smell it" "Yeah but what does it smell like if it is bad?", "Just smell it," "OMG what the hell is that crap" *retch, retch, retch* "Bad gas...what does OMG stand for?") I just added bolts and shook the living crap out of it, and then drained the gas out of it. Then there was the issue of the ten large bolts in the tank which would not shake out. Apparently in most old tanks the shape of the hole where you put the gas in would be not unlike a shape of a 2 liter bottle, thus turning the tank upside down would have lead to the bolts sliding out. Unfortunately the shape of that hole is engineered to prevent gas from sloshing out. Additionally it keeps bolts from easily exiting a gas tank. Rather than go into great detail, using a large magnet (Trevor you ain't never seen something like this) and a couple of small mechanics magnets (think a telescoping antenna with a magnet on the end) I managed to get all nine bolts out while inhaling vast quantities of gas vapors.
Lesson learned: Use option A) on newer gas tanks.
Problem: Rust inside the tank.
Options: A) replace or repair tank B) Mickey Mouse something until A) could be completed
Selection: B)
That pretty much involves replacing the fuel filter with a shiny new one and getting as much rust as feasible out of the tank. This involves filling it with gas, throwing some bolts in it and then shaking the living crap out of it. The bolts both dislodge the rust and, according to Lisa Duke, bind the rust to them to some degree. Since the tank already had old gas in it ("Hey Lisa how do you know if gas has gone bad", "You can smell it" "Yeah but what does it smell like if it is bad?", "Just smell it," "OMG what the hell is that crap" *retch, retch, retch* "Bad gas...what does OMG stand for?") I just added bolts and shook the living crap out of it, and then drained the gas out of it. Then there was the issue of the ten large bolts in the tank which would not shake out. Apparently in most old tanks the shape of the hole where you put the gas in would be not unlike a shape of a 2 liter bottle, thus turning the tank upside down would have lead to the bolts sliding out. Unfortunately the shape of that hole is engineered to prevent gas from sloshing out. Additionally it keeps bolts from easily exiting a gas tank. Rather than go into great detail, using a large magnet (Trevor you ain't never seen something like this) and a couple of small mechanics magnets (think a telescoping antenna with a magnet on the end) I managed to get all nine bolts out while inhaling vast quantities of gas vapors.
Lesson learned: Use option A) on newer gas tanks.
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