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Z3n posted:God I've got a hole box of fuses upstairs then! The jokes write themselves.
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Feb 20, 2010 03:27
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So first ride of the year and have good news to report on the vibrating handle issue. Things are vastly improved now that everything is dialed in. On my ride home though I noticed that my tail light only lights on braking. Its not lit up as a running light. Being that its dark and living in an apartment I'll have to look closer in the morning but I was thinking perhaps someone here would know where best to start looking. Its an 86 Katana. I don't think its a double bulb setup but I haven't had need to change the bulb since owning it so I am not sure. Fuses maybe but I would have thought the tail light to be on a single fuse; so either working or not working. Any thoughts oh wise goons?
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Feb 20, 2010 05:43
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Bucephalus posted:The jokes write themselves.  Shipwrek, it's probably just a single burned out filament in a dual filament bulb. Replace and ride 
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Feb 20, 2010 07:43
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If I were to update my clutch (which I've felt slipping a little), can I get away with the friction plates andthe springs, or do I need to add the clutch plates to that list as well?
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Feb 20, 2010 18:21
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so is it bad that I just let my registration expire instead of paying the smaller fee that says I won't ride it? I finally stopped being lazy and got it running right so I can sell it, but it's been expired for like 6 months. Is it enough of a pain to re-register that people will avoid it? edit: uh, should probably mention that I'm in California. Watommi fucked around with this message at 23:56 on Feb 20, 2010 |
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Feb 20, 2010 23:07
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So it was finally nice enough and I had time to work on the bike a little bit today. It looks like my battery is toast, and either the starter relay or starter motor is on it's way out. Every now and then I'll hear the relay click and the starter will turn the motor over. Most of the time I'll just hear a click from the relay and nothing. (Using a car battery obviously) The service manual said to then hook power straight up to the starter itself to see if it's the relay or the motor, which I was about to do when I noticed a bit of gas leaking. Thank god I noticed the smell and checked, I don't want to burn my bike down! I started pulling off the fairings to figure out where the leak was coming from, I pulled off the vacuum line from the petcock and gas starts pouring out of it. Quite a bit, actually. Old bikes can be such a pain in the rear end  Requesting an explanation of how a vacuum operated petcock works. blugu64 fucked around with this message at 00:16 on Feb 21, 2010 |
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Feb 21, 2010 00:13
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Watommi posted:so is it bad that I just let my registration expire instead of paying the smaller fee that says I won't ride it? I finally stopped being lazy and got it running right so I can sell it, but it's been expired for like 6 months. Is it enough of a pain to re-register that people will avoid it? Buying a vehicle without current registration isn't too big a pain in the rear end unless it's been expired a long time. It may make it harder to sell though. As a buyer I'd assume the seller doesn't care about the bike and proll'y hasn't treated it well. From a confidence perspective, it's part of the difference between buying a bike and a basket case. That may not be your situation, mind you, just the impression I've always had of expired title sales.
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Feb 21, 2010 01:59
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Watommi posted:so is it bad that I just let my registration expire instead of paying the smaller fee that says I won't ride it? I finally stopped being lazy and got it running right so I can sell it, but it's been expired for like 6 months. Is it enough of a pain to re-register that people will avoid it? Getting it registered is pretty painless, when I did mine I just told the lady at the DMV I wanted to register this bike under my name, gave her the title, got charged $200 and that was that. They will be liable for any fees and penalties though, so that might influence how much someone wants to pay. Also, it is illegal to park something that is not registered on public streets in California.
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Feb 21, 2010 03:42
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blugu64 posted:
A valve open when it gets sucked on, end of explanation. It might be that varnish and crud has jammed it open, but more likely it's just broken and you need a new petcock. They can be a bit expensive, but there's nothing like the feeling of turning a new one.
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Feb 21, 2010 11:28
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Or just get a petcock repair kit. They are usually less than twenty bucks and come with a replacement diaphragm, rubber bits, and o-rings. Just note how everthing comes apart and pay attention to where the slot faces. I buy mine from http://www.z1enterprises.com
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Feb 21, 2010 17:33
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Does anyone have a guide to help me paint my gas tank+rear seat cowlings? I tried and it didn't work out and I'm getting different guides from google searches.
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Feb 22, 2010 06:41
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I should probably write that up sometime. Most of the trick is your prep work, and keeping the stuff clean as you work. And a lot of the process is boring drudge work.
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Feb 22, 2010 07:00
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Near as I can tell, there are three rules to good painting. 1. Paint is 90% prep work. If your sanding, cleaning and priming aren't up to snuff, the final finish will not come out nicely. Imperfections are amplified by paint, so the better your base, the better the finish. 2. Go lightly. You could save time by doing it in one heavy coat, but then runs and drips are what you get. It's far easier to put many, light coats then having to strip and repaint. Hell, when I was doing my frame, I ended with eight coats of primer on it before I was satisfied. 3. Take your time. Obey your drying and recoat times, lest terrible things happen. And pick up a piece of metal to practice on. Hell, something like a shovel would work, just work until you can get a good finish on it, than try the real thing.
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Feb 22, 2010 07:19
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Yeah my dad and I rushed it. My tank and cowling paid the price It's not messed up or anything but we're going to have to sand it and start over.
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Feb 22, 2010 07:56
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Chairon posted:2. Go lightly. You could save time by doing it in one heavy coat, but then runs and drips are what you get. It's far easier to put many, light coats then having to strip and repaint. Hell, when I was doing my frame, I ended with eight coats of primer on it before I was satisfied. Adjust your gun and do test sprays on a piece of draped paper. Touch the trigger once, and you should get a very even cigar shape that fades consistently with no speckling. When painting, get a light and shine it at the tank (cowling), and view from an angle--this way you can see exactly where you're painting and how wet you're spraying. Prep work is pretty much the whole job. Spray on different colors of primer so you can see high and low areas while sanding. You can spray a very light layer on top to especially see areas that are too high and low. Start out with a heavier grit sandpaper, and work up to the paint spec. I can't stress this enough: use a paint system and stick to it. It doesn't really matter what it is, but manufacturers spend millions of dollars on research and development of this stuff, it's meant to work with the products it was designed to work with. Using PPG Deltron basecoat? Use PPG Deltron clear, catalyst, and reducer as well. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS. Make sure you wear gloves before each coat, and clean it down with paint prep. A single fingerprint can gently caress with the paint. Dolphin fucked around with this message at 08:28 on Feb 22, 2010 |
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Feb 22, 2010 08:15
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What do you mean by clear coat needs to go on wet? The only problem we had was the clear coat. We put it on a bit thick in some spots and it ran so we let it dry then sanded it down again and repainted. Problem is why didn't fully dry it or something and the paint bubbled up and cracked in a few areas.
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Feb 22, 2010 08:37
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Whiteboy posted:What do you mean by clear coat needs to go on wet? The only problem we had was the clear coat. We put it on a bit thick in some spots and it ran so we let it dry then sanded it down again and repainted. Problem is why didn't fully dry it or something and the paint bubbled up and cracked in a few areas. If the paint is bubbling up, it generally means you've contaminated the surface somehow. Those cracks you're talking about (if I'm assuming correctly about what you mean) is a sign of the paint lifting, which is due to lack of adhesion. Always wear gloves and lightly degrease the surface before every coat. Also, like I said, make sure all your products are designed to work with each other. If you get runs, you don't necessarily have to start over. If otherwise the paint is applied correctly, after drying you can usually wet sand clear with 1500-2000 grit sandpaper and rub it out with polishing compound. If you break through the clear coat you'll have to start over though--careful around the edges! Dolphin fucked around with this message at 08:53 on Feb 22, 2010 |
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Feb 22, 2010 08:50
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Yeah we actually did wetsand it to smooth it down but we don't have a polisher to make it nice and smooth. After sanding it down with the fine grit sandpaper we tried to do another clear coat. That's how we got the peeling and such. This whole thing is a terrific learning experience, but one stressful enough to make me want to never do it again.
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Feb 22, 2010 09:11
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What about when you paint a bike matte? Are there matte clearcoats?
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Feb 22, 2010 10:22
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Looking at getting some new sport touring tires for the F2, 120/60/17 front 160/60/17 rear, I mainly do commuting riding, so a tire with good life is fairly important, as is general all purpose use, I ride in the rain occasionally. I am thinking of the Michelin Pilot Road 2 http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/28/394/10985/ITEM/Michelin-Pilot-Road-2-Front-Tire.aspx Or possibly the Pirelli Sport Angels http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/28/396/23638/ITEM/Pirelli-Angel-Sport-Touring-Front-Tire.aspx Any ideas on what would be best? All tires that i'm looking at seem to be roughly the same price, and i'm guessing it doesn't really matter too much since they're all great tires these days.
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Feb 22, 2010 11:30
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Go the Pilots.
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Feb 22, 2010 11:52
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I've got Pilot Road 2 (dual compound) on my Pegaso. Compared to the old squared off Pirelli Diablos that came off, it's night and day. The bike leans in really easy but feels really linear throughout the lean angle. Masses of grip, and in a wet cold emergency stop, the tires didn't lock up at all.
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Feb 22, 2010 11:54
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infraboy posted:Looking at getting some new sport touring tires for the F2, 120/60/17 front 160/60/17 rear, I mainly do commuting riding, so a tire with good life is fairly important, as is general all purpose use, I ride in the rain occasionally. Can't go wrong with either, go for what's best pricewise.
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Feb 22, 2010 18:13
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ari.gato posted:What about when you paint a bike matte? Are there matte clearcoats?
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Feb 22, 2010 18:19
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Dolphin posted:They make matte clearcoats, and they make flattening agents for clearcoats. Thing is, if you're gonna paint it matte, you might as well go with a single stage. I'm retarded. What does "a single stage" mean?
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Feb 22, 2010 21:05
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Color and Gloss are in one coat, as opposed to a flat base + a glossy clearcoat.
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Feb 22, 2010 21:10
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If you're going with flat black, spray on bedliner is even easier. Clean -> Sand -> Clean -> 1st coat -> 2nd coat. As a bonus, the stuff is super rugged and paint repair consists of a quick spray. http://faq.ninja250.org/index.php?title=Why_truck_bedliner_is_the_best_paint_for_your_bike&redirect=no&printable=yes&printable=yes To all their own though. edit: I was able to do all of my fairings and my tank in one day, it looks great. Admittedly I need to touch up a few bits, but it's short work nonetheless.
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Feb 22, 2010 21:13
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ari.gato posted:I'm retarded. What does "a single stage" mean? Over simplified it means all-in-one paint. Removes the need for base coat/clear coat. For the most straight forward simple paint I have done my last two bikes with tremclad metal/rust matte paint. Cheap, tough as nails and available everywhere. Still have to do several light coats and all the prep work! Those cannot be skipped!  
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Feb 22, 2010 21:17
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shipwrek posted:Over simplified it means all-in-one paint. Removes the need for base coat/clear coat. For the most straight forward simple paint I have done my last two bikes with tremclad metal/rust matte paint. Cheap, tough as nails and available everywhere. Still have to do several light coats and all the prep work! Those cannot be skipped! Excellent. Thanks for the info and nice job on your tank.
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Feb 22, 2010 21:28
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Question: is Rustoleum ok to use? I'm balls deep in a gas tank patch job for a 1980 Honda CB 650 and all I need to do is match the almost-glossy black that covers the rest of the bike.
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Feb 22, 2010 21:35
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MrKatharsis posted:Question: is Rustoleum ok to use? I'm balls deep in a gas tank patch job for a 1980 Honda CB 650 and all I need to do is match the almost-glossy black that covers the rest of the bike. I have used Rustoleum a couple times and didn't care for it as much mostly because I find it doesn't stand up to getting gas spilled on it as well as the Tremclad. Doesn't melt off or anything but etches a little.
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Feb 22, 2010 21:44
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Dubs posted:
Q2, I pulled my fairings today and found some evidence of fuel in my airbox. What causes this to suddenly appear after nearly 2 years of use? I checked it not long ago. Somebody loving with the throttle and flooding it while parked? Flooded start? Backfire on start? crazy lean carb settings all of a sudden? petcock stuck open?  edit: like this. Dubs fucked around with this message at 10:43 on Feb 23, 2010 |
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Feb 23, 2010 10:31
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How do people go about doing work on your bikes when you don't have a garage? For example I live in a townhouse in inner city Sydney, I park on the street and do not have rear lane access to my backyard. If I want to get the bike into the backyard I'd have to attempt to get it through the front gate, up the stairs (only one or two) to the front door, then wheel it through the house to the backyard. Do I just find a friend who has space I could use (none come to mind as they all live in the inner city too) or just go to a local park and set up shop in the carpark, or just pay someone else to do it?
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Feb 23, 2010 11:53
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Aargh posted:How do people go about doing work on your bikes when you don't have a garage? For example I live in a townhouse in inner city Sydney, I park on the street and do not have rear lane access to my backyard. If I want to get the bike into the backyard I'd have to attempt to get it through the front gate, up the stairs (only one or two) to the front door, then wheel it through the house to the backyard. Do I just find a friend who has space I could use (none come to mind as they all live in the inner city too) or just go to a local park and set up shop in the carpark, or just pay someone else to do it? How big is your living room? When I bought the SV I was stuck in an apartment that didn't allow people to work on cars in the lot. I put down some cardboard and wheeled the bike inside.
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Feb 23, 2010 14:03
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Aargh posted:How do people go about doing work on your bikes when you don't have a garage? For example I live in a townhouse in inner city Sydney, I park on the street and do not have rear lane access to my backyard. If I want to get the bike into the backyard I'd have to attempt to get it through the front gate, up the stairs (only one or two) to the front door, then wheel it through the house to the backyard. Do I just find a friend who has space I could use (none come to mind as they all live in the inner city too) or just go to a local park and set up shop in the carpark, or just pay someone else to do it? minor stuff like chain lubing, washing, installing bits like ram mounts or whatever I do in the street, otherwise I put it in the shop for anything else.
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Feb 23, 2010 14:11
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Aargh posted:How do people go about doing work on your bikes when you don't have a garage? For example I live in a townhouse in inner city Sydney, I park on the street and do not have rear lane access to my backyard. If I want to get the bike into the backyard I'd have to attempt to get it through the front gate, up the stairs (only one or two) to the front door, then wheel it through the house to the backyard. Do I just find a friend who has space I could use (none come to mind as they all live in the inner city too) or just go to a local park and set up shop in the carpark, or just pay someone else to do it? I work at a university and work on my bike in the carpark on the weekends. No one is around and I doubt anyone would care if they were. Obviously you are going to have some limitations working on it in a space that you do not control. However, simple stuff like oil change, chain lube, etc is easy enough. Find a parking lot that is only used m-f and set up shop for a few hours on a sunday morning when no one is out and about.
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Feb 23, 2010 14:38
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Dubs posted:Q2, Fuel spills running down the tank and hitting the filter?
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Feb 23, 2010 16:11
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ohwandernearer posted:I work at a university and work on my bike in the carpark on the weekends. No one is around and I doubt anyone would care if they were. Obviously you are going to have some limitations working on it in a space that you do not control. However, simple stuff like oil change, chain lube, etc is easy enough. Find a parking lot that is only used m-f and set up shop for a few hours on a sunday morning when no one is out and about. My Uni had a policy of no working on anything that involved fluids. So changing brake pads was ok, but changing oil wasn't. The guys were pretty nice about it though.
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Feb 23, 2010 17:25
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Aargh posted:How do people go about doing work on your bikes when you don't have a garage? For example I live in a townhouse in inner city Sydney, I park on the street and do not have rear lane access to my backyard. If I want to get the bike into the backyard I'd have to attempt to get it through the front gate, up the stairs (only one or two) to the front door, then wheel it through the house to the backyard. Do I just find a friend who has space I could use (none come to mind as they all live in the inner city too) or just go to a local park and set up shop in the carpark, or just pay someone else to do it? I just do it and apologize later, or find a friend. (sklnd)
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Feb 23, 2010 18:03
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| # ? May 22, 2024 00:48 |
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Aargh posted:How do people go about doing work on your bikes when you don't have a garage? For example I live in a townhouse in inner city Sydney, I park on the street and do not have rear lane access to my backyard. If I want to get the bike into the backyard I'd have to attempt to get it through the front gate, up the stairs (only one or two) to the front door, then wheel it through the house to the backyard. Do I just find a friend who has space I could use (none come to mind as they all live in the inner city too) or just go to a local park and set up shop in the carpark, or just pay someone else to do it? My first apt in L.A. didn't have off street parking so I had to work on the street. It's a bit frustrating at first, but pretty soon you build yourself a mobile toolkit and get pretty good at it. The more complex stuff can be a bit more time consuming, but like everyone else said, the basics: brakes, chain lube/clean, etc isn't a problem. For the bigger jobs, I'd follow Z3n's advice. Find a M-F parking lot and setup shop for the afternoon. It's even more fun when you have friends who ride so you can make a day of it.
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Feb 23, 2010 18:14
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