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Worked on some dude's 08 fireblade. He's the type of guy who buys a perfectly good bike for X amount, then throws the same amount of money at it to go faster instead of learning to ride a bit better.  Ohlins rear shock, ohlins inserts in the front, PC, insanely expensive adjustable rearsets, levers, adjustable quickshifter, crash knobs and case protectors out the wazoo, quick action throttle, braided lines et al It's the most technologically modern bike I've worked on and I was flabbergasted to discover that literally nothing holds the ignition coils in. They just sort of click into the top of the cam cover with a rubber o-ring holding them snug, no retaining bolt or anything of any description. He was also asking me about what it would take to re-grind the cams and put in 13:1 pistons. He's ridden it all of three times since buying the bloody thing 
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May 3, 2014 22:51
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It's a toy he's accessorizing. My dad told me about a guy he works with with a WRX. He took it to some shop all the way in Texas (1500 miles away probably) to get it kitted out with all the fancy poo poo people do to those and get it tuned up, I guess this was a WRX specialty shop. Well you talk to the guy and he'd never driven it over 85, never takes it to a drag strip or autocross, never even does a curvy Sunday ride. He has to drive in to the work parking lot in a second entrance at a silly angle and at 2 mph because of how low the thing is. Doesn't stop him from telling your all about it's 'theoretical 1/4 mile' and 0-60 and all of that. He's just more interested in accessorizing a fashion/status symbol than driving a car.
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May 3, 2014 23:11
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The worst part is he's a 21 year old university student with rich folks.
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May 3, 2014 23:15
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After putting it back together for the millionth time I took the FZR out for it's third test ride and magically nothing broke and it ran very well. It even stops without shaking the poo poo out of you now that I freed up the rotor buttons on the EBC rotors. A buddy of mine also made me a fork brace. The original wasn't very substantial compared to the new one...   Not bad for 20 minutes and a scrap bit of 1/2in. aluminum. He offered to clean it up and let me powder coat it but it's way too loving hot to be messing around with an oven today.
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May 4, 2014 00:34
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I added some heated grips. I know it's only a month or two before the weather here improves and I won't need them, but right now (and probably for the next 4-6 weeks) it's raining and dreary and cold. Heated handgrips 4eva.
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May 4, 2014 04:09
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Slavvy posted:It's the most technologically modern bike I've worked on and I was flabbergasted to discover that literally nothing holds the ignition coils in. They just sort of click into the top of the cam cover with a rubber o-ring holding them snug, no retaining bolt or anything of any description.
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May 4, 2014 14:30
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That blows my mind because no car manufacturer would ever do that because it's insane. I guess because bike engines have an entire 200kg bike as a vibration damper there's no risk of them popping out. Also couldn't believe how tiny they were.
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May 4, 2014 21:38
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Changed my chain and front sprocket.  Back sprocket was okayish and the bolts was stuck from years of crap so I left it for now. I need to get me some spare bolts, drat hex bolts probably need to be cut off with a dremel to get off. Supradog fucked around with this message at 21:58 on May 4, 2014 |
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May 4, 2014 21:54
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I got a new thing! I looooooooove it. It solves every single thing that has bugged me about my old CL350 and adds nothing else that I don't want to the mix. It's almost exactly the same size as the old bike, just as narrow, and only about 25 pounds heavier. It's got torque out of everywhere, its brakes inspire confidence, its handling is such that I finally understand what people mean when they say a bike is "flickable", it sounds otherworldly when opened up and quiets down to nothing at idle, it lopes along at 4000rpm on the highway, and aside from those two dings on the exhaust there is literally not a single mark or ding or crack on the bike anywhere. It sounds like a Ducati (but there's not a single Italian part on it!) and it looks ridiculously cool and it's just a fan-loving-tastic bike. I still have feelings for that old CL that I've put so much of myself into over the last couple of years but I gotta say drat is this ever a finely put together machine.
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May 5, 2014 03:07
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Imagine how you'll feel when you ride a modern bike  That is really great, I've gotten very close to buying one two or three times. Really timeless styling and an awesome engine. The dent in the header would drive me insane, though. edit: vvvvvvv pretty much that, as well. Slavvy fucked around with this message at 07:15 on May 5, 2014 |
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May 5, 2014 04:15
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Your first ride on a real bike is going to be summed up as 
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May 5, 2014 05:43
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Changed the oil in my 919 after neglecting to at the start of the season. While inspecting the air filter I discovered that the PO had replaced the OE filter with a K&N so I went ahead and cleaned that too. Sprockets and chain got cleaned and lubed. While working on the bike I noticed the rear tire was flat. Caught a tiny loving screw in a Pirelli Angel GT that has maybe 2000 miles on it. I plugged it but I don't feel so confident about it. I'd feel a lot more confident with a patch but I can't find anyone that will do it due to "liability". I'm just gonna roll the dice. I can't swallow replacing that tire already. The screw got caught right in the middle of the tread in one of the depressions so it's in a pretty good place. Also installed a 12v outlets. I have a cheapo phone case mounted to my handlebars so it's going to be nice to use my phone for navigation and as a speedometer. The Ulysses Speedometer app for android has a really nifty dash that I like. It is so nice to work and maintain a vehicle with no problems. gently caress cars. After spending an entire weekend loving around with numerous issues on a Volvo 240 and going back to maintain the bike I never want to work on a car again. Coming up this summer the bike is going to need a sprockets and a chain. Probably a valve adjustment. That's it. And that's awesome.
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May 5, 2014 10:49
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Supradog posted:Changed my chain and front sprocket. Put a hex screwdriver on it, use one hand to put torque on the bolt (like you are going to turn it) and bang a hammer on the end of your driver with the other hand.
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May 5, 2014 10:51
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Aka the poor man's impact driver.
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May 5, 2014 11:42
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Yeah, I got an impact driver, just getting some spare bolts first for when I inevitably gently caress one of them up.
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May 5, 2014 12:36
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That's a real good choice actually.
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May 5, 2014 13:34
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Rode it part way to work then when it died on me pushed it to a safe spot, walked home to get the car with trailer, brought it back to the house. I'll deal with it later, was not a good morning. 2008 WR250X fine then pulled in the clutch to downshift and it died. Bump starting didn't work. Was able to get it to start and idle a couple times but any throttle input and it would die. Battery should be fine, was ridden a couple days ago and cranking fine. Plenty of gas so I'm starting with the spark plug then going from there.
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May 5, 2014 13:42
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I've been gathering parts for fixing stuff up on my bike and getting it ready for a road trip in July. Luckily, one of my co-workers is a bike mechanic and was bringing stuff up I wouldn't have otherwise thought of. My wheel bearings are hosed and should've been replaced a long time ago. Got a new clutch kit in the mail, too. When everything comes in, I'll spend my day off replacing the air filter, brake lines, bearings, and rear brake caliper seals. New tires are in the near future too.
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May 5, 2014 16:47
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Ephphatha posted:In my continuing adventures of loving up basic maintenance I changed the oil in the drz last week. I realised after filling the bike up that I dropped the washer from the frame drain plug and put the bolt back in without it. Figured it'd be good enough and ignored it but found I was slowly leaking oil from around that plug. So I got to drain the oil, put a new washer on the bolt and refit it, then put the oil that I managed to catch in clean containers back into the bike. I then got to spend an hour scrubbing up all the oil I spilt all over the garage floor because I tried to use two 700ml containers to hold 1.7L of oil. Vacuum cleaner sucking on the fill port. Won't suck out oil and it also won't let the oil drain.
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May 6, 2014 00:58
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Welded up some new toe holds for the racing sidecar today. And swapped final drives for taller gearing, reshimmed the rear wheel bearings, drilled and safety wired a bunch of bolts, welded spring loops to an exhaust pipe joint. Then ran the race cb350 on the dyno a few times with 40 degrees BTDC full ignition advance and got totally contradictory results. Dyno says everything's running too rich, spark plugs look too lean. Right side cylinder reads leaner than left, mostly off idle, yet runs 15 degrees colder than the left. Also holy gently caress those bikes are loud.
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May 6, 2014 02:43
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Rev. Dr. Moses P. Lester posted:That's a real good choice actually. Thanks, yeah, it feels like absolutely the perfect bike for me. Part of the reason I decided to buy it was your post some number of months ago when I first asked about Hawk GTs where you basically said "they're great bikes, buy one" and after riding it I couldn't agree more. Everything about it just feels so right. Also I have never had a disc brake before so the little *bpbpbpbpbppbpbpbpbpbpbpbpbpb* sound of the holes passing by the pads when you slow down is currently fascinating to me. Also also, what does the race CB350 look like now? Did you ever get that totally rad custom paint scheme dealt with?
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May 6, 2014 06:38
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Sagebrush posted:Thanks, yeah, it feels like absolutely the perfect bike for me. Part of the reason I decided to buy it was your post some number of months ago when I first asked about Hawk GTs where you basically said "they're great bikes, buy one" and after riding it I couldn't agree more. Everything about it just feels so right. I know you get this a lot and I realise that most of it is just people being idiots but you seriously owe it to yourself to try riding practically any design from the last decade. When I went from my then-newest bike being from 1993 (and designed in the 80's) to a bike first produced in 2001 my head exploded. I don't mean from a performance standpoint, just the general progress-marches-on aspects.
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May 6, 2014 07:37
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Other than the additional power, why? What great advances in average motorcycle technology have there been since 1988 that I, someone who doesn't race or even ride particularly hard, would notice? I certainly know about the reliability and safety features like ABS and fuel injection but I don't think those are something you'd feel on a day to day basis. I'm serious about this. It's not like I'm comparing this to a modern 600 supersport or a literbike or something; those are a totally different category and I'm sure they're mind-blowing but they aren't what I'm interested in. What would I find in a current SV650 or CBR500R or Ninja 650 that would be vastly different? e: basically if we remove the track razors from the equation I'm honestly not sure how the "feel" of a motorbike has changed much from what you have to admit was a futuristic design in the late 80s to the average sport standard today. But I am not saying this to refute you, but literally because I don't know what has changed for the average person. The only thing I've ridden that was built in the last decade, other than a TW200 at the MSF, was an electric motorcycle that was narrow and torquey with stiff suspension and actually felt quite a lot like this Hawk. Sagebrush fucked around with this message at 07:51 on May 6, 2014 |
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May 6, 2014 07:44
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Dual disc brakes, cartridge forks, rear monoshocks that actually work, steering/swingarm geometry that has more thought put into it than just 'will it fit around the engine', efi, grippy radial tyres, headlights that don't suck, gearboxes that don't feel like a ladle in a bucket of gravel, alloy frames that are simultaneously stiffer, lighter and stronger, ergonomics that let you both ride more comfortably and corner more confidently, I'm sure there's more that I can't think of straight away. None of these things seem like they make that much of a difference in isolation but when you combine them all the difference is lightyears. And I saw your unedited post  you bet your arse you feel efi on a daily basis when it's a cold muggy day and the bike starts perfectly and gives no fucks (unless it's twisto's aprilia) rather than you having to do a special ritualised dance to summon the choke gods so your journey is blessed with a bike that runs. This goes double for ABS which can turn a low-speed retard drop that fucks your nice bike and your day to a near-miss that has you on your merry way without a scratch. edit: oh, and, my example bike from 1993 was a VFR400 NC30 which was even more technologically advanced than your hawk at the time and I was still boggled when I rode a modern bike. Everything felt smoother, tighter, more precise. Slavvy fucked around with this message at 07:55 on May 6, 2014 |
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May 6, 2014 07:51
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You just can't let me enjoy this thing huh. Radial tires? Headlights? What do you think this is, a scooter from 1955 or something? It has proper modern tires and a halogen lamp. I know what a "ladle in a bucket of gravel" shifting feels like, too, because that's the way it is on my CL, and this new bike sure doesn't have that. And I doubt that a modern CBR500 or whatever would have more thought put into the suspension than the nice little ELF logo on the swingarm here. I know that the shock "should" be upgraded but I have to think there's a reason that people seem rabidly devoted to these little bikes. I just post that I'm in love with the thing, giving no shits about whether it's some dickwaving superbike, and you gotta pop out and be all "excuse me, but actually,  "Jeez. Sagebrush fucked around with this message at 08:08 on May 6, 2014 |
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May 6, 2014 08:04
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Don't get me wrong, they're wonderful bikes and it's great that you got one. I'm just saying that you owe it to yourself to have a go on something newer. People are rabidly devoted to NC30's as well but I'm under no illusions as to their qualities. If I could have any bike I wanted as a simple commuter the hawk would be very high on the list, I still regret not getting one. FWIW I rate them higher than the SV650, the problem is that there's no such thing as a Hawk GT less than ten years old. Not trying to rain on your parade at all
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May 6, 2014 08:28
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I'm going to be doing the opposite here shortly, and going from a modern, EFI, reasonably well sorted bike to the height of 1970s technology when my buddy brings over the Goldwing I'm getting from him this Wednesday. Will post a trip report on how hilariously archaic it feels once I get it cleaned up enough to ride on the street, maybe do some direct A/B testing between the two. Last time I rode a bike this old was the ancient husky we had on my granddad's farm as a kid.
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May 6, 2014 08:46
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Slavvy posted:I know you get this a lot and I realise that most of it is just people being idiots but you seriously owe it to yourself to try riding practically any design from the last decade.
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May 6, 2014 13:35
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A bike that starts up with one single button-press, without all the randomly reenforced voodoo choke magic? That's worth a lot in and of itself.
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May 6, 2014 13:53
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In sagebrush's defense, those hawks had some of the best handling for their generation, they didnt have odd sized rims so they can take modern rubber. And properly set up carbs require very little choke fiddling. I'd say the biggest changes would be power and suspension - there's a huge difference between damping rod forks ( which are essential backwards in how the damping works from how you want it to be ) and cartridge forks. Oh, and brakes. Cant describe how good true one finger brakes are.
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May 6, 2014 14:54
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The difference from my pregen 2007 Ninjette to my 2007 FZ6 is absolutely staggering. The bikes are technically the same year, but the Ninja design is essentially unchanged since 1984. The fuel injection is easily the best part. I can't tell you how loving infuriating it was to fiddle with that stupid choke, petcock, etc. when it was cold out, and honestly even when it was warm. The ability to whip the FZ6 around even at low speeds is great, much more confidence when leaning in the twistys, braking with 4 piston, dual caliper brembos is a whole new thing. Now this is comparing two bikes of the same age with different eras of technology, I can't imagine a bike from the early 90's that has has another 15 years of wear and tear in addition to the lack of tech.. Don't get me wrong, you should absolutely enjoy the poo poo out of the hawk, because the next step up will be that much more mindblowing. I'm extremely glad I had a super slow carbed 250 for my first bike, because I enjoy my FZ6 that much more.
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May 6, 2014 15:06
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Z3n posted:In sagebrush's defense, those hawks had some of the best handling for their generation, they didnt have odd sized rims so they can take modern rubber. And properly set up carbs require very little choke fiddling. I'd say the biggest changes would be power and suspension - there's a huge difference between damping rod forks ( which are essential backwards in how the damping works from how you want it to be ) and cartridge forks. Doesn't the hawk have an 18" rear wheel? IIRC the swingarm is basically identical to an NC30 but I never saw anyone stick a hawk rear wheel on an NC30, which would be all the rage if they were 17". I know it's nitpicky but it seriously limits you to like three different tyres and one of them sucks rear end. Cartridge forks x1000, the difference is phenomenal. In my experience, the fiddlyness of carbs is proportionate to the size of the engine; big bikes react to small inconsistencies much less than tiny bikes. Which makes sense.
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May 6, 2014 23:17
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Nah, a 17 x 4 inch rear rim. The swingarm is similar to the NC35, not the NC30, iirc. The front is a narrower size (2.5 inches) but that'll still fit a 110/70 so no big deal. It's not exactly ideal sizes, but it's close enough. Clearly what you need to do here sagebrush is swap a modern front end on your hawk. 
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May 6, 2014 23:24
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Yeaaah I don't wanna put a new front end on. The mismatched wheels (and the need to replace the speedometer with some totally inappropriate digital thing) would drive me completely insane. I might look for some cartridge emulators and the Penske rear shock down the line, maybe, but for now I'm not touching anything.
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May 6, 2014 23:29
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You could swap the front and keep the stock wheel/speedo through a combination of spacer trickery and adapter plates. Also while you're at it, you could swap to a Brembo front caliper... Also I have never understood why the exhaust is always on the side that the SSA is on...it should be on the other side! Swap EVERYTHING!
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May 6, 2014 23:31
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Stuff that I can do without significantly changing the look of the bike is OK with me. A better front caliper would be a fine upgrade, though I'm still totally happy with the power of these discs. Consider that I'm coming from a bike where I've literally found myself in a "welp, this is as fast as this bike can slow down, time to start steering out of the way" situation more than a few times. I assume they put the exhaust on the right to make the bike look more balanced. I get the feeling that the designers got a lot of freedom with this model -- for instance, why on earth would you design a fuel tank angled such that it needs a pump to raise the fuel up to carburetor level unless you were doing it cause it looks totally sleek and perfect that way? I've seen a few Hawks with the exhaust rerouted to the left, and while it opens the wheel up like a racer, it does make the bike visually weighted to that side. Yes: rear shock, tires, cartridge emulators, rotors, calipers No: front end swap, tail fuckery, wheels, gauges, etc.
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May 6, 2014 23:45
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Z3n posted:Nah, a 17 x 4 inch rear rim. The swingarm is similar to the NC35, not the NC30, iirc. The front is a narrower size (2.5 inches) but that'll still fit a 110/70 so no big deal. It's not exactly ideal sizes, but it's close enough. Interesting, I never knew that!
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May 6, 2014 23:54
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Yeah, I get that. I actually saw one cruising around Saturday night and it looked pretty sweet, thought it might be you but yours has a supertrapp and that one was all stock with smoked turn signals. I just have this sickness where anything that's too close to me for too long ends up getting torn apart and grafted to whtever else is closest. It's a problem.
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May 6, 2014 23:55
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I don't know, being the Dr. Frankenstein of bikes seems pretty cool to me.
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May 7, 2014 00:07
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Please park a Harley next to a Ducati for science.
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May 7, 2014 00:10
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