Bike maintanence VIDEOS for dummies

[srileo]

Ok, after having had to 911 Srinath (may his tribe increase) again to look at my malfuncitoning carbs, i figured its time for a real eddikation and learn to do my own bike maintanence.  Due to various un-named mental physical emotional, temporal, financial and psychological handicaps, I have figured out that i am not a "natural" mechanic beyond checking air pressure and a few other visual diagnostics. Lack of tools, space and alternate transportation are other factors in not being able to do my own wrenching currently.

However, i am a firm believer in Technology While i HATE reading manuals (am i dyslexic?) I think Video based instructions are a great way of learning. Does any one have a bead on some good bike maintanence videos?  I have found a couple of links a while ago:

http://www.rirvideos.com/

http://www.motorcycle-video.com/pages/motorcyclevideolibrary.html

The latter is especially interesting, and if anyone can make DVD/Cd/vhs copies, i would be happy to split costs with you.  What about a floating library of these vids?....

I also ordered a Clymer via this site. Hopefully that might be a good starting point.....

dumb and dumberer
sri

[cay]

Interesting idea.  Although I'm loathe to volunteer work for other people, it's possible that some folks might be interested in filming their repair escapades.  I know Kerry for one seems pretty handy with a digital camera, maybe someone should drop a DV camera in his hands and see what happens.  

C

[jag69]

Excellent idea !!!! I second that!!!!  I would definitely buy a video.  I hope Kerry, Seshadri, and all the other GS500 gurus consider this.

[The Buddha]

OK I am usually waaaay to dirty to handle camera when making or working on stuff, now my wife takes pics, but I cant have her out for hours together... filming me... cos she is also taking care of the baby.
Cool.
Srinath.

[srileo]

I'm glad the ball is rolling. I can deflintely help with video capture from DV tape to VHS and can edit and mix the video professionally and compress it to DVD/CD whathaveyou for distribution.  I would be very glad to pay for such a video from the gurus here. Proceeds can go to the author and or the site.

Srinath's concern is quite well founded. Its a chore to work while shooting. However, i think there are a few alternatives like this: http://www.helmetcamera.com/

Our lab was experimenting with a spycam and it was a tiny monochrome thingy. barely $60 and it could record wirelessly. (no audio though)  I am sure it could be fitted on to a cap. I'll dig around some more and let you know. There's got to be a way.  

Sri (the other sri)

[jag69]

This is great !  If I can help in anyway "$" let me know.

[srileo]

http://www.surveillance-spy-cameras.com/cmos-cameras.htm

Ok, these are the cameras i was talking about.  They record wirelessly (1000ft ) to a reciever that can be hooked up to any old VCR. The one our lab has is a B&W which is plenty adequate for our purposes. Audio though, needs to be worked around.

Ok, so it costs around $150. I can spring for upto $30 on my own. Any ideas of fund-raising/collective ownership?

Sri

[jag69]

I do not have a problem donating $.  The money saved by working on my bike would be well worth it.  Now we just have to have the GSTWIN mechanics .... maybe a collaberation  ...... (Kerry, Seshadri, ex gs owner pantablo, JeffD, dgyver, scratch, ... anyone else listening?)

[The Buddha]

OK I'll try it... however I dunno when my GS is comming apart next... the damn thing isn't working right on the choke right now, but I am determined to squeeze it till its time to do valves again... and BTW generic bike repair pics ... my eli 9 has the head and clyminders off right now... Here is the link.
http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/seshadrisrinath/album?.dir=/6782&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos
However for GS specific pics/video... we should start with people that have GS'es they are rebuilding... Goat, JamesG, dgyver come to mind... OK Dgyver and JamesG are building racer bikes... and probably taking parts off only to never fit them back... but in any case.... Good Idea... and we should start with the one that's doing it or is closest to doing it... so our ramp up time is minimal.... If I take my carbs off I'll make sure to video it... with my camcorder and we can add it to the pile.
Cool.
Srinath.

[Kerry]

Sorry I'm late - I just now saw this thread.

This sounds like a cool idea!  I would love to get into digital video, but it would be a new area for me.  (I've never even used a VHS video camera!)  Come to think of it, I have taken some short videos with my digital camera, but I ran into some technical difficulties:
Quick-Release Helmet Strap

Does anyone know how to rotate a QuickTime video?  Or maybe convert it to some other format?  Aaargh!  :x

[srileo]

Kerry,
Nice little vid. I downloaded it and will rotate it for you tomorrow.

All you need to do is fabricate a baseball cap with an eyehole to take the small wireless camera,  and press record on your vcr in your living room, and then when you are done, just send the vhs cassette to me. I'll make small digital clips of your  (lengthy) video and put it up on  a webpage. You can then annotate the video clip with your own text or voice.

Come to think of it, you could probably strap the little camera to your eye glasses. Scare your wife witless...


sri
paying the price of  mechanical ineptitude....

[jag69]

Put me down for $40.00  I would like to see video of ( Progressive springs install, re-jet, carb cleaning, valve adjustment, katana 600 rear shock installation, etc...... ok I better simmer down now.)  Ok I will pay more if necessary  

[jag69]

We (srileo and I) are not giving up.  This would be a great tool.  This video can save alot of headaches and $$$$$.

[Kerry]

OK folks, time for my first "screening".  I'm running on cheap equipment for starters, and I have a lot to learn.  But if you don't mind downloading a cheesy video I'd appreciate any reviews, Wahoos, and even BOOs you care to share.

VIDEO: Adjusting the Clutch Cable 1.9MB (56 sec) WMV file[/list:u]
This "Mechanic's Moment" was brought to you by:

* A

$39 wireless "spy cam" attached to a baseball cap.  The receiver was indoors, upstairs, next to my computer - while the camera and the bike and I were out on the driveway.    The video stream went straight to ...
* ... a  $30 video capture card, and I recorded the narration later with ...
* ... a $2 microphone, using ...
* ...  Quartz AudioMaster 4.6 -- a freeware sound recorder/mixer.  (This program produced a MUCH better audio recording than Windows Sound Recorder or the Windows Movie Maker internal recorder.)
* I used Windows Paint for the title and credit pages, and ...
* ... Windows Movie Maker (to sequence and compile the titles / video clip / soundtrack and render the final WMV file)
* Finally, Iuploaded the video file to my webspace with LeechFTP - a freeware FTP client with multithreading (up to 16 simultaneous transfers) and other cool features.[/list:u]
Thanks to srileo and jag69 for creating this message thread and getting me started!

I'd also like to thank my director, my producer, my cinematographer....  

[srileo]

Yipeeee yaaaayyyy !!

KERRY YOU DA MAN!!

Love that video. its come out better than i expected or hoped for.
With this one small video, we have a giant new leap in the art of motorcycle maintanence.

The colors are overly saturated, but overall resolution is more than adequate for our purposes. For a $40 camera, we really cant ask for more.

Thank you very very much.
sri

Now to go adjust that clutch cable...

[srileo]

Kerry,
you mentioned that you had the reciever upstairs and captured directly onto your capture card? How big was the file that was originally created? Did you compress the final file? how long did your entire workflow take?

I am trying to think of developing a workflow where those of us retards who cannot describe a mechanical situation adequately (say, a carb issue)  can rig up a camera like yours and take their laptop to their bike and video the problem through for expert remote diagnosis.

Also, for those of us with laptops, do you think its possible to create   travel videos as you ride wiht camera hooked to helmet and recording onto laptop in the saddle? possible?

And do let us know what videos to look forward to from you.
sri

[Kerry]

How big was the file that was originally created?

It was not quite 17MB, but that included walking downstairs and over to the driveway, as well as the return trip up to the STOP button.    Of course, it didn't include the title and credit pages.

Did you compress the final file?

Not manually.  I let Movie Maker do that at Save time.  The first time I saved the completed video (with WMM 1.1) I could only choose something like "Web distribution" and the final file was 1.5MB.  After upgrading to WMM version 2 I used the same project, bumped the audio level, and saved again.  Version 2 has more options - I just told it to make the final file close to 2MB in size.

how long did your entire workflow take?

I'd say it took me between 2 and 3 hours, but it shouldn't take over half of that the next time around.  I had to read Help files, try this and try that ... you know how it goes.  

I am trying to think of developing a workflow where those of us retards who cannot describe a mechanical situation adequately (say, a carb issue)  can rig up a camera like yours and take their laptop to their bike and video the problem through for expert remote diagnosis.

In that case, you're looking at 20 minutes or so.  (You don't need title and credit pages, or transitions or anything like that.  And if the camera's audio capture works OK, you can record your explanation and questions as you go, and not have to do the "voice over" later.)

Also, for those of us with laptops, do you think its possible to create   travel videos as you ride wiht camera hooked to helmet and recording onto laptop in the saddle? possible?

Yeah, I think so.  The camera I bought came with both a 9-volt battery connector and a 110V-to-7.5V adaptor.  (The receiver has its own 12V adaptor.)  I don't know how long the 9V battery will power the camera; that will be good to find out.  But if you have an Accessory Power Outlet with a splitter plug, the documentation says the camera will run off of DC +6~12V.

After I had ordered the PCI video capture card, a friend told me he was looking at USB 2.0 capture devices.  He wanted a portable device that he could use on a laptop, or that he could easily move from one machine to another.  I haven't searched for such a device yet, but yeah - that would be cool!

And do let us know what videos to look forward to from you.

I'd like to concentrate on "small stuff" until I can get a digital camcorder picked, ordered and delivered.  After that I can use a tripod and the remote and do some of the "bigger" jobs.  But I may not be able to wait; I need to replace my rear brake rotor and pads.  And it's probably about time to run new brake fluid through both systems.  Also, my new fork seals arrived the other day ... if I decide to tackle that job I'll remove the windshield before I start so it won't be in the way.

I'm sure that a rejet How-To will be a hot topic - I just need to determine if I really want to DO a rejet (after reading the feedback from Ed_in_Az).  If nothing else I can go through cleaning the carbs and installing 40 pilots to help on cold-weather startups, etc.

But I'm certainly open to suggestions for other procedures.  Need to take the wheel off the bike so you can save money on the new tire mounting?  Want to see what I pack for long trips?  Sheesh, "the possibilities are mind-boggling"!  :mrgreen:

[Steve-C]

Kerry, The video is excellent!

Something like that for valve adjustment etc would be excellent!

[Blueknyt]

still playing with settings and wot, but i think between kerry and myself and some others, we will have a ("Wrenchin The GS" ) Mod and Maint series of videos.   hoping to put a dent into my car port this coming tues and wed so i can make a presentable stage. i have a GS engine that im going to rebuild, i have one rebuilt that im going to build a test bed for for basic tuning lessons.  i need a decent movie maker/editor so if anyone has a copy willing to dupe and send, it would be helpful. i might even burn videos to VCD for computer or DVD player.  im learning more and more, but not too thrilled with ATI's software thus far.

[Kerry]

The more the merrier!  

For the interested, here is my "Cap Cam 1.0" setup:



I pressed a piece of Industrial Strength (adhesive-backed) Velcro hook material onto the bill of the cap, and then cut smaller pieces of the "loop" material and stuck them to the camera and battery.

Simple!

PS - Don't forget to unplug the camera when it's not in use.