First of all, the technical content.
Going through 2, the engine hiccuped a bit, like it was running out of gas. It was actually fine on the rest of the lap, but I brought it in anyway - and at low revs, again, it most definitely wasn't fine. It sounded like it was misfiring. I took it to the pits, and found the following.
(http://i38.tinypic.com/eikxns.jpg)
The bolt in the middle snapped. The fix is straightforward - drill out the bolt that's in there, get a new signal generator and new bolt, put it back together. But I'm wondering why the bolt snapped. I don't want that recurring. :p Any ideas of what else I should be looking at while I'm fixing this? Also, is it, er, normal for the generator to melt like that? Chafing, grinding, tearing I could understand - but melting to the point that the plastic drips?
On to the chatter. This was my first time ever at Sears Point, so I joined the C group. We loaded the bikes - m'boy's big SV and my lovely GS - and took off.
The first session was sighting laps - that was all good for orientation. The second session was ungodly frustrating. I couldn't get a clean lap - hell, I couldn't get two clean turns in a row (and yes, I tried the pull-off-and-come-back-on trick). I was determined to start at the front the next time out.
After a big stack in the B group, the last C session of the morning was delayed until after lunch. I got out near the front, and finally, bless, had two nearly clean laps. On the third, the abovementioned happened.
Ah, well, at least I was cleared for B. I hopped on m'boy's big SV - did I mention it's big? It's also heavy, and has heavy steering (especially with the damper that he has on it) It has a GSX-R1000 suspension, but it's set for his weight, so it was too stiff for me. It took me a session to get used to it, but as soon as I did, I definitely improved my lines. The SV is unforgiving of imprecision and lack of smoothness, so I learned it quickly.
In my opinion, Sears Point is an awesome, whee-ful, terribly fun track. There is very little in terms of pure straights, so you can't go fast on horsepower alone.
Me and the lovely GS.
(http://i37.tinypic.com/spydlh.jpg)
M'boy and I. As we were in different groups (he was in A all day), we could share the SV.
(http://i38.tinypic.com/n39o2v.jpg)
(http://i35.tinypic.com/15cdd1u.jpg)
RG.....
been there
done that
it happened due to you(or somebody) crashing the bike and hitting the bolt on the end of the rotor
a yr or two later it fails and takes out the sig gen.
i can see indication of the initial damage.....threads busted out in the cover from the drop
get reverse drill bits and go slow
i got lucky and there was some threads left to grab with a vice grip
Hmmmmm makes me paranoid a bit. I recently "eased" mine down after lettign it get away from me. Since then I noticed theres a slight cicada like noise. With it beign summer when it happened, i didnt notice the noise...blended right in with them critters. But now that its fall and you dont hear them so much, I hear the noise. And its def. comign from there. Is there a gasket in there that needs replacing after you remove the cover? And since Im a noob, time to look like an idiot for a few minutes...Do i need to drain the oil before I pop that cover off? Im thinking not(with it beign electrical and all), but i want to be doubley sure.
Thanks in advance. :cheers:
Quote from: shiznizbiz on September 30, 2008, 03:21:23 AM
Hmmmmm makes me paranoid a bit. I recently "eased" mine down after lettign it get away from me. Since then I noticed theres a slight cicada like noise. With it beign summer when it happened, i didnt notice the noise...blended right in with them critters. But now that its fall and you dont hear them so much, I hear the noise. And its def. comign from there. Is there a gasket in there that needs replacing after you remove the cover? And since Im a noob, time to look like an idiot for a few minutes...Do i need to drain the oil before I pop that cover off? Im thinking not(with it beign electrical and all), but i want to be doubley sure.
Thanks in advance. :cheers:
no and no
Thanks for the info, werase. No question this bike has been crashed a few times (although I haven't, so far, knock wood), but I didn't realize the consequences on that side (although I did check the magnets on the other side, fer sure).
Quote from: ohgood on September 30, 2008, 03:56:54 AM
Quote from: shiznizbiz on September 30, 2008, 03:21:23 AM
Hmmmmm makes me paranoid a bit. I recently "eased" mine down after lettign it get away from me. Since then I noticed theres a slight cicada like noise. With it beign summer when it happened, i didnt notice the noise...blended right in with them critters. But now that its fall and you dont hear them so much, I hear the noise. And its def. comign from there. Is there a gasket in there that needs replacing after you remove the cover? And since Im a noob, time to look like an idiot for a few minutes...Do i need to drain the oil before I pop that cover off? Im thinking not(with it beign electrical and all), but i want to be doubley sure.
Thanks in advance. :cheers:
no and no
thank you and thank you.
Pictures of the GS.
(http://www.roadstergal.info/9_30_08/762.jpg)
(http://www.roadstergal.info/9_30_08/721.jpg)
And the big bike. (Thanks to m'boy for letting me ride it, so I didn't have to pack in early.)
(http://www.roadstergal.info/9_30_08/485.jpg)
(http://www.roadstergal.info/9_30_08/134.jpg)
Very nice. Those are sweet pics!