as far as accidents go... any that you walk away from with naught but a few bruises..... is awesome!!! 

Yeah that's gotta be very true! I just don't want any more... accidents or bruises!

Went for a good ride today, then when I pulled into my parking spot, I found out that the sidestand doesn't work so well in the up position. No harm no foul, and only one witness.

EDIT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7miu0Mwm3Kg

Quote from: RossLH on April 09, 2013, 03:36:36 PM
Went for a good ride today, then when I pulled into my parking spot, I found out that the sidestand doesn't work so well in the up position. No harm no foul, and only one witness.

EDIT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7miu0Mwm3Kg

Absolutely exquisite sound additions.

Oil change and a left tank/frame bushing. Went for a ride too!

Finally got my bike back from the shop getting a wheel replaced and took it for a short 10 mile ride.

Quote from: Badot on April 09, 2013, 04:29:31 PM
Absolutely exquisite sound additions.

+1, had me cracking up! Glad you can laugh at it Ross, hope she didn't get too scratched up

Finally got around to fixing the ghettoness that was inflicted upon him by the PO.

looks so much better now!

the bike is finally coming together!

edit: tilt your head. get some exercise

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Got a Dremel for my birthday last week 

Put it to good use:
- did a fenderectomy (nothing too spectacular: stock turnsignals still on.  Belgian licenseplates are so big it doesn't even make much difference)
- moved the Givi-box another inch toward the rear (had to modify the baseplate a bit to do this, box was pushing my wife in the back)

Also took the fairings off again: a few weeks ago I sanded down the headers and gave them a couple layers of WD40, but the effect didn't last very long.  Cleaned them again and polished them with some stove polish (suggestion from Adidasguy on the wiki  )
Looks awesome, don't know how long this will last, but it takes a lot less effort than completely sanding them down, so I guess I'll keep doing this...

Took resistors out of the spark plug caps for Phenix. He starts and runs better now.

The reason:
1. LiFe batteries are a little weak in cold weather, though probably similar to lead acid.
2. Brisk plugs had 7.5k resistance as opposed to 5k resistance of NGK's.
3. Brisk plugs have a spark that travels longer so better voltage is necessary (really weak electrical systems they do not like)

I had notice many times that when letting up on the starter the motor would kick in. That's because inertia of the engine kept it turning another rev and with the starter released, the voltage popped back up and hence the spark was good and the motor revved up.

Therefore, cold (below 45*) and good voltage being required made me think of the old V=IR Ohm's law. Less resistance = more voltage. The resistor in the cap was about 20k. Removing it would increase voltage and overcome situations when voltage is a little low or the engine is stubborn.

I'm going to remove the resistors in all my plug caps. Better spark will always mean better performance even in hot weather.

Today, in 40* weather (WTF? Its April! Why so cold? Global cooling - that's it!) Phenix started right up. Well, we also get lots of water condensation here at night and that does contribute to poor starting on cold mornings.

My usual trick when cold is start engine for 10 seconds. Wait 15 seconds. Repeat a couple times. That warms up the battery for higher voltage. (Things I learned from my father and his old Plymouth's) One member put back in NGK's for the winter as they will fire in low voltage where the Brisk need normal voltage for best operation.

Rode DORA to work yesterday,she's been in the shed for 6 months while I transformed her into a Alaska dirt road adventure bike for my wife.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Just checked the tires and found out they're 7 and a half years old. Not good. And twice the age I was told when I bought the bike. Not cool.

Quote from: adidasguy on April 12, 2013, 11:20:35 AM
Took resistors out of the spark plug caps for Phenix. He starts and runs better now.

The reason:
1. LiFe batteries are a little weak in cold weather, though probably similar to lead acid.
2. Brisk plugs had 7.5k resistance as opposed to 5k resistance of NGK's.
3. Brisk plugs have a spark that travels longer so better voltage is necessary (really weak electrical systems they do not like)

I had notice many times that when letting up on the starter the motor would kick in. That's because inertia of the engine kept it turning another rev and with the starter released, the voltage popped back up and hence the spark was good and the motor revved up.

Therefore, cold (below 45*) and good voltage being required made me think of the old V=IR Ohm's law. Less resistance = more voltage. The resistor in the cap was about 20k. Removing it would increase voltage and overcome situations when voltage is a little low or the engine is stubborn.

I'm going to remove the resistors in all my plug caps. Better spark will always mean better performance even in hot weather.

Today, in 40* weather (WTF? Its April! Why so cold? Global cooling - that's it!) Phenix started right up. Well, we also get lots of water condensation here at night and that does contribute to poor starting on cold mornings.

My usual trick when cold is start engine for 10 seconds. Wait 15 seconds. Repeat a couple times. That warms up the battery for higher voltage. (Things I learned from my father and his old Plymouth's) One member put back in NGK's for the winter as they will fire in low voltage where the Brisk need normal voltage for best operation.

Is there really no disadvantage to removing the resistors? Why are they there in the first place? I got around the problem by keeping my battery on a tender every night so the battery's temp never got too low. Still, may be interested in the mod.

Resistors are for people listening to AM radio near you. The plugs have resistors that serve the same purpose.
You can get non-resistor plugs because the caps have resistors.
Brisk have resistors so I took them out of the caps.
(Remember I mentioned I had a pair of caps you could try, last time you were over?)
The tender keeps your battery warm. Today it was 41* and Phenix started up just fine. No need for my trick to warm the battery.
I was contemplating a dual battery system. One for the ignition and the other for the starter when it is cold. When bike running, batteries would be in parallel for charging. Removing resistors seems to have solved the cold weather issue.

a Karma for you NortwestRider!! .. that looks really nice and neat!! .. well done Sir!

oh and last night .. before sleep... spent half an hour just bumbling around through my Haynes manual....

...  .... i was.... ohhhhh so thats where shims go.... hmmm... wow lookit!... that cover comes off like that! ... ahhh so thats where to access that! .... 

most of my perusal of the book to this point has been wire tracing... oh and the torque settings for the fork brackets etc ..

who knew there was so much more in the book!! 

Been working feverishly trying to get my bike back together.All my paint is done although I did but it short due to time constraints. Chrome Katana rims are on, calipers and rotors are in place, calipers are bled, GSXR 1100 rear sets are on. Working on the front cowl dash now for a few custom switches

Did an oil change new filter and gasket running nice and smooth.

Sun came out and I texted people "Vashon anyone?"
I rode Junior. BrianRC rode his new Quin.
So two of us went to Vashon Island. The stopped at Palouse Winery on the island before jumping on the ferry back to West Seattle.

Quite a spectacular day.



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Added the stock reflectors back to the bike.  The back reflector needed a couple of countersunk holes drilled to mount behind the licence plate due to the fenderectomy.  M5 phillips bolts, nuts, and lock washers are used to mount these.



I also got 4 more pictures for The Pace Podcast Rally, and got to ride on my friend's Aprilia Shiver 750.  I love the riding position on that bike.  It's nice and upright and your legs have some room but are still underneath you.