Bike Songs and Vaucuous Lunatics

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The549
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#11 Unread post by The549 »

February 15th:
The549 wrote:Ok, got it started, same problem. My feeling is that it's the idle jets. It idles low and dies, and all I can't keep it easily revved at anything between 1000 and 3000. Choke doesn't do anything until it kicks in and keeps it at 4000.

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The549
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#12 Unread post by The549 »

Well, now I know that I'll probably be buying a starter motor within the next few years:
The549 wrote:
Pongo wrote:Maybe check your petcock automatic fuel cut off valve, it's vacuum activated, mightn't be working properly. Your manual should show you how. There should be a filter in it too, clean that while you are about it.

BTW. Take it easy on the starter...5 seconds and then let it cool for 10-15 seconds before cranking again....easy to cook.
AHA!

Tell me how much of a problem this could be:

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The549
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#13 Unread post by The549 »

February 15th:
The549 wrote: It feels like a whole new bike!

I cleaned the completely gummed petcock, and took the filter out. The manual states that the filter is permenently attached and needs to be replaced with the entire petcock. Nonsense! I put a car fuel filter in after the petcock, and it's running great now!

The only other issue now is I think I hear the timing chain....it's sure wonderful to have a bike budget under the 1k range. 8)

edit to say: apparently the clicking sound is from the valves, so I'm probably gonna take it in for an adjustment.

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#14 Unread post by The549 »

February 19th: One reason I've come to love motorcycle is the feeling of possibility it gives me through the connection of me to the road, and the feeling like I can run on my own legs at 80 MPH over any pavement I can win over. In the back of my head is the feeling of freedom.

Today I picked a road and took it until it turned to gravel, miles away past a different city. For me, this is what motorcycling is going to be about.

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The549
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#15 Unread post by The549 »

February 20th: Why do some people not wave? I have always felt that you should wave as a motorcyclist - we're in this together. Because we die together, we should stick together. Hopefully that'll help us ultimately never be the ones that get stuck to the road wrong side down.

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#16 Unread post by The549 »

Somewhere around this time - February 20th, I acquire new gloves. They are very nice - yay for new gloves. However I have the need to waterproof everything I own, so we'll see how they hold up in the rain. Rain is coming....I can feel it. 8)

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/it ... Division=1

In person they look much more like leather and less like snakeskin.

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Oh boy....Racking up stupid:

#17 Unread post by The549 »

Feb 22nd Racking up stupid - short close call experiences in one week of motorcycling!
The549 wrote:So, after having my bike for a week, here are some of the stupid things I've done:

--U turns. I fail at life in general, women, gift giving, and fixing carburetors. But one things I hope to get better at is U turns (on a motorcycle), which I'm giving myself a sure "F" in right now. Half of the time I can do a lock to lock turn feet up, but what I have a hard time doing is judging (with cars and bars etc) just where I can make u turns. If I approach it assertively, it usually works.

--My bike is fast. It's just a 550cc Zephyr, but when I wring the throttle, there isn't much on 4 wheels that could keep up. The magazine tests rated this bike new in 1990 as going 0-60 in 3.65 seconds. :shock: I actually feel as though that has helped me more than anything - I can move in front of traffic rather than be stuck behind it. But it has caused me to take some overly spirited speeds through turns that I've had to brake in and have almost gone off both sides of the road. Yikes.

--I took it up to 85mph, which was really fun, and for some reason felt better than at 60pmh, although it could have been due to heavy winds where I've been riding. I suppose that was a stupid move, but it'll probably happen again. This would only be on empty 55pmh backroads. That's just too fun.

--I was turning right out of a parking lot, when a cute little devil made me smash my brakes for her on her bicycle.....ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD! Now I know in a 2 lane road, I have to look in 4 ways - one left for left and right moving traffic, and one right for right and left moving ignorant college girls.

--Yesterday, I made a right turn after scanning for traffic on a red light. This was in town. The road I turned onto had one block before I had to cut accross 3 lanes to get to the left turn lane to get to class. Anwyays, I went and decided to cut left right away, and turned back once more to check for cars as I began entering the far left lane. As I looked forward, a car had just pulled out a bit from the sidewalk....and was gaining speed entering my lane. F#&% me, I was aiming for the rear doors! I started to turn away to the right, and the car kept coming. I pressed and pressed.....and I made it! HOLY #$%# was I shaking! Surprised my knee didn't leave a mark on their bumper.

Here's a grubby little pic I made. Boxes are cars parked on the side of the road. I couldn't draw it, but there were a lot of college girls with that wide eyed freaked look staring at me. But you know what they say about attention. :lol:
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And finally, a moment of silence please for a downed mc brother on a main road here today - apparently he's alive. That's not saying much. :?

*****
Yes I'll be more careful, but I have to note:

Motorcycle has been the single thing to have raised my capacity of life to live! For in just a few seconds, I can go from stopped with two feet on the ground to the zen wind roaring rush as if falling down from heaven like the devil's angels. :twisted:

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#18 Unread post by The549 »

Feb 22nd: I posted above that there was a downed rider in my town today. I have probably waved at him before. Anyways, as I was on my way to the band practice space, i notice my cell phone buzzing me - a call. And then I notice another cal right after....I know it's probably my bandmate, impatiently waiting for me (me, late because I was wandering around in my two-wheeled machine).
Anyway it turned out that he had driven through the crash site, and saw the motorcycle tires thinking it was me...all he had seen were chunks of a motorcycle -the biggest being no wider than 2 feet accross....this rider had run a red light and smashed into a large truck. He is alive, just. I am very alive. And very alert.

www.pashnit.com :

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#19 Unread post by The549 »

February 23rd:

Today is the test. I have my permit, and am anxious to get my m license...but my bike, while not overheating and shutting down, is still acting up. And I had a show last night and a big test today.

Anyways, I got to the DMV late, but luckily they still allow me to take the test. You have to do two things: go around the dots in a zigzag, around the circle without having your front wheel leave the narrow circle and come back and zigzag the opposite way, and then go straight and circle around twice without your front wheel leaving the circle. I learned that I needed to be able to do this in fifteen minutes and basically expected that I would need to retake the test. Keep my front wheel in that narrow lane for two revolutions? I don't think so....and my practice confirmed that. Not gonna happen. Didn't do it correct once.

The DMV guy came out and asked me where the clutch lever is, etc, :laughing: , and then had me proceed to do the first manuever - zigzag around the dots and circle once; come back and zigzag back the other way around.... vroom vroom...and... Flawless!! WOW!! :shock:

Second manuevre: go straight on the sides and then circle two times around the circle.....flawless, save for a few inches at the end of the circle. As I rode past the dmv guy, he shouted: "alright you passed, come in and I'll get you set up". OOOOHHHHH man! This was far beyond my happiness when I got my regular car license so long ago (that test was just mentally challenged imo). Wow, I was proud of myself. The only inaccuracy in the pic was that the outside straight lanes were inset, which made it harder than it appears here.

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#20 Unread post by The549 »

Feb 23rd: I got home and called a few friends, excited that I had my license. Went over to a friend's house till I got restless and told him I was off to go exploring. It was around 11pm. Ended up taking a city road out past one of the major interstates, and kept going on this little road. It was getting cold. I had some straightaways, and I took it up to about 80mph or so, just to feel the rush of speed. It was amazing, of course.

The road continued through signs warning of twisty roads ahead, and then as the space between houses began approaching multiple miles, the road turned bad. Really really bad - 4 to 6 inch potholes, gravel, and then gravel. Riding on an all gravel road is something else - it feels like my wheels are made out of those gel-filled tubes that spring out of your hand when you squeeze em sold in children's toy stores. So I turned around pretty quickly.

All in all the ride was about 100-120 miles, and I got home absolutely freezing - at about 3am. I have a new life. 8)

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