"WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOUR MOTORCYCLE TODAY"

[m143]

hacksaw wrote

I did like the gas gauge on my fatboy . But it wasn’t something that was needed to check all the time while riding . One coukd also toggle Thru the odo for various mileages and the time. But again that didn’t require constant monitoring .
My old Brit bikes did have an amp meter . And on them that was somewhat watched while riding . But the bottom line is mph and perhaps rpm. And a neutral lite !  
If I need that crap on a bike I shouldn’t be riding .
False sense of security is not good.
I never liked rev limiters either !!!

I'm using all that crap plus Cruise control.
And maybe some false security.
The 1200 Bonneville motor is wicked, and Traction Control saved my ass a few times.
In Off Road Mode the rear wheel will spin up but TC steps in just before the rear really steps out. And ABS is shut almost all off to the rear, but a little ABS in front is appreciated.
There is Off Road Pro that shuts it all off, I ain't man enough yet.
Road Mode is pretty impressive, ABS, Traction Control, and a sometimes intrusive Rev. Limiter.
Sport Mode is pure head rush! 3rd Gear power wheelies, yea ha!
Big wide handle bars with lots of leg room to boot.
There's a Bosch Lean sensor workin' there, but I've not sensed it.
I try to treat the Big Scramler with the utmost respect.

My personal bikes have been BMW Air Heads, for about the last 20 years.
I used to love them, but this new Tech. blows my mind.

[hacksaw]

I am glad you enjoy!
It’s just too complicated for me.
Even with off road pro all that gizmo stuff is still on the bike taking up space . It’s got to add weight and bulk to an already too big of a motorcycle for me to take trail riding .
Too much shit to diagnose if there is a problem . And then there is cat converters. Ugh!
My comments are not really about your bike , I am saying this about just about all new bikes.
My take on what I like.
If I ever buy another ever bike it will be a 250 DP
Bike preferred air cooled. Something I might still be able to wring out and even pick up if I drop it trying to hop a log .
This whole idea of 500, 600+ whatever pounds off road motorcycles I just don’t get . I suppose flying across the desert they make sense . But that’s not something I am going to do!😄
And don’t even get me started on “off road” 4 door pick up trucks one needs a step stool to climb aboard . That never will go off road . How much tax payer money Obama spent destroying old Buick Electras and F150’s and now look at the highways and parking lots crammed with 40-50k SUV’s.
I will stick with my R65 , my T-100 Bonnie and the variety of old Brits and Harley’s that come my way to play with.

[m143]

I agree.

Every motorcycle has good and bad.

The best motorcycle is the one I'm ridding right now!

This is a great topic, maybe it needs it's own thread?

[hacksaw]

I meant if I ever buy a new bike.
What was this thread anyway? I have been following it from email notifications and don’t even recall.
Anyway I have already said my piece on this. So whatever the original topic is it can be returned to.

I am still angered when Pong started replacing pinball machines. Pin ball is a total body experience. Pong players just sit on their fat arse.

WOW when lit MFers!

Mr chairman , I yield the rest of my time.

[m143]

I rode with my Old Lady

[whatarush]

m143 wrote

Rode to work this morning.
My Old Lady snapped this pic. of me on my way out.

That’s awesome!!! Being self employed and working from home that is one of the most things I miss.

[m143]

Rode to the Hancock Dam with my buddy Rit at lunch.

[hacksaw]

Road King?

[m143]

hacksaw wrote

Road King?

Good eye.

[hacksaw]

New old style rocker boxes
New Michelins front and back
New fork seals
Freed stuck clutch
Carb adjusted

[Fatfatboy]

Awesome. Good to see someone getting something accomplished. I’m jealous.

[oldironnow]

That's freakin' awesome!
What type of Michelins?

[hacksaw]

Fatfatboy wrote

Awesome. Good to see someone getting something accomplished. I’m jealous.

Don’t be.
BMW gets a a pretty buck for their service.
The only reason it’s done is because they pick up the bike.
Maybe I will even ride it , depending on my back .

[Fatfatboy]

hacksaw wrote

BMW gets a a pretty buck for their service.
The only reason it’s done is because they pick up the bike.

Nothings free. Probably cost them $150 to pick it up and drop it off when you count labor, fuel, insurance, truck time, trailer, etc.

When I bought the trike the dealer delivered it from two hours away. They had one of those lift things in the back of a truck that unloads the bike for you. Pretty slick and expensive set up.
I wouldn't mind having one of them at retirement time.
 

[hacksaw]

I would have to review the invoice . I think they charged me $50 total  pick up and delivery. I Am an hour away . Last time it was free. But that might have something to do with the time of year etc.
it’s over $70 for  Home Depot delivery from just down the street .

Beautiful day but I got school related stuff to do or I would try and ignore my back and ride this  bike.
I am hoping to get surgery over the winter to open  up a vertebrae that is strangling  my spinal cord.

[Fatfatboy]

Yikes! I’ve had more surgeries than I can count and have gotten used to them but back surgeries scare the crap out of me. Not sure why. I’ve never had one.
I hope yours goes better than expected.

[Fatfatboy]

Every since I brought the ‘88 dresser with hack home it’s been a slow cranker but it always started with a couple twists of the throttle, a slow crank and bam.
I thought it was because it was rebuilt with a higher compression.

Last week the new battery stopped taking a charge. This is the 3rd battery. The first one came on the bike and I replaced because it was weak. I had the replacement one shoot craps and had it replaced under warranty. That one shot craps last week. I tried charging it but it wouldn’t get over 10.3 volts.
This time I bought a lithium ion battery with a higher CCA.
After hooking it up the crank is to slow to turn the motor over. The voltage at the battery is reading 13.7.
I checked the voltage at the post on the starter when I pushed the starter button and only got 6.07 volts.
So I’m loosing voltage between the battery and the starter.

Question for you guys, can a bad solenoid still allow insignificant enough voltage to a starter or are do they either send enough or non at all?

Thanks for your help.

[hacksaw]

Well an “88 is an old bike. It could be anything drawing power . Too many doo dads , gauges , garbage radios , lighting . Idk .
I fear for todays modern bikes as when they get old they will be a nightmare to keep on the road .

AnywY now you know why it was for sale.
You should be able to hear the solenoid kick the starter .
So it works , or doesn’t work . I don’t think it can engage slowly. Now I am not a mechanic as you know.
On the other hand starters are go bad usually slowly.
They work or slowly don’t work .
Drawing too much power.

I once had a bike that would  pull this shit. Turns out the frame was cracked and and grounding intermittently.
Couldn’t tell until it finally  broke apart and the bike shook crazy . By then I had tossed the starter system .
If it was me, I would replace everything. Get the starter button that mounts on the starter . New starter , new solenoid. That eliminates all the handlebar switch and all the associated wiring.
I had a battery ground cable once that looked fine but it was corroded badly inside the sheathing .
As I said it’s an  “88. It’s old. Replacing old parts is never a waste of money really.
Hopefully you don’t have to chase anything inside the batwing . Harley redesigned the bat  wing in the 90s bcuz prior it took hours to get it apart and customers were freaking as hourly shop rates increased .

Again, I am rambling on without really giving you any definitive advice. If it was me, I would replace everything as I said.
A friend of mine , RIP , had an evo with a side car. Kept blowing it up . I assume you don’t ride like he used to. But he had the motor built up . Twice . I think the last time with
Tons of S&s stuff. Ran stick headers and no mufflers ! Loud. You could hear him miles away .
He didn’t have any starter issues. And we ride a lot together. I don’t recall his compression ratios but the motor was built


 

[hacksaw]

Fatfatboy wrote

Yikes! I’ve had more surgeries than I can count and have gotten used to them but back surgeries scare the crap out of me. Not sure why. I’ve never had one.
I hope yours goes better than expected.

Well I had worse. My back had emergency surgery where I ended up with disc fusion.
This one would be much simpler and have a 3 week recover time. So they say .
My back is really impeding enjoying my life. I think it’s worth a shot.
Thanks for your concern . I appreciate it much.

[hacksaw]

One more thing on your bike.
Nothing to do with your starter , but as to electrical weirdness, Harley big twins of your vintage and even newer , check the plug from the rectifier into the case. They have been known to back out.