A Student Budget Bike

[argonsagas]

After trying to understand what "cronical", and a few other words, actually meant, the story unwound rather well and I quite enjoyed it.
(Yes, I know, I am picky.)

It was definitely a very interesting read. Keep us up to date, please.
I hope everything turns out well.

 

[spyug]

Hey go easy on him after all he's an engineer not an English major:-D

All he needs to know is how to speak "sign, cosign, tangent, and maybe a bit of newton/meters and a smattering of kilowatt/hours. Pretty close to bike speak don't you think

Anyway its all good stuff.

Cheers,
spyug

 

[Guest]

All he needs to know is how to speak "sign, cosign, tangent, and maybe a bit of newton/meters and a smattering of kilowatt/hours. Pretty close to bike speak don't you think

Cheers,
spyug

Actually Spy, I think once he gets his degree, and is comfortable with sine & cosine, his " sign & co-signing" days will most likely be behind him, given the high demand for engineers currently..... no doubt, due to the booming petroleum industry.
Tony.

 

[Ironriot]

huh.. well. you are going to get a little scared by this, but I use 3$ a L oil, baked my brake pads so i could recure them, and ride on chenshins.... like i said... Student budget

You're forgetting the part where you paint it all with rattle cans. That's what gives it soul and makes it a student budget bike

 

[argonsagas]

You're forgetting the part where you paint it all with rattle cans. That's what gives it soul and makes it a student budget bike

That can actually work quite well.

I did the 1100G with rattle cans and was amazed at the quality that resulted.


Later, however, I learned that it is NOT impervious to gasoline, no matter how much clearcoat you use....


Of course, it could be used for making signs, as in a sign of sine...
and your reason for doing it? Just B cos

 

[duaneage]

That can actually work quite well.

I did the 1100G with rattle cans and was amazed at the quality that resulted.


Later, however, I learned that it is NOT impervious to gasoline, no matter how much clearcoat you use....


Of course, it could be used for making signs, as in a sign of sine...
and your reason for doing it? Just B cos

It is but, You have to cure it for a few weeks. I used engine clear coat and it resisted gas pretty good. 2 parts are better though.

 

[Guest]

Of course, it could be used for making signs, as in a sign of sine...
and your reason for doing it? Just B cos

Without going off on too much of a tangent, here's one that was amusing to our teenage minds......:roll:.

αQ B cos U R 2 secC .

Sorry Bent, on with the chronicle!

Tony.

 

[BentRod]

and on we shall go. I really should be studying Heat and Mass Transfer, but I'm bored so here is a little side note.

Caught Red Handed, Rattle Cans, Bondo, and a Little Luck

Or not. One of the episodes I went through was painting my tank, which, as previously stated, looked... sexually abused. Not to make light a very serious issue, but that is how it looked, sodemized. Needless to say I didn?t want to ride with that look between my legs, so I repainted. For those of you just tuning in to the timeline of catastrophic repair, and who can stand my spelling, this, like any other undertaking went badly. And if any of you cool new guys think your restoration project will go any better, think again. Learn from my mistakes, but think again.
Step one, find the cheapest stripper you can. No Orange, not that kind. I mean like a sanding block or a wire brush. Two methods I found to be very effective. 1, a sanding block and your best friend?s little brother, tricked into doing hard labour, and 2, a brass wire wheel on the end of a good power drill. Now, I can already hear people calling contradiction. Yes I have little to no money for this project, but yes, I own a nice power drill. In fact I own an 8Amp De Walt Hammer Drill, with about 2500Rpm and 45000Bpm, because I am a male, and an Engineering student, so when it comes to power tools, money is no object.

So lesson number one, don?t wear loose clothing, but don?t strip paint in the nude, and don?t be afraid to ask someone else to hold the tank for you. Stripping paint from the top part is easy, but eventually you have to get all the little nooks and crannies, and you start having to apply more and more pressure, and you start finding more and more interesting ways to hold the tank still. A couple that did not work out: between the thighs, and under you arm. Now the first one sounds stupid, course not between your legs, but if you try it, it actually looks and feels rather reasonable. But! Under no circumstances should power tools and your groin be in the same vicinity. One close call, a quick check to make sure nothing is missing or broken and a new pair of pants, and I was on to the second position.
Then Disaster strikes. While holding the tank under one arm, the wire wheel catches my shirt, ripping the drill from my hands. I thought I could hold on to the tank, but I dropped it the instant the wires made contact with a rather sensitive chest area. Let me tell you, ya think you?re really tough, and ready for anything when your 20, but you get a couple cuts and scrapes on your left nipple, and you are out for the match.

So now, in addition to original pings and bumps that the tank came with, there is a massive dent down the top left edge? SHOOT!! Bondo it is! And boy is that stuff amazing. 3 layers of it, and the dent is concealed well enough that I don?t really care anymore. I figure that the paint will fill in the small inconstancies. Also while at the hardware store, I picked up more sand paper, 600, 1000, 1500 and 2000 grit, as well as a rattle can (Tremclad!) of automotive primer, Gloss black, Gloss Red, and Clear Coat. I also picked up acetone, lacquer thinner and Muriatic acid. I use the latter three purchases to acid wash the rust out of my tank. Sort of like what they do at a radiator shop.
I set the tank on a table and went to work, painting 2-3 layers primer to start. I can?t really say how many layers I put on, because some spots were really thin, but I didn?t want to go over them for fear of drips. And that was how I went about painting all surfaces of that tank. I did 3-4 layers of red, then made stickers out of masking tape by taping onto wax paper, and then cutting out the shapes I wanted. I put on the stickers and then did about 4 layers of black + Drips.. I kind of lost my patients and got ahead of myself. But that seems to be the way it always is? I sanded between layers with 1500 grit, and then, after pealing the stickers, did 7 layers of clear coat, sanding with 2000 grit every other layer. I think it turned out well enough? but the gaps left in the bondo hadn?t gone away, they were WORSE! I should have done another layer of that too.
I cannot tell you how long this took all and all, because I really don?t know. I had to deal with my final exams, as well and I was trying to pick up this REALLY cute redhead, who I now have the privilege to call my girlfriend.
I will leave that story for next time though, in Perks, Pros and The Glory of Riding a Motorcycle.

Kevin

 

[BentRod]

so here is what I planned for the tank

and a fender

And here is the finished, or semi finished product.
Tank:

 

[BentRod]

and fender

as a point of interest, that is a map of all the Ontario breweries under the fender.​

And, on the bike:
before:

After:

Enough photos for everyone?​

 

[Guest]

Looking good...very nice! Are those slots in the fender stock....or one of your custom touches...unusual!

Tony.

 

[BentRod]

I seem to be having trouble seeing my own posts

No they are not stock, but at the time I thought they looked cool. I kind of regret putting them in. At cetain speeds they whistle pretty good. I also have a feeling I'm getting a little more water spray to the face than is desired because of them. oh well

I had a CAD of the tank around somewhere too.

 

[Guest]

Some bikes (VFR's?) did have slits in the fender, but these were located to the rear of the fork, presumably to enhance airflow to the rad.....others featured a small spoiler at the rear of the fender, for the same purpose.
Tony.

 

[argonsagas]

The way I see it, if you are not willing to venture everything at least once, then you might as well be dead. Only by tempting fate and dancing with death can you discover and appreciate what it truly means to live.

A sombre /sober response:


I have often heard those words, or others with similar meaning. What the speaker almost invariably means is that he/she likes a great thrill, but those are merely words, no matter how emphatically spoken, and nothing more.



There is always risk in life, and being constant throughout life will not assure smoothness. A mild risk feels rewarding, and it should, because that is how we learn to adjust and grow.

Most of us like thrills, the rush of adrenalin and flood of endorphins that follow a near miss, but you should know that literally "dancing with death" is a very different thing when it happens, and there is no adrenalin, no thrill, and no type of rush at all.

When you come back from death it may be that you appreciate life, but you may find yourself wondering why you were allowed back, and even more often wondering what is the purpose of your life.



Now, sombre moments aside...............on with the chronicle...( a rather enjoyable one, it is).

 

[p_s]

Nice job. Different but tasteful. When you wrote about it looking like it was sodomized I kept thinking about a HD tank I saw somewhere with a naked lady oriented, well, you can imagine. Be real careful filling it up (or better yet test out some gas on the underside to see if you need to).

 

[BentRod]

about the tank
Ya the tank needs a couple coats of clear again. I decided it was easy enough to sand a little and reclear coat.

One thing you should know about 'dancing with death' or firting with death, or what ever you want to call it, is that your ability to be strong again in the face of death from that point on depends on how you answer the questions pointed out, such as why were you allowed to live, and what is the purpose of your life. I have my answers, and I believe in them.

My life has a purpose because I choose to give it one, and I am still alive because of a combination of care and good fortune.

I just happen to also believe you should have at least a few kicks while death is still content to dance\\/

I am editing out a good chunk of what was here. it really doesn't go well with this thread and comes from a rather dark side of me. sorry to have killed the mood.

 

[BentRod]

As far as the painting goes, I really have to say thank you, once again, to everyone on this forum. I was given step by step instructions, lists of what I would definately NEED, and what I might find handy. For anyone who is new to bikes and is reading this thread, you are in the right place here, and in good hands.

All and all i regret not using a 2 part clear. It really stinks to see my hard work get spoiled by petrol. For a while i kept a clean rag with hole in the middle of it and a bit of plastic attached to it in my pocket, so i could fill up and not worry too much, but that blew away.


Anyways. I must get back to work. sometime in the next week or so I will try to get another installment in.

 

[duaneage]

Use engine clear paint. Let it dry for a few weeks and it will resist gasoline. I have tested it and found it works.

 

[the_journeyman]

Just a note on buffing clearcoat. Using 00 or 000 steel wool to buff the clearcoat worked fantastic when I painted my GS1150. Just put a haze on the surface, blow debris off with air and you're ready for the next coat ~

JM

 

[BentRod]

Perks, Pros and The Glory of Riding a Motorcycle

Perks, Pros and The Glory of Riding a Motorcycle

As Promised.. if not a little late... sorry

So, how long does it take a blond to change a light bulb? That what the question I asked my friend when she vulenteered to help me work on the bike, and I asked her to change the now burned out tail light. For the record, I believe the answer was about 25 minutes, and she cracked the tail light cover. Thats the last time I let her near the bike. I'll stick with my cute redhead.

The first ride was...DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!
wait for it...

Wait for it !!--

WAIT---!!

Was


SLOW! and I was scared out of my mind! I took the Canadian equivalent to the MSF course, so I had SOME experience, but one of my friends was kind enough to follow in his truck, so no one would run up behind me. mostly I was afraid of myself. I would love to tell you all that I jumped on that motorcycle, and instantly I was a natural pro, but in all honesty, i think the only think I instantly became was an accident waiting to happen. To give you all some idea of how nutty I get, I was once stopped by police for doing about 80-85km/h in Toronto, on a 50km/h street... on a BICYCLE! Don't ask how. I have also been stopped while riding a shopping cart, but I was in first year of engineering.
Needless to day, I was a little nervous about getting ahead of myself. I constantly double checked everything I did and stayed about 5 below the speed limit. I actually had to head down to the MTO office to change the address on my license.

Later that day: I gave OldschoolOrange a call and asked if he wanted to go for a ride, and he offered to show me around the back roads and county lines. "But but but...That involves taking the highway!" I semi-calmly pointed out.. I was told "so get into gear and giver!" The argument was made that on the highway, everyone was going in the same direction, at about the same speed, so I should be just fine.

So it’s about 7pm and I’m all ready. Armoured jacket with all the straps set just right, Kevlar pants, sturdy hiking boots, carbon knuckled gloves, even the visor on my helmet is clean as a whistle.. Chris comes by, we fill up the tanks, and head to the on ramp, Chris leading… here we go!

WAAAHHHOOOO!!!!!!!!!
Oh man, I didn’t know 100kmh could feel so fast! I was scared sh!tless and loving it!! We merge with traffic and I calm down a bit. I can feel every quiver in the frame, every engine vibration, every bump and nook in the road. All I could think was ‘holy cow this is cool!’ we accelerated up to about 110 and made our way over to the Milton area. For the next 2 hours we travel past farmers’ fields and forest, railroad tracks and cliff faces. The air is crisp and has a slight chill in it, and I am glad I leaned out my engine. My little 400 is running pretty warm and is heating my legs rather nicely, got to love mid pegs. We hit the twisties and as Chris powers through them, I slow down a touch and take it easy, having no idea what my bike is going to do at speed. I push right and the bike leans effortlessly into the corner. I power out of it and into the next turn. I’m grinning from ear to ear and catching up. After about 180km, I’m on reserve and we pull into a gas station/Tim Horton’s coffee shop. I go in and politely ask the teenager behind the counter for 2 large coffees and if she could tell me what town I was in. “Eh? You’re in Acton, where did you come from?”. “Hamilton” I reply. The look I got back was entertaining to say the least. I had heard of Acton, but in all honesty had no idea where I was. Got directions back to the highway and sat down to drink my much needed coffee. Looking at my helmet I was somewhat disgusted by the state of my previously squeaky clean visor. The entire front of the helmet was covered in little bugs, as was my jacket. Looking back, I don’t think I have ever put as much effort into cleaning my visor as I did at that coffee shop, and I’m reasonably sure I still have residue from that ride still stuck to my brain bucket. Does anyone else use the squeegees as the gas station? I don’t even take the helmet off, just lean forward a bit.

We take the highway back to Hamilton, and get off at the east side of town. I took it easy getting to the west end, and cruise down the main streets of clubs and bars. I know that in one of them, a group of my friends is blowing paychecks on drinks for pretty girls, and nice dinners, and I feel good about my bike. I cannot afford to go out as much, and I have almost stopped drinking all together, but that is fine, because I have my motorcycle, and that is so much more satisfying. Oh, and I already have the girl!

NOTE to all you new guys reading this, Having a motorcycle IS as good as you thought it would be! Case in point. My new girlfriend loves it, bonus? Her PARENTS love it too. Fast forward about a week and a half from my first ride, and I’m getting ready to go to Bellville, with is about 300km from Hamilton, with a detour home to freak out my parents and tick off that annoying neighbour. A little much I though as far as travel time is concerned, so I broke it up into 100km stages. I know some of you will think that even that is a little much for riding solo on an old motorcycle, with barely a week and a half of riding experience. Well, by that point I had well over 1200km on the bike. So I figured, what the heck, I’ll give it a shot. I stop in Toronto and as predicted, the neighbour is less than thrilled, mom hates it, and Dad is trying to restrain himself from hopping on in front of my mom. I continue on to Bellville, and instead of stopping just do the remaining 200+km in one shot. I get to my girlfriends house and greet her parents, who look out at the black, SMOKING bike in the driveway. hmm,
Now, what would be the BEST words to here from your girlfriends dad? Perhaps, ‘oh what a nice bike’ or ‘that’s really cool’? How about “Hey, that’s just like my old bike!” oh ya baby, turns out the old guy had a 1983gs450L, not too far off of my 1981gs400L.

I probably had about 3 weeks of really good riding before problems started up again, and they were absolutely fantastic.