Deedee got her bike!

[four_shot]

Well, after months of searching, we found dee a bike.

Unfortunately, its a kawasaki (kz440d4) but it was cheap and it fits her stature. I really wanted to get her a GS but couldn't find one locally.

The Kaw (Deedee named her Toph) had a wild idle issue, (vacuum leak at cyl 1) and the fork needs a seal and rebuild.

I patched up the vacuum leak (wish these things used O-rings like ours) and the bike is much happier now. I just have to figure out why the starter drags when the engine is warm, then I can start buying parts!. Dee has ridden it twice and has a shown an exceptional amount of skill. (Too bad my nerves don't believe me!...lol)

All in all we hope to have her upgraded to an M class by late July!

 

[shirazdrum]

(Too bad my nerves don't believe me!...lol)

I'm the same way, but somehow they come through . Congrats dee. Time for a road trip.

 

[four_shot]

A rough start

A rough start

So, I go to pull Toph out of the garage last friday so Dee can practice her low speed stuff, and *POOF* the starter gives up. It made a two strained revs, then gave up the ghost. Grr! I poke my head in the door and tell her "might as well break out the mojitos, 'cause Toph just flipped us the bird." Dee was dissapointed.

Not being one to allow Dee to be dissapointed, I think a minute then, :idea:!

"Push start her!"​

Several attempts, some shortness of breath, and a well timed threat to the bikes well being....... I get Toph to catch.

Shes idles along happily wile I pretrip her. Once Toph warms up, I shut her down and give Dee the good news. Dee then grabs her gear and jumps into her truck. I coast down the incline of the driveway, pop the bike off, and away we go.

We went to a nearby parking lot, I set Toph on the side stand and turned her over to Dee.

What's the first thing Dee does? She lets the clutch out too fast and stalls it .

So I spent the afternoon push starting the little bike so Dee can practice.

The good news is, Dee's definately improving! Dee really wants to take it to the street. I'm thinking that once she can consistantly launch the bike smoothly I'll let her shift into second :lol:. (We'll talk street later)

I yanked the starter last tuesday, and broke it down. It was coated internally with engie oil. (I gotta find a drive seal for it . The seal isn't even listed in the fiches. It could really use a set of brushes too ) I cleaned it out, scuffed the armature contacts, re-greased the reduction gears and put a battery to it. it spun on the shop floor which is more than it would do on the bike. I hope it works under load.

Here goes nothing, I'm going to try and put it in tommorrow, but I have to deal with an alternator cover screw that broke off flush in the case. I love classic UJMs.

*sigh*​

 

[Redman]

When I was teaching my wife, and she started doing well and leaning into the curves:
I said "now try that again with someone hitting you in the ribs. You yourself are now leaning the bike as much or more than when you as a passenger would get annoyed with me leaning the bike."

Good that things are progressing well.
My wife is now a better passenger after having experience riding herself.

.

 

[four_shot]

Dee has always been a good passenger(unlike me...lol). She's really picking it up.

I got the starter in and no change. grr...Im hoping a set of brushes will fix it. I just need to find a set. The last fiche I checked listed the brush kit @ $86. i was thinking of hitting a local alternator and starter rebuilder to see if they had a set of universals that they could swap in.

*sigh*​

It could be worse......it could be Suki ...lol​

 

[four_shot]

Boy, I tell you if I turn that woman loose on a project she's invested in, she'll move mountains.

I spend three nights searching for a seal and brushes for her starter and come up short on the seal.

She spends twenty min on my computer and she finds the whole kit (seals, brushes plus bushings and shims) for half the cost.


I'm telling you, I lucked out with this one.

 

[Macguyver]

Sounds like you have a keeper!
Can she do the same for GS parts? :lol:

Even though it isn't a GS, you are still allowed to post pics. (hint, hint)

May your parts come in quickly, and best of luck with the new ride!

 

[four_shot]

I have a fear of photo servers...LMAO...

in all seriousness Im gonna figure out how to post up soon. i just have to get the time to uncomplicate a process I'm probably overcomplicating. lol

I tend to re-invent the wheel when I don't have supervision...

My brother has a billion pics of his bike up at the sohc4 forums. I'll get him to show me.

 

[four_shot]

A pic of Toph

A pic of Toph

Here's a pic of Deedee's bike.

 

[Allie]

Great find, it's amazing how many of those bikes are still around. My babysitter's son has one that he commutes on, he keeps it really nice too.

 

[four_shot]

She's rough around the edges, but coming along nicely. Deedee and I just have to be patient and wait for the starter kit I ordered. Then the practicing can resume.

 

[SqDancerLynn1]

Try www.stockers.com for starter parts

 

[four_shot]

We got Deedee's rebuild kit yesterday. It was funny, she called me at work and asked "what are you doing this evening?" after telling her "nothing" she says, "no, you're rebuilding my starter!"

to that I replied, "O.K. I'll pull the starter so you can rebuild it when I get home."

after dinner I set her starter on the kitchen table with a few tools then went to the washroom.
when I got back I found this....

She was so excited she started without me...lol! I took a few more pics but they turned out kinda crappy..( I had to use my phone 'cause my autistic stepdaughter hid the good camera..)

I love my family.

 

[four_shot]

Got the starter back together and in the bike the other day. Wow! what a difference!

the first time i fired it I was afraid it was running backwards cause I didnt hear the motor slowing down with the compression strokes. Then it fired! the starter spooled it up so fast I thought it would go zinging out the side of the case! LOL


Deedee rebuilt her own starter! Yay! The bike is closer to being street ready.

 

[officerbill]

Deedee rebuilt her own starter! Yay! The bike is closer to being street ready.

My wife just gripes at me for spending so much time with the bike, yours is rebuilding stuff? Want to trade?

'cause my autistic stepdaughter hid the good camera..)

I have an autistic girl too, she wants a VW Mirco bus or a CBR900, either of which may kill her, still believes trees are used to stop vehicles. While it is true a tree is an impairment to forward movement the vehicle also sort of requires repairs after use at speed.

Families are keepers, good luck on the repairs.
Bill

 

[four_shot]

No not trading...So neener neener neener!​

I just wish she'd take as much interest in her car...

*sigh*​

​

 

[four_shot]

Got Deedee out for another practice session.

She's starting to get real comfortable with the low speed stuff. (read, I'm starting to get more comfortable, she had it pretty early )She spontaneously started using her turn signals, and even remembered to shut them off . I didn't even have to tell her.

She still needs more practice with the launching though. It's coming along, but still needs improvement. She didn't stall nearly as often this time.(The ability to self start the bike is a plus! :-\\\ )

Now I need to do the fork seal(s). She's really noticing the nose dive when braking.

 

[four_shot]

I finally got to the fork seals yesterday! the right leg was empty, and the left leg was full of sediment. So I cleaned them up (new seals and wipers) and filled them with fresh Mobil 1 5w-20. There was definately a difference!

The july goal kinda went by the way side...we are thinking next spring now. The reason being that we are PREGNANT!:dancing:

We are bouncing the idea around of continuing with lessons and getting her m before she gets too far along, but we are both a little concerned about the two not meshing well.

So needless to say if this summer doesn't happen, it isn't a big deal

 

[Steve]

I finally got to the fork seals yesterday! ... So I cleaned them up (new seals and wipers) and filled them with fresh Mobil 1 5w-20. ...

Any particular reason you did not use FORK OIL? :-k

Personally, I would be a bit leary of using a multi-viscosity motor oil in the forks. The viscosity (and, therefore, the damping) would change with the oil temperature. Since we don't really know how hot the fork oil gets, there is no way to predict how the damping will change, or when.

.

 

[four_shot]

Any particular reason you did not use FORK OIL? :-k

Kawasaki specified 5w-20 engine oil.