One Hundred and Fifty Five Feet!

[dpep]

I removed another assembly from one of my spare 850 engines and cleaned it up:

All back together with the cheapo Spirex 80/90W gear oil to continue flushing any remaining crap:

Now, to go for a test ride and after about 30-50 miles, it will be drained again and replaced with Synthetic 85W-140 gear oil again.

The manuals indicate and I have always heard that shimming to proper backlash and tooth contact for the secondary gears is crucial. Was that an issue for you?

Also, were you able to determine why the bearings disintegrated? That ain't normal. Could they have been run dry for some period in the bike's history? Some sort of misalignment?
...

 

[7981GS]

The manuals indicate and I have always heard that shimming to proper backlash and tooth contact for the secondary gears is crucial. Was that an issue for you?

Also, were you able to determine why the bearings disintegrated? That ain't normal. Could they have been run dry for some period in the bike's history? Some sort of misalignment?
...

Backlash: using the old shims and the shims from the spare engine, I was able to set the backlash nearly perfect.
Applied some white grease to the secondary gear, installed, turned rear wheel in gear, removed and checked pattern until correct.
I was lucky and only had to re-use the old shims from the destroyed set.
No adjustment was necessary, basically.

Bearings: When I first got the bike, I drained all fluids and replaced.
The secondary drive looked more like milk (water in it) so I rode it about 50-100 miles with 80W-90 and drained it again.
Then, filled it with 75W-140 Synthetic and thought that it would be good to go for at least 50,000 miles.
Apparently, the damage was already caused by the previous owners and their lack of maintenance.

Daniel

 

[1_v8_merc]

Dirt biking saved another life, good to hear!

Something that should be required for an MC endorsement!
(but I suppose it would be a little difficult or expensive, lol)

 

[7981GS]

Dirt biking saved another life, good to hear!
Something that should be required for an MC endorsement!

I agree 1,000,000,000% and also all cagers should be required to ride a street bike for a few months before they can drive a car/truck.
That would save countless lives AND everyone would drive MUCH SAFER.

JMHO,

Daniel

 

[1980GS1000E]

I just need to jump in here and say that if you had used the front brake while your rear was locked you would have stopped quicker. No sense in skidding down the road any longer than necessary.

 

[7981GS]

I just need to jump in here and say that if you had used the front brake while your rear was locked you would have stopped quicker. No sense in skidding down the road any longer than necessary.

That would be a really wise move with the back end trying to come around.
Go ahead and try it if your chain breaks and binds up the rear. Get back with the results please.

Daniel

 

[Guest]

That would be a really wise move with the back end trying to come around.
Go ahead and try it if your chain breaks and binds up the rear. Get back with the results please.

Daniel

Please explain. I have no off-the-road experience. It would seem to me that the back end comes around because friction between the rear wheel and pavement is very high, while there is almost none between front wheel and pavement. Nearly locking the front wheel would seen to at least balance the situation. Weight shift to the front would reduce friction at the rear. In threads on braking, a few GSers report that they rarely use rear brakes.

 

[mottyl]

Please explain. I have no off-the-road experience. It would seem to me that the back end comes around because friction between the rear wheel and pavement is very high, while there is almost none between front wheel and pavement. Nearly locking the front wheel would seen to at least balance the situation. Weight shift to the front would reduce friction at the rear. In threads on braking, a few GSers report that they rarely use rear brakes.

I think it is the other way around. Your rear tire is sliding on a layer of melted rubber. It should be les friction.

I do not know for sure. Although when dirtbiking on ground or snow/ ice, if the rear wheel is trying to swap ends with the front, hitting the front brake is a good way to fall.

 

[Rkt-Rch]

Just go with the skid... It all depends on the road,weight of the rider,angle of the rider/bike. Etc.. There is NO way to predict how the bike is going jerk/skid/jump/bounce until it happens! Maybe the front brake would have helped maybe not, Iv'e ridden dirt bikes also for years and the unconstant of the dirt/gravel and brakes/presure ALL comes into play. I've had a chain brake and lock the back wheel ON DIRT and the only thing that kept be from eating dirt was my fred flintstone legs.... Ive also had a rear wheel lock up (Rear Brake issue) on the street downhill at about 70mph and it was hold on keep it straight as possible (NO Front brake) and all was well unitil I slowed down to about 10-15mph and was starting to go into a cruve she came around.. It wasnt bad and the only thing that saved me at the higher speed was YES my dirt bike/dirt adventure... They don't call me Rkt-Rch or is that rickety Rich for nothing.... LOL

ALL in ALL you were lucky, skill was a big factor but it looked like a flat/straight road that I'm sure played a factor. Just think if it would have locked up then let loose then locked up again we could be talking to a road rashed GS Rider.

Im glad to see it went good and the bike made it. LOL Sometimes I scare myself when I ride always thinking what if's.... Then again I always try to mentally prepare for the what if's!

Enough said great job saving it.

The only reason I wrote this is because I just went out on a 100+ mile ride this weekend and noticed my bike doing the contant throttle jerk thing and then said to myself (Check the chain) and I always make sure to lube/adjust/etc... and what did I see at about 30miles out from my house! My chain about ready to come off..... I nursed it home and parked it boy was that a close call!
Im done adjusting it it time for a NEW chain/sprockets....

 

[dpep]

I had the same thing happen to me about three years ago. I was only doing about 50 or so in a straight line. I rode it out without using the front brake. I have almost no dirt bike experience, but I'd been riding street bikes for almost 50 years and had steered out of a few skids along the way. I used the front wheel to control direction and counteract what the back was doing. Once the skid started the front and rear were not lined up; there is a sideways element to the slide. It all happened too fast for me to think about what I needed to do. It was all instinct, right or wrong.
...

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the riding lessons!

 

[7981GS]

With the rear end sliding left and right while compensating with the cross-over on the front end,
applying the front brakes would most certainly result in you tumbling down the road sideways.
I am pretty certain that is one thing that we all would like to avoid.

Daniel

 

[Thascrambler]

Im primarily an off-roader/dirtbiker and have had it save my life on pavement before also. Riding my 2005 klr250, I was coming up over a blind knoll @ about 35mph, as i crested the hill a Suburaban Propane truck pulled out of a driveway in front of me. Being a dirt biker i instantly jammed the rear brake forcing a slide towards the opposite side of the road, luckily no oncoming traffic was coming. Got the bikes attitude aimed away from the truck and and released the rear brake and easily went around him on the opposite shoulder. Good thing i am an adventurous spirit and had intentionally done this sort of thing before on dirt, and was on a good style bike for this manuever. I dont know that i woulda been so lucky on a 500lb machine.

 

[Guest]

I once drove a road in rural Tennessee with had lots of hills and curves that completely hid driveways only 50 to 100 feet away. I drove at about 35 at those spots. Locals were blasting by at 60+. Very risky.

 

[duaneage]

When the rear locks up half of what keeps you upright is lost. Without a spinning wheel to provide gyroscopic force you basically have a 550lb object that wants to fall over.

The front wheel can keep you upright but since most of the weight is behind the wheel, and hinged at the head tube, it's inclined to sway and move independently of the front.

He did an impressive job of staying upright and if he had hit the front brake the rear would have certainly came around one side. The resulting jackknife would have been ugly.

If the rear locks up ride it out.

 

[Guest]

The principals are becoming clear. Thanks again.