Second Shakedown ride 81GS1100E

[don_gibb6512]

I LIKE IT !!! Every thought about putting on bar end mirrors?

[81gs1100]

I LIKE IT !!! Every thought about putting on bar end mirrors?

The mirrors are only on it because I went to have it inspected.. I have a lower single mirror, but I liked the two in Phoenix traffic. I plan to put those on when I find a partner to the lone one I have. Or pick up some gp style bikemaster... Yeah these mirrors now look rather lame, but I can see behind me

[81gs1100]

Still got some cleaning to do on the bike, I have to replace the chain as well, there is a tight spot which I think it causing some lugging. And then off to the toothbrush store and with some bug and tar remover and a few hours, and a few hours with some mothers, it should be ready to shine. lol Just in time to pull it apart again..

[Turtleface]

Sounds like you need the 1/4 turn throttle mod; you will be able to find the power band then

Oh yes, do this. Do this, do this, do this, do this. Best bang for your buck out there. Made it much easier for me to modulate the throttle, with the twenty-percent increase in turning resistance on the throttle. The fact that it makes it much easier to get to WOT was just a bonus on top of that. I used to have to reposition my grip to open her up all the way.

[Steveb64]

Well after my first shakedown run yesterday, I found a weird feeling while turning and something just didn't feel right. I got back in the garage and messed around and found that my front wheel bearings were bad, like OMFG I was doing 40mph on this deathtrap???

Well after figuring out what bearing I needed, turns out to be 6302 2rs's I waited till morning to call NAPA. Well I called the first napa, nope, only got one. DAMN Second napa, yes we have 2 in stock, I asked them to put thier hands on them to just make sure... Yes, they got two right here, $10.79 each. w00t w00t!! I head to napa, I get there and mention I called about the 6302 bearings... Umm we got the 6203, let me check if we have the 6302, yep here we go, $44 each. :O WOW!!

Ok, back up plan, 10 miles from home, call 411 ask for King Bearing in Phoenix, AZ. Nothing comes up, but she was nice enough to give me a number to Chain, Belt, and Bearing, 27 miles away, but they had 12 on hand, and $7 each. Yay!! Drive all the way across Phoenix, in noon traffic.. OK head home to pull the old bearings, ouch, hmm, wore blind hole puller tools.. Autozone, maybe, could they.. YES! But wanted 175 bucks to let me borrow the tool... run home take the wheel off head back to autozone, only 8 miles away. Get the bearings out, head home, put new bearings in, smile, smile more , test drive...

Now its 3:40pm too late to get to the DMV so I'll have to do that tomorrow to get inspected and plated. But on the drive I felt the chain was a little tight in spots, looking to get a new one before the weekend, but Im sure this one will last a bit longer... Biggest thing, the bike feels great riding! But I noticed the GS1100 doesn't like to hold a steady speed, makes weird noises, I suspect could be that chain jumping around making weird noises and I can feel it a bit in the bike riding at a slow steady speed. OK well I have an answer, open it up a little, 3k,..3,5k.... 4k ... 5k...5,5,6,7 whoa.. I guess the powerband is right there, feels good and I had to let off, wasnt expecting that.

Ok, back to a normal rpm, 3.5k or so at 40mph heading down to Wal-Mart, don't know why I was going there, but hey.. I gotta ride somewhere right?? Get to Wal-Mart, navigating the parking lot, jeesh this chain sucks at a snails pace. Park the bike, a Mountain Dew sounds great, walk over to the soda machine, hit the button, wheee, not sold out, $1.25, way better then QT at $1.49. Feed the protecter of soda a crisp clean $1 bill, then a shiny quarter...Ummm, dang, I see it in there, I'll put in another quarter to push that one down, ARRRGGG!!! Feed the bitch another $1 bill and it spits me $0.75, and jams my $1.75 bottle of mountain dew in a way that I have to use 2 hands on my knees to get the damn thing out. Ahh I got it, Im sooo glad this isn't your typical AZ day of 105 degrees... Today a nice breeze, 88 degrees, its nice and peaceful.

A few gulps and a smoke before I ride back home... OOH wait.. This looks like a great time to take a few pictures. I had some odd looks from people wondering why I was taking pictures of what apears to be an abondoned bike. But screw them its mine and I waited long enough to ride it.




SO there it is, a trip to the DMV in the morning, and a new chain and some detailing, along with some planned mait. along the way and I'll be ready for the 70 degree winter ahead of me.

Good work so far!

Handy hint #1: If you're gonna replace your chain, replace both the sprockets as well - otherwise, you're likely to be replacing the chain again well before you would normally expect to... And you remove one more possible 'point of failure' in your drivetrain. Broken chains suck! DAMHIK.

[don_gibb6512]

Good work so far!

Handy hint #1: If you're gonna replace your chain, replace both the sprockets as well - otherwise, you're likely to be replacing the chain again well before you would normally expect to... And you remove one more possible 'point of failure' in your drivetrain. Broken chains suck! DAMHIK.

Ditto on that and might as well switch out to the 530 while you're at it.

Easy for us to say when it's not our money. Good luck man. You're doing a great job!