South West Michigan…3/6/10

[Buffalo Bill]

I took my 1100G out for a 30 mi ride today. First ride of the season for me, plenty of snow still on the ground. The bike started right up, I've had the battery inside on trickle charge, but it's startin' it's third year.
I was not the first bike I saw on the road this year, only the 3rd. The roads have been clear this week, but who wants to get salt on their polished aluminum cases.
I put new gas in the tank, no need for sta-bil from here on!
Bill

[greg78gs750]

nice bill. yeah, im waiting till we get a little rain to help wash that salt off. i am a sissy.

[Redman]

Hi Bill, Hi Greg,

Yesterday (Saturday) was my first outting. Sunny and roads clear and dry, 40 degrees. Although took the Shadow 500. Has been a couple weeks since any salt spread, but was still concenred about it. And the GK fairing (with headlight and t/signals) is still in the basement.

.

[greg78gs750]

also, and this is going to be heresy, i know, but....i am about to begin reassembling my wife's honda dream 305 engine after a complete rebuild, and, honestly, i am more excited about taking it out than my gs!!! horrors!! but that bike is fun fun fun to ride!!!!!!

[Buffalo Bill]

Distractions…

also, and this is going to be heresy, i know, but....i am about to begin reassembling my wife's honda dream 305 engine after a complete rebuild, and, honestly, i am more excited about taking it out than my gs!!! horrors!! but that bike is fun fun fun to ride!!!!!!

Heresy? Not so. But I'll take a Hershey for 50¢.
I had frugal plans to CermaKrome™ my headers, and do a top end rebuild to my GS550T, but I got a little sidetracked. Somebody gave me a starter drum kit, that lead to a musical restart and regeneration, then of course to a serious case of Gear Acquirement Syndrome!
But I can still get that 550 work done before summer, if…
Bill

[seuadr]

to a serious case of Gear Acquirement Syndrome!

me too! i got a new helmet, a couple pair of gloves, of course some visors for the new helmet, getting some perscription sunglasses.. and then my wife said enough

oh well

[Redman]

Got out again Sunday (03/14/2010), 40 degress, but again on the Shadow 500

http://www.hondashadow.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=88418

post 6 & 7.

If you can tolerate the Honda Shadow pictures to see some west Michigan pictures.

Geepers, Greg and I both causing problems.

.

[greg78gs750]

fired up the suzuki today! started within 2 secs of being on the button! not bad after 4 months of winter storage! pipe #3 was a bit slow to warm up, hoping that will clear up with some spirited riding tomorrow! well, i mean, spirited while paying attention to the LOOSE GRAVEL they have been laying down on the roads around here, ostensibly this is some sort of repair!?! times are tough. also, upon inspection, my rear master cylinder looks a bit grotty....which sucks because i just did a complete brake system rebuild 2 years ago...gonna havta see whats up with that annoyance. i think it can wait till the dream is running, though! now, for some polishing!!!

greg

[greg78gs750]

did a nice brisk 40 miles today! my speedo and tach are both a bit bouncy...leftover problems from last year. dont think it's the cable, at least for the speedo anyway, just cleaned and lubed it yesterday. hm. guess ill have to check out the speedo drive unit sometime. the tach will get inspected when i replace my tach seals, which has been on the list for, oh, 2 years now....always something, eh? ah well, felt great just to have her out!

[Redman]

Hey Greg,

Good to hear from you. Yah, today was a good day to get out. Over 60 degrees. (although I stayed over at work )

I bet some guys in certain parts of county do not understand our excitment about a 60 degree day. Yah, Whoowhooo, survived another winter!

I was going to say that I could see some pictures of the Dream.

Bouncy tach and speedo, sounds like you are aware of the typical reason for that. But lubing cable didnt smooth it out. Hum. Did you remove the inner calble to see if near broken, or just add lube into the cable?

I think it is bwringers site that has a good description/tutorial about replacing the seals in the tach drive. I'll just mention that there are two seals in there. So get both of them. Just tell me you need help (wiether you do or dont) and give me an excuse to ride up there some time.

Dave "Redman"

[Buffalo Bill]

Oh those gages!

Hey Greg,

Good to hear from you. Yah, today was a good day to get out. Over 60 degrees. (although I stayed over at work )

I bet some guys in certain parts of county do not understand our excitment about a 60 degree day. Yah, Whoowhooo, survived another winter!

I was going to say that I could see some pictures of the Dream.

Bouncy tach and speedo, sounds like you are aware of the typical reason for that. But lubing cable didnt smooth it out. Hum. Did you remove the inner calble to see if near broken, or just add lube into the cable?

I think it is bwringers site that has a good description/tutorial about replacing the seals in the tach drive. I'll just mention that there are two seals in there. So get both of them. Just tell me you need help (wiether you do or dont) and give me an excuse to ride up there some time.

Dave "Redman"

Hey Dave, Happy riding, glad to hear you say "work"!
I get so annoyed when I see those screws bouncing in my tach and speedo, because there's no way to open 'em up and put 'em back in place.
My Yamaha Seca gages were designed for easy servicing.
Greg, your sticky tachs need some lube on their bearings, but I don't know how they can be opened. If you're talking about GS gages.
Bill

[greg78gs750]

yeah, ive had the 2 seals and the link to bwringer's tutorial around for a couple years, just too lazy to actually get around to it!! i did take the speedo cable apart, clean and lube it, but i might try to find a more dedicated cable lube and give that a shot. the inner cable seems to be in good shape still. i will probably try to lube the gauge bearings too, maybe with a little silicone, or maybe some of that zoom spout turbine oil, or maybe even shoot some graphite up there? i need to take a look at the dream's speedo too, last time i had it out it indicated 80 mph! ha! there is a place out in cali that apparently does a really good job of rebuilding the old speedos, but i have bigger priorities for my cash right now, since i am semi-unemployed with another baby due in september!! i am lucky to have a pretty great wife...

i will post some pics of the dream quick.......
greg

[greg78gs750]

what we are starting with

my little helper

the transmission

[Buffalo Bill]

Looks like a good start, but…

Nice Greg, I can remember when 350 sounded big, but I was only a little bit bigger than your youngin'. Did folks really travel so far on that bike to need luggage?
Bill

[greg78gs750]

this particular bike was used as a local commuter before i got it, thus the trunk (not original). there were hard side bags available from honda back then, and the superhawk 305 (very similar engine, but with a 180 deg crank instead of the 360, and hotter cams, and 2 carbs as opposed to the single on the dream. and the tube frame instead of the welded stamped steel of the dream. and the.....you get the idea....) is the bike ridden by robert pirsig on a cross country trip that was part of the inspiration for and a plot device in "zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance"

i really cant wait to get her going again. she ran before the teardown, but in my inspection i came up with some low compression #s on one side, so apart she came. sure enough, 2 broken rings in the bad cylinder! i am "almost" ready to start reassembly, so fingers crossed i should have her running soon!

assuming it is, i will be bringing both this bike and the gs to the gilmore show. not sure yet how im gonna get'em both there, but that is not a bad problem to have, eh?

greg