1st ride to work.

[Redman]

Has been a few days in 50s or 60s here in west Michigan, but would still be 20s or low 30s in morning (as in scrapping frost off car).

Today is first day where above 40 degrees in morning, not predicted rain, and not predicted that I have to carry stuff to a customers.

So today is First day of year to ride to work.
Got tool kit in sidebag, and can put 'puter in tail trunk if needed to go to customers.





Took pictures to mark the occassion.

And now I see my right pant leg appears to have an oil coating, from mid-shin on down. Clutch rod seal I suspect.

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[Skateguy50]

Nice, I took my first ride to work on the GS as well today... but camera was left at home. No rain but still lots of flooding, changed my route a few times do to closed roads and even went through a moderately flooded section of road.

So far so good on the leak department here, did new gaskets last summer from base up. It was in the 40s but should be in 60s for ride home. Between testing out using the windscreen that came with the bike that I never used before and having my new riding pants come in yesterday it was very comfortable. The pants have side zippers but do not go enough and my boots get caught up on the padding... so think I need to remove the boots to get these on and off.

[Redman]

....

Good that your rebuild is holding together.

We can pretend it is summer time.
May need some extra gear in the morning, but nice in afternoon.

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[Redman]

...
...
... I see my right pant leg appears to have an oil coating, from mid-shin on down. Clutch rod seal I suspect.

Nope. Looks more like cam cover.

Hey, Tim, apparently my "calibrated finger inch-pound instrument" might need to be recalibrated.

Can see the oil spots under the bike in the pictures.

And do now need to go to customer's shop across town. Cool, get to go for ride - while working.

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[Skateguy50]

Only thing better than riding while working is getting paid milage. I get paid $.40 a mile, not a lot for a cage considering insurance and wear ect, but great for the GS.

I feel bad loggin in my miles sometimes then I recall all the parking in the city they don't reimburse because I am supposed to take an extra 2 hours and park and take the train in for an hour long meeting.

[twr1776]

#4 Today, 11:28 AM Redman Hey, Tim, apparently my "calibrated finger inch-pound instrument" might need to be recalibrated.

Dave, we did give you our typical warranty of 5 minutes or 5 miles and you are past it. I think some re-snug the real gaskets after a heat cycle but I guess I got lucky. I snugged it up once and have not touched it again.

[BassCliff]

Hey Dave,

Good stuff my friend! Thanks for sharing your ride to work.

I'll have to take pictures of my first ride to work too. I'm going to stop by the AutoZone on the way home today and pick up a couple of gallons of Evapo-Rust to take care of my tank. Maybe in another week or two, depending on how much time I can spend in the "man cave", I'll be getting to work on two wheels again.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[Redman]

Rest of Story: The ride home.

Thanks for the comments. Will get back to ya.

But there is more to the story: The ride home.
Was concidering working on it in the shop at work, but was gonna be late for a customer service call. So took off with it still leaking some. Just to go acrost town. THen from there headed home. Then the leak got worse. Can see the oil spot on my pant leg getting bigger. Can see oil slobbering along the side panel and onto the side bag.

Oh, Man!

And I am low on gas, but dont want to get gas cause I know I am going to be taking off the tank.

Stopped at an intesection of two state highways, stop light, two lanes of traffic in all direction. Light turns green and I go to take off - and putter - putter - blahh - blahhh - and dies. Right there in the middle of the intersection. Cars going around me. Switch to reserve, and still doesnt start, and traffic light is about to change for traffic from other road. So I hopp off and push across the intersection to the grass median (no curbs, so that was good).

And along comes two Harley. Blop-Blaoop Blop-Blaoop Blop-Blaoop Blahhhahahahah. Blahhhahahahah.
And they pull off next to me. That was nice I thought. But it should restart after I put it on PRIme for a little bit. Then I see the Harley riders are a couple that used to be neighbors years ago. Yuppies on fairly new his-and-hers custom Harleys. Both of them are professional middle-managers. All dressed up in big boots, black jackets, skull caps with the doo-rags hanging out.

And now I have smoke drifitng off the exhaust pipes from the oil. ANd can see oil all along on side of bike. And I am dead on side of the road.

I just say I have to switch gas to reserve, and I should be fine. Not certain if they hear me over the noise. Didnt mention about the gasket oil leak. I get the bike started, we wave, and pull out with next break in traffic. I turn off when get to my side of town.

I image they were thinking:
Poor Dave, still riding old bikes.
Poor Dave, still lives in that neighborhood.

When I get home I see that apparently on the service call I got some dirt/grease on my face.

So that is the rest of the story about the ride home.

[Redman]

Dave, we did give you our typical warranty of 5 minutes or 5 miles and you are past it. ...
...

Well, see if I reccommend your shop to anybody else.
har har

[Redman]

Other part of the story.

Other part of the story:
Man, half the cam cover bolts were real loose, like half a turn loose before even starting to snug up. Like they were all vibrating out.

I recalibrated my finger-torque-insturment and retorqued the bolts.

Ride to work and back today, and all was fine.

Maybe I should get one of those bicycle torque wrench that are graduated in inch-pounds.


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[jbs80106]

2 thoughts...

1) Harbor Freight for a torque wrench....


2) Once my GS bogged down on the way to work. Dude stopped on his cruiser to help. THAT SAYS ALOT! Turns out I had too much oil in her and created my own problem.

okay 3) once my battery died...parked it and started walking in all black riding pants, jacket, carrying my helmet. Dude stops to offer me a ride. Turns out he was familiar with old HD shovelheads (no idea what he's talking about) but had done his share of walking. Drove me home.

To me, difference between being a rider and a motorcyclist, especially with 20+ yr old bikes. We all break down time to time. Lend a hand. Atleast stop. That says alot. Even if you have no idea how to fix the problem it's good karma...

Glad your problem is fixed. Remember the 2 posers who stopped to help the next time you see a dude pushing his bike or walking......pay it foreward.