Bike gone…

It’s taken me 8 months to write this…

Last November (2012) my bike began having starting problems. It made the most horrendous grinding noise when I pushed the starter button. I put a new (second-hand) starter on but it didn’t fix the problem. After a month or so of being laid-up, I had it towed to a mechanic (Platinum Motorcycles, Bray). The problem was far beyond my capabilities. After a couple of days, I got the news that the “big end” was gone. I was standing on the corner of Jervis and Parnell Street in Dublin doing my Christmas shopping. It was like a shot in the gut. I knew, very likely, the bike was gonners.

Broken starter motor replaced

Somehow a piece of my starter motor housing broke off and jammed into the flywheel. When I pressed the start button all I got was a “clunk” noise – no turnover.

Replacement Handlebar Grips

My handlebar grips were worn smooth so I decided to replace them.

Initially, I thought I had to buy the whole grip including the heated parts at a cost between €100-200. After a bit of research and a tip from Motorworks.co.uk I discovered it’s possible to just buy the rubber grip part for approx €8 each.

New boots: Alpinestars “Harlem”

Just bought a pair of new boots. They are absolutely excellent!

New gloves: Alpinestars C-1 Windstopper GL

I got these gloves in January 2011 but forgot to post about them.

Having commuted in, out and around the city with them for a year now I can say they are extremely good gloves. Just the right balance between wind protection and movement. Not too bulky, not too thin. They are good all year round. They are, in my opinion, perfect.

The spec:

• Gore Windstopper shell to reduce wind chill
• Hard knuckle protection
• Leather palm for grip
• Knitted cuff for comfort
• Excellent urban gloves for wet and chilly conditions

 

Shop: Megabikes, Wexford Street, Dublin 8

Cost: €60

Hall Effect Sensor

This is just the start of what will probably be a very long post…

Oil + Filter Change 106k

Mileage: 106,417 miles

Requires:
40 minutes
3.75 liters of oil (if not replacing the filter, then only 3.5 liters)
New oil filter (Motobins kit #01992)
New crush washer (Motobins kit #01992)
New rubber gasket for filler cap (Motobins kit #01992)
Oil filter wrench (Motobins #99200)
Hex socket wrench (to remove and install drain plug)
Torque wrench to correctly re-tighten drain plug (optional)
Oil drain pan
Rubber/latex gloves
Rags/paper towels

Motobins Oil Filter Change Kit (part 01992) - £9

Ride: Sandymount, Kilmacanogue, Lough Tay, Glencree, return.

Spontaneous solo ride last Sunday morning.
Easy
About 2 hours (including photo and daydreaming stops)

Clean wheels with “wheel cleaner”

I must be the only person in the world not to have known this before today…, but if you use “wheel cleaner” you can pretty much just hose your wheels clean!

Saves a lot of effort and scratched knuckles… (see sparkling results below!)

Auxiliary mirrors

Nearly all of my riding is in the city. Given the low position of the RT mirrors, I find I have to lower my head and take my eyes off the road to check the rear-view. Worse, I can’t see things very near to me – there are major blind-spots where cars vans, trucks, cyclists and other motorbikes sneak up on me.

I decided to install auxiliary mirrors to improve my riding safety. I researched and found that the mirrors from the K1200RS fit my R1150RT (this post and this post) and there are already fittings (holes) on the handlebars. Apparently, the mirrors from the GS fit too, but they are are round and I prefer the rectangle/oval shape of the RS’s from an aesthetic point of view.

The installation is very easy. I did it in the dark and had no difficulty.

New front tire – Bridgestone BT-021 F

Mileage: 105,000 miles

Had a new front tire fitted today by Mountjoy Motorcycles:

€120 tire

€10 stem

€20 installation

Good price and quick. I’d recommend calling Declan if you need anything: (01) 830-3682

BT 021 F NEW 120/70 ZR17 TL 58(W)

New BT-021 has been engineered with HTSPC in both front and rear tyres. HTSPC (high tensile super penetrated cord) provides appropriate stiffness to MSB (mono spiral belt) construction, providing both shock absorption and stability at its highest level. Another feature is the SACT + Cap and Base. Straight and cornering technology (SACT) gives centre mileage and shoulder grip.

Maintenance – 2010-10-14

Mileage: 104,000

Valve job (significant improvement!)

Balanced carbs with Twin-max (significant improvement!)

Idle set to 1,100RPMs and steady

Replaced right-side idle adjustment screw (BBAS)

Adjusted left throttle body cable (solved massive backfiring problem)

Replaced carb cover gaskets (L&R)

Replaced inner carb seals (L&R)

Oil top-up – 3L Motul 4T 5000 10W40 (didn’t do full drain nor replace filter)

Clock resets to 00:00 zero

The RID clock kept resetting to 0:00 when starting up. I bought a new battery. I kept it on charge every night. I have nothing else on during ignition, e.g. lights. And yet nearly always, the clock kept resetting to 0:00.

Turned out it was the starter motor.

Starter motor replacement

I was having serious problems with my bike not starting this week. It would turn over but not start. The starter motor still operated but with 104,000 miles on the clock and suspicions it was an original part, I decided to switch it out and eliminate any question (I got a used one on eBay).

R1150RT massive backfiring and popping

For the last few months the popping on my RT got worse and worse. It got so bad it was scaring people at bus-stops!

To cut a long story short, the solution was a couple of twists of the throttle body cable tensioner (twisting upwards, tightening/shortening the cable) – see below.

Indicator turn-signal switch repair

In the space of about two days, my left-hand indicator/turn-signal switch went from working to non-operational.

According to the literature, none of the combination switches can be serviced! The whole unit has to be replaced at a cost of over $200. PITA! 😦

I decided to see if I could fix it. Disassembling the combination switch was very tedious (especially since I had no photos or instructions to follow) but I figured it out and solved the problem.

Current spark plugs

My current spark plugs – NGK 2330 BCPR6ES.

Current engine oil

My current flavour of oil:

Motul 4T 5100 10W40 (4l)

Trim vent hoses

I had those unsightly, tendril-looking fuel line vent hoses hanging from the right side of my bike.

I decided to give ’em a little trim to tidy things up…

Stebel “Nautilus” horn installation

After coming literally within inches of being run over by a van “panic reversing” at a toll booth plaza the other week, I ordered myself the Stebel “Nautilus”.

I got it from JDM Performance shop on eBay UK for £16.