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5 Common Wear and Tear Items on Motorcycles
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MaritimeParticipant
I wave when safe, nod when hands are needed. I was at a light the other day on the first ride on my rebuilt bike(blown motor) when I saw a bike coming up behind me. I waved as I was in neutral waiting for the light. The guy waved back and before he got close enough to stop the light changed and off I went. I have a 450 cc CB450T. Has a few mods. The next light the guy has caught up and he is on a 2009 V-Rod Harley. He says ” What year’s that bike?” I said 81. He said “BS, what size engine?” I said 450cc. He said “No way, it sounds to good. nice bike.” The light changed and I went. He went, and we met at the next light. I told him I had just done a frame up rebuild over the winter and that is why the bike looked newer. I then told him I liked his bike too, although I like a standard bike over a cruiser for myself. He smiled and said he had just gotten it. I took the fact a Harley guy liked my little bike as a huge compliment. I know a few Harley guys who like all bikes, but I know a lot more who if it isn’t a Harley, then it isn’t a real bike. I am a wave at all bikes no matter what make model kind of guy, and a nice bike is a nice bike, personal preference aside.
Cheers.
MaritimeParticipantGlad to meet you! I have a lot of respect for MSF instructors, the 3 of mine were awsome and helped a lot.
MaritimeParticipantI started out on a 50cc mini bike of my friends when I was 10, moved up to a 4 wheeler of my own at 14. It was all my parents would allow, my dad’s favorite line “You’re lucky if you die in a motorcycle crash, otherwise you are a vegitable.” This from a man who refused to wear a helmet when he drove our 4 wheeler. So I went to school , got a job, got married, had a son…..Turned 34 and said I don’t live at home, I am going to get a bike. First thing I did was hit the web, research it, found this and other sites, decided I better take the MSF. Best $450.00 ever spent. I thought I new a lot about bikes. Well I did, what I learned I didn’t know, was how to stay alive in traffic and our MSF drilled that and how to stop, swerve, survive stupid people on cell phones etc. That was important. Riding during that course in September here, the very end of season for most people, I was addicted, Riding is like crack for me, and as stressful as it can be, it actually calms me down?? Anyway, There are 2 grades of licenses here, 550 cc and under and unlimited, I already decided my first bike would be likely less than 550 cc but if you don’t get the unlimited the first time around it is long waiting list to do it all over again. I took the big bike test on a S40 Suzuki, had to go first because they did alphabetical order, Aced the test, thank god, got my endorsement. Started looking for a bike even though I was supposed to wait until I had the money saved, per agreement with my wife. Same day I got my license I found an 81 CM400T Honda. Guy wanted 800. I went to see it, and since I have been fixing cars, quads, lawnmovers etc. I could tell the bike was good. Offered the guy 600, he said 650…. SOLD, went to the bank and got the $$ off credit line, then went home to face the music. My wife was pisssed to say the least, but I got insrance and went and drove the bike home. No real traffic etc. Then started taking it a block away to the MSF course parking lot in the evenings for a few weeks, got to know the bike and then started taking it everywhere. My wife wanted me to sell it and I almost did. I had put 2500 kM’s on it in less than 3 weeks. She wanted to do an overnight trip to a town about 4 hours away. I said we don’t the money for gas, it was pushing 75.00 to fill the SUV and would take about 2 tanks to go there and back plus hotel room, meals etc, she said we would have the $$ if I didn’t buy the bike, then I said, lets take the bike it will only cost liek $25 for gas. Our son was staying with his grandparents so no issues. She said OK, so we went. Took all the back roads, no Highway, it took us 2 hours longer to get there but we had a blast! When that trip was over she said “I don’t think we should sell the bike” By the time the snow flew the old bike had another 3000 K’s on it and then disaster struck. I was on my way to a meeting at a hotel for work, taking the highway running 7500RPM when the bike started to act funny, then went crunch, and I blew a piston. Came to find out a piece of a cheap gasket, (Previous owner had used) had come off and plugged the right oil channel for the cylinder. I was devestated, I thought, I have no money to fix this, what am I going to do. I tore the bike down and was ready to part it out. Did some research again and discovered the newer model 450cc bikes honda built had better motors, extra oil hoses to prevent this. So I found a parts bike with a good motor but crap frame and forks etc. and 150.00 later, rebuilt the bike and just took it for it’s first ride. It is now a 6 speed and the motor is great, nice little boost in power. Then it snowed again so the bike is sitting until the weather improves but in about a week or so it will be ridden until I can afford to go bigger so my wife and I can do longer trips together.
Cheers.
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