Part One Part Deux Part Tre' Part Cat
Phase 3: Now for a little rat farklin'...
03-12-11
- Money is like water, but my karma wheel turns. I now have a solid running and well maintained airhead RS. It's a keeper.
Very well then, need to get to the creature comforts and here's the list:
- V1 radar detector - go no where without it, needs to be mounted.
- Kisan Signal Minder - New to me. This is kinda cool, it has both the ability to cancel the turn signals (wonky dirt bike turn signal switch)
as well as make the signals into running lights. I always thought Run-N-Lites was the only way to go. - Solo seat - Acquired a solo seat so that I can use the Russell backrest on the dual saddle for Mama rides.
- Vented center fairing - RT/RS center fairing with louvers for better airflow. I don't want to remove the lowers every summer.
- Paint - I'm leaving the bodywork as is but acquired a second set of side covers. The solo, covers, and center fairing will be black
This is the solo running plan, keeping the Lava Rot parts for safe keeping. - Pinstripes - I'm going to fiddle with some striping tape before I find a steady hand to highlight this redness...
03-18-11 - Race Tech tada Rescue...sort of...
(add $500 to the total right here, right now...)
Much more bad weather and busy-ness. But the bike is running very good. Everything is working as it should (other than that clock bulb!).
I installed a Kisan Signal Minder (#SM-1), it has full running lights now, self-canceling signals, soon flashing brake light.
I'll hook that up when I get the PIAA Xtreme White bulb.
The V1 is mounted with the visor clip on the windshield for now. Plug and Play.
Waiting on the solo seat, still.
I spent alot of time communicating with Matt Wiley at Race Tech. He diligently guided me on what to do and how.
It kinda goes like this:
Drill two more holes in the damping rod for a total of 6 going above the originals. Drill all to 5/16" and smooth edges.
Spend another $140 at MAXBMW, no wait. that's another deal...Buy new push rod guide rings (31421241649 - GUIDE RING)
because yours are possibly toast, and you know in your heart that one is torn neatly in half. $22 each!).
Matt sent the correct springs for my weight (170 nekkid)
FRSP S2643085 is the spring part number, .85kg spring rate.
...and 2 replacement valves for the emulators
that are to be drilled out from 2 to 4 holes. Done.
(Reminder Emulator PN# is SS3301, the new drill out valve is the same as on the emulator, just drill out the other 2 holes) 
Measure the 3/4" PVC spacer required to bring the entire contraption (damper rod assembly, PVC spacer #1, Gold valve, washers, PVC spacer #2)
flush with the top of the fork tubes. That will be the preload rate, which is 20mm, or the depth of the
fork cap as it compresses the spring/ Matt sez make sure you use washers between the PVC spacer and the spring.
THis measures out to a spacer of 80mm for my application.
My my, aren't my hands clean...
Not for long...Since I'm missing the high dollar top hat for the damper tube I have to improvise or wait another 2 weeks for Brother MAX
(31422301015 - SUPPORT FOR DAMPER PIPE)
Matt and I discussed this and I'm cutting down the old school bottoming spring that resided in the forks already to "act" as supports.
...Greazy Grimey...
Before you put this all together, give 3 turns to the emulator.
This is what 3 turns looks like per Matt's instructions: Set allen screw until there is NO up & down movement of the colored spring but it will still turn between your fingers; this is zero. From this point add 3 full turns (360 degrees each) of the adjuster screw...
Phew! Man can I be dense sometimes...
But Mr. MOPAR approves! I actually had him handle most the technical stuff with Race Tech.
Buy 15wt synthetic fork oil ($9.95).
"15wt Fork Oil @ 130mm Oil Level (fork spring OUT, chrome tube at bottom)"
???...'scuse me Mr. Matt, can you 'splain to Mr. MOPAR so he can 'spain to me please?
"Everything should be installed EXCEPT the Fork Springs. The Fork chrome upper tube should be all the way down at bottom of stroke (as if bottomed out), PUSH the fork DOWN as much as possible. The 130mm Oil Level is measured from the TOP of the chrome tube to the oil"
I see. Oh YOU mean pull the fork sliders all the way UP!
See, the bike is on the center stand and I have to pull on the axle UP..oh nevermind.
Got it.
MOPAR take a break.
In the end I slopped fork oil allover the bike trying to get a measurement and equal in both fork tubes, but it's all cleaned up now.
Don't forget to put the springs in whilst you button it all up, oh and the spacers and washers too.
Torque everything per the Clymers manual with the oily fingerprints allover it.
To re-cap, damper road assembly goes as follows:
Damper rod, guide ring (inserted in slot), damper spring, damper washer (with holes), plastic ring, valve housing
and in my case, instead of the top hat support for the damper rod, I have the cut down spring at the bottom.
Pic below is before I ordered the rest of the Race Tech stuff, but that's the order.
The damper assembly goes back up into the fork tube from whence it came,
and the circlip secures it inside the fork tube.
Drop the spring (or top hat damper support) into the slider and run your hexcap screw thru the bottom of the slider and
tighten into the damper rod.
Now I'm all sealed up, insert the axle thru both sliders and yes Mr. Wiley,
I pull the the sliders UP!...until the are 'bottomed out"...
I secured them in the at position with some bungies so that I could fill and spill to my heart's content.
So I did, and then I stepped in the oil catch container....
03-18-11 - Race Tech tada Rescue...sort of...
The next day...after wiping down everything best I could, rolling everything out of the cave and liberally spraying with
degreaser, the lift,
the garage floor, the tools, and the bike, and washing everything down and out.
I washed the bike for the first time with soap and water, she's been baptized and swaddled.
Isn't she justa darling!?!
Ohya Boya! My new petcocks and floats came in from Uncle MAX!
Those go in, replace the clear fuel lines to the tank
with standard hi-test black stuff. It took two trips to buy two 12" pieces because I came up
1" too short...Acton Auto Parts knows me pretty well now.
The boss sold me the first 12" for $1.67
The redheaded kid behind the counter sold me the second 12" for $1.69...
I guess the boss was givin' me a senior discount.
Should have asked where the Hell Jason was.
Lights out and locked the door behind me.
...these be the "L" shaped design pettycocks, good for frame supported bikes. Nice!
The clouds start to boil in, the wind begins to pick up, but my garage is clean and dry.
I'm so beat from between the bike stuff and the mid-Saturday "let's go find a new kitchen sink and look for wild flowers on the way back" foray I can barely stand.
But still I haven't tested the bike. Forks seem a bit firm. Turns out additional adjustment to the Telefix is needed.
Regardless of what the old hags say, I like the old CC Products hoop braces...I will find one some day.
The new felts in the wipers feel like they're binding the compression a bit.
But what the hell, we got a new sink.
(You ever read some of those travelogue in the MOA magazine? Some o them old dudes are trippin'!...)
...I slip on the jacket anyway, the helmet, the old gauntlets and try and beat the rain.
The return up the road could be a boggy one. So I ride.
22 clicks later and a wink and a thumbs up from a boy at the gas station, and the task is complete.
But there is still a need for adjustment. My luck holds out until the next day. They wind has blown the rain Nor'west...
I get the old sink out and wrestle the new one in but I've run out plumber's putty!
The new faucet doesn't fit the sink either!
"Honey, I need to go take a ride" The Good Wife tells me to go.
So I do.
Deftly I strike the canyon's tail astride my Red Battle Axe steed...
"Honey! I went and got another faucet!"...
No that one doesn't fit either...
Basically the front end feels pretty good after everything loosened up a bit. It will get better.
It's shocks she needs.
The cheapie Progressives have not alotta rebound damping.
Oh I lust!...
Meantime I've come across somethin' sp'ashal...costs 1/3rd of a kitchen sink.
03-23-11 - Luftmeister Scoremeister!
Luftmeister deal went through. They are on der bike. Slipped on like buttah. To my surprise these muffs are not new but are not used either.
A rare find...Only details of less than bought off the shelf in the 80's is some slight corrosion on the inside. The packing is clean, no soot.
I'd forgotten this sound. Haven't heard it since back in the daze....throaty, rumblin', with a skosh on the modified bike sound.
For now I am very happy just to hear.
I've tried to find info on these particular pipes and there seems to be next to nil. Lots of stuff about K-bike Lufty's but not twins.
And plenty of negative stuff about Matt Capri and Luftmeister in general. Even dyno runs showing less horsepower on K-bikes equipped with their pipes.
However, these are like you bought them new. A bit of retro...so it will be hard to say how she runs, better. worse, or the same.
Three more days of rain here in SoCal, records being broken. I feel like breaking some of my old priceless LPs myself
'cuz I won't be able to get down the Slik Rd, to try these chromsters out! Arrgh!!!
Maybe the light will shine for me just enough to get me down on the tarmac for a test...
Cold out here in the cave...second vid she's a bit warmer then...
...and a bit warmer as well...
Part One Part Deux Part Tre' Part Cat
