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General Category => Safety and Riding Tips => Topic started by: Deplorable, thank you! on August 12, 2018, 12:45:28 AM

Title: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on August 12, 2018, 12:45:28 AM
gee I made the mistake of actually looking at my service records over the past ~65,000 miles.......... specifically looking at Tire mileage and useage... (since new tires etc were done in prep for this weekend riding and I had the log book open)


~Sportbike tires do not last very long~


~So 45 brand new tires, and then a few of them came off and went back on later (track use etc but only counted as 1 tire)
 6 of those were tires burned up doing trackday events. (usually, tires used on track also saw 1100-1400 street miles afterwards on the Q3's...)The GPA's set, an S20evo set and the 003R's set never saw anything but track (each lasting sub 650 miles) and then a set of  S20's (non evo) I rode at VIR for CSS and then in the east coast mountains for 1000 miles combined (400ish VIR, 600ish in the mountains) only managed 479 miles once returned, 1 ride into WI .... 1479 miles total)

~2 rear tires made less than 1300 miles each in AR ( Conti Force Max and Dunlop D208GPA)

******the longest any rear tire managed -- 4,428 miles (Metzeler M3)---if we do not count the Roadtec 01 sport touring model---

the shortest any that did not see track use--- 1188 miles, but that was riding AR on a DOT "race tire"

2 rear tires were pulled early due to nails in them and tossed. 859 mile M7RR and 348 mile PP2ct

~The average life of a rear tire strictly ridden in WI seems to be around  3,159 miles (again slower speeds and being on its side more helped longevity)
 ~The average for rear tires that saw extensive MN riding and some WI riding 2,803 miles

fronts did not fair much better....

*******longest any front was left on-------- 4,747 miles (Dunlop Q3) again we are not including the outlyer sport touring Roadtec 01 that had a clear advantage

the shortest of those never seeing track duty--- 1188 miles in AR, again a DOT "race tire" ---

 The average of the fronts (since some I did change seperately) that solely saw WI seems to be  3940 miles (being on the side and slower speeds helps life)
never did I ride a front predominatley in MN and keep it on when changing the rear......So 2803 miles when mostly in MN

Basically;
longest life
Roadtec 01..........averaged  7108 (1 lone set, and I actually enjoyed them very much the same as all the sport tires)
M3........................averaged  3770 (4 sets on street- 1 set did see 118 miles dctc)
Q3.........................averaged 3608 (3 sets on street-did not count any track mile tires)
S21.......................averaged 3540 (only ran the 1 set)
PP.........................averaged 3326 (2 sets on street)
M5........................averaged 2985 (3 sets on street, 1 did see 129 miles DCTC)
S20.......................averaged 2756 (2 sets on street)
Q3+...................... averaged 2667 miles
S20evo.................averaged 2420 (only 1 set on street)

I guess I may as well go back to the beginning and see the other 24 tires burned up and really see how they averaged......
be some new contenders in that list;
-Dunlop Roadsmart  (1300 miles and off, hated them, way too hard and stiff on a 400 lb sportbike)
-Dunlop Roadsmart II (2080 miles and off- actually cupping front and did not like them much-thought they were too hard and stiff for a 400lb sportbike, but they were marginally better than RS)
-PP2ct (2910 miles out of 1 set and 3040 out of the 2nd)
-Conti sport attack (2873 miles)
-Conti sport attack/road attack rear combo (3378 miles)
-Dunlop Q2 (4591 miles and 4673 miles.... way more than the Q3 which is also much better mileage than the Q3+)
-also a few more sets of M3 were run throughout.... with some going 4900 miles and others only 3800 miles.... If I look all M3 sets over the life of the bike, they have averaged 4064 miles per set.... " winner "of the sportbike tire longevity war but those Q2's beat them for life, although they were not around long and I only used 2 sets of them
-Michelin power pure......... sub 2000 miles
-oe original D207 managed 4700 miles even with a few dyno sessions

Obviously the M3 was my go to tire and I did notice when the 120/65 was used my comments were better to how it felt/reacted and lived.... but then again about the time I went Ak20's/penske shock I also went 120/70 from then on and made chassis adjustments to suit the tire size....

Here is to the next ~95,000 miles of riding.............
may I burn through another ~70 tires and enjoy every mile..........

 Skew the average down with more track time or skew it up with more Roadtec 01's/sport touring tires
The RSIII is on my short list but given the way I hated the RS and RSII thus far I just haven't taken the leap to go for them....(although I have dozens of happy customers on them.....I am also using AS as a guinea pig for testing them on a 400 lb sportbike, so far so good)

besides with so many new sport tires coming out all the time and I need to test them, I do ride a sportbike afterall.... Hard to jump on testing tires not really designed for my bike or my intended use (just these Sunday rides of fun tire shredding enjoyment)

So what does this have to do with "Safety" and "Riding Tips".......
Well the tires are your lifeline to everything the motorcycle does, it is your connection to the road so make sure you take care of them!

besides air pressure, balance and making sure they are not too old (production date is 4 digits 2318 is 23rd week of 2018) and have plenty of good tread (buy a tread depth guage and actually measure above the wear bars!!!)..........

 Well that is the safety and riding lecture.......... the rest is just fluff to spark some conversation on the forum

Do not be one of these guys like the depicted pictures.......senseless stupidity in spades to ride any of these tires!
Victory with a completely bald front tire
600cc sportbike with cords showing
old 70's honda with tires circa 1980's and well weather cracked

all ridden in this way......ugh

Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on August 12, 2018, 12:46:51 AM
Attachments too large, really.....

okay, so you get the most aggregious picture anyways..........

Who in their right mind would ride a 1000 pound behemoth on bald as shit tires..........!!!
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Elk on August 12, 2018, 08:47:19 PM
Interesting data.  Fun to see a summary of real world use.
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on August 12, 2018, 09:19:41 PM
So just a quick follow up.........  someoneVINCEwho shall remain annonymous, showed up today with a tire already ready for the recycler......... but he mustered another 490 miles out it............
Smooth edge to edge but no cords..... ugh
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: vince on August 12, 2018, 10:32:19 PM
Tire management
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on August 13, 2018, 10:40:28 AM
Tire management

I think the leaders pace (since the leader slowed down, kept to the edges of the tire on twisty roads at steady speed and kept you in check) and of course cutting some miles off helped more than anything.......... but that there sets a bad example

prime example of how far not to ride your tire!
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: sleeper404 on August 13, 2018, 10:51:51 AM
You could just barely see the ghost of what used to be siping on that tire.  Not that you would need any of that in WI...
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: vince on August 13, 2018, 05:57:09 PM
That's the best used up tire I have ever done. I'm going to keep it like a trophy.
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on August 13, 2018, 07:05:01 PM
Well I gave Vince an "only" ......  half used up Rosso Corsa today, he might be able to make 3 rides with that tire........... lol

Got to wear out that front before putting on any of the brand new sets laying around the garage ;) or some such bullshit

At this rate he will be in the same boat I just went through.......... installing brand new "old" tires......
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on October 03, 2018, 05:26:48 PM
 I spent a few hours looking over some sales data on tires..........

Dunlop RSIII has outsold every other sport touring tire I have sold by a huge margin (more RSIII than all other sport touring tires combined)

when I look at some of the follow up customer data on tire life and thoughts.........
Some riders are getting ~ the same mileage out of whatever tire they ride on (cost analysis shows the RSIII was still the best choice)
A few riders did get a significant mileage bump with a specific tire, or even several sets of that tire (really driving cost of the RSIII for some riders, but others did fair better on PR2 or Pirelli Angel GT or even the Avon offering---- but at the huge cost difference, the RSIII was still the cost per mile economy choice with great feedback and pretty good life)
A couple even got less miles (2 people actually, both ran 2 sets so to not say it was a fluke, one of them was less by 800 miles than his typical PR2 on the first set but less by 1300 miles on the second- he did do more two up/fully loaded on that second set- but given he has been roughly running 6700 and 7200 miles on those........ it was about a 0-14% loss of miles v the 32-45% reduction in cost
tire cost alone
$185 x 2 sets = $370 / 13,900 miles = .02662 cents per mile on the RSIII
$270 x 2 sets = $540 / 16,080 miles = .03358 cents per mile on PR2
$340 x 2 sets = $680 / 14,183 miles = .04794 cents per mile on PR3 (he also ran a lone set of PR4 and they netted him even less miles, so higher per mile cost)
$330 x 2 sets = $660 / 13,860 miles = .04762 cents per mile on Angel GT

I am not saying cost is everything, as we all know Motorcycles are for fun and while cost plays some role, it is not the deciding role- hell it may not even be in the top 10 factors for some.....

Just for perspective;
Load range E tires on the truck
$1120. for the tires- they get 45,000 miles........... that is a .0249 cents per mile cost (much more cost effective than motorcycle tires)

if you look at any ecobox car that routinely gets 30+ mpg and has tires that are sub $400/set and last 40,000+ miles-------if you are looking for cost effective transportation, do not buy a motorcycle!
gear, consumables, routine maintenance costs, insurance etc...  all tolled would be triple or more on most any bike v any reasonably economical car

Smiles per mile, or smiles per dollar spent.........a motorcycle always wins!........... atleast for me and most enthusiasts it does
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Mike Duluth on October 03, 2018, 06:47:36 PM
I ran a set of Angle GT's and didn't even get 3k out of them- going back to PR4"s
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on October 04, 2018, 01:41:36 PM
I have seen almost all the sport touring tires run the gammit of sub 3500 miles to over 8000 miles.

I recently had a C14 come in with almost 11k ~claimed by owner, zero proof~ on his PR4's..........
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on April 15, 2019, 06:09:55 PM
Roadsmart III
Dunlop Q3+
Dunlop Q4
Dunlop GPR300's

and then of course Bridgestones S21 etc

all have rebates that end at the end of this month

 This latest snow has almost all melted again ( I did have to shovel out the back of the truck and the top half the driveway since it had turned to pretty solid ice being in the shade)

So riding season can commence relatively shortly once again........

I did see 5 different motorcycles out today when I was running some errands and hopefully Wed/Thur rain will clean the streets back off again.
street sweepers came by before this last bought of a foot+ of snow and the local roads here are full of sand once again.... argh


 I had these beauties get ridden in just before the snow arrived, and he didn't even think he needed tires. Just wanted a new sissy bar and oil/filter and to look over his "new to him" purchase

smfh when the pictures don't want to attach
9 year old original tires on an HD, but the rear tire (shown) had the sidewall rubbing up inside the fender... damn near worn off the "Harley davidson edition" lettering.but they were beyond the wear bars and all weather checked anyways
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on April 15, 2019, 06:18:19 PM
Here we will switch gears.......... the old battery had actually melted the positive post right off it.

I never saw the battery itself, it was originally towed to a HD shop.

but I did see all the melted lead all over the rear brake fluid resevoir and the bottom of the battery box and even down on the back of the engine/trans to pick out of there before installing a new battery

lead melts at what 650ish degrees...
How much electrcial current has to go through that cable to melt the lead off the battery???



we have an electrician in the house, how much amerage to produce enough heat to melt lead?? and could a loan 14a/hr 220cca battery possibly have enough stored energy to have done it before the battery died?

I am thinking he may have tried jump starting the bike from a running car/truck??? (he is not fessing up to anything)
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: pkpk on April 20, 2019, 06:57:14 PM
Holy glob of molten metal!
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on July 03, 2019, 10:01:49 AM
 When you pull out your battery and re-install it in spring........... or do any type of work on your motorcycle

Make sure you get your flasher relay and other electrical connectors properly secured and tied up how they were when the bike was new

V-twin that both these were laying on the exhuast pipe and he wondered why he had no turn signals......
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on July 03, 2019, 10:14:32 AM
2004 Triumph Speed triple...... 9000 miles, most of them on a track (race tires installed)

When you bring me a bike claiming to "only" need a new rear tire despite you have never ridden it not even once and bought it from the guy back in 2011 and, you have a brand new tire and bring me this.........

crashed bike with tires on it from 2004
4 brand new tires in the bed of a truck hard as stone with production dates of 19th week of 2004, all race tires, all had been hung on a 2x4 in a carport in vegas for the past 15odd years........ so the beads were folded over and the rubber was so hard you couldn't even leave a mark in it with a fingernail, hell barely any mark when shoving a screwdriver at it

Your aftermarket handlebars with oe brake lines makes the lines too short and they actually are holding the suspension sht 2.5" at all times (you know, pulling hard on the brake line all the time and actually lifting the wheel off the ground on hard acceleration via the brake line, since it can't extend)
the front axle is bent in two plains of more .040" in each of those plains
The brake fluid is black like the blackest coffee you have ever seen
and of course your battery "has been on a tender since bought new in 2011" is shit and won't even start the bike now....


Well thankfully this guy didn't mind that what he expected to be a $40 in and out in 30 minutes deal turn into a week (new front axle from Triumpg had to get shipped here from overseas) and a day later and about $700 total to fix it all and actually make it safe to ride.....

2 new tires (no more 18" tubes in his 17" tubeless wheels either!!)
new front axle
new battery
new brake line
new handlebars
new rear brake pads
ultrasonic clean all the calipers and thoroughly flush the brake fluid

Well he went away happy, albeit a little lighter in the wallet than he planned, but much much safer for the result.......
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on July 03, 2019, 10:18:37 AM
"My throttle sometimes doesn't work"


I had to laugh at her description.... and her lack of even thinking she had any other issues.....

She did not mention how her brake and clutch both squeel when you pull them or how the clutch lever travels almost to the bar before it even engages the cable, nor that she had about 14psi of air in her 8 year old tires, and that her chain shined like a fine silver and had enough kinks and free play to make horrible noises when rotated
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on July 03, 2019, 03:31:06 PM
If your oil light is on when you turn on the key and then you panic and look at the oil level while it is on the sidestand and think it doesn't have any.....

Then call me, panic stricken that the oil change I did the day before, magically the oil disappeared and you have no oil pressure
and I ask you
"Is there oil on the rear wheel or all over the back of the bike?" and you say "no"

"Is there any drips on your garage floor?" and you say "NO"

"Did you start it? you know the oil pressure light only goes out when the engine is running?" and you tell me how you "have been riding for 20+ years and have owned 3 of these bikes it doesn't have any oil, I know it doesn't"

So despite the fact I know nothing is wrong and you are just being an idiot...... I load up some tools an oil filter and 4 quarts of oil etc and head the 20 miles to your house only to find....

 yep- you are an idiot, I stand the bike upright and there is plenty of oil, right to the top line
                                 I start the bike up and yep....... oil light goes out the second the bike starts.....

crisis averted, well until the next time the guy adds an extra quart of oil to his bike- because it is probable he checked his oil on the sidestand again, saw no oil in the window and already forgot that valuable life lesson and added another quart? Be he claimed he didn't, so who knows......

Obviously since I charged him nothing for my wasted time and troubles, he learned nothing........ I learned something though, charge idiots for being idiots and feel no remorse about doing so!!!

gee tell me again how you have been riding these bikes all these years and know so much.............


Bob was dumb, don't be BOB
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on July 03, 2019, 03:54:42 PM
So last story for the day......


 So some guy finds me via recommendations on some chatroom or board or facebook or somewhere via the internets....

 Some idiots (on said internets) have already given him shitty advice and ruined his bike for him in the process, since now said guy decided he and his best friend could and should replace the cam chain tensioner themselves based on the shitty advice of morons...
You know, save all that monies and do it yourself...... It was easy they said....... nevermind that you obviously have no skills or knowledge in the motorcycle mechanics world and hell obvioulsy looking at all the rounded off screws and stripped off bolt heads you don't own any decent tools and even less so know how to use tools if you did..........

 So bike arrives. It is 10 yr old R1 that has been crashed and rashed and beat to death despite its sub 10k miles. oh and he thinks it is worth 7700 (yep he has this flat grey/black repainted hunk o shit up for sale)..... I really loved his initial commentary when arriving..... " I always left turbo busa's in the dust", "ZX14's never could keep up", "it didn't matter who I raced I always beat them by a mile", "I just need my bike to not run like a ninja 250"

 So I tell him what I already know is the problem..........
 "the problem is you and buddy touched it and did shit work you had no clue how to and I bet $100 your cam timing is off atleast a tooth or more and most likely you bent valves."

he says "well it was making a little noise and had a leak around the oe cam chain tensioner and everyone told me the cam chain tensioner on these is shit and to buy a manual tensioner and they are easy to install"
 I love his homemade cork cut out gasket too..... apparently he says that APE tensioners didn't come with the correct gasket?

Days/weeks later after working tirelessly doing what they don't know how to do and missing many a riding days - he and his buddy go to start the thing and it rattles and bucks and rattles more and keeps dying and they don't know what they did wrong, they did it just like all those morons told them to...... But some of those morons on said internets told them if it is still rattling they didn't tighten the tensioner enough..morons- too damn many morons on the internets!!!
 Finally someone told them they probably did it wrong and the cam timing is likely off etc........

 Well somehow these two brainiacs figure out how to take it apart (mind you they didn't get it all back together properly and I think the tool they used the most was a 1/2 drive breaker bar and a worn out phillips screwdriver)

but he claims they got the cam timing correct now and it was about 3 teeth off, but it still sounds horrible and runs worse than a 250 ninja...... and still makes lots of rattling noises

Well I got it apart this week;
~after having to chisel loose a couple of the valve cover bolts (allen heads were completely stripped away and all of them were so tight I thought for sure my allen socket was going to twist in the ones it could bite into.....)
~after chiselling loose every JIS#2 screw that holds the airbox lid on.......... they stripped every single one of them and again- no idea how they didn't pull those brass nuts out of the plasctic airbox, they were that fricking tight......
~ after finding the left upper engine mount (case guards that interfered with removing plastics) is stuck a few turns from actually being tight, so it will only rotate about 1/2 turn tighter from how arrived (spacer still bounced around) and about 1 turn looser from how arrived before the bolt begins to twist...ie- right before the bolt breaks...... it sure looks by the angle of the head either it is cross threaded and crooked or the bolt is bent, but either way without it coming out a piece of fairing is trapped and in the way as is the bulky frame slider..... not to even get into the whole- the engine is a stressed member of the frame thing and how that not being secured properly is not good for the frame nor for the cylinder head it threads into
~ did I mention the spark plugs? yeah, the left two (like one person was working on one side of the bike and someone else on the otherside) #1 and #2 were both so tight I had to break out my 1/2" breaker bar and really reef on it to get them to come loose (yet magically the right two #3 and #4 were both little more than finger tight......... tq spec is 84 inch lbs just like the cam caps)

Well lets move on..........
 I get the valve cover off and rotate the engine over (it is super hard to turn by hand...... I loosen the manual tensioner by 3 full turns and can finally get the top of the chain between the cams to just wiggle slightly..oh oloky there, nnow the engine turns over much easier by hand) I get it to the proper cam timing check location and looky there, exhaust cam timing is still advanced 2 full teeth and what is with all the guoges and dents all over the cam sprockets???? obvioulsy they used those to pry on....ugh
So I pull out the cylinder leakage tester and the feeler guages and check leakage and valve clearances fully expecting to find bent valves, maybe all of them- who they hell knows what these bafoons ruined along the way

4 valves are tight and cylinder leakage results show the best cylinder with only 5% leakage and the worst 8% leakage.............. WOW talk about these idiots dodging a bullet in the form of their own stupidity.......

So I guess it will live again without too much muss and fuss and he can go back out and slay some more of those turbo busa's and zx14's and any liter bike ever..........
or atleast that is his story- I doubt by looking at the tires he has ever leaned the bike past 15* and by the massive cupping they both have and the 45 psi of air in them......... he wasn't drag racing either
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on July 03, 2019, 03:55:37 PM
holy crap that picture got big and blurry.....wtf

removed said blurry pic and it wouldn't let me add a different one....... maybe later I will shrink one down and add below.....
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on July 03, 2019, 04:01:38 PM
A quickie........... don't pinch your wires under your seat!!!
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on July 04, 2019, 10:22:37 PM
Just so everyone (who bothers to read the thread) knows....

Dunlop has rebates once again extending until August 31st
Bridgestone also has their rebate program running again extending to August 31st as well


No reason whatsoever anyone should be caught out riding on crappy tires!


think about your safety first, and everyone around you!

The attached picture is not okay to ride on, not for any reason in any weather!
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on July 06, 2019, 10:07:10 AM
Tire pressure guages

When buying a new guage do you look for an ANSI certified guage?

Do you know what that really means??

Well here a link to a brief and quick read......it doesn't mean as much good as one would think! (although I still make sure all mine have this certification)

https://www.ucimfg.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Gauges-Catalog-4c.pdf (https://www.ucimfg.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Gauges-Catalog-4c.pdf)



There are plenty of choices out there, and it seems every few years there is a new "test/comparison" between gauges.........which basically means which company paid the most to be rated the top dawg-- sure I am a skeptic and for good reason

2018 test/review linky


http://www.reviewlab.com/best-tire-pressure-gauges (http://www.reviewlab.com/best-tire-pressure-gauges)

2019 test/review linky

https://groomandstyle.com/best-tire-pressure-gauge-review/ (https://groomandstyle.com/best-tire-pressure-gauge-review/)

some other interesting links

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/tire-pressure-gauges/buying-guide/index.htm (https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/tire-pressure-gauges/buying-guide/index.htm)

https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15124483/best-tire-pressure-gauges-reviews/ (https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15124483/best-tire-pressure-gauges-reviews/)


How often do you check and set your tire pressures? and are you setting them to the correct pressures...
both in terms of guage consistency and accuracy
and in terms of the proper pressure and not some idiotic oem suggestion for those oem tires you wore out years ago and are no longer riding on.........

Food for thought for everyone.


Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Elk on July 06, 2019, 02:46:46 PM
Good post. 

I bought my good gauges years ago when I was actively tracking/instructing cars. I have not given them any further thought other than to occasionally check to make sure they read the same pressure.

On a related note, I am impressed with how accurate my cars' TPMS pressure read outs are.
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on July 08, 2019, 06:28:47 PM
Good post. 

I bought my good gauges years ago when I was actively tracking/instructing cars. I have not given them any further thought other than to occasionally check to make sure they read the same pressure.

On a related note, I am impressed with how accurate my cars' TPMS pressure read outs are.

My truck has that digital readout of all 4 tires too, and one can watch the pressures increase as they get hot.... better still- when I rotate my tires, the location of said TPMS sensor rotates with it, so I always know what the rt front is vs the other 3 or the vulnerable rt rear that always takes the most abuse on RWD powerful heavy vehicles.... I do not have to reprogram or dick around with anything when I do a rotate........  then wondering, well the rt front went to the left rear and now the tpms is saying that my lr is low....is it really the lr or is it the lf now? (example, this never happened)

Surprising these too are remarkably accurate....

I still love a couple of the tire pressure guages I have had since the 80's but I did buy a new one a couple years ago that was one of those "top-rated" and it routinely read about 4 psi lower than these other two, so I went to the trackside vendor and compared the readings of them to his "professional Dunlop" guage and my 30 year old ones read the same as his and that new fandangle one read low.....
 So I don't even use the new one and just keep using the other two

new doesn't always mean better sadly........

mustang... just a low tire pressure light comes on if they fall below about 20psi  and you get no clue as to which one until you put a guage on manually (less than 2 inches of sidewall- they can be flat and you wouldn't know by looking at them)
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: vince on July 08, 2019, 09:14:33 PM
What I like about the TPMS is that you can see how fast tires warm up. Even is below zero temps. And yes you can see which wheel is doing all the work. Pretty nice on all wheel drive cars and trucks.
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Elk on July 13, 2019, 09:24:32 AM
My truck has that digital readout of all 4 tires too, and one can watch the pressures increase as they get hot.

This, coupled with temperature readings, is very interesting - particularly when the starting pressure on the front and rear tires are different.  E.g., lower pressure tires heat up quicker.
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on July 23, 2019, 11:37:28 AM
So you decide Saturday morning you want to go riding in the afternoon after it dries up......

but you look at your tires and finally realize you need new tires

Nevermind it is raining out now and you live in Red Wing some 48 miles away from getting it to me........

some people.....................
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on July 23, 2019, 11:41:42 AM
maybe the thought process was something like....

the wet roads will keep the steel cords from getting much worse via keeping heat and lubrication between them and the road?

maybe it was a suicide attempt? I mean who needs traction or sipes to disperse water, right?

Whatever it was- this was ridiculously stupid and dangerous and I give zero fucks you claim to have never went about 50mph the whole way here, too dangerous and risky and completely stupid to ride on these anywhere.........let alone nearly 50 miles in the rain!

prime example of tires that needed to be replaced more than 1000 miles ago!!!!
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on July 24, 2019, 12:54:26 PM
I won't mention which dealership did this but........

 guy goes in and gets new tires installed and this is how his bike was returned to him. He felt someonthing off and returned to said delaership immediately

They had one of their "mechanics" go look at it and ride it and make the claim nothing is wrong

Customer calls me, and ultimately against my advice rides bike to me the 30ish miles

this is what I found!!!!!!!!!!

fucking idiots!!! too damn many fucking idiots....
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: vince on July 24, 2019, 09:07:48 PM
It is after all a lot easier to put the wheel back in when you do it that easy way.
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Jeff on July 25, 2019, 06:25:22 AM
That's OK, just use the front to hold the bike from rolling backwards at the stop.  ::)
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: pkpk on July 28, 2019, 03:44:48 PM
Tire pressure guages

When buying a new guage do you look for an ANSI certified guage?

Do you know what that really means??

Well here a link to a brief and quick read......it doesn't mean as much good as one would think! (although I still make sure all mine have this certification)
Food for thought for everyone.




Do you have any recommendations?
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Tumbler on July 31, 2019, 12:56:56 AM
Check me if I'm wrong Sandy but that caliper is in fact installed backwards right?

Must have been that place up north that used to own a car dealership.  LOL

I won't mention which dealership did this but........

 guy goes in and gets new tires installed and this is how his bike was returned to him. He felt someonthing off and returned to said delaership immediately

They had one of their "mechanics" go look at it and ride it and make the claim nothing is wrong

Customer calls me, and ultimately against my advice rides bike to me the 30ish miles

this is what I found!!!!!!!!!!

fucking idiots!!! too damn many fucking idiots....

Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Jeff on July 31, 2019, 06:45:34 AM
Check me if I'm wrong Sandy but that caliper is in fact installed backwards right?


No, that rectangular boss under the caliper bolt on the right side (front side) is supposed to be in a slot in the swing arm.  That boss is responsible for keeping the caliper from spinning when it grabs the rotor.  The slot allows the caliper to move forward and back with chain adjustment.  With it loose on top it will stop the bike going forward but the break line would be stopping it going backwards.
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on August 01, 2019, 12:46:42 PM
Check me if I'm wrong Sandy but that caliper is in fact installed backwards right?


No, that rectangular boss under the caliper bolt on the right side (front side) is supposed to be in a slot in the swing arm.  That boss is responsible for keeping the caliper from spinning when it grabs the rotor.  The slot allows the caliper to move forward and back with chain adjustment.  With it loose on top it will stop the bike going forward but the break line would be stopping it going backwards.

^This......
 it is installed forward as it is supposed to be- it just is wrong
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on August 01, 2019, 12:58:49 PM
Tire pressure guages

When buying a new guage do you look for an ANSI certified guage?

Do you know what that really means??

Well here a link to a brief and quick read......it doesn't mean as much good as one would think! (although I still make sure all mine have this certification)
Food for thought for everyone.




Do you have any recommendations?

I have been pretty happy with both the BLUE POINT (snap on) guages I have....one is very early 80's vintage the other is late 80's or early 90's vintage...... both have the 8" flexible hose, one has a 15* angle on the head, the other has about a 45* angle on the head and both swivel......... I use the 15* angled head every day, the 45* a few times a week (mostly on those 90* stems since you are coming at them sideways)

absolutely hate the STOCKTON even though it had good reviews, and I tried 2 different models of these

The MOTION PRO professional, that is the one that reads about 4 psi low all the time compared to both Blue points and the Dunlop tire vendors "professional dunlop guage"

a quick look at snap ons website and I do not even see the same or similar blue point guages I have........ those gauges with the long steel shaft on the end, well I find them to be a royal pain in the ass on motorcycles- probably fantastic on most cars/trucks though....
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: pkpk on August 04, 2019, 03:56:24 PM
Gottcha on the caliper guys....thanks for the explanation.
Tire pressure guages

When buying a new guage do you look for an ANSI certified guage?

Do you know what that really means??

Well here a link to a brief and quick read......it doesn't mean as much good as one would think! (although I still make sure all mine have this certification)
Food for thought for everyone.




Do you have any recommendations?

I have been pretty happy with both the BLUE POINT (snap on) guages I have....one is very early 80's vintage the other is late 80's or early 90's vintage...... both have the 8" flexible hose, one has a 15* angle on the head, the other has about a 45* angle on the head and both swivel......... I use the 15* angled head every day, the 45* a few times a week (mostly on those 90* stems since you are coming at them sideways)

absolutely hate the STOCKTON even though it had good reviews, and I tried 2 different models of these

The MOTION PRO professional, that is the one that reads about 4 psi low all the time compared to both Blue points and the Dunlop tire vendors "professional dunlop guage"

a quick look at snap ons website and I do not even see the same or similar blue point guages I have........ those gauges with the long steel shaft on the end, well I find them to be a royal pain in the ass on motorcycles- probably fantastic on most cars/trucks though....

Thanks.  I purchased a JACO ElitePro Tire Pressure Gauge - 60 PSI.  I like the backlit analog that holds at the peak measurement.  I found it spot on to my other (hard to read in dim light) LCD guages.  We'll see if it lasts.
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on August 05, 2019, 10:29:58 AM
^ absolutely having them hold the last highest pressure is a big plus in my book in the .... make life easier category

you will have to give some future update as to its durability and accuracey after time and use...
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on September 08, 2019, 09:24:36 PM
Must be an epidemic of stupid people working on bikes???

yet another rear brake caliper installed incorrectly and ridden in..........
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on September 08, 2019, 09:25:55 PM
This was also ridden in, 2 up on a stretched and lowered bike with the same old piece o crap stock shock.......... obviously not a good idea!!!
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on September 08, 2019, 09:27:03 PM
Let us not overlook this fine gem either...........

 5 bikes arrived in one day, all 5 with major safety issues.......... SMFH
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Jeff on September 09, 2019, 10:45:05 AM
This was also ridden in, 2 up on a stretched and lowered bike with the same old piece o crap stock shock.......... obviously not a good idea!!!

What was it rubbing on, pillion?
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on September 09, 2019, 11:20:44 AM
The 2 bolts that hold the underpan to the subframe...... (fender eliminator hardware)

stretched- so the center of the wheel is now a foot further back and not in the "tire pocket" any longer and is actually under the end of the subframe where the oe fender would have been 6-8" into the tire
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on September 11, 2019, 02:27:39 PM
1998 Intruder 1500

Guy got it gifted to him (apparently neighbor died more than a decade ago and widow was finally ready to get rid of some of his stuff), he proceeds to clean the carbs and gets it running.....

It came in Saturday as well with original tires....those old rea 3 digit date codes 198........... so 19th week of 1998- man those were super fresh on a 1998 built bike!

new tires, brake and clutch fluid was like pudding but flushing seems to have them working well again, the actual crankcase vents hooked up to the airbox again, the air box actually attached to the carburetors and the battery fully charged and charging system checked while synchronizing the carbs - that were a full two turns off which is huge and surprising it was even rideable

another bike down the road safe and rideable again.......... although I did recommend some other services to do over the winter...

my bet, look for an ugly yellow Intruder up on craigslist this fall or next spring??? guy doesn't seem like nor talk like a rider?!?!?
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Elk on September 13, 2019, 04:20:49 PM
It must be satisfying to get a bike like this functioning safely again.
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on September 14, 2019, 01:44:08 AM
usually, and for the bikes it all seems worthwhile....the people on the other hand, not always....
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on September 14, 2019, 01:46:39 AM
I am not sure what is so difficult about installing tubes in spoked wheels, but this is atleast the 10th bike this year that I have found the tube pinched on..........
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on September 14, 2019, 01:50:11 AM
And then this gem......

it had just about overflowed my 7 qt oil dran pan, and the bike only holds a tic over 3 qts of oil


This was a pic of the carb after just pulling out the slide and needle thus far.......
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Deplorable, thank you! on September 14, 2019, 01:51:22 AM
and to end the night..........

the old fuel pump collection from the past 3 months.........

I have not had to replace a fuel pump in a few years and it is very rare but this year.......... 5 now......
Title: Re: making small talk
Post by: Elk on September 14, 2019, 08:47:22 PM
usually, and for the bikes it all seems worthwhile....the people on the other hand, not always....
Yeah, I hear you.