Silly but maybe useful motorcycle tricks... (1 Viewer)

[Patineto]

First one...

I have seeing three mentions so far of "Broken throttle cables"

Well since the first motorcycle was invented somebody came with the idea of running a parallel cable/housing) as a easy to install spare, remember for yours motorcycle run mechanical drum brakes and the cables fail all the time..

So just to make things clear and simple, buy a spare cable set up (On most current motorcycles a throttle cable and a clutch cable) waterproof the ends some how (Condoms actually work great, then electric tape on top), then zip tie the back up line to the main line (I hate electric tape because is unreliable, but I hate even more getting my wet hands poke by zip ties, your choice)

I promise it will take you seconds instead of minutes to get back rolling..

Note: Check the ends of the housing, most cables break because the ferrules produce to much friction, brass works awesome but sometimes is just no space for it..

I hope it helps

 

[1911]

Back in the "good old days", when every bike out there vibrated pretty bad, your hands would go numb at highway speeds. So, we used to fill our handlebars with lead shot. If your grips weren't closed all the way on the ends, you could also cut some hose that would fit in the ID of your handlebar to length, fill it with lead shot, seal the ends with glue or tape, and run that into your handlebars. Helped a lot to deaden vibration.

 

[Patineto]

Back in the "good old days", when every bike out there vibrated pretty bad, your hands would go numb at highway speeds. So, we used to fill our handlebars with lead shot. If your grips weren't closed all the way on the ends, you could also cut some hose that would fit in the ID of your handlebar to length, fill it with lead shot, seal the ends with glue or tape, and run that into your handlebars. Helped a lot to deaden vibration.

Oh yeah..

Buy I did have two KTM 640 that my girlfriends LOVE because OF IT..

 

[Patineto]

Back in the "good old days", when every bike out there vibrated pretty bad, your hands would go numb at highway speeds. So, we used to fill our handlebars with lead shot. If your grips weren't closed all the way on the ends, you could also cut some hose that would fit in the ID of your handlebar to length, fill it with lead shot, seal the ends with glue or tape, and run that into your handlebars. Helped a lot to deaden vibration.

Actually "Harmonic VIbrations" are a really big deal, especially on handlebars with a crossbar the crossbar transmit the "TIngle" from one size of the bar to the other one..

I have bikes (615-720cc singles) in the past (Really high power wide diameter piston low travel path 107mm ID 35mm up & down, with only two ring and ultra light cold forged pistons) that shake like a Mofo (they did not help counteract the crank shaft..) Safety wired, locktides, fender washer, did not matter the parts will fall off..

Usually the rule is the more the pistons the less they tremble

 

[1911]

The worst paint shaker I ever had was a '49 BSA B34, 500cc single. Under-square engine (long stroke). Un-rideable above about 60 mph, but damn it was a fun bike anyway - gobs of torque for it's size/weight.

All the Triumph and BSA vertical twins were not much better, because both pistons rose and fell together (they just fired on alternate strokes).

A v-twin can be balanced well at any single rpm you choose - just pick it in the middle of where you do most of your riding. One of the smoothest/least vibrating bikes I ever had was a '42 Indian Chief (42-degree v-twin) that I had the whole top end dynamically balanced when I built the motor. Don't remember the rpm I specified, but it was smooth as silk for most of it's operating rpm range. Another long-stroke motor, so the rpm range was moderate (did not rev high).

 

[Patineto]

The worst paint shaker I ever had was a '49 BSA B34, 500cc single. Under-square engine (long stroke). Un-rideable above about 60 mph, but damn it was a fun bike anyway - gobs of torque for it's size/weight.

All the Triumph and BSA vertical twins were not much better, because both pistons rose and fell together (they just fired on alternate strokes).

A v-twin can be balanced well at any single rpm you choose - just pick it in the middle of where you do most of your riding. One of the smoothest/least vibrating bikes I ever had was a '42 Indian Chief (42-degree v-twin) that I had the whole top end dynamically balanced when I built the motor. Don't remember the rpm I specified, but it was smooth as silk for most of it's operating rpm range. Another long-stroke motor, so the rpm range was moderate (did not rev high).

Senor you know your bikes..

We mostly (I can not ride anymore) play with big bmw GS's, airheads and oilheads and on the last few years we end up doing dynamic balance, blue print, head flowing, including the cranks from new and for sure after the 36.000mile warranty expire, well I help most of the time, I just don't have the capital for Carrillo rods, custom made kibblewhite valves were more than $200 a piece, plus all this seven valve jobs and flow heads, it get old in a hurry, but wow they run so, so much better, specially the "Rubber cows" aka "Airheads" that had a conventional steel frame..

 

[1911]

Senor you know your (old) bikes..

Fixed it for you!

Thanks; I made a living as a bike mechanic, through 1975. Don't know much at all about new ones. I still have a '47 Indian and a '98 evo harley dresser.

I have never owned a Beemer, but would love to have an old R twin.

 

[Patineto]

Fixed it for you!

Thanks; I made a living as a bike mechanic, through 1975. Don't know much at all about new ones. I still have a '47 Indian and a '98 evo harley dresser.

I have never owned a Beemer, but would love to have an old R twin.

Fix all you want


I'm not a BMW rider, I'm a GS rider, f.. me the older bikes are incredible, they are just down to earth for normal humans not for super heros that can deal with 200 ho in the rain

My GS from 1995 has 362.000 miles on the original engine (to end taken apart more for fun than anything

Seven clutches (what a pain is like a old VW clutch)

But in all this years of stupidity she always got me home (a really home the cruiser end up been the same)

Ps: Ricky on a dresser/bagger Harley, over my deathbody..