The Rubber Meets the Road

[Rain Rider 1]

I have done a lot of tweaking on the bike this winter and it was ready for that first ride.

Jacket, helmet and gloves on.

Started bike.

Hopped on and pushed it forward off the centre stand.

About to snick it into 1st and I thought about tire pressure.

This was the 1st time in all my years of riding that I hadn't checked the tire pressure prior to the 1st ride.

Engine off, bike on stand.

Front 20 psi / Rear 18 psi.

Visually the tires looked sound.

Wow.

I fired up the compressor and pumped them up to spec.

Just a reminder to check all of the important parts of the bike obvious and not so obvious.

[John]

I took it out for the first run this afternoon, too! Had to remember to keep by mouth firmly closed so as to not chip a tooth with all of the damned frost heaves not yet settled down around these parts. Only went about 40-odd kilometres as she's kinda cold & I didn't have a lot of time. Need a set of knobbies for all the dirt/gravel/sand. But the season's started at last! Gotta go get the fuel outta the sled & put it in the bike...

John.

[Rocking Couple]

Lucky buggers..

[Malks]

Well I had the new tires mounted on the wheels over the weekend and finally got the wheels back on the bike last night. The tire pressures should be right since they were just installed at Zdeno, but I think I will recheck them before I ride, just in case. I still need to put the battery back in and do an oil change, but hope to get that out of the way tomorrow and go for a ride.

Thanks for the reminder.

[Rocking Couple]

It's a good idea to definitely check pressures after mounting and a day or two later again, as all tires expand from new condition with pressure in them and this will lower psi.

Also, Malks, you mentioned in a dif thread about changing your oil this spring. Did you change it last fall? End of season is the important time to change it, and it is not necessary again in the spring. This way old oil acids and byproducts of combustion are not beating on engine seals etc during storage.

Just in case ya wanted to know..

[kml]

One broken clutch lever and scratches in the clear coat, 'cause, well, I know I'm not spoze to RIDE drunk, but I can sit on it in the garage, after a wash and wax detail session, after an eight pack, and make motorcycle noises without dropping the bike on it's side because I failed to properly extend the kickstand while getting off. Surely I can do all that...


:D:D:D

cheers
ken

[Malks]

It's a good idea to definitely check pressures after mounting and a day or two later again, as all tires expand from new condition with pressure in them and this will lower psi.

Also, Malks, you mentioned in a dif thread about changing your oil this spring. Did you change it last fall? End of season is the important time to change it, and it is not necessary again in the spring. This way old oil acids and byproducts of combustion are not beating on engine seals etc during storage.

Just in case ya wanted to know..

I always change the oil before I put it to bed for the winter, and then again in the spring. Since the oil has been sitting in the bike since early November, it is five months old and could have picked up some moisture, or just plain gone bad. I think it is a good idea to get the old stuff out of there and, for the $25 to $30, what the hell why not do it.

[kml]

I always change the oil before I put it to bed for the winter, and then again in the spring. Since the oil has been sitting in the bike since early November, it is five months old and could have picked up some moisture, or just plain gone bad. I think it is a good idea to get the old stuff out of there and, for the $25 to $30, what the hell why not do it.


I change the oil every month or 500 miles, whichever comes first. I syphon it out of my neighbours cars at three in the morning and I can never ensure the quality.

:D:D:D

cheers
ken

[KZDon]

Don't forget to completely ArmorAll the tires. It keeps the treads so shiny and new!

[Paddy]

And your seat. Don't forget to Armorall the damn seat! Oh, and handgrips too.
Pluswhich, if any of you are having trouble starting 'er up, remember that a deluge of Quickstart up the airbox will fire it up good, and you can stand around and finish your smoke while it warms.:eek:

[Dirtybill]

LOL! I took out a used Sprint ST (955) at a dealer's once. I eventually bought the bike btw. Took it out for a test spin and thought, "Damn this thing handles like a bloody truck!":confused: I had my tire pressure guage with me and the pressures were similar to what you measured. Pumped them up and it was a different bike!!:)

[Malks]

Well, I finally got to ride today. It was mild enough this morning at 5:30 when I leave so I rode to work. The ride in was a little cool, but the ride home more than made up for that. I took the long way home and ended up putting 178 km on the bike. The good thing about living up here and working in TO is there are a lot of very nice roads between home and work and taking the long way home is a good way to decompress along the way.

It looks like tomorrow will be another bike commuting day!

[John]

I look forward to being able to commute soon, as well. Still quite cold at night around these parts. Usually three or five degrees below zero in the A.M. which is a bit rough. The days have been up in the early twenties lately so we're getting some extreme differences for daily temperature. That's good for a few things:

1) Maple syrup people are happy as that's what kicks-in the trees, apparently.
2) It releases the melt-water in the St. John at a more consistent pace.

Anyway, maybe in a week or two I'll start running the 1300 as opposed to the Hemi. Given current fuel costs, that's a blessing...

John.

[Dirtybill]

WTF? Possible snow flurries and a high of only 5 this weekend. And there's no bike racing on:mad:

I can't recall a year where I've watched so much hockey playoffs due to crap weather. I usually look forward to the playoffs because traditionally that's when the weather here turns warm and sunny.