Traded paint today on the motorcycle

[Regolith]

Mostly made out of the shiny parts that come out of rocks, around here.

In Northern Nevada they're almost all of the wood type. Some of them are pretty damn old, too; they look like they could have held up the original telegraph wires.

[Fitz]

I had to rescue a motorcyclist friend about 6-8 months ago... his tire contracted leprosy and started flinging pieces of itself at high speed on the highway.  I borrowed a trailer from a different friend and went to pick friend #1's bike up.  Ended up using some really skanky plywood as a ramp that we REALLY shouldn't have used.  It held up to get the bike about 18" off the ground and onto the trailer.

Friend was teaching an Appleseed so I left him where he was and took the bike to my house.  Unloading, I used T-posts as supports and a big sheet of plywood as a ramp.

I was just curious if Fitz' rig had a fancy ramp built into it somehow, or if he was using one of those folding aluminum bike ramps.

I can give you more details and a parts list after I get back. I'm in the woods right now training for my war on American gun owners ;-)

It's a really easy, inexpensive project and it comes in handy

[gunsmith]

I can give you more details and a parts list after I get back. I'm in the woods right now training for my war on American gun owners ;-)

It's a really easy, inexpensive project and it comes in handy

war on American gun owners We are your friends, we like Metallica and Kate Upton. ... Or is it Kate and Metallica?

It's a really easy, inexpensive project and it comes in handy

I like the folding metal ramp because it has those handy little chains with the hooks to secure it in place.
I've used the butchered remains of old growth forest but sometimes have been worried they will slip when the bike is halfway there

[Jocassee]

Well I'm obviously coming in to this thread late but GOD DAMN dude you are lucky...in fact I am conferring upon you my self-appointed title of Luckiest Bastard Alive. At least until I get my ass handed to me again by a dodgy piece of road.

[AZRedhawk44]

It's been 15 days now, and insurance adjuster has FINALLY approved the work to be done on the bike.

I was going to rebuild the suspension to firm it up for a 200 lb rider, since most Japanese bikes come set up for about 130lbs or so.  This bike is pretty squishy up front when I'm on it.

However, given the time constraints that I want to leave on May 10th, and the fact that the rear suspension is getting replaced on my bike on the insurance company's dime, I'm going to have the shop go ahead and do the front suspension for me too.  Should come out to about $350-$400 to have them do the front.  More than I'd like, but not the end of the world.


I took my XR600 to a bike class last night.  Hazard avoidance session, 3 hours.  Good fun.  Never took that bike to any of the classes I've taken, it's always been the Shadow. 

I'm getting more confident with my front brake.  I'm working on changing my braking strategy from a guarded rear light drag at first followed by increased pressure on the front, to using the front first and getting more comfortable with strong front braking while adding rear braking as needed.

The fork dip on the Shadow always freaked me out a bit when I'd need to brake hard, and if I was more comfortable with harder front braking and/or had stiffer front suspension I probably would have stopped before coming near that out of control car.

[Fitz]

It's been 15 days now, and insurance adjuster has FINALLY approved the work to be done on the bike.

I was going to rebuild the suspension to firm it up for a 200 lb rider, since most Japanese bikes come set up for about 130lbs or so.  This bike is pretty squishy up front when I'm on it.

However, given the time constraints that I want to leave on May 10th, and the fact that the rear suspension is getting replaced on my bike on the insurance company's dime, I'm going to have the shop go ahead and do the front suspension for me too.  Should come out to about $350-$400 to have them do the front.  More than I'd like, but not the end of the world.


I took my XR600 to a bike class last night.  Hazard avoidance session, 3 hours.  Good fun.  Never took that bike to any of the classes I've taken, it's always been the Shadow. 

I'm getting more confident with my front brake.  I'm working on changing my braking strategy from a guarded rear light drag at first followed by increased pressure on the front, to using the front first and getting more comfortable with strong front braking while adding rear braking as needed.

The fork dip on the Shadow always freaked me out a bit when I'd need to brake hard, and if I was more comfortable with harder front braking and/or had stiffer front suspension I probably would have stopped before coming near that out of control car.

Front end dive on that shadow will VASTLY improve when it's sprung for your weight.

I'll reiterate that straight-rate springs (rather than progressive) tend to perform a lot better. Racetech is my recommendation, or sonic springs.


I'd also like to say, as an MSF instructor and long time rider, it's refreshing to see a motorcyclist who is so deeply involved in self-improvement, self-awareness, etc. The easy answer is to say "DAMN CAGERS" but I've noticed you have a tendency to evaluate things YOU have control over, which is something I try to stress to my students.

We may disagree on a great many things, but I think you're a very good example for the motorcycling community

[AZRedhawk44]

Thanks, Fitz.

I haven't been riding a lot the last couple weeks since the XR just isn't that great of a highway/street bike and is also pretty insecure if I leave it out, being kickstarted and having no key.  So I just don't know this bike as well as I know my Shadow.

In particular, the brakes.

In the class last night I had a tendency to lock up the rear, and I started to rationalize it as:
1. This bike is really light
2. This bike has knobbies on the back tire
3. It's only 15-20mph that I'm locking it up at.
4. My Shadow doesn't do this.

And probably a few other excuses I have since forgot.

But I told myself each time I did it, that I can't ride THE BIKE.  I have to ride THE CONDITIONS.  It doesn't matter if Bike A is easier to lock up the rear than Bike B.  You don't compare one to the other, you just ride correctly so that neither A nor B ends up locking the rear up.

I'm really trying to treat motorcycling with the same diligence and practice as I have treated High Power rifle shooting the last couple of years.  Practice, but correct practice.

[AZRedhawk44]

So, repair shop just called and said they won't be able to drop sonic or race-tech springs into my bike before my May 10th deadline.

We talked a bit about other solutions, and about the only other thing we can do is put heavier weight oil in the front end.

Assuming the bike is currently set up for a 130lb rider or so, how much more damping will I get from heavier oil?  20lbs?  10?  30?  I know I won't get to the target of 200lbs.  Just be nice to get substantially closer, but if I'm not going to even get 10lbs then it's probably not worth the money to do it.

[Fitz]

If its been more than a year or so since you've swapped fork oil , go ahead and so that

Otherwise just leave er alone for now

[tokugawa]

So, repair shop just called and said they won't be able to drop sonic or race-tech springs into my bike before my May 10th deadline.

 Why- can't they get the springs?  It takes about 10 minutes a side. Pop off the cap, pull the old spring, drop in the new one. 
 

[AZRedhawk44]

Why- can't they get the springs?  It takes about 10 minutes a side. Pop off the cap, pull the old spring, drop in the new one. 
 

They have to pull the springs, measure diameter and length, consult with tech at Sonic and report my weight back to them, Sonic checks inventory and cross references dimensions and bike/rider weight with their inventory, ships to my dealer, then dealer installs.

They say it will take too long since Sonic doesn't have a known set of springs that work with the Honda Shadow Phantom fork setup and need to research the correct dimensions.

[tokugawa]

Race tech may know the spring rate, etc.
 Another option, easily reversible, is to put a spacer under to fork cap to pre load the spring a bit- We used to do this all the time to tune suspension sag.

[DustinD]

That or get a spring that is a bit closer to what you need. Just guess half way there, then use a spacer if it isn't enough. Won't be as good as a correct fit, but a lot better than nothing.

[mgdavis]

Caught this on my monthly scan of APS. Glad you're ok. Close calls don't get much closer than that! Using the carpool lane is definitely one of the perks of riding but I always am concerned that someone is going to pull (or skid  ) out of that slower lane into mine without looking. It certainly sounds like you did a superb job of avoiding what could have been a catastrophic collision, Bravo Zulu.

[AZRedhawk44]

Thx, mg.

I supposedly get my bike back today, if the shop gets all the work done by the afternoon.

Yay, new AC system in half my house and I get my motorcycle back just in time to use it to work an Appleseed this weekend down towards Tucson, rather than driving down in my truck!

[AZRedhawk44]

Emmereffersumbichesarglebarglegarglefargle!

Shop closes at 7PM.

They told me all week they would pick me up so I could pick up my bike on Friday.

I called them twice today to arrange a pickup for me.

Called me at 5:45 to say driver is way on the other side of town and won't be able to pick me up today.

Scrambling for a friend to get here ASAP and drive me up to Scottsdale, using the HOV lane to get there before 7PM.  Should be here in the next 5-10min.

Argh!

If they would have efffing returned my calls JUST ONCE in a prompt manner today, I could have ridden the gorram public bus up there.

Effers!