2005-04-05 - Thank you lord for this day

2005-05-01 - Chain / Sprockets and Transmission Noise

2005-04-24 - Parts are here!

2005-05-29 - Argh!!!

2005-05-31 - Argh!!!!!!!!!

2005-06-03 -YES!!!!!!!!!

2005-06-07 -DAMIT!!!!!!!!!

2005-06-28 - Vancouver - First tour

2005-12-29 - Well I lived!

 

 

2005-04-05 - Thank you lord for this day

I remember my Uncle Rod taking me for my first motorcycle ride aboard his predominantly orange and white Kawasaki 100... my 5 year-old-legs hung down from beside the gas tan - as I rode ahead of him on the saddle...

And almost as vividly I recall my Grandpa Ronnie picking me up, and driving me to elementary school aboard his Kawasaki 90... fitted with a sissy bar he welded with his own hands on his coffee break - as he worked as a machinist at the University of Calgary Science's Machine shop..

Later I would learn the Hodaka piston moving us along was ground down to fit the 90 cc cylinder during a Kawasaki parts shortage, again with his own hands.

As time passed I learned with amazement of the OTHER engine parts he made himself on other coffee breaks - with his own hands.

I started riding when I was 10 years old... I kept my tires firmly (well mostly) planted in the dirt for a number of years... A CT70 turned to a TS75.. and then an XL100.... TY125 and PE175...

One day my dad bought a Honda CB125 street bike.. A radical technological leap for him from his original Honda 60...

Before long we were riding two-up, the wind embracing me as I clung to his waist...

... and not much long after that - two-up - only this time with my hands on the bars and he clinging to my waist...

... then the hands of time turned life's pages... before I knew it 15 years had gone by in my absence from motorcycling.

I was now married for 11 years, had a 9 year-old-son, 4 cats and a high stress job in support of a busy Defense Engineering company...

Something was missing... Or was this my mid-life crisis beginning? At any rate, as much as I love my Red Ford Mini-van - I needed to swap 4 wheels for two....

So after living a fairly "CAREFUL" life and suffering a cold that turned into a collapsed lung and near death experience (least from my perspective) and a Disneyland vacation that turned into a 7 month convalescence, ending in spine surgery... I decided to take a few more calculated risks in my life.. I bought a 92' Seca II from a co-worker...

The bike previously belonged to another co-worker who kept it in his family since a year after the original owner abandoned it...

It lovingly was passed from brother to cousin, to brother and back, until it came to a brother of a different sort - a brother of the road (me).

Well, today I piloted that bike and got my Alberta Class 6 Motorcycle license. I was flattered when the examiner told me I was the best person he has tested in quite some time..

As I made my inaugural ride as a licensed driver along some of the Calgary area's secondary highways - I hit that happy, magic mental place where everything all came together in a moment of the sweetest bliss imaginable...

A mile wide grin across my face - I came to embrace the road and the wind and the thrill of being back on two wheels...

I hope that I never forget this day...

I'm not a religious man, but I must say: Thank you lord for this day, this rebirth, this wonderful gift...

Thank you for the earth, and sky, for the brothers and sisters of the road, and for those two wheels under me, carrying me on to my next life's chapters..

AMEN...

2005-05-01 - Chain / Sprockets and Transmission Noise

So I'm out riding one evening a few weeks ago... and I notice my bike seems to be making this really "rattly" sound...

I stop and give her quick check and don't see anything apparently wrong...

So I go home and a few days later I get out the torque wrench and the Factory shop manual (given to me by Chris Patterson - thanks again Chris!) and I go over every fastener and tighten them to torque spec....

Hmmmm.... still noisy.... Horror!!! Is it my transmission!!? Is something horribly wrong!!? Will it be worth fixing on my $1800 bike!!? Will I be down for the season!!?

So I take a few deep breaths... and decide not to think the worst...

Today I yanked off the shift lever and chain guard and front sprocket cover...

Man.... I don't remember any of my old bikes ever being this greasy and gunky... Yuck!

I spend the day cleaning up grease and crud, scraping it, wiping it, brushing it, using up a roll of paper towel and an old hand towel and lots of hand cleaner!!! It's not spotless, but good enough...

I read the manual and it says "clean the chain with kerosene"... I think - hey that stuff is flammable... I get some non flammable solvent and then I think - hey - wonder if that's safe for O ring chains... only now I'm done.... ;-(

Anyway I get the chain and sprockets all nice and clean... Then I see the front sprocket is missing a tooth.;-( Dam...! I'm happy cuz maybe that's the source of the nose... but I am sad cuz I think - man I gotta spend cash again.... How much will it cost I wonder....

Then I measure the chain and see it looks stretched beyond the 10 link 150 mm limit published in the manual... Crap... now I need a new chain.... and I guess if I am replacing the chain and front sprocket I should do the rear sprocket too.. Dam.... How much will all this cost.... And is this my noise? Or is there something else looming that is wrong....

... stay tuned.....

2005-04-24 - Parts are here!

Ok, I got my parts this week!

2005-05-29 - Argh!!!

Well, I could not find a darn socket to fit my existing torque wrench ( 1/4 drive)! I bought that size because that's what all my current sockets were.

So I may need look at renting a torque wrench with a
bigger drive since at this point its too darn expensive to buy one for this single job.

I will likely use Bill's (from the Seca yahoo group) suggestion and get a grinding wheel of some type for my drill and I don't have a Dremel. Great idea and I never would have thought of that. Thanks again, Bill!

So to try and get it off I bought a 30 mm combination
wrench, With the help of my 9-year-old on the rear brake and the top run of the old chain on (cant seem to get it back together) and I can't get the nut to break free. Not sure if its seized or if I just don't have enough leverage.

So I sprayed a bunch of WD-40 on to see if that will penetrate and loosen things up.... Now I am just waiting for another try while I call around to see who rents what.

LATER ON....

Well, I called a number of tool rental places around town: and held, and waited, and held, and waited to discover - no one on the first half of my list rents torque wrenches!!!! ;-(

Before I started calling the second half of my list, I phoned my 80-year-old grandfather (and former machinist / mechanic) to see if he and any wisdom for me. He graciously offered to lend me his torque wrench and breaker bar. But he didn't have the socket I needed.

I drove over and picked them up and had a nice, but brief, visit.

Then I drove over to the tool store I was at yesterday (that had a dozen of the 30 mm sockets) to find they were now sold out AND not expecting any more for three weeks!!!!!! :-(

So I went to a second store, got the socket right away, and then waited 20 minutes in line at the cashier. After I finally got up to the cashier, she informed me they don't accept debit cards at till #1 (funny I didn't see the sign indicating this - maybe because there was not one).

Frustrated I moved over to till #4 and within another 10 minutes was out the door with my $10, 6 point, 30 mm socket!!! Wee haw!!!

I rushed home and had a bite to eat while I waited for my Dad and laid out my tools.

Well, we tried a dozen times to no avail. The nut WILL NOT budge. And despite the 6 point socket and a health dose of care, the nut is starting to round! :-(

So now I am debating my next move...

- But more tools? Maybe an impact driver and 5 lb hammer? (would this damage the shaft)?

- Heat the nut with a torch (hmm would this damage the oil seals)?

OR

- Split the nut with a steel chisel (might I bend the shaft if I do this)? And of course wait for a new nut from my trusty Yamaha dealer....

...SIGH...

2005-05-31 - Argh!!!!!!!!!

Well, I borrowed an electric impact wrench from a coworker (thanks Jackie!!). Several attempts with it yielded no result - it won't budge.....

..SIGH...

2005-06-03 -YES!!!!!!!!!

On Wednesday while I was stuck in traffic, I called my nearest Yamaha Shop - Walt Healy Motorsports (http://www.walthealy.com/) and explained my predicament with the front sprocket nut.

Service Manager Jeff said to bring it over anytime and they would pop it off with their air impact wrench.

So today with the generous help of my coworkers Sean (extra muscle) and Dave (muscle truck and tie downs) we stopped by to see Jeff and Technician James.

One we got Dave's truck backed into their service bay, James went to work with the impact wrench and the propane torch. In about 15 minutes they had the nut and old front sprocket off, and the new sprocket and lock washer on. All for under $20 with tax!!! Thanks guys!

And thanks also to Dave and Sean for their help. Guess I will be buying the next round of Donairs at the Cedar's Deli. :-)

And thanks to the members of the Seca lists for all their input!

Tomorrow the rain might stop and I might get be rear sprocket on and maybe the chain!!
 

2005-06-07 -DAMIT!!!!!!!!!

Well it's been raining pretty much constantly... Near record rainfall for this time of year here, and a risk of flooding for those south of Calgary...

While happy not to be under water - man am I ever feeling defeated right now! :-(

Well, I pulled the rear wheel off while the rain was light, and just as I got it off the sky opened up...

So, much to my wife's displeasure, I covered the kitchen floor with newspaper and brought the rear wheel in.

I clean up everything and checked the rubber dampers (they looked good to me) then decided I better check the bearings while I got everything off.

Having never done bearings, I did not have a "drift" to get them out. Nor did I realize how hard it was to get them out!

So I followed the directions in the manual to get the two left side bearings out, only I used a sturdy flat screwdriver.

I got the left bearings out, to discover they were sealed units! DOH!!! So I start to pound the right bearing out and its tough!!! Really tough!! But I got it out!

Happily the bearings all seem fine and I repacked the right one after cleaning it in fresh solvent and shaking it and letting it air dry (no compressed air in the kitchen).

Trouble is I scored the back of the right bearing and the spacer. :-(

So I got to see a Machinist friend of mine, Frank. Frank is busy as hell but guides me as I round file and emery the burrs out of the spacer and off its edges and lightly Dremel and emery the slight score out of the back of the right bearing.

I reassembled the wheel on Frank's bench, pounding the bearings back in with a large rubber hammer and sockets just larger than the bearing diameter (as directed by the manual).

At that point I am feeling pretty good... I did something for the first time I was not 100% sure of, and even though my inexperience caused me to mess up a bit, I was now back in the game with a good outcome thanks to Frank's help and a bit of patience and sweat.

Next I spread the old and new chains out on Frank's welding table, placing the new on clean paper towel so it wont pick up and metal bits.

I count the pins on the old chain repeatedly to be sure I have the right number. I'm a bit confused (still) what constitutes the 110 "links" I need, but I figure if I use the old as a model I'm good.

I write the number down so I don't get mixed up...

So I count the new chain, several times, and mark it with a felt pen where the pin needs to come out...

I adorn a face shield and grab the Dremel. I try and cut the pin off and the Dremel wheel shatters and hits the face shield. Ok, glad I wore that face shield!!!

I replace the Dremel wheel and start again, only to slip and lightly cut my right palm.... Ok, another lesson learned.

I put on some work gloves and Dremel at medium speed until the pin is ground down.

I grab a punch and bal peen hammer and some metal scraps left over from the milling machine. The scraps support the chain, but to allow some clearance for the pin to come out. I gently pound the pin out.

Good job I think! Chain is the right length and clean and not bent from the hammering (cause I was so careful). ;-)

I pack up, thank Frank, and head out to the car with my wheel and other bits. Even though its still raining I am very pleased with myself... ;-)

Today for a while the rain in light so I brave it and after some serious struggling - reinstall the wheel, Loctite the rear sprocket bolts, and torque it to spec! Excited, I think I will be ready for a ride tonight in my new waterproof pants I just got, and back on the road after over a month of down time!!!

I grab the new chain and that’s when I discover the old sprocket was a 47 tooth and the new is a 48 and now my dam chain is too bloody short!!!

Granted I learned something valuable here - not to assume the sprocket on the bike was stock and order a stock sprocket and not to cut before counting teeth. :-(

So what now is my next move? I don't really know:

- Am I out 70+ bucks on the chain and need a new one (another 70+ bucks)?

- Do I try and return the 48 tooth and get a 47 (maybe paying a restocking fee)? Or try and get my $50+ back by selling the sprocket used in the classifieds?

- Can I back off the chain adjusters enough to use what I have now? Right now the brake side does not seem to want to move back anymore and I'm not sure how to coax it back more.

 

2005-06-28 - Vancouver - First tour

 

Well tomorrow I set off on my first tour aboard the Seca. I am excited and a bit nervous. The excitement definitely outweighs the worry though.

My wife on the other hand is sick with nerves and feels I will not make it back alive. Her friends and mother think I am "crazy" and reckless.

I have done al I can do to reduce the risks and now its tome to go forward.

My son thinks I should go and if I die then at least I died doing something I really wanted to do. Thanks son! See ya when I get back! :-)

I feel that life is for living and adventure and while I'd rather not die,  if it happens on the bike its better than at my desk from a heart attack.

I adopted this philosophy in 2003 when I ended up in the hospital with a collapsed lung. At that time I said, "if I get out of here, I'm getting a motorcycle!".

I packed and repacked a dozen times and threw out stuff I didn't need. This was a big learning process, although tedious..

My buddy Dave helped out with the loan of some sport saddle bags. So at least now I can carry some clothes. :-)

Tomorrow I need gas, cash and to check oil and tires and off I go.

I'll try and write from the road and update you as to where I am and what I am thinking.

Later...

2005-12-29 - Well I lived!

Sorry I didn't write. But I will try and redeem myself and update you now... :-)

Yes I made it back alive. My wife's words (tongue-in-cheek) upon my safe return home, "See l told ya you couldn't do it"!

Well its been six months now (wow...) and while l never intended to wait this long to make an entry here - l guess shit happens.

Not sure now how l planned to make updates from the road . l must have been thinking I would have more access to friends and public computers, or that l would post to the Seca lists via my cell and update here later, but I didn't - and never really tried - sorry.

Tonight as I write I am playing with making updates using a Palm Tungsten C, Wi-Fi, SiEd and a demo of VFSFTP+.

Its working pretty good, but l can see l have managed to break some of this pages "Front Page" attributes. I'll see if l can fix them later.

Back to the trip....

I awoke early after a very sleepless night that was filled with a mix of apprehension and excitement.

I remember the air was cool, my fingers felt chilled as I ran the pack straps through them, lashing my bags to the bike. Tanya sat in her robe, smoking a cigarette nervously, wishing I would reconsider and take the mini-van.

The oil was good, the tires were good. I snapped the key on, the lights and the horn were good as well. I pulled out the choke and thumbed the starter - the Seca rumbled to life.

I heaved the loaded bike backward on the damp grass and pointed it toward the back gate. Getting off, I opened the gate, then hugged and kissed Spencer and Tanya goodbye.

A tear welled up in Tanya's eye and rolled down her cheek as my yellow gloved hand waved one final goodbye and I lurched out the gate and into the alley.

As I motored through the neighborhood and off toward the highway, rush hour drivers were starting to make their way into the city for work.

Under my full-face HJC, the smile forced my cheeks into the padding and I wondered...  what adventure would the day bring?