Posts by Dave_J
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One of the things to pack in your repair kit is about 10-20 long black wire ties. Black are more UV stable. I have had cheap white ties fail in direct sun in weeks.
A sharp pointed knife will drill a hole in ABS or Polypropylene so you can wire tie it up if needed.
Edited for spelling
A sharp pointed knife will drill a hole in ABS or Polypropylene so you can wire tie it up if needed.
Edited for spelling
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17,126 Posts
Replace all wheel bearing before a long trip even if they seem to be OK.
2008 on my 650 I was on the way home after a 250 mile ride when the bike started to jurk around like a tank slapper. I was 15 miles from home and called my AMA towing but still had to wait 2 hours for them to get a truck to me. Rear wheel bearing was locked up. It did not wreck the wheel but scored the axle a bit.
EDIT, bearing failed on my 2008 ride, not 2007.
2008 on my 650 I was on the way home after a 250 mile ride when the bike started to jurk around like a tank slapper. I was 15 miles from home and called my AMA towing but still had to wait 2 hours for them to get a truck to me. Rear wheel bearing was locked up. It did not wreck the wheel but scored the axle a bit.
EDIT, bearing failed on my 2008 ride, not 2007.
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I find my wheel bearings on Ebay. They are made by KOGO in Japan. I buy them in sets of 10.
When I remove the wheel for tire service I spin the bearing with my finger and if I feel any gritty or hard spot feelings I just toss them. Being that I run a 50,000 mile rated Car tire in the rear, I just replace them every tire change now due to my 2008 story above. That time the wheel bearings had three motorcycle tires and just started riding on a 25,000 car tire so they failed at about 21,000 miles.
EDIT, I looked at my service records and I made the trip to visit my father 250 miles away in 2008, not 2007.
When I remove the wheel for tire service I spin the bearing with my finger and if I feel any gritty or hard spot feelings I just toss them. Being that I run a 50,000 mile rated Car tire in the rear, I just replace them every tire change now due to my 2008 story above. That time the wheel bearings had three motorcycle tires and just started riding on a 25,000 car tire so they failed at about 21,000 miles.
EDIT, I looked at my service records and I made the trip to visit my father 250 miles away in 2008, not 2007.
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17,126 Posts
A 4 liter antifreeze jug is a good pick to cut a Fender extender from.
Some use 3M double bask tape. Just CLEAN the mating area real good.
I used some binder bolts, the short ones for bolting 3 hole papers into a binder.
Check with a piece of card paper for fitment and trimming then cut up the jug.
These I think are a 650 :
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![Rectangle Dishware Table Tints and shades Electric blue]()
![Composite material Helmet Gas Tints and shades Cylinder]()
Some use 3M double bask tape. Just CLEAN the mating area real good.
I used some binder bolts, the short ones for bolting 3 hole papers into a binder.
Check with a piece of card paper for fitment and trimming then cut up the jug.
These I think are a 650 :
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17,126 Posts
My sons Kawasaki Ninja 500 has handlebar brackets that bolt on the top triple tree. The bracket is aluminum and the steel bars can be taken off.
He was having problems of buzzy hands. We first tried Grip Puppy's and they did help some. His bar ends were light plastic so we 'BINNED' them. I heated the steel bars to about 150 degrees F and then poured molten lead inside to make them heavier. We then used my last set of Burgman 650 bar ends.
No more buz in the bars.
A friend rider used 'Bar Snake' inside his bars on a Suzuki Calacade full tour bike to remove a slight shake in his hands. For years you could not find Bar Snake but now you can. See link below
About Bar Snake
He was having problems of buzzy hands. We first tried Grip Puppy's and they did help some. His bar ends were light plastic so we 'BINNED' them. I heated the steel bars to about 150 degrees F and then poured molten lead inside to make them heavier. We then used my last set of Burgman 650 bar ends.
No more buz in the bars.
A friend rider used 'Bar Snake' inside his bars on a Suzuki Calacade full tour bike to remove a slight shake in his hands. For years you could not find Bar Snake but now you can. See link below
About Bar Snake
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Embassy help is always there, contrary to Hollywood movies. In my travels around Europe I have had to call them a couple times for minor "Status of Forces" issues when caught without a passport when my Military ID card was my passport.
When I volunteered to ride a Harley 1200 from the Seattle area to Panama City Panama I got stopped by a local Mexican cop for going 28 MPH in a 25 MPH zone. I refused to pay the 50 Paso's fine to him. 50 Paso's was a LOT of money back in 1979
I was required by my cousin to check in each night and also to call with any issues along the way. He had my route mapped out too. When I did not check in that night he started calling Police stations along my route. At about 4 AM when he found a Police station that said they had an American in jail for a serious infraction he just called the US Embassy in Mexico. At 5 AM I was woke, allowed to shower and brought over to a house where I had a huge breakfast. The Harley had been washed and full of gas too. It had about 150 more miles on it from the night before too.
May have been helpful that my Cousin was a Captain in the US Marines stationed in Panama at the US Embassy..... 🤪
When I volunteered to ride a Harley 1200 from the Seattle area to Panama City Panama I got stopped by a local Mexican cop for going 28 MPH in a 25 MPH zone. I refused to pay the 50 Paso's fine to him. 50 Paso's was a LOT of money back in 1979
I was required by my cousin to check in each night and also to call with any issues along the way. He had my route mapped out too. When I did not check in that night he started calling Police stations along my route. At about 4 AM when he found a Police station that said they had an American in jail for a serious infraction he just called the US Embassy in Mexico. At 5 AM I was woke, allowed to shower and brought over to a house where I had a huge breakfast. The Harley had been washed and full of gas too. It had about 150 more miles on it from the night before too.
May have been helpful that my Cousin was a Captain in the US Marines stationed in Panama at the US Embassy..... 🤪
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17,126 Posts
I used 3 alumimn "Binder" buttons to secure mine. I just filed then down shorter to make them fit.
These are $30 USD for 100 each. But you may have a stationary store that may carry some cheaper.
These are $30 USD for 100 each. But you may have a stationary store that may carry some cheaper.
TRUBIND Chicago Screw and Post Sets - 1/4 inch Post Length - 3/16 inch Post Diameter - Black Aluminum Hardware Fasteners - 100 Screws with 100 Posts for Binding, Albums, Scrapbooks - (100 Sets/Bx)
Buy TRUBIND Chicago Screw and Post Sets - 1/4 inch Post Length - 3/16 inch Post Diameter - Black Aluminum Hardware Fasteners - 100 Screws with 100 Posts for Binding, Albums, Scrapbooks - (100 Sets/Bx) at Amazon. Customer reviews and photos may be available to help you make the right purchase...
smile.amazon.com
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You might look at some Mosko Moto bags. While not cheap they are ruggard enough for most off roading adventures.
moskomoto.com
Motorcycle Luggage
Shop Mosko Moto's premier luggage system for long distance or international touring. Locking straps and instructional videos available.
moskomoto.com
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My time in Saudi Arabia was limited due to two things. I was on official USA business and Ramadan was still on. I drove a Nissin Cherry car from Bahrain over the 26 mile Causeway to Riyadh. While I had a Diplomat passport and the car was a sealed container, the Police tried to force me to open it up. I did not!!!
The US forces Commander did take me down town Riyadh but I was not free to walk around. The locals love to drag Foreigners down to "Chop Chop Square" to watch punishment day. The 3 days I was in Riyadh 2 men lost their "Right Hands" and 1 women was stoned (not to death) by her husbands family for speaking out about him in public.
Americans need to remember we do not have all our USA rights when in a foreign country.
The US forces Commander did take me down town Riyadh but I was not free to walk around. The locals love to drag Foreigners down to "Chop Chop Square" to watch punishment day. The 3 days I was in Riyadh 2 men lost their "Right Hands" and 1 women was stoned (not to death) by her husbands family for speaking out about him in public.
Americans need to remember we do not have all our USA rights when in a foreign country.
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17,126 Posts
Instead of carrying a full tool to hold the Vairator why not just 3 L brackets and long bolts like in this post.
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17,126 Posts
If you buy 2 for $75 there is a $25 off coupon so 2 for $50 before tax.
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