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What you did on or to your bike today......


Firefight911

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Paul In Australia

Got the bike back with new crown bearing on Friday,so thought a two day back road jaunt of 1100 Kim's would be fun.

Lions road,Gwidwry highway,Armidale,Dorrigo,Coffs harbour, Casino home via Numinbah Valley.

Lots of fun

Regards

Edited by Paul In Australia
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Got off early today and did some much needed maintenance on the GS. Changed the oil, filter and the transmission oil. I ran out of time, but was planning on hitting the rear differential, too. I'll have to do that Friday.

 

I've been having a weird issue where the gear indicator on the dash didn't jive with what gear I was actually in all the time. It only ever messed up on 1st and Neutral. Once I got up into 2nd and above it was right. But the big issue with that was starting it. I had to fake it out and put it in 1st to make it think I was in neutral to start it. I read a bunch of forums about what might cause it and one suggested changing the gear oil might fix it. Well, my 5 minute test ride indicates it might have done the trick. I'll have to do more rides for further proof.

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From Augusta, Ga, up to Clarkesville to meet up with a friend. Took hwy 348 to Blaisville, Skeenah Gap road to hwy 60 down to T.W.O. 129 up over Blood Mountain, then Richard B. Russell Parkway back down to Helen before heading home. 400 miles today, what a great way to start Thanksgiving Day holiday!

 

 

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CoarsegoldKid

Brought a toy over to the Sheriff substation for their toy drive for the kids. I was joined by about 20 other bikers. Good people those bikers. :clap:

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Paul In Australia

New clutch micro switch fitted. All outstanding issues now finalised. Fueled her up ready to go on Saturday for the 9 day ride to the Snowy Mountains and back.

Looking forward to this one.

best regards

Paul

Edited by Paul In Australia
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I was stuck in the office and checked the weather. It was seventy degrees outside, so I said the heck with this and headed home to go for a ride.

 

Wandered out through the rural portions of Northern Baltimore County, probably even went into PA for a bit (where is my GPS???) and then started back when I saw this:

 

EA5958A9-BF2C-45B2-AD9D-B90D59CADE24-840-0000004C38AF4E6B.jpg

 

so I stopped to take a few snaps. I am not as daring as some I see here who just park their bikes in the road and take the pics, so I am actually in someone's driveway. While I am there I turn around and a guy still in his work uniform comes out to the end of the driveway and I think this might not have been a good idea. Couldn't have been more wrong. Doc (that's what is embroidered above his left pocket) has two Harleys up the driveway and just wanted to make sure I was okay, not broken down. I appreciate that and we chat for a while, and a while more, and a while more.

 

It really was getting dark, and I didn't want to have a Bambi incident, so I try again to leave, and finally do so. Even as I ride off he is telling me that if I am back any other time, feel free to stop by.

 

What a great evening!

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Sometimes the littlest things make the biggest difference.

My '01 1150GS had a loose shift lever and a tight throttle.

Those two things can make a great bike feel like shite.

All I needed to do was push the shift lever forward over the gear shaft and tighten the clamp screw.

I sprayed some multi-purpose penetrating lube on the butterfly shafts on the throttle bodies and BAM.

Now, it has a tight shift lever and an easy throttle.

Of course, I needed to ride it all day today just to be sure. :D

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After realizing that I hadn’t done a farkle project on the GS in at least a few weeks, I was shooting the breeze with a friend and the subject of HID lighting came up. Now I have had an HID light in the low beam since the bike was about 5 months old with great results on not only lighting, but also in compatibility with the electronics on the bike.

The high beam was a PIAA H7 bulb with Kisan’s modulator in line. Alas as PIAA lights are prone to do, the high beam burned out while on a short trip, so I replaced it with Sylvania’s standard H7 light picked up at the local auto parts store. Immediately, when modulating the high beam, I started getting fault readings in the display saying I had a faulty bulb. Again, never had the problem with the PIAA. I have been just putting up with it for the last few months, but while visiting with aforementioned friend, the HID bug bit again. I knew that I could not use the modulator with HID, and was not too interested in trying to find another place for one of the large ballasts required, when I was introduced to the “state of the art” HID new ballasts which are about 1/3 the size of the older ballast I had been using.

Well, I was hooked. Got home and on the computer and ordered a set of new digital HID lights from DDM-Tuning.com. Yeah, I know..imported, but with fairly good reviews. Had to wait while they shipped the kit over on the slow boat from China but finally the kit arrived last week.

Spent the better part of today taking apart the front cockpit of the GS and gutting out the old HID system and installing both new ballasts and lights. New ballasts are small enough that both fit in about 3/4 the space of the old single ballast. Everything seems to be working as expected- no fault codes thrown so far.

With a little luck, I’ll be able to see the asphalt rats before they jump out in front of me… :thumbsup:

 

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Counted bug splats on the screen/fairing.

 

 

A red splat means the bug is female (and most likely a mosquito); mostly it's female bugs that bite.

The largest splats are typically large female moths or butterflies.

The smallest splats are biting midges, known in the South as "no-see-ums."

Splats that glow are fireflies.

 

Click the link to learn more.

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Well I rode it (oh my god I called it, my RT1150,"IT") on many trips to hardware store. Why? Bought a old used pool table and didn't like quality of build when I got it home. Since I made a deal I decided to fix it so I would like it. Took it apart and threw out all the parts I didn't like or that were fastened with staples and no glue. Ended up with the slate and the cushions left. Made plan and parts list. Went to store for prices. Oak $6.50 a board foot??? What the hell??? Time to regroup. Lucky I like to build stuff, just don't like to pay for it. Knotty pine sounds better and better. Will think on it overnight. This is all complicated by the fact that you can't recover your costs on a table now. If I do say so I am a very good woodworker. Should I get some walnut, brass, mother of pearl, etc. and make a semi-masterpiece only to sell it for next to nothing? Many miles more tomorrow I am guessing to look at sawmills in area.

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Don't go cheap wrt wood.

 

If you're good, you'll like the look and feel forever as opposed to second guessing...

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If you're going to use knotty pine, be sure you replace the slate with MDF. And buy enough sand so the cat won't have trouble burying it.

 

Oak is a good structural wood but hard to finish. Walnut is expensive, hard to work (sawdust is irritating and dulls tools quickly), but finishes wonderfully. Mahogany quality varies a lot in density and strength but can be the prettiest. All of them are expensive, but this ain't no plywood and pine project.

 

-----

 

 

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Paul In Australia

Last day of a seven day tour of 3700 Kim's through NSW. From Brisbane to the Snowy Mountains and all the best roads in between. Having an absolute ball.

I can feel a trip report coming on. I have even taken photos this time.

More to come

Regards

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Prototyped a little gizmo that allows one to use the FD from a 2008+ hexhead in an earlier year model bikes.

In my case, a FD from 2011 GS in a 2005 GS.

 

PC071368_SML.jpg

 

PC071372_SML.jpg

 

The Final Drives between different year model hexheads are 100% mechanically interchangeable but the wheel speed sensor is different and makes a direct swap impossible.

 

--

Mikko

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That's pretty impressive Mikko. What is the primary difference in the wheel speed sensor? I thought it was just a magnetic pick-up no more sophisticated than a bicycle speedometer.

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The wheel speed sensors used in the r1200 bikes are 2-wire Hall effect sensors with binary current output. The two current levels of the older sensor are 4mA and 10mA, the new sensor uses 7mA and 14mA.

Because of the incompatible sensor output signals, the computer on an older bike can't even tell the rear wheel is turning based on the signal from a new sensor.

 

Also, the ring gear that the sensor reads has different number or "ticks" per revolution.

The 08+ FD has 48 slots and the older one has 78.

Even if the sensor signal levels were compatible, the new FD would make the speedometer read 38.5% too low, and on a ABS equipped bike the ABS computer would throw an error.

 

--

Mikko

 

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I went out riding on my 1995 R1100RS today and came home on my wife's new 2013 Triumph Bonneville. For some reason, the dealership didn't think it was an even trade, so I had to give them some money, but we're still pretty happy about it.

 

EM57G.jpg

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Congratulations Mrs. Bob

 

Are we going to have the honor of seeing it Saturday at lunch in Montezuma? A great way to break it in.

 

Terry

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Went on a lunch ride to Orick,CA with Jan, Bill and Gar. We stopped off to see the Lady Bird Johnson Grove on the way back. Rode the Tenere to get there and Bill's F650GS aka "Tweety" on the way back to Brookings. :) A beautiful day to be on the bike!

 

 

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Thought you oregonian's didn't care for California?

 

You don't, but you like our weather :wave:

 

We like your higher speed limits and fine dining, too!

 

154441_4661249363309_923625804_n.jpg

 

:grin:

 

 

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I didn't find any "fine dining" here. Got to the top and over the other side where it got to deep, had to turn around. Over a hundred miles for the day.

 

IMG_5529_zpsfa07139d.jpg

 

 

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Gone ridin' - Western Maryland, paid the $0.25 toll of the Oldtown bridge to cross into West Virginia. Comfy ride, no Interstates. A good day for December.

 

file-9.jpg

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Built, tested and installed the second and final prototype of my interface circuit that allows me to use a Speedohealer with the Hall-type wheel speed sensors used in the Hexheads.

 

PC221390_SML_zpsf469d4ee.jpg

 

--

Mikko

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I rode north up into Mass. until I hit the snow line in the hills and then headed back. Passed a nice looking blue and silver RT on the way out. Figured I'd better get one last ride in before it snows this week.

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Sunday, Monday, Tuesday... rode the RT from southern MD to TN and back to see the family for Christmas. I stayed on the interstate as much as I could, as time was a factor. The weather wasn't great, but the ride was nice. Ran in to some really dense fog Monday evening, but otherwise a nice, mostly uneventful ride.

 

I did pull the left plastic and the alternator cover to check out the belt while in my brothers garage. As I would pull up to a stop, I could smell rubber burning, which I figured was a loose alternator belt. When I looked at it, the belt was fine, in condition and tension. I am guessing that the belt was getting damp, and when I would slow down to idle the belt would slip a little, being under load (heated jacket, gloves, and 55w fog lights). I put it back together and the bike ran fine all the way home. Only seen 3 other bikes on the highway; two crusiers and a GS. Everyone waved, even from the opposite side of the interstate. :wave:

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Paul Mihalka

I just had to get in a ride before the year clicks over. Coldish, snowy, but a ride is a ride. Oct. 15 to Dec. 31 3.000 miles on the scooter. I guess I like it.

Happy New Year to all!

 

file-10.jpg

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I just had to get in a ride before the year clicks over. Coldish, snowy, but a ride is a ride. Oct. 15 to Dec. 31 3.000 miles on the scooter. I guess I like it.

Happy New Year to all!

 

Paul - Thank you for keeping us updated! Glad it turned out to be the right choice for you. :thumbsup: Happy New Year.

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My right wrist has been hurting for a couple years now and has recently gotten even worse (torn ligament). I've been getting steroid shots to put off the inevitable surgery. I went riding with the wife the other day up in to GA and it wasn't even an hour into it when I could barely turn the throttle. Ended up taking it easy all the way home mostly on cruise control. I could do the thing, it just hurt like hell.

 

Surgery is scheduled for the 23rd. Looking forward to getting past the pain, but I know there'll be some serious pain coming before it's over. Exactly when did I start getting old and falling apart?!?

 

Parked the bike(s) until then. NOT happy about it at all.

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Another day commuting in the cold dark of the PNW. It was nippy this morning but at least the frost was absent. The bike is filthy top to bottom, front to back, just ugly.

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I to have been off the bike now for over a month do to and emergency surgery in mid November , hated the fact that I wasn't able to ride until the snow started to fly here in Central New York or that I didn't get that last ride in before putting the RT away . Call me weird but yesterday I pulled the cover off it and sat on it for no real reason at all but just to be on it. As much as I like to get out and ice fish in the winter month's ( something I really look forward to every year ) I can't seem to stop wishing for a January thaw and nice warm stretch just so I can get that last ride in...winter's can be long here.

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Rolled the bike out of the garage yesterday while I did some (overdue) cleaning and sorting out and bolted in an extra gun safe to store my reloading powder in, as required by law :mad: . Thought about a ride, but at 100F and very humid, I passed and wheeled the bike back in.

 

Only 98F today but thunderstorms and rain, so it looks like no riding this weekend ... :cry:

Edited by BIWOZ
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140 mile round trip on the RT up to Great Barrington. Had the best corned beef rueben sandwich and some chili at the GB Bagel Co. Then picked up a growler of fresh brewed IPA.

 

35 degrees avg. temp. Saw no other bikes on the road today.

 

Just helping BMW marketing department...

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Back from vacation and newly inspired to ride...

Errands Friday, lunch at the beach with Knifemaker yesterday and then to the club meeting today.

 

I'm feeling great about being back on the GS...

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lawnchairboy

Up and back to DC for IMS on the RT. Sat morning 27 degrees. Gerbings on high from fingers to toes. 400 miles round trip. Last half hour I think my dual temp troller died. Got to check fuses...

Edited by lawnchairboy
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Paul Mihalka
Up and back to DC for IMS on the RT. Sat morning 27 degrees. Gerbings on high from fingers to toes. 400 miles round trip. Last half hour I think my dual temp troller died. Got to check fuses...

Too bad I missed you. I was at the BMW stand helping out most of Saturday and Sunday.

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Paul In Australia

Up Mt Glorious and out to Wivenhoe dam. Back down Mt Mee and to Caboulture then home.

Fantastic ride. Havent been on the bike since the Snowy mMountains trip mid December due to work and family commitements.

Absolutely loved it today. So stress free at the end.

This year i ride more than last year and work less.

Happy New Year to you all. Just great to be here.

Best regards

Paul

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The Gerbings fuse is one of the type of spares I carry with me.

 

I've had mine go 2 or 3x on the bike.

Pretty quick fix if you have the fuse w/you.

 

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lawnchairboy

On the gerbings:

 

I hooked up to the gs (direct to battery connection) with my gerbings and had no issues. On the RT, I had installed an accessory marine fuse block to switched (key on) power via a relay years ago which the gerbings power cord went to. Well, it turns out the solderless spade connector connecting the hot wire to the fuse block from the battery had detached completely, thus, no power to the fuse block. This proves I am a lousy electrician. Although, that wiring has been solid for 6 years until that point. I sure am glad that failure occurred close to home at sea level. A couple of times over the years (Dallas divide snowstorm) I would have been in a jam trying to do a roadside fix while freezing my butt in the snow and wind.

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