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I love my reliable POS vehicles. I won’t tolerate poor mechanical components for long, but I am happy with cracked, peeling paint, dented panels, non-structural surface rust, mangled bumpers, missing trim e.t.c. I have driven new cars, and (perhaps because I didn’t own them 😛 ) I found the mechanicals fantastic (no play anywhere, now rattles, squeaks e.t.c.), but they were quite sterile, a complete vacuum of personality. No, cigarette burn marks, no dodgy repair job of that ripped seat, cracked plastic trim e.t.c.
This outlook came with me when I moved over to owning sports bikes. I am in a position where I could have a much newer, fuel injected, smooth, shiny machine… but I choose not to. I like being able to park it in the worst areas of my city and know it will be there when I return. A thief would eye my old, carburetor equipped, scarred beast with disgust, then turn to the two year old smooth shiny one and steal that instead. I don’t even need to chain the thing to a post if it’s parked next to a two year old Ducati No one want’s to steal it. Which is great. The exterior look of a vehicle has never impressed me much because I don’t look at it while I’m driving/riding it. I got this for $1500 AUD from a dealership that just wanted to get rid of it. Bald tires, fluffy acceleration from idle, loose connections to the alternator stator windings, knackered battery, an awful aftermarket ‘tire hugging’ mudguard that had been rubbing against the rear tire, valve adjustment, reconditioned brakes, rebuilt front forks, all fluids and filters e.t..c. those are things I will spend money on before I fix that terrible attempt at plastic welding the previous owner used to fix the right hand cowling hahahah!
For me personally, Karl summed it up best “when you rest, you rust…” What will I do when I retire? I will keep working! banana: I think it is a horrifying concept to put a ‘use by’ date on a human being. Here ya go buddy, here’s ya golden watch & pension, now go home and wait to die. Stuff that.
I am, however, aware that I can’t do what I do right now forever. I work in the print industry as a guillotine operator. It is that taxing on my body, I’m not sure I could do it past age fifty. So another twenty years, if I live that long. Touch wood.
Luckily here in Australia we have mandatory superannuation schemes matched by employer contributions, so I will have something. That, odd jobs for people, combined with whatever else I can do (even if it’s flipping burgers or pumping gas) will be fine by me. I don’t really care what it is, as long as it gets me up early and out of bed in the mornings.
I would like to do a cross country with a camper van, but I don’t believe in waiting until I’m ‘retired’. What if I get hit by a bus at 45 or something? Touching wood again. Probably will take an extended vacation and do it while I’m still agile enough to enjoy it! 🙂
For me personally, Karl summed it up best “when you rest, you rust…” What will I do when I retire? I will keep working! banana: I think it is a horrifying concept to put a ‘use by’ date on a human being. Here ya go buddy, here’s ya golden watch & pension, now go home and wait to die. Stuff that.
I am, however, aware that I can’t do what I do right now forever. I work in the print industry as a guillotine operator. It is that taxing on my body, I’m not sure I could do it past age fifty. So another twenty years, if I live that long. Touch wood.
Luckily here in Australia we have mandatory superannuation schemes matched by employer contributions, so I will have something. That, odd jobs for people, combined with whatever else I can do (even if it’s flipping burgers or pumping gas) will be fine by me. I don’t really care what it is, as long as it gets me up early and out of bed in the mornings.
I would like to do a cross country with a camper van, but I don’t believe in waiting until I’m ‘retired’. What if I get hit by a bus at 45 or something? Touching wood again. Probably will take an extended vacation and do it while I’m still agile enough to enjoy it! 🙂
Couldn’t agree more. I only lend to people I can track down if It doesn’t get returned to me. E.g. family, friends, workmates, certain friends of friends e.t.c. Regardless of who it is, if It doesn’t come back or comes back broken, they don’t ask first, then that was the last time I lend them any tools. Also, if they have a reputation as being as gentle as a long handle sledge hammer, I won’t lend them sensitive or delicate tools. Just go over and help them out myself, then take tool with me when I leave.
Due to past experiences, (such as someone using my small sockets as a cone to smoke weed, not returning it the first time, not cleaning it the second) I think the only ‘what’s mine is yours’ lenders I have are my father and brother. Once I borrowed a set of pipe benders off a friend of my father. He told me to return them to him when done. I was out of time, so I returned them to my Dad to give to him. My soul felt dirty for doing that hahah
Couldn’t agree more. I only lend to people I can track down if It doesn’t get returned to me. E.g. family, friends, workmates, certain friends of friends e.t.c. Regardless of who it is, if It doesn’t come back or comes back broken, they don’t ask first, then that was the last time I lend them any tools. Also, if they have a reputation as being as gentle as a long handle sledge hammer, I won’t lend them sensitive or delicate tools. Just go over and help them out myself, then take tool with me when I leave.
Due to past experiences, (such as someone using my small sockets as a cone to smoke weed, not returning it the first time, not cleaning it the second) I think the only ‘what’s mine is yours’ lenders I have are my father and brother. Once I borrowed a set of pipe benders off a friend of my father. He told me to return them to him when done. I was out of time, so I returned them to my Dad to give to him. My soul felt dirty for doing that hahah
I may be an infant by comparison (I started out in my teenage years playing around with’old’ 80’s cars), but I do see your point. The front wheel drive configuration has seen some engineers push available space to (and often beyond) the available limits. Cast iron has given way to (often poor quality) alloys. Emissions, economy, performance and cost have been pushing to create engines engineered within an inch of their lifes.
Repairable and maintainable mechanical devices have given way to throw-away sealed electronics. And the one that kinda pisses me off is the safety issue. Yes, ABS, EBA, SRS, TC, ESP have been statistically proven to save lives (which is always a good thing), but their proliferation has given rise to some of the poorest driving skill imaginable being passed off as competent. I’m currently working with new vehicles that tell you how to park, and Have Lane Departure Warning. Jesus wept, if you can’t keep the car you’re driving in the right lane, go to sleep or park up and continue drinking! At what point do we admit that electronics can not, and should not be forced to compensate for lack of driver skill?
Don’t get me wrong. I love electronics. I was kid that taught themselves to solder while building various electronic kits. However, the driver is who should be responsible for the operation of the car. At least until the overbearing government bans manually controled vehicles and we all end up with self driven ones.
I may be an infant by comparison (I started out in my teenage years playing around with’old’ 80’s cars), but I do see your point. The front wheel drive configuration has seen some engineers push available space to (and often beyond) the available limits. Cast iron has given way to (often poor quality) alloys. Emissions, economy, performance and cost have been pushing to create engines engineered within an inch of their lifes.
Repairable and maintainable mechanical devices have given way to throw-away sealed electronics. And the one that kinda pisses me off is the safety issue. Yes, ABS, EBA, SRS, TC, ESP have been statistically proven to save lives (which is always a good thing), but their proliferation has given rise to some of the poorest driving skill imaginable being passed off as competent. I’m currently working with new vehicles that tell you how to park, and Have Lane Departure Warning. Jesus wept, if you can’t keep the car you’re driving in the right lane, go to sleep or park up and continue drinking! At what point do we admit that electronics can not, and should not be forced to compensate for lack of driver skill?
Don’t get me wrong. I love electronics. I was kid that taught themselves to solder while building various electronic kits. However, the driver is who should be responsible for the operation of the car. At least until the overbearing government bans manually controled vehicles and we all end up with self driven ones.
Like already stated, if it looks flush even and symetrical with the other side, it is okay. If the fluid seal wasn’t correctly located, I doubt you would have been able to force the piston back into the caliper.
Yamaha designed each of the four pistons to exert roughly equal force on the brake pads. I say this because they are all the same size and sit in a bore of the same size. They are (in theory at least) all exposed to the same force from the brake fluid behind them because the fluid is free to flow to all four equally from the line to the calliper.
What often happens, particularly with older bikes, is that the pistons only move a very small ammount in and out, so over time and even with the dust shields, they accumulate dirt and grit on the seal lips and between the piston and bore. Eventually, it may even corrode the surface of the pistons. Which will cause some to move more easily than others.
Mostly you can tell by feel. If, when you pull the lever as hard as you can, the front wheel can’t be moved and the lever stops well before contacting the bar and doesn’t feel spongy, your brake hydraulics are working fine.
Like already stated, if it looks flush even and symetrical with the other side, it is okay. If the fluid seal wasn’t correctly located, I doubt you would have been able to force the piston back into the caliper.
Yamaha designed each of the four pistons to exert roughly equal force on the brake pads. I say this because they are all the same size and sit in a bore of the same size. They are (in theory at least) all exposed to the same force from the brake fluid behind them because the fluid is free to flow to all four equally from the line to the calliper.
What often happens, particularly with older bikes, is that the pistons only move a very small ammount in and out, so over time and even with the dust shields, they accumulate dirt and grit on the seal lips and between the piston and bore. Eventually, it may even corrode the surface of the pistons. Which will cause some to move more easily than others.
Mostly you can tell by feel. If, when you pull the lever as hard as you can, the front wheel can’t be moved and the lever stops well before contacting the bar and doesn’t feel spongy, your brake hydraulics are working fine.
Hate to sound like an old maid here, but I would try and get OEM rubber seals if you can. They may cost a little bit more, and you may have to wait a couple of weeks because the dealer is almost certain not to carry stock for such an old bike, but at least you know the things will fit correctly and be of a decent quality.
If you come across Pyramid Parts on Ebay, keep looking. Their bearings are okay, their seals are rubbish. I brought a steering stem bearing and seals kit, plus front fork slide bushes, oil and dust seals for my ’98 ZX600. The steering stem grease seals didn’t fit properly. Neither did the dust seals. And they looked that cheap an nasty I’m just going to do the long wait and get the OEM ones.
Read several bad reviews on their front fork oil seals as well. After ordering and paying for mine of course :angry: I’m hoping mine will not prove to be in the same category.
Hate to sound like an old maid here, but I would try and get OEM rubber seals if you can. They may cost a little bit more, and you may have to wait a couple of weeks because the dealer is almost certain not to carry stock for such an old bike, but at least you know the things will fit correctly and be of a decent quality.
If you come across Pyramid Parts on Ebay, keep looking. Their bearings are okay, their seals are rubbish. I brought a steering stem bearing and seals kit, plus front fork slide bushes, oil and dust seals for my ’98 ZX600. The steering stem grease seals didn’t fit properly. Neither did the dust seals. And they looked that cheap an nasty I’m just going to do the long wait and get the OEM ones.
Read several bad reviews on their front fork oil seals as well. After ordering and paying for mine of course :angry: I’m hoping mine will not prove to be in the same category.
Technically, nothing at the moment 🙁
Various friends trail bikes as a kid.
My first road bike was a 1987 GSX-R 250. I got it to get my motorcycle license on, but ended up keeping it for years as it was such a good bike. Sold it to move overseas.
Now I have a Kawasaki ZX6R (ZX600) G1. Got it as a $1600 trade in from a dealership. As it has no plates or registration. Although it has 120,000 km (74,875 mi) on the clock, it seems to have been looked after and still has a lot of poke.
After getting new rubber, it went straight into the garage, where I stripped it naked, strung it up and began messing round with it. Minds out of the gutter please people 😛
It’s kinda snowballed from a steering head bearings and battery change. While removing cowling, I noticed oil leakage from right fork. So new fork oil seals, slide bushes, fork oil and dust seals. While waiting for seals to arrive, I decided to do valve clearances and spark plugs. As I needed a micrometer to do valve clearances, I used it to measure front brake rotors. Below minimum service limit.
Will post some pics when I go out to garage to put valve cover back on it tomorrow afternoon. 🙂
Technically, nothing at the moment 🙁
Various friends trail bikes as a kid.
My first road bike was a 1987 GSX-R 250. I got it to get my motorcycle license on, but ended up keeping it for years as it was such a good bike. Sold it to move overseas.
Now I have a Kawasaki ZX6R (ZX600) G1. Got it as a $1600 trade in from a dealership. As it has no plates or registration. Although it has 120,000 km (74,875 mi) on the clock, it seems to have been looked after and still has a lot of poke.
After getting new rubber, it went straight into the garage, where I stripped it naked, strung it up and began messing round with it. Minds out of the gutter please people 😛
It’s kinda snowballed from a steering head bearings and battery change. While removing cowling, I noticed oil leakage from right fork. So new fork oil seals, slide bushes, fork oil and dust seals. While waiting for seals to arrive, I decided to do valve clearances and spark plugs. As I needed a micrometer to do valve clearances, I used it to measure front brake rotors. Below minimum service limit.
Will post some pics when I go out to garage to put valve cover back on it tomorrow afternoon. 🙂
Woohoo! :cheer: Motorcycles on Eric The Car Guy!
I have often thought it ironic that I have a bike and no car, yet always seem to end up back here on ETCG1. 😛
