Better, But Not The Best

So last weekends tinkering seem to have improved how things are running, but I don't feel like it's where I want it to be. She seems to run fine once she's up to temperature, but still a bitch to start up. These bikes are naturally cold blooded, so I know some of this goes with the territory, but it still seems like something's not quite right. Now I'm starting to think there might be a leak in the exhaust somewhere. Time for more poking around...

More Fun With Carbs

I finally got around to attempting to install the jets that came with Norman Hyde exhaust I bought and installed after I bought the cycle. I was hoping to do this without actually having to remove the carbs from the engine, but unfortunately, the stock carb bowl screws are made of butter instead of metal. I managed to get most of the them off, but of course I needed to get all of them, and the ones that are nearly impossible to get to weren't cooperating at all. Only one carb ended up getting re-jetted, so I was stuck.

So pulled off the tank, yanked out the carbs and installed the left side jet. It was easier than I expected to get all of this disassembled and put back together. There were a couple of annoying clamps and hoses to get free, but all-in-all, a not too painful experience.


I also took the opportunity to drop in some new plugs and re-adjust the carb mixture screws. I re-synched the carbs and tomorrow I'll try to see if any of this will help solve my rough idle problem. At this point, the only things I can think of changing are the carb mix screws or replacing worn out rubber. This was a fun project! Nice to tear it down ia little and see what's really goin' on.

Carb-tastic!

I finally synced my carbs last weekend. I bought the Motion Pro Carb Tuner at New Bonneville. I was a little nervous about the whole liquid mercury thing. The EPA website managed to scare me shitless about splling mercury on my hand, or the floor, or on my dog, or well...pretty much anywhere. I was trying to imagine explaining to my girlfriend why a Haz-Mat team was in our utility room because I decided to give my bike a tune-up.

After "manning-up," I realized that it wasn't really a big deal. I just made sure not to spill any when I poured it into the little reservoir on the back, and then made sure it was sealed up tight. All-in-all, the syncing was really easy. The only hard part was getting an angled screwdriver on the adjustment screw. It's kind of hard to get in there, and I was way too lazy to remove the gas tank this time around. I think I might save that for my upcoming re-jet.

So the verdict: The idle seems slightly smoother, and my morning start ups seem to be a little more hassle free, since the engine isn't stalling out as easily as it warms up. I can't really tell a big difference in performance though. I'm hoping new plugs might pep things up a little. I'm going to try to work on that this weekend. I've a got socket that's the right size, but the walls are too thick! So I either need to find a bigger socket, or take a bench grinder to the one I've got. Oh the trials and tribulations of a wannabe mechanic...

Dainese Boots Rule!

I've been using the Dainese Torque Out boots I posted about earlier for the last few days and the verdict is in. THEY RULE!

They are exactly what I was looking for. They have great ankle support, which I have learned the hard way is VERY important. You don't need to be riding fast or reckless to break your ankle on a motorcycle. I was only going about 10 miles an hour and all it took was one idiotic old fool to stop paying attention and hit me, sending me into a low-side and breaking my ankle.

They also look great, are extremely comfortable, and are very flexible considering the amount of protection they provide. They also fit dead on true to size. Just be sure to look at the Dainese sizing chart.

I highly recommend these boots to anyone who rides, not matter what kind of bike you have. I'm shocked at how the great majority of motorcycle boots offer little to NO PROTECTION FOR YOUR ANKLES!!!!! This, despite the fact that ankle injuries are the most common type for motorcyclists. Sure these boots cost a bit more than a lot of other options, but how much do you think you'll spend on medical bills for a broken ankle? And how much is three months of your time worth? Because you won't be having ANY fun crutching around in that cast for 6 weeks, or spending another 6 learning how to walk without pain again.

The other thing that pisses me off is how hard it is to find boots like these. I had to do way too much digging to find these, or anything like them. If you're looking for a pair, look no further than Cycle Gear. I'm not getting any kickbacks for plugging them (I wish), but ordering was a breeze and the boots were shipped fast and hassle free. They even called me to make sure somebody wasn't using my credit card fraudulently!!! That's great customer service if you ask me.

Smell Of Oil

Ankle Chronicles

In the interests of protecting my ankles from any future injuries, I've been searching for a decent pair of proper moto boots. The main problem is that most of the boots that do a good job of keeping your ankle from twisting/bending also look like moon boots. You also have to sacrifice a lot of mobility. The guy at the local motorcycle dealer recommended these:


Sidi Vortice

He said that he had broken his ankle, and that now these were all that he would be willing to wear. He also said that they were $500!!! Obvisouly that's a hell a lot cheaper than ankle surgery / rehab etc., but after doing research on the inter-web, I realized that these are designed to be top of the line RACING boots. As in, they are built to be used on a race track and are not ideal for everyday things that regular type people like me need to do. You know, like shifting, parking, and actually being able to walk somewhere when you get to your destination.

So after some exhaustive research I began narrowing it down and came up with these finalists:


Puma 1000 v2


TDX S-Race


Dainese Torque Out

The Pumas looked way to cumbersome and inflexible. I tried to find the TCX boots EVERYWHERE, but nobody had them in stock. That ended up being a good thing though, because after even more digging I found out about the Dainese Torque Out boots. They seem to be the perfect balance between ankle protection and mobility. And while they still look like something RoboCop might like to slip on, they don't look ridiculous to me.

More later after I actually try them out.

The Beast Has Awoken

I'm just starting to walk without crutches for the first time since the accident. I'm still not ready to start riding again, but I took the opportunity to fire up the Bonnie yesterday. It sounded...excellent.

I can't wait to get back on the road.