The Big Red Bus

[G.P]

If you ever decide to do this again please ensure its recorded ....... has the makings of a world wide viral clip should it go wrong

You can just imagine a KFB shaped hole in the front door of the BRB depot.

[KungFooBob]

Just to make thing even more exciting... I'd only done the wheel nuts up finger tight.

Three of them had worked their way almost all the way out

[Supermofo]

Your garage still looks more tidy than mine. There's a small bike area that's nice and clear and the rest is full of shit I'd like to bin but the Mrs wants to keep.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Is that fake black and silvers on the Enfield with "FX01 ABC" type plate?

[KungFooBob]

Is that fake black and silvers on the Enfield with "FX01 ABC" type plate?

Yup

I had to stick the normal plate over the top of it with double sided tape for the MOT a fortnight ago.

It's got the worlds loudest pipe on it too, I've been followed by the Five-O and never had a tug.

[Mr. Dazzle]

No MOT, genuine black/silver and perfectly legal window shaking exhaust on my classic.

Damn thing never works though. Win some, lose some

[KungFooBob]

I'm a very silly boy.

You may recall the rear brake seized on during my trip home from picking the bike up.

I automatically assumed it was the caliper. I striped it and rebuilt it using new seals.

Ran the bike up on the centre stand and it seized up again after a couple of minutes.

You may also remember that cracked/broken foot rest... on the rear brake pedal side?

At some point the bike has had a knock to that foot rest area, i suspect it's fallen over at a standstill or fallen into something because there's no damage anywhere else.

It's bent the brake lever a little bit.



Under the lever is an adjuster to set it's initial position.



It seems the lever was bent just enough to slightly change the lever initial position, which in turn cause the MC to open slightly. I suspect this was either causing a tiny bit of drag, or stopping the fluid returning to the reservoir.

I've adjusted the lever so that it has no action on the MC at rest. Taken the bike for a virtual 5 minute spin on the centre stand and the disc is stone cold!

YAY!

[Rockburner]

Always good to find a simple explanation for an annoying problem!

[KungFooBob]

The wife has just come in from shopping... "there's some oil on the doorstep".

I only ordered it at lunchtime from ECP, they must have come while I was in the garage rubbing Autosol into the exhaust!

It means the fun for tomorrow is a Diff and Gearbox oil change (cos the engine oil filter isn't due until next week, along with some spark plugs).

[KungFooBob]

Jesus H Corbett, that FD filler plug was in tight!!!

Dropped the oil and it's not looking pretty...



The drain plug has a magnet built into it, there was a fair bit of metal stuck to it. They Cylmer says this is normal, as long as there's no big chunks!

I couldn't be arsed to do the gearbox, it's too cold to lay on the floor. So I decided to put the central tank strip of fairing back on. It had a very very nasty hard and peeling 90's tank pad. Got the hair drier on it and started peeling. Got half way before the paint started to peel with it

Never mind, I'll cover it up with a new tank pad, or make my own with some sticky back fake carbon fibre. This is it after I'd clean all the glue off...



I even spent 20 mins cleaning the under side of the tank cap. There's dirt everywhere on this thing, 22 years of it in every nook and cranny. Still enjoying it tho'.

[Horse]

There's dirt everywhere on this thing, 22 years of it in every nook and cranny. Still enjoying it tho'.

At what point do you get an archeologist in?

[KungFooBob]

For a bike that's obviously been so unloved, under all the dirt the finish is actually really good. Spent sometime yesterday removing sticky pads off old wheel weights on the rear wheel. There's one tiny pit in the paint, It's almost in as good nick as when it left the factory, I guess 90's BMW's are a bit like 90's Honda's... much better finished than the later bikes.

[Mr. Dazzle]

90s are a high point in quality...a combination of modern technologies with old fashioned toxicity

[Taipan]

The tank pad on my F8R did exactly the same!

Whilst its a shame to see is been so neglected, at least what you're doing is worthwhile and you're turning it around. Its very enjoyable sorting ratty old bikes out. I should know as I've bought some howlers!

[KungFooBob]

I was going to change the gearbox oil today.

Turns out the drain plug needs a 14mm Hex/Allen key. Which I don't have.

So I removed the alphadot sticker from the yoke. There was also some black tape which I was expecting to be hiding some horror.

It was just covering up the sticky remains of a previous sticker.

10mins with the Autosol and it's like new

Didn't take a photo.

[cheb]

You might find a 14mm headed bolt on an older Japanese bike, most likely on an M10 thread. That, a couple of suitable bolts, and a drop of studlock gets you a cheap allen key.

[KungFooBob]

I did try with a 13mm bolt, but it was just to sloppy, especially with the required torque to crack it open, it just wasn't worth the risk of damaging it, it's recessed and an utter bastard to get to if I bugger up the head.

[cheb]

13mm and small screwdriver?

[cheb]

I'm an impatient tightwad BTW.

[KungFooBob]

I'm in no real rush.

It's not getting insured until the 19th of December (when the policies on the Guzzi and Enfield are up) and then it's a waste taxing it until the next month.

I'll just buy a proper 14mm hex socket.