nicksta43

1 minute ago, betoney said:

@phpaul  Look at Pure-gas.org  it breaks it down by state. There are hundreds of locations that offer non-ethanol fuel. 

And absolutely none near me. 

My bike vary really sits for more then two days at a time anyway. Well except for when it's broken. But the seven months it recently sat didn't effect it.

8 hours ago, keithu said:

How did you apply the oil? I brush it on the inside surface of the chain, right where your rust appears. 

I used an old school thumb pump style oil can. I applied oil liberally to the end plates and each side of every roller. I turned the wheel by hand several times while using my finger to roll the rollers as they went by hoping to wick the oil inside, then used a brush to spread it around while rotating the chain. It then sat for about 18 hours prior to riding it. 

Just did not perform the way I had hoped. 

However, so far the liquid wrench chain and cable lube is performing better than I had expected. 

Tests are ongoing.

This is what my chain looked like after 128 miles and one heavy rain with the gear lube. There were several spots like that.

I don't think that's going to work for me. 

I have a couple cans of liquid wrench chain and cable lube that I use for my bicycles and cables. Supposed to have ceramic and PTFE in it. Gonna give that a try. Goes on water thin though.  I'll probably end up going back to the Motorex until the can is gone then reevaluate. 

Yesterday's ride into work was the heaviest rain I've ever ridden in. Absolutely torrential rain. We had another system roll through at quitting time and my wife decided I wasn't riding home (one of her co workers was killed yesterday morning, hydroplaned into the path of an oncoming semi). 

So looking the chain over today the oil appears to be completely washed off and worryingly there appears to be rust colored stains along the sides of some of the rollers. 

I arrived to work the wettest a human being has ever been without actually being under water. The bike didn't care.

@sirepair So was the 3M material you used specifically for "low surface energy" use?

Have you had any issues with it in use?

@wordsmith

I've been watching videos on YouTube and with proper automotive grade vinyl wrap that doesn't appear to be an issue. 

Vvivid+ vinyl is available over here for not very much money. A 2'x5' sheet is around $12-$26 depending on color. Not accounting for screw ups that would be enough to do it. Not sure what the price is over/under there. 

I'll probably order some in the next couple weeks if you want to wait and let me be the guinea pig. I'll probably order enough to do the lids and the side panels as I want them to match. Not sure what color but they make a matte black metallic that looks close on color to the factory side panel color. Or they make all kinds of different colors in carbon fiber. 

@bugie

I'm well aware of Plasti-dip. 

I painted this car with it about six years ago.

I also use it on my homemade shorty windscreens. 

Not really what I'm looking to do this time. 

I think I'd like to match the grey that's on the side panels. Which likely means paint if I want it really close. But maybe there is a vinyl that kinda sorta is close enough. I haven't looked around much yet but it's been floating around in the back of my head for a while now.

Made the switch on Saturday. Sunday I took it for a ride. 

As expected it had slightly more sling than the wax based motorex lube I had been using. But it was world's easier to clean up. Still had an oily film on it today, but they are calling for rain so we'll see what it's like when I get home. 

I prefer applying it with a little oil can over spraying the other lube on. Easier to control where it goes and much less cleanup to do after. 

Lately I've been thinking about doing the same. After two years of daily use they are starting to not present well. Even though it's kept indoors at home and work. They've accumulated some scrapes and fading. 

I've been trying to decide between vinyl wrap and paint. 

Interested in hearing from people who have used wrap or painted their lids.

I've got Oxford heated grips. I'm not sure how they are wired or controlled but they do work very well. I'd love to be able to control them from the bike.

I think it's worth it to do some investigating...

27 minutes ago, texscottyd said:

It’s never too late for wildflowers, @nicksta43!  Wasn’t today absolutely spectacular Texas spring weather? 

I don't think it could get much better! 

Took a little three hour ride but believe me I really didn't want to turn around and head home.

Damned responsibilities!

Spring time in central Texas means lazy longhorns and Fields full of wildflowers. 

What a great time to be out on a bike!

Hope it's not too late for wildflowers.

I'm not much of a hooligan but I had to try it in A with the TCS off once. It does come up very quickly. 

I like that it'll come up a little with the TCS on. That's enough for me.  There is a bump in the road in the way to work just after a second gear corner that happens to be in the perfect place for the front end to come up just after the shift into third. That one will carry the front wheel for a long time even with the TCS on. That's fun.

@Duke

Which elements did you use? 

Maybe check out what @superfist did. 

Looks to be about as close as I'd want to go with the bars.

https://www.tracer900.net/topic/200-what-did-you-do-to-your-fj-tracer-gt-today/?do=findComment&comment=85487

Count me in for a how to post as well.

Interesting.

I've been looking for a new chain lube as I haven't been too happy with the motorex lube I've been using. Think I'll try gear lube for a while.

On 6/24/2018 at 12:51 PM, betoney said:

 
Wind noise and buffeting is subjective, some riders want "total coverage"  - to be able to hear their engine and ride with the visor open behind a screen, - I dont.  I like feeling the air in my face, clean air.
 
 
I am the same height as you and do not get buffeting or turbulence from this screen, but I do hear the wind noise, though I also always wear ear protection.
 
 
 
Here are a few different shots
 
 
 
 

I've came back and looked at these pictures countless times since you posted this. I think I've decided to pull the trigger and pick one up. I think it's likely the best looking setup I've seen. 

So my question is how much of the clean air do you contribute to that little variable screen you have on top? 

@texscottyd Absolutely, as much as I enjoy commuting I feel the need to get out and stretch it's legs coming on strong 😎

It was such a great feeling after a long days work to walk around the corner and see this waiting to carry me home instead of waiting out by the road for my wife!

Shoei RF 1200 Valkyrie graphic.

This is the first helmet I've had that actually fits me. Overall I really like this helmet. But there are a few niggles that I have with it.  

While it is quiter than my previous helmets without ear plugs, with them in it's louder. I've determined that it's bone conduction, very low frequency drumming. I've tried every ear plug I can and they all have the same result, extremely loud low frequency drumming that wasn't there with my previous helmets. I think it has to do with how the helmet fits tight on my head and the dirty air from the front of the bike transferring the vibrations straight to the bone behind my ears. Even behind the big Givi touring screen, without ear plugs it's basically silent, with ear plugs it's like my head is in a bass drum.

This is my first pinlock visor. I love the function, I hate looking through it. 

Other than that it's a great helmet. Vents well. Hard to fog up even without the pinlock in. And comfortable.

Alpinestars air plus V2 XCR Gore-Tex 

I'm a year round, all weather commuter.  My feet absolutely have to breath. These breath plenty enough for Central Texas Summers and are warm enough for the winter. I have not had any issues with them leaking at all. Extremely happy with them. Highly recommended if you're like me and have to have something breathable.

Happened to me for the first time that I'm aware of this morning. It was about 52° and came on as I was off the throttle coming up to a red light about five minutes into my commute. Stayed on until I gave it a little gas so I could get over to the side of the road. Turned the bike off, checked the oil level, restarted and listened for bad sounds. Light went out and sounded normal. Didn't come back on during the rest of the ride. But did make me ultra paranoid. 

I did use a lot of moly assembly lube when I put the cams back in. Maybe I should do an oil change.