Adventure riding short rides and BS thread

[wheel_muse]

Tackling it head on! Funny what you'll find when you pop the top. KLR konsciousness being raised right here on these pages

 

[SFMCjohn]

I find I hate getting started but then don't mind the process and get to enjoy a moment of "I did that" when it's all complete. That said, I dread starting work on the DRZ a lot less than I do the Ducati, less to be mystified by and mistakes are cheaper on an old thumper.

when I start feeling sorry for myself, I’ll just imagine it’s a Ducati I could have to be working on! that’ll make me feel better, quick ...

Enjoying your garage adventure John

looking forward to trying to find you on Elk Ridge Road, soon!

Tackling it head on! Funny what you'll find when you pop the top. KLR konsciousness being raised right here on these pages

moar progress today, slow and unsteady.

will try to pull the old barrel and old piston, tomorrow, and see if I can start putting on some of the fresh parts ...

one step closer to StonyBARF, the Weaverville Hoho Midsummer Magic Rally and the Cedarville End of Pavement Rally ...

 

[Rudeojr]

Cool idea, Zak! Dig the photos of Tassajara!

So in keeping with the theme, I'd like to take this opportunity to tell you all that my bike is the best one because, um...it's red. And it's pretty! And it has a name that's hard to spell...that always add to the mystique, of course

is that a 630 SM?

 

[Rudeojr]

my heart hurts to see the barrel.

 

[SFMCjohn]

my heart hurts to see the barrel.

yes, that barrel has to go ... yet moar progress and quality time with the pup in the garage today:

struggle with pulling the cylinder for over an hour ...

but with some penetrating oil, lots of tapping, rotating the engine to move the piston up and down, and patience, it finally popped free ... arty

old piston, exposed ...

and ... there we go. done taking things apart.

the old parts ... the cylinder I owe to Kalle and will go to him, the old head will go on the shelf with my other spares, and then off to Engine Dynamics at some point someday ...

the old piston will go on the shelf in my little apartment in Lower Haight along with my collection of other old KLR and ‘73 Tiger pistons.

starting to put on the refurbished parts turned out to be too
ambitious today for me and the old dog. ugh.

 

[elemetal]

Great pics John, good to see you can now change the ratchet to the "on" position!

BTW your little pooch is so darn cute it's hard to believe. How does it look so chill yet ready to tackle any adventure (if given the right carrier). Love me some little dogs...

 

[SFMCjohn]

yes, he's been a cool pup ... was absolutely horrified when my wife said she was adopting a dog from Muttville, imagining something that would yap the rest of my life. turns out Schnitty basically does not bark. He'll break my heart someday ...

here to post this about the best ADV bike, evar:

[YOUTUBE]eIj_tEPzycs[/YOUTUBE]

get myself motivated to get back into the garage this weekend ... vague plans to try to get to DV in March. need a running bike for that plan.

 

[N4teTheGreat]

Mmmmm Death Valley in the spring. Having been only once now, the hook took a set and I'm excited to get back for more time in the desert, get that bike running and have fun!

 

[SFMCjohn]

Mmmmm Death Valley in the spring. Having been only once now, the hook took a set and I'm excited to get back for more time in the desert, get that bike running and have fun!

DV is awesome, always trying to get back there, myself!

meanwhile, the struggle continues:

the Schnitz Racing piston kit circlips are famously super-stout, and almost won the battle, but with some patience (and blood) they finally submitted to their duty, and we got the new piston properly hung on the connecting rod.

and, the piston installed in the refurbished cylinder, finally, after another test of patience. hopefully I didn’t overlap the ends of the oil ring spacer ...

plan for tomorrow is to try to get the head on and the engine all buttoned up.

we’re supposed to head to DV this next Saturday. plan B—riding down on my ‘88 K75s along with Cary’s ‘15 FJ-09—begins to look ascendant.

 

[Eric B]

Good progress John.

 

[elemetal]

Almost there, looks good. Try to get some ride hours on before going on the "big" one, just to make sure you got it all right and don't get left stranded in the Dez....

 

[1962siia]

Good work John! I think adding a little blood helps the piston rings seal up nicely and ensures long life.

 

[SFMCjohn]

Good progress John.

Almost there, looks good. Try to get some ride hours on before going on the "big" one, just to make sure you got it all right and don't get left stranded in the Dez....

Good work John! I think adding a little blood helps the piston rings seal up nicely and ensures long life.

thanks for posting guys, I need the moral support.

agree about blood and engine life, and about getting some hours on the engine before heading off on a big trip, assuming I ever finish it.

progress made today:

1mm-over valves ... stock is 38/33 and these are 39/34. Schnitz Racing says the valve relief cut outs in the top of their 685cc piston are for good for 40/36. pic is right out of the packaging, the gasket surface cleaned up nicely after the pic.

Kalle happened by the garage at exactly the right moment to help make getting the refurbished head set back in place a five minute process, instead of the struggle it is to do when I have to do it by myself.

anyway—as we can see—stopped for the day before getting the engine buttoned up.

decided getting the cams properly reinstalled, or, more to the point, not messing up the cam timing, was a job better tackled by me when fresh.

 

[SFMCjohn]

in other news:

Coco is moving, interested if any ADvrider is heading down to report on the new place or helped out.

Coco says he is moving 6 kms. north.
His place is currently 7 kms. south from the highway from Km. 179.

https://www.facebook.com/844634512/videos/pcb.10158931584434...

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=95684&page=2#pid1207370

the new Coco's Corner access road is supposed to be about 1 mile south of the Las Arrastras bridge (the one you can see the Las Arrastras mill ruins from, Km. 180).

 

[elemetal]

Schnitz Racing says the valve relief cut outs in the top of their 685cc piston are for good for 40/3

I knew there was a reason that little dog looked so chill. He knows the rebuild drill....and it a machinist! Too cool. : )

 

[WoodsChick]

in other news:

What?? Coco's Corner is no longer going to be Coco's? Man, that's too bad. I hope his new place suits him better. Been a long time since I've been there...2009, I think...

This is George Erl with Coco. George is a Husky legend, runs Uptite Racing. We were down there on a Husky ride. Coco used to babysit George's kids decades ago...

 

[SFMCjohn]

What?? Coco's Corner is no longer going to be Coco's? Man, that's too bad. I hope his new place suits him better. Been a long time since I've been there...2009, I think...

wonderful pic, think my friend Scott (NorCalslowpoke) from Sacramento was on that Husky ride ...

Coco is moving just a few miles, to be nearer the new highway for better beverage sales, maybe ... they’ve paved all the way from Puertocitos to Hwy 1 at Lake Chalapa since ‘09, I guess.

back to the struggle in the garage (I know you guys worry about me ):

today’s issue was having neglected to install the studs in the head that reach down through the cylinder for acorn nuts.

rule of thumb for me is everything takes 2/3 longer than it should. tried to find two nuts to try to install the studs in the head with it in place on the cylinder, but that was fruitless, so finally just took the head back off and did it right.

after a couple hours of that nonsense was back where I started. time to torque the head bolts.

two passes 20 ft/lbs (pic) and 48 ft/lbs.

set the cams in place and called it a day ...

I knew there was a reason that little dog looked so chill. He knows the rebuild drill....and it a machinist! Too cool. : )

he’ll be in charge in the garage, tomorrow. Schnitzel and Cary were a huge help today (getting the head off the cylinder is 100% easier—for me—with two sets of hands). the wife is off on a street bike ride, tomorrow, so I’ll be on pup-dog duty. arty

 

[1962siia]

Probably a good move for Coco. Hope it helps keep him going.

Nice to see more progress John! You're almost there!

I got a nice 70 mile loop in today on the Moto Guzzi. Rode out through Sebastopol, Forestville, Guerneville, Monte Rio to the coast and then south and back in on Roblar Rd. The bike cruises great, seemed to make great power and is fun to ride. Got over 40mpg today too. I may play with the jetting some more but its getting there and I'm enjoying it!

 

[SFMCjohn]

I’ll bet if you lean it out a bit you’ll see closer to 50 mpg. my big OHV pushrod engine gets that ...

sounds like the Eldorado might be a good bike for Sierra County in September ...

 

[SFMCjohn]

more progress:

cam timing set, camshaft caps torqued, cam chain tensioner installed ...
engine spins freely.

engine cover installed. yay.

see if I can try to start it next weekend and plan is to ride it to work every day until 4/14 and maybe head off a day early to StonyBARF.

also start digging out the bolt dropped down the timing tunnel in the other KLR and try to have a back up KLR. always good to have a plan B bike when one’s approach to wrenching on one’s adventure bike is slap-it-together-and-hope-for-the-best ...