Talking of Hygroscopic...
A year-old, a slight leak, and the fluid's getting darker. The big Katoom's front master cylinder reservoir has been leaking for ages. Shame on you Brembo for that design, and the KTM dealer for not fixing it at first service. Maybe it's how they sell more of their KTM-branded sweat bands.
Saturday afternoon watching Free Practice.
It's Moto GP from Barcelona, and the commentator mentions Rossi first winning a 125 race here in 1997. Eighteen years later and he's still running at the front! Not just making up numbers, actually able to run with the best in the world; that's a certain kind of special. World champions have come through the ranks since, long after him, and retired while he's still enjoying and lapping up every minute. Still able to win - no lack of motivation.
It's an example to anyone, no matter what they do, whatever walk of life, and it got me thinking (oh-oh!).
Where does it come from?
The dictionary definition for motivation: enthusiasm for doing something.
Two-wheeled, self-propelled frames seem to have the uncanny knack of sucking people in and changing their lives, maybe their souls, for good. From the highest level of sport, to the youngster pulling back the throttle for the first time, there's something in there, something great, that doesn't seem to let go.
For me, it happened in December '87. Dad bought a 1961 Triumph Thunderbird to restore - relive his youth maybe - and that was it for me, I was lost. A few months later and I had my first bike, a 1980 CR80R. I wasn't fast, still ain't, was never gonna race, but it didn't matter; I couldn't, and can't, get away from bikes. Love them, old or new, riding or repairing, on or off-road. I have my opinions, who doesn't, but I'll never be without bikes (while I have a say).
Different levels.
So, a racer that's been out there years, and still gives it his all at the highest level is one thing, but what about the person that toddles off out to the shed on a cold, dreary day to carry on with their restoration? Not just fixing something up because it's their only transport, but getting pleasure from being with the bike. That's enthusiasm. Of course, novelty plays its part at the beginning, ripping the bike to pieces to see what needs doing is a lot of fun. But it's the ability to find that something inside when other things get in the way.
What about the times when you just can't be arsed to go for a ride? Bike's ready to go, just needs you to kit up and get on, but it all seems too hard when the sofa's so comfy. Then you push on and get out anyway, and it all comes good, wondering why you ever thought about it in the first place. The feel-good factor of riding motivates. Being at one with a machine, immersed in nature and the elements, the speed, the balance, the excitement, the adrenaline, that fine line we think we reach between life and death. Hmm, we've probably all been there.
Great comebacks.
No, not comedy genius putdowns, but coming back from a bad place, a time where everything looked a little bleak. Rossi's doing it now after two years of riding a Ducati, he's found something that's made him stronger and, by the look of it, faster than he was in the last year of riding a Yamaha. At his age it's nothing short of incredible, and the motivation to win is obviously still strong.
But probably the greatest comeback of all must go to Mike Hailwood. After an eleven year gap from bike racing, he gets bored with his retirement, returns to the Isle of Man TT in '78, and bloody wins it! This will never be achieved again, ever.
Winning a TT is ridiculously hard; it needs guts, ability and motivation in spades. To do that, after being out of the sport for eleven years, is beyond my comprehension. It shouldn't be possible, and must have been pretty humbling for the other racers. They were bound to be questioning what it was they were actually doing out there.
Where does yours come from?
Sometimes we all need a kick up the motivational ass to keep on doing what we love to keep doing when life isn't getting in the way of everything. Yeah, things get in the way, and we can't always be arsed to work on them, or ride them but, as long as they're still in your life, it'll always be back. That's bikes for ya.
Time to go down in the garage I guess...
On the proviso... you didn't gouge a hole right through your precious engine covers, you may just be in luck.
After the Gixer took the fall, I was surprised to see the alternator cover was still oil tight. Yes, it was in a bit of a mess, worn down and scratched to buggery but, to be fair, it was already in need of a repaint before the accident as it was stone chipped and a bit dull. Definitely on the list of things to be done in no great urgency. Now it was a little more urgent.
Champions Ride Days, Queensland Raceway - 31/05/2014.
With the bikes loaded up on the Friday afternoon, we were set to leave at 6.00am on the Saturday. Leathers, helmets, boots, food and a few tools for good measure, and straight up to the Coomera BP garage for a brew and meet the others. By 7.30am we were rolling into the massive complex that is QR to find a load of cars racing round the track, and a dose of bikes already unloaded.
Over to the control tower to get registered and we were soon ready for scrutineering and the rider's brief. The weather was perfect, not too hot and just slight cloud in the sky.
Good blast on the Gixer this morning and the fork seals are, happily, working as intended. Starting at Nerang we headed to Mudgeeraba to do Springbrook, dropping down the Pine Creek road, hanging a left and then over the border to NSW and, finally, Tyalgum.
Why?
To try out a variety of different roads, and go back in time to get a brew at Dave's newfound cafe - Flutterbies. 'Cause if there's one thing guaranteed with our rides, we'll end up getting a coffee somewhere.
The route involves a good mix up of riding, from tight twisties and wooden-topped bridges (read slippy), to open roads and long sweepers. It keeps you on your toes, and kneedown is easy enough if you want it. It was the first good test of the forks to check if they were going to bottom out, leak or just chuck me off the bike. The only thing they did was get close to bottoming so another click on compression and we'll see how it goes. Sorted.
This is beginning to take the piss!
I've never had so much grief with a fork seal before. Having changed plenty of USD and conventional fork seals over the years, all with no issues, the Gixer's forks are doing my head in. Plenty of you suffer with leaking fork seals on GSXR's so this time I'm determined to work out why. This bike's done a few k's, and had a bit of stick, but you can seal up the forks of an old 'crosser with epoxy in the rust pits and a bit of wet & dry so lets see if we can't fix this thing on the cheap.
I've heard bushing is a weak point on the 43mm Kayaba's so I'll double check them to make sure they haven't worn through the Teflon coating. Bushes are actually available through the better suspension specialists, but they're a press fit, requiring some form of puller to remove them. If I can get away with it, I will. I have slight scratches in my stanchions so that doesn't help, and I've also never fitted seals the recommended way - with a seal driver! It could all be my fault (and probably is).
It was long overdue.
One thing you should know from the start - I can't abide anyone else working on my stuff. I will always try to do it myself. Working in car dealerships for over twenty years does that to you - you see a fair variation in workmanship. So the letter from Suzuki had been festering in my rucksack for six months but, then again, any corrosion present in my master cylinder could've been present for eight years now anyway (it is a K6).
Any signs? Sponginess?
Nothing. On original hoses, the lever still felt as good as ever. Fluid is changed regularly, or at least while I've owned it. It's not a solid lever, but the brakes are still adequate for hauling the old girl up - and light years ahead of my sixty year old Beesa:) What more could you ask for?
