Grabbed the front fender off the back workbench and gave it a quick sanding with 320 wet as it's nowhere near as beat up as the rear was. I checked the rear fender and it's pretty smooth. I got one more fastener off that I was pretty sure would come loose and spot sanded that area.
I then grabbed the blue masking tape and covered the wiring harness I couldn't get off and masked the flap on the bottom of the Sportster rear fender. While I could just let some overspray get on it, that would look bad and I'm not sure the paint will adhere to plastic that old and road grimed.
Tomorrow I rig my "redneck paint booth" and start painting. Depending on how early I get started and if I stop to re-sand much I may get it painted tomorrow. If not I'll probably finish up Sunday. I'll shoot some pictures and try to make a video too.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Thursday, August 29, 2013
SOLD-A Ducati 1098 for sale at MMBN 08/29/13
Tonight was another installment of the weekly Mira Mesa Bike Night (aka MMBN) and the first one I could make in a long time. I got there about 6:30 and there weren't very many bikes yet. It's been really hot and muggy in San Diego lately so that might have kept things slow as well as a hot rod show also in Mira Mesa attracting some attention.
Despite the heat I had to get my Starbucks!
And yes, I balanced the cup on the tank of Miss Swail, my 1986 Kawasaki Concours. Concours are also called "Connies" so you might figure out the nickname....
So I started walking around and talking to riders as they rode in, since I was like the 5th or 6th bike there. A few spaces down was a clean Ducati, so I walk over. Lo and behold, there is a for sale sign on it and Chris, the owner, standing nearby. We start talking and he fills me in on the details. It's a 2007 1098 with upgrades including a full Termignani exhaust. The bike only has 11,000 miles on it since he has a number of bikes. It is the Ducati red and looks practically brand new. He is asking $9,500 and ok'd me posting a bike, so here it is.
I've got his digits, so if you are interested, leave a comment and I'll help you get linked up with him.
Later in the night more folks showed up-old friends and new. Probably counting all the bikes that came and went (some rides left at 8, some later) there were likely 75 or so bikes there. Pretty chill event-patches, independents, all makes including a classic BMW and Harleys. Hope to see more folks out there in coming weeks.
Despite the heat I had to get my Starbucks!
So I started walking around and talking to riders as they rode in, since I was like the 5th or 6th bike there. A few spaces down was a clean Ducati, so I walk over. Lo and behold, there is a for sale sign on it and Chris, the owner, standing nearby. We start talking and he fills me in on the details. It's a 2007 1098 with upgrades including a full Termignani exhaust. The bike only has 11,000 miles on it since he has a number of bikes. It is the Ducati red and looks practically brand new. He is asking $9,500 and ok'd me posting a bike, so here it is.
Later in the night more folks showed up-old friends and new. Probably counting all the bikes that came and went (some rides left at 8, some later) there were likely 75 or so bikes there. Pretty chill event-patches, independents, all makes including a classic BMW and Harleys. Hope to see more folks out there in coming weeks.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
We interrupt that project to complete this project
One of the "joys" of owning classic/vintage/old motorcycles and customizing them as well is that it seems the projects are never done.
Right in the midst of the rattle can painting project I was able to pick up a 12 volt outlet at Cycle Gear at half-price during a bike night. Well, the new-to-me left inner fairing for the Connie started singing a syren song, and the old cracked one looked like it was about to give up the ghost. A few hours of dremel tool shaping to get the larger new 12v plug in, a mounting hole widened, and some wiring routing and the fairing was in the Connie. It also has a RAM ball mount, so now I need to get some accessories for that to mount either my GPS or the iPod.
The 12 volt outlet is pretty straightforward. It's hardwired from the plug to two ring terminals. It comes with a mounting bracket if you choose to mount it on your handlerbars, but I didn't use that. There isn't a fuse along the wire, so if that is a big concern, you would have to add one. I ran the wires directly to the battery. Some folks recommend wiring the outlet to a switched circuit, so if you opt for that you would simply cut the ring terminals off and wire it in that way.
Back to prepping the fender for priming tonight!
Right in the midst of the rattle can painting project I was able to pick up a 12 volt outlet at Cycle Gear at half-price during a bike night. Well, the new-to-me left inner fairing for the Connie started singing a syren song, and the old cracked one looked like it was about to give up the ghost. A few hours of dremel tool shaping to get the larger new 12v plug in, a mounting hole widened, and some wiring routing and the fairing was in the Connie. It also has a RAM ball mount, so now I need to get some accessories for that to mount either my GPS or the iPod.
The 12 volt outlet is pretty straightforward. It's hardwired from the plug to two ring terminals. It comes with a mounting bracket if you choose to mount it on your handlerbars, but I didn't use that. There isn't a fuse along the wire, so if that is a big concern, you would have to add one. I ran the wires directly to the battery. Some folks recommend wiring the outlet to a switched circuit, so if you opt for that you would simply cut the ring terminals off and wire it in that way.
Back to prepping the fender for priming tonight!
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Today only-Dirt Deals at BikeBandit
I've got some motorcycle maintenance updates to post, but wanted to do a quick post regarding the e-mail I just got from BikeBandit. Today they are having a blow-out on dirt gear-up to 47% off, and the usual free shipping on orders over $99!
Just in time for your pre-season purchases.
Please remember I am an affiliate marketer, and if you click through my site I get a small cut of each sale. Some of those funds go to support Run for the Son, a CMA fundraiser that is important to me. So you get a good deal, and we do good together!
Just in time for your pre-season purchases.
Please remember I am an affiliate marketer, and if you click through my site I get a small cut of each sale. Some of those funds go to support Run for the Son, a CMA fundraiser that is important to me. So you get a good deal, and we do good together!
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Motorcycle Maintenance Foibles
Update: Well, Foible #3 isn't true. While sitting in a different chair in my garage/man cave this morning on a conference call I saw where I had stashed the lay-down license plate bracket. Whew. Hopefully tonight I will have some time to mask off the fender and get ready to paint.
Yes, foibles, because the other "f-word" wouldn't do as a post title. But if you are wondering, it's not "follies" (although that would work) and normally ends in "-up".
Felt like listing a few motorcycle maintenace foibles for you, my one or two readers, so I don't start coming across like I've got this all figured out and am some kind of top-knotch mechanic. I'm probably not much better than a low average mechanic-I usually have to read the shop manual twice, google or youtube videos, ask friends and still mess stuff up. Here's three recent examples:
1) As chronicled in this blog post, while working on a friend's bike I was prepared to wrestle loose his brake rotor bolts. So I inserted allen driver, started applying pressure, and immediately stripped the bolt. Quite how it happened we couldn't figure out, but it looked like some road grit was in the bottom of the bolt hole and caused the "key" not to seat fully. Should have checked them all.
2) While trying to remove the radiator cover and oil cooler cover on my Connie to clean them up and re-paint them black, I try all kinds of phillips screw drivers working around the fairing and forks. Instead of finding the right one to both fit the size of the screw head and reach in, I angle a screwdriver that sort of fits the pattern. Yep, another stripped fastener since it's likely been on there since 1986. So an easy maintenace action will now take over an hour when I get to it. On a better note, oil cooler cover came off and is now freshly painted black!
3) As my prep work on the Sportster fenders continues (update 2 here) I added two more parts I have taken off the rear fender to the bag of parts. Looking at the parts I notice the lay-down license plate mount isn't in the main bag. So I look for the bag it is in. I recently repositioned my work bench about 18 inches and didn't completely unload it before moving, but did move some items. Of course, guess which parts may have been lost? Replacement is $29.99 at the Harley dealership, gonna check Bike Bandit but also request some of my Chrome Cash just in case....
Yep, my bikes would be fine except for the nut that works on them in the garage!
Yes, foibles, because the other "f-word" wouldn't do as a post title. But if you are wondering, it's not "follies" (although that would work) and normally ends in "-up".
Felt like listing a few motorcycle maintenace foibles for you, my one or two readers, so I don't start coming across like I've got this all figured out and am some kind of top-knotch mechanic. I'm probably not much better than a low average mechanic-I usually have to read the shop manual twice, google or youtube videos, ask friends and still mess stuff up. Here's three recent examples:
1) As chronicled in this blog post, while working on a friend's bike I was prepared to wrestle loose his brake rotor bolts. So I inserted allen driver, started applying pressure, and immediately stripped the bolt. Quite how it happened we couldn't figure out, but it looked like some road grit was in the bottom of the bolt hole and caused the "key" not to seat fully. Should have checked them all.
2) While trying to remove the radiator cover and oil cooler cover on my Connie to clean them up and re-paint them black, I try all kinds of phillips screw drivers working around the fairing and forks. Instead of finding the right one to both fit the size of the screw head and reach in, I angle a screwdriver that sort of fits the pattern. Yep, another stripped fastener since it's likely been on there since 1986. So an easy maintenace action will now take over an hour when I get to it. On a better note, oil cooler cover came off and is now freshly painted black!
3) As my prep work on the Sportster fenders continues (update 2 here) I added two more parts I have taken off the rear fender to the bag of parts. Looking at the parts I notice the lay-down license plate mount isn't in the main bag. So I look for the bag it is in. I recently repositioned my work bench about 18 inches and didn't completely unload it before moving, but did move some items. Of course, guess which parts may have been lost? Replacement is $29.99 at the Harley dealership, gonna check Bike Bandit but also request some of my Chrome Cash just in case....
Yep, my bikes would be fine except for the nut that works on them in the garage!
Update 2: Sportster rattle can paint job: Prep Day Two
Spent another hour or so last night spot sanding and feathering the rear fender with 325 grit sandpaper and occasionally coarser grit sandpaper to get some specific spots sanded out and then feathered.
I finished up by wet sanding with more 325 grit paper and then checking everything out. I think it's time to mask off the few trim pieces and fasteners I didn't remove and spray a primer check coat. Then lightly sand anything that shows me, and lightly sand the front fender and spray a check coat on it. The front fender is in better shape. While I know that doesn't make sense at first, I've run this bike around without the front fender (more custom motorcycle look) most spring/summers, which out here in San Diego is most the year!
Hope to have the check coat on at least the rear fender by tonight and will update as the custom rattle can paint job progresses.
I finished up by wet sanding with more 325 grit paper and then checking everything out. I think it's time to mask off the few trim pieces and fasteners I didn't remove and spray a primer check coat. Then lightly sand anything that shows me, and lightly sand the front fender and spray a check coat on it. The front fender is in better shape. While I know that doesn't make sense at first, I've run this bike around without the front fender (more custom motorcycle look) most spring/summers, which out here in San Diego is most the year!
Hope to have the check coat on at least the rear fender by tonight and will update as the custom rattle can paint job progresses.
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