Preparing for motorcycle maintenance projects turned into another project

Tonight I began removing parts from the Connie for some overdue motorcycle maintenance.  I need to adjust the steering head bearings, change the radiator fluid and do an oil change.  I'm holding off getting a SPOOFAK, but have everything else I need.

I started removing parts, getting the seat and tank off easily and then starting on the fairing.  First, the service manual I have (Clymer's I think) mixes the steps for the 1986-1993 models and the 1994-2006 models.  I probably didn't need to remove the windscreen for example.  Oh well.  The biggest issue was when I finally got ready to loosen the main fairing bracket mounting bolts only to find the right back bracket is cracked off.  No actual mounting being accomplished by that part!  It has already cracked and was way over welded during a previous repair.  This leaves me very few options.  I may just have to jury-rig something to get the bike back together.

I'll update the blog tomorrow with the status of these maintenance items and maybe even shoot a YouTube video for my channed.

Forgot my own mantra: Start simple when troubleshooting

Two days ago I took the Concours/Connie out for my first ride on it in two weeks.  I had traveled for work all but about 8 hours since Veterans Day, and had ridden the Harley-Davidson Sportster Sunday.  So Monday morning I knew the Connie would be hard to start,  but it was really slow to start and idle.  I had remembered I was running the fuel low for a set of motorcycle maintenance tasks that require pulling the tank, but I didn't realize how low it was.  This condition was augmented by two weeks of evaporation out of said nearly empty tank.

So first the bike doesn't want to start, which I chalk up to an older and cold battery.  Then it starts smoking a bit, which scares me, as the oil leaks have gotten a bit worse lately.  Well, the bike isn't making much power +a bit extra smoke, so now I'm getting paranoid.  This is exactly how the old custom Harley with a Rev-Tech motor went south on me.  When the bike won't get over 3K RPM, I pull into a parking lot with lots of oil on the lower end and the header pipes.  I shut the bike down and put it on the kickstand and make a few phone calls rescheduling some appointments.  At the end of the call, there isn't a huge pool of oil, so I decide to try to fire the bike back up.  It starts and runs pretty well-which should have clued me in.

I make it about 2 miles when it starts cutting out again.  Pre-occupied with what could be going on in the engine I miss what is truly going on, and you are liking thinking.  I push it into a gas station parking lot....and buy 2 gallons of gas.  Runs pretty well and today I filled up with fresh gas.  Yep, bike runs fine-still has the oil leaks, needs some maintenance, but went over 89,500 miles on the odometer with no signs of the engine having true issues.  Yep, needlessly paniced when putting the bike on reserve would have solved the problem.

Live and learn, and never forget your own frailty.

Let's go racing-WERA schedule posted!

WERA has posted their updates schedule and there are big changes to the WERA-WEST "rotation".  Many more races at Auto Club Speedway and while the season kicks off and ends at Las Vegas as it has most recently, there isn't a true winter race at ACS.  The first Fontana round is in April.  There will be trackdays and racer schools associated with most these race weekends I'm pretty sure.

Looks good to race CVMA then go right into WERA-West competition and then back.  CVMA schedule linked in my post on that series' schedule.