221 mile ride along Rt 1. Bodega Bay. Stinson. Bought 1″ bar risers!
Left about 11:30 am (late!). Back by 9:30pm. Long ride.
Ultimate goal was to get to Santa Rosa but via scenic beautiful windy coastal roads. Spotted a set of custom machined 1″ bar risers online and the sellers were riding from Fort Bragg to SR for parts buying ride. So I felt I had to go get these parts!
Rode into SF and over Golden Gate. Was going to stop at overlook on Marin but crammed with tourists so kept going. First stop on beautiful Rt 1 to Stinson Beach on beautiful overlook of ocean on cliffs. Brought a slice of pizza I made night before chicken jalapeño sausage, crimini mushroom, cheddar cheese, red onion and little chipotle special sauce C made. Yum! Had. Nice chat with German bicyclist there.
On to Stinson, sunny pretty overview into Stinson.
Such a beautiful peaceful ride along the salt water lagoon / inlet out of Stinson.
Another quick stop stretch and p stop at Tomales Bay. And onward!
Drove up the whole side of Tomales Bay onto Ford road and took a lot of turns to get to Santa Rosa including a bad bumpy narrow farmer road that was beating the crap out of my back as the bike was bucking all over. In fact, the suspension doesn’t feel the same after that stretch. Worse and bumpier. Sebastopol was a really cute downtown and very old and rustic. Scared away a bunch of turkey vultures on a deer carcass near town. Park outside of cute Sebastopol:
Met LilRedRidingLiz, Liz and her riding partner Tony at cycle shop and swapped some stories and bought the risers! He’s got a crazy modded 89 ZX10 with Ducati tail etc… Very nice people.
Tony and I went to cycle salvage biz to look for parts and I got some wheel weights to balance my rear tire finally!
We then had some grub and I got a coffee at Denny’s Santa Rosa before we all started the long way back to our homes.
I went back hwy 12 straight to Bodega and Bodega Bay. The little town of Bodega was so cute! Historic and very compact and charming. Short stop there. No gas. 
On to Bodega Bay and gassed up finally, was getting close as last fuel was far side of Sebastapol on this leg.
Drove down to the docks and hit some nice corners in town. Very quaint. 
And then surprise gem discovery of Doran Park. What a park!! I can’t wait to go back there and camp for a night. So pretty and peaceful. Drove to very end with a big fishing boat leaving the channel for open ocean.
Starting to get cold and losing light fast. Knew I was in for a tough ride back but I’ve never been here and so pretty!
Weary and freezing cold last several hours along coast.
The ride back route 1 to Nicasio Valley road around the beautiful lake and then around to Lucas Valley Road was bone chilling cold. 
Stupidly I only wore my AlpineStars summer vented leather jacket and T shirt, no long sleeve, no extra layers. Nose running constantly, shivering, eventually so tired and dazed I was was becoming a spaced rider. My brain could not focus anymore. My back had been in pain since that damn farmer road and wrists in a lot of pain as they usually are from that much saddle time.
Anyway, finally and happily made it back and warmed up and got some thai takeout.
A great road trip!
Even the gas station had a view in Bodega Bay!
Posted in Touring by green
ZX10R ’06 rear caliper brake swap!
Mileage: 47,292
Yesterday I just changed out my ’95 stock caliper to a 2006 ZX10R. It’s a direct swap. No mods needed. (Other years of similar era would work too, just check).
Although same lackluster performing caliper they are easier to find, cheap, newer, as quite a few 10 owners upgrade and have them laying around. Had to change pads anyway, and this was almost priced as same price as pads alone.
I bought the entire unit for $40 with about 6K and almost no use (off ex-race champ who never brakes with rear except trail braking). It had been upgraded to steel Galfer line, EBC sintered metallic pads. Came with brake piston cylinder, lines, reservoir, brake lever, clip on, and fluid all still attached with piston freely moving.
Some interesting things happened. Was going to try to swap everything, but found even though the brake cylinder looked identical with same number on front, it has a different part number stamped on the back. And it’s length to the pivot on the foot brake lever is shorter by about 1/2″ or more. I was going to try to use it anyway, figuring it was newer, but I also realized I’d have to mess with the brake light sensor unit and change its length on the collar if I could etc etc…. And at 9pm at night wasnt wanting to make it a longer project. Basically if you just bolted it in as is, the foot brake lever would drop lower, and have less travel to brake, and the brake light would probably be on the whole time unless you adjuster that plastic sensors length (it clearly is adjustable but how far and which direction I did not experiment with after deciding to keep my stock cylinder, upper hose,mand stock upper reservoir.
In fact, the caliper is listed as a different part number but fits no problem. The pads are identical to both ZX6E and ZX10R 2006 era and other years.
The Galfer steel brake line was quite long, and I had to flip over both banjo bolt ends
As they seemed to be angled wrong.
The upper reservoir looked the same, but looking closer the feeder at bottom was in reverse position, and then I noticed it had upper and lower markings on both sides! So although its different Kawi probably had it doing double duty in multiple bikes. The brake hoses are wider gauge on the E stock unit all around compared to the ZX10R.
So in summary, easy caliper and pad swap out, no problem at all. Everything interchanges and mixes and matches perfectly. Brake works great now too! Lots of bite in back now.
Lines and banjo bolts all match and bolt threads etc…
The ZX10 brake cylinder could I feel be used – it has identical bolt in position and pattern to footpeg brackets. But you’d probably have to lengthen the pivot bolt by loosening the nuts and extending the pivot down (I did that in fact but stopped the install due to other reasons.)
The upper reservoir could be used with zx10R hoses to cylinder if all off same bike, but you would probably either have to mount it backwards up top, and have the angle of the outlet at bottom pointing slightly the wrong way or better yet just make a metal extension piece to keep the reservoir facing the way the E wants it, it would be like a 3 or 4 inch piece with a mount spot.
ZX10R complete setup as purchased in pic below.
Original stock unit before replacement. Pads totally shot.
Posted in DIY and tagged caliper, rear brake, upgrade, ZX10R, Zx6e, zzr600 by green
Oil change #2 46,931 miles. Epoxy stator cover.
Oil change today and while there finally trying to stop the one drop of oil a day coming out of stator cover on teenie hole from p.o. lowside. Also for some reason riding w newer thinner boots its spraying a bit on them on the hwy which is making a mess and annoying. Didn’t on older lg work boots.
Planned to use JB weld but couldn’t find it. I found some Loctite quickset Epoxy. Two part plunger style kit. Says waterproof tight bond for metals, wood etc…
Not sure if that can take high temps around motor.
Drained oil and changed filter and will leave empty for a day. Used brake cleaner to clean outer cover and then epoxied hole.
Shot of leak area when I got the bike 2 years ago. You can actually see leak in above pic in the oil pool you can see hairline crack on right side coming out of pool.
For those interested, this pic is area cleaned and the crack as it is two years later and 4K. I don’t think its spread like I’ve read it can. It’s center frame on cover where two edges meet and you can see sun lighting up the tip of crack. Man, tiny but what a mess maker over time and miles. Sheesh. Bike is a dirty birdie all cause of this and you can hardly see it with the naked eye. Only under bike incredibly close staring at it.
Hope it bonds tight. Otherwise JB Weld next and then new cover.
Posted in repair and tagged JB Weld, Stator cover by green
“The Duct Tape Method” DIY change tires motorcycle yourself without tools! How to
I double taped about 2-3 inches or so on about 16″ strips. So lay out long strip and cut a short piece and tape over it so the two sticky parts lay face together stuck together. Why? That’s the part you line up with the tire inner bead part. This way you can pull it out easily and fast after tire put on.
CLICK pic below to see my video here:
I taped the sticky long half under tire pressed two walls together – which is SUPER easy with the Q3. Mine was soft as butter after spending about 6 hours inside a normal temp apt. Did it with a finger and a thumb it’s so compliant.
Space those tape points roughly out the same. Then I used just a little dish soap and water mix around the tire and wheel half where I’d have to push.
I got it about 65% on and it started getting very tight. This is where I said in my head “there is no f-ing way this is gonna happen” But I made sure the already mounted portion was snug squarely in the center of the wheel and therefore its smallest radius. In fact I kind of man handled it pretty good and stuffed it and made sure it was snug in there. That made a big difference – even though it looked the same before, it wasnt. Smoosh that tire up in there inside that middle part of the rim!
Then I pushed on both sides of last 35% of tire and in about 30 seconds it just plop! Slid right over the wheel rim!
I was shocked that worked. Aired up a gas station to about 70 psi and got 95% of bead perfect in. 2nd to last bead I had to bounce a lot and more air to 70 and it POPPED in loud. Didn’t want to go higher air pressure and bounced it a lot, finally tossed in my car trunk with one last part not fully seated – although holding air just fine for now. About 25 minutes later it had seated itself perfectly. Aired down to 40 lbs and voila! New tire!
(The old tire I chopped up a lot before breaking the bead – not good. Not recommended, break bead fully first! Although by slicing through one entire sidewall and having 2 separate parts I was able to dismount the tire with my bare hands and not much force. This is coming from the guy who can hardly center stand this bike so I’m not the most ripped person on earth I’ll tell you that! Think computer user body build). No irons no spoons NO rim damage!
Finally broke both beads on the front tire. Was at it 1-2 hrs. So before I forget, I’ll post tips.
I borrowed two craftsman bar clamps with the squeezy grips. Another C clamp style one was worthless. These two is what I needed. The 8″ wooden angle changing one that Pengaru has in the tire change DIY sticky would be a lot better.
Set both clamps about 4-6″ apart on wheel. I tried and tried and tried. Was about to give up. And I recalled how I chopped through rear tire. 
So I sawed horizontal cut through front tire, and was able to push in tire. And I coated inside it up a lot with water and soap and that’s what finally enabled me to break it free, lubing inside bead and tire area. If you have trouble with clamps do that and it will help a lot.
I didn’t have an easy ability to make the wooden 2×4′ eight foot lever using a car thing, next time I’d prefer to try that or get the wooden clamp. This method was a lot of grief.
(I couldn’t push this one off like the rear, wasn’t even close to going. Tried clamping sidewalls together and that’s closer but not close enough.)
Wow, getting old tire off and new on was easy! Not really harder than rear wheel.
I used DUCT TAPE again to get old tire off and new one on. No extra cutting.
Now just need to air up
Edit: I put the f ing tire on the wrong direction this time. I was so pissed.
I just had to completely redo it BUT it did go smooth once re duct taped it again AND I shot a video of it this time. Should not have forgotten to check direction. But at least its on and right direction.
I’ve just slipped both sides together off the rim with duct tape. A milk crate underneath works great for protection.
(I did remove the right rotor but don’t real need to if you’re careful. Next change I won’t bother).
This is how I duct taped the tire beads together to slide it off the rim (didn’t take a ‘before’ pic).
I did actually use a small zip tie to fish the first piece of duct tape between rim and tire. After first tape piece is in its much easier with more space to work. Notice hacksaw cut for applying inner lubricant for breaking the bead step earlier.
The brand new tire all taped up and ready to try installing. This was my first attempt on a front wheel ever and it went on a lot easier than I thought. I recommend duct tape because its a wider band and will potentially cut less into new tire than a zip tie, not scratch rims like a lever could and most people actually have duct tape on hand!
I made my own little wheel balance station like this below. I leveled (with a level) side to side and front to back two milk crates on a small table and then used the actual axle to mount the wheel and spin the wheel. It’s more like you try to find the heavy spot, and raise it from the bottom up 90 degrees to a 9 or 3 O’clock type position (horizontal heavy part on wheel down), and let it fall. Keep adding weight until is does not spin down at all. I used very strong magnets for this to the rim, adding 1 at a time.
I wound up being 1.3 oz out of balance on the rear wheel, and fine on the front wheel and made no adjustments there. About a month and, um 1200 miles later, finally got peel and stick wheel weights and installed 1.3 oz on rear wheel where I had marked it with tape.
Posted in DIY, repair and tagged change tires, duct tape method, no tools, Zx6e, zzr600 by green
Just changed front and rear tires myself!! 46,439 miles.
I just changed the front and rear tires on stock whees to a Dunlop SportMax Q3. Stock size 160/60/ZR17 and 120/60/ZR17.
Those tires, at least, are very compliant. I can join two beads together with duct tape with a finger and thumb. Another nod to their great “handling”
The bead braking part was the hardest part, used 2 clamps. After that change in and out was easy and fast. Very surprising. This is my first tire change ever.
Details coming. Essentially it’s a modified “zip tie” trick. Only I didn’t have zip ties just duct tape laying around.
Did rear first and for front wheel I’d read it’s harder. It turned out to be about the same.
I was pretty excited about it and stunned it worked so I wanted to share. (This is been on my ‘mechanical’ bucket list for years and years and I always wussed out).
The actual mounting of new tire was easy and only took 2 minutes!
Posted in Uncategorized by green