Hauled a guitar back on a Superbike. Epiphone PR5E/B on a Hayabusa to be precise
Well, that just happened. I don’t think many have ever tried this trick.
Bought a 26 year old Korean built original series Epiphone PR5E/B guitar.
It’s gorgeous, featuring a “florentine” cutaway body with “snowflake” fretboard inlays and all black body and neck with double white binding. It’s pretty stunning, and has a great looking headstock with abalone logo on it. I really like it.
I borrowed two bungee cords from work, and a foam block they were recycling. I removed the back seat cowl or really ‘hump’ and stuffed it in my tank bag and then strapped it all down. Seller had a small bungee cord and we cut an electrical cord up to give it four attachment points.
On the way home at one point I was up to 60 mph and it was stable. No disasters and got it home in one piece!On the way home at one point I was up to 60 mph and it was stable. No disasters and got it home in one piece!
see other blog posted here:
rjfilms GUITARS BLOG
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged acoustic, Epiphone, guitar, Hayabusa, Superbike by green
OhMyGosh!! I just took 8 steps without a cane or a crutch at all!!!!!! Woot!!
This is meaningless to anyone who has not broken a lower limb… but for me it is 100% thrilling and astonishing!
I was so far behind all weekend on the Cape for where I need to be by tomorrow for a 9 day grueling job.
I’ve gambled everything on this – all cascading decisions rest on me being able to walk – a lot – at least with a single crutch or cane. But really the very best is with nothing at all except the boot.
Yesterday was huge – at end of PT session I was somehow able walk on a single cane. I couldn’t believe it. I had worked so hard Saturday and Sunday over at First Encounter beach.
I was cursing and so angry I couldn’t walk on a single device at all. I tried so hard. I wanted to slam my crutch into the earth and destroy it.
I worked my leg so hard my upper calf went into a spasm, and on Monday the PT girl said my leg was completely knotted up and worked it so hard to try to break up the huge muscle knot and tear. It killed – smashing her thumb into it was the most pain of this whole experience since a few days after surgery by far.
My calf is still a very weak shadow of itself, and after walking the driveway a few times with single cane and taking those 8 steps free (with my boot of course – that’s on for the next 2+ weeks), my calf started the cramping up process again. Not super painful or anything, but I know that’s it’s knotting up in protest from abuse.
Posted in Uncategorized by green
Green Magic down. Damage. Green Magic Man damaged.
Sadly, this should explain the title:
Posted in Uncategorized by green
Morgan Territories run to Jaguar E Type!!
Rode the long way to work via the Morgan Territories loop. Which is always gorgeous.
Got some fuel and then stopped in Clayton’s cute downtown and got a cup of coffee to start the day. It was a beautiful day out and nice to sip the coffee seated outside. Needed a coffee after several margaritas late last night.
And then I got to drive my favorite car again – a 1964 Jaguar E Type convertible (XK-E). Wow is that car sweet!
Amazing. Gorgeous. Sexy, brutally fast. (60s metric)
Posted in Uncategorized by green
Just re-wired the charging system. 2nd Regulator / rectifier unit replacement
I’ve had charging issues with Green Magic. Recall that was the first major problem of this bike, it would eat batteries.
I’ve cut out crispy wires and trimmed back charred wires that hook into the regulator / rectifier unit now twice. Both times I got some good life out of the charging unit – the first time I swapped in a low mileage ZR7S R/R unit.
The second repair job last year I cut back the wires again, but I knew it was only a matter of time…
The final day I was out west again, the bike was not charging riding and about to die soon I could easily tell. I throttled the bike at high rpms back home. And parked it and drove the van that day and flew east the next day.
6 weeks later I got back to the bike and took of the rear left panel, expecting to see fried wires at the R/R again. Which I did find. BUT, this time I also found a melted stator to regulator wires connector. That’s new and bad.
So I rounded up some new wire connectors and cut up some brand new THHN stranded 10 gauge wire and ran them from the stator connection all the way to the R/R and put new connectors into the plastic 6 pin clip there as well.
I cut back the 3 yellow stator wires a little bit and put on new connectors there and connected to the new 10 gauge wires.
I also installed a low miles ZR7S R/R unit, the same Shindegen Shunt unit from a different Kawasaki. I found it on fleabay for $13 shipped and couldn’t say no to that!
Result? Green Magic fired up (Although grumpily after sitting for 6 weeks with a weak battery. I had to push it up the hill to the crest and then bump start it down the hill after 3 sessions of trying to battery start.)
It ran rough for several minutes, but when it warmed up it ran strong and great!
A few days later I took it on a 80 mile run and it was great. I hope this solves the charging issues for a long time!
Posted in repair, Uncategorized and tagged Kawasaki, Ninja, regulator, ZX-6, Zx6e, zzr, zzr600 by green
Half Moon Bay Pescadero mini tour
Had a short day at work and got to blaze out the door with Green Magic!
It was a beautiful day.
Creepy abandoned or semi abandoned cabins found on creepy old dirt road.
Posted in repair, Uncategorized by green
Just bought CBR Nissin front brake setup! $20!!
After work today rode north to the city and the sunset district. I rode up and down the great highway at ocean beach a few times, bought the parts and stashed them in my tank bag, and then rode up to the cliff house and the park overlook, and then back down to the small beach south of Noriega and rode through the fine sand all over the road there to get to beach parking with my completely shot tires. That was interesting. It was really nice to cruise around the beach and oceanside after work.
Found a really superb deal on a 2004 CBR F4i Nissin complete front brake setup.
I got the master cylinder, lines, calipers with pads with lots of life left, and the brake lever too! Guy wanted $30 for the set and then charged me $20 when I got there as I just had twenties on me, and he said he had been trying to get rid of them for a long time. (He bought that off another guy just for the steel lines and he threw all this in the deal).
Stoked! I keep reading especially on zzr-international.co.uk site and a little on the zx6e.net site about how amazing of an upgrade this is to the stock Kwawk.
I have to adapt from the Nissan’s 8mm mount holes to the Kwawk’s 10mm bolts. I’m planning to tap out the calipers to an M10 pitch 1.25 using a 11/32 drill bit first and the M10 tap after. I think this is the better solution.
My best friend is flying in from the east monday and bringing with him his M10 tap. I will probably borrow a drill press locally from the local tool lending library here.
Have a busy number of days ahead with Green Magic:
– New Tires priority #1!
– New brakes while wheels off and front brakes unbolted for tire swap.
– Going to remove stock rear shock and finally at least size up the Fox Twin Clicker. I need to machine a number of parts, but this will help me gauge what I need compared to the stock dimensions on the upper bushings etc…
– Water Pump looks like it’s failing or failed. This past week I noticed spewing coolant under the pump on Tuesday, and Wednesday, and Thursday i noticed oil coming out the weep hole I think on the pump.
– some fairing white sticker work to cover previous owner low side damage.
– re-painting green the bar ends after sanding off the new surface rust
these jobs will also be my first brake fluid change on the front end since buying the bike, and also be my second coolant replacement, and that’s due anyway.
Posted in DIY, Uncategorized by green
Little trip to Pescadero after working
Friday, I get to zip out the door at 2:20pm. So off to the coast I go.
I had a blast on Hwy 84. Oddly, my favorite part was a little down from Alice’s / 4 corners towards the bay / San Mateo side believe it or not. Downhill or uphill I was just RAILING some of those turns. I probably got pretty close to grinding my knee on some of the extreme left handers downhill there.
I rode the typical 92 to Half Moon Bay, I would love to live life there.
I cruised out towards Mavericks break ‘cuz I almost thought I could see some breakers coming up Rt 1 and saw this locked up in a industrial area which I thought was quite cool (I am a surfer). Gotta be Jeff Clark’s old rig and old advertising vehicle for his Mavericks Surf Shop.
The coast was very peaceful to my soul as it always is. It was quite windy today, especially when I looped back north from Pescadero back to 84. I would not want to ride without ear plugs it was so extreme today.
This was a gorgeous view off Rt 1 on “Stage Road” short cutoff to the San Gregorio general store on 84.
I love this tall wall of greenery on the right, felt like I was back in Ireland!
As I was heading up 84 back towards home base, it started to rain a little bit. I was kind of pissed b/c wunderground rated it as a 0% chance of rain until late late night. Grr… but i rode fast and rode ahead of the rain. Phew. It did slow me a bit in some of the corners heading up to Skyline and 4 corners, but that road is such a joy. And after a hard 4 day week it was definitely the right call to get out to the coast and feel the surrounding ocean wash over my being. Very balancing for me, I’m a water sign Scorpio in need!
The very pretty lookout at Pescadero. Farthest point I rode south today, my usual stop.
San Gregario beach just next to the 84 and Route 1 intersection looking back at Rt 1.
Riding back up 84 towards Alice’s, there’s very cute little ranches here. It makes me dream…
Posted in Uncategorized by green
Labor Day Marin trip 136 miles beautiful
road
Late start, buddies to blame, and also when I got to their house I checked my chain and then the chain on the ’78 Honda CB400A and I couldn’t believe it! It was so ridiculously and dangerously loose, it was slapping up and down with 2-3″ of slack!!! My buddy had been complaining about noise and here we find it! I showed her how to adjust the chain tension and we did that and made short work of it. Lubed up our chains, adjusted tire pressure on my ZX6E, and the CB and buddy’s ‘Busa and finally off we go at noon.
Drove over Bay Bridge and through Presidio a little and over Golden Gate Bridge. Spectacular albeit too hot weather. 80 degrees and full sun.
Fueled up in Mill Valley and loaded and started all our cameras. Route 1 to Stinson is heavenly, although today too many tourists and cars. Damn!
Also Stinson Beach was so backed up on the pass we had to turn around.
Decided on new route back and left turn to Mt. Tamalpais.
We rode past a beautiful eat spot in the mountains with an incredible view. We had to stop there, and we were starving anyway it was 3pm!
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- Fuel stop Mill Valley & start cams
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- Lunch stop in the mtns.
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- Lunch spot!
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- from Mt Tam
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- on the road
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- road
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- Alpine Lake dam
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- Alpine Lake
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- Lucas Valley Road mini summit
After lunch over Mt Tam summit roads and down to pretty Alpine Lake and rode over the dam. Into Fairfax and then reversed direction out of town to Sir Francis Drake westbound to Nicasio Valley Road and then right turn to Lucas Valley Road back to 101.
It was a great trip!
Posted in Touring, Uncategorized by green
Planning a sneaky rear shock upgrade…
Locating parts, and researching a shock upgrade. If I can get the part(s) and make it work, I’ll have to do some light fabrication to make it fit.
I’m looking at a needed 12mm bolt in eyelet on the shock to match stock size, but this one may have an eyelet that’s only 10mm, or it may have a ball joint! I am trying to get clarification.
Kinda biting my nails over here waiting for word back from a remote seller. I really hope I can get my greedy little hands on this part! They are uber rare.
The clevis side of the shock is wider than stock, but that shouldn’t be a significant problem as I am assuming I can install spacers to even it out. A lot better than being too narrow. I am planning that I’ll likely need to do a full rebuild as well, with new O rings, new oil, and new nitrogen charge.
The killer thing is this shock is actually the correct length which if you know these motorcycles is extremely rare! I’m going back in time on this one…
Will share my secret weapon if I can get my hands on it. Stay tuned…
Posted in Uncategorized by green