Reconstructed!

I finished the maintenance on the bike. New clutch and brake fluid, new antifreeze, rerouted the custom wiring for the air horn, driving lights, accessory plug, LED accent lights , etc. I also did a once over on the bike, tightening all connections - this appears to be a common problem as the bikes come out of the factory.

I was amazed at the crap that came out of the brake lines. There was black crude that flushed out of both the front and back rotors. While I have not experienced any problems with the hydrolics, it was a problem in the making.

The clutch fluid is hidden behind the engine cover which was a real pain to remove! There are only four bolts which go through rubber grommets. Since the cover has not been removed since it was initially assembled clear back in 2006, it did not slide off easily. I spent 15 or 20 mins trying to gently wiggle it off. I gave up and went in for lunch. I came back out and applied some muscle. The thing finally released!

I took Kermit (the bike) for a test run, and it shorted out about one block away. I never knew how hard it was to push an 800 lb bike! Thankfully, my neighbor came out to help me get the bike up the driveway and back into the garage.

There were only two harness connections that I disconnected. So I took the first one apart and reconnected it. This time, I made sure all the wiring was correct. Unfortunately, I did not check to see if it was wrong before taking it apart, so I dont know for sure that this was the problem. I did the other connector, and then reconnected the battery. Started right up!

I need to test ride it again, but waiting until I have someone to help if I break down. But things look good and I dont expect problems.

OK - took the BIG STEP

Finally took the big step - took off the gas tank. As I took a couple of the electrical connectors apart, I noticed that there was this red/pinkish dielectric grease. Weird color, but OK... And then I started noticing it on parts of the bike. I had it on my thumb. So I wiped it off and continued. I noticed that it was on more parts! Oops - not dielectric grease, but blood from a slice on my thumb. Oh well.

Poor Kermit looks like a dog that has been given a bath - skinny and frail. But now that the backbone is exposed, I can get a lot of work done. Need to change the antifreeze, brake and clutch fluids, and might as well do some rewiring too.

Temperatures were in the 50's today - huge change from the 20's and 30's just a few weeks ago. There are snow drifts on the side of the road and along my driveway. The news' talking heads droned on about great weather and that we are only a few days from Spring. The sun called its siren song, tempting me to jump onto Kermit.

I have too much work to do, told myself. And my shoulder still hurt, was stiff, and still weak from the injury of a month ago. Its too risky, and just not the right thing to do.

But desire overtook the better part of judgement. The final piece of the puzzle fell into place - I needed to get my coffee beans from my coffee roaster. I was out and it simply had to be done! So why not use my bike.

I climbed onto the bike about 11:00 this morning. I took a picture of my boot propped up on the floorboard for a Facebook Group that wants pictures of what you are doing each Tuesday, with your shoes as the focal point.

I put on my heavy bike jacket, gloves, helmet. I climbed onto the bike and started it up. I looked at ClasicChap's engine guard chaps which protect legs from the wind in these cooler days. I should check the tires pressure, oil, etc. but did not. Bad Tim...

I pulled out of the drive between two snow piles straddling the entrance onto the road. The engine thrummed confidently, the cool wind rushing under my helmet and within my coat arms. Each bump in the road sent a small sharp pain through my shoulder, but the sense of freedom was worth each pin-prick.

I rode out of town. Fields were mostly still snow covered. Others had recently been tilled and the faint scent of manure somehow seemed to trigger a comfortable feeling of spring in my mind. Here and there were snow drifts along the road where just a few weeks ago snow was being pushed out of the roadway to allow cars to pass.

Twenty miles later, I pulled into Mechanicsburg and parked outside of the Hemisphere Coffee Roasters. I left with 2 lbs of my favorite, a 1/2 lb of a flavored decaff, and a handfull of chocolate covered beans.

The ride back was uneventful, but so wonderful. I pulled into the garage where I would be taking Kermit apart to do some major maintenance (fluid changes including breaks, clutch, oil, antifreeze), wiring maintenance, and installing a used trunk bought over a year ago.

I stepped out of the garage, and back into the house where I had work left to do and a meeting scheduled to review a revamp of a website. It was a great 40 mile ride, the first of the year.

sigh....

It is March, and Kermit sits silently in the garage. He has been neglected throughout the winter. No maintenance done. Its been started and run a couple of times to keep the moisture down within the crankcase, and there is fuel stabilizer, and the battery charger has been thrown on a few times.

Tomorrow, I will take a few minutes to pull the bike out and run it around the block. Then pull it back into the garage so I can change the oil, and try my hand at the various fluids.

Tsk tsk...I have been such a bad bike owner.