NorthernPetes Bike Adventure

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NorthernPete
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Joined: Mon May 02, 2005 4:24 pm
Real Name: Pete
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Years Riding: 11
My Motorcycle: 1988 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500
Location: Northern Ontario, Canada

#51 Unread post by NorthernPete »

its....snowing.....again.... :frusty:

Oh well, its not sticking around at least... Ill be workin on the bike this week end, gets that new chain and sprokets installed, the carbs are at the shop getting dipped and pressure tested. so hopefully, that should fix my plug fouling problem.

Im also getting my Maxim's carbs cleaned as well. good stuff....

I am also thinking maybe later this summer about repainting the gas tank on the Seca, Im thinking Flat black would look better then the sparkly stuff on there now, I thought it was only black and silver fleck, but its all sorts of colours and not quite what I had thought it would be. Still, maybe I just need to get used to it a bit more.

On another note, I am planning on scrubbing the seca' engine down, getting rid of the greasy ugly stuff and hopefully getting a bit of shine. It sure would be nice. would a hard bristlke scrub brush with degreasing soap work?
1988 VN1500
2009 GS500F

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NorthernPete
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My Motorcycle: 1988 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500
Location: Northern Ontario, Canada

Wrenching of the Day!

#52 Unread post by NorthernPete »

Well, today when I got home from work, I felt the urge! the urge to do something on the bike!

As you may know if you've read the rest of my blog, I was mechanically inept before buying this bike, and still am not a mechanical wiz, but I am geting comfortable. SO I said, you have sprokets and a new chain, why not put them on!

So thats what I set out to do. First thing, get the cover off the Drive sprocket. a little elbow grease, off it comes...YUCK! oily greasy mess...and leaves...for some reason.... why are there leaves in here??!!

Get rid of those....

next thing, loosen off rear wheel, wrench wrench, hammer hammer, loose! off comes master link of old jingly chain. off comes chain!

Part 3- take off circlip on front sprocket, and off slides old bent drive sprocket. on goes new one and back on goes circlip! ohhh..shiney!

now unbend tabs that hold on rear sprocket nuts, undo nuts (Hint, that you probably allready know, a pipe on the ratchet gives you happy leverage! easy to take off nuts!) nuts off, old sprocket off, new sproket on, reassemble, back on goes wheel..... really shiney and nice lookin now!

next step, put on new non jingly chain... put over sprocket.........ummmm... Errrmmmm....... WTF! chain doesnt fit!!!

*curse curse swear swear*

chain is too small! wont fit into the teeth.......

Call Yammy dealer, sorry, closed til monday.....oh well, Monday Ill go in and yell at them, but for today, I shall bask in my mechanical victory!

Manly man doing manly things, I feel a sense of satisfaction!

Ill take some pics of the shiney bit tommorrow.
1988 VN1500
2009 GS500F

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Scoutmedic
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My Motorcycle: 2003 Honda Gold Wing
Location: Corry, Pennsylvania

#53 Unread post by Scoutmedic »

:rockon: you cursin' & swearin' grease monkey! :laughing:

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NorthernPete
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Location: Northern Ontario, Canada

#54 Unread post by NorthernPete »

:laughing: I wouldnt calll myself a grease monkey yet. But Id rather do it myself then pay someone the big bucks to do it for me....

Its definately not as hard as I thought it would be, its just a matter of getting over the fear of not being able to do it. And it makes me feel really good too know I have done the work myself.

I shall have some pics as soon as I find the camera...... its dis-capeared!
1988 VN1500
2009 GS500F

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NorthernPete
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Location: Northern Ontario, Canada

#55 Unread post by NorthernPete »

Work of the day!

Recover from slight hang over - Check!

Pull off front turn signals that were from a Maxim and replace with nice black stock Seca Turn Signals, nice..... Plus now I have soem Maxim Turn Signals for my Signal-less Maxim. W00t...recycling rocks!

try to straighten out headlight, sorta kinda accomplished.

clean out more grime and muckity muck from under drive sprocket cover.

prime and paint a plastic side cover for the maxim.

put away tools!

All done!
1988 VN1500
2009 GS500F

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NorthernPete
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Location: Northern Ontario, Canada

#56 Unread post by NorthernPete »

heres some pics...

Image

Thats my shiney new rear sprocket.....mmmm...shiney!

Image

My bike sans fuel tank, carbs and chain....sigh....

Heres the old signals that were on the bike, followed by the new ones, I like the black look better.

Image

New! (ish)

Image


Tasty!

also, in the whole (sorta) bike pic, if you look underneath, you can see a small pile of crap that fell out from behind the drive sprocket cover.....gooey!

Im planning on doing some buffing and shining of the engine today..its filthy.
1988 VN1500
2009 GS500F

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#57 Unread post by BigChickenStrips »

looks like you are doing some good work on that bike. i would love to "build" a bike but i fear i have not the money nor skill to do it so i guess i'll just keep buying bikes that professionals (read as: Kawasaki) built. keep up the great work.

and dont forget to get some riding time in...
[b]Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency! [/b]

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Scoutmedic
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#58 Unread post by Scoutmedic »

Starting to come together. I agree about the signals. I prefer the second set. :D

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NorthernPete
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My Motorcycle: 1988 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500
Location: Northern Ontario, Canada

#59 Unread post by NorthernPete »

Anyone know a cliff I can throw this thing off of? As long as its within pushing distance as every time I try to fix something it turns into a "oh, that has to be fixed too" project....I just realized that my front sproket is missing something, either a circlip or some bolts, I cant tell ATM cause its dark out, Ill tell you tommorrow....
1988 VN1500
2009 GS500F

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NorthernPete
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Joined: Mon May 02, 2005 4:24 pm
Real Name: Pete
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Years Riding: 11
My Motorcycle: 1988 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500
Location: Northern Ontario, Canada

#60 Unread post by NorthernPete »

OK, wellll, I feel better now, its only 7 bucks for the parts..... ordered and should be in friday (maybe) and MAYBE thatll be the fix...I hope....

Grinding chain noises suck...
1988 VN1500
2009 GS500F

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