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Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 7:22 am
by VermilionX
9/17/06
went riding to ACH, straight... the middle part really sucks. the roads are too bumpy but the guys i rode w/ are still takin it fast.
just a normal sunday here in SoCal and it even got bigger before we left...
it's not often you see chopper in the canyons...

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 7:38 am
by VermilionX
on another note... i need new brake levers.
mine bent since i barely touch the brake lever while im on throttle. it's already in the closest to the bar setting.
these look nice but it's $164 for both clutch and brake levers, i want the shorty so there's less chance that they'll break if i crash.

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 8:55 am
by Mintbread
They look a heap better but you will regret it in an emergency when you try to grab a fist full of brake and miss...
Plus they require more strength to use due to a lack of (no pun intended) leverage.
Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 9:15 am
by VermilionX
Mintbread wrote:They look a heap better but you will regret it in an emergency when you try to grab a fist full of brake and miss...
Plus they require more strength to use due to a lack of (no pun intended) leverage.
thanks for the heads up.
i don't mind the fist full of brakes since i only use 2 fingers anyway and i always cover my brakes w/ those 2 fingers whenever i ride.
i wonder how these will feel compared to my stock levers in terms of force needed to apply.
i still have to save money for them anyway. but i will jump on it if i can find a good discount somewhere.
Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 2:54 am
by CNF2002
You shouldn't grip your brake all the time. You could inadvertently give yourself a nice full panic brake at high speed.
How did you break your brake lever? Just by normal use? That's a much needed recall if I ever heard one! I just don't understand your comment:
"mine bent since i barely touch the brake lever while im on throttle."
Why would you be touching the brake lever when you are throttling up and how would doing this cause it to bend?
You can get a replacement lever for your bike for like 15 bucks.
Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:28 am
by VermilionX
CNF2002 wrote:You shouldn't grip your brake all the time. You could inadvertently give yourself a nice full panic brake at high speed.
How did you break your brake lever? Just by normal use? That's a much needed recall if I ever heard one! I just don't understand your comment:
"mine bent since i barely touch the brake lever while im on throttle."
Why would you be touching the brake lever when you are throttling up and how would doing this cause it to bend?
You can get a replacement lever for your bike for like 15 bucks.
not broken... just feels bent.
i dropped my bike again when i tried to remove the rear stand on my own. i don't see any new scratches and i will never attemp to try to remove/put the stands on my own ever again.
then when i took it out the next day... i noticed something different about my brake levers.
it doesn't look bent... but i defnitely felt a significant difference on my hand position.
it's important to be able to reach the brake while on throttle.
it's bad to quickly let go of the throttle so it's bad if you can't reach the brake lever while on throttle.
and i dunno... to me... it feels like i have less chances of grabbing the brake when i already have fingers on it. i feel like i will squeeze it more than likely instead of grab it. on all the emergency braking i have done, i haven't locked the front brake yet.
oneida suzuki has my OEM levers for $50... that sucks... for $30 more... i could already get an AM shorty.
Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 8:58 am
by Mintbread
Don't bother with genuine Suzuki ones. There are a million aftermarket ones at half the price.
Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 7:44 am
by VermilionX
9/25/06
went for a short ride...
the bike really feels very bumpy. the more i push it, the more i feel the bumps. i don't think im bottoming out the forks but im close.
im getting anxious to upgrade my suspension but im trying hard not to do it until i get my 1st trackday.
anyway... it's getting near. i'll call my mechanic on wednesday and see if he found somebody i can hitch a trailer ride with. good luck to me.
a lot of people that go to the tracks are really discouraging me to ride there. other than the obvious risk of crashing and not being able to get the bike home, there's also the tiredness that will lead to being more prone to accident on the way home.
Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 8:29 am
by CNF2002
It might help your risk of tiredness to ride more frequently, take longer trips. Get out there on the road for 5 hours at a time and get used to it. The more you get used to it, the less tired you will be.
Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 8:49 am
by VermilionX
CNF2002 wrote:It might help your risk of tiredness to ride more frequently, take longer trips. Get out there on the road for 5 hours at a time and get used to it. The more you get used to it, the less tired you will be.
5 hours?
i've ridden more than that BUT not riding straight w/ only gas stops.
riding at the canyons and especially at the tracks takes out a lot more on you.
anyway... i called another shop... this one deals w/ ohlins.
my priority is to get a really good rear shock. i don't need the best fork setup right now.
estimates w/ labor and taxes...
low $1900~ re-valved forks + ohlins shock
mid $2300~ re-valved forks + piston kit + ohlins shock
high $3200~ re-valved forks + piston kit + cartridge kit + ohlins shock
dang!
