the good, the bad, and the ugly

Posted: Tue May 26, 2020 2:50 pm

As the title goes, it really was a few days of “the good, the bad, and the ugly” with my 1100….I guess this is life of owning a “vintage” bike. If I wanted something easy, I’d go to the dealership and get something new.

First the good: With the lockdown over, and the weather warming up in my area, I was finally able to get the bike on the road. All week I was making short tuning runs adjusting the 3d map (I have a separate post on this) and the jetting (one size smaller pilots) on the CR33s. I was making some really good progress on part throttle driveablillty.

Yesterday, as it was in the low 80’s for temperature, I gave the bike a nice washing (see attached pics) and took it for about 100 miles. Considering that I hadn’t had 100 miles on it in the last two years, this was quite the accomplishment. The bike ran absolutely amazing. Simply the best it’s ever run. It was 90 miles of enjoyment buzzing around farm roads in Wisconsin on a nice summery day. It made all the work I put into saving this bike worth it.

Then the Bad: after about 90 miles, the bike started leaning out as I was riding. It was definitely starving for fuel. I pulled over and checked it out. Sure enough, a piece of rubber fuel hose was collapsing at a bend. If you squeezed on it, you could get fuel to flow again and the bowls would fill up. No big deal, I would just limp back home like this. I’d just reach down as I was riding and squeeze on the area that would let fuel flow. Not ideal, but it would get me home until I could make a permanent fix.

Then the ugly: Apparently, one of the times that I was squeezing the fuel hose as I was driving, I must have caught the edge of my glove or coat on the side cover (or directed a lot air behind it), and it came off as I was riding. Off my bike, on to the road, and under a truck that was behind me…….Needless to say it’s FUBAR.

So now I’m looking for a left blue 1100 side cover (I have a separate WTB post for that) that can get me by until I figure out what to do long term. I’m hoping someone on this board has one stashed away.

On the bright side, I thought I handled it pretty well. 25 year old Brett would have been pissed. 45 year old Brett (my current age) just shook his head and sighed. I imagine by the time I get to be 65, I should be able to take it all in stride!

Brett

Hawk Joined: Jul 14, 2012 Posts: 389 Location: New Zealand

I would rather the side cover under the truck than me . Are you happy with the 3d and using the TPS
I found the difference imediate and a great improvement .
Peter

Posted: Tue May 26, 2020 11:50 pm

use a shoe string or piggin strip around the line, carry black electrical tape in your tool kit along with hose clamps. I'm glad you got 90 Miles in. I took the 9 out to blow some smoke out of the old girl. Only about 15-20 miles but I loved it as the last 6 years have been very lean for riding time. We are still supposed to go out only on necessity. I'm glad I didn't get caught out having fun. lol

Posted: Wed May 27, 2020 10:49 am

brett_s wrote:

On the bright side, I thought I handled it pretty well. 25 year old Brett would have been pissed. 45 year old Brett (my current age) just shook his head and sighed. I imagine by the time I get to be 65, I should be able to take it all in stride!

Brett

No. You'd still be pissed

Posted: Thu May 28, 2020 4:50 am

Sorry. I'm 68. If I had a pristine side cover fall off my 30 some-odd-year-old bike and get crushed by a truck, I'd sit down and cry. When you are 48 you are at the top of your game, both health and eranings wise. When you are 68, not so much.

I'll keep my eyes opne for a blue side cover.

Posted: Thu May 28, 2020 2:42 pm

I'm getting a side cover from TomK. It's not perfect, but it's better than I have right now....

Long term I'm going to likely have to do something such as a repaint. We'll see how close the OEM cover matches my repainted one. Perhaps I can just repaint a cover long term, instead of the whole bike. We'll figure that out at a later date.

Brett

Posted: Fri May 29, 2020 12:56 pm

brett_s wrote:

I'm getting a side cover from TomK. It's not perfect, but it's better than I have right now....

Long term I'm going to likely have to do something such as a repaint. We'll see how close the OEM cover matches my repainted one. Perhaps I can just repaint a cover long term, instead of the whole bike. We'll figure that out at a later date.

Brett

Nice bike, makes for a good story, looks like you have shrugged it off - I’m 58 and have had a guy crash into my Vette during a practice licensing race, blown up a Vette engine racing, had a Ferrari valve burn forcing me into am 80 hr head r and r project, found a bikes crankcase full of gasoline... just to name a few - if you ride, drive, race, and or wrench older cars and bikes shit is gonna happen - its part of the “fun”!

And finding a side cover is fun too just found one for my CL200 project, took the 1100F to pick it up!

Posted: Fri May 29, 2020 1:05 pm

Yellow02Z06 wrote:

brett_s wrote:

I'm getting a side cover from TomK. It's not perfect, but it's better than I have right now....

Long term I'm going to likely have to do something such as a repaint. We'll see how close the OEM cover matches my repainted one. Perhaps I can just repaint a cover long term, instead of the whole bike. We'll figure that out at a later date.

Brett

Nice bike, makes for a good story, looks like you have shrugged it off - I’m 58 and have had a guy crash into my Vette during a practice licensing race, blown up a Vette engine racing, had a Ferrari burn forcing me into 100 hr head r and r project, found a bikes crankcase full of gasoline just to name a few - if you ride, drive, race, And or wrench older cars and bikes shit is gonna happen - its part of the “fun”!

And finding a side cover is fun too just found one for my CL200 project, took the 1100F to pick it up!

Whats the old saying?

"If it has tires or tits, it will cause you trouble!"

My wife has a refrigerator magnet with the corollary:

"If it has tires or testicles..." you know the rest, LOL