Mr.H: How a motorcycle evolves over time

[Sidecar Bob]

Just for closure, we picked up the slabs for the extra row a few days ago. Today I finished laying them and moved Eccles into the shed (Mr.H is ready to ride the next time I go out)

12 - 6th row done.jpg (169.46 KiB) Viewed 598 times

[Rat]

Very posh …

Gord

[Sidecar Bob]

Mostly just firm enough that Mr.H won't sink in when I roll it out of the shed in March or April.

It was nice to be able to drain Eccles' carbs and remove the battery outside and then easily roll it inside, though

[Sidecar Bob]

I was beginning to think that finding the fix for the 7 year old fast idle issue was going to be the only thing I did to Mr.H this year (other than re-routing the priming setup) but then Friday happened.
I still haven't done anything with the fall colour ride video I took last year (a camera setting caused it to save the raw video as 29 3 minute clips) and the last thing I uploaded to YouTube was the Polar Bear Ride so I decided to take a ride around the area and record some of the fall colours before they're all gone. I turned off of the main road onto a dirt road and a few minutes later the front end started sliding around and the back wheel started to spin. The road wasn't that wet so I stopped to see what was wrong and found that both front discs were very hot so both calipers must be stuck.
A few good kicks with my heel freed them up and I turned around at a nearby driveway and headed home, not using the front brake. And when I looked at the speedometer it said I wasn't moving.
When I got home the discs were pretty warm but not as hot as before.

I had lunch and previewed the video (looks like I'll probably be able to do something with it), then did a couple of yard jobs I wanted done before it starts raining again. And then headed to the garage.

The first thing I did was open the master cylinder and check the relief hole but it was clear. So I pulled each caliper and cleaned them up, put them back on and went for a test ride up & down our street. They seem OK but I'll want to keep an eye on them for what's left of the season.
I'm sure it is well over a decade since I last had them apart (possibly not since I replaced the original mismatched ones with a matching & freshly rebuilt pair in '07) so I put rebuilding them properly on the list for spring.

[rcmatt007]

recall riding out 412 in Oklahoma at dark thirty in the morning, and I thought I could smell some trucks brakes burning. Pulled into the rest area and burned my hand of the front right brake. Was VERY careful going home that night only using my rear brake.

[Sidecar Bob]

Mr.H returned to hibernation about 1/2 hour ago. only 438 Km this year (= a bit over 90 Km per month). Too many projects kept me from going anywhere much.

I did drive it to the post office yesterday and then a few Km outside of town to test the front brakes. They didn't lock up on me but when I pushed it around in the garage after I got home they did feel a bit draggy so I will definitely be rebuilding them in the spring.

[Sidecar Bob]

I've already posted this in a couple of other places on the forum but I'll add it here too because I mentioned taking the video here

[Sidecar Bob]

Mr.H is still slumbering peacefully in the shed but Aliexpress has some LED lights on sale that caught my attention. And the wheels in my head started turning.........

Spot light front (from Ali).jpg (73.87 KiB) Viewed 321 times

Spot light rear (from Ali).jpg.jpg (52.1 KiB) Viewed 321 times

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005969179034.html

The first set arrived a few days ago. They are pretty good for that price but right now you can get a pair of them for for $1.79 US in Ali's "Pick 3" sale (buy 3 or more items in the list and get free express shipping).
https://www.aliexpress.com/gcp/30000051 ... 703_210504

So what am I thinking you ask? Well, remember this from 4 years ago? Well, these are not only brighter but my test & calculation indicates they only use 1.33W each (1/3 of what the old ones burn).
https://www.ngwclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=68097

The lower power won't matter to Mr.H (the regulator wastes far more) but Eccles is another matter. Between extra loads like the handlebar heaters, the 250W alternator (as opposed to the 'Wing's 300W) and harder starting in cold weather I'm always looking for ways to save a watt or 2 or improve lighting without using more power. It currently has 1.5W single LED lights under the fairing and in the front of the sidecar that don't give nearly as much light.

I don't expect miracles for that price so I opened one up for a look (pretty basic - half a dozen LEDs and a couple of resistors, all surface mount) and sealing them properly should be easy. So should mounting them on Mr.H's light bar and Eccles' fairing (I like the idea of one under each side like on Mr.H.).
But on the far side of either of the sidecars without relocating something else not so much.

Then I found these, also in the Pick 3 sale. Yes, they are really license plate lights. I'll think about how & where to mount them when they arrive....

Plate light (from Ali).jpg (52.05 KiB) Viewed 321 times

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006010800220.html

[Sidecar Bob]

I moved Mr.H from the shed to the garage today. I think I have the priming setup right now because when I squirted 180cc of fuel into the priming hose none came out anywhere I could see and when I connected the battery it started like I had run it yesterday.

Unfortunately, rolling it out of the shed wasn't as easy. I knew I had at least one stuck caliper so I went back to the garage for the deadblow hammer to see if i could free it up.
The sound was coming from the rear so I started hammering the rear caliper; It seemed to move easier after a few hits but not enough to push around easily; I couldn't get a clear shot at it with the saddlebag in the way and its pads looked thin enough that I knew I'd need the bag off to change them anyway so I went back again for some wrenches to remove it. A couple of hits and I could hear the pads rattling but it was still hard to move so I tried the front.
Hammering on either of the front ones didn't seem to make much difference. Then I remembered both fronts sticking when I was on a dirt road last fall. It wasn't the relief hole then but... When I cracked one of the bleed screws open I didn't see any fluid coming out but I tightened it and tried again. It still didn't rolled as easily as it should but it was good enough to drive around the house and into the garage.
I guess I know what this year's first job is going to be....

Mr.H in garage Apr 21 2024.jpg (184.54 KiB) Viewed 58 times

After that I put the battery back into Eccles so I can drive it tomorrow morning.