test ride after the winter maintenance

[RockingM]

Bikes been on the lift since the first of January.
Finally it rained and cleared most of the salt and gravel from the roads.
So I buttoned the duck back up and went for a quick spin.
Why is it when it's a test ride I always want to just keep on "testing" but
I keep thinking about this bolt and that etc....and know I ought to go back in and check everything over once again. I also know my chain guide is worn
almost through so I had to come on in.

Anyway, really nice 20 or so miles, roads looking great except for the massive
pot holes on occasion, temp in the 60's and a beautiful morning.

[DuckMan]

Originally Posted by Rocking-M

Bikes been on the lift since the first of January.
Finally it rained and cleared most of the salt and gravel from the roads.
So I buttoned the duck back up and went for a quick spin.
Why is it when it's a test ride I always want to just keep on "testing" but
I keep thinking about this bolt and that etc....and know I ought to go back in and check everything over once again. I also know my chain guide is worn
almost through so I had to come on in.

Anyway, really nice 20 or so miles, roads looking great except for the massive
pot holes on occasion, temp in the 60's and a beautiful morning.

Probably because you did it yourself. You trust yourself. If you had a typical dealer do it you'd (I'd) feel different because there's about a 90% chance something wasn't done right. Sad but true.

[va duc]

Robert ,
I know exactly what you are talking about! Although I have put 150 miles on her since buttoning everything back up I still am going to pull the fairings off and double check a few things . It has been a long winter and I just want to be sure the first nice weekend I will have no problems because I got antsy

By the way the Angels feel pretty good

[zwantedone]

I screw with my bike all winter as well. I head to my brother's in NC(2 more weeks!!) for a couple of weeks of continuous riding. I usually head out to western NC/North Ga for some mountain riding, and then head west or south or wherever. The Ozarks of AR are usually included. Nice roads there. Want to get down to LA for some oysters, crawfish and gumbo. The Halfway House in LaPlace is the place for me.Beer is good, Holiday Inn right across the road. Perfect. Before I go though I take a day or two fiddling with shit, that usually doesn't need fiddling with. Doesn't hurt to double check. On my way back from NC last fall, in Bumfuck PA, I was cruising along very nicely when the damn thing stopped running. Of course, all this shit is running through your mind as to WTF! Several locals offered assistance as I was pushing her up to the nearest safe spot to eyeball it(uphill, of course). Popped the fairings off(thank you,dzus fastners) and couldn't find anything amiss. The locals were eyeing me, all geared up, and the bright yellow Italian bike. I was beginning to hear the faint sound of banjos, and was wondering if they would convert her to a cordwood saw. Anyway, after a quick looksee, I turned on the key and I heard no fuel pump. Whipped off the seat, and I could feel one of the two relays clicking, but not the other. I grabbed my tool kit, which I actually had a spare relay in, popped it in, thumbed the starter and the bitch fired off! You could hear the jaws hit the pavement, i swear.Them dudes could not believe it! Popped the fairings back on, put my helmet on, and 6 hrs later I was home. The SO was relieved she didn't have to come retrieve my sorry ass. So no matter how careful you are with you maintenance, shit does happen. All you can really do is get the odds in your favor...Will

[RockingM]

Originally Posted by zwantedone

wondering if they would convert her to a cordwood saw. Will

hahaha! never thought of that one. I think I'll put an extra relay in my tool kit.

Max, I bet you've been near 80f there?

[kaysystems]

Originally Posted by DuckMan

Probably because you did it yourself. You trust yourself. If you had a typical dealer do it you'd (I'd) feel different because there's about a 90% chance something wasn't done right. Sad but true.

Agreed. I just changed the oil filter. Had one hell of a time trying to loosen it. I have the tool to go over the filter to use a socket set. All it did was round off the filter. Eventually used a strap wrench, but it was tough. After the filter came out the rubber seal remained on the crankcase. After the oil stopped dripping I pulled the seal off. It was dry. Had not been lubricated before installation - and the seal was distorted.

Not impressed. This was done at an award winning Ducati dealer !!!!

Glad I do it all myself

David

[va duc]

Originally Posted by Rocking-M

hahaha! never thought of that one. I think I'll put an extra relay in my tool kit.

Max, I bet you've been near 80f there?

Not quite, about 64 and cloudy today. After a bit of a ride I stopped at a store to fill up and caught a sniff of the sweet smell of anti freeze. I decided to take her home and tighten down on the clamps again. She is all back together again, good thing I checked. Nothing too loose just a quarter turn here and there, I had read not to over tighten the clamps on the silicone hoses so I guess I was a little too cautious.


It was a great 50 mile ride, she is snorting and ready to go!

[tonered]

Originally Posted by zwantedone

. . . in Bumfuck PA . . .

Hahahaha. I'm originally from BFE, PA. Right next to Blueballs, PA and Intercourse, PA. Did you happen to catch the Top Gear crew pausing in Intercourse during their East Coast blitz? Too funny. Actually, I'm orginally from Portage, PA and my Wife is from Pillow, PA. =P

Originally Posted by va duc

Not quite, about 64 and cloudy today. After a bit of a ride I stopped at a store to fill up and caught a sniff of the sweet smell of anti freeze. I decided to take her home and tighten down on the clamps again. She is all back together again, good thing I checked. Nothing too loose just a quarter turn here and there, I had read not to over tighten the clamps on the silicone hoses so I guess I was a little too cautious.


It was a great 50 mile ride, she is snorting and ready to go!

I usually ride a day or two with the side fairing off after a major service. I haven't had a problem since my first service when I put the fairing on immediately and found oil leaking from the horiz exhaust cam bearing because I forgot to torque the horn bracket. So, it is a couple days of fugly, nakedness for the fun of it.

Have a good one.

[va duc]

I usually ride a day or two with the side fairing off after a major service. I haven't had a problem since my first service when I put the fairing on immediately and found oil leaking from the horiz exhaust cam bearing because I forgot to torque the horn bracket. So, it is a couple days of fugly, nakedness for the fun of it.

Have a good one.

That is sound advice.
I normally do the same thing, the weather has been so lousy I just got impatient while waiting, and with a little extra bling over the winter I wanted to marvel at my machine.

The good part about all of this is I have caught a potential leak before being stranded on the side of the road and as a bonus, have now cut another 15 seconds of off my removal and installation times on the fairings

[tonered]

Yeah, it has been one tough winter. Although, if I am a wee bit late into work these recent days, I get see some light in the sky. That is a good sign.

Have a good one.