One step back, two steps forward....

Got up early this morning (well, for a Sunday) and went out for a short
ride on the ZXR. Did normal hooligan tomfoolery over about 25 miles.
Turned around and started to return the way I'd come.

I'd just overtaken a car and everything went dead, flicked the kill
switch, ignition switch... nothing. Hit the horn, nothing. ****.

Pulled over into a conveniently situated pub car park and looked at the
fuses- 30A fuse gone, great. Put in the spare (which I had checked was
good when I bought the bike and... ignition on... pop. ****. One step
back.

Got a lift home.

Got to work on the K75, I've replaced the clutch and given it a fairly
extensive service over the last two weekends. Put in the wiring for a
temperature gauge (but no gauge because part of the loom is lost in my
garage. Also repaired the tank, once I'd wire brushed it the small hole
was the size of a match-head and there was a matching one on the other
side of the tank 'lobe' (this was the lowest point of the tank. Odd.
Still, gave it a good coat of some fuel tank stopper from the outside
and also smeared a bit on the inside. Waited for it to dry, sanded it
down, applied some more, sanded, painted... and finally left overnight
with a little fuel in it. It's not leaking (at the moment). Put it all
back together and hit the starter, after about 10 seconds to pressurise
the fuel system it started. Huzzah! Took it out for a spin, it managed
just about 105 on an uphill section which was more than acceptable
(ZXR750 manages about 135 there). One step forward.

Return for ZXR750. About two hours fucking around finding a trailer and
vehicle and getting there. Bloody sunday drivers. Grr. Got bike home
and left it in the dunces corner of the garage. Still, got to have a
pint in the afternoon which made a pleasant change.

K100's been stinking of fuel for about 9 months. Maybe a year...
Thought I ought to have a look a couple of weeks back. The fuel rail
(it's injected) was wobbly but the bolts were tight. The injectors have
an O-ring top and bottom, I ordered new ones. My these are a fucker to
get out. Got them out and sure enough the joint between the injectors
and the cylinder head is not very good- dull and corroded. Cleaned up
and replaced O-Rings and put everything back together. Hit starter for
a few seconds and it started... two steps forward.

Right... so that's two bikes fixed, one bike broken. I call that a
result for a weekend.

So next weekend... ZXR750 electrical problems and K1100 service. Hmm...
maybe a haircut too.

Aren't bikes great?

 

It's not got its dust cover on either. That'll teach it.

 

Pah, amateur. You need the "Pip" method of finding the
fault - bridge the fuse with a pair of pliers and then look
for the smoke. It worked a treat when fixing my mate's
ZXR750 at an EOSM many years ago ... the same one
when Dr Will decided to go grass tracking on the Turbo.

 

Yep, it's a good one to remember. Works on all sorts of vehicles/ocean
liners/concert halls.