Blogging my Bike

I thought I should blog my bike and title it 'The journey from shed to street' or 'Is it out yet?'.
It's too late for me to start right now, so I'm going to hit the hay. I shall start soonest.
:^)

I bought the '04 CS from Dave in Lorne, Nova Scotia in mid-March. Quite the exciting moment. I joined a great site called the Chain Gang. Within the site is a massive Technical FAQ for the F650 from the Classic to the Dakar and everything in between. Wise advice given was when you become the proud owner of a F650, give it a good cleaning. A good cleaning would help aquaint yourself with the workings of the bike. I began to gather cleaning products with excitement. I removed various panels and fasteners and I quickly realized that I didn't have tools for a few specific fasteners that I have never seen before. Well, off to Canadian Tire. Wow, Canadian Tire must have read my mind, for there were a few tools I needed that were on sale. Well, I've developed a new hobby - every time I go to Canadian Tire, I look for those little red 'discount tags' in the tools section. How can you buy tools and not have a tool box? My goodness, I was in Home Depot and stumbled upon an upright toolbox that you pull along on two wheels like a piece of luggage. And it detaches in half with storage space in the bottom. I was in exstasy! I had removed a few panels, making sure to keep the screws and nuts and bolts in sandwich bags - don't tell Violet I took the box and stuck it with my tools. I discovered if you remove the small panels from the forward fairing, the little plastic knobs break off very easily, darn, I did it to both sides, good grief. After that traumatic experience, I removed the forward hand rails and discovered one of the rear screws was bent. If things couldn't get worse, after removing the bent screw, the threads in the hole were buggered. I tried using the screw from the opposite rail to no avail, the threads were utterly buggered. Ok, I haven't broken any major parts yet - knock on wood.

Canadian Tire to the rescue. What are the chances that a set of taps and dies were on sale? So I scooped them up, tapped the threads and ta da! right as rain. I called a fastener company in Burnside for a replacement screw, hex head would be fine. 'Hello, I would like to order a stainless steel screw for my motorbike', 'What style of head do you want?. 'Hex head would be fine thanks, do you have any in stock and how much?', 'We don't have any in stock.....I can order it in', I replied 'Sure and how much for the screw?', 'The screw.....taxes....... and shipping.........about $40.00', 'What!!, $40.00 for one screw?', 'We sell them in bags of 50'. The screw from Atlantic Motoplex arrived yesterday - $1.95. Where is the new screw now? In a plastic sandwich bag, safely tucked away in the toolbox. While I waited for the screw to arrive, I figured out how to remove and reinstall the air filter. Felt quite the sense of accomplishment on that one. Batteries. While the glue was setting on the panels, I decided my next adventure would be to remove the battery for inspection. That's a cozy spot for a battery, are they all that heavy? After disconnecting the cables from the terminals, I heaved out the battery with slippery fingers. Four cells had water and two I could not see any fluid. I'm picking up my new battery Monday afternoon. In the blue corner, standing 12 inches tall and weighing in at about 1 lb, my bucket of soap, brushes and cloths, ready for the next round.
:^)

8am and the bell rang for round one. I worked my way down from the
mirrors to the handle bar, instrument cluster and down each fork.
Whipping the spray bottle full of soap up, down and around, followed by
my trusty 1 inch paint brush for those hard to reach places, dirt began
to disappear. Furiously pumping up and down, the pressure reached an
explosive limit. I stopped, and began to rinse the soap from the body
of the bike. A 2 gallon plastic spray container, with a two foot hose
and a wand attached to the end, is a wonderful tool. There was no need
to spray pesticides today, only rinsing water to carry the soap and
dirt off of the bike. The wand was spectacular, directing fresh water,
up, down and around nooks and crannies. The soapy slush had nowhere to
hide. I sat on the foldling creeper, bent over as if I was shining
shoes for a hundred people. Spray, wipe, scrub and rub. Over and over.
Gently lifting the front wheel ever slightly and give it a bit of turn.
I slowly made my way around the rim of the front tire. Lift, turn,
spray and scrub. Lift, turn, spray and scrub. Stopping occasionally, as
Stan Carew would make a comment that would bring a smile to my face.
The radio was never far away. Stan's show finished and the sun popped
out from behind the clouds. I and the bike sat in the shade of the
house. Well, a few hours more and we would be bathed in sunlight. Lift,
turn, spray and scrub. The rim looked wonderful. A child ready for the
first day of school, wearing new clothes that mother had bought. The
sky turned a cheery blue with puffs of clouds spread out. I rolled
over, stood up and stretched out my back. I could only sit for so long,
hunched over. I sat back down. Right hand side of the engine was next.
Followed by the left side. A finger driven, soapy cloth can clean
almost anywhere. I stopped. Water rinsed the mirrors, handle bar,
forks, front rim, left and right side of the engine. Out came the
cloths and away went the water. After wiping the bike down, I wasn't
very energetic anymore. What time is it? No wonder. It's lunch time. 12
noon, bike returned to the shed, cleaning utensils packed up, rinsed
and put away. Boy that ham, cheese and tomato sandwich was delicious!
My eyes felt heavy and gave way to an afternoon nap.
:^)

one word of advice Dino;
dont go and visit Princess Auto, and if you do weaken and have to sneak a peek then leave you plastic at home!!
alow for 4hrs of play time and wear comfortable shoes and bring a timmies, probably see yu there! have fun
Mmm that is probably 5 or 6 pieces of advice.. freeee imagine

A beautiful day to start the week, sunny with a touch of humidity. Violet was very kind and picked up my new battery today...woohoo! I don't see myself spending much time on the bike during the week, there are other areas that need attention - laundry, yard work, sorting through recycleables etc. I think I'll have to wait until the weekend. Thursday will be marked with a small two step celebration. I plan on dropping by Access Nova Scotia to transfer the plate over to my motorbike and I have to pick up some screws so I can attach the plate to the bike. Then on with cleaning and assembling.
I have never shopped at Princess Auto before. I'll have to leave my wallet at home if I decide to go for a visit.
:^)

"I slowly made my way around the rim of the front tire. Lift, turn,
spray and scrub. Lift, turn, spray and scrub."

Dino, you make bike cleaning almost poetic.

Dino, are you sure there's any dirt left to clean on the 650 or is it just gathering dust sitting around.
My advise, get real dirt on it and ride it or as someone once said 'Take it out and play with it!'
Let's see you roll into Arby's tomorrow night. See you on the road?

Another great day. The daily routine rarely changes, up at 5:15 and
let the dogs outside for a pee. Well, I couldn't sit still after the
dogs came in for breakfast so I began round two at six. There was a
bit of a breeze so I bundled up in my warm vest and slid my hands into
the dishwashing gloves. I sat on the creeper, looked at the engine,
and then became horizontal. As I lay on the creeper, soapy suds
crawled down my glove, the greasy dirt disappearing from the bottom
of the engine. Don and Liz reviewed some entries for the literacy golf
tournament - I was pretty happy the sun was shining, I was getting
tired of winding up the radio. The program ended and I knew it was
'8:37', time for the news. I heard a chuckle come from the back door.
I looked up and saw Violet 'I should have guessed that you would be out
here cleaning your bike when I couldn't find you in the house'! 'Ok
love, I'll finish the centre stand and come in'. Cleaned most of the
side and center stand, and felt obligated to clean the exhaust too.
Tucked the bike away along with my cleaning supplies. Out we went for
brunch at Hungry Jack's. One of the most enjoyable errands I had today
was visiting Access Nova Scotia. I happily showed up with all the
necessary paperwork to transfer the plate from the VN500 to my F650CS.
Yellow highlighter. Drove home and had Violet sign the highlighted
line of the form. Drove back to Access Nova Scotia and smiled as the
transaction took place with the stroke of a finger on the 'Enter' key.
:^)
I'm hoping to be riding by July which means you won't see me at Arby's
tonight. I've learned a lot lately - check my bike, learn about my
bike, and then ride my bike.
I would like to shop for that turntable bearing at Princess Auto.
;^)

Even though there was a cool breeze blowing, it was another beautiful morning. The radio broadcast was lost in the background as I continued washing my bike. The engine, rear side panels, tail light lens, rear fender and rear rim, are done. Violet found me again, outside bundled up, dripping with soap. Gave the rear a little rinse and a wipe down. Hustled my bucketful of washing utensils off into the shed. I'll take a look at the loose rear turn signal another day - maybe tomorrow morning. If all goes well, I would like to start re-installing panels, beginning with the front fender and working my way to the rear. I'll have to slide the battery back into the bowels of the bike before I put the forward l/h and r/h fairings back on. I suppose I should check the plastic pins I glued back on to the side panels, pins should be permanently glued in place. Time for a cat nap.
:^)

It's great to be alive. I couldn't have asked for better weather
today. At this stage, all I have left are panels and fasteners -
woohooo. Thankfully I started a bit later in the morning - 8? I
wheeled the bike out, propped it on the center stand, washing
condiments by my side I began the installation phase. It all began
with the front fender. A quick wash, rinse and wipe and the front wheel
looked complete. Those sandwich bags sure came in handy. I pulled out
the r/h fairing and panel, gave each a wash and wiped them dry. The
epoxy adhesive cured and the plastic clips on the panel are now firmly
glued in place. I delicately inserted the panel into the r/h fairing -
two thumbs up! I untied the sandwich bag, fished out the fasteners and
installed the r/h fairing onto the frame of the bike. Excitement arose
as I hopped, skipped and jumped to get the battery. With a bit of help
and a soft ker-plunk, the battery sat snuggly into the holder. I
connected the cables to the terminals and topped off the operation with
dielectric grease. Once the battery was strapped down, I snapped the
panel into the l/h fairing and fastened the fairing to the frame. Holy
hana banana Batman, it's starting to look like a CS again! The forward
grab rails seated themselves without complaints and I drove the screws
home to keep them in place. The stock windscreen made an appearance
and I quickly washed and wiped it dry before attaching it to the front
of the bike. I pulled out the four-legged topcase mount. Four mounts,
each with two screws. I positioned the unwieldy beast and struggled to
install the screws while balancing the mount. It laughed at me and I
became frustrated. Maybe it was the heat of the day affecting my
zenfullness. I decided not to take the mount out behind the barn and
shoot it, rather, I took my time, thought good thoughts and I was able
to secure the mount to the tail of the bike. Back into the barn, I
reached up in to the rafters and brought down the stock seat. With a
simple swipe and wipe, the dust free seat was layed to rest on top of
the frame. I'm so glad to have a cover for the stuff bay. With a tilt
and a click, the cover was in place. I stood back. The sun was
shining and a few clouds had rolled in overhead. Time for lunch.
:^)

The plate is finally attached to the tail. All I have to do is double check a few fasteners to make sure they're nice and snug. I threw the charger on when I arrived home from work today - the battery needed a top up. I've finished cleaning the bathroom and next on the agenda is to find all my riding gear. Darn, the MVI sticker has expired.
:^)

Is the nacked CS too shy to show up at one of our meetings or is the rider too affraid to ride with us?

Come on Dino, ride this bike and join us! We never made fun of a new rider. If you make mistakes, we will help you to rectify them.
If you are slower than the pack, one of us will ride along your side.

Time to jump on her and enjoy!

See you in Cape Breton

I bought a new battery on the 9th June. I installed the battery in the bike on Sunday the 15th. Today the 18th, I connected the trickle charger at 4:25 pm, have a look at 8:15 pm and it's still charging. ?. I'm guessing I was given a battery that wasn't charged. I'm going to leave the charger on over night and see what happens tomorrow morning. If I can get the bike running by Saturday I'll be happy, then I can take it in for its MVI. Otherwise, pull the battery and take it in for charging.
:^(

Hi Dino - unfortunately I am working much of the weekend so can't celebrate in Cape Breton - but would love to go for a short ride with you on Sunday if you are interested. You could call my cell, 237.0103 if you are interested. (is your bike insured and licensed?)
brian

Brian wrote:Hi Dino - unfortunately I am working much of the weekend so can't celebrate in Cape Breton - but would love to go for a short ride with you on Sunday if you are interested. You could call my cell, 237.0103 if you are interested. (is your bike insured and licensed?)
brian

Hi Brian, thanks for the offer, my bike is insured and licensed. I slipped out into the barn this morning in my pjs to check the charging status - two thumbs up! I didn't realize the lead acid battery can lose quite a bit of charge from almost two weeks of inactivity. My inspection sticker has expired so I'm hoping to have it renewed by Saturday the latest. I'm so close to getting the CS out on the road it's painful. If I'm free I'll give you a call.
Thanks
Dino

Found a postal delivery notice in the mailbox today. Picked up the parcel........woohooooo!!! My bar risers arrived today. Installed them right before supper. Tomorrow I'll check all the cables, make sure there's enough slack from lock to lock. I'm really hoping I can get the bike in for a MVI Saturday morning...fingers crossed.
:^)

Survived the weekend. Saturday morning was the only time I could ride the bike for the first time before showing up at RPM Cycle for the MVI. I cautiously rode my bike up the street and back. I rode to the next street over because it has a cul de sac. I practiced a few slow left and right turns, wow, the handling is great and I'm glad I installed the bar risers. I carried on with my next plan which was to ride to Portland Estates bus terminal. The parking lot at the far end was empty. I practiced finding the friction zone. Moved on to a few boxes and slalomed between parking lanes. I don't know why, but turning left at slow speeds seems easier for me than turning right. Well, I was slowly turning right in a box, lost my balance, the bike leaned to the right, beyond the point of no return. I had to make a quick decision, drop the bike so I don't pull my shoulder out of joint or gently lower the bike to the pavement. After I gently lowered the bike to the pavement, I walked around, grabbed the end of the handlebar and lifted my bike off of the ground. Inspected the right side for damage. Scratched paint on the ball end of the brake lever, that was it. It was a relief to have the bike go down in an empty parking lot and not a busy gas station. I'm actually relieved, dropping a bike happens to everyone, now I don't have to worry. Been there now and done it. Bike passed the inspection with flying colours. Today I loaded up my mini traffic cones - thanks dollar store - into the topcase and headed back to the bus terminal. Practice this afternoon went much better. Two different sized boxes, slalom, figure eights and emergency stopping (wow, first time I rode a bike with ABS and holy smokin grasshoppers, it really shortens the stopping distance on dry pavement).
I will be riding the bike to work this week. Next weekend I'll be out at the parking lot getting more practice time in. Really looking forward to learing more about the riding characteristics of my CS.
:^)
Who knows, you may see me at Arby's this week
;^)

Today was the third time I rode my CS. Today was the first time I rode me CS to work.

This post concludes my blog 'The journey from shed to street' or 'Is it out yet?'

Have a safe riding season, now and in the future.
cheers,
Dino
:^)

Dino - congrats.

We'll see you down the road. Hope to see the CS real soon.

Tonight, we saw Dino at Arbys and inspected his bike for traces of dirt.
I hate to tell you but we found some......



We sent him back home to clean the bike again.

Nice bike Dino.

Bert

Dino, good to see you out tonight at Arby's. Noticed I took it easy even after that slow traffic went away, I got a signal from a biker that indicated the mounties were up ahead. Didn't hurt to take it easy anyway. The first place I pointed to was All Euro Auto - 836-1965, our friend Darren Tapley can do bike inspections there. Call ahead though for a better time slot. Other places I pointed to were Bald Eagle/Osprey nests along Rocky Lake Dr.
Now go put some more elbow grease into the F650, we don't to see those smudges again. Ha Ha