Return-Path: From: east@big.att.com Date: Wed, 5 Jul 95 16:21:27 EDT Reply-To: east@big.att.com Sender: east@big.att.com Original-From: sew@feds17.CV.COM (Stephen Woodbridge x5290) To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Arrgh! I broke my VFR!!!! X-Comment: East Coast Motorcyclists Mailing List Sorry if you see this more than once, I have cross posted this to three lists. Well I just got home from ~3500 mile 13 day camping tour that started with RCR IV followed by a ride south thru the Smoky Mountains and Deal's Gap then north along the Blue Ridge Parkway and north from Roanoake, VA thru VA, WV, PA, NJ, NY to southern VT and back to the Boston Area. A more detailed trip report will follow. I was able to get all the way to VT with the biggest hassle being lots of rain and the fact that I wore up my tires and had to get new ones in Roanoake. I went to visit my brother and parked in his field (it was the flatest (and not very at that) area around and locked up my bike while we 4-wheeled to the top of his mountain. When I got back to my bike, I was worried about getting the bike out of the field which entailed get across a small ditch and on to level ground before loading my daughter on the back for the ride home. I rev'ed the engine to have a little momentum to cross the ruff ground, slid out the clutch. Just as I get to the lip of the ditch, BANG! the bike stalls, I struggle for footing and just barely hold on to it. The adrenelin has pushed my mind into overdrive - and suddenly it figures out the problem - you didn't take the f*~@ing disk lock off! I walk around to get the disk lock and stomach sinks faster than the setting sun as I notice that the brake pads are hanging from the caliper! On closer inspection I find that I have broken the L-shaped mounting braket for the right side caliper at the lower mounting point. This stupidity on my part happened the afternoon of July 3rd and I couldn't find a Honda dealer that was open which probably would not have solved my problem as it is unlikely that they would stock this part. So after going thru the posibilities of loading the bike in my brother's truck, trying to find a machine shop the could weld the bracket, we stopped at a Kawasaki dealer that was open and I was able to get a nut and bolt and two crush washers so I could seal off the right side hydralic line. This didn't work until my brother came up with some tefon pipe thread tape to stop the hydralic fluid from leaking thru the threads of the nut and bolt. I was able to get the bike home and my hack held up, luckly I didn't have to stress test it with any hard braking. I ordered parts which will cost over a $100 including priority mailing, because I have to have it repaired and tested before next Tuesday when I have an appointment at Loudon for CLASS. The parts should come to my house on Friday and hopefully it will go back together with out additional problems. I know I not the first person and wouldn't be the last to do something so stupid, but boy am I pissed at myself and I always set the lock close to the caliper so I won't get any momentum up before it contacts should I be so stupid as to do what I just did :-( saddly it didn't help. One more expensive lesson in life! -Steve PS: I'm on digest so email important comments directly to me, thanks. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Stephen Woodbridge 95 VFR750 Red HOT! (( Computervision Corp 79 KZ750B Project )) Dangerous 100 Crosby Drive MS:21-108 84 GPz750 (for sale) (( Curves Bedford, MA 01730 DoD# 1480, KotT )) Ahead AMA# 398523 (( Standard disclaimer - these are my own ideas, views, etc. ))