|
|
Post by nulldevice on May 17, 2015 18:04:20 GMT -5
if i could temporarily change the title of this thread to "what would you have done to your scooter today if your mailman wasn't dyslexic."  just spent an hour of my time at the post office trying to track down my scooter parts. i will pay extra for signature or i won't order from now on. an extra $2.  could have saved me this headache. Are you sure it is the post office and not UPS, Fedex or some other shipper that claims to have delivered your parts? |
|
|
|
Post by nulldevice on May 12, 2015 20:01:58 GMT -5
Today I finished constructing and installed daylight running lights (Mark V). s1359.photobucket.com/user/42nulldevice42/media/TMAX%20Farkles/DSCN0252_zpsdqcdaryv.jpg.htmls1359.photobucket.com/user/42nulldevice42/media/TMAX%20Farkles/DSCN0260_zpsvqshnbjr.jpg.htmlTwo ten watt LEDs each JB Welded to half a computer heat sink. The housings are 1 1/2 inch plastic plumbing trap pieces cut to fit and JB Welded to the heat sinks. The insides are lined with aluminum foil. The lenses are 44 mm planoconvex projector lenses that fit perfectly. They are so bright the reflective road signs glow on a cloudy day. I haven't the scooter out after dark, but I think I have what I want. I have aimed the hot spots about halfway between the low and high beam and a little off the the right to keep from blinding oncoming traffic. I also made and installed a new slightly larger wind shield extension to replace the old one that has stopped too many bugs. Nothing really new there, so no pictures were taken.  |
|
|
|
Post by nulldevice on May 10, 2015 14:11:47 GMT -5
null, just so you know, my fingernails are usually torn, too. While I don't get grease, I do get grime and sometimes even mud (I do photography). And sometimes I get oil paint on me too. I figure we each have our strengths. And yes, you big hairy chested mechanics  (oooo!) are born with the skills needed for working on your machine. While I was born with the skills to play flutes and piano, and paint, and write stories. You are right though that the knowledge for both of us is paid rather than born in us. While I don't have lots of money, I *am* willing to pay the competent honest mech for the knowledge he's purchased that allows him to use the skills he was born with. And you're totally right that it's the honest competent that I'm looking for. I found one for my car. But I keep losing the ones for my scooter. Sigh. Maybe I'm a bike-mech jinx? >'Kat I worked on bicycles as a child because buying new ones or paying shops to fix them was out of the question, and if you wanted to get out and do things, you needed a bike. I don't think we are born to do things, but our personalities and our opportunities guide us to things we can do. When you don't have the money to pay other people, you just do what you have to do. If I were you, I'd ask a friend with a trailer to take it to the shop for you. If I were your neighbor I wouldn't hesitate to help you out. It is the combination of desire and practice. I made my living pulling wrenches in industrial maintainance shops. I have also entranced audiences playing various musical instruments in my free time. I dont know which is the bigger thrill -- watching a three story fifty yard long machine come to life or suddenly realize five hundred people are quietly humming along as I play my lap dulcimer. |
|
|
|
Post by nulldevice on May 9, 2015 19:13:29 GMT -5
OK you prototypical blond female non-mechanic. You don't really think the big, hairy chested, begrimed hands, axle grease inside his underwear mechanic was born with the knowledge and skills needed for working on their machine, do you? No, they paid tuition.
The tuition involves money of course to buy parts broken taking stuff apart, more parts broken putting it back together, buying the non-returnable wrong part, the original part needed to fix it, shop manuals, books and magazines written by professionals who know what they are about, and tools. Other tuition is in the form of torn fingernails, scuffed knuckles, smashed/pinched fingers, ground in grease and grime, laying down on a cold garage floor or on wet, muddy ground to get at the pieces and parts, getting zapped by the ignition system, burned on hot motor parts or shorted battery cables . . . The list goes on.
You too can pay the tuition and do all the "easy" and not so easy stuff yourself.
Admit YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THIS GREASE AND GRIME THING and you aren't going to do it. You have money, are willing to spend it for a competent, honest mechanic's services, and promise (?) not to squeal too loud about what it costs.
As I see it, expensive mechanics are common, finding honest competent mechanics is the really hard part. Good luck.
|
|
|
|
Post by nulldevice on May 9, 2015 18:30:42 GMT -5
I didn't get 2000 miles over two months out of each of the three cheap scooters I bought before there were problems that left me stranded somewhere.
22,000 miles over two and a half years on my Yamaha TMAX and absolutely no reliability issues. None. Zero. Zilch. Nada.
Your backup scooter will do you no good if you are stranded half way between work and home or home and errand destination. You're stuck and now have to find a way to get the scooter home as well. Go with Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Vespa, Piaggio . . . You will be glad you did.
It's nice to have the peace of mind durability and reliability gives.
|
|
|
|
Post by nulldevice on May 7, 2015 10:38:07 GMT -5
If only we were allowed trailer towing on our scooters in south Africa. Had plans everything set then read or traffic law. Nice build enjoy That's too bad. Are side cars allowed? if so hook a trailer up ever so slightly a small fraction of an inch off center and call it a side car. |
|
|
|
Post by nulldevice on May 6, 2015 16:47:01 GMT -5
Yes, building has been fun and educational to this retired pipe fitter/machine repairman. If you do build one go ahead and hitch it to your scooter. Nothing, except maybe a Big Daddy Roth Rat Fink paint job, attracts attention like a home made one wheel trailer. Add an antique Allis-Chalmers tractor seat to the scooter and you have a bike night winner.
|
|
|
|
Post by nulldevice on May 6, 2015 11:13:29 GMT -5
Yes, I used the Rustoleum safety yellow trailer. The only change was to remount the hitch so the arms were near the bottom of the box instead of the top and moved the hitch quill back to the axle. It has the long, low look of the green unit you posted a picture of. Since the trailer geometry now resembles a fifth wheel trailer I now try to get the center of gravity towards the back to ease the load on the hitch and scooter. Because of the high lean angle of my TMAX the trailer is now about as low to the ground as I can get it and not drag anything during the kickstand dragging curves. Any lower and I would have to narrow the body. A wider body and I would need to raise it. Adding a suspension would make that consideration more subject to variation, and I found the tire with 10 to 15 PSI in it takes care of a lot of the road irregularities without bouncing. I thought about using rooftop carrier boxes, but the ones I found are either too short, or to wide, or too long for my needs. With the use of screws, glue, 1/4 inch floor underlay, a little bit of 3/4 inch plywood, and 1 by 2 lumber I can get exactly what I want at a surprisingly low weight. That way I also spend a lot of time rather than a lot of money. I have lots of one and a limited supply of the other. With this latest series of experimentation I have found out it is best if the vertical portion of the U-joint is coupled to the scooter. The geometry in a turn works out much better if it stays vertical instead of leaning forward or backward. I now have these rules of thumb. Keep the loaded trailer center of gravity low. Keep the hitch point low. If you need more space, prefer length and depth. Keep it narrow. Make sure the trailer has enough lean angle to match your tow vehicle. Scooter, you found and posted many of the pictures I used as inspiration. With that much interest you must be thinking about building one yourself. When are you building yours? |
|
|
|
Post by nulldevice on May 5, 2015 12:21:44 GMT -5
This trailer project has been a great one for me. Every time I make a change I think I am done. What really happens is as I eliminate one bad behaviour a new one becomes manifest. I put the trailer back down on the scooter axle because it did a hopping jerking as I went around corners at a significant lean and having the hitch up high magnified the effect on the scooter. It is even better on the straights and gentle curves, but the hopping cornering continued.
I finally figured out what the problem is. It is the tire. The rim runs true, the tire side wall runs true, tire radial run out is true,but the tread has about a 1/8 plus inch lateral run out! I would really like to know how a tire mould can be that far out of line.
Now to find a tubeless eight inch scooter tire, the fatter the better. I find 3.50-8 tires but would like a wider tire than that to get lots of deflection before the rim pinches the tire between the rim and a curb edge.
R&D is time consuming and can be expensive. I am beginning to understand the prices the one wheel trailer manufacturers want for their product.
|
|
|
|
Post by nulldevice on Apr 17, 2015 9:44:50 GMT -5
I have a major gripe about car driver sight lines. The A pillars are so wide and rear view mirror so low because of the On Star enclosure of our 2008 Buick Lucerne can hide an SUV from view as I go around corners and on a sharp turn. Reflective paint won't help there. A bike doesn't stand a chance with this car. Next car we get I'll keep the '06 Taurus and trade the Buick off.
|
|
|
|
Post by nulldevice on Apr 11, 2015 19:10:31 GMT -5
I'm looking forward to the event. A suggestion -- how about posting the full address for the various venues so the out of town participant can find them. The web page doesn't give a clue.
|
|
|
|
Post by nulldevice on Apr 9, 2015 17:56:58 GMT -5
I just have to do something for the scoot during the NE Ohio winter or get cabin fever.
Last winter:
Made a new trailer hitch point for my TMAX
Modified and repainted the one wheel trailer for better towing and appearance.
Serviced the variator
Replaced the belt.
Replaced all the brake pads
Replaced all three air filters
It got a new set of tires last fall.
Sometime this summer
A paver stone path to get my scooter out of the muddy bog that is my back yard in the spring.
I will probably make a new wind shield extension
Next winter I plan to completely redo the trailer to lighten it up and improve its appearance.
Minor projects on the back burner are
A new home made LED auxiliary headlight or two
Brake and turn lights on the top box
A new air scoop for the wind shield vent holes
Maybe mount the air horn, relay, and compressor I've had for years
|
|
|
|
Post by nulldevice on Apr 7, 2015 19:13:34 GMT -5
If you decide the kart seat doesn't work for you, consider a tractor seat pan. www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/universal-steel-pan-tractor-seat I mounted one on my last scooter and had long distance comfort. I got some incredulous looks too. They couldn't believe the bare metal seat could be comfortable. While it was much better than stock just a little bit of padding, a waffle gel car seat pad from Walmart, made it great. Shape is everything in a seat. |
|
|
|
Post by nulldevice on Apr 4, 2015 18:44:48 GMT -5
Mods or no mods, your starter system is weak.
After you check the red power cable to the starter and engine ground connections, jump start it with a charged car battery and let us know what happens. Make sure the car is NOT running when you do this or you WILL FRY your voltage regulator.
|
|
|
|
Post by nulldevice on Apr 4, 2015 12:28:07 GMT -5
Get on the Skyline Drive at Front Royal VA and run all the way to Waynesboro VA.
At Waynsboro VA get on the Blue Ridge Parkway and keep going all the way to Cherokee NC.
Expect to take a week for just that part of the trip to skim the surface of what's there. There are lots of stops and overlooks and things to see and do.
I have only done it in late September/early October, but expect cool weather on part of the ride. The elevation on the parkway is over 6000 feet in places. For me last September it was a cool crisp fall day in Asheville NC when I left my sister's place, but it turned into a cold, damp, foggy, soggy day at 5-6000 feet on the blueridge.
At that time of year the traffic is nearly non-existent. Let us know what it's like during prime tourist season.
|
|
could have saved me this headache.
