What have you tinkered with today?

[Littlepeahead]

I broke the lock on the scorers box door. Thought I was going to be in there all weekend but luckily I managed to get hold of the Estates on duty manager who came and let me out. This is why I shouldn't tinker, I break things.

[Zim]

Fitted an SW-Motech "alu-rack" for a top box. It was a fairly easy fit, no real instructions as such, just a fairly basic but well labelled exploded diagram and a parts ID sheet. Took about two hours as I'm big on tea breaks and don't rush. Actually, there is one part of the install that involves putting aluminium "barrels" in between the welded helmet strap brackets under the pillion seat that was fairly tricky to align well enough to allow a bolt through. The rest was easy.

I got the givi top box on ebay for just over half RRP in excellent condition. Fits two lids (mine and my wife's, I'm not Zaphod Beeeblebrox).

I'm considering the SW-Motech side panniers next, but I'm out of cash...

I took my rear wheel off for the first time. That was interesting.

It had a small nail in so I took it in for repair. As I needed to adjust the chain too, I thought I'd do it myself so just took the wheel in. That was fine. It was putting it back on that was a struggle...

Trying to hold the wheel in the right place, while getting the disc in between the brake pads, while holding the right side spacer in place and knocking the axel bolt through was a challenge to say the least.

After quite a bit of struggling I managed to get it all on. Then reached to get the bracket and nut that go on the outside of the swing arm, and realised I'd forgot about the left spacer! You really can't just squeeze it in, so it all came off, and I struggled to get it all on again.

All back on, both spacers, not catching the brakes etc as lined up beautifully. And spins for ages as I'd greased it all up. "Hold on a minute, it's spinning for ages and something doesn't look right!" Aaarrrgggghhhhhh THE CHAIN!

Fine, lets take it all off again, and start from the beginning. I did get it done, all by myself. And I'm pleased I did it. It's all part of learning I guess. I certainly won't be making the same mistakes again. Now, I know it's not exactly an engine rebuild. But considering I have the mechanical knowledge of a two year old, it's a start

[maviczap]

Captive spacers are the answer to your problem

[Littlepeahead]

I have changed the air filter on my BMW GS all by myself, only chipped one fingernail, needed only 2 tools from my girly pink toolkit and it took 20 minutes.

We spent over 2 hours just getting as far as exposing the air box on CMSD2's Triumph Tiger at our college class on Wednesday then putting the bike back together so could get home. You have to remove lights, indicators, several fairings, tank and that was with 2 of us working on it. No wonder the dealer charges so much.

[NTECUK]

Sometime form over function seams to be the order of the day.
To check/ top up the coolant in the radiator (I honestly don't trust header tanks) on the Daytona is side faring off!
Today I have mostly been wall paper stripping.
Mad sun's out warm and dry! Getting old

[Sir Trev]

I refilled the spool on the strimmer, and then swore every five seconds as it misfed all the way round the lawn... Time to go hunt down a how-to vid on YouTube as I cannot see how winding nylon twine into a bobbin can go so wrong!

[admin]

Lol. Had a similar problem till I realised I was winding it in the wrong direction.

sent via Pony Express

[NTECUK]

Spent the later half of the afternoon stripping a zx6 for spares.

[jonny.boyd]

Managed to finish fixing up this little beast and spent a day having a good play around in some fields



Massive grin factor!!!!