Continuing - So what did you do to your bike today...?

[KiwiCol]

I see the B&W out in front cause they're faster even on the stand lmfao 🤣

It's not that Chris,    the Black is a deviant, & likes to come from behind!   

[KiwiCol]

Looks like a nice shed Col. Always nice to have the boat garaged 

Yes, it's great now, the boat is ready to go at anytime. Makes it so much easier to get ready, I'll be using it much more frequently now.  I've also perfected the 1 man launch & retrieve, so no need to have a driver to back me in. Sweet.

[GSXKING]

I see the B&W out in front cause they're faster even on the stand lmfao 🤣

It's not that Chris,    the Black is a deviant, & likes to come from behind!   

Regardless they both look in fine fettle 👍🥇😎

[GSXKING]

Just been in the garage going over the bike checking everything and cleaning bits ad bobs. First weekend ride for a while, I've been commuting lately.
Hopefully I'll get rid of the chicken strips tomorrow. Off to Peachester via Mt.Mee etc.

[GSXKING]

Weather gods have intervened  unfortunately 
I don't mind wet weather riding normally but not today   

[GSXKING]

 

[KiwiCol]

Today I'm replacing the fork seals on the black.  Damn thing is fighting me at every turn!
It started with the front axle bolt, hasn't been off since a shop fitted new tires a few years ago, b-stards must have done it up with a fecken rattle gun!  Just wouldn't move, I thought they must have cross threaded it, but no, it was just bloody tight - too tight.  Got it started with 1m length of pipe on a ratchet, then it undid fine.
Next thing was the 14mm locknut under the fork cap nut, insanely tight for just needing a nip up. The thing that went great was the undoing of the allen bolt under the axle, cracked that & it undid just fine. Did up ok too.

When installing it again though, both fork tubes seemed to lock in the compressed position & no amount of pulling would release them, had to undo the bolt under the axle again & free it.  the yellow cap thing with a light spring in it, was jambed in tight into the top half.  I must have got 1 side done without it jambing as I've got 1 back on the bike, but the 2nd one, crap.  I'd done up the bottom bolt, lubed & installed the new seal, put the clip in & was about to fill with oil, then discovered the 2 halves were stuck in the compressed position & just no budging it.
I had to take apart again, which meant getting the new seal back out, in my haste / frustration, I forgot to remove the wire clip that holds the seal in there, bang bang, yank & more yanking, no come apart!  WTF?  Then I saw the clip still there!  ,    Managed to get the clip out & saw it had actually damaged the ali housing it sits in, had little pushed out bits where the wire was trapped & I'd been yanking on it.  Of course when the new seal came out it marked the outer of that!  Jeez!

Then found I'd lost the small spring from inside that yellow cap thing, just my lucky day I guess!  or not.  Looked everywhere in the garage as to where it could have gone to while I was trying to get the 2 halves apart. After ½ an hour of searching, the only place I hadn't looked was in the old oil drain pan, ½ full with black oil.  In I go, feeling round & eventually find it in there!  Great I've got it back, but bugger it. enough for today.

I'll have a bit of time away from it & assess what I'm gonna do with the slightly damaged retainer clip housing, probably just a light dremel. The seal should be fine as it seals on the inside, not the out.

[grog]

Hope you didnt knock your beer over when you settled for a rest. Think weve all had those sort of days. Murphys Law, if it can go wrong, it does.

[Andre]

Start a YT channel "Col's Garage". Would be a winner. 

[Hooli]

That sounds rather frustrating!

I once took a new seal back out as I couldn't get the inner bit to line up & sit on the plastic lump to get the bolt in. Not on a 14 but much the same, bloody thing leaked around the outside of the seal as soon as I rode it.

[KiwiCol]

Got it all sorted today, gentle dremel on the burs, adopted a different method of fixing the bottom bolt where I don't push on the slider whilst doing up the bolt, I had it 30 - 40mm away from bottoming out  & she went back together sweet, torqued everything up. Bounced it heaps then rode round the block with lots of heavy front brake, no leaks evident & sliders are dry.     

Reckon I'll be better prepared next time I have a crack at this.

[KiwiCol]

After a longer run I'm pleased to confirm we have a winner, all is as it should be. Happy daze.

[Globalrider]

Nothing! its still pouring! grrrr - I when into the garage an looked at it!

[Notty]

Nothing! its still pouring! grrrr - I when into the garage an looked at it!

same here Stan - endless rain 
@globalrider

[grog]

Same here. 31/57 days of rain 2024. Nearly 800 mm. Super hot days, hard to get a dry ride, mow the grass every week, continuous weed spraying. So over it.