I finally received all the bits I needed and rebuilt the rear end, clutch etc on this 86 K100 RS. I got it on the hiway south to the Gold Coast yesterday at speed and it's way better than it was, a lot more sure footed. It really liked cruising up around 140Kms but my licence won't last long if I keep that up on the Gold Coast Hiway

I came back along the logan motorway which has some fast sweeping bends down the southern end and I can still feel the bike wallowing, like it's hinged in the center. The front tyre is dated 2006 but it's still got about 50% tread on it with no sign of the rubber cracking or anything like that. At low speed going round corners I'm sure I can feel something knocking and it seems to be forward.

I've just now taken it out for a run to get it hot and replaced the fork oil with grade 5 while it was hot. I was very careful this time to get all the old stuff out and more so in measuring and inserting the new oil.

I'll be going down Brisbane Valley again on Saturday to see if this fixed it but if not should I be suspecting the front tyre at all or should I go straight in and open up the forks for a look? The forks would probably be the cheaper option and sections of that bit in the manual have been highlighted by a previous owner so something's been done to them in the past.

Have you checked the steering head bearings or overtightened them after replacing them.

I spend at least 2 hours trying to get those bearings where I wanted them after swapping the top one. It definitely isn't an easy job. Are they too tight? I dunno. With the fairing gaiters on it doesn't want to flop side to side anymore but it did before the gaiters went on. It does seem to want to turn into slow corners a lot, I have to muscle it back on track. I thought that was cos it's so heavy. Seems a lot better at speed

The grade 5 oil has made a big difference to the front, it's far better than it was with grade 10. I do however notice a fine oil film on the left stanchion and I now feel a blemish in the chrome up high on that leg. I'm not sure if it's low enough to hit the seal but I'm pretty sure I completely cleaned the chrome after changing the oil this arvo.

might be worth a polish up with some really fine wet and dry ....and wd 40 as the lubricant-- wetting agent


just a thought

and chuck that tyre asap

2006 is abit long in the tooth, most tyres are dated for replacement after 5 years sfter that they start to go hard, maybe the diffulty in turn in is also the tyre hardening up, (ever driven a heavy layden truck tht has sat overnight, the first thing you feel is a flat spot) bike may have other telltale signs before you get to lack of grip, perhaps the turn in is one of them. If when heeled over you are feeling something perhaps that is also a sign, Its a troublesome thing though if you use them they wear out if you dont they go off, most people wear them out first, i think thats the way to go.

OkyDoky, I get the hint

I was hoping to avoid another $160 but I guess there is no option really. It has to go.

I'll see if the bm shop will do a deal on a tyre and that disk rotor he has.

I dont know where in Brisvegas you are but Mick in Church st Goodna has real good deals on tyres, best in Brisbane
Charlie goes there and I used to before I started importing them from US. But the $ is a bit knackered now so may buy from the local guy.

I'm at Carindale so Goodna is as far as Stafford. Got a business name or phone number?

BM shop only has Mitchies or Continental. There's a ME880 on the front and another new metzler on the back.

Got a business name or phone number?


Found it :
Mad Micks
79 Church St Goodna
07 38181208

160 ? wow that's dear ...more like 130

mick gets real busy on weekends (Saturdays in particular )
have been there at 7.10 am and been 4 th in line ....all done and dusted by 2.00 pm

far easier to drop in the wheel to be fitted ....have had it done in under an hour that way

best prices around though

best to phone first through the week (when he does car stuff all day ).... and find out what he has at the moment .... not all brands either, is often the case.
just a heads up

He's not answering the phone today, tried a few times. Most places I rang wanted $160-$190 for metzlers, mitchies or continentals. Avon roadrunners where about $140 but they seem to be getting a bit of bad press lately. The motobike tyre warehouse at Brendale has a Dunlop GT501 Arrowmax H rated for $120 fitted if I take the rim to them. This old Metzler ME880 is H rated. That'll do me and while I'm over that way I'll grab some new pads from Metal Gear for $20 a pair and that 2nd hand rotor from bm shop for $110 on the way back. Ahhhh ... Pink Floyds Money is playing in my head .....

WOW ... hasn't that made a difference. That old tyre must have been square or something.

I'm pretty sure that's fixed everything.

We'll see what it's like on those sweeping roads around the dams tomorrow.

The other tip is to pay close attention to getting the front axle bolt installed correctly it is possible to get it off so the wheel is canted over a bit. (don't ask me how I know this)
Regards,
K-BIKE

aye indeed .... kbike

visited micks today ....to replace the rear and treadless tyre .... he's away till the 8th it seems

ill post the price when I get it done

Just got back from a trip around the dams and that new tyre has resolved all the handling issues. It's now almost on rails right up to around 160Ks.

I stopped into a friends property out that way for a chat and a herd of very young cattle took a liking to the front end of the bike. I chased them off and noticed fork oil leaking from that suspect fork with the blemish in the chrome. Looks like it's coming off anyway ....

hmm back to "rad" for some hard chroming ?

good to hear of the handling improvement

ride well !

Cheers Charlie, I was wondering what to do about re chroming if needed.

I really should have stripped the forks in the first place but I have done it before years ago and sort of avoided it on this outing. They have so many parts inside and some have to be the right way up etc. It's a bit of a nightmare. Got no choice now though, it has to be done

Next week I expect.

On another note, I went down to moss street today to buy a new pair of gloves. At the checkout the smartarsed sales guy asked if that was an original dryrider jacket I was wearing and asked if it still kept water out, they had a full range of new jackets. I told him it may be 30years old but if your onto a good thing, stick with it ...