Garage Talk

Garage Talk
(tidbits from fellow ZWingers.....about motorcycle maintenance/repair)

Rubber gromet (or however you spell it) on side panels & elsewhere on the bike - To prevent them from falling off of your bike, ZIP TIE them. The panel will go on & you won't have to worry about losing panels while going down the road (because you've lost 1 or 2 gromets)
(Paul Burt)

Trunk & SaddleBag Chafing

Being in the aerospace industry gives me access to certain high quality industrial strength materials. Case in point Mylar tape and Teflon tape (not the white plumbers tape). Mylar tape is amber in color but the surface is a very hard, can with stand high temperatures, is highly polished and is a single sided contact tape. Teflon is known to many of you and a nonstick surface. The Teflon tape I used is gray, slicker than snot and a single sided contact tape.

These to are perfect when used together to prevent chafing. I used the Mylar tape on the flat surfaces (will not adhere to uneven surfaces easily). I used the Teflon tape on the small protrusions (the little "guys" causing all the trouble) lining the edge of the trunk.

I installed about 3 ft 3 " of ¼” diameter fuel line (purchaced at Advanced Auto for about 75 cents/foot) into the molding in the trunk lid giving an even space all the way around the lid when it is closed. Some people use the Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers, which does the same job for about $8. Only install about 1/2 to 3/4 circumference around from the front leaving the back vacant. I did the same thing to the saddlebags.

I like the idea of the soft part of the Velcro added to the trunk lid. I’ll do that this weekend. The use of a hard and polished surface against soft and slippery surface means that there will be little friction. The Velcro will keep the lid equally spaced if it is properly placed.

One last point, DON'T SLAM THE TRUNK LID OR SADDLEBAGS! Lay the trunk lid down and apply pressure until you feel and hear 2 clicks. Don't use the trunk lid to stow heavy objects when traveling.

Raise the saddle bag cover up and apply pressure until you feel and hear 2 clicks.

(Van)

The Service Bulletin Belly Pan for the GL 1800.

For those of you that do not have a Belly Pan installed on your bike, "Hear me now, believe me later".

I was riding with a friend (Ken Ruddy: Ch-P) enjoying the country side down south, near Pine Mountain.

Ken was riding ahead of me when he darted out of the lane just missing what looked like a standard red clay brick.

Well, I nailed it. The brick shattered, part of it hit under the bike somewhere. When we stopped to gas up and eat I looked under

the bike and found a big dent in the Belly Pan. The force of the impact was so intense, it tore the metal at the center of the dent.

The Belly Pan held and did not allow the object to pas through it. Later that week I removed the Belly Pan to inspect everything.

The dent was just under the plastic coolant over flow bottle (part of the radiator cooling system).

The bottom line, the Belly Pan protected the bikes cooling system from springing a leak. Money well spent.

See Ya

Ride safe and stay away from those vicious little red bricks ;0)
(Van)

Sanding of wood & fiberglass components on trailer lids
The tricky part is maintaining proper speed and alignment with the bike. After reaching a steady speed (optimal speed is 15mph) trailer should be flipped onto its top (wheels in the air) and continue driving down the road for a minimum of 50 yards. Concrete is preferable to asphalt. Once this maneuver is completed, you're ready to re-paint or re-varnish. Best results are achieved if you have Ray Roberts following behind you.....have him ride up under your trailer at the most opportune time for best results. (he has experience, and you'll have success on your first go)
(submitted by the blue trailer that Greg Bailey was pulling)