| Author | Message | ||
     Greg_cifu |
Chuck, Al, Newcomb's is questionable right now but, if I go, I'm going to be there by 11:00 AM and should be there at LEAST two hours. No point in making a showing without decorating the parking lot for a few hours. I'm usually a weekday or late evening guy (fewer people) but, I love Newcomb's when the parking lot is full. Nothing better than being surrounded by all those bikes.  Now the reason for possibly not making it: I just rode the bike. Yikes, something (many things?) is very wrong. I'll admit I didn't check the tire pressures (running out of daylight for pics) but, they looked solid. The tires are also original so, that could have been it. I only rode it three miles to a spot for pictures, then home. The bike has a very spooky weave/wobble...enough that on a few cracks in the road, I thought the bike was going to go down (no joke). I just wanted to get it home in one piece. I'm so ashamed: I got passed by a Road King and a pickup truck. I'm going to assume the tires are low on air, the rubber is hard and the carcasses aint what they used to be. The new tires go on tomorrow (that's why the rush for pics tonight). The only other thing it could possibly be would be one or more damaged rubber mounts (age, cracking, shearing?). How different are these mounts from later models? The other issue is damping...or lack of it. The front and back are both bouncing with no indication gushing oil sounds. I know how unlikely that seems on a 3600 mile bike but...it is what it is. I'll polish the wheels, swap the tires, wash it again, then play with the adjusters. Maybe they're just dialed all the way back. Got pix and the hosting issues are straightened out. I'll crop and start posting in a few hours. | ||
| Court |
Check the front tire pressure to start. Good news ...... Your neighbor Al is fluent in these things and we have significant resources. We'll have that baby ship shape in no time. Thanks for the report. | ||
| Greg_cifu |
OK, you guys have been patiently reading my yammering so, here is what you've been waiting for: LOTS of pictures. This is as-bought, plus one quick wash after it came off the trailer and a coat of wax on the paint.          A Corbin seat, right from the factory.      Muffler Bracket 1.0 sure looks a lot different than the dog-bone it evolved into. Also notice how clean the cad plating is on the engine fasteners, yet the clutch cable clamp has a blush of rust on it. There are little details like that all over the bike that need attention.  This is the brown goo on the chain. Can anybody tell me if that's actually cosmoline from the original shipping and the dealer didn't remove it?  One of two flaws in the paint. This looks like a faint stress crack on the right edge of the fairing. It's the only one on the bike.  This is a single, vertical line in the paint, just to the right of the headlight. It looks too perfect to be a stress crack. Was there a mold parting line here?  The toolkit. Is this original?  Please, guys, anything that you see that doesn't look right or think I should know before I proceed with taking things apart, polishing & cleaning, I'm all ears. | ||
| Court |
See if the toolkit says Waukesha hospital on it anywhe? It's not original but brings back many fond memories. Nothing on that bike that can't be made perfect.. Darn thing is pure art. When I get back to NYC I want to do some digging into files, find out who built it and get some information. You are fortunate to have Al local.......ply him with good coffee ..... He knows a lot. | ||
| Davegess |
court, I think that tool kit is original, at least the case is. I can't remember but didn't someones one sew those things up for us? With the exception of the axle wrench, we we had made, everything else was really inexpensive hardware store tools. that bike is very clean and very original. There are real experts out there but that is as close to original as my faulty memory can stand. | ||
| Greg_cifu |
Dave, you just described this toolkit perfectly. There are two axle wrenches that look like they were punched, then cad plated. Everything else looks like it was found next to the register at the hardware store: pliers with red handles (still in the plastic), a small plastic bag of allen wrenches, two screwdrivers, a small crescent wrench, etc. I'll post more pictures, with a full inventory. Time to change the tires... BTW: should I bottle and save the air from the tires? I figure that most of it was last free somewhere in that quonset hut.  (thanks again to both of you for writing that book or lots of us wouldn't even know about the quonset hut) (Message edited by greg_cifu on August 05, 2011) | ||
| Ebutch |
It,s a Many Seals of Approval !!!!!!  | ||
| Hugie03flhr |
I love the way Buell designed those handle bars. That whole bike defines Bike Art. I'm a little concerned about that chain. I don't know if there's a chain guide or a rubbing block but something is really pushing against the chain.... | ||
| Greg_cifu |
Tires / handling: checked it this morning: 25 PSI front and rear. On most bikes, not low enough to be as squirrelly as this was behaving. With this front end geometry, I guess that was it (small trail number + low pressure =  ). At 35 PSI, it was just fine for a trip to DMV and lunch. Now there is oil coming from somewhere on the right side of the bike...and the left side of the bike. Left side is probably somebody overfilled the tank (seen it before). Gonna' check that. Right side is a little less obvious. Maybe output shaft seal? Dunno. Not enough to drip but, enough to get on the chain and make a mess. Maybe it's also oil tank and it spilled over both sides. The bike runs great and with the mild-tune engine (my first stock Sportster), it's amazing how gently it lights off and huffs its way into an idle. Time to clean up the oil and change the tires. | ||
| Psykick_machanik |
cool thats all i have to say about that. | ||
| Charlies_s1 |
Try to let me know by tomorrow afternoon if you get it sorted and the tires on, I'm going to try to talk my brother into riding up with me. Yea I know what you mean about crowds, Just part of it I guess. Bike looks great and i'm sure it won't be hard to get her looking perfect. Thanks for sharing this with us, Chuck. | ||
| Tbolt98 |
Beautiful specimen... congratulations and enjoy! | ||
| Greg_cifu |
It's cosmoline. Most of the mess wasn't oil, it was melted and flung cosmoline! This was even after washing it the other night. I need to pull the chain and soak it in solvent to get this stuff off. Gunk ain't doing it. And the master link won't budge (it's actually got a clipped masterlink...WTH?). I'll deal with it later and clean up the mess in the meantime. Three hours of washing, detailing and inspecting. The oil tank is overfilled by at least an inch and the top of the tank is oily. Now we know where the mystery oil was probably coming from. Damping adjusters were all backed out fully, as was the hydraulic preload. That was probably the 'boing-boing-boing' ride. Who made this shock? After crawling around on the ground with a toothbrush and rag, I've got even more appreciation for the hardware chosen for this bike. Damn, that shock is beautiful! Finally got a little bit of shade. Maybe I'll finally get to those tires (I keep getting sidetracked with cleaning and polishing). No problem, Chuck. I will surely know by tomorrow afternoon. Things are sorting out rapidly so unless there is some surprise waiting, it's getting ridden up there. | ||
| Jdodd |
Holy ••••••, Holy ••••••. Damn that is one fine ride. Congrats and color me jealous. | ||
| Davegess |
That is a WP shock, same for the forks. | ||
| Greg_cifu |
Thanks, Dave. Wasn't sure if it was WP or Works Performance. 3:45 AM and I just finished with swapping tires, polishing wheels, cleaning disc carriers and reassembling all of it. Too damn hot during the day to do this stuff. So, can anybody clue me in on what I should do with the diaper pin before whatever happens, happens? For those interested in Newcomb's Ranch on Sunday, everything looks good on this end. I need to test ride it with the new tires but, there isn't much left that could go wrong. | ||
| Jumbo_petite |
Greg Congrats on the bike. I am also Very fortunate to have bought a clean, original early model tuber (95 S2). It had 239.4 miles on it when I bought and have added a few miles, but still very weary every time I take it out. Mike | ||
| Sparky |
A tubers ride to Newcombs, cool! What time approx? Meetup at Glendale HD/B or other place? | ||
| Davegess |
Works did the early ones. I think all of those were in cans. WP came on board with the five speed models. Several low serial number bikes will have suspension that was assembled by the management team and a few other volunteers in Holland who came in during their August vacation period to allow us to ship bikes. We didn't think about the month long shutdown when we ordered parts. They were very excited abut being on the Buell. | ||
| Greg_cifu |
Just got home from an 80 mile ride. The bike runs great. The rear shock still has issues or I'm just too damned heavy. I'll have more pictures posted tonight (gotta' size 'em). I'm on for tomorrow: Newcomb's Ranch from 11:00 until at least 1:00 or whenever I get sick of hanging out. I'm eating lunch there. Don't know if anybody else wants to join. Can't meet any of you to ride up though. You all live on the wrong side of the mountain (I'm in Palmdale). I get to take the fun ride up AND back. | ||
| 1313 |
Hate to disagree with Court but, as Dave said, that tool kit is original. I seem to remember some variation in the fabric pattern, so not all will be white with blue stripes if my memory serves. Court's reference to Waukesha hospital is likely due to the bedsheets that were used to wrapped painted parts that were shipped out of Buell. I'm not even a white bike kind of person, but that RS is SWEET! 1313 | ||
| Onahog |
Very Nice.. i contacted the ebay seller about it as well, but being a kit bike, Canadaian importation woulda bin a bit tricky, even tho it met the 15+ year old requirement.. As far as the inside of the tank, my 90 RS , that Gavin now has, was flaking as well... I purchase a coating kit, carefull disassembled the tank, mask it all of very well..recoated, and had no paint issues at all...The coating went in very well and provided a clean good surface.... Who really need carb issues when in the middle of Bum F__ anywhere... It may not be OEM coating, But it will definetly make the rest of the OEM machine Happy... Anyhow, nice score...Congrates... i still Love my S2T better than the 90 RS tho..My opinion soley..!!   | ||
| Leftcoastal |
My RS had a teflon (?) rub block on the top of the front part of the swingarm that made the chain look very similar to the photo of Greg's chain. Mine didn't have all that cosmoline on it so the rubbed part wasn't as obvious, but the first time I saw it I kinda freaked. I looked all over to find what was wrong but realized it rubbed on that block when I backed off the throttle. I heard it rub, but early on when I first had the bike, I thought it was the turbo spooling down. Newcombs Sunday? YES? NO? maybe? | ||
| Greg_cifu |
Yup, posted above...in...I'll be there by 11:00 AM but, I'm riding from the other side of the mountain (Palmdale). It looks like a few others might be coming as well. Don't know if you guys want to meet somewhere down there. 1313: yes, I hear ya' on the white thing. My S2 is already white/white so red or blue would have worked better for me (both are gorgeous looking in the photos). As I'm sure you understand, it was hard to look at the white metallic paint shimmering in the sun and say, "Nah, I've already got a white bike." I comfort myself by remembering that this white metallic is very different looking from the S2's White Pearl. Sorry I don't know you but, your post sounds like you were at the factory at the time. Can you confirm that the Dymo label on the master cylinder reservoir is not original (says: DOT 5 ONLY)? My thought was that it might something only put onto the kit bikes to ensure things were assembled properly at the receiving dealership (and was supposed to be removed). It seems odd that the previous owner would have added it. He was very particular about keeping everything original. Blah, blah, blah...words, I know, more pictures. Here are another dozen from today: 85 miles shakedown and photo trip:             | ||
| Charlies_s1 |
I'll see you guys up at Newcomb's, Sparky I really don't know for sure what time I'm going to leave here so It might work better for me to meet you at the ranch. Going to be nice to ride the crest now that they have it open, I know, I know it's been open for a bit now, Back in the day that was one or favorite rides. See ya guys. I hope to make it in time for lunch. | ||
| Davegess |
I don't think the Dymo was original, BUT I don't remember those kits all that well. I do know that they were really shipped pretty much all all assembled so no need for a label to remind anyone of the correct fluid. I suspect someone later added it as a reminder because DOT 5 was pretty new. | ||
| Davegess |
How much preload on that rear shock? | ||
| Msr203 |
I love the seat such an great idea wish my s3 had that | ||
| Greg_cifu |
I gave it some more cranks on the preload. That might take care of some of the spring rate issue (or I could just lose weight--260 lbs). The other problem is damping: I don't seen oil leaking out ANYWHERE, yet playing with the damping adjusters seems to do nothing. Unless the shock surgically puked its oil ten years ago and left no trace, I just don't see how it could be that way. Higher numbers are 'more' (slower) damping on this shock, right? She goes back into 'storage' after today so, there will be time to sort that out. Gotta' get out of here. More pics later tonight. | ||
| Davegess |
260 is pretty close to the load limit so you might have to crank it up pretty high. I think there is a possibility that you don't have any nitrogen left. That is if my memory is correct and that little can has gas in it. Brankin do you remember? Anyone else with one of these? I remember it being very easy to lose the gas by fooling with the connections. |
