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Username: | Scs1 |
Full Name: | Nathan Cavanagh |
E-mail Address: | (Hidden) |
Last Logged In: | September 03, 2014 |
Registered: | November 22, 2008 |
Total Posts: | 56 |
Status: | RR1000 |
Home Page URL: | |
Birthday (Year) & Occupation: | 1975, Field Service Engineer |
City: | Aptos |
State/Province: | CA |
Country: | USA |
Personal Quote: | More torque than tach |
Bike Model (Ex - M2, XB12Rr, S1W, P3): | S1W |
Model Year (Please enter full 4-digit year): | 1998 |
Color: | Silver/black |
V.I.N. (To aid in problem resolution. Will not be displayed or shared otherwise.) : | (Hidden) |
Servicing Dealership: | Santa Cruz Motorcycle Service |
Performance Mods!: | Buell race air filter and ignition module, VnH SS2-R, new style front brake rotor, new style "y" exhaust hanger, new header, Re-valved fork, Penske, Mikuni, Metzler Z8s, ProTaper 7/8" Bars (Kevin Windham bend with the cross bar), CRG Mirror, Barnet clutch |
Problems/Miles (Please be specific): | 30,000 miles. Below is a list issues and their solutions so far. They’ve been minor considering how much fun this bike is to ride. I guess that’s what makes one a bad weather biker. PROBLEM-Too much oil when I got it and leaky Banke oil cap dumped oil all over the place. FIX-Drained some oil and applied a small amount of JB weld around the top of the oil cap collar. Rubbed a little bead around the oil tank, where the collar is inserted. Hasn't leaked since. No cost PROBLEM-Stupid anti drain ball valve in the gas tank breather cap was sealing it's self and causing a vacuum lock in the tank, which stopped gas flow to the carb. Only seemed to happen on the freeway, when the ball valve wasn't tilting around through back roads. FIX-Cut the damn ball out by splitting the round valve housing in half with a hacksaw. Cleaned all edges and made sure no goobers could get in the fuel. No cost PROBLEM-Throttle not springing back to idle when. Progressively got less springy until it had no spring at all. Cable was frayed and splitting inside the cable housing, causing it to stick. FIX-Replaced the idle cable. Cost $40 FIX2-Got a Mikuni....'nuff said PROBLEM-Stock Showa rear shock abruptly lost it's absorption. Bike became bouncy and could have been dangerous if not very careful. FIX-Monterey County HD gave me another old Showa that they had laying around from a recall. It's still working but also will eventually fail. Until then....No cost FIX3-Got a Penske, nothing finer PROBLEM-Monterey County HD incorrectly installed my shifter linkage when replacing my stator and voltage regulator. Couldn't shift. MCHD's service mistake scored me a nice discount on my charging system rebuild. See next problem FIX-I readjusted the linkage arms in MCHD's parking lot, paid the bill and rode it home. PROBLEM-Battery wouldn't charge. I could get two or three starts out of a full charge at first. Eventually I was limited to short rides with no stops. FIX-Had MCHD diagnose and fix the charging system. After installing the new stator and voltage regulator, the problem persisted. Turned out to be a worn down 12v wire that passes between the rear lower case and the swing arm pivot. For this mishap and the misassembled shifter linkage MCHD charged me only $200 for the charging system and the new wire. But I soon found out that the clutch was adjusted wrong. See next problem. Cost $200 PROBLEM-MCHD misadjusted my clutch when removing it to access the stator. FIX-Cycle Imagery's Joe fixed it nice like. Cost $100 PROBLEM-Engine vibration caused the License plate relocation bracket to break down the middle and violently shake the license plate and blinkers. FIX-Drilled four through holes in the relocation bracket, two on each side of the bracket. Installed two sheet metal strips, one on the bottom of the mounting bracket and one on the top. Drilled through holes on the sheet metal strips at the same hole location of the holes I drilled in the mounting bracket. Installed four 1/4†screws with fender washers, two on each side of the strips. With a split lock washer on the nut side. It’s stronger than ever. Blinkers no longer look like a light show. Cost $10 -FIX2. Replaced all brackets with new ones. PROBLEM-Lower exhaust bracket busted off and left a 1/2" by 1" hole when riding down Hwy 1, almost to San Louis Obispo. Noticed an exhaust note change. FIX-Made it to SLO and installed an exhaust hole patch collar and a 6" hose clamp through the exhaust mounting hole on the frame, to hold the weight of the front exhaust. Hose clamp failed, but the small exhaust bracket on front of the header and the muffler mounting bolts held everything up. In fact I've been riding the bike for a while without a front exhaust mounting bracket. Not a good idea. The smaller front bracket failed and the exhaust was left unsupported. It failed the exhaust port gaskets. It also caused the header pipes to form small cracks where the two pipes connect. I knew I should have fixed it. See next problem. Cost $20 PROBLEM-Growing cracks in header pipes just before the pipes meet. Noticed the cracks when I was in Freemont. In the 40 or so miles from Freemont to Aptos the cracks grew slightly. I'll post a question thread about this. It needs to be fixed. Probably not going to be cheap. FIX-New Header, Y Bracket |
Other Mods/Misc/Customization.: | |
Favorite Rides (Roads and Routes): | Highway 9, Highway 35, Lahonda Road, Pescadero Road, Bear Creek Road, Eureka Canyon Road, Highway 152, Laurel's Grade Road, Elkhorn Road, Highway 25, Panoche Road, Los Gatos Road, Highway 36, Highway 178, highway 96....Love em all. |
Why I do/don't ride a Buell: | It's complicated |
How can Buell improve their motorcycles?: | Give me more |
Life History/Philosophy: | |
Top speed on 2 wheels (mph): | 130 |
Preferred engine oil (brand/grade): | Screeming Seagull 20-50 |
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