Woo Hoo! A Big Project!

[melville]

Yeah, and ones that are ground while moving are a lot more macho than the marks from falling over when stopped at an intersection.

Yes Major, several parallel horizontal marks do look much more orderly than random vertical, angled and horizontal lines.
A matching foot brake lever is also available.

Yeah, working on it. Meanwhile, I now know that after decades of being nearly incapable of a speed violation in El Kombi and similar vehicles, I can attract the attention of the constabulary. Yesterday I took a ride to the top of the first pass going inland, with a couple exploring detours where the highway useta run. Coming back, I let a couple cars go by in a passing zone rather than have them driving up my backside. A few miles later, they're still in view and their brakelights flare for a moment. Seems there was a cop (CHP) coming the other way. When I see that in the Kombi, I don't do a thing as I'm usually well under the (effective) limit or my speed would be such to test the limits of disbelief of the magistrate (68 mph? Uphill? Impossible!!).

So CHiP guy stops and turns around, lights me up, and I pull over. Motor off, gloves off and helmet unstrapped. License and registration are produced, and while holding both officer asks me, "Are you the original owner?" I held back the smartass reply of "Yeah, since I was eight years old" and just say "No" and discover it's a "Nice Bike" stop with a wee speed advisory.

[Jean]

Hah. Same thing happened to me in '82 when I got the R100s...still had the "M" (Munich) plate. Produced documents, and asked "what's wrong?"
"Nothing. I just wanted to see the bike. Way cool. Where'd ya get it? I was stationed in Germany for 4 years.(!)"

[melville]

So here's the 1000 mile report! Bike runs great, fuel mileage is coming up little by little. Probably going to replace floats/float needles/slide needles/needle jets this winter.

I'm doing a bit better as a rider. Not chirping the tire on upshifts anymore, and getting the hang of matching revs on downshifts. Riding a bit faster than I drive the Kombi, but no faster than in the 2.0L Westy.

Moved stuff around the house for the next Big Project. Mrs. melville's 1960 Euro (mit semaphores) Sunroof Beetle is now in the Costco Garage:

[Deleted User 287]

fuelly.com is very popular on the CBR250R forum.

Here is my account. I just started my car, as well: http://www.fuelly.com/dashboard/
I've yet to see that magical 70mpg that other CBR riders are reporting, but I'm told that it increases with break-in.
I'm also having some trouble controlling my right hand.



Seeing my car's mileage right next to my bike's is, well, humbling?

[Major Softie]

I've yet to see that magical 70mpg that other CBR riders are reporting, but I'm told that it increases with break-in.
I'm also having some trouble controlling my right hand.

Those two points (mileage and right hand) are inexorably linked.

When I got my Duc GT1000, I got about 60 mpg the first two tanks (500 mile break-in). I never saw those numbers again.

[melville]

It's been bugging me that the bike has a slight BLING deficiency. Stock, it had these neat spring covers atop the rear shocks. The Progressives I've installed (thanks Ken!) lack such a thing. A few months ago, Saint Matthew of Parkhouse revealed the procedure for disassembling the stock shocks in BMW Owner's News (the top spring seat/shock eye is threaded to the shaft) and I thought about how I might go about making a press with materials on hand. Today I gave it a shot. These boards and a Kombi are all anyone needs:



I set one end of the board under the Kombi's rocker panel, put the shock through the hole, and sat on the other end. A little tapping mit the hammer to break things free, and I was able to get ugly tools on the shaft and upper eye:



Those are my knees. Results:



Once freed from their shocks, the covers are a bit dull after 37 years:



But after breaking in a new stitched buff I can see into a BLINGish future:



It will take a buncha sanding to really get it properly shiny, but I've got all winter.....

[Deleted User 62]

Nicely Done, Melville, I like any procedure that includes "...then you take a Volkswagen..."! That Bug's nice too.

[Garnet]

But you have to have a Kombi with decent rockers, or it could all end in tears.

[melville]

Nicely Done, Melville, I like any procedure that includes "...then you take a Volkswagen..."! That Bug's nice too.

We have a Beetle for sale (not the green one)--can I float it your way?

[melville]

I know you're all on the edge of your seats wondering, "Boy, how does all that BLING hold up in a foggy coastal environment?" "Bet you have to keep after it every day."

Well, no, I've let it go about 6 months. Stored this winter in a damp place, no cover. The sun came out today, a spring training game was on the radio, and it seemed a good time to refresh the shine. Here's the before:



Looks like my bike pulls some pussy:











And after 4 innings (note the time stamps--camera is set to do so for an odd job Muriel and I share):









It's not perfect--there's some stuff that's hard to reach with the frame in the way and all that, but that's just a little patina growing and whatnot.