Saturday at Shady Grove - a rant??


jeffd

Naïve Texan
N. Texas SP
Jun 9, 2000
1,610
0
Got a KP (sort of) to go and play for a while saturday. It was me and the kiddos and my friend Jeff that was back in town visiting (he lives in France) with his son and another friend of my kids.

Here is the run-down:
Jeff and I would take turns on my YZ.
My twin sons, Jeff's son, and their friend would take turns on the 2 PW-80s.
My youngest son would wait patiently so I could give him rides.

Basically we had a lot more folks than bikes. Anyway the weather was great and as soon as we pulled up I immediately saw 4-5 folks I knew. I was stoked.

I hadn't been out to Shady Grove in some time so it took a while for me to get adjusted. I was eventually riding OK, but I had a couple of instances that got my attention pretty quick. On the 3 table-top jumps in the back I came down really hard on the second one. I was about 2-3 ft. short of the very minimal landing area and subsequently bottomed out hard. That is most likely where I blew my fork seals.:uh:

Back at the truck I see that Jason's PW-80 has a flat (again!). He just had one and it took 3 %$#@ times to get the tube in. I imagine the patch came off. :mad:

It gets better....

Jeff goes out for the last ride on my YZ (which for the most part has been running pretty good except that it has been down on power down low for a while but screams on top :think ) and as soon as he gets back to the truck it starts idling really high. I initially think it is out of gas so I add more and start it again. Still revvin' to the moon (I exercise kill button controll to keep things from hand-grenading). I notice the spark plug has loosend decide that that was prolly the problem. We stop and spray the bikes off on the way home and I wash the fork oil off the trailer too. They aren't leaking anymore, but then again there most likely isn't any oil in 'em either.:think

Back at the house I start the tear-down process so I can get to the motor. I quickly notice that the base gasket looked like it had blown and sure enough, the cylinder nuts had come loose and the gasket blew. Good thing it happened at the truck.

Oh yeah, I also now have a flat rear tire to deal with too. :mad:

I torque everything back down and do an oil change, clean the filter, put in a fresh plug, and put it back together last nite. It is too late to start it so I wait untill this morning. She starts on the 2nd kick. Good sign...
Let's check the base gasket. Hey! What is that? Crap! Coolant leak.

Now I have to yank the top-end off and put on new gaskets, fix the ^%$# forks, AND repair TWO flat tires!!!!!

The motorcycle gods have forsaken me.
Aaaaaaarrrrrggggghhh!!!!

-jeffd
 
Last edited:

mg_racing

Member
May 16, 2001
25
0
Great story there jeffd! Unfortunately it's wasn't a story but the truth huh! It's good to know that I am not the only one out there that has days like the one you just described. My last outing with the family and bikes want something like yours, my bike blew front fork seals, wife's Raptor developed a major exhaust leak when the silencer to pip gasket blew out and worst of all my sons CR80 shattered the piston.

Anyway, it all worked out in the end I guess. All bikes are running well again except now I am injured from a spill a few weeks ago and can't wait to fully heal!

Hope you get everything back together so you can do it again right!!

Later!
 

yzguy15

Sprayin tha game
N. Texas SP
Oct 27, 2000
1,271
0
Sounds like some amatuer (or is it amateur) mechanical problems. Jeff, don't blame it on the bike, we all know that this truly is a case of "Operator Error". Of course the fact that it's a minibike doesn't help. :moon:

With that being said, I sure am glad that my dad is always checking over my work in the garage, or I would have replaced broken triple the parts that I have. :eek:
 

jeffd

Naïve Texan
N. Texas SP
Jun 9, 2000
1,610
0
Originally posted by yzguy15
Sounds like some amatuer (or is it amateur) mechanical problems. Jeff, don't blame it on the bike, we all know that this truly is a case of "Operator Error". Of course the fact that it's a minibike doesn't help. :moon:

With that being said, I sure am glad that my dad is always checking over my work in the garage, or I would have replaced broken triple the parts that I have. :eek:

Flat tires = motorcycle gods angry

Fork seals = motorcycle gods vengence for putting the minibike through that Bonita race.

Yes, I should have re-checked the cylender nuts and made sure that they had stayed torqued. Oh well. One new gasket and some time and elbow grease later and I'll have the cylinder fixed.

The fork seals are a different story. Unless I can find some sucker, errr friend with the tools and the time I am probably going to take them to a shop. Ka-ching ka-ching $$$.

And as for the flats.... Man, don't even get me started on the &^%$ flats. I HATE changing flats.:mad:


BTW - I am thinking of some really kewl graphics for you bike that will go up on PitSally.com. :p

-jeffd
 

yzguy15

Sprayin tha game
N. Texas SP
Oct 27, 2000
1,271
0
Aww shucks Jeff. I was just stepping up to the plate since taraker hasn't been posting much lately. Since I keep hearing of all this "you're gonna be the next pitsally.com member" I guess I'm doing a good job. :debil:
 

jeffd

Naïve Texan
N. Texas SP
Jun 9, 2000
1,610
0
Originally posted by yzguy15
Aww shucks Jeff. I was just stepping up to the plate since taraker hasn't been posting much lately. Since I keep hearing of all this "you're gonna be the next pitsally.com member" I guess I'm doing a good job. :debil:

Eric -

Haven't you noticed that the previous two folks that have had appointments to PitSally.com have all but vanished from DRN? Are you looking for the exit too?:p

-jeffd
 

yzguy15

Sprayin tha game
N. Texas SP
Oct 27, 2000
1,271
0
Fat chance. I aint no wuss. I go to high school everyday, and you think I can't handle pitsally. Actually, I was somewhat honored. :moon:
 

slo' mo

slower than slow...
LIFETIME SPONSOR
May 5, 2000
1,425
0
see! ya should have come Monday instead

MX221, Will Pattison, KingRiz and I had a lot of fun. Met another spode out there named Mark on a beeyoutiful YZ250. Not one of the DRN crew (yet) but hopefully we'll get him converted. Think he was a little intimidated watching Shane and Will. Who wouldn't be? There was also another cat out there on a YZ (#28) who I swear rode for 4 solid hours straight. Heck, I couldn't get 5 solid laps in without hand cramp.

BTW - Will P. I like your speed theory. I always knew I was riding on the edge in my mind! :)
 

MX221

Member
Jul 21, 2000
122
0
Originally posted by jeffd

The fork seals are a different story. Unless I can find some sucker, errr friend with the tools and the time I am probably going to take them to a shop. Ka-ching ka-ching $$$.

Jeff why don't you shoot me an e-mail. I have the tools and the time. I also charge way less than the shops.

Shane
 

TwinSpar

AssClown WannaBe
N. Texas SP
Aug 18, 1999
6,886
115
Care to make it a package deal?

I'm in the same boat.
 

jeffd

Naïve Texan
N. Texas SP
Jun 9, 2000
1,610
0
I am making headway on getting the mini-bike back together...

Stayed up late last night and tore my top-end down and cleaned everything up and inspected all the parts. Replaced the bad gaskets and torqued everything down to specs and just for a measure of safety, the freshly cleaned studs and nuts for the cylinder and head all received a drop or two of Locktite 277 (red) just to make sure they stay torqued until it is time for the next top-end re-build.

Everything is buttoned back up except the forks, which Shane (MX221) has in his posession along with some new fork oil and dust wipers (from Honda as per Shane's suggestion). It makes sense to me...
Honda, Yamaha, and Kawasaki al use the same 46mm inverted fork, but I hear of more blown Yamaha fork seals than any of the others. Same fork, different OEMs for seals.

All that is left is an oil change, bolt the forks back on, and <ugh> replace the rear inner tube. I hope I get the tube in without pinching it on the 1st try.:ugg:

-jeffd
 

kingriz1

Member
Aug 2, 2001
530
0
MX221, Will Pattison, KingRiz and I had a lot of fun. Met another spode out there named Mark on a beeyoutiful YZ250. Not one of the DRN crew (yet) but hopefully we'll get him converted. Think he was a little intimidated watching Shane and Will. Who wouldn't be?

Don't worry guys I did my part. I rode worse than usual just to make the guy feel more comfortable.;) ;) ;)

I had a great time.

Shane and Will thanks for not laughing in front of me when I asked how to do the big jumps. You guys make it look so easy I had to ask.

Believe me they were biting their cheeks when I asked.

Sincerely,

Riz
 

will pattison

Sponsoring Member
Jul 24, 2000
439
0
i have another theory: it doesn't matter how high you fly or how fast you rip, as long as you are having fun.

kingriz, the only guys i laugh at are the ones that run their mouths more than they run their motors, and nobody i met on monday fits that description. you and slo expressed a real desire to learn, and i respect that. it's the guys that think they've arrived and can't stop talking about how fast they are that bug. we've all seen 'em...they go fastest in the pits.

motorcycling is a journey, not a destination.

btw, jeffd, i have an '02 yz125 with about 10 hours on it for sale. :eek:

wp.
 

jeffd

Naïve Texan
N. Texas SP
Jun 9, 2000
1,610
0
How much for the '02 YZ?

On a side note - Plano Honda is unloading their remaining '01 CR 125s for $3899. They had 6 as of yesterday. That equates to roughly $900 bucks off list.

Got me thinkin'....

-jeffd
 

rockchucker

Member
Nov 17, 1999
115
0
Jeff! Man all that happened on Saturday?!?! Sorry to hear that dude. Everyone looked like they were having a good time.. to a point I guess.

Man Shady is notorious for flats and blown seals. I feel your pain. Matter of fact the reason I had to bug out so soon was I had 3 nails in the drivers side front tire on my truck, acquired from Shady Grove no doubt. Anyway the tire was rapidly deflating so off to Discount Tire I went. Sorry I took off so soon and didn't get a chance to tell you. Oh and the week before I got two flats on my 250F out there. Must be bad karma out there or something.
 

slo' mo

slower than slow...
LIFETIME SPONSOR
May 5, 2000
1,425
0
back for another dose 2/25?

good chance I'll get another shot at it (or somewhere else) on Monday. anyone got ideas? :cool:
 

Danman

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Nov 7, 2000
2,211
3
Man, sorry to hear that. Sounds like a bad day. After all that work and fixing the tranny only to get to do more work.

Do you run sealant? I have not changed a tube in some time. I run sealent and a heavy duty tube. Big cactus and mesquite out this way. The Yamaha shop sells so rocken stuff that works realy well (can't remember the name though). My front tube holds are consistantly and it has three patches and plenty of the green stuff. When I pulled it off to replace a wadded up rim I pulled a torn that as at least an inch into the tube and it was not loosing air. It was still sticking up inside the tire. The torn did not even break off when I pulled to tube out. I put the tube back in the tire aired up and away I went.
It would be especialy hand on the kids bikes. Just consider changing all those tubes practice.

Mini-bike - ha,ha :)
 

Top Bottom