docc

Interesting observation! I had been thinking this thread really rings of the old "Fun with Threads" approach to the forum. It ain't all bad, really. As long as we can each show some personal restraint and join the fray for what it is. I certainly believe that riding, especially riding hard, is an emotional state. Why else would it be so captivating? "Skeered?" Naw, I ain't skeered. Yet, I don't want her to bite me again. I want to get so close that she might think she can; almost taste it. It's about the control, the choice. But, in the end, what good is control if you don't let her get close. Even dangerously close.

I do keep the Sport in the garage. Unless I'm riding it. And then, anything goes and that damper in out in the wind, so to speak. I'll keep after its finish. Thanks for the heads up! I've done the final fitment and must say, this thing is much tighter than the Bitubo which always rattled about on its Heim joints. Clearance is tight, but the proper application of washers and spacers makes me confident of the installation.

Tyres have gotten pricey. My last Pirelli (163 USD), and the last Dunlop Roadsmart (158 USD), still needed around $30 to mount. It's couple hundred bucks no matter how you look at it. Top that with: I'm lucky to get over 4000 miles on a rear. I have fun doing it, but I know I fall in to the "hard on tires" category!

While there is another thread on the beastly nature of RedFrames and their possible possession by Vampirettes waiting to feast upon your inattention, I've decided not to run the Bitubo with no oil. Thanks for the reasoned replies and links. While the final fitment is pending, I've hung the Shindy. It is nicely made and works quite well (not that I would know if it didn't! ). The body measures 4 mm shorter while the rod is 3 mm longer. The result is that the steering travels all the way from lock to lock without bottoming the damper. The Bitubo requires careful centering of the body to avoid a limited travel one way or the other.

I think you'll like the change to the 160 (assuming you have the 4.5 inch rim). I do like the Pirelli Stradas, but have *heard* good things about the Bridgestone BT021. I always think, "No matter, the thing will be gone soon if I don't like it." The track take-offs I've seen are all played up. Sure they might still have tread, but the heat cycling has made them hard as nails, especially off at the edges. Trying to save a couple bucks on used condoms may not be in your best interests *wink*wink*.

The FIAMMs have played up. One lasted 6 years and the other: only a year. In all honesty, I've ridden through some really nasty, caustic road conditions in the past year. I've replaced the FIAMMs with new 135 dB Freeway Blasters, and aimed them away from the tire spray (I think they may broadcast sound better that way as well); still running two Bosch relays and a 10 amp fuse through 14 gauge wires grounded back to the frame. FIAMMamerica has promised me neat little grills to cover the bellmouths; figures to help. I'll post back on that. I don't know if having two relays is necessary, but the redundant system seems a propos and it continues to function even though the horns have needed replacing. If you have any doubts, this is an improvement worth making. Ask the Dodge truck and horse trailer I honked back into his oncoming lane last week! EDIT 9-11-2009: And now with the proper grills! They actually look quite large in the photos, but I had to really work at it to get good angles and close-ups for visibility. The horns tuck in very nicely betwen the pipes and the regulator and are not obtrusive at all. Until you press the horn button!!

I've not ever tinked around with my fly while riding. On the other hand, the damper adjustment on the 2000 Sport is as easy and safe to adjust as making a hand turn signal or adjusting a faceshield.

If I'm reading right, you're saying that the brake light and horns do not work? Also, when the key is turned on, there are no oil or battery indicator lamps?

The Starter Relay may be sticking in the closed position. I wouldn't expect this with OMRON, but it's one possibility. Did you get the sealed relays? Fuse 5 and its connections are also suspect. I suspect, with this, the horn will not blow nor will the brake light come on. Have a check on that last one and post back.

I have had my triple clamps up and down and back to where they are now (down 5mm). Translating that into changes in trail makes me dizzy . . . Not only did the increased rear preload help (along with the Ohlins!), but carrying the rear panniers with some load (tools, compressor, patch kit, first aid, Scotch) seems to give the rear suspension action some 'moment of inertia' that keeps her tracking and more stable.

That is well reasoned, GM. Yet, "as delivered" my Sport sagged so much to the rear that any efforts to put more weight on the front increased stability. There is, of course, the "too much is too much" point. There's that relativity thing. And to hell with this red-ugly-image crap. I guarantee you the Sports are possessed by dominatrix vampirettes. She tried to kill me once and I'm here to tell about it. Been in the tunnel. Seen the white light. And the air dam of a 3-series BMW. If you're gonna post pictures of the VooDoo in the Machine, you're gonna have to get it right: [And, you know, once she scares the hell out of you, you just keep coming back. It's the VooDoo. You know you want it . . . you want the RedFrame VooDoo. You know you do . . .

I did, as you may recall, drain all the oil from my leaky Bitubo.( It was just so *untidy*, you know. ) Much the same as taking it off, I suppose. She didn't give me any shakes, but I didn't like the low speed (parking lot) feel. Too abrupt. The only time I've gotten the headshake was when my front tire was really played up. again, I'd wind in about three turns on the Bitubo and order a tire. Currently, there is a very beautiful Japanese Shindy on the Sport. It is lovely and "appears" to work quite well. The adjusting clicks are very responsive. I'm waiting for final fitment to report in full (to the best of my limited abilities). While the Sport did, once, throw me off with a fit of mysterious suspensionismism, I don't believe she's possessed, quite. Afflicted, perhaps. Even, bent (in a psych sense). She reminds me of a strange, dangerous vampiresque girl I once dated. You can call the Ghostbusters, I'm gonna see if the Vampirette would like to go for a ride . . .

I just must add, it's quite remarkable how much better the bike runs; so much more power, better/quicker starting, less *popping* and hiccups. True, though, that I did also change the plugs, adjust the valves and (slightly) rebalance the throttle bodies. Oh, well, yes: the lighter motor oil, fresh Redline (lightweight) in the gearbox and heavy in the bevel drive with redline greeze for the shaft. These bikes love you back! I'm ready to head for the mountains!

Oh, that is scary! But the little horn(y) demon on my Sport is always looking back at me! Oh,and this "take your damper off, get to the most susceptible speed and induce a wobble" is the equivalent of checking your weapon by pointing it at your foot and pulling the trigger. Survival of the fittest?

I thought that's what I said. I can certainly agree. Further, these discussions and debates have almost always helped me get the Sport better set up. It absolutely does not ride like the machine delivered to me new nine years ago. Just think what it will be like when I get around to drilling those cush drive rubbers!

I still say: More damper: more high speed weave. Dampers are for the nasty wobble when the front is light and there's a sudden *bump*. In no way do I think my opinion applies to Exiting Turn Two.

I'm really relieved the battery and the regulator are still good. And the Sport really runs better. I'm certain the stator has been playing up for quite some time. Plus I had time to really clean up the mess on the front of the motor, repaint the alternator cover (five coats of Eastwood), and replace my worn out FIAMMs (one lasted 6 years, but the other only one year). Thanks again to everyone for the feedback and support. My Sport would surely not be what it is with out this forum!

OK, then, nobody has had their stator apart? First, yes, the collars must be removed. Apply penetrating oil and come back in an hour. Prop the (old, dead) windings on a staub in the vise. Apply propane heat all around the aluminum collar. Tap and drift gently but decidedly at 120 degree intervals. If your V11 finally has 68,000 miles plus when you get to this point, expect to spend some time cleaning up the effects of steel (stator) against aluminum (the collars). I opted to splice the bullet connectors back in rather than convert to blades. vAC: 26 @1500 rpm 61 @ 3000 rpm (I guess my VOM is okay) vDC: 12.6 @ 900 rpm 13.5 @ 1500 rpm Thanks again to John at EuroMotoElectrics You know what's really amazing? Not that this bike is 9 years old or that I've flogged it onto some really hard miles (even into some rain that had a name ("Isadore"). No, it's that the battery light came on last Friday, and I opted to head toward home. I rode about an hour and a half before the ignition gave up. That's fifty plus miles on the Hawker Odyssey alone. Not a bad 'limp home' mode. AND: today, less than a week later, she's back in service! I'm not sure I could get my Honda back into play any quicker. Thanks to this forum (ja, dat means you! ), MI (SeattleWA) and John at EuroMotoElectrics!

The good news is EuroMotoElectrics had the stator here in just a couple days. The bad news is that the old stator has a two part collar which sandwiches the stator itself. Is it that I should remove the collars somehow? They don't seem to want to drift easily. Bigger hammer? Heat? Or do I have the wrong stator?

I wonder if the damper location right above the oil cooler contributes to failure from heat exposure?

WT: Try setting every thing up at a higher idle RPM. The tach may be reading "low." Do a full TPS / throttle body balance at 1300 RPM indicated on the tach. Open your "air bypass screws" to one full turn. Just my Bad-2-cents! Good luck! docc

I thought it was like tare weight. You weigh the receptacle ( you know: baggie, zip-lock, bowl, whatever), and subtract it from the final measure), and use the net measure. I was trying to be smarter than my multi-meter (I'm not, of course, but trying).

hey, no problem! I appreciate everyone's input before I order a $250 part that might not fix the problem. I was thinking I had a pretty decent multi-meter. It's Triplett 9005-A that I got from the local electrical supplier (not WalMart). In checking the windings' resistance I even knew to subtract the 0.3 Ohm of the test leads. (I'm kind of surprised nobody mentioned that). In the next $245 and 3-7 days I'll find out if this was a good call!

Yes, EuroMotoElectrics in Colorado, USA, stocks the part for $235 US. I'm checking now on the extra shipping for 2-day delivery as the summer heat has just cleared and this coming weekend has an extra day ("Labor Day" here in America). I can always ride my GB500 (she never seems to miss a beat!)

Whoa! I thought the meter measured AC between the two yellow wires? (not ground)