belfastguzzi

Yes....I know I was hoping that no-one would mention that... Now the story has just got complicated again. But seriously, whatever the cause, the basic thing is that I'm just interested that the caliper can get so hot that plastic melts. I didn't realise this had happened until later, at home, when replacing the pads. However at the time I did notice that oil was baked onto the brake disc and thought, gosh that must have been pretty hot, considering that I wasn't deliberately using the back brake. The oil was coming back from the cracked timing chest cover. The attempt to fix the pedal could have caused the drag that I was unaware of at the time, on that particular long run. Mind you, the pedal wasn't depressed enough to cause the brake light to come on, as in Leafman's interesting example of another meltdown. Jaap was riding behind me most of the way and his observation was the opposite – the brake light wasn't coming on at all. That was because of the damaged microswitch at the front brake lever and all the braking was being done with the front. For that reason I then sometimes used the bodged rear brake lever, not to brake (especially as I could hear the metal grinding then) but just to give a warning brake light. Leafman is right about the unintentional foot pressure on the pedal being another possible cause. Others have admitted to that habit, especially certain people with policemen's feet. I don't ride with my foot that far forward so I'm pretty sure it wasn't the cause here.

In the end I got an off-the-shelf switch from Maplins. It was a few quid. It doesn't have the seal of course. Bizarrely, the standard switch was more expensive than the exact same unit with an added metal lever extension on the switch button. Later I did find a microswitch with the seal, in a bike parts store. It just needed an extra bit of the body with electrical leads removed from the switch terminals in order to fit with the V.11 connections. It was over £20 though, so I'll stick with the standard microswitch until dirt/water ingress wrecks it.

If I come can I burn my motorbike? Hmmm, on second thoughts, the ritual of self-gratification would be a fine thing at the time – but how would I get home? Is there a Honda shop nearby?

Ok chaps. I suppose that I should point out the one pertinent defect in these speculations. – Er, ahem, etc... the melt-down occurred on the run home from Scotland – when half the lever broke off and before the massive appendage was constructed and applied. Since the repair (or bodge, if you will) and fitting of new brake pads, careful adjustment of freeplay etc, etc, the rear brake (with lever as pictured) operation has been as spiffing as ever it was. However I will check it at some point, particularly the condition of the seals – and to see if it may be dragging / not fully releasing. And as a new rear caliper seems to be relatively inexpensive (compared to the price of the blessed brake levers), I'll try to get around to ordering one to be on the safely precautionary side. PS I'm quite keen to post some more pictures of the glued-up timing chest saga. I'll endeavour to do so before the summer is out.

Hey, is that a satellite shot? Are you in the CIA? Medical opinions are beyond the expertise of this Forum You're confusing me with Mike Wilson

Good one, Gj and Guzzirider. DL and Ratchet: LOL Seriously? I think you're doing the right thing. It's pretty frustrating using it when you really want to accelerate.

Colonel Belfast's Scottish Fried Goose indeed. I don't believe that it was dirt, as I do keep it clean. Seals? The thing must have been right hot, so if the seals weren't fried before, they might be now. Hope not. The fluid was fairly fresh. I have been meaning to bleed the caliper properly, with it dis-mounted. I can't honestly remember whether I ever did do this. The rate that these pads wear at and the well-known the brake moan, plus this extreme manifestation of friction, could indicate that there is always a degree-too-much of drag in the rear brake. Just an unfortunate and difficult to remedy combination of poor caliper location, air/moisture...?

...which bit of reality are you facing?

It turned out that I needn't have bothered doing a temporary repair to the broken-off rear brake lever on the Highland Fling trip. When I applied the brake, I could hear a bit of 'unpleasantness' – my rear brake pads had worn out. The metal must have been dragging on the disk during the long run home, because when I went to change them later, the black plastic cover was gone – all that remained were lumps of melted plastic. Must have been hot! Has anyone else seen this happen?

Yes, the top coat is not black. It definitely is a black base, or number of blacks(?), plus a clear coat of some description.

Yes I've done it, but it can be difficult to get apart I think. There was quite a debate before about which parts to grease and which not. Some greasing has been done through a mis-reading / misunderstanding of what Dave R wrote in Guzziology. Anyway, I think it's a good idea to clean-up where possible and grease parts that are prone to rust. I drilled holes in some of the cush rubbers too.

Has the clear top coat worn through, or more than that?

Well, life's not so bad. Guzzirider and chums have now passed Stelvio and are swanning about in Italy. Al Verdes, Mandello. Yum. Guy sends big hugs to everybody and a big kiss to Antonio (my interpretation – I could have gotten that slightly wrong).

well thank you I've done just that on my MySpace site now.

Thanks Emry I'll remember that about the gasket. Trouble is that it isn't the gasket this time, it's a cracked case and the cracked case is allowing the joint to pull open. Proper answer is new timing cover, at some horrendous price no doubt. That can wait.

My oil expands out through the casing when hot. Why?

And long may it remain attached – I know that you've had your worries. If the worst comes, I recommend Araldite. Don't use Halfords.

Thanks Mike I cleaned the metal as well as I could, but I do wonder how porous it is (?), if, no matter how well the surface is cleaned, it's always going to be holding some oil? I don't know. Obviously the best job would be to take the thing off in order to do it properly. I just don't have time for that in the near future. If the JB doesn't work I'll have a final epoxy try with Araldite. It's the one that gives me most confidence, it's always worked well before – various other motor related applications – and my best hammer is one that dropped off a roof, shaft broke at head and I repaired the shaft with string-reinforced-Araldite. It's still holding after 29 years. Er, it's not that I'm tight or anything: I'm just emotionally attached to good tools...

Well, Halford's own didn't do the job. Oil has been seeping out underneath. When I prised the epoxy tonight, it peeled off like rubber. I've tried again, with hopefully better stuff. Had a poke around to see what else I had and decided to go with JB Weld Kwik. Both the Araldite Rapid and Precision say they are ok to 65 degrees, whereas the JB says it's ok to 150 degrees C. It could be that the nature of the break here means that there will always be movement in the casing, pulling the joint apart and worrying away at the adhesion of any hard adhesive so that it lifts and allows the oil out. If the JB doesn't hold, I'll have a last try with flexible sealant, but that obviously won't provide any help with structural rigidity. Does anyone know what sort of temperature the casing in this area might get to?

After 27,000 miles!

Some nice pictures in and around this MySpace site: Vintage moto gals

1 the Jackal 2 the V.11 3 – the Ducati? – sell it now Guy!

Sympathy to poor old Guzzirider. A couple of weekends ago in Scottish Highlands the Jackal front tyre lets go and the bike goes down. This weekend in the queue for ferry to Europe, a car drives into the back of V.11! G.rider is there for the boat – but goes flying instead! Bike seems to have been largely saved by panniers and mushrooms, though footpeg is snapped off. Have a good trip Guy. Not literally of course.

Photos in new thread here