FJR-RemingtonRider
Their Sunset / My Sunrise
What a whiner I am about to be.
My beloved power machine Blackstroke, is in intensive care and things were worse than what they appeared.
Here is the story.
(Backstory) I have been traveling a lot last couple years and don't get to ride daily, but when I get back to H-town.
Well, my front tire had been leaking around the angle valve stem I had the shop in Houston put on, actually for way too long, losing 3 lbs a week.
Anyways, I took it off, took it back to "Motorcycle Unlimited" a independent shop in Houston. They have a good reputation according to the Two Wheeled Texan Forum.
Anyway, got the tire back. Well while I was installing it, I decided the brake pads on the left were way too thin to continue, and figured the sets I bought a year ago would be best to go on before I take the run up to Sturgis 75.
***Caution*** This is where traveling and limited time will do for you.
I put in the new pads on the left, sprayed the caliper down with brake cleaner, not taking time as I would have done in the past and detail brushed and cleaned.
Well, on go the pads and tire, torque everything to spec. Get on bike and ride to follow wife to her job for some preparation.
Well on the Beltway, rolling pretty good. Each time I used the brakes, it was fighting a bit, you know when something just doesn't fee right.
I kept going and exited the Beltway, only to notice that the front wheel was locking up.
Well, I can make it to her job just a couple blocks. No joy!!! turned in the intersection and it just completely stopped. ***Mistake two ....kept on trying to power through..NO JOY NO JOY!!!
Fortunately wife pulled up and blocked traffic with her SRX; well went to bike trunk and pulled out socket and bled the brakes right there.
Steam poured out of the brake line. Brakes released and I rode with no front brakes.
Well....made it to her job. Stayed for a hour and then went right to MC Unlimited.
I had no time as, I had a flight the next day...................Left bike there.
Week later the guy calls and says they had to order parts, no problem, trip still on; They have a couple weeks. Week for parts and they put on brakes, well they didn't bother to brake down the caliper before the parts came, so when the parts came they had to drill out the pad pin because heat had sealed it in.
Well, another week goes for that part to come in. Shop owner calls and says well bike is ready but it's not pulling in gear. I knew this already because I could feel it when I rode it over there.
Their diagnosis....The clutch was slipping. He pulled it apart and called me back an hour later.
The clutch had gotten so bad that it needs to be rebuilt, one plate was cracked in half. The brakes got so hot that the reflector on the front wheel was melted from the heat.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK, brake caliper rebuild, bleed and extra effort to get the pin out all cost was $640.00
Now he is saying another $350-$425 for the clutch to be rebuilt.
Yes, the trip to Sturgis if off, they won't have it ready and my work plans changed anyway and wasn't going to make it.
Story to learn lessons.......multiple to learn here.
Worst one is, that because I didn't have time to do the job right, I should not have messed with it. Chances are though that caliper was already sticking prior to me removing the wheel anyways. I am so blessed and fortunate that it locked up when it did and my wife was in trail position when it froze completely.
NEVER TRY TO POWER THROUGH A BRAKE LOCK UP!!!
A part of me thinks it's bad kharma because I have been searching hard for a new 2014ES model.
Doesn't matter, going to find that ES and get it anyways. Red would be good, but I will take the 2015 if I find it.
Story over but pain is just sinking in! Hopes this helps someone......
My beloved power machine Blackstroke, is in intensive care and things were worse than what they appeared.
Here is the story.
(Backstory) I have been traveling a lot last couple years and don't get to ride daily, but when I get back to H-town.
Well, my front tire had been leaking around the angle valve stem I had the shop in Houston put on, actually for way too long, losing 3 lbs a week.
Anyways, I took it off, took it back to "Motorcycle Unlimited" a independent shop in Houston. They have a good reputation according to the Two Wheeled Texan Forum.
Anyway, got the tire back. Well while I was installing it, I decided the brake pads on the left were way too thin to continue, and figured the sets I bought a year ago would be best to go on before I take the run up to Sturgis 75.
***Caution*** This is where traveling and limited time will do for you.
I put in the new pads on the left, sprayed the caliper down with brake cleaner, not taking time as I would have done in the past and detail brushed and cleaned.
Well, on go the pads and tire, torque everything to spec. Get on bike and ride to follow wife to her job for some preparation.
Well on the Beltway, rolling pretty good. Each time I used the brakes, it was fighting a bit, you know when something just doesn't fee right.
I kept going and exited the Beltway, only to notice that the front wheel was locking up.
Well, I can make it to her job just a couple blocks. No joy!!! turned in the intersection and it just completely stopped. ***Mistake two ....kept on trying to power through..NO JOY NO JOY!!!
Fortunately wife pulled up and blocked traffic with her SRX; well went to bike trunk and pulled out socket and bled the brakes right there.
Steam poured out of the brake line. Brakes released and I rode with no front brakes.
Well....made it to her job. Stayed for a hour and then went right to MC Unlimited.
I had no time as, I had a flight the next day...................Left bike there.
Week later the guy calls and says they had to order parts, no problem, trip still on; They have a couple weeks. Week for parts and they put on brakes, well they didn't bother to brake down the caliper before the parts came, so when the parts came they had to drill out the pad pin because heat had sealed it in.
Well, another week goes for that part to come in. Shop owner calls and says well bike is ready but it's not pulling in gear. I knew this already because I could feel it when I rode it over there.
Their diagnosis....The clutch was slipping. He pulled it apart and called me back an hour later.
The clutch had gotten so bad that it needs to be rebuilt, one plate was cracked in half. The brakes got so hot that the reflector on the front wheel was melted from the heat.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK, brake caliper rebuild, bleed and extra effort to get the pin out all cost was $640.00
Now he is saying another $350-$425 for the clutch to be rebuilt.
Yes, the trip to Sturgis if off, they won't have it ready and my work plans changed anyway and wasn't going to make it.
Story to learn lessons.......multiple to learn here.
Worst one is, that because I didn't have time to do the job right, I should not have messed with it. Chances are though that caliper was already sticking prior to me removing the wheel anyways. I am so blessed and fortunate that it locked up when it did and my wife was in trail position when it froze completely.
NEVER TRY TO POWER THROUGH A BRAKE LOCK UP!!!
A part of me thinks it's bad kharma because I have been searching hard for a new 2014ES model.
Doesn't matter, going to find that ES and get it anyways. Red would be good, but I will take the 2015 if I find it.
Story over but pain is just sinking in! Hopes this helps someone......
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