[thumper]

Today the dog and I had the garage all to ourselves. I figured it would be the perfect time to finish up all the maintance that I'd planned.

I lined up both of the TW's on milkcrates, opened a classic coke, gave my cattledog a frostypaw (frozen dog treat), and lined up all the tools

needed and parts that arrived and jumped right into it.

A couple weeks ago I replaced both base gaskets, head gaskets, pistons, rings, o-rings, cam chain guide and

oil filter.

Today I was gonna replace brake pads and shoes, sand the brake drums, flush the brake fluid, bleed the brakes and check the valves after

putting 500 break in miles on them both.

Valve adjustments were perfect. Rear brake shoes went in without any issues, clean and oiled the chain while I was at it.

The dog was staring at me so I took a break and tossed her frisbee for a few minutes.

I went back in and pulled the front brake caliper bolt, rotated it up and removed both the old pads.

I opened the new parts and was just smiling to myself at how easy it was to replace front pads on these bikes!

I replaced the the pads, flushed the fluid and bled the brakes.

Then Murphy raised his ugly head....

Now keep in mind I was multi-tasking, doing both bikes side by side.....big mistake!

Somehow I lost concentration and while putting the pads in the second bike, I put the far side (right side) pad in backwards!!!

I've never done anything so stupid in my life....

Except when I took it around the block for a test ride

I gently grabbed the front brake and thought I heard scraping? Thinking it was just the new pad bedding in, dumbass me decided

to help it along and grab the lever a couple times pretty hard

You guessed it, It was metal to metal and destroyed the right side of the rotor!

This lesson cost me $41 dollars for a new rotor (ordered) and a new set of pads!

I guess I'll do the bikes one at a time from now on.

 

[jbfla]

Ever Done Something So Stupid?

Yup, and probably a lot worse.... but I'd rather not say what.

Thankfully you didn't take a tumble, and all it cost you was some new parts.



jb

 

[qwerty]

Has anyone never done anything stupid?

 

[owtcast]

Yup, and probably a lot worse.... but I'd rather not say what.

Thankfully you didn't take a tumble, and all it cost you was some new parts.



jb

What he^ said.

 

[Xracer]

Has anyone never done anything stupid?

I've done so many stupid things it gave me a headache trying to remember them all!!

 

[Sly Fox]

I've seen that done on a Honda SP-2, a very expensive mistake.

My favorite repeat mistake is putting new oil in without putting the sump plug back.

 

[Sly Fox]

I've seen that done on a Honda SP-2, a very expensive mistake.

My favorite repeat mistake is putting new oil in without putting the sump plug back.

??? I only clicked once that time, I'm sure!!!! ???

 

[qwerty]

I've seen that done on a Honda SP-2, a very expensive mistake.

My favorite repeat mistake is putting new oil in without putting the sump plug back.

I've done that, usually when someone is talking to me while I'm working on the bike. I learned long ago that I work best alone when spinning wrenches.

 

[rmartin]

Forgot to put the kickstand down at a gas station on a gz250. I leaned to get the gas pump, and over she went.

 

[rmartin]

Number 1 is for ladies only..



1 Riding in stilettos and getting stuck on the footrest.



2 Putting your foot down on something slippery when stopping.



3 Locking the front wheel during overenthusiastic braking.



4 Missing the driveway and sliding on the grass.



5 Not putting the kickstand down when getting off.



6 Make a turn from stop in gravel or sand at high throttle.



7 Not putting a board ('foot')under the kickstand on asphalt on a hot day.



8 Letting overenthusiastic people sit on your bike who have never been on a

bike.



9 Forgetting the bike's in gear when you jump on the kickstarter.



10 Revving the engine, releasing clutch, and putting feet on pegs when the light

turns green, but the bike's in neutral.



11 Not putting your foot down when stopping at red light.



12 Losing balance when putting it on the centerstand.



13 Take an hour ride in 30 degree weather with no gloves, stop at a stop sign

and pop the clutch when you start because you've lost feeling in your hands.



14 Putting your foot down at a toll booth on the thick layer of grease that

builds up when cars stop.



15 Using too much power when you pull out of a greasy toll booth.



16 Ignoring the sand that builds up in the spring at the side of the road (in

places where roads are sanded and salted in winter.)



17 Kicking your kickstand in a cool fashion and having it bounce back up instead

of staying down.



18 Getting off your bike while it is running and forgetting that is in gear.



19 Backing down an inclined driveway, turning to either side with a full tank of

gas.



20 Assuming that all wet roads are created equal. They are much more slippery

when it first starts to rain - until the oil and dirt are washed away.



21 Assuming that the condition of a blind corner is the same as it was the last

time you rode it. Instead you find sticks, road kill, oil, rain wash, stones,

pot holes, garbage, etc.



22 Having your boot/jeans catch the gear-lever and putting your running bike

into first gear whilst reaching for the side-stand (which is why I now

automatically pull in the clutch whenever deploying or retracting the stand.)



23 Allow friend to ride bike that has either no riding experience, or only tiny

dirt bike riding experience (they will wheelie out of control, fly straight at

the nearest object, or drop it attempting to stop suddenly.)



24 Swinging your legs too enthusiastically over the bike with tight trousers on

and kicking it over.



25 Revving bike in impressive squidly fashion at red light, thinking it's in

neutral; dropping clutch and standing in place while bike wheelies and backflips

into intersection.



26 Trying to get a wasp or bee out of your jacket while sitting on the bike.



27 Hitting that patch of sand which has washed across the road on a blind bend.



28 Assuming the puddle of liquid behind the convenience store was water when it

was actually used motor oil.



29 Bald tires, and a smatter of rain.



30 Look at the sand at the edge of the exit ramp rather than through the turn.



31 Neither you nor your dad watching while he's backing his car up to the

woodpile to unload wood.



32 Put armor all on your tires to make them look nice and pretty and then ride

on the white safety lane line as you take a HARD right turn at 35mph.



33 Trying to hold the bike upright before deploying the center stand only to

find your knees are too weak from riding.



34 Park behind friend's mom's minivan figuring "If anybody goes anywhere,

they'll surely see it. 'specially since there'll be 5 of them getting into the

van.



35 After getting fuel at gas station and holding the bike level with your legs

in order to fill it completely, jumping off forgetting that your legs were

holding it upright not the kickstand.



36 Entering a DR ("decreasing radius") turn too fast. This is especially

dangerous when making a right turn where if you attempt to straighten up and

brake, you'll plow into oncoming traffic.



37 Falling asleep.



38 Getting your boot/ shoelace caught on the gearshift. (I wear laceless boots

now.)



39 Reaching down to pick up your gloves/keys/glasses.



40 Getting miffed off for dropping it in the first place, yanking it vigorously

off the ground, only to have it drop to the other side.

 

[elime]

An advantage of drum brakes.



$41 isn't so bad. I replaced the front disc on my Buell with a genuine Buell part for only $175. Aftermarket, Galfer, EBC, Ferodo, etc. were over $300.

 

[Little General]

When I was 16 I had a Honda MR250 licensed for the street. I rode up to a couple of my high school cheerleaders that were walking home form a game and when I went to put my foot down my shoe laces were on the shift lever and the bike fell on me. After they laughed their asses off, they picked the bike off my embarrassed self. Good thing in 1980 there were no camera phones or twitter. Later I did nail one on the gas tank......