Starting from yesterday -- picked up the 848 from South Seas, cam belts done --- back to shop & popped off the top triple, back home to run drill press for damper clamp, saved make the beast with two backsed up job where pilot drill bit broke off inside the hole (the top triple is a very nice aluminum top piece BTW) The hole was finally drilled properly and actually way better than Dan Kyle example (pat myself on my back) - tapped the hole for the bolt and mounted steering damper -- all good -- still waiting for Blue Monkey Racing Heal Tech gear indicator LED to get here.
Fixed Jing's brake light switch -- not in stock at SS and they want $40.00 for the part -- might have to eventually replace the switch but is good to go for now.
Removed the air box and FCR carbs from the old Monster -- float needles look good so far but still haven't totally cleaned out the whole system. That'll be for next weekend.
Beers, cigar & jazz.
Sunday morning went out with the Hyper -- met up with Brandon, Patrick on the 1198S and his buddy on the 675 Daytona --- Hyper was still handling like shit ? ? --- front end wiggling all over -- same as when I last rode it New Years Eve --- checked the front tire pressure --- all good at 32 psi --- proceeded to ride with the guys and fight that bike through all kinds of corners and finally ended up going over Tantalus --- stayed right on the tails of the S1000RR and the 1198S up and down, Hyper still acting weird but at least it was more at home up on the mountain ---- we lost the 675 in the turns and had to wait for him at the lookout.
Went down to the shop and did some paper work and got set up for tomorrow morning.
Adjusted the Hyper compression and rebound damping -- rebound is now 1/4 turn out from full stiff -- compression is 3/4 out from full stiff --- rechecked front tire pressure as all through the day it always felt like the front was way out of whack -- front was just bobbling all over and actually had to hold the bars tight in turns, just like riding dirt bikes -- front tire pressure at 30 psi --- should be good but set it back up to 34
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STUPID ME ! ! ! ! ! !
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Checked the rear tire pressure even though I didn't think I had to --- tire felt hard and didn't ever give me any rear end hula ------
THOUGHT THE TIRE PRESSURE GAUGE BROKE BETWEEN MEASURING THE FRONT AND THEN CHECKING THE REAR.............. because ........
0, that is, 0, like in zero, zero psi registering in the rear tire ----- WTF? ? ? Can't be. The bike would have been all over the place --- Started pumping air in and it actually started registering psi ----- brought it up to 37 psi ----- WOW, are you freaking kidding me? ? ?
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Did the water spray test and found a tiny nail head, I mean tiny --- slow bubbles coming out
This must have been going on for weeks --- I rode it and felt the front end going out -- Dave rode it a few times and only complained about the jerky throttle and stalling ( which is all good and it didn't ever stall for me )
The ride home was a revelation and it actually handles pretty good.
I am totally amazed that the rear would make the front act like it did. I ridden lots of bikes through the years and when the rear goes flat you feel it. Your butt moves, the rear end of the bike does the hula. Not this bike. Way too fricken funny.
Rear tire replacement is another day, another project but at least it's just a tire. I was thinking new oil in the front forks and a possible fork rebuild work -- no kidding the front felt that bad. At this point I don't know why the front felt so bad and nothing bad from the back.
