Columbia, SC Area Roll Call
I spent yesterday cleaning the mud and crud off my BMW GS. Its my daily rider/commuter bike. The weather has been so cold and rainy I didn't bother to wash the mud off from week to week. I was going to put new brake pads on all around on it and was having a hard time compressing the front caliper pistons. It has four pistons two on each side of the caliper and I went looking for a sissor type compressor and could not find one. Sears has one on line but not in their store. So I guess I will order one.
I am off for a week starting next weekend and am planning on riding to Daytona for the Bike Week. I started gathering up my camping kit and cleaned and checked over my Triumph Tiger. I will ride it down there because it has locking bags so I can secure my riding gear while I am off the bike. Its also water cooled so it can handle the traffic congestion pretty good. I can usually avoid most of the heavy traffic by staying off the main roads but its hard to avoid it all. Last year the crowd was smaller because of the economy and traffic wasn't bad.
The battery died on my Suzuki DR 650 over the winter So I will have to order one. I have battery tenders for all my bikes but the battery is four years old . I noticed it was getting a little weak last fall.
I will roll the Street Bob out today and clean it up. I haven't had it out in a few weeks because of the crappy weather. And the last few times I have I was caught in the rain.
Yesterday was great to be outside finally! I hope it will be this good week after next.
Anybody want to meet at Lone Star BBQ in Santee for lunch today?
Gus
I am off for a week starting next weekend and am planning on riding to Daytona for the Bike Week. I started gathering up my camping kit and cleaned and checked over my Triumph Tiger. I will ride it down there because it has locking bags so I can secure my riding gear while I am off the bike. Its also water cooled so it can handle the traffic congestion pretty good. I can usually avoid most of the heavy traffic by staying off the main roads but its hard to avoid it all. Last year the crowd was smaller because of the economy and traffic wasn't bad.
The battery died on my Suzuki DR 650 over the winter So I will have to order one. I have battery tenders for all my bikes but the battery is four years old . I noticed it was getting a little weak last fall.
I will roll the Street Bob out today and clean it up. I haven't had it out in a few weeks because of the crappy weather. And the last few times I have I was caught in the rain.
Yesterday was great to be outside finally! I hope it will be this good week after next.
Anybody want to meet at Lone Star BBQ in Santee for lunch today?
Gus
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,483
Likes: 39
From: Passaic County, NJ
Gus..did you try a board (or heavy gauge metal) and a c-clamp? 
Also, remember to remove the master cylinder cap before compressing the pistons or you'll probably blow the o-rings. Man, that does not sound good at all. lmao.
Also, remember to remove the master cylinder cap before compressing the pistons or you'll probably blow the o-rings. Man, that does not sound good at all. lmao.
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,483
Likes: 39
From: Passaic County, NJ
Eagle...I, too, came down with some nastiness this week. I don't think it was the flu. I suspect it teetered more on stomach virus. I'll spare you the details. Having just gotten over it, and knowing that you feel like being run over by a freight train twice I hope you get to feeling better.
I did get out for a little bit yesterday (saturday). Since it was so nice I took my daughter to the park for a few hours then I did a little riding.
Having just gotten over it, and knowing that you feel like being run over by a freight train twice I hope you get to feeling better.I did get out for a little bit yesterday (saturday). Since it was so nice I took my daughter to the park for a few hours then I did a little riding.
Good Idea on removing the master cyl. cap. I don't add fluid as the pads wear so usually I can just gently work the pistons back in against the disk. The BMW has floating rotors on the front so I didn't want to use too much force. The pads are removable with the caliper in place but the new ones won't go in without retracting the pistons all the way. I bought a standard piston compressor yesterday because it will work on all my other bikes and even the rear on the GS. And it was cheap at $6. I will see if I can get a small C clamp in the Calipers, I have a couple of 6" and 4" clamps I can try. With the opposed pistons there is no clearence for the threaded part of the clamp or standard compressor. Sears list one online for $35 and free shipping that is perfect. It is a sissor type that fits between the opposed pistons.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,896
Likes: 2
From: North Lima, Ohio
It's 9:56am Sunday and so far I feel a little better. Yesterday sure was rough tho. I wanted to work on my truck saturday to be able to ride today but didnt get it done. I need to get better so I can go to work monday. New job and cant afford to call off sick. Gotta be 100%. So if im good, the truck will be done today. Only about 2 to 3 hours worth the work to do on it. And if I feel good, maybe a short ride to cure the blues. Hopefully it will be good next weekend.
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Joined: Nov 2009
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From: Carolina Coast
Hit about 67 degrees or so today here in Florence..was a great day to be back on the road. Saw quite a few people on bikes again.
It's been cold n ugly all winter and the forecast looks the same after our pretty weekend. man, it felt good to be back out there, I'm ready for more.
It's been cold n ugly all winter and the forecast looks the same after our pretty weekend. man, it felt good to be back out there, I'm ready for more.
Had a good ride today, the weather was nice. I rode to Lone Star BBQ just outside of Santee ST. Park. I took the back roads all the way through the woods and swamps. I saw about 6 cars the whole way. It was only about a 110 miles round trip. Once there I saw about a dozen bikes in the parking lot and saw more ride by to the Park while I was eating. Its about time for some good weather!
Lone Starr BBQ on State Park Rd. outside of Santee is in a group of old unrestored buildings that were moved there. The main building was a general store filled with antiques and crafts. The Dining areas have old memerabilia and antiques on the shelves that you would find in old country stores. The food is good $12 all you can eat, all home cooked. On Sunday they have homemade cakes, pies, and other goodies, and homemade ice cream for desert. All you can eat included in the price.
Lone Starr BBQ on State Park Rd. outside of Santee is in a group of old unrestored buildings that were moved there. The main building was a general store filled with antiques and crafts. The Dining areas have old memerabilia and antiques on the shelves that you would find in old country stores. The food is good $12 all you can eat, all home cooked. On Sunday they have homemade cakes, pies, and other goodies, and homemade ice cream for desert. All you can eat included in the price.