Well it's been a while

Well it has been a while since I wrote my last entry here.

As some of you may already know I purchased a used motorcycle which required a pretty good amount of work to get it street ready.

I purchased a 2002 V-Star 1100. This machine had been neglected by it's previous owner.
After I got it back home I spent about the next three weeks working it over and getting it fixed up. Previous owner had run this machine without an air cleaner filter so the carb was very gummed up with stuff and the air box was even worse. I had to do an oil change, rear drive fluid exchange, balance the carburetor, and adjust the values. Spent another few days cleaning it up around the outside and the normal TLC to get her shinny again.

As some my know these machines require you to take down the right side floor board, and remove the front exhaust to be able to access the oil filter. So 500 miles after I put fresh oil in the machine I had to do the whole thing again getting that filter out of there. The filter almost looked original it was so black and filled with old oil. Additionally the previous owner probably never changed out the exhaust grommets and those were severally burnt. I had to wait a week to get the parts in to finish my second oil change with filter.

About a week later, I had to replace the carburetor after taking a long trip about 120 miles. I noticed the motorcycle was running a little different coming back and I decided to check into it and sure enough needed to be balanced.
All the secondary maintenance help was provided by my GF who worked over the machine with me.

So all in all I got a great deal on a used machine that seems to run in almost perfect order now after I almost completely re-worked the stock motor.
Some of the photos in the slide show represent small trips around the local area I took after doing much of the maintenance items.

I have since joined ABATE of FLORIDA and really enjoy meeting new motorcyclists.
Hope to write more later.

More Photos from my trips click Here!

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Colby Butler aka Kingkole02

The Start of my further Interest: Motorcycle Lessons

So in reflection of the gas prices getting higher I started to find interest in motorcycles to curb the economy strain from the pump. So I decide to look around at options for learning how to ride a motorcycle because I have never done so previously. I found that my local Harley Davidson Dealership offers a course put on by the MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) offering this course every week and weekend. Nice thing about this class it that is can be offered after typical work hours for most people.
Through out this course students learn the mechanics of riding a motorcycle, the road rule, and general concepts of safe riding techniques. Well the course will not teach a student everything it is much more in depth then learning on your own, also as of June 2009 the course is required by law to get your motorcycle lessons.

The course offers you a chance to ride on a real motorcycle. If any who have never ridden before starts this course the 500cc Buell Blast (picture below) looks like a monster when you first start. By the end of the class the same motorcycle looks like a little puppy dog.

Each motorcycle has the students name placed on them to identify both the rider and the motorcycle when you enter the driving range for you two days of learning.

Many people find that two days are not enough, I believe the same.

I feel the class should be a full week of riding and learning the concepts, however I understand cost and maintenance of the program would be expensive if that were the case. A ride must ride about every week to keep skills up and once out of the class a student must be able to ride a motorcycle.

The class offers a limited rental of a motorcycle from the dealer for 50% off which can be used to rent any particular motorcycle within 30 days, which is a pretty sweet deal.

All in all the course was a ton of fun and I highly recommend every rider takes the course.

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Colby Butler aka Kingkole02