New Parts! - Shock and Chain!

I picked up a new (used) rear mono shock and sprocket & chain over Easter weekend. I needed the chain & sprocket and I wanted to see if my ride height would go back to normal with a new shock. See, when I rode my buddy's girlfriend's CBR125r, hers was much higher than mine. I figured it was because the guy I bought it from was 6' 170-185 or so. So maybe the shock just got worn out. After all, it had 17,000km+ on it.

I picked them both up for less than the cost of a new chain & sprocket online so I was happy. I also bought a feeler gauge 4 weeks ago now. Damn thing still isn't here...

Here are some pictures of the shock and chain (not like you don't know what they look like already...)

Until next time, 'Live to Ride, Ride to Live'

"Carbon Fiber" Fender and New Name Badge!

Over the winter I had the bright idea to wrap the front fender in the carbon fiber vinyl I have. It was NOT easy. At least for me... I had to do a bit, go back, do a bit, and go back. It finally got done and it looked like total garbage! I wasn't ready to rip it off and try again so I just left it for the remaining months of winter. I took it out from the lower shelf a little while a go, saw how crap it was and installed it anyway. I'll eventually get fed-up with it looking so bad that I'll take it off and redo it. But until then I don't really care...

The other thing I added to Kenna over the winter was a new name badge! I found the Honda font type online and sent away to get a matching decal done in green. (Matching to the grey Honda on the other side) I applied it with NO PROBLEMS it was nice and easy and straight! I recently install the lower fairings a little while a go (same time I did the front fender) and found it was pretty low on the fairing. My girl said it was still visible, either way, I'm not going to change it!

Peanut Butter Photo Time!!

Until next time, 'Live to Ride, Ride to Live'

New Gloves from the Spring Show

March 18th Spring Bike Show in Toronto.
So I missed the other two shows (well I wasn't really interested...) but I got to go to this one with my buddy Adri it was small, but cool.

The custom bikes were sweet. There were some old ones I've seen before and some really nice new ones. The people who do them really spend a lot of time, money and effort on these bikes. It's quite incredible. I didn't get any photos.... Adri may post some on his site later.
There was one bike that comes stock that looks like a cheap café racer.

It has a little more power than Kenna, 18 horsepower and is a 250cc. But the top speed is 120km/hr. I don't know if the person testing it really wasn't trying, or of that's actually the top speed. I mean damn! Even Kenna hit 145km/hr once.
There were quite a few bikes, motorcycle mags and a few stores selling gear. I picked up a pair of new (cheapo) gloves for about $33.

They're pretty much just as crap as my other ones, but at least they fit better. 'If you think they're crap why did you buy them?'you ask? Price mostly....I'm really trying to save to go to Australia by September with my girlfriend. (no not Kenna) so I don't want to drop $100+ on gloves right now, but my old ones are too small and cut off the blood supply to my thumbs during long rides.

Anyway, seeing all of those bikes, and talking to the cool people at Motorcycle Mojo, makes me want to ride! Oh, side note I canceled my insurance, FREE FROM THOSE A-HOOO AT CIB MAN DID THEY SUCK!!!! Time for a new broker!

See you on the road!

Until next time,
'Live to Ride, Ride to Live'

Is that a Custom pipe?! Why no, no it's not.....

Finally! Some nice-enough weather to work outside! The winter has been cold and long and now it's time to get ready for some fun in the sun! Since the winter began I had some ideas of what I wanted to change on Kenna. Some of what I wanted change was a name decal on the lower fairing, 3M carbon wrap on the front fender, a tail tidy and a painted exhaust pipe.

So far I've completed the name decal, part of the front fairing wrap and as of today, the painted exhaust. This post is about the exhaust and how I painted it. I'll post pictures later on the name decal and fender wrap.

What you'll need
-Paint, I used rust paint but I now have to redo it because I should have used high-temp paint. So use that not rust paint.
-Sandpaper, different grit levels
-Wrench and general tools...
-An other set of hands (mostly for the reinstall)

To start, take the lower fairings off. I already had them off to do the name decal. This isn't tough, just make sure you DO NOT loose the screws you take out. You'll end up taking out quite a bit of them too.

Next, locate the two bolts holding the pipe on. One is under the passenger foot peg and the other is under the engine right in the centre. There are also two nuts holding the pipe to the engine that need to be taken off.

PICTURE TIME!

Once you get the pipe off (being careful not to drop it and damage it more) it's time to start sanding away at the rust. Keep in mind I've never done this and I winged the entire project. I sanded it down with a heavy grit sand paper and worked my to a finer one. I also used the rotary tool to make it go a little faster...

This is what it looked like once I got it off...

And this is what it looked like after I sanded it down...

Keep in mind that the sun is making it look better than it is. You may choose to spend more time on yours but I'm a lazy guy when it comes to projects like this. (Not when it comes to the mechanically important projects.)

After that I simply laid it down and sprayed it in an even flowing motion left to right at about 6-12 inches away.

One thing you have to watch out for is the moving metal thing...that as you flip the pipe to paint the other side and when you go to install it will ruin all of your hard work!

This is the part I'm referring to.

This is the paint I used. DO NOT USE THIS GET HIGH TEMP PAINT

For the reinstall, screw the front two nuts on part way to get the front of the pipe off the ground. From there work your way back putting on the centre bolt then the end bolt. I had a lot of trouble getting the last bolt on straight.

I definitely recommend getting someone to help you hold the piper during the reinstall. It'll make it A LOT easier and you'll be less likely to damage the work you just did.

This is the pipe fully painted. I don't have any on the bike shots cause my phone died, but I'll be uploading some to Kenna's web album later so check there for more photos.

Until next time, 'Live to Ride, Ride to Live'

New front tire! Finally!

Last season I really needed a new front tire. After my buddy Adrian (who's on the forum and works at a local motorcycle dealership) told me that that bald front tire will probably kill me if I don't fix it and that he' have the dealerdhip change it, I decided to do it.

So I wrapped the tire around myself and rode to the shop! Adri hooked me up with a jack and the tools needed to get the tire off. The entire process took about 20 minutes from taking the tire off to changing the rubber and putting it back on (plus all the jaw-boning we did)

The awesome people at Studio Cycle Group hooked me up by allowing me to work on the bike in their back ally and installing the tire at a great price!

Very easy to do yourself! Much easier than the back tire!

Here are some photos

That thing hanging on the wire is the Speedo. When you reinstall this (which is easy) just make sure you do it right!

Until next time,
'Live to Ride, Ride to Live'

New Gear!

So it was our anniversary about a month back (my girlfriend and mine) and she got me some sweet new riding gear from Shift!
She bought me a pair of their awesome riding shoes that look like regular kicks but have a few modifications to them. Here are a few of them and photos. More info can be found on their website.

She also bought me a pair of their kevlar reenforced riding jeans, which are light weight, comfortable and look great! You can find more info about them from the link above.

No much else has been going on. I've been taking lots of photos of Kenna which can be found in her Picasa Web Album.

Hope you're enjoying the weather as much as I am!


Until next time,
'Live to Ride, Ride to Live'

Alberta Trip

Recently I was able to have the luxury of taking almost two weeks off work to go out to Lake Louis with my girl to see her friend and sister.
Wow, what a sight to see! You don't really comprehend the actual size of the Rockies until you've seen them and hiked up one.

The entire time I was dreaming about riding through the mountains on my weebr. For those who live out there I envy you!



Until next time,
'Live to Ride, Ride to Live'

Carbon Fibre Power!

I've always wanted to try the vinyl carbon fibre wrap on something, so after I got my WeeBR and noticed the mat black spots I decided that that was a prefect place to try it! I didn't like the mat black look anyway so a little fake carbon fibre shouldn't look any worse.

The vinyl I bought from eBay 3M Carbon Fibre, just search it and it'll come up. I bought a 2'x4' sheet, which is more than enough and watched a few videos on YouTube about how to apply this stuff.

Getting started was tricky to say the least. I must have restarted 4 times from 3 different spots before I really got going. I used an electric heat gun, but i would recommend a hair drier because it has less power and you're less likely to burn your fingers. You might want to consider having someone else around to help you hold the drier well you try and get the bubbles out. This stuff is pretty forgiving if you make mistakes. All you have to do to correct yourself is heat up the area that got messed up and stretch the 3M vinyl out. TAKE YOUR TIME!! This is not a rush job! I rushed one part (no pictures) and now I'm going to have to redo it. It was so bad I didn't want to take pictures to show people. Give yourself a few hours to do complex pieces and an hour to do simple flat surfaces. I have enough left over to redo both parts I did (which I plan on doing) and some small pieces to wrap the turn signals and maybe mirror backs. It ended up looking really nice! (looking past the ugly and imaging it if it was done right.) You can get the vinyl carbon fibre in a few different styles. I recommend '3D' but you can also get silver and others. The good thing about the 3M vinyl is that it has texture to it and is not smooth. There are actual weaves in the vinyl. Also, it's pretty strong and weather resistant for the most part.

So! Find your style, buy it, install it and show it off! There are many kinds of vinyl out there too, not just carbon fibre so look around for one that fits you and your bike!

Here are some pictures of the process and finished product!











Until next time,'Live to Ride, Ride to Live'