1125R Upgrade (Part III)

The 1125R upgrade is 95% complete!  I was held up for a bit trying to locate a 3/4" torque wrench that is capable of the required 295 ft/lbs for the rotor nut/crankshaft. Early yesterday morning, I contacted a friend who works for a heavy equipment company and by the end of the day he had a torque wrench for me!

3/4" Torque Wrench, not that's a tool!

Rotor nut with thread lock and cranked to 295 ft/lbs

Stator cover torqued and top oil line reconnected

Stator wires pulled through wiring harness channel

Stator wires reconnected to plug and wiring harness

Air breather assembly, etc. installed, looking like a bike again!

Exhaust is all that's left to install!

I was hoping to have the 1125R completely back together today, but the stock exhaust can is just to awkward for one person to install. I messed around for an hour or so without success; need an extra set of hands to operate jack while getting the exhaust bolted in place.

Team Sponsor

Check it out, can you find my name on the Team Hellcat sponsorship banner?

 

Like last year, I am very excited for Team Hellcat as they embark on their journey to set Land Speed Records at Bonneville!  As you may recall, Team Hellcat set world record times last year on a Harley Davidson Turbo-powered Sportster with a side car!

This year, they are heading back to Bonneville to attempt to set two additional Land Speed Records...two bikes, two riders!  Kelly Rogers aka @FieryPinkGirl will be one of the two riders from Team Hellcat to attempt to set a Land Speed Record at Bonneville.  Kel put a call out for sponsors earlier this year and achieved her goal, I am happy that I could be part of that!  Next stop for Team Hellcat, Bonneville!

1125R Upgrade (Part II)

I have been procrastinating on the 1125R electrical repair; procrastinating for two reasons.  First, I am back at work so time is limited and second, I am riding the Street Glide when I have free time!  I decided that this weekend, I would continue the repair.  Here's how I made out!

Seat, battery and airbox removed.

Stator wires disconnected from harness

Stator wire pulled through harness channel (use mechanic's wire)

Stator cover removed & one well done stator (toasted)!

Damaged stator and new stator

New stator installed

Stock rotor and sprag clutch removed

Crankshaft and starter gears

EBR modified rotor & stock rotor

EBR rotor with sprag clutch

I still have to torque the rotor (295 ft/lbs) and need to borrow a 3/4" torque wrench for that.  Once that is complete, reassembly and I should be good to go.  Will keep you posted!

Until next time, ride safe!

1125R Upgrade

After procrastinating and some pressure from my good friend Luc, I finally started work on the charging system upgrade for my 1125R...the first stage~!

Stage 1: 1st - consult service manual, 2nd - remove the stock exhaust (look at the size of that exhaust can), 3rd - drain engine oil.

Love electronic versions of service manuals!

Stock exhaust can removed

Look at the size of that beast! I am thinking that it is not going back on. Smaller after market might be the way to go, maybe a HMF slip on from Erik Buell Racing.

HMF slip on exhaust

Drain engine oil

New EBR modified rotor & associated parts

Next, I will tackle the stator cover, stator and rotor! Ride safe!

Mount Greylock

Recently my friend Luc and I completed a six day ride through Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York and Vermont.  One of the many highlights of this trip was reconnecting with my friend Jeff aka @joerocket and his wife Stephanie!  On day 1, we rode from Fredericton, NB to Amherst, New Hampshire; Jeff and Stephanie offered accommodations, a great BBQ dinner and an evening of friendship!

Jeff had planned on riding with us on day 2 and suggested that we ride to Mount Greylock, near Adams MA.  Jeff explained the significance of the mountain as it is the highest point in Massachusetts!  On the morning of day 2, we were up early, bikes loaded and headed for Adams, MA. The two and a half hour ride to Adams was fun, beautiful scenery and great roads. We stopped in Adams for fuel and a drink and from their it was off to Mount Greylock and one of the best rides I have ever been on!  Twenty minutes of pure joy, riding on a perfect road to the top of a mountain.  Check out the GoPro video that was taken from the engine guard on my Street Glide...it's worth 20 minutes of your time!



Many thanks to Jeff and Stephanie for their hospitality and for the guided trip to Mount Greylock!  More to follow on road trip...ride safe!

Close Call!

Today, I came the closest that I have ever come to a serious motorcycle accident, all because of a stupid driver! Let me paint the picture...I was returning home from a short ride and was approaching my house. I am riding in the right lane (in proper riding position) and I live on the right side of the road in a residential area...so a simple right turn, no crossing of lanes or traffic.

As per usual, I put my right turn signal on well in advance and check my mirrors. I see a SUV fastly approaching behind me so I throw up a right arm turn signal too (right turn signal light is still on & brake light is on) hoping this driver would see me. I was just getting ready to turn right and into my driveway, took another look behind and noticed that this SUV was not slowing down and is right on my tail...there is no way the SUV is going to be able to stop for my turn right! My only option was to quickly swerve to the left, no time...the SUV is right there! The driver in the SUV speeds by me on the inside right! If I hadn't swerved, there is no doubt that I would NOT be posting this message! This happened right in front of my house! This could have been a very serious accident...it happened in a fraction of a second and would have resulted in me being pasted all over the road!

I am not sure if the driver in the SUV was texting, talking on a cell phone or doing something else...all I know is that he/she did not see me! I pulled into my yard and could not believe what had just happened! After my heart stopped racing, I was just ticked off!

So, why am I posting this? To remind my motorcycle friends to be diligent and to ride defensively, assume nothing! To automobile drivers, please watch for us and pay attention at all times...a text message, phone call, etc., is not worth taking the life of a motorcyclist!

Okay, rant finished! I feel better now! Ride and drive safe!

1125R Breakdown

Thought my ride on the 1125R this afternoon was going to be fun, not the case! Check engine and battery light came on, System Voltage Error, watched voltage drop from 12V to 10V to 8V then complete shut down! As soon as error appeared, I headed for home as fast as I could, bike died 500m from my house! Good thing it is downhill, I coasted home and into driveway! Tried boosting with power-pack, nothing! Battery is on charger, but I know the verdict!

2009's are famous for stator burning up at 8-10 thousand kilometers and I have 10K on mine. This is going to cost me as the only real fix is through Erik Buell Racing!  EBR Rotor Upgrade - $450, Crankshaft Tool - $65, Rotor Nut - $14.95, Gasket Kit - $15.95, Stator Rewind - $165 + shipping & duty, possibly voltage regulator ($150) and new battery ($125) too. Somehow, this is not sounding like the "priceless" MasterCard commercial!  I can't be too upset as I knew this would happen at some point in time!

Good thing I have the Street Glide!