Lonesome Rack'ee

Jemma, glad you're not hurt worse. Master Builder to means if I don't check it and crash It's MY fault. I rode a Suzuki GSXR down a ramp backwards one day after changing the front tire and did not remember to pump the front brakes. That won me a cast from the knee down for 6 Loong weeks. Don't even trust yourself. Check it, then check it again.

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No matter where you go, or what you do, there Ya' are!

Ouch - I have never ridden a motorbike yet... I tried once and the switchover between hand-shift and foot clutch to vise-versa had me off the thing (grotty little 125 commuter that'd seen better decades) about 5 times in about as many yards...

I assume you pump the brake lever to get pressure back into the hydraulics?

I have checked the machine from stem to stern - this is what I found so far.

Damage to - handlebar, brake and shifter selector cables, scraped front fender. Slight damage to fuel filler cap.

The nuts on the back wheel were loose enough to be tightened by hand, the pivot nut on the springer had worked loose again (metal glues sorted that out). The Handlebars were a couple of mms to one side because of the strike on the ground and the adjuster on the headstock was actually loose so the headstock (that comes up from the steerer and clamps the handlebars) was almost flapping about... the latter especially was something I hadnt even thought about.. If I can find a convertor for the coaster brake to make it into a drum I want to fit one.

Its making me think about this US ride in a whole new way - theoretically I'd have to carry at least one spare of most controls and pretty much everything but the frame (working on the basis if I hit something - or something hits me - hard enough to trash the frame then there is a fair chance the only place I'd be going is the nearest ER).

I emailed staton since I saw they do pre-built trikes re them sponsoring via a donation of one... I think the response managed 11 words. Charming individual. But then thats life I guess. I dont think I would be recommending him if thats his attitude.

Other than that its lots of aches and large amounts of codeine, which is gonna get me into all sorts of trouble with shish but I need to be able to walk lol

Jemma xx

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The word donation. A funny almost magic word. It's funny another way also! When you want to donate to THEM your their best amigo! But when YOU need the help? There are some wonderful people left in the world. As far as the U.S. ride, A new bike @ Wal-Mart 69.00, a motor w/all the goodies about 200.00 AND motorized bike members all over the country. Don't sweat the small stuff. If someone needed my help, I would already be on the way.

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No matter where you go, or what you do, there Ya' are!

Its not so much the "im not interested" ... its the, I cant manage more than a sentence and I cant even be bothered to sign my name... that sorta annoyed me. Not only is it rude, its unprofessional, and in this sort of business its professionalism that makes or breaks a company. People will forgive you honest disappointment or having to backorder something - they wont forgive you rudeness and excuses. Although I suspect there are other spurious reasons behind it as well.

Its pretty much academic anyway - if needs be we'll just mention the people who made it obvious they didnt want to help on national TV - should go down well, just need the name of that media contact someone put on one of the threads. I wanted friends involved because the more minds applied to a problem the more you see of the problem and less you will be surprised..

As of the moment I am going to take some happy pills and try and sleep. I have been keeping off the codiene until today, but as I can barely move without it - its a case of needs must.

talk laters

Jemma xx

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Hi Jemma
Just curious as to weather or not you have experienced the belt slip clicking on your GEBE drive if not is it because you are peddaling a lot instead of using the motor on the other forum there seems to be a lot of people getting short belt life .
interested to hear your comments
Roy in Seattle

Hi Roy,

I havent had a problem with the bike at all - the only problem I have with the belt generally is when I forget to put the tensioner down - and it soon tells you..

I have done over 600 miles on the original belt and it doesnt look particularly worn - it certainly hasnt broken. I get up to 34-35mph on this machine on a tanaka 32cc and pipe.

I am one of these people who are generally mechanically sensitive - if I hear a noise I dont like, then I back off or try and adjust RPMs so the sound is gotten rid of. I DONT ride away from a standstill without either pedalling or pushing away. I dont throttle the engine and I try and run smoothly. All those things will improve belt life.

The primary thing with a belt/sheave arrangement is this. MAKE SURE that the sheave is centred on the wheel and that the spokes are augmented at their crossing points on both sides with cable ties... the tensioner should not bob about like a lemming on speed - it should move by less than a centimeter or so and do so smoothly.

hope that helped

Jemma xx

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Thanks Jemma
I usually am mechanically sensitive so am curious about the noise I see you mentioned zipties on both sides of the wheel I just had them on the drive ring spokes are you putting them on all or just the same opposite side ones I think also i need to remember this is a motor assisted bike not a small motor bike
Thanks
Roy

Ziptie both sides - if you only zip one then you are setting up even more assymetric stresses than were there before. The problem with the cyclemotor generally is that everything is running at stresses higher than planned for - modern cycles have a good percentage built into their engineering but even so any help that can be given to the parts is always good.

Jemma xx

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