3 November 2017 – I put my gas tank, side panels, seat, and
saddle bags back on. Larry and I pushed the motorcycle off its center stand so I
could check the chain tension. It is kind of heavy. The chain was still loose.
I went in the house to get my heaviest pack and my 2 spare tires and put them on
the motorcycle. I then adjusted the chain to the correct tension. Everything
was put back together and I was anxious to take it out for a test ride.
I
left on my test ride about 4:30 p.m. It was just getting dark. I was driving around and I
noticed I was near Bert’s Mega Mall. So, I typed in the address and drove
there. I purchased a coiled cable to attach to the wood block I put under my
kick stand. I wanted the cable to be able to retrieve the block when I get ready to lift the kick
stand and take off. It’s a long reach to the ground if you don’t have this
cable. While was at Bert’s Mega Mall Mary called me up on Skype and we talked. I
showed her around with my phone. It’s really is a big place with many really
expensive boy toys. It’s Boy Heaven. We finished talking and I left Bert’s. Getting
home in the dark is always more challenging, especially in unfamiliar cities.
I
was coming down the North Grand Avenue hill to San Jose Hills Road and I was
applying both the front and rear brakes. I heard this growling. It doesn’t sound
good. I did a quick front brake check. It sounded good. I checked the back
brake….growl, growl, scrape, scrape. My heart sinks. I pull into the
convenience store on the corner, park and get off my bike. I fish out my flash light
and take a look. There is galling on the outside of the disk rotor: small 1/16”
diameter steel patches of metal welded to the side of the disk rotor. What in
blue blazes is going on here??? I go in the convenience store to buy 2 cherry cokes and to think about this. I go back outside, get on my knees, looking
straight forward so I could see the disk and both brake pads. I about fell over
dead. Both brake pads were on one side of the disk rotor and the brake caliper
aluminum was on the other side. How could that ever happen? All I could do is
point the finger at myself. Here’s what was happening; the steel backside of
the brake pad was rubbing the outside of disk rotor and the aluminum side of
the caliper was rubbing the inside of the disk rotor. In other words, both
brake pads were on one side of the disk rotor. The backside of the rotor was
smeared with melted aluminum and outside of the rotor had welded on globs of
steel. All I thought was that this is really going to cost me dearly. I pushed the
caliper in to free the caliper and brake pad from the rotor and rode a
1/4-mile back to my brother's place. I opened the back gate and drove in and parked under the veranda. I walked into the house kicking myself in the butt.
I would
put these two items in the top 25 percent of the most expensive parts you
would ever purchase for this motorcycle. So, I was pondering my situation…..I
got out my cell phone and checked out cheapcycleparts.com. I found both of my parts,
part numbers and pricing. About $600, which I kind of expected. I was happy that there was no
need to faint. I wrote down the part numbers for tomorrow when I headed back to
Bert’s Mega Mall.
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