Before Month 10 gets away from me, there were some things going on around here last month, things that may (you'll decide) be worth mentioning. If you recall I started out and with high hopes on taking the Helix for a Wisconsin "More Stops, Fewer Miles" ride. Only a few miles from home I knew something was wrong and as it turns out, this was it.
This is what I found after opening up the transmission. Two big problems here, one is that the gear lube has the consistency of Black Pudding and not the good Black Pudding. This water-infused 90w is not as it should be. Problem number two is that there is far too much of it. I try but I'm not always Quick Draw McGraw on these things. There was too much of something because water had some how found its way in and it took me a bit to figure out what, where and how.
This is a perfect example highlighting one of those Cause and Effect relationships....
There is dirt where there is not to be dirt....The mystery remains as to why. Well, besides the fact that I use the scooter like an off-road unit.
To the best of my knowledge, the other bearings and components managed to survive the ordeal. I hope so anyway. Once the new bearing arrives, this is all going back together with some sealant and a joint that will keep heavy oil in and wet water out.
Just a shade under 30k miles on the scooter and time for some serious maintenance anyway. While the rear drive is all apart, new rollers, weights and a belt before this cover goes back on. Other normal service items, a spark plug replacement long overdue.
And...the bi-starter. I'm an old timer and I have trouble thinking of it as anything other than a choke but it accomplishes what a choke does. Cold weather starts are a real challenge when those things don't work properly.
Other goings on....a red head stopped by.
The cornfield was harvested and the deer are now marbling with abandon! Most of our 9" snowfall was gone but not all.
What would the last week of October be without a motorcycle ride??
A quick, short Friday afternoon loop but a loop nonetheless. I had hoped but there are no guarantees at this time of year.
No....I'm not giving this out.
Icy and gooey, I really had to be careful on these north-side valleys. No dilly-dallying here!
Saturday morning another Coffee Klatch in Mpls.....here a Helix w/o water ingress.
Just like we, well not we, the docs, did things in the O.R.
What would the last week of October be without a 2nd motorcycle ride, even if it happened on an old scooter?
Not much tourism Saturday....
Yes it goes 60!
I stopped, swung by The Pie Shop but eating outside just wasn't to work on Saturday so I kept going up river, stopping to eat in Red Wing instead.
The BNSF tracks along the river....
Barn Bluff in Red Wing, there were hikers up top.
Another view of Liberty's and where I ate Saturday afternoon.
As Mike says, "Red Wing always has cheap gas..."
Lehrbach Rd, another mooshy hidden valley road, requiring even more care than the Himalayan had the day before.
Out of curiosity, what is that hose for? The one you have circled...
ReplyDeleteHey Richard, it's a vent for the gearbox. Not shown on this view is where the tube goes to a valve that routes fumes back into the airbox.
DeleteNew parts are arriving today and I'll take a better look at how water-tight all of the plumbing was and will be.
Marbling with abandon? As in getting fat?
ReplyDeleteYes, feeding on the corn that escaped the combine while shelling. Grass-fed vs. corn-fed
Delete