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Post by skidro on Jun 24, 2009 18:35:22 GMT -5
I took my bike to work for the first time. In the morning it's all good - less traffic, faster pace and cooler temps. This is a two lane semi residential road - traffic lights, buses, parked cars, left turners, etc.
On the way home it's a lot more traffic and it is HOT. There is a lot of stop and go with more stop than go. I could feel my bike getting hot. I diverted to a side street and that helped alot but eventually I had to merge with the masses again. So the bike is running hot and seemed to ping and the clutch seems to be engaging at a different position. I read something about this but I can't remember exactly what it was. Normal? Expected?
I managed to get over to another side route that ran through a park. It was cooler and shady and the bike ran better and the clutch acted better since I was able to ride about 35 mph for a decent distance. I wish I could make these side streets my commute but that wont happen.
Anyone have these issues?
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Post by pamcopete on Jun 24, 2009 18:43:28 GMT -5
skidro,
Well, I am somewhat familiar with the traffic you are talking about. My daughter went to the University of Maryland and lived in Silver Springs. I visited her there quite often, and she was a real "competitive" driver in that traffic.
I don't have the same situation here in South Carolina, but I do have one thing that you encounter....long red lights. They even passed a law here in SC that if the detectors do not change the light for a motorcycle in 2 minutes, the motorcyclist can go through the red light!
(yeah, right...try telling that to the judge...or the mortician)
Anyway, what I do is shut the engine off when I'm stuck at a long red light. I'm more than confident that it will start right up when the light changes, and it allows the engine to cool down.
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Post by skidro on Jun 24, 2009 19:00:25 GMT -5
I live in Silver Spring myself. The springs are gone though to pave the way for more traffic! I thought about shutting it off but I am a kick start only bike. It starts on the first kick but I would be kicking my arse off coming up 16th street. I may have to wire in the electric start though.
But is my symptons fairly typical? What weight oil should I use in the summer bearing inmind the traffic and stop and go?
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Post by leethal on Jun 25, 2009 5:50:55 GMT -5
Your symptoms are typical. Air cooled bikes are not meant to sit idling for any length of time. I recently had a heavy traffic situation in my town. Usually I'll slip up between the still cars but the streets were too narrow. The XS did not enjoy that 40 min of stop-go-stop-go (mostly stop) I can tell you that!
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Post by skidro on Jun 25, 2009 10:00:43 GMT -5
leethal,
Having been to Brissy once I ran into some traffic there. Making it harder was driving on the opposite side of the road. Thankfully I was in a VW Beetle making it a bit easier not having to concentrate on riding.
I did some slipping yesterday and some bicycle lane riding too just to get the air moving to cool it.
Now that I know the symptoms are expected I feel better but I will need to reassess my ride home. If I can find a less congested route (while longer) I would rather do that then sit in rush hour traffic.
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Post by pablosixfivezero on Jun 25, 2009 12:01:21 GMT -5
yet another reason I love living in Los Angeles. even California in general.
legal lane splitting.
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steelburner
Full Member
'82 XS-650 SJ in boxes ...
Posts: 172
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Post by steelburner on Jun 25, 2009 16:13:46 GMT -5
It's legal in Texas, too, but it really ticks off the drivers stuck in the jam to see a bike chugging through them. I only do it when I gotta ...
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Post by pablosixfivezero on Jun 25, 2009 16:22:39 GMT -5
pee?
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Post by leethal on Jun 26, 2009 0:43:15 GMT -5
When driving my shitbox volvo, I get jealous of bikes slipping past my window for sure! Its not legal in my town but whats a copper gonna do about it? Not much...coz the're stuck in the traffic  |
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Post by pops on Jun 26, 2009 5:23:00 GMT -5
I checked and lane sharing/splitting is not legal in Texas. This from the Texas Dept. of Public Safety website. " The law doesn’t specifically say one way or the other, but there are several statutes that may come to bear depending upon the circumstances, i.e. right of way, obligation to drive in a single lane, signal intention, passing with safety, etc. Motorcycles are considered equally as cars regarding traffic laws, so the single lane, signal intention and other statutes in the Transportation Code could come in to play.
The main statute that makes “lane splitting” illegal is Transportation Code Section 545.060, entitled “Driving on Roadway Laned for Traffic.”
An operator on a roadway divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic:
shall drive as nearly practical entirely within a single lane; and
may not move from the lane unless that movement can be made safely.
tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/statutes/tn.toc.htm" Also, if your bike doesn't trip the sensors for a red light, you must "safely alter your route around it since emergency vehicles are the only ones allowed to disregard red lights." And finally, turn signals are not required on motorcycles in Texas. pops |
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Post by Burns on Jun 26, 2009 13:45:32 GMT -5
this phrase: "The law doesn’t specifically say one way or the other" provides a very good "unconstituional vagueness" legal defense against enforcement.
To convict for any crime the goverment has to charge a specific offense and prove the elements of that offense. Those elements must be stated in such a way that an ordinary person is put on notice of what is illegal. I do not think that "lane splitting" per se meets that test, where "recklessness" either is not charged or is not supported by the evidence (the cop's testimony).
Of course that does not mean that the judge will give a S**t. Muni judges and cops are essentially parts of the same revenue generating operation.
They "Serve and Protect" the city's budget.
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Post by xsleo on Jun 27, 2009 23:37:24 GMT -5
Skidro, You might want to look into an oil cooler. Lots of ways to do it.
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Post by skidro on Jun 28, 2009 6:54:44 GMT -5
xsleo, as soon as I read your post i said to myself sometimes the most obvious solution is overlooked. thanks.
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Post by pamcopete on Jun 28, 2009 7:21:08 GMT -5
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Post by skidro on Jun 28, 2009 7:33:58 GMT -5
Pamcopete, nice. Is the fitting on the filter chamber just tapped through the cover? Also, the shank is to divert the hot oil from the pump through the cooler and then back to the screen/filter chamber, correct? I wish I had a spare side casing to experiment with. |
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