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Posted by Tiago Rocha on August 1, 2008, 9:15 am
From since I bought my first bike, back in '97, there was a bike shop
owned by this nice couple, Alessandra and Marcelo. Their store started
very small, many parts I asked they did not have and could not even
back order. Very small business.
They grew. One of their mechanics became state motocross champion.
They started to stock more parts and started to be able to back order
some stuff. Unfortunately, they are way "out of way" for me. Their
shop is a at a very busy part of town, parking is difficult - even
getting there to park is difficult, the traffic is so horrible on that
neighborhood, but despite these problems, I was a frequent customer.
About a month ago, I found they are selling "mold mix" brake pads.
These are sinthered pads that costs 10% the price of a <insert any
brand name you know here> pad, with the same quality. To buy these
pads before I had to pay shipping, making them significantly more
expensive than the semi-metallic that is quite hard to find and way
more than the organic pads that doesn't last an entire trail during
winter...
They opened a new store. I drive in front of them every day. And
yesterday, the shop owner Alessandra herself was at the counter and
was a real pleasure buying assorted bike parts, cheap, quick and with
a very knowledgeable person.
Came home and tried to replace rear brake pads without removing the
rear wheel. I was so thrilled I could do it that I forgot to put the
little metal tabs that attaches to the pad... And had to do the job
twice, second time to put the metal tabs... :-) Hope to go riding
sunday. I did not forget the grips this time, too bad she did not had
the grip model I like, but I am satisfied with what I got, I even got
to tear it a little right out of the box while installing, but fixed
it by safety-wiring just over the tear, just USD6 for the grips, if
the tear grows I can stop at Alessandra's bike shop any day, *IF* I
remember that I need grips, lol!
Man, the air filter was dirty. I am sure that at some point, there was
3cm deep of mud on the bottom of the airbox, given the amount of dry
clay on there. Twin Air filter made it's job and behind the filter,
the airbox was clean. It took me about half an hour with a spoon and a
wet rag to remove all the mud from inside the airbox and I must
confess that it isn't as clean as it should, but at least the air
filter is perfectly clean and oiled...
Went over all screws, re tightening all of them. Some were very loose,
the steering stem needed almost a quart turn! The bearings in there
are new and still seating, so it gets loose from time to time until it
fully seat and sometimes that takes some time. The bearings I put are
not the OEM, they are roller bearings completely different from what
Honda puts in there, but the rollers at least *last*. The Honda
bearing lasts a dozen trails (what could you expect from a bearing
that except the balls, everything else is made from plastic????),
while the rollers last a couple years.
I am afraid of removing the wheels and checking on the bearings, I
guess I'll ride one more trail before going into there...
I think I should start checking prices on rear tires.. I need another
Metzeler MC5 110x100.
-- Tiago
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Posted by The Real Bev on August 3, 2008, 12:46 am
Tiago Rocha wrote:
> Went over all screws, re tightening all of them. Some were very loose,
That's interesting. When we were riding our little Honda 90s, at least
half the screws needed tightening almost every time until some kind soul
told us about Yellow Stuff. The Kawasakis never needed tightening.
> the steering stem needed almost a quart turn! The bearings in there
> are new and still seating, so it gets loose from time to time until it
> fully seat and sometimes that takes some time. The bearings I put are
> not the OEM, they are roller bearings completely different from what
> Honda puts in there, but the rollers at least *last*. The Honda
> bearing lasts a dozen trails (what could you expect from a bearing
> that except the balls, everything else is made from plastic????),
> while the rollers last a couple years.
And they actually call it a bearing? That's disgusting. I once read
most of the New Departure Handbook and was amazed to almost a religious
degree at the precision with which anti-friction bearings are made. The
thingy that spaces the balls apart doesn't have to be anything special,
but the rest of the bearing definitely is. I'm shocked, do you hear me?
SHOCKED!
--
Cheers,
Bev
MSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMS
FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION. It comes bundled with the software.
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Posted by Tiago Rocha on August 4, 2008, 10:19 am
>
> And they actually call it a bearing? =A0That's disgusting. =A0I once read
> most of the New Departure Handbook and was amazed to almost a religious
> degree at the precision with which anti-friction bearings are made. =A0Th=
e
> thingy that spaces the balls apart doesn't have to be anything special,
> but the rest of the bearing definitely is. =A0I'm shocked, do you hear me=
?
> =A0 SHOCKED!
It is indeed amazing. If you disassemble the steering stem and if the
grease in there is non-existent, the thing falls apart. If left too
much time, the plastic cage thingy get brittle and dissolve itself.
Actually this and the bad design of the stock rear hub that makes the
bike "eat" bearings for breakfast lunch and dinner are the only design
flaws on the XR250 Tornado - maybe I could add the cam chain tensioner
that is not strong enough and fails much too often... Good that there
are aftermarket units that are much better than stock - It is a great
bike overall, it has enough power for having fun. It could come with
better suspensions and rear disk brake, but the bike is a fun bike to
ride. Strong rumors that it will come FI next year.
-- Tiago
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