Well looking back at today I would say I am a jack ass.
I have been working hard to get "The Mule" ready for my 1st DGR charity event.
Today I finished up a huge amount of work on the mule from the past week.
Installed the newly rebuilt front forks, rebuilt the fuel pet cock (that does not leak now!) new rear tire, changing the fluids in the final drive, the secondary trans, and the engine, lubing & adjusting cables, checking brake fluids *, installing the newly resurfaced king/queen seat, and fixing a major pain in the ass. The air box rubber hoses from the carbs are crap. I struggled for at least an hour to get four rubber hoses to almost fit, so they can seal, so I can test ride the mule... All went pretty well no real problems.
(I have ordered new air box hoses to install next week as I doubt the fit of the current ones).
In the process of doing a large amount of work on a bike, you look at everything and notice things. Various hoses/wiring that needs zip ties, worn boots, things leaking, certain things that need adjustment or replacement and on and on.
On to the jack ass part...
For some reason (God) I decided to open the front brake fluid reservoir and "check" the fluid, well it was pretty low, looked like muddy waters, but hey the front brakes worked, right! If it ain't broke don't fix it crap.
Don't listen to God though, just push ahead get on and ride, ya dumb ass...
Note to self, if your brake fluid looks like Mississippi mud, well maybe you have a "PROBLEM".
Not me, just filled up the reservoir gave the lever a few pumps, and it felt fine. Leave it alone, it works in your garage, who cares about the open road, right.
Remember the mule kicking my ass?
I prep very carefully for my first true road test of the mule. I double check everything I have fixed, all the nuts and bolts, cotter pins, any fluid leaks, will she start and so on. In the back of my mind is the front brake fluid, haunting me...
Then it is time for AGATT, get all of it on, ready to ride. I saddle up, bring the mule off the center stand, roll her out of the garage and off I go on the first true test ride of a 35 year old motorcycle that I know nothing about.
Riding any motorcycle for the first time is tenuous at the least. Can you say pucker factor!
With my experience as a test driver and motorcyclist you start out slow, check how she weaves, stops, accelerates and just performs as a motorcycle should, or what you think a 35 year old motorcycle should do.
So far so good, 7 miles into the first ride and looking good, no wait I smell smoke, not sure what it is, is it oil? is it 90w drive oil, is it plastic, no wait it is a brake smell, well that's no problem it is one of the trucks or cars around me, no wait why is the front of the mule dragging, why do I not have much acceleration, no wait why is my front brake lever HARD AS A ROCK?
Shit both front calipers have seized and they are cooking the front rotors, damn I was kicked in the ass by the mule.
At 60+ miles an hour both front rotors seized and pissed brake fluid out of the calipers!
I have never had that happen before. I once had a front caliper come off at 75 mph, another story...
Anyway I get the mule shut down and off the road and check my shorts, still dry. Can you say "low side @ 60mph"...
Smoke is coming off of the front rim/rotors with fluid showing on the wheel and the tire. Crap!
I get back on the mule put her in neutral and try and move her nothing. The front nose dives as I push forward, seized brakes. Not good for me.
I start to weigh my options, piss my pants now or, or wait and see what happens when the rotors cool down.
I know I don't need no stinkin' front brakes to ride a motorcycle, right! How many times have you heard that line...
After about 5 minutes I again mount the mule and try moving her forward, bingo, freedom, the calipers have released and I have movement of the front tire.
OK, reality check time, I have 7 miles to ride home on a secondary highway with light traffic.
I DON'T NEED NO STINKIN' FRONT BRAKES... Right???
Off I go, my pants are a little squishy but not bad. Get the mule up to 50mph doing fine, keep telling myself "DON'T TOUCH THE FRONT BRAKE". This is really hard to over come.
Both brakes all of the time, right!
Twice I pull over let traffic pass the "mentally challenged biker" go home...
Once back in my garage safely I first tell myself, if your brake fluid looks like mud, well don't be a dumb ass FIX IT.
I then thank God that I am still alive to live another day.
I love my "Mule", she kicked my ass, taught me something and will forever be a trusted steed in my herd...
One of the reasons I am not a pilot, not as far to fall...
W
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