Right is the new normal

Next time you have a new set of brake pads in your hand take a look at their edges. You’ll see a series of numbers and letters that collectively are known as the “edge code.” The edge code contains specific information about the brake pad, including who made it, what type of material is used, and a description of the pad’s initial friction properties.

Since the inception of motorcycling, the How-To article has been a motorcycle magazine staple, which is understandable given that most motorcycle riders, be they man, woman or child, enjoy a little mechanical interaction with their motorcycle from time to time.

Motorcycling is my life, but fishing, especially offshore saltwater fishing, runs a very close second. I don’t fish as much as I used to, but whenever the opportunity presents itself, I’ll spend a day on the water, preferably with Captain Tim Griffiths and crew aboard the Middlebank 11 out of Bridgeport, Connecticut (how’s that for a shameless plug?).

Guru Voodoo

It’s a good thing today’s bikes are such great works of technology. Otherwise, I would be bugging you all the time, and of course, the complicated nature of their systems just adds to your exalted status as a motorcycle guru.

A couple of quick questions:

Both my Nomad 1500 and Drifter 1500 use standard NGK spark plugs (DPR6EA-9). What is your take on platinum and iridium plugs—are they worth the extra money?

The other question is about EFI: My Nomad 1500 is one of the early models with fuel injection (2000). I was surprised the other day when I somehow flooded it trying to start it in the morning. (I had to take the spark plugs out, clean and dry them to get it to start.) I should also mention that it smells like it’s running a bit rich if I let it idle very long. I don’t think that’s ever happened to me before with a fuel-injected bike. Any steps I should take to quell the light aroma of gas at idle and keep from flooding it again?

Doug Mercer
Via email

Last issue we covered some basic maintenance tasks. In this installment, we’ll delve a little deeper.

Many years ago, I began jotting down factoids and short snippets of information I’d heard on the subject of motorcycle power, and thought were worth remembering. Some were snatches of conversation that I felt deserved further comment, some were just pithy remarks made by guys I respected. Since these tidbits make for interesting reading and will hopefully lead you to engage in further research, I thought I’d pass a few of them on. If nothing else, they’ll be great conversation starters at your next cocktail party.

By 1966, I wanted to ride so bad I could taste it. Unfortunately, at the time I had no dough and little prospect of getting any, which put a serious crimp in my plans to buy any type of bike. Serendipitously, a family friend who’d been a partner in a defunct scooter rental business offered me three junked Rabbit 90 scooters. If I could get one of them running, I could keep it.

I know we’ve discussed this before but apparently, someone wasn’t paying attention, so let me repeat, as forcefully as I can on a printed page, that motorcycle control cables need periodic attention. If you neglect them they’ll break, and trust me on this, they’ll break at the most inopportune time, under the worst circumstances, and in such a way as to create the most havoc.

ABS—Not

How-To

The Society Of Automotive Engineers is soliciting funds to research driver and passenger posture for astride seating used on motorcycles, off road vehicles and certain types of watercraft. The goal is to better understand how hand placement, foot placement and various seat types affect posture and comfort. The resulting posture models could be used to aid in the design and development of new vehicles and to define a physical measurement tool. The measuring tool could take the form of a manikin that would provide a standardized way to measure seat characteristics as well as hand and foot control placement. A schematic of a possible manikin is shown on the drawing. If you are interested in more information on this project, contact Gary Pollak at SAE for administration concerns, gary@sae.org or Ron Roe at Anthrodynamics for technical concerns, anthroe1@wowway.com.

In 1948, British motorcycle engineer Bert Hopwood proposed building a new line of motorcycles based on a “modular” engine design that used shared components to create several different power plants. He reasoned that by using common architecture and interchangeable components, development time and manufacturing costs could be reduced, which in turn would enhance profits—which were in rather short supply at the time.

Maintenance
Few suspension components have as dramatic an effect on your bike's performance as steering head bearings. If they’re too loose, too tight, or damaged in any way, the steering, and handling qualities of your bike will take a real hit. Fortunately, steering head bearings don’t need much attention, and what maintenance is required is relatively easy to perform.

Got a question? Try to stump Mark at zimmemr@aol.com

2010 Honda Stateline
MSRP: $11,499
Caretaker: Cherney
Measurements: 5 ft. 7 in./160 lbs./30-IN. inseam
Odometer: NA
Miles since last issue: NA

I've been in the market for a new parts washer for the last few months but hadn't really found what I was looking for. My old one worked fine, but was a little small-you could fit a single cylinder head in it, but a twin was iffy. Plus it tended to splash solvent all over the place which was a little dangerous, given the cramped quarters of my shop. I was wandering through my local Tractor Supply store when I stumbled over a JOBSMART 20 Gallon Portable Washer, and knew I'd struck gold.

In technical terms, the job of a threaded fastener is to apply a compressive force to a connection, creating a joint strong enough to oppose any static, tensile, and dynamic loads that may be placed upon it. By that same token, the fastener(s) used must also be capable of resisting impact, shock, vibration, shear, bend, torque and vector (angular) forces, as well as other compressive loads. Boil away the jargon and it means that bolts work by clamping things together under tension and that both the connection and the bolt must be strong enough resist any force that tries to break that connection or the bolt that's holding it together.

Not-so Heavy Hauling
My wife and I are looking to accessorize our Honda shadow 750 Aero, 2006 version. Someone had mentioned we could pull a trailer. Is this possible? And if so, what capacity?
Jeff Simmons
Via email

Few components have as much impact on your motorcycle’s overall performance as the tires. It doesn’t matter how much horsepower you’ve got, how trick your suspension is, or how powerful the brakes are, if the tires can’t do their job, sooner or later you’re going to find yourself riding the world’s fastest shopping cart.

My buddy asked me to take a quick look at his new dump truck the other day. It seems the batteries—there were three of them—were going dead whenever the truck sat over night and he was at his wits end as to what was causing it. He'd had the truck back to the dealership, where they replaced the alternator and all three batteries under warranty. He'd driven the truck back from the shop on Friday night and parked it in a warm garage over the weekend, but come Monday morning, the thing wouldn't even turn over. Obviously, something was killing the batteries, and my suspicion was that it was parasitic draw, but where was it coming from, and what does it have to do with motorcycles?

Last issue, we told you we’d be modifying a stock Honda Stateline with Willie & Max’s Touring Upgrade Kit. The kit comes with a full inner and outer fairing, 9-inch windshield and hard saddlebags, with the option to add a stereo kit. We chose the Stateline because we’re pretty familiar with the VT1300 series, but the kit is also available for the VTX1300, V-Star 950, and Vulcan 900s (with Suzuki C series fitments being released next).

The general reliability and easy-to-live-with nature of modern motorcycles never ceases to amaze me. By New Year’s Eve morning, it was clear that this winter was going to be particularly sloppy, and since I don’t like to ride any of my "good" machines on sand and salt-encrusted roads, I decided to drag myself out to the shop and give them a proper bed down, especially since, based on past performance, I might not be able to do it on New Year’s Day.

Buffalo, NY: As springtime brings a new riding season, Dunlop reminds you that it’s wise to kick off your travels by checking your tires. Two items are of vital importance: always check your tire pressures before you ride, and always know your load limit. Exceeding 400 pounds in rider, passenger and cargo weight on some bikes may exceed the load limit.