Motorcycle Club » Star 1100 Classic & Custom

Tale of woe

12 posts from 7 voices
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  1. Member
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    OK - since one of the purposes of a forum is to learn from others, I will here bear my idiocy so that others may learn. Changed the oil the other day and wanted to check the level in the sight glass. Found that using a 4 x 4 piece of wood under the kickstand and holding the bike by the handlebar allows it to be kept nice and level and you can bend down and look at the oil level. Here's where the idiocy starts. For some reason that will forever be a mystery, I left the wood under the kickstand and walked away briefly to get a rag. You can fill in the rest. I heard a crash behind me and didn't have to do much deduction to figure out what happened. Apparently bike was a little too level!! Walk over to survey the damage and find that it fell on the horse arena drag on the back of my tractor. (big heavy metal thing with a nice spiked roller which of course is where the front fender landed!!) Anyway, could have been a lot worse but I got a small scratch in the windscreen and a dime size ding on the top of the front fender from one of the spikes on the roller. I can live with the windscreen but will be getting the fender fixed after the riding season is over. At least is gives me a good excuse to get some mural painting or pinstriping done!!!

    So I share my public humiliation and stupidity so that others may learn.............

    Good riding and, not like me, keep the shiny side up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  2. Member
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    That sucks! Sorry that happened. Time to build you one of these $20 jacks so you don't have that happen again.

    nightrider.com/biketech/bikelift.htm

  3. Member
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    Bummer man....sometimes gravity just plain SUCKS!

    cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Motorcycle-Lifts-Stands-Jacks-Accessories_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ65Q3a12Q7c66Q3a2Q7c39Q3a1Q7c72Q3a1171Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a1Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem1e573ba582QQitemZ130312545666QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

    I bought something similar to this and I'm sure you could make one if you have a welder handy....they are pretty simple. They hold the bike solidly once put in place correctly and hold the bike level for oil changes. Mine cost me about $40...... Now...no worries at all.

  4. Member
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    That sucks! Sorry that happened. Time to build you one...
    Well all's I can say is DUH!! What a simple tool. Now I'm glad I posted my stupidity cause now I have another little project to do! That also makes wheel cleaning a lot easier rather than clean a section, move the bike, clean a section, move the bik. Thanx for the idea!!

  5. Member
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    Well all's I can say is DUH!! What a...
    Glad I could help.

  6. Member
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    Sorry. I bought a device off of ebay a couple of years ago. It is a bent piece of aluminum with a mirror epoxyed to it. it bolts onto the bike and when you sit on the bike, hold it level, you can look down and see the sight glass. The reflection is upside=down, but you can check your oil level very simply

  7. Member
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    Hey kerart1666,
    In addition to the previous ideas you can also purchase for about $6.00 a small mirror mounted on a telescoping handle. Just sit on the bike, extend the handle and take a look at the sight glass. Works great. I keep one in my windsheild bag so I can check anytime anywhere.

  8. Member
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    I have the same thing orpie does and works great. I got mine from Ron Helms

  9. Member
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    That sucks! Sorry that happened. Time to build you one...
    Hey retzdaret - just got done building my jack and it works great. I left the pipe a little longer 'cause thats the size I got it (think i'ts about 5 feet) but the extra leverage just makes getting the bike up easier so I won't bother cutting it shorter. Now I just gotta throw some carpet on top and I'm good to go. Gotta any other ways of preventin' stupidity before I discover them the hard way??

  10. Member
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    Hey retzdaret - Gotta any other ways of preventin'...
    As I make the mistakes and figure out how to avoid them I'll let you know.

    Glad you got it worked out.

  11. Member
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    So sorry to hear that. I have used a brick in the past, but I'm not sure how level it was.

    Ride on,
    Torch624

  12. Member
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    Hey kerart1666,In addition to the previous ideas you can also...
    Too simple - I need to complicate it more!! Actually I like the jack because when changing the oil I get a little more clearance to turn the socket when removing the drain plug though I agree you can't beat the telescoping mirror (I think I actually have one, just didn't occur to me to use it for checking the oil!) for simplicity just to check the oil.

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