What did you do to your bike today?
- Thread starter edd1e
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Associate
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Someone on a 690 forum suggested tapping the hole to m6. Looking at how much metal I've got to work with, this might be the way to go. I've ordered a tapping kit too.
Man of Honour
That's another option. The helicoil will actually give you a stronger thread though as it's steel rather than the softer alloy of the engine.
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After youtubing helicoil fixes, it seems it widens the hole somewhat. My concern is there is not much metal to play with.
I guess I'll have a better idea when it's delivered tomorrow.
Man, my bike looks filthy, it was cleaned only 3 weeks ago!
Soldato
Might you just be able to get away with re-trapping the existing thread? Not ideal but if it works will be a lot less hastle
My brother's Bonneville chain started rusting due to rubbish Wurth dry lube. Enough riding and regular lubing and the chain is back to looking just about new these days. Don't try to scrub all the rust off, that might just cause more problems (broken o / x rings, sticky links, etc.).
Give it a decent clean with cloth & paraffin, then start using a decent lube like Castrol racing lube. A small amount of lube more regularly works better I find. I lube mine every 100 miles or so, or every couple of weeks, but only a little. Over time, the rust should mostly disappear.
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Assessing the damage.. the bike fits quite nicely into the workshop 
The bobbin itself only took a scrape but the thing that attaches it to the frame is quite bent as is the bit of fairing that is attached to it. The tax disc holder is wrecked, I'm so sad.
I've tried taking off and putting back on the clutch lever to see if that made a difference but nothing, hopefully tomorrow I can bleed the clutch bits.
The bobbin itself only took a scrape but the thing that attaches it to the frame is quite bent as is the bit of fairing that is attached to it. The tax disc holder is wrecked, I'm so sad.
I've tried taking off and putting back on the clutch lever to see if that made a difference but nothing, hopefully tomorrow I can bleed the clutch bits.
I'll give that a go. Thanks for the advice.
Going to treat my bike to a clean this weekend anyway.
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This is turning into a comedy of ****ups.
The tapping kit came today, so I headed home at lunchtime to fix things up. On the first attempt to tap the hole, I was over halfway in when the tap shattered(!)
It was some £7 rainforest jobbie, and obviously a pos. I managed to finally get the fragment out of the hole, but damaged the oil cap in doing so
.
So I've now had to order a new cap (none in stock, so looking at a week to get it) and a more expensive tapping kit.
The tapping kit came today, so I headed home at lunchtime to fix things up. On the first attempt to tap the hole, I was over halfway in when the tap shattered(!)
It was some £7 rainforest jobbie, and obviously a pos. I managed to finally get the fragment out of the hole, but damaged the oil cap in doing so
.So I've now had to order a new cap (none in stock, so looking at a week to get it) and a more expensive tapping kit.
Associate
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Take it from someone who's broken enough tools to fill a Snap On van: Buy cheap, buy twice. Especially with things like taps & dies.
Never, ever cheap out on tools.
Good luck getting it fixed
I explained to a guy at work what I did and he looked at me in horror. I didn't use any kind of lubricant, which perhaps explains the breakage.
I'm going to try again when the new bits come tomorrow - ordered some cutting fluid too, and will take it really slowly
.
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Associate
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If I leave home after 8ish, I'll def leave it running to warm up for 5 mins. If I'm out at 6, I wheel it into the street and just go. I try not to **** off the neighbors
. So I warm it up when I can.It was freezing and I didn't want to ride down the road with it smoking. Soon as I warmed it up, it started raining so I put it away.
I explained to a guy at work what I did and he looked at me in horror. I didn't use any kind of lubricant, which perhaps explains the breakage.
I'm going to try again when the new bits come tomorrow - ordered some cutting fluid too, and will take it really slowly
Apologies if this comes across wrong, but it can be the difference between success and swearing / bleeding knuckles: If you're not sure, YOUTUBE EVERYTHING. Seriously, if you're scratching your head, odds are loads of other people have too, and there is almost always a video on Youtube on how to do stuff, like this:
Associate
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Yep, it's a bit of a harsh lesson. I guess I was a bit impatient .
Will be doing some serious youtubing from now on.
.Will be doing some serious youtubing from now on.
Spent an hour and a half trying to bleed the clutch with a method suggested on a few Aprilia forums and just got nowhere. After fannying around spilling brake fluid everywhere I tried the traditional method and now when you pump the clutch it sounds like air is coming from the master cylinder 
Man of Honour
Blown the seals in the MC when you hit the tarmac possibly.
Fuel injected, get on and go. Carbs, get on and go.
Obviously in both cases I don't ride like a mad man for a few minutes especially on the carbed bike. Carbed runs horribly in the cold.