Another motorcycle riding question

[Alpo]

If you were out and about, and you lost your rear brake. Would you ride home with just the front brake, or would you call a friend with a truck?

 

My question about safety gear, and I told about losing the bike and it's sliding down the road and breaking off a foot peg. Real damn hard to put on the rear brake, when the foot peg is broken off and you got no place to put your foot. And I rode home with the front brake.

 

That was over 40 years ago, when I was young and dumb and thought I was invulnerable. I was just thinking about it, after I told my story about falling off. Wondering how badly I could have hurt myself applying the front brake if the wheel was turned?

[Sedalia Dave]

Unless I was on a long trip, I’d ride it home. Although I would ride a lot more carefully doing it. 

[Sam Sackett]

What he said…….

 

Sam Sackett 

[Blackwater 53393]

So long as the weather was okay and I wasn’t more than a couple hours from the house, I’d ride it home.

 

If the weather was bad, I’d wait it out or find what it took to fix it!

 

 If I was more than a couple hours from home, I’d find what was needed and fix it.

 

I have only had my bike hauled home twice in nearly a half million miles!  I blew up the transmission on a ride one weekend, about three hundred miles from home.  We were on a trip with friends.  We got motel rooms for the night and my son brought me my other bike and hauled the busted one to the house.  The old four speed was replaced with a six speed when I got home and we repaired and sold the old four speed to cover half the cost.

 

I broke the primary chain and it destroyed the inner primary case and the clutch assembly.  We trailered it home and I replaced the whole assembly with a belt drive setup.

 

I rode it from Chattanooga to Nashville on the front cylinder when it cracked a piston. I pulled the plug wire and rode it on home. I had two companions who trailed along, just in case it quit, but it never did.

 

There’s not a bolt, nut, screw, wire, switch, or spoke on that old thing that I didn’t put on it at one time or another.  I had a well known professional Harley builder help me with the last engine build.  It was the last Shovelhead he built for a customer.  That was twenty-five years ago. I’ve owned and ridden that bike for nearly half my life!!

[Painted Mohawk SASS 77785]

10 hours ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

So long as the weather was okay and I wasn’t more than a couple hours from the house, I’d ride it home.

 

If the weather was bad, I’d wait it out or find what it took to fix it!

 

 If I was more than a couple hours from home, I’d find what was needed and fix it.

 

I have only had my bike hauled home twice in nearly a half million miles!  I blew up the transmission on a ride one weekend, about three hundred miles from home.  We were on a trip with friends.  We got motel rooms for the night and my son brought me my other bike and hauled the busted one to the house.  The old four speed was replaced with a six speed when I got home and we repaired and sold the old four speed to cover half the cost.

 

I broke the primary chain and it destroyed the inner primary case and the clutch assembly.  We trailered it home and I replaced the whole assembly with a belt drive setup.

 

I rode it from Chattanooga to Nashville on the front cylinder when it cracked a piston. I pulled the plug wire and rode it on home. I had two companions who trailed along, just in case it quit, but it never did.

 

There’s not a bolt, nut, screw, wire, switch, or spoke on that old thing that I didn’t put on it at one time or another.  I had a well known professional Harley builder help me with the last engine build.  It was the last Shovelhead he built for a customer.  That was twenty-five years ago. I’ve owned and ridden that bike for nearly half my life!!

Hey Blackwater..Do you have a pic of the Shovel ?

[WOLFY]

rear brakes on motorcycles are only good for-very low speed slowing down (like think walking speed) and tight manuevering (like tighter than the cone test ).

 

i could ride almost exclusively using my fronts

 

Edited October 11 by WOLFY

[Rye Miles #13621]

13 hours ago, Sedalia Dave said:

Unless I was on a long trip, I’d ride it home. Although I would ride a lot more carefully doing it. 

This ^^^^

[Ozark Huckleberry]

26 minutes ago, WOLFY said:

rear brakes on motorcycles are only good for-very low speed slowing down (like think walking speed) and tight manuevering (like tighter than the cone test ).

 

i could ride almost exclusively using my fronts

 

The rear brake helps set up the front brake. I'm pretty much in the habit of applying the rear just before the front. Causes the weight of the bike to shift downward, slightly lowers center of gravity, and puts more weight on the front. Using the front alone tends to make the weight of the bike to shift upward.

 

I could ride with just the front if I had to, but sure wouldn't like to.

[Eyesa Horg]

The front does most of the braking. I would and have ridden in only a front brake. Trailers are for bikes that won't motivate and that's pretty rare as in BW's post.

Edited October 12 by Eyesa Horg
Otto

[Blackwater 53393]

Here ya’ go PM!!

 

 

 

It’s an old pic taken right after it was rebuilt the last time!  I have never taken many pictures of it.  It’s been repainted once since then and needs to be redone again, but mechanically, it’s pretty modern.  
 

Completely closed oil system, six speed transmission, rear belt drive, Performance Machine brakes, Delkron cases, Evo primary, (I had the old Sturgis belt primary for several years, but the last engine build was too stout for that) Atlas finger style clutch, high performance gear reduction starter, 11” dual disc front rotors, 80 spoke wheels, Evo gas tanks, Fat Boy oil tank and battery box, and single fire electronic ignition.  The front forks are ‘47 offset springer and the bars are beach bars on a set of Flanders rubber mount risers. The lights are all LED and the wiring harnesses are all hand made by me.

 

I’m thinking of maybe going back to rear chain drive.  I’ve snapped two final drive belts with the new engine/transmission combo and it’s a real b!+c# to replace that belt on the side of the road!  Trust me!! You don’t want to try it!

 

 

Edited October 11 by Blackwater 53393

[Alpo]

42 minutes ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

It’s an old pic taken right after it was rebuilt the last time

I read that sentence as, "... after I was rebuilt ..."

 

Thinking, "damn, dude".

[Blackwater 53393]

34 minutes ago, Alpo said:

I read that sentence as, "... after I was rebuilt ..."

 

Thinking, "damn, dude".

Don’t feel bad!  I’ve had enough surgeries and spent enough time healing up, rehabbing, and relearning to do stuff that I sometimes FEEL like I’ve been rebuilt!!

 

TRUST ME!! Insurance companies have (NOT) Wanted posters of me stuck up in agencies all over the country! 

 

 

 

Edited October 11 by Blackwater 53393

[Pat Riot]

I would ride home with front brake only. I wouldn’t want to make a habit of it. 
 

Years ago a friend of mine would only use his rear brakes. He was afraid to use the front brakes. One day his rear brake faded on a long downhill. He learned how to use his front brake that day. 
 

[Painted Mohawk SASS 77785]

9 hours ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

Here ya’ go PM!!

 

 

 

It’s an old pic taken right after it was rebuilt the last time!  I have never taken many pictures of it.  It’s been repainted once since then and needs to be redone again, but mechanically, it’s pretty modern.  
 

Completely closed oil system, six speed transmission, rear belt drive, Performance Machine brakes, Delkron cases, Evo primary, (I had the old Sturgis belt primary for several years, but the last engine build was too stout for that) Atlas finger style clutch, high performance gear reduction starter, 11” dual disc front rotors, 80 spoke wheels, Evo gas tanks, Fat Boy oil tank and battery box, and single fire electronic ignition.  The front forks are ‘47 offset springer and the bars are beach bars on a set of Flanders rubber mount risers. The lights are all LED and the wiring harnesses are all hand made by me.

 

I’m thinking of maybe going back to rear chain drive.  I’ve snapped two final drive belts with the new engine/transmission combo and it’s a real b!+c# to replace that belt on the side of the road!  Trust me!! You don’t want to try it!

 

 

Cool lookin'   bike...what make is the 6 speed...would love another shovel to park beside the EVO..BUT' ya' can only ride one at a time, thanks for the pic..I thought that was  Grizzly Adams for a moment    

[Blackwater 53393]

The six speed is custom built.  We used an S&S 5 into 4 case, a Revtech six into five gear set and a Sputhe end cover.

 

It was the first six speed FX bike in this part of the country.

One of my riding buddies bought a Baker six speed while we were putting this one together, but it didn’t come in until right after we finished mine and it burned out several bearings within a couple of weeks!

 

Mine was installed while we waited for his to arrive.  We spent one entire day going over Harley manuals and vendor parts lists to get everything right from the start.  It has been flawless!  My mechanic received a notice from Revtech about seven months after we put it on the road telling him that they wanted him to get it back in and replace the second gear cog and shift fork. They offered to rent me a bike to ride while he did the work and they paid him to do it!

 

They sent him the parts, paid for the labor and even paid for new gear lube! We fixed it in one day.

 

Meanwhile, Baker refused to fix or pay to have their transmission repaired and my friend had to buy all new bearings and gaskets on his own dime!  Turned out, they had used cheap Chinese bearings and they weren’t properly heat treated. Fortunately, he’d parked it before it ruined the rest of the unit.

 

The lower first gear and the overdrive sixth make for a very nice ride.

[Eyesa Horg]

13 hours ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

I’m thinking of maybe going back to rear chain drive.  I’ve snapped two final drive belts with the new engine/transmission combo and it’s a real b!+c# to replace that belt on the side of the road!  Trust me!! You don’t want to try it!

I made it back to Connecticut from western Missouri with a clicking noise that I couldn't pin point while pulling a trailer. Got home and while washing the scooter found about dozen of those rubber belt teeth hanging from the belt just attached on one edge! On an 86 EVO, the swingarm has to come out to change the friggin belt . All they had to do was make the motor mounts a tad bigger and the arm a tad narrower and you'd be able to twist the he belt sideways and get it out. But the inner and outer primaries still have to come off as well. A dumbass idea in my book. Don't know, but have heard the emergency belt rates right up there with tits on a bull.

[Blackwater 53393]

I had to replace that belt on the side of the road.  Fortunately, one of my riding mates was able to go and get the parts, (gaskets, seals, and new primary oil. My belt is an odd size, so I keep a spare) and we were able to lift the back end and set the frame on a concrete block. You have to disassemble the clutch too.

[WOLFY]

the other day i heard some biker talking about laying his bike down to stop sooner than if he kept it upright.  

when asked about his front brakes - he said he never used them.

 

 

[Eyesa Horg]

6 hours ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

I had to replace that belt on the side of the road.  Fortunately, one of my riding mates was able to go and get the parts, (gaskets, seals, and new primary oil. My belt is an odd size, so I keep a spare) and we were able to lift the back end and set the frame on a concrete block. You have to disassemble the clutch too.

Yup! It's a big pain in the ass. Must have been precious on the side of the road. I'm glad I didn't figure out what the noise was while in Missouri! Bet that's a pricey job at a dealer. I replaced all the sprockets at the same time as well.

[Eyesa Horg]

23 hours ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

Here ya’ go PM!!

 

 

 

It’s an old pic taken right after it was rebuilt the last time!  I have never taken many pictures of it.  It’s been repainted once since then and needs to be redone again, but mechanically, it’s pretty modern.  
 

Completely closed oil system, six speed transmission, rear belt drive, Performance Machine brakes, Delkron cases, Evo primary, (I had the old Sturgis belt primary for several years, but the last engine build was too stout for that) Atlas finger style clutch, high performance gear reduction starter, 11” dual disc front rotors, 80 spoke wheels, Evo gas tanks, Fat Boy oil tank and battery box, and single fire electronic ignition.  The front forks are ‘47 offset springer and the bars are beach bars on a set of Flanders rubber mount risers. The lights are all LED and the wiring harnesses are all hand made by me.

 

I’m thinking of maybe going back to rear chain drive.  I’ve snapped two final drive belts with the new engine/transmission combo and it’s a real b!+c# to replace that belt on the side of the road!  Trust me!! You don’t want to try it!

 

 

That's pretty much my riding clothes! Added a better helmet, although still a half helmet for long trips. Leather jacket and chaps if the temp called for it. No helmet around home. Only sneakers in a very rare occasion. Damn I miss those days. Now I'm a Cowboy and the scooter sits and pouts!

[Pat Riot]

4 hours ago, WOLFY said:

the other day i heard some biker talking about laying his bike down to stop sooner than if he kept it upright.  

when asked about his front brakes - he said he never used them.

 

 

Avoid that guy in the future if going on a ride. Guys like that get others hurt or possibly killed when riding in a group. 

[WOLFY]

7 hours ago, Pat Riot said:

Avoid that guy in the future if going on a ride. Guys like that get others hurt or possibly killed when riding in a group. 

 

I was at a “known local spot”, Pat.  He was with a group of wannabe 1%ers.  Half of their choppers didn’t even have front brakes on them.  I wouldn’t ride with them if you paid me to.

 

They wouldn wanna “rice rocket” riding with ‘em anyway.  Seriously, that’s what they called my Aprilia SC70.  

Edited October 12 by WOLFY

[Pat Riot]

2 hours ago, WOLFY said:

They wouldn wanna “rice rocket” riding with ‘em anyway.  Seriously, that’s what they called my Aprilia SC70.

Big praise for your scooter. 
I don’t think I have ever seen an Aprilia scooter in the USA. Love the graphics. 

[Blackwater 53393]

I’ve owned and ridden motorcycles with only rear brakes.  An early Panhead with the original rigid frame and a springer front fork and narrow spoke front wheel and tire.  A neat little knock around bike with nothing but a headlight, a tail/brake light, a big rear drum brake on another wide spoke wheel and fat tire, a little bicycle style seat, drag bars, a throttle and a clutch lever. No battery, no fenders, no horn, and no chain guard.  
 

I could literally pick it up and carry it!  The key switch went directly to ground to kill the magneto and it had a Pingle fuel  shutoff and kick start.  A simple little scooter that suited me fine for poking around town.

 

Wish I still had it!!

[WOLFY]

On 10/12/2024 at 4:41 PM, Pat Riot said:

Big praise for your scooter. 
I don’t think I have ever seen an Aprilia scooter in the USA. Love the graphics. 

 

Thanks Pat,

It came standard with Valentino Rossi “Peace-Love” graphics… as 50cc 2T they are only good for inner city riding, the 70cc upgrade brought it’s useable top speed to more like 50mph.

Edited October 14 by WOLFY

[JP McLintock]

On 10/10/2024 at 7:12 PM, Blackwater 53393 said:

So long as the weather was okay and I wasn’t more than a couple hours from the house, I’d ride it home.

 

If the weather was bad, I’d wait it out or find what it took to fix it!

 

 If I was more than a couple hours from home, I’d find what was needed and fix it.

 

I have only had my bike hauled home twice in nearly a half million miles!  I blew up the transmission on a ride one weekend, about three hundred miles from home.  We were on a trip with friends.  We got motel rooms for the night and my son brought me my other bike and hauled the busted one to the house.  The old four speed was replaced with a six speed when I got home and we repaired and sold the old four speed to cover half the cost.

 

I broke the primary chain and it destroyed the inner primary case and the clutch assembly.  We trailered it home and I replaced the whole assembly with a belt drive setup.

 

I rode it from Chattanooga to Nashville on the front cylinder when it cracked a piston. I pulled the plug wire and rode it on home. I had two companions who trailed along, just in case it quit, but it never did.

 

There’s not a bolt, nut, screw, wire, switch, or spoke on that old thing that I didn’t put on it at one time or another.  I had a well known professional Harley builder help me with the last engine build.  It was the last Shovelhead he built for a customer.  That was twenty-five years ago. I’ve owned and ridden that bike for nearly half my life!!

Super cool that you've had that one that long!

 

I've rode this one since '98, the last couple years it hasnt had as many miles since i picked up a "new" '98 ultra.

[Sedalia Dave]

On 10/12/2024 at 3:15 PM, WOLFY said:

 

I was at a “known local spot”, Pat.  He was with a group of wannabe 1%ers.  Half of their choppers didn’t even have front brakes on them.  I wouldn’t ride with them if you paid me to.

 

They wouldn wanna “rice rocket” riding with ‘em anyway.  Seriously, that’s what they called my Aprilia SC70.  

 

Nice Ride.

[Alpo]

Looks more like pasta than rice.

[watab kid]

so ive not ridden motorcycle since 1980 , my last bike was a 73 triumph boneville new thatyear after my accident in 72 ...............so tonight i saw a NCIS episode where nick lost some time and his bike - they used a key fob to find it , is that really the new standard ? bikes have that ? 

[sassnetguy50]

A panic button on the key fob that sounds the alarm?  Yes. Many bikes have it.

[Texas Joker]

Some new bikes have the keyless start fob. 

 

Watched a YouTube when doodle on a motorcycle rode to key west and left her keys at a gas station and didn't realize until the NEXT gas stop.

 

Too many computers