Author Topic: Some days you shouldn't touch the bike....  (Read 760 times)

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Offline Hope

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Some days you shouldn't touch the bike....
« on: September 04, 2009, 06:05:00 PM »
Usually my troubles start when I say, "I'm going to do X.  That won't take that long."

Whatever X is, if you do it in a hurry, you are going to eff it up.  Doesn't matter how small it is...  Doesn't matter.

I stopped on the way home and picked up a couple of fuel filters (no, I don't want a lecture that I should not be using them) and figured when I got home I would try to change them out real quick.  Yeah, right.

Took the old ones off, put the new ones on.  Turned on the petcock and one filter was leaking.  Took off the tank to examine which end of the filter's hose was leaking.  My shiny gold tank hit the metal seat pan and scratched the tank.  I go set the tank down in the shop and remember I have some touch up paint.  I open the little container after shaking it up while I am standing over my tank and dribble the paint on the tank. 

So, I put the bike back in the shop and put the tank inside.  Now it's dark and I have accomplished nothing but screwing up everything I set out to do.  All because I wanted to hurry up and do something and get a ride in...

And because I didn't want to use up part of a Saturday on my three day weekend.

Stupid.  Just plain stupid.

Now I will spend tomorrow doing the job that I originally set out to do PLUS try to straighten up the mess on my tank.  I guess I will get some 1500 grit sandpaper, 1800 grit sandpaper, and some rubbing compound.

This sucks.

Offline Frankenkit

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Re: Some days you shouldn't touch the bike....
« Reply #1 on: September 04, 2009, 06:27:04 PM »
Usually my troubles start when I say, "I'm going to do X.  That won't take that long."

My troubles start the same way, with that same sentence. ;)

Just wanted to add a touch of humor.  I'm sorry #$%* happened that way today. :(  You're right, sometimes projects just shouldn't even be attempted; unfortunately, those are usually the only days things seem to come together right so I can work on them! :D


I find I have to use decently tight clamps with my fuel filters (when I run them) or they leak.  

If you have it, NuFinish is a great last step after the rubbing compound.  Brings everything back to a nice luster.  I've fixed spots that way and it was nearly impossible to know they were even there.

Good luck! Good vibes for tomorrow.  Maybe envision it as a meditative, beer-sipping opportunity?
"Moderation in all things - especially moderation. Too much moderation is excessive. The occasional excess is all part of living the moderate life."
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Offline Magpie

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Re: Some days you shouldn't touch the bike....
« Reply #2 on: September 04, 2009, 06:27:32 PM »
Been there. Sometimes I think Murphy and his flippin' law was an optimist.
Cliff.

Offline Hope

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Re: Some days you shouldn't touch the bike....
« Reply #3 on: September 05, 2009, 07:29:39 AM »
Well, I'm waiting on the Auto parts store to open so I can go get some sandpaper.  I'm looking in the gallery at folks fuel lines to see if/how they rerouted their fuel lines to accommodate their fuel filters.

I don't drink beer, plus it's too early.  I don't drink coffee.  Maybe I'll grab an energy drink and be on my way.

This is the result of my self fulfilling prophecy.  Earlier this week, after I changed my clutch cable, my cousin came over and we were talking about all the things we hoped to accomplish on our 3 day weekend.

Ultimately, changing a freeze plug in my 78 F250 was at the top of the list.  My cousin said, "well, that's one of those things that either it drops right in or you spend all day fighting it.  But it's yours so we'll probably spend all day fighting it."

After he said that, I said, "well, that's just like the fuel filters on the bike I want to change.  Sometimes they go right on, but sometimes it's a big ordeal cuz when you take the tank up you mess it up, then the fuel filters won't go right on, then you end up pulling the damn carbs and rerouting the fuel lines."

So, I basically claimed what happened last night before it even happened.  Ugh.

Can't even drink a margarita until I get my French homework turned in (electronically)...  or I'll mess that up too!  Off on a tangent: who the hell makes midnight Saturday/Sunday morning a due date/time????  For all us procrastinators, that makes us spend our Saturday night working on homework.  (Sure I can work on it Sunday in the day through Saturday afternoon, but it really isn't due till midnight, soooo.....)  Usually I get it turned in around 8 or 9 pm, a couple of hours before the midnight due time.....  But it frustrates me!

And then if I get the bike put back together, I can't ride today because of my French homework...  AND we are due to get RAIN today....

For all you newbies, you may not know (the oldtimers here know) that I become a wining idiot when I cannot ride....  and that it is 10x worse when *I* am the cause of me not being able to ride.

I pretty much become a pouty whiny baby and it gets a little tense at home....  then I have to come here because no one else understands.  No one.

I am a brat when I can't ride! How 'bout you?

Offline mark

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Re: Some days you shouldn't touch the bike....
« Reply #4 on: September 05, 2009, 08:09:17 AM »
C'est la merde.

1976 CB550K, 1973 CB350G, 1964 C100

F you mark...... F you.

Offline super pasty white guy

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Re: Some days you shouldn't touch the bike....
« Reply #5 on: September 05, 2009, 07:03:54 PM »
hell, I'd have put the scratched tank on and gotten on the road. 

That repair could wait till later.   :D

spwg
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Offline verboten1

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Re: Some days you shouldn't touch the bike....
« Reply #6 on: September 05, 2009, 07:12:45 PM »
C'est la vie!!


my french in France usually went something like " je ne comprende pas"

1975 CB550F
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2000 KLR65085