Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Hints and tips.

Really not sure where this should go as there's no obvious place. Moderators, please feel free to move as appropriate.
How about a thread listing hints and tips to make biking that lil bit easier.
Here's a starter:
Keep a bottle of polish and/or glass cleaner and a cloth where you park your bike up. After a ride, give your lid a quick once over to stop the flies and other squashy stuff from welding themselves to it as they dry. Makes cleaning at a later date easier and it also may stop the acids from the bugs' innards from messing up the finish.
A tip given to me by another member of this place is to wipe down the forks after a ride for similar reasons-to stop the acids from pitting the forks and the hardened bodies from ruining seals.

I think this would be a cool thread to continue with other tips and techniques. Cleaning... storage, etc. Winter is coming...

Wunder what kind of oil is best to drain out all winter ?

probally that rotella 5W40 crap its so light I bet it pours out faster then a dropped beer on my carpet.

1. Don't blast water all over her when she gets a bath - nice , soft
DOWNWARD spray , avoid controls and undertank . You wanna short ?
2. You add brake fluid you cover the tank very well .
3. Put her on a battery tender if you're gonna ride seldomish
4. She loves you - don't put her up all winter

I bought a garden dining set rain cover to go over my bike during the winter. Worked out a tenth of the cost of the proper cruiser covers.

I also put a peice of carpet under each tyre, just in case the cold cracks the rubber (i don't know if it would, better safe than sorry).

Battery trickle charger, available powered by mains or solar powered.

ok here is what I do to customers bikes if they are gonna store them...
#1 fill up the tank with fuel, all the way ot the top.
#2 turn the fuel valve off and run the engine till the carbs are out of fuel
#3 remove battery from thr bike and place it on a tender type of charger, and put it on a shelf or somewhere off the ground.
#4 drain and flush all fluids, replace with high quality stuff.
#5 wash the bike top to bottom and put a good coat of wax on it.
#6 if yiu can put the bike on a jack of some kind ot get the load off the susp and tires.
#6 remove plugs shoot a little oil in the cylinders.
#7 make sure you give her a kiss and a hug at least once a week.


Around thi time of year I buy 15 bike jacks and tripple my Battery Tender order.. I will do all the stuff in the shop I can, load the bike into the trailer and take it to the customers house. Put it on one of the jacks and leave a list of what all was done so they know what needs to be done in the spring.. With all the work, the jack, and the delivery I charge 175.00 and that includes going and gettign it in the spring and reinstalling the battery. The jack stays with the customer lol

A moderator can move the good tips to the Tech Vault.

Quote:

---

#7 make sure you give her a kiss and a hug at least once a week.

---

should be done regardless of whether being stored for a season or not.

Not sure if he frequents this place but here's a quote from Uzidzit on TRat.net ( I hope he doesn't mind!):

...if you run the reserve out on the Bonnie, tip the bike as far left as you can and slosh away; you have another 15-20 miles of dino juice on the right side you haven't touched yet.

"I will do all the stuff in the shop I can, load the bike into the trailer and take it to the customers house."


Wow, for a measly $175 does your service area include Montana?? Wait, I couldn't go to the garage, start it up and listen to the sweeeet music when the doldrums hit hard

I also pipe in classic rock n' blues once a week. Hey it helps plants grow.

jh

I have read above and in my owners manual not to spray water on the controls. WTF don't we ride in the rain? What's the difference?

Always carry a litter bag. It doesn't take up much room and if it gets full you can just throw it on the side of the road....



And now the real one:
Do your modifications one at a time - then if it doesn't work the way you wanted - you'll know why.

I once developed a solar powered flashlight.... it never caught on for some reason

Quote:

---

1. Don't blast water all over her when she gets a bath - nice , soft
DOWNWARD spray , avoid controls and undertank . You wanna short ?

---

so you never ride in the rain???????
I BLAST MY ALL OVER.... if it short's out with just a simple bath what are you going to do in the rain?????
it's best to find any shorts this way at home with a simple wash then miles from home in the rain..

Ed

Carry some toilet paper just a bit...you never know where the road will take you...and you never know when you'll wish you knew