Motor cycle accident !!!

[scooperhsd]

More or less. When he took off, at least one person went trying to find his tag #.
What he did was come to bawl me out because "he had the right-of way" (I didn't have stop signs - he did). This was an older Lincoln that may not have been his (he was borrowing it).

[scooperhsd]

There are good days and nights, and bad days and nights. I'm currently on the bad side of things...

[cookiedough]

cannot believe he stopped then after o.k. took off,  that is not right at all, what an a-hole.  My neighbor down street rear ended my truck few years ago and did NOT want to get a police report.  Afterwards know why the local one horse town cop just 'asked' for drivers license id but NEVER got a TRUE insurance card just asked if we had insurance is all NOT doing his job properly.  Neighbor guy whom I know lied to cop said YES has insurance but did NOT that would have been a ticket as well since WI requires liability insurance if on the road. 

Without that police report,   I would not have a leg to stand on taking him to small claims court for 1200 in damages to my truck rear bumper and wiring harness.  Took 10 months to get money out of him.  ONLY good thing came out of this was his old crappy chevy malibu crushed front end underneath bumper and did not run long much after that.  Wanna bet his own family still does not have any insurance on any of their 4 vehicles sitting outside including their 2 HD cycles.   If I have to pay insurance on my entire families 5 vehicles and 6 cycles with 2 under age 25 (clean records all just kills me under age 25 they jack up rates 35% across the board on all 5 vehicles) ,  he can as well.   

[scooperhsd]

Much better this morning. Pain down to a managable level, soreness much reduced. Actually had a great night of sleep !!!

[scooperhsd]

And on the bike - I'm estimating less than $50 in parts and she will be as good as when I got her - about $200 less than my collision deductable !!! Parts have been ordered from Freedom Cycle in Grandview MO.

[Willow]

Good to hear things are much better than they could have been.   

[Rams]

Much better this morning. Pain down to a managable level, soreness much reduced. Actually had a great night of sleep !!!

Great, glad to hear you and your girl will be alright.   

Rams

[scooperhsd]

Got the broke parts on the bike replaced today, checked it out. ready for Road ride - one small item - I can't tighten the handlebar clamps any tighter to keep them from rotating  - anybody have a solution (besides new handlebar) ? I was thinking of getting some emery cloth and put the gritty surface on the clamp and the handlebar side, and tighten as well as I can .

[Willow]

Got the broke parts on the bike replaced today, checked it out. ready for Road ride - one small item - I can't tighten the handlebar clamps any tighter to keep them from rotating  - anybody have a solution (besides new handlebar) ? I was thinking of getting some emery cloth and put the gritty surface on the clamp and the handlebar side, and tighten as well as I can .

Try one or two layers of strips cut from aluminum soda cans to thicken under the clamps.

[Jess from VA]

Do not strip those riser threads.

And let me ask, do you have the OE or aftermarket risers; single bridge (OE), or dual (aftermarket) top clamp(s)?

[scooperhsd]

So far as I know - I have stock risers and I know it is a single bridge top clamp.

[Jess from VA]

OK.  Carl's suggestion of using pop can strips is a good one (I've heard of before).  The can is smooth and not knurled, but it is diameter not friction causing the trouble.

But if this was never an issue before, I am wondering if you incurred some damage to the bars/risers/bolts in the accident?  I mean, shimming is fine so long as you don't have some other structural issue (which needs addressed).  Have you had it all apart to look over (not risers from the tree, but clamp off the risers and look at the bolts, and clamp underneath? (pad the tank)

[scooperhsd]

It had before, but I was able to crank it down hard enough that it didn't rotate until the accident.

The risers seem a little looser than I think they should be, but getting to the bottom of them is going to be a big pain. And I hadn't re-tried retightening the clamps yet.

[The emperor has no clothes]

It had before, but I was able to crank it down hard enough that it didn't rotate until the accident.

The risers seem a little looser than I think they should be, but getting to the bottom of them is going to be a big pain. And I hadn't re-tried retightening the clamps yet.

In the sequence of your accident, the steel knurled section of the bars likely ground some of the aluminum risers down a little with they were moved in the force. Willow's fix should work just fine. Although, I wouldn't go more that one layer. But if we are talking about OEM risers, I would think there are a bunch right here on this site for cheap. Maybe even just the cost of shipping. This is the route I'd go.

[Willow]

It had before, but I was able to crank it down hard enough that it didn't rotate until the accident.

The risers seem a little looser than I think they should be, but getting to the bottom of them is going to be a big pain. And I hadn't re-tried retightening the clamps yet.

If your clamp was damaged (smoothed) by the turning of the bars I have two or three extra OEMs.  I don't like the OEM clamp.  If have replaced each one with two clamps (Magna or other Hondas).  I just have to seek pout where I left them lying.

[Jess from VA]

I (happily) gave my risers up for shipping about 10 years ago.

That's a good idea to replace them (if needed). 

[h13man]

A belt sander and a set of calipers will give you the "grip" back into the top clamp or the bottom ones (risers) depending on amount effort you want to apply/comfortable with.

Hope that the healing is going well.

[scooperhsd]

Mostly getting better ever day, but then I screw up and try to do too much. Ain't as young as I used to be and healing evidentially takes longer .... My lower left back is still not very "comfortable" yet, need my 2 Aleves every 12hours and the muscle relaxer at least overnight.

[scooperhsd]

Got the broke parts on the bike replaced today, checked it out. ready for Road ride - one small item - I can't tighten the handlebar clamps any tighter to keep them from rotating  - anybody have a solution (besides new handlebar) ? I was thinking of getting some emery cloth and put the gritty surface on the clamp and the handlebar side, and tighten as well as I can .

Try one or two layers of strips cut from aluminum soda cans to thicken under the clamps.

Thanks for the AL Strip idea. Seems to have done the trick for now. Thursday afternoon for a test ride.

[scooperhsd]

24 hours without muscle relaxers ! Definitely on the mend !

[scooperhsd]

HOLD THE PRESSES !

Steering Stem Appears to be twisted, so my handle bars are cocked over so the Left grip is closer than the Right Grip.
Said steering stem appears to be $481 (if available) from Honda, and needs Upper and Lower Bearings ($27 and $44 respectively). Then the labor - remove the wheel, brake calibers, fender, both sides of the fork - essentially everything on the front fork. Prices are from  Freedom Cycles online.

Put in new steering stem w/bearings, then put it back together.

A gentleman not more than .5 mile from my place (he owns an '83 GW Interstate) named Richard Gordon looked at this. We haven't discussed labor yet - He suggested seeing if we could get parts first. and to try the internet / Oz MC Salvage in Ottawa.

I don't think I'm enough of a mechanic to do this myself.

[Bret SD]

24 hours without muscle relaxers ! Definitely on the mend !

Good news!

[scooperhsd]

Now even better news - I got my Valk back this afternoon !!  (11/21)

Some things I need to adjust back to my preferences. Handlebar is rotated too far forward for my taste, and GPS stuff needs rearrainged. Mirrors too.

End result - not triple tree ($250 salvage part). Forktubes were disassembled,reassembled(with new forkoil) and checkecked / straightened. While it was in there, got all brake fluid things changed, and the rear differential lubed. End bill - $959. Now to see what I can get insurance to pay for. Used handlebar. Wasn't pleasant riding home in light cold (under 50F) rain, but she is now in the garage.

[cookiedough]

Now even better news - I got my Valk back this afternoon !!  (11/21)

Some things I need to adjust back to my preferences. Handlebar is rotated too far forward for my taste, and GPS stuff needs rearrainged. Mirrors too.

End result - not triple tree ($250 salvage part). Forktubes were disassembled,reassembled(with new forkoil) and checkecked / straightened. While it was in there, got all brake fluid things changed, and the rear differential lubed. End bill - $959. Now to see what I can get insurance to pay for. Used handlebar. Wasn't pleasant riding home in light cold (under 50F) rain, but she is now in the garage.

if say 500 deductible on insurance, may not be worth it if under 1K damage, especially ask if your insurance renewal will raise for filing a claim.  When I hit a deer with my truck near 4 years ago now doing 3K damage not too bad still driveable having a 500 deductible, Progressive jacked up my rates on all 5 vehicles like 15 percent and was a comprehensive NO AT FAULT claim and stays that way for 5 years so have another 1 year to go before possible rate drop again.