Packing For A Weekend Solo Trip

An impromptu video recording, while I was packing for a solo motorcycle trip for a long weekend. Made the recorded clips into this video and hope it to be of help to new long-distance riders to identify and pack the essential items for their rides. A bit of dubstep was thrown in, to make it as much fun to watch as I personally had while making this video. Enjoy!!

Here is the summarised version of my checklist:-

1. Toolkit for motorcycle and wheel/ tire removal (e.g. tire iron, valve remover, patch stickers, etc)

2. Motorcycle Spares (e.g. headlight/break-light/indicator bulbs, extra tube, spark plug, clutch and throttle wire, fuses, electric insulation tape, a small torch/flash-light, engine oil (if old RE models

3. Air Compressor (e.g. Electrical, hand pump, foot/pedal pump, etc)

4. Good quality multi-tool (e.g. Leatherman, Gerber, Swiss Army, etc)

5. Bungee cords (either 2 simple ones or 1 X-shaped), for the luggage/emergency scenarios

6. First-aid Kit, hydration solutions (e.g. ORS, etc), and prescription medicines (if any)

7. Photocopies of documents (e.g. Driving License, Vehicle Registration, Emission Certificate, etc)

8. Toiletries, sunscreen, and a pack of wet tissues

9. Clothes for on/off the bike use

10. Climate-specific clothing (i.e. Rain gear, Thermals, etc) based on the weather and climate of the region of the ride

11. Gadgets: cellphone, camera, spare batteries, earphones/headsets, charging cables, etc (If the cellphone is used as GPS, keep a spare charging cable)

12. Water in bottles/hydration pack

13. Energy/Nutrition bars, energy drinks, chocolates, or other snacks [Optional]

Few points to remember while stuffing your things in the saddlebags. If you are like me and enjoy cornering and leaning on, in the twisties, then the bike must be well-balanced at all times, especially with the luggage tied to it.

A bike without luggage is well-balanced for the most part and is aerodynamic to some extent. However, when we add things like big saddlebags full of stuff or even a tank bag, we are not only affecting the center of gravity of the motorcycle but also changing the vehicle's dynamics. Without going too much into technical details (like the direction of shift of the center of gravity, aerodynamics, etc), if you ensure the following things, you would be just fine:

1. Keep heavier items (e.g. tools, spares, filled water bottles, Engine oil bottles, foot pump, etc) as low in the saddlebag as possible and split evenly into both sides.

2. Keep heavier items towards the center of the bike (i.e. towards the bike/wheel instead of outwards) as much as possible.

3. If you use a tank bag along with saddlebags, then it's a good idea to keep frequently accessed items (e.g. Camera, sunglasses, spare gloves, small towel, tissues, the mobile charging cable in case you have a charging point on your bike, etc) in it. This will help you avoid opening and shuffling items inside your neatly organized saddlebags, while on the road.

4. Ensure that the saddlebag and tank bag are completely secure and firmly tied to the motorcycle and there is no possible play when the bike leans to the sides or pushes up or down on suspension. Also, you wouldn't want the belts/buckles to get into the motorcycle spokes/alloys when you are rolling, that would be dangerous. So make sure there are no loose ends. If required use additional bungee cords to secure the bags on the motorcycle.

5. Try not to let your saddlebags bulge too much laterally, as that may touch other vehicles while maneuvering through tight spaces and especially in the traffic in cities in India. If you slot in the items smartly, the shape of the saddlebags will remain symmetrical (rectangular) in shape from top to bottom. Use the compression straps on the saddlebags to tighten them, after you have put them on the motorcycle.

6. Double-check your bag setup from time to time for your peace of mind and safety. Be attentive to any change in the handling after every sixty to hundred kilometers or so, as something might have come loose. If you get such a feeling, slow down, pull over to the side into a safe spot, and do your check. Tighten any strap/cords as necessary and then continue with your journey.

Hope these tips save you time and keep you safe on the road so that you can focus on enjoying your rides.

Now lastly, I am not an expert. The tips and tricks shared above come from my limited experience of riding my motorcycle. Every single day, I too am learning something new about packing and motorcycling in general. So if you have any suggestions for me as a fellow rider, or want to discuss something, or have any questions on this post, feel free to leave a comment below. I shall get back to you as soon as possible.

Until then.


Ride Safe & Ride Far,


Sid

Sprag Clutch Removal

Hi there,

Here is a step-by-step process to remove the sprag clutch. The sequence of disassembly is as follows:

1. Remove the Left side rider's foot-rest

2. Remove the Gear clip

3. Unplug the wiring coming from the clutch case (/dynamo)

4. Remove the Clutch case

5. Remove magneto's center nut

6. Remove clutch plates

7. Slide out (carefully!) the main sprocket connected to the crankshaft along with the primary chain and clutch plate holder assembly

8. Remove the center nut in the clutch assembly

9. Remove allen screws and bolt holding the clutch case

10. Remove the remaining part of the clutch case

11. Open the Allen screws to expose the sprag clutch

Unplug two connectors linked to the wiring loom coming out of the clutch case. You may need to remove the battery cover for this. Also, ensure that the clutch oil drains into the pan, or else it will be a mess, especially if you are doing it at home.

Not recommended though: Mech is using a rod to lock the primary chain/clutch assembly from rotating so that the screws can be opened. Use specialized tools if you have access to them.

Clutch plates are removed already. The remaining part of the clutch assembly will only come out only when the primary sprocket comes out. This may take time if it's very tight (thanks to RE's quality of manufacturing/assembly) like mine. Be patient at this stage, as any damage due to rush will be costly and painfully time-consuming.

Special spanner to remove the center bolt holding the magnet in place.

Magneto comes out.

Now is the pain part of this whole process. Didn't know it would be so tight. I was happy that it's been untouched to date and was a bit grumpy that the mech didn't have any specialized tool to remove a tight sprocket.

It hurts to watch him do this to my bike ;(

Arrrgghhh had enough. Asked him, and got an obvious answer, that there is no specialized tool and it is actually supposed to be easy to pop out. Well..whatever!

Finally, after the visual torture and a few scuffs inside my clutch case, the damn thing came out. Along with the main sprocket came out the primary chain and the other side connected to the clutch assembly

One more bolt to go before the remaining part of the case can be removed.

3 allen screws around the crankshaft and one bolt on the right-hand side of the gear shaft

It may need a soft head hammer to loosen the case from all sides, especially around the crankshaft and starter motor area.

Bit of a crowbar method. Make sure not to overdo it.

Comes out finally.

All the chain lubrication and dirt have been piling up around the drive sprocket which stays outside the case.

Inspect the case for any signs of unusual marks, etc.

Remove all the Allen screws on the sprag clutch case.

Again a light use of a soft head hammer would loosen the case.

The sprag clutch assembly is visible now.

Take out all the 3 sprockets and a stainless steel axle rod.

These two make the sprag clutch kit. One on the right-hand side slides inside the sprocket kept on the left side.

Notice the tooth structure of the bearing visible here.

In a completely damaged sprag clutch, the bearing loses those metal teeth (pieces) inside the clutch case. That's bad and it will cause further implications. Imagine the primary chain rotating at a high speed and these metal pieces fall all over it. 

This is the damaged part. The area near my thumb supposed to be smooth, but it was developed grooves in the shape of the tooth seen inside the other bearing. Hence it doesn't slide, during the reverse rotation of the sprag clutch. 

NOTE: After removing the complete sprag clutch set along with the main gear connected to the starter motor, the case remains completely hollow with no parts in it. So every time the start button is pushed the starter motor spins freely inside this case.

INSPECTION & CLEAN UP:

As it's not every day that you get to open the clutch box and get to see the primary chain, sprocket, etc, take this opportunity to inspect every part that you can. For example, I could notice the following:

1. My primary chain adjuster has run its best life and now there is a small packing underneath. Maybe in the next overhaul, I need to replace the set.

2. Sprocket internal locking thread on my bike is too tight (even after grinding it a bit). I need to compare it to a new spare if it's an odd one that came from the factory, then this also needs to go.
Note: Being tightly connected to the crankshaft is actually not a problem in the bike's operation, it's just difficult to remove when needed. Which is again once in a blue moon.

3. My main sprocket is in decent condition for the now but I better replace it (along with the chain-sprocket set) sometime after the ride.

4. My clutch assembly looks spankingly new :D Just bragging!!

Now while at it, I would prefer to clean up the areas visible. As once all parts are put back in place, certain areas of the bike (like the front drive sprocket) wouldn't be accessible from outside. So do the necessary clean-up at this stage.

RE-ASSEMBLY:

Follow the same process in reverse. Additionally, you may use glue (mostly fevicol) on top of certain washers to ensure there is no chance of oil leakage. In my case, we used a little bit of the washer around the crankshaft.

Fill 400-500ml of 20w50 oil once the clutch case is assembled.

TEST-RIDE & ADJUSTMENT:

After the bike got ready I did a test ride and the riding was fine, but I found the kicker was not working properly. Kickers basically felt kinda spongy. For this, I had to get the clutch cable adjusted. Then it was all fine and I could feel the kicker rotating the crankshaft (/piston) inside. After a few attempts to kick-start the bike successfully, I called it a day.

Sometime in the coming months, I am planning to put on the new sprag clutch myself. This guide will come in handy for sure.

Hope you enjoyed going through this photo guide and that it helps you not only to understand the mechanics of the bullet better but also to perform DIY jobs at a home garage.



Keep Rolling,

Sid

Tyre Size Conversion - mm to inches

Tyre Size Conversion
Tyre size conversion from metric to inche is very confusing and can not be done by simple conversion from MM to Inch. please use the table below to find out equivalent size. the major difference is that tyres with metric size are generally low profile tyres and Inch system was used earlier when tyres had square profile i.e. aspect ratio of 100%. Approximate equivalent tyre sizes are mentioned below

Motorcycle Tire Size Conversion Chart

Street Tire Sizes - 

Front

Alphabetical---Metric-----Std Inch

MH90-----------80/90------2.50/2.75

MJ90-----------90/90------2.75/3.00

MM90-----------100/90-----3.25/3.50

MN90-----------110/90-----3.75/4.00

MR90-----------120/90-----4.25/4.50

MT90-----------130/90-----5.00/5.10


Rear

Alphabetical---Metric-----Std Inch

MN90-----------110/90-----3.75/4.25

MP85-----------120/80-----4.50/4.75

MP85-----------120/90-----4.50/4.75

MT90-----------130/90-----5.00/5.10

MU90-----------140/90-----5.50/6.00

MV85-----------150/80-----6.00/6.25

MV85-----------150/90-----6.00/6.25


Disclaimer:

The above tire size conversion chart does not mean that these tires are universally interchangeable. They are to give you a point of reference when upgrading your older tires. Consult your motorcycle's manual or manufacturer's customer service department for correct replacements for original equipment tires.
Critical clearances, motorcycle compatibility and stability, load-bearing capacity, speed rating, radial vs. non-radial, pattern and tread compound requirements, inflation recommendations, and front-to-rear tire matching will all vary with tire selection.

Wrong selection can result in tire failure, loss of control with serious injury or death. You can also contact the manufacturer of the tires you want to put on your bike. They have reps dedicated to this stuff.


Courtesy: A post by user princesirohi on www.xbhp.com

Cheers,

Sid