Silicone magic

Over the years, I NEVER washed the engine of my car and NEVER allowed any car washer to wash the engine compartment because I know car detergents (irrespective of what they tell you) will eventually make the rubber components (aided by engine heat) brittle. I instead used WD40 but when I can get my hands on it, I use silicone spray because I found silicone spray effectively softens hence preserves rubber components better. It cannot be found anywhere but at certain supermarkets and accessory shops probably because many people do not know how to use it. Some shops overcharge the imported ones so try to get the locally packaged ones. If you are lucky, sometimes you can get 2 spray cans sold as a cheaper package. If you are lazy to keep the engine compartment of your motorcycle clean, silicone spray is the best thing to use. Just spray liberally over the engine, especially rubber components then leave it alone. If your motorcycle was a bit dirty and you sprayed silicone over it, leave it overnight to dry only then wipe off the dirt the next day. Once cleaned, you may want to give it another coat of spray void of dirt and grime. Any brand will do, I used it over many years and as for its effectiveness, I swear by it.

Bobber's first road breakdown

For a vehicle, be it motorcycle, car, etc., etc. to die while driving/riding is unusual. It puts the driver in danger and he has to put up with inconvenience. On Monday 11/1/2016, I cruised from PJ to Subang Jaya where just before the Sunway tunnel, the bobber lost power from 80kph to 40kph then came to a halt underneath the Sunway Monorail track. I immediately called my salesman who complained to the sales representative at CMC Puncak Alam who directed their pick-up van man to get the bobber. To be safe, I pushed the bobber to Sunway Police station adjacent to Sunway Pyramid. I was to wait for 3 hours for the pick-up van because it was on another assignment so not keen on waiting, after 10 mins, pushed the starter button. Suddenly, the bobber came alive and sounded normal. I took off but less than 200metres, the bobber lost power. However, it did not die so I slowly putt and reached home. That night, the pick-up van took the bobber to the factory FOC as the bobber is still under warranty. On Tuesday, Puncak Alam mechanics replaced the radiator themostatic valve but the problem remained. On Wednesday, they tested it, travelled quite a distant, said it sounded OK but kept it to further test it because they suspected the problem was intermittent. On Thursday, they found one of the spark plugs got loose. On Friday, they further tested the bike to confirm there was no other problem. Today, I took the bobber back and talked with Mr. Weng, sales dept. to get a clearer picture what was/were the actual problem. He said:

1. The carburettor was blocked so required servicing;
2. One of the spark plug was not properly secured so was properly tighten; and
3. The radiator themostat wire snapped so was properly rewired.

Conclusion: I can only advise new owners during their first 1,000km to instruct their mechanic to open, inspect the condition of the spark plugs and ensure they are clean and properly secured. You may never know...

How to best position the mirror?

How, actually, does one properly position the mirror so that it is at THE best angle? The problem is similar to that of a car and the driver/rider must choose to view the blind spot or rear. At times, it is more critical to view the former other times, the latter. Some people prefer choosing in between. Well, each to his/her choice so long as you are comfortable and aware if there is a vehicle in the blind spot. When I got the bobber back from the factory, the mirrors were refitted but angled slightly out after being removed because they were interfering with the limited compartment of the van which was carrying 2 motorcycles. Upon reaching home, I studied the way the mirror flips and chose the following method:

1. Set the mirror to a horizontal axis then turn it inwards until it stops;
2. Loosen the base nut of the mirror's stand;
3. Swing the mirror gently until you can view the tip of your shoulder;
4. Tighten the base nut of the mirror's stand.

I prefer viewing the rear but it is now possible to swing the mirror out to check the blind spot and see if there is a vehicle there then swing it back. It is not possible if it swings too much inwards. Well, as far as I'm concerned, this method meets my requirement. You may like to consider this if you agree with me. Oh yes, you need a No.17 spanner.

Polishing plastics

After a while, even plastic components need polishing as it dulls along the way. To bring back the shine, I use Autosol which is also used to polish chrome. I think polishing them (brake light cover, headlight plastic cover, speedometer plastic cover, sidelight indicator cover & holder) 2x/year should be fine.

Loose rubber footing solved

Outdoor double sided tape eventually wore due to friction from my boots so I came back to Square 1. This time, I used those reliable PVC cable ties and needed 3 and 4 (For the moment, I did not have the bigger version with wider cables (Can easily be bought at hardware shop) ties for the right and left foot peg respectively. Ends were secured underneath and excess snipped off. After photos were taken, I added cable ties to the second chrome groove as other rubber components were a bit loose. It's working out very well and I'm confident this will effectively solve the loose rubber covering yet still allow them to rotate and prevent uneven wear.

From Malaysia with love.

If you're wondering where it was taken, here's a tip:

The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind.