I haven't been getting much done the past couple of weeks. Weather cooled off, I got non-whuHan sick, and this mornings wind chill was -11F. That means the garage has been cool enough to slow down my adventures. I have parts on order and will try to get to them as they come in. I am not 100%, but feeling better today. I gained about 8 pounds during my illness as I wanted to feed the cold (diet be left on Hades steps). So, it is time to reign it back in now. I've been trying to finger out my camping gear for this year. I plan on using the thin ThermaRest pad with a wool blanket over it and am purchasing a GetOutGear down puffy blanket for on top. I looked at them last year and cheap-ed out. I have not been able to convince myself to winter camp yet this season. My tent will be the Ureaka TCOP one man military tent again this year. It has enough space for my gear which includes a CPAP and RockPals 300W power station. There is a Makita 12V fan in my kit now too. I am planning on carrying the solar panels for charging it in the trailer this year. Early testing of the trailer has it as very stable when loaded properly and the bike acts like it isn't there in the twisties. I've changed out the two fuel cans for water cans and am hooking up a fuel cell so that I can transfer fuel at the flip of a switch. I am waiting on the switch gear to come in from the land of the China-man, And the aviation Permatex for the fittings is still working it's way through SACRAdeMENTO, CA. The new trailer tire (speed rated for 81 MPH) is leaving the Deutchland and attempting to get into the USPS system. A piece of the mounting for the second GPS for GoodGuy will be here today, but the plate and bar it attaches to is still in Hangzhou trying to get on the slow boat. I have picked the right time of the year for getting GoodGuy in shape. A piece of the puzzle I have not got down pat yet is a tool roll that will allow me to attack all the bolt sizes for repairs on the road. As I carry batteries and a charger for the makita fan, I'll probably put the 3/8 impact driver in with the tools. I do have spare tubes, spoons, pump, and a patch kit for all three tires.
Clothing pile taken gets whittled down a little more each season. Hopefully it will be halved again this year. A second ADV towel has been added.
I want to bring my own chair this year. I'm shopping for an aluminum directors chair with foldout side table. My plans are to just strap it on top. We will see. I saw a guy in Springfield that had a chair with a big umbrella he used for shade while reading in a field. You know how those thoughts get into a corner of your mind and won't shake out. It looks to be sorting itself out on paper.
There is good luck and bad luck. I ordered a piece of metal for my trailer a while back. It arrived bent and late. I took pictures and contacted the Ebay seller. they said they would contact the post office. I got a notice today of being refunded half my money, and a request for positive feedback. I had already put the item in the hidden file so as to not think about it. I pulled it out and almost left neutral feedback. After typing up my response, I let them have one more chance and sent them this message, "Am I getting the metal price back but still being charged for the shipping? I am struggling with your request for positive feedback. I know, "The Mail raped the pooch on this order. It arrived late and bent. I contacted the seller and they, the post office. The post office half way stepped up to the plate and refunded half the shipping and product cost. I got half my money back and a bent piece of metal I was counting on being flat for my project. I am half way made whole and that ain't whole. I probably will not purchase from this seller again. I count on items to be as described or to be made whole. I didn't order a bent piece." This was all I could come up with when trying to leave feedback, and was trying to figure out if that was positive." People should let sleeping dogs lay. Nothing peeves me more than a half hearted attempt at customer service. I made my living as a liaison in a major corporation. My customer was always treated like family. I feel like an ex-smoker with someone deliberately blowing smoke in my face.
Well..... After sending my opinion to the metal dealer, they decided to refund all my money. I am still ticked that I had to say anything. Not the way I would run a business. When something goes wrong, that is your chance to shine. I would have become a life long customer, if they had done that from jump street. My last bike would have been another Buell if Erik was still running it. They did brightly shine!
I decided I don't need a fuel filter bolted in. I may put a clear one in the line later:
I installed 2 shut off valves.
I plan on a couple of lines with quick connects later that I'll be able to pump to or from the system with. I am waiting for some made in the USA fuel line now. The clear line will be replaced with good fuel line.
Changed the furnace filter today. WHOA, It's been in there for 11 months, OOPS. I've seen it dirtier during some of the remodeling projects. I have failed.
Waiting on shipments for my projects. I have pulled the battery packs I assembled for the wheelchair chassis. Looking at building them into the trailer for solar collecting.
Fuel line is ran but not connected to main tank. Switches are mounted on the handles bars with the wires dangling. When I pull the main tank for the wiring I will connect the fuel line to it. I didn't want to pull it twice. I want to run two small braces to the rear of the fuel cell that is mounted on the rear rack. It will stop any flexing of the rear rack when carrying a full load of fuel. I need to order another split wire tube for the next harness I am making. The wire harness will connect 4 switches, horn relay, horn, fuel pump, amber strobe, 2 cob LEDs, USB transformer, keyed power, and battery power. I want to isolate any parasitic draw when the ignition is off. To be able to run the USB function when the ignition is off it will be ran through a three position switch that selects a keyed power source, no power source, or a direct to battery power source. Still waiting on the mount for the second GPS:
Trailer tire has cleared customs and is in the US. USPS even has info on it now. YAY! Safe to 81 MPH..... (Bonus thought: I believe China has collapsed) I have started to concentrate on camping needs for this year. Latest acquisitions are things like wool and down blankets. I am still looking for a director's style aluminum chair and a down puffy jacket. I'd like to find a straight legged 10 x 10 canopy and tent set-up light enough for the trailer, Dreaming. I would enjoy being able to stand up in a tent with room for a table, lamp, bed, and chair. It has been my dream for a while. That may explain the trailer. I may be able to canopy/tent if I went down to 6x6. Or bought a Frabill pop-up ice tent type thing.
Hey! I got to meet the local dealer principal for our BMW/Royal Enfield/metric etc. yesterday... told him to take a look here at your evolving mutacycle.
The wire got here early. I started to search for a wire guide that had colors used commonly across the board. No such thing. So for this harness I get to attempt to find my own rhyme and reason. To throw a fly in the ointment, I already found out that Royal Enfield used a black wire on the turn signals on one side of the rear harness for positive. That's how I ruined the circuit board on my first trailer tail light. Take nothing for granted brethren. So here is the wire and some of my thoughts:
January 22, 2022, 5:38 pm Arrived at USPS Regional Facility CINCINNATI OH PACKAGE SORTING CENTER Your item arrived at our USPS facility in CINCINNATI OH PACKAGE SORTING CENTER on January 22, 2022 at 5:38 pm. The item is currently in transit to the destination. January 21, 2022, 3:20 am Arrived at USPS Regional Facility CINCINNATI OH NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER January 20, 2022 In Transit to Next Facility January 19, 2022, 7:00 pm Departed USPS Regional Facility JERSEY CITY NJ NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER January 19, 2022, 3:27 pm Arrived at USPS Regional Facility JERSEY CITY NJ NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER January 16, 2022, 8:34 am Arrived at USPS Regional Facility JAMAICA NY INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER January 16, 2022, 8:27 am Inbound Out of Customs
Origin Post is Preparing Shipment January 5, 2022, 8:36 am Processed Through Facility FRANKFURT/FLUGHAFEN, GERMANY January 4, 2022, 6:47 pm Acceptance GERMANY
I mounted the Gummie Donut today. While the trailer was still on the stand I grabbed the rear tire and moved it side to side to check for trailer swing-arm pivot slack.... RutRoh, it has too much. I pulled the 10mm bolt and measured it. 0.987mm is way to much wear and I believe the wrong bolt was installed before I scrounged up the junk from the curb. I violated my own rule and committed a rookie error. How did I not already check the swing-arm pivot? (rule #1: Trust but verify!) I have ordered a 10mm bolt to replace it with. should get here from CA. in a week. You know I will mike it right out of the package!
I have all the wiring on my bench, but need some motivation to start making the loom/harness.
I am still working on the attic. Dedicated seasonal tote storage shelves. Wait till you see the completion pics.
Ever notice that you can think yourself into all kinds of un-necessary projects to fix problems that may not exist?
I started wiring the auxiliary switches I've mounted to the bars on "GoodGuy". I am tapping the horn for the fuel pump to move fuel from the cell to the main tank. I believe now that I have been testing the vents and fuel paths, that the fuel pump in the main tank will create a vacuum in the main tank that will suck the fuel out of the cell without a need for the transfer pump. If this is the case, I will know for sure in the Spring, then I will be able to remove the transfer pump from the system. Gas station procedure will be to fill the main tank when the fuel cell is empty. Seal the cap, then fill the cell. The cell carries 165 mi. of fuel. The main will have another 264 mi. of fuel. On a run to Two's in Georgia I will need to refuel between mile 165 and mile 429. That would be the only required fuel stop. The rest would be tourist stops.
If the fuel pump is eliminated, I'll use the fuel pump wires to trigger a relay for an air horn.