ReconRat

To be more specific, since the rear caliper floats on the caliper bracket... If it's dragging the pads on the inside of the rotor only, the caliper is stuck on the caliper bracket. If it's dragging the pads on both sides of the rotor, the piston is stuck in the caliper. Also, check the return spring on the fluid reservoir, where the brake pedal attaches. If the spring isn't pulling back properly, it will also cause the caliper piston to drag. But that shouldn't cause it to completely lock up.

That's a clue. Unplug the brake light and stuff on the back, and see if it starts and runs ok. If it's true, then find the wiring problem in the back end and fix it.

The rear caliper on most bikes simply slides back and forth on the bracket. If it's stuck on the bracket, give it a gentle thump or two to see if it frees up. If it doesn't or does it again, remove the caliper and find out why the caliper or caliper piston isn't moving correctly.

Motorcycle Handling and Chassis Design: the art and science Tony Foale | 2006 | PDF | ISBN: 8493328634 | 490 pages | 65 Mb http://uploading.com/files/5384mfe7/Motorcycle%252BHandling%252BAnd%252BChassis%252BDesign%252BFoale.pdf/ or http://www.fileserve.com/file/Gz2XTsA As usual, if you like a book, buy a copy. Otherwise authors will stop writing books!

Switch your trash with a neighbor, always good for a laugh...

haha, kickstand switch. I always forget about those new fangled things. Check that also, if it's got one. Common failure point.

I've had radiator fans, tail/brake lights, and points assemblies short out and shut the bike down. It happens. Another thing to check. Look at the fuses real close, one or more of them might now be blown out. (Since there's nothing now.)

It's an electrical problem, put the hammer away. It actually sounds like a short circuit somewhere. Pull one fuse at a time, and turn the key on, to see if the fault circuit can be identified. Then try disconnecting items on the electrical harness. Like the radiator fan or horn. Things that like to short out. Overall, start looking for bad wiring somewhere. Pinched or broken or shorted to ground. Another trick is to turn the key on, and start shaking wires everywhere, to see if the neutral light comes on. Or even listen real close, since it might be a short that will pop/click when it arcs to ground. My first guess is a bad ignition switch. Try shaking the key in the ignition to see if the neutral light comes on. It's also likely that it's shorted only when the key is on. (Since the battery isn't dead already.) Only a VOM meter and tracing the circuit will know for sure, but sometimes just basic troubleshooting will find it.

Poor bear. He was probably raised by hippies in the wilderness, and thought this guy was his Daddy, and was running down to see him. And he knocks him out. Poor confused bear...

Ok, more bears in the news. Guy claims he knocked a bear out with a rock when it charged him. http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/newshound/2010/09/canuck-ko%E2%80%99s-bear

Another bear? What are the odds of that? Wasn't the other one in New Jersey also? Bear just walked away again. Wonder if it was the same bear... http://cbs3.com/wireapnewsnj/Police.Driver.passenger.2.1907859.html The other NJ bear thread The Grizzly thread

There isn't much on 555. We threaded this earlier this year, I think. http://www.ohio-riders.com/showthread.php?t=56075&highlight=food+555 I'd eat in Zanesville or Marietta. But there are two or three small shops on or near 555. And more in small towns nearby. Kasler's Country Kitchen, Amesville. About 7 miles West of 555, on SR550 @ SR 329. Lots of us have been there. Recommended. Kasler's Country Kitchen‎- more info » 10 State Route 550, Amesville, OH‎ - (740) 448-7800‎ The only actual restaurant on 555 that I can think of is: Cheri's Diner‎- more info » 1060 High Street, Chesterhill, OH‎ - (740) 554-5543 I always wanted to stop there. Couple of people have, and said it's got decent sandwiches. ‎

Actual studies of motion on a motorcycle appear to give data that shows at least a tiny counter steer movement in any turn. Aggressive turns and maneuvers have aggressive counter steer.

This is weird. Only thing I can say is that I've slipped on invisible dust on corners after rainstorms put the crap there. And it's common in residential areas on slow speed turns. Basically, if there was a storm drain on that corner, that might have been it. I tend to give storm drains a little room, I go around them. There's always crap there.

Yes, this sold for 145 in the 90s, and hasn't gone up much. But all firearms have gone up 20% to 400%. The holster sells for around 35, and the extra mag is around 20. 200+ bucks worth of stuff plus a box of ammo. Raise your price, lol. edit: Yes, that's a cutaway for a lanyard. Not a chip in the grips. And yes, it's covered in cosmoline and not shiny. It's fine. This is a solid steel reliable Chinese copy of a Soviet military pistol.

And this is correct. Experiments have shown that a motorcycle will barely turn without counter steering. We just don't realize we are doing it. Apparently all turns begin with counter steering, to start or set a lean, if nothing else. edit: Regardless, there is no substitute for the ability to be smooth on a motorcycle.

Look where you want to go, and apply what you know to get there. You probably need practice with adjusting amount of lean at slow speeds. From a dead stop, the lean will increase as the speed increases during the turn. The bike will almost do this by itself in a slow speed turn. I think you've described holding the lean while trying to increase speed. So basically I think you haven't initiated a steadily increasing amount of lean during the turn. Yes, that will make the bike start to fall over, but not if you smoothly accelerate. You'll have to be pointed in the right direction, even if still in the turn. I'm pretty sure you need some slow speed parking lot practice. I'm also pretty sure that if you followed another bike through the turn, you could do it without thinking about it. Because your eyes would be on the other bike, and follow through. The transition you are describing is one of the harder things for all riders to accomplish. I'd say every one of us learns that one over again at the start of each year. It's similar to the "what do I do" when going up and down driveway entrances at slow speeds. Oddly enough, I sometimes find myself lowering my head and chest in that type of turn, where I slow turn to a fast turn and take off. It seems to shift the center of gravity in a way that makes the bike enter the quick turn easier. Not sure about that one. Maybe it just increases my concentration, and I ignore the "falling over" and just hit the gas. If I watched myself, I'd probably find out I either stopped steering to cause the bike to lean, and/or was pulling the clutch in to let the bike fall into the turn, and accelerating hard.

Dang... it's the end already? Ummm, we can still ride over there on Fridays anyway. It's rather nice weather lately. I'll try and be there.

Interesting route, coast to coast on almost no freeways. Pre-1916 motorcycles only, it's starting tomorrow. Mostly Southern roads, it's 3294 miles... http://www.motorcyclecannonball.com/

"The other riders may face charges..." Video @ Clutch & Chrome http://www.clutchandchrome.com/news/news/stunting-dallas-motorcycle-fatalityhttp://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/news/090810-cameras-catch-fatal-motorcycle-crash http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Friend-says-motorcyclist-killed-in-crash-knew-of-dangers-102401824.html

Worse, it will probably attract kids, that want to play right there in the street. Eventually, somebody will go out there and paint it naked.

Awesome

Not around Ohio, but it's always great to see a rider walk away from something like this. Motorcycle catches fire after crash, 1 hurt