Trouble Maker

If I get one this place will be the first to see the video of me trying. Nice bike, although I beg to differ on that last part, but I am a mountain biker. I will check out the Suzuki. That's exactly what I'm looking for as I don't know what's out there and what they are all about. Of course I'm going to look to Kawi, Suzuki and Honda to see what they have, but so many people make bikes I'm not going to have any idea about some of the good offerings. I was just using the Honda as a reference for my question as I had read an article on that and 'know' about that bike. I do realize that a 2xxcc bike isn't going to be a fast bike by any means and I'm not expecting that. Although I've been reading that the Honda's engine is pretty anemic. Seems like the water cooled FI offerings are the better, but usually more expensive way to go. I don't plan to ride it off road... but if I take it touring (camping and/or biking) it may just happen at times.

Nope, that's the only thing I think riders agree on more than the SV650 being a good (first) bike. When I get a bike I will definitely take it. Thanks for the tip on the SV650 suspension if I decide to go that route. What's the deal with the SV650 suspension stock. Just not good dampers or does that setup actually change the height/geometry and fix some 'issue' there?

Yup, I live off of Cemetery and think I saw his car the other day too. Congrats on the new best time!

I'm not thinking about getting a dirt bike and converting it, or buying one that's already converted. Just that style, like the CRF230M. Seems like, and what I've read is they have smaller tanks than you would typically see on a road bike, even sport bike. Great, they get 70mpg (as long as you're not fat), but if the tank is only 2 gal give or take you still aren't getting anywhere very far. That would only get me to and from work for 2 days. I know you'll have this with most bikes, but the impression I get is not to that extent. I kind of figured the SV650 would come up. It's everyones go-to suggestion for the 1st bike. Not like that's a bad thing from what I hear.

Even something with a smaller engine? Are they just not easy to ride? I would think they would ride, have a riding position something like a crossover/naked bike. Something between a sports bike and cruiser. Seems like it would work to me. But I'm not a rider, obviously, so tell me what I'm missing.

Or whatever you call them. Like the Honda CRF230M. Who has what, what do you think about them? Something small, light, easy to ride. Thinking I like the idea of a smaller engine. But something that still has a pretty good sized gas tank for the ability to go longer distance still. Seems like a lot of the 'converted' motards have the smaller tank you would typically see on off road bikes. I've wanted a bike for a while. Thinking about getting one. Keep in mind this would be my first bike. I like the idea of something I can throw my mountain bike and and/or a few of panniers on to throw some camping gear in too. Go do some touring or at the very lest be able to ride to trails. I'm guessing the panniers precludes typical motards just due to their physical design. But I don't know a ton about what you can do with them, so tell me.

I was talking to the woman about that the other day. I said something like "Of course black people like fried chicken and watermelon. That's not a stereotype about black people. I like fried chicken and watermelon.... everyone does, and there's something wrong with you if you don't." She just shook her head. I'm not sure if it was because of what I said or because we were in the Friche's by Crew Stadium.... I was eating some watermelon from their salad bar btw.

Too bad my parents don't live in their old house still, the one I grew up in, at least as far as this goes. It was built late 1800's or or 1900's.

They actually have a 'black hole button' at the LHC. Funny shit. The OP is also pretty funny. Steven Hawking's has a $100 bet that they won't find the Higgs Boson particle. Also pretty funny, especially when you look at this... http://www.timesonline.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00161/hawking1_161267a.jpg On the other hand, this is actually pretty interesting.

Thanks man. I actually have a CD based Bentley manual and it's the exact same instruction's/drawings. The only good thing is that I have the torque specs on hand now! Sorry to make you post all of that. Got everything out of the way super easy. Now everything is unbolted for the drive shaft, the fucker is just stuck! So it looks like with the back one, the flange for the drive shaft does sit a little inside of a 'cup' for the rear diff flange. Which only tells me what I didn't want the situation to be, because now I can't get in between the two flanges. But at least I know that now.

Even with the piece in front of me now, without measuring it and the other, or at least having them next to each other (car is at my parents house so I can use their garage), I still can't see exactly what's going on with the flanges. Can you put that punch, or something, between the two flanges? In other words, do they just sit flat against each other? I'm worried one (the drive shaft part) sits 'inside' of the other (rear diff). If they do what I just described then I can't get anything in between them, and I'm just banging on one of the flanges with a chisel/punch and doing just about nothing.

Yup. That only allows as much play as is in on or the other CV joint at the end. But I can't put enough lateral torque on it to do anything. They are stuck together very well.

It's still an issue of surface area to pry on. I actually got something to move, but quickly put it back. As I'm pretty sure it's just a stamped piece that helps to cover up the joint. I will post pics tomorrow of the drive shaft after I get it, unless from what the flanges look like I can figure it out (but I will post something either way). Even if you called that by whatever it's proper name may be, I probably wouldn't have known what you were talking about. Thanks for all of the help guys! :bangbang:

Why are you asking about me fingering my lady? Pervert! I have no idea what a lady finger is. It's a 2 piece drive shaft with CV joints at the front and rear. Then in the middle it has a u-joint, bearing and rubber support around the bearing. The rubber support and possibly the bearing failed on mine. It's a pretty common thing. If I slide it forward or backward that force/movement is taken up by the CV joints. I can't exactly tell what is going on with the rear flanges, where I have been working. I'm working on the rear because it's fully accessible, where the front I have to work around the down pipes (they are VERY hard to remove). I can't tell if they flanges are flat against each other, or if the front (drive shaft) part sits down inside of the rear (diff) part, like a cup. I got to this point on Monday because of the day off. I ordered the drive shaft last Wednesday, and due to parts supply, shipping time, and the holiday weekend, it will be here tomorrow. So unfortunately I don't have the new one in front of me to see what's going on at the flanges better. Once I can see what's going on with the joints better, I may be able to use a long pry bar. Although there's not a lot of surface area (almost none) to work with where you would pry on them.

So I'm replacing the drive shaft. Car is a 2000 Audi S4. It's flanged in the front and the back. Everything is unbolted, but the flanges won't come apart. Got advice to just work with it for a while, try to put something like a chisel between the two to work them apart, hit the drive shaft side with a mallete, with a hammer through a piece of wood. It's not budging. AFAIK there's a gasket between them and the car has 165kmi. on the odomoter, so they are just stuck together really well. Any advice or tricks to get these things apart? TIA, Jesse

Anyone who moves into his neighborhood, WATCH YOUR CORNHOLE. I made the mistake of living with this weirdo. I had to buy a metal chastity belt.

That wasn't true until the 40's or 50's, and it's definitely not true in the short term now, and the market may never go back to that paradigm.

Think of it as constantly getting fresh fluid in the trans from the extra you have to add.

Didn't fact check it, tried to check on GM's website but it's a PITA to use. Worth checking into if you or anyone you know is looking for a new Vette, especially the Z06. EDIT: Just checked it and it checks out. Z06 starts at 62k with this discount, normally 72k and the regular vette is 40k, normally 46k. http://jalopnik.com/5039883/gm-employee-pricing-slashes-sticker-of-505-hp-2008-corvette-z06-by-10000

Thank you for the correction, I obviously don't know the details, just generailties about it. The point is still valid since you are talking about the farmers buying things for production of the food.

Umm, have you ever been in a Walmart before?

So never gave any thought to this, but here's the rub from how I see it. AFAIK most if not all farming (actually the cost of the food) is subsidized/controlled by the government anyways. So why would the government tax them on these things you are talking about, then have to pay them back that tax in the end anyways. If this wasn't the case, food would be much more expensive (at a visible level) than it is right now. Yeah, we pay for it in the end anyways, but you don't see it when you go to buy groceries and for most people that's easier to stomach. And believe it or not, some socialism is good for the community as a whole.

Maybe I will never have to listen to their music again... one can only hope.

Don't bet on that. I ride (mountain bike) up there and it can get pretty crowded looking after work on weekdays. Crossing Chesire the other day I thought some people on tubes were going to get ran over because there were that many boats around. You might know better than me if you go up there often, but I'm just saying what I've seen lately.