NomadGal's Year on the Road

/rant
I don't really want to be a jerk, but I felt I had to say some thing.

A) Punctuation, capitalization and sentence structure were invented for a reason.

B) Is Esther's RR/KLR rebuild thread really the best place for a XC800 commercial? Did Esther ask for suggestions for a replacement and I just missed it?

I guess my message would be to relax and remember your idea of the perfect bike isn't everybody's, and Esther loves her bike. 36k is a long way from worn out (see Parepin's RR if you need confirmation), it just needs a little TLC.

Rock on Esther.
\rant off

yea my grammer not the greatst and im dog tired and at work i was just merely saying i used to use the same bike she has but im on something different now sorry if i came across like a salesman and i think what she is doing is awsome and i hope she continues her travels like she has been doing
p.s sorry about the grammar lol

Haha Feike, thanks for wanting to help, but Viper (Rowdy) is a friend of mine, so I don't mind. I did look at his Triumph and loved it, I even sat on it and it was very comfy. I don't think I would use the phrase, "just as easy to pick up as the KLR" LOL, the KLR is not easy for me to pick up at all. Hehe!
But you are right in saying that Spirit is kind of my baby, and I would prefer to fix her up rather than get another one.
I am attached to her.

Hey Rowdy, don't worry about the grammar, I had no problem reading your reply.
How is work by the way? You still have that awful schedule?

The Autozone in Pickens shows the old stone style glaze breaker for $25 linky

I guess I'd forgotten about the stone style hones- the only time I use a system like that is attached to a Sunnen hone.

I prefer Flex-hones as they are easier to control the amount of material removed, as well as maintaining as straight bore. They both work, though.

Hey you guys!
I only just now saw your post! I can't believe I missed it!
How are you? how was your camping this time around?
Did you pull the same trick? Haha, hope you brought a little tent this time.

I think I am experiencing the definition of being in a pickle!
I took a peek at BikeBandit, Cheapcycleparts and Ebay and have discovered to my dismay that buying all the bearings and gaskets costs more than what I currently have in my pocket. Yikes!
Tomorrow my online training for GoalZero starts (thank goodness it is online) after which I find out how soon I have to be at a Costco to represent and sell their product. (Solar travel kits for bikers, snowboarders, hikers etc)
My hosts Steve and Anna are so very gracious and are making me feel welcome and at home, yet at the same time I can't help but feel like a burden to them, I most certainly do not want to overstay my welcome.
So now I really need to figure out how to get Spirit fixed up and make it to whatever town my hands on training is.
I almost started asking for donations when I read the guidelines to posting here, phew! Good thing I did!
Would have gotten my bootie booted out of here if I hadn't.
I wonder if I can cleverly point out that I also have a blog (listed below) at Blogspot, without saying too much more.
Hmmmmmmm.........

Trying it!

Hope you get her fix

As was mentioned by somebody earlier.....

You can get those very same bearings much cheaper by buying them from a bearing supply house rather than a motorcycle dealer/retailer.

Look up some local bearing suppliers and take the bearings to them and have them matched up. Go ahead and bring in the case halves just like they are....they should be able to see the numbers or measure them like that.

+1

I got new rear wheel bearings from an autozone or some equivalent. There are only so many different bearings that get manufactured, and unless it's something very unusual, chances are an industrial bearing supply shop will carry them.

http://www.yellowpages.com/greenville-sc/bearings

I don't know how many of these places sell retail but it's probably worth your while to check!

Yeah, if they were my wheel bearings I would, but engine bearings....... Hmmmm, too much depends on them.
A wheel I can easily take off and replace the bearing, but I REALLY don't want to do this ever again!

Still I will look around and see if this little town has an industrial bearing supplier nearby.

I also took my cases to a Harley shop to get the bearings pressed out. So tomorrow I can order them or look for them, and know exactly which ones I need.

Quality bearing can be had from many sources- look for bearings from FAG or SKF- both good brands. Just try not to use bearings from China- poor metallurgy means crap bearings; Argentina makes reasonably good bearings, surprisingly.

As for reassembly-remember physics can be your friend. Put said bearings in the freezer for a bit (15 minutes works,an hour or two is good, overnight even better) and heat up the cases with a propane torch or oven to about 200 degrees or so (about what it is when it's running) and the bearing will drop right in with minimal fuss.

when you get to the wheel bearings.
I prefer sealed ones not the open ones that are stock.

that means adding -2RS to the end

• Rear wheel, sprocket carrier: #6004
• Rear wheel, sprocket side: #6003
• Rear wheel, disc side: #6204
• Front wheel, left side: #6202
• Front wheel, right side: #6203

http://www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html




6004-2rs ~ $2.00 online



http://www.thebigbearingstore.com/servlet/the-451/6004-dsh-2RS-6004-dsh-ZZ-Radial-Ball/Detail

I will keep that in mind whenever my wheel bearings wear out!
Right now I'll be glad to get the engine bearings taken care of!

Hi Esther
yes i still have the same job working 12 midnight till 8am only cool thing about that schedule is i get to ride 30 miles back to my house during sun rise its quiet beautiful and at night i spend my time on adv reading about motorcycle stuff at my desk but im very disappointed cause i was supposed to do the continental divide this summer about the time you came around cause most of the roads in the mountains are open then but could not cause i could not get the time off they freaked out when i told them i needed 3 weeks off to do it so im looking to change jobs to better suet my being gone for weeks on in riding style lol traveling is so much easier when your not working this is the first job i have had in little over 3 years not counting the army the money i had saved up from when i was deployed would support me traveling all over with out having to get a job but this year money started to get lower than i liked so i had to get a job till i can get more money saved back up and on top of all that we had some one quit at my job so i cant go to the fssnoc rally in spearsville Louisiana
so i take little trips every week but i cant travel very far only have like two days off so im pretty much on a leash right now lol so i take small trips and camp out even now with it being below freezing i still enjoy it but im doing pretty good other than being on a leash lol

Yesterday my friend Jeff Dale (GSbiker at ADV), rkadair (ADV), Laura Atkinson and my Mom made a donation into my paypal account it blew me away and almost made me cry... It looked like I would be getting my Spirit back on her wheels again.
Than later in the evening Steven gave me a letter from SWKLR (KLRworld.com) and in it was a check that blew me away as well! I have no words for the amazing generosity bestowed upon me, part of me feels I don't deserve it......
Went to bed knowing that now I had enough to buy most of the parts.
Woke up this morning thinking about Spirit and what all I still had to do to get her running. It was a little overwhelming, and I was hoping that I am not too much of a burden to Steve and his family, because it is looking like it will be a while before the parts come in, and me getting Spirit back in one piece.
Then I got on my laptop and checked my Paypal account because my friend on Kauai told me she would put a few dollars into my account.
Imagine my surprise to find that I had some very generous donations made by :
Limited Slip (KLRworld.com)
Garfey (ADVrider.com)
Trialsguy (KLRworld.com)
Sunday Rider (ADVrider.com)
Thank you sooooo much everyone! I have enough now to buy all the parts I need to get her up and running, I can even do a "honing" now!*
There are no words to express my gratitude, they would all be insufficient.

If you have all the bearing #'s (all the bearings should have a number on them, and if not measure the ID, OD and width and post that), post them up so I can help source/price them for you. A buddy has a good supply of bearings in Cali, and a good source for quality bearings. And, he doesn't charge me full price! (and he'll ship 'em quick)

We didn't get up north till about 1pm (planned to leave at 5:30 not 8AM...you know the deal) Wish you could have seen the colors, they were at peak..just amazing. Got to Whitepine but there was a small tent in every site with no other gear & no one there. Hmmm...looked like someone was up to our old trick...how rude lol. Found another campground that was really quiet...saw northern lights one night so pulled out sleeping bags on the ground, but just as we cozied up they stopped. Sorry to read about all the issues with Spirit but I gotta say you've got a lot more moxie than I do when it comes to engines..got a garden tractor with problems & I'm afraid to even look down the spark plug hole. From everything I've read no doubt you'll have her on the road purring like a kitten. Your pictures & posts are great..keep em coming even though you're grounded temporarily...looks like lots of people are thinking about you. P.S. notice the moose avatar? Since you didn't see one...Steve Nancy & Mike

Thanks PaddyGFW
You know why!