DIY Weekend: Under The Skin

Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance Revisited

I may be working extra hard to follow all the rules of engagement, but even @galenkp can't make me be lineal so I'm showing the finished product. Yep, this is to prove that everything I took off ended back on and everything works.

I had a bit of a problem on my longish camping trip this summer. The windshield was balky and hard to move. Why move a windscreen you might ask. I like to look over the screen as I ride but when it starts raining I want it as high as it will go. I could get it to go up ok, but it did not want to go back down.

So I did some research and tore into it. I have a service manual so I wasn't completely clueless as I removed bits. I also use a system when I tear into something, I put the bolts and fasteners into a slotted tray IN ORDER of removal so I can put them back where they belong.

So. A couple weeks after my first foray under the skin I received some parts that I'd ordered after the scouting trip and tore into big red again. This is where I stopped removing stuff.

Note the right mirror wire in the photo. Previous owner, or more likely, someone who worked for him had broken the Honda connector and just wired the mirror back up direct. It worked fine, but I needed to replace the rubber boots around the mirror base so they had to come all the way off.

So, I ordered a kit to build connectors to fit. The video made it look really straight forward and simple but it was anything but in a practical application. I fought it for hours until I finally gave in and wired the mirror back up directly. I have already given the connector kit away.

I removed a badly worn ratchet assembly from the windshield and the screen moves effortlessly. I'm almost looking forward to riding in the rain :)

I also had a low beam headlight burn out on my trip and I wanted to change it (I changed both low beams). I have really large hands so I removed a couple extra pieces under the windscreen so I could reach up and into the bulbs easier. Didn't work, no way I could do the deed. It's the way other guys said they changed bulbs but I just couldn't get it done.

I'd had to take the 'meter cover' off to access the mirror mounts and when I got it all the way off I thought I could see the back of the low beam bulb. I was right.

I could just barely squeeze my right hand into the hole and feel the back of the bulb (a standard H7 automotive bulb). I lost some skin and blood in the tight quarters but changing the headlight bulbs went from impossible from the bottom to very do able from the top.

I did the whole deal over the course of two very short days. The days were necessarily short because ambient temperature was around 40C. I drank fluids like a maniac and got 'er done. Everything works and fits like it's supposed to.

I love it when a plan comes together.

I think I also got a weekend engagement post done by the rules for what might be the first time. I'm not sure if I feel better or worse for that fact.

All words and photographs in this post are mine. For better or worse.