I wonder if I still remember how this damn thing works???
Anyway, hello there. It has been a while. What's changed?
- I got my motorbike license
-
I got a motorbike
- It consumes a lot of spare parts and fuel
- Also burns oil, screams more spare parts to me
- I upgraded my travel setup from an aging Surface Pro 5 to a MacBook Air M4. Shits blazing fast and its first job is working through Lightroom Catalog backlog (I'm sooooo sorry to those waiting on my assignment aaaahhhhhhhhh)
- I worked at yet another convention (the cause of my backlog), I even left the EU for it! (Well, I went to Birmingham. VeXpo was hella fun)
Motorbike
This beautiful machine down below has been my latest hyperfixation (I'm sorry cycling and photography, y'all gotta take a step back for the time being). Over the span of a month it has taught me how to disassemble half a bike and put it back together, as well as how to diagnose mechanical issues:
But what is it? It is a 1990 Kawasaki GPZ 500 S. Got it for 550€ and so far put that same value in spare parts and tools into it. Hella fun, casually does 160 km/h on the Autobahn without batting an eye. I've done around 4000 Kilometers on it and done the following so far:
-
The rotor exploded itself (common on these) so I replaced it.
- It took out my stator while doing so, so a new one is coming in soon-ish.
- For now the battery barely holds charge without any additional consumers other than ignition. Turn on the lights and your battery starts draining slowly but surely. After about one tank of fuel you'll be switching off your headlight when waiting at a red light
- Replaced the generator cover gasket
- Done two oil swaps, a third one coming soon-ish
- Dropped it, it cost me my right mirror. Finally got a new one yesterday.
-
I lost my rear right indicator on the highway
- Whoever added these stupid aftermarket LED lights: I hate you. I hate them.
- Anyway stock indicators for the rear are ordered (tho I will lose the rear rack, temporarily, until I buy a series fitting one).
- Stock indicators for the front will follow. Money doesn't grow on trees or smth.
-
The starter clutch appears worn out. At least it doesn't grip currently. Ordered new clutch bits to see if that fixes it, goes in tomorrow (hopefully.
- Now how do you start it without a starter? You sprint in second gear and drop clutch. It'll just kick to life.
- It is like using a kickstarter, just way more off a pain in the butt as you got to accelerate 270 Kilograms (Me + Bike) to 10 km/h via your own legs in a suboptimal running posture. Oh well.
Now while all this sounds terrible to some: I'm loving it. It is teaching me so many new things and when the bike does run: it runs quite well. Aside from burning oil. A lot of oil.
Anyway that is a lot of text, lessee how it comes out on the site itself yay.