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SLOAero · 10-23-2012, 10:43 PM

Oh goddamnitall. Have I got a story for everyone.

Here's the situation - brief version:

Guy sold me a bike that was dry on oil (we'll get to how I overlooked that later) and I rode it to my parents house for 5 miles (last mile at to 60mph!) and now I'm worried I've totally hosed this bike and might be in for some serious cash.

And if you're still interested - longer version:

Yes, I know-I should've paid more attention when buying the bike and had my buddy check the oil while I got it upright. I just figured this old biker would've maintained this bike his wife was riding a little better. I asked about the oil when I saw the oil on the fins - he said they maintained the bike and everything was ready to ride - that the oil on the fins wasn't a problem in the time they'd owned it. Multiple questions/back and forth on maintenance and they said they'd taken care of it (maybe I just didn't know the exact questions to ask?). I trailered it from my parents house home (I didn't want to get on the freeway before I was comfortable) and once here I figured I'd get to finding a service manual and learning some basic bike maintenance.

Ah, so an oil change seemed easy enough. I found some 4-stroke oil at autozone, a sealed oil bucket, picked up some wenches form OSH, got back home and moved the bike from it's temporary parking spot out to the curb where I could work on it. And now - might as well check the color of the oil before I drain it. I hold the bike upright while standing on the right and try to crouch down. Weird. Oil must be clear for motorcycles. So I sit on the bike, shake it back and forth, upright it again - hold my iphone down by the window. Nothing on the video. Crap. Crap crap crap in a crappy hat.

It's about here I realize that my oil change is about to become something else entirely. Well, from here filling oil is easy. You fill up a whole liter bottle. Then you sit on the bike - shake it and then use the iphone to check the video. Oil. It's a bit low, but still. You have gooooot to be kidding me. Grab the 2nd liter, pour some in, sit on bike, check with iphone+flashlight, almost there, off bike, oil, sit, iphone, answer call, check video-ha! It's just below the F.

Okay then. So... does she still turn over? (Is it even a she? I mean, the gender association of my bike could be anything. Wonder why vehicles are always a she...) Yes! The engine starts up, eventually. Handy dandy lil' green neutral light is glowing, high beams are annoying, throttle is responsive and snappy, choke is choking... and I'm now worried if I ride this bike that the engine might still have a chance of seizing up on me.

Well. Yeah. Welcome to the forums, eh? I haven't had time to drop the bike off at any shops yet, but I've seen a couple well-reviewed places around Berkeley area on Yelp. Figured I'd check with the knowledge base here before making my next move.

Any advice? Assistance? Legal help (half-joking)?

10-23-2012, 10:43 PM	#4
SLOAero Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Berkeley, CA Posts: 4	Re: Hello from a new rider in Berkeley, CA Oh goddamnitall. Have I got a story for everyone. Here's the situation - brief version: Guy sold me a bike that was dry on oil (we'll get to how I overlooked that later) and I rode it to my parents house for 5 miles (last mile at to 60mph!) and now I'm worried I've totally hosed this bike and might be in for some serious cash. And if you're still interested - longer version: Yes, I know-I should've paid more attention when buying the bike and had my buddy check the oil while I got it upright. I just figured this old biker would've maintained this bike his wife was riding a little better. I asked about the oil when I saw the oil on the fins - he said they maintained the bike and everything was ready to ride - that the oil on the fins wasn't a problem in the time they'd owned it. Multiple questions/back and forth on maintenance and they said they'd taken care of it (maybe I just didn't know the exact questions to ask?). I trailered it from my parents house home (I didn't want to get on the freeway before I was comfortable) and once here I figured I'd get to finding a service manual and learning some basic bike maintenance. Ah, so an oil change seemed easy enough. I found some 4-stroke oil at autozone, a sealed oil bucket, picked up some wenches form OSH, got back home and moved the bike from it's temporary parking spot out to the curb where I could work on it. And now - might as well check the color of the oil before I drain it. I hold the bike upright while standing on the right and try to crouch down. Weird. Oil must be clear for motorcycles. So I sit on the bike, shake it back and forth, upright it again - hold my iphone down by the window. Nothing on the video. Crap. Crap crap crap in a crappy hat. It's about here I realize that my oil change is about to become something else entirely. Well, from here filling oil is easy. You fill up a whole liter bottle. Then you sit on the bike - shake it and then use the iphone to check the video. Oil. It's a bit low, but still. You have gooooot to be kidding me. Grab the 2nd liter, pour some in, sit on bike, check with iphone+flashlight, almost there, off bike, oil, sit, iphone, answer call, check video-ha! It's just below the F. Okay then. So... does she still turn over? (Is it even a she? I mean, the gender association of my bike could be anything. Wonder why vehicles are always a she...) Yes! The engine starts up, eventually. Handy dandy lil' green neutral light is glowing, high beams are annoying, throttle is responsive and snappy, choke is choking... and I'm now worried if I ride this bike that the engine might still have a chance of seizing up on me. Well. Yeah. Welcome to the forums, eh? I haven't had time to drop the bike off at any shops yet, but I've seen a couple well-reviewed places around Berkeley area on Yelp. Figured I'd check with the knowledge base here before making my next move. Any advice? Assistance? Legal help (half-joking)? __________________ Too many altoids leads to toid rage.
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