K100RS parked for four months outside in all weathers

[Laitch]

I'd really like to end up with one single key for the whole bike if possible. I plan to visit a locksmith tomorrow to see if he can help with me most of the locks but am not sure about the seat lock

Here's a MOTOBRICK.COM epic thread concerning this subject.

[Filmcamera]

Thanks, I had been using that thread a lot when I swapped out all the locks form the new cases I got to the old ones.  Well today I kept using it and so now my ignition key opens everything!  All I am missing is a lock for the seat lock.

[Filmcamera]

I would but


No lock in seat lock to wiggle...

[mw074]

All of the lock cylinders on the bike can be re-coded the same as the ignition key. However, you mentioned changing to a standard seat set-up. The seat lock assemblies are not the same as the low seat.

[Filmcamera]

I have been prepping a 35 lt top box for paining and have come across an issue that is starting to bug me...


The case came with four holes in the lid, I guess the PO had a luggage rack on top at some point.  They had been filled with silicon (sic!)


I dug out the old silicon, plastic welded the holes on the inside and have filled them to try and get them smooth for paint.


Now the issue.  Four or maybe even five times now I have put filler on the holes, left it to go dry and sanded with either 280 or 400 wet n dry paper using a sanding block.


Every single time I end up with a indent where the holes were.  I am not sure why...


I am using a bondo type filler that I have to add the chemical hardener to just before using it.


I can obviously just keep on trying but as this is the first time I have ever done anything like this I thought I would see if I am missing an easy trick or something...

[The Dude]

"Shrinkage" is your problem.As the bondo goes off it shrinks.Your meant to put on proud and then sand back flush after its gone off.

[Filmcamera]

I am putting it on proud - hugely proud.  Oh well the holes are quite deep and very small so hopefully they will get filled up sooner or later. I imagine the pressure of sanding is pushing the bondo deeper into the hole to fill any bits that weren't filled before, that has to stop eventually...

[The Dude]

Nothing's as simple as it seems.A second smear of filler will do it.Er,the filler needs to have set before you fiddle with it.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

How long are you waiting before sanding?  How old is the catalyst? 

Put on the thinnest layer that fills the indentation with just a millimeter more.  An easy way to do it is to put a couple layers of masking tape around the hole and use the tape as grounds to run your spreader on.  Your Bondo layer will stand proud by the thickness of the tape. 

Let it cure overnight before sanding.  I am assuming you are using a block

[Filmcamera]

Yes I am using a block.  So far I have let it dry for six hours, overnight, six hours and overnight again.


I hope the catalyst is new, that is to say I brought it on Friday so it should be.


I will try again tomorrow morning and see how it goes


Thanks for the tips

[Filmcamera]

Patches created.


Now I just wait for the morning...


If they look ok then it is primer and paint - rattle can and my first attempt so fingers crossed it turns out ok.


I am thinking two coats of primer then knock it back with 600 grit wet and dry then paint, probably fours coats.


As I said this is my first attempt at any kind of painting so I am learning tons as I go.  I figured a 35 lt top case is a good thing to practice on since Johnny will berate me the moment I fit it anyway!  Add to that I will normally use the 'iconic' 22 and so if it turns out rubbish I can just shrug and try again.


(Edit) looking at the pic makes me think that maybe bright 34 C sunlight might not have been the best place to do that... :dunno2:

[The Mighty Gryphon]

wow!  What are you using for a spreader?

[Filmcamera]

A 1 inch spatula - that last mix was super hot though, it is hard not not make it very hot when trying to do a very small batch so as not to waste it.


Anyway I sanded this morning and three of four holes seem to be dealt with.  One remains, so I will try again tomorrow after the primer has dried overnight.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Get some plastic spreaders made for filler from an auto body supply shop.  Ask for a couple when you buy a can of paint or filler.  They'll give you a couple for free, otherwise they might cost you 50 cents.  They have boxes of them under the counter just like the stirring sticks for the paint.

A square gallon jug like milk comes in can be cut into 4"x4" squares for mixing the Bondo on.  Take a rounded tablespoon of sand.  Dump it and look at it.  That is about the size of a lump of Bondo that I mix at one time for filling holes and surface defects.  Mix that with a 1/4" wide by 3/8" to 1/2"  long bead of catalyst.  Mix well for 15-20 seconds with a popsicle stick and take a bit on the blade of the spreader.  Spread once in one direction, followed by one pass in the opposite direction.  Press down onto the tape, but not enough to noticeably bend the spreader.   If you have done everything right you will have left a nice thin layer of Bondo with a smooth, level surface.

[Filmcamera]

Sadly the bike failed me today.


I went down to the beach with my wife yesterday and got there no problem.


This morning we set off home and I noticed the battery felt a little flat when I started the bike.


We set off and about 20 miles from home the engine died.  When I tried to restart the battery was flat.  My assumption was an alternator failure.


We got a tow truck home and I plugged the bike up to a battery charger, after three hours on the charge she started right up, so for me that confirms the alternator issue.


Time to read the lieberry and learn about alternators!

[Laitch]

. . .  after three hours on the charge she started right up, so for me that confirms the alternator issue.

How old is the battery? Are you certain you don't have a circuit that is draining the battery?

[Filmcamera]

Battery is brand new.  I am not 100% certain there isn't a drain but why would the battery go flat after 40 miles of 4-5k revs unless the alternator wasn't charging?

[Laitch]

. . .  why would the battery go flat after 40 miles of 4-5k revs unless the alternator wasn't charging?

It would go flat if it was an old battery unable to hold a charge; that is why the question was asked.

Good luck.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Is the alternator light in the instrument cluster working?  If the alternator isn't charging the battery, that light should be coming on.   

If you have a meter, start the bike and measure the voltage on the battery terminals.  It should be about 13.8v when the engine is running and the alternator is charging. 

Check the alternator for a loose B+ connection.  If it is loose and you are lucky, the loose connection will keep the battery from being charged.  If it is loose and you are not lucky, you may have blown the diodes in the alternator. 

[Filmcamera]

I don't think that is the problem.  The battery is maybe three months old.  Next week I plan to start trouble shooting the issue. To be honest I am glad it seems to be something relatively simple in that with a charged battery the bike starts and runs fine.  If I had got it home and charged the battery and she still didn't start then I would have been worried.  I have only just got home so I haven't had time to research the sire on alternator issues and how to fix them so I will do that first then update the thread.  The good news is that the ride down and back until the bike crapped out on me was great and my wife was loving it. Our Sena 20S intercoms worked a treat and she felt safe and comfortable - apart from a  slight sliding forward on the seat issue which I may try to fix with higher pegs as per a recent thread on here.  The bike felt very solid and stable at 80 mph + two up with luggage and apart from wanting to heat shield my thighs from the toaster oven I have no issues to report - until the bike died of course!  There is a slight roughness in the engine in the 3500 rpm range but that might be normal since it seems to go away over 4k and over 5000 or so I need to shift because it gets to 'bucking bronco' for my wife who is new to riding, she finds the engine braking when you go off throttle a bit much for now - she will get used to it with time I am sure.  The good news is that she is very comfortable with decent lean angles  - it is more hard braking and acceleration she doesn't like, but that might hark back to the slight seat issue.

[Filmcamera]

The alternator light did NOT come on until the engine was about to die.  My first indication of a problem was the ABS warning coming on and maybe three minutes later when I down shifted and accelerated the engine was unresponsive, 30 seconds later it died. When I tried to restart it I got the click of a flat battery

[Laitch]

It would also go flat if you battery terminal connection and/or ground connection weren't clean and tight.

[Filmcamera]

I disconnected the charger - the battery isn't fully charged yet but has enough to start the bike.


With the bike running- but not up to temp yet - I am only getting 12.25 volts at the battery terminals

[Laitch]

Then there is this post.

[Filmcamera]

I hadn't had it on a tender for a couple of weeks, I have been riding every two or three days and the battery always felt fine. 


When we set off to the beach the battery felt fine, it was only this morning when I started her up to come back that the battery felt a little sluggish.


I have done 100 mile plus rides a few times with no issues so far, this feels like a new issue to me.


The last time I did put it on the tender the battery said it was fully charged after, I think, about four hours on the tender.