FZRSupport: the FZROnline Archive

Boy, Im beat. Just got back from a long trip around the foothills. The weather was perfect, the roads were great, and we started out with abuot 10 bikes. Too bad, they left us behind at the very first light(read 15 feet from the departure point), never saw them again the rest of the day. Which is both good and bad. The good, not having to deal with a whole group of riders that I havent ridden with before. The bad, I didnt know the planned route, and passengers would have made some nice action shots. But instead, the two of us(me and a 03 R1 LE) found a canyon and went that way. As we were making our way back to the city, I noticed my shifter was binding up again. The 2 lower screws on the sprocket cover keep loosening up and biding the shift shaft. I thought it was wierd so I pulled over. GOOD TIMING!! As I started to pull off to the side, the other guy starts pointing at my bike. I look down and it is GUSHING coolant all over the place. Not a drip, not a trickle, a torrent of green liquid. It was leaking where the coolant tube meets the water pump. After the entire cooling system drained itself on the side of the road, I pulled the coolant tube. Somehow the Oring had split right in two. And it was brand new too! Somehow it started leaking the moment I decided to pull off to the side to check my shifter. the timing was fortuitous. I had no idea until I stopped that it was leaking. I wouldnt have made it much farther before something went catastrophically wrong. But thanks to a jingly tool kit, I was able to get it home. how you ask? Im like MacGuyver, thats how. When I was walking out the door this morning, I noticed my toolkit jingling in my backpack, so I grabbed the big fat rubber band that was sitting on the counter and wrapped it around the tools. This was to be my salvation today. A few wraps with the rubber band, the water in my camelback and a spare water bottle, and she made it the rest of the 40 or so miles home on the highway. Didnt lose a drop! Of course, now I have to drain the system ASAP thanks to Colorados cold nights. So all in all it was a good day. Had some issues, but I managed to get it home without major incident. I cant get a new Oring for a few days, so I think this was the final voyage this fall. Time to use what little decent weather we have left to start tearing it down for its winter revisit. My conclusion, my bike is a vindictive bitch. Who puts out. Sometimes. When she feels like it.

Nice to hear you got back home.

Nice too, that a) the other guy was watching out for you, and b) that it didn't fail mid-corner, and C) that you mcgyver it like that. I always carry tools! nice on the rubber band though!


I had a nice day. It was finally clear and sunny, even tho cold at 47°f. Bike ws running like a raped ape-hadn't even switched to summer jetting this year, summer being so shitty. I droppe dmy tire pressures a couple pounds and went 15 miles and fueled up and checked them. They were heating up well despite the cold air and asphalt.

I suited ALL the way up.....full leathers. And, mounted the camera. Got some good fall colors photos....yep, photos....messed up and locked the GoPro on still shot every 2 seconds mode instead of video. Didn't find out until I made my first stop. Ended up with some cool shots. Switched to video, haven't had time to review them yet.

I normally sit straight up on the bike, rarely hang off unless absolutely necessary.

I was hanging off today...got my pucks on the ground a number of times and powered the rear end around on a few exits.

Got to run with a few other bikes. A k1200, and an SV for a while. Passed a Hinda Hawk on one of my faves-he wwas heading out while I was heading in. Woulda liked to have ran with him. He was knee down in a right hander while I was knee down in a left as we went by each other.

I ran under the clouds about 60 miles from home in early evening....the temp started falling. It was pretty damn nippy on the last stretch, but I had a great day.

winter has started here...its cold as fluck...like 40-50 degrees....

it got around 84* in Denver today. In the mtns it probably dropped down in the 60s and 70s. Absolutely beautiful weather. The canyons were pretty crowded since this is probably the last nice warm weekend we will get for a long time. Cold temps will be back in a few days.