not about mexico!!!

[fasteddiecopeman]

{Hi Folks,} {This one has gone very far afield and if it were a horse it would be} {very dead and would be being served with chipolte sauce at some local} {eatery.} {Hope everyone had great rides over the weekend and look forward to} {some good ride reports or clutch cable lubing; even an oil debate} {would be better than this.} {albatross} Well - I did something yesterday: my '04, with 47,700 kms (29,574 miles) on it was in need of a rear tire change, as the Kenda K270 on it had 17,758 kms (11,010 miles) on it. Admittedly it was WELL PAST safe for mud/dirt riding, but fine for the street, and I was seeing how far I could go on it. It has about 1/8" on the center tread blocks right now, sitting by the dumpster. While I was 'in there' I decided it was time to remove the swing arm and shock linkages for a good cleaning and re-lube (FIRST time since new). The swing arm pivot bolt pulled out VERY easily, as I'd occasionally undone the bolt and driven it out MOST of the way so I could grease it whenever I changed the rear tire. In fact the ONLY tough one was the bolt (behind the plastic covers) that the rear shock linkage pivots on, and it succumbed to 2 or 3 hammer taps on a brass drift. Needed work with steel wool and sandpaper before greasing and re-installing, and I did need to loosen the rear engine mount to slide it back in. Without a doubt this job was the DIRTIEST ONE I've done, but everything looks ALMOST like new...! Someone gave me a Michelin Annakee 130/80 rear tire, about half worn, and I decided to give it a try, so despite reports of how hard it is to install, after the K270 was off, I 'spooned' the Annakee on much easier than previous 270s, balanced it and put it into the now clean swing arm, and went for a little spin - tire feels good, and does NOT howl like the 270 did. There, NOT an oil thread (I DID look at the level in my sight window...!), and NOT about Mexico (which I will NOT visit due its endemic corruption....). Cheers, Ed