i just want a pyckle...

[Ian]

Finally got around to pulling the clutch cover cover off my A14 and was pleased to find that I didn't have to pull off the clutch to replace the spring that failed and caused me to be stuck in 3rd gear 30 miles from home. 3rd gear is THE gear to be stuck in btw if you had to pick one. Low enough with stock gearing to pull away with a little clutch slip and capable of 50mph revved out. I was able to ride home with this failure. Any other gear would not have been quite as easy. There's some photos in a new album called "A14 gearchange pawl spring" for those of you who are interested. Here's the thing: the spring failed after 40k miles so any bike that has more than that could be susceptible to this failure. The spring was still in place but had been heated enough times that it was a goner and broke in two as soon as I flexed it back and forth a few times. The photos show the new spring in place. So, I'm thinking this little spring which is thin flat spring steel is somewhat of an Achilles heel on this bike and has the potential to leave you stranded somewhere. It's not exactly a side of the road repair to drain the coolant and oil and pull the water pump cover and clutch cover to replace it so I'm wondering about ways to beef this part up. I actually bought two of them and am considering installing them both. Once you see the photos you'll understand how this is possible. The spring just clips inbetween the shifter shaft and pawl. Thoughts? Oh, and two items that were gotchas in this project. Or maybe I should say the result of boneheaded, ham-fisted wrenching on my part. First the 10mm bolt holding on the brake lever was frozen in there and in my haste I stupidly snapped the bugger off, so I have to either drill that out or replace the brake lever. Much slower and more careful work habits and patience, and a little PB Blaster or other penetrating oil would have avoided that. Second, I had $20 Engine Ice coolant installed and was trying to recover it. Pulling the hoses off is NOT the way to do that! Big mess There is a teeny little drain plug on the underside of the water pump cover and THAT is the way to gracefully drain the coolant out and avoid having to wipe coolant off your garage floor. Believe me, I will remember that next time! The water pump seals look good and look re-usable. I forgot to order those. Would it be stupid to re-use them?

[mark ward]

A cucumber becomes a Pickle after you soak it in vingar. So when you use it on a Motorcycle, do'es it Now become a............... "Motor-pYckle."

--- On Thu, 4/28/11, Eddie wrote: From: Eddie Subject: RE: [DSN_KLR650] I just want a pickle... To: "'Kevin Powers'" , "'DSN'" DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> Date: Thursday, April 28, 2011, 2:57 PM WOW, When I WAS A KID I used to hear my uncle(a farmer) gawkling (selling at farmers market)cucumbers, holding up the big ones calling them WIDOW WOMAN SPECIALS lol but cleaning a chain ,We never get too old to learn something new eddie (from (bham AL ) From: Kevin Powers [mailto:PowersHouse@...] Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 7:09 AM To: DSN Subject: [DSN_KLR650] I just want a pickle... ..to clean the chain on my motorsickle. http://www.webbikeworld.com/t2/chain-pickle/ -- Kevin Powers White Bear Lake, MN [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]