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Showing results for tags '401'.
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saw a first gen MkII just north of Kingston late Sat. afternoon. He was heading west on Unity Road crossing #38 onto Mud Lake Road...which takes you to the 401 I tried to get his attention but I was turning off and had someone right on my butt! Looked almost like MARCARL (poor guy!) ANYBODY FROM HERE?
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As a not-so-glamorous part of my job, I occasionally have to visit suppliers when they are giving us grief. I shouldn't have to do it, I don't really like to do it, and they really don't like me to do it. Sigh.. Anyways, I have to make a trip to Brampton, Ont, which is about 150 km (90 miles) from my house. Today was supposed to be the first nice day in ages (no thunderstorms) and I haven't been on the bike in over a week. So, I decide "What the heck.., I am taking the bike." The trip there was fantastic - the 401 (major highway) rolled right along with none of the typical backups and delays that seem to be an indication of summer in Ontario. I get there, I listen and nod politely to the excuses/misdirection.. cut through it all as best I can, have them draft up some action plans, arrange with my business to give them a break on tomorrow's delivery so they could actually do what I requested, and then I head back out. It's warm & humid, but not unbearable like it has been the last few days. I jump onto the bike, head back to the 401 (highway) to go home - I had been on surface streets for about 10 mins, the temp gauge was reading normal, everything going just fine, when the bike starts to lug a bit. Then much more dramatically... "hmmm.." I am on the on-ramp to the highway already trying to merge onto 4 full lanes of traffic doing 70 mph (compared to my 50) and the bike is straining like it is giving birth. I am running out of ramp, but there is a nice paved shoulder. Hit the 4-way flashers, navigate as best I can to the shoulder, and as soon as I pull in the clutch, both wheels lock. "Whoah !".... keep things upright, but there were some tense moments. Shut the bike off, try to push it: no go - full lock. That nice super-heated-brake-pad odour fills my helmet. My mind flashes back to a previous post that recalled the brake fluid on a hot humid day expanding to the point where the linked front & back brakes locked. The suggestioon was to keep a 8mm wrench handy. I had taken it to heart, had the wrench, plus a 16inch length of hose to slip over the bleeder. Aside from some very choice expletives about how close the passing vehicles were as I was madly bleeding off the excess brake fluid, I had no issues whatsoever and was back mobile within 10 minutes. So, to whomever posted that suggestion, I (and my family) heartily thank you:thumbsup2:. Postscript : I have ridden in some hot weather, and had no issues. All the fluid was near last year when I picked up the bike in August. Any ideas why all of a sudden things decided to lock up ? PPS: And, for information's sake, I got off the 401 at the next exit, found a quiet parking lot and gave the bike a good once over. Then proceeded to thoroughly test the brakes, and found no issues. Regardless, I completely changed the brake fluid (front and rear) once I got home. Thanks again - this group is fantastic.
