Mikelly

SO Monday while I was at the specialist, We had dropped the truck off for new tires in the rear, and on a whim I told them to do a BGs Trans flush. The fluid was 125,000 miles old and I figured it wasn't gonna help since the trans has beed acting up a bit, making a high pitched noise once in a while for just a second... Shifting at funny times, and slipping once in a while. I picked the truck up and noticed the trans shifting much firmer, and more precise, no noise, no slipping. I've driven it for 3 days in rush hour traffic and with a heavy foot and it seems to doing GREAT! Can it be that a simple trans flush sucked out whatever the offending matter was? Mike

My wife is... Mike

Control arms shipped out today for Matt, Jeff, and Mike. Ed, I need to find a box big enough for your intake. SHould ship this week. Mike

Just got back from the specialist... Severed Artery. Not good. I have to go back on the 23rd for a follow up. Mike

My recommendation for a driver would be someone NOT attatched to the Zcar world. Someone who doesn't have stake in the vehicle or its configuration. Also someone who is very familiar with torque and HP in small lightweight cars, but with V8 familiarity. Mike Kelly

My personal opinion on this is: It doesn't matter. Those who have the Scarab setup are passionate about their setups. They won't believe anything that they don't want to. All it takes is looking back to the thread where Kim Blough and I went back and forth on the issue. I'd love for you to do this Art. Keeping it as close a comparison as posible is the only true way to make people take notice. However, even with the closest of comparison, people will find things to dispute. In the end, it comes down to choice. Kinda like arguing over the "Perfect color" for the car... There are guys who can make a scarab Z run well, because it suits their driving style. Similarly, there are guys who can drive the wheels off the JTR setup and can't drive the Scarab setup, due to their driving style... Goodluck with the comparison. Mike

It was truly surreal. I didn't feel it, but I saw this stream of blood shoot out. I let it pulse out streams for like five or six spurts before I got a clue as to how bad it was. Then I paniced and put myglove over it and clamped tight to it. I then climbed out of the car (Which is on the car trailer) and run from the garage to the house and told the wife to call 911. I wasn't screwing around with this one. I kinda new that it was arterial by the volume and stream. So my neighbores across the street see the comotion and run over to assist DOnna. By this time I'm starting to check out... Getting dizzy, sweaty, upset stomach, the whole bit. This has never happened to me and it was freaky. They lay me down on the bench in front of the house and keep my hand wrapped in a shop towel around my arm. When the Squad arrives, they advise the at we are putting TO MUCH presure on it, as my fingers are turning black! So we loosen the grip, and they load me up and take me in. After all the hoopla and the trip in, we had done such a great job of clamping it that the forearm is swollen and bruised today. And the hole? It is less than half an inch cut! They cleaned it, stitched it and Xrayed it. Then they sent me home and I've got to go today to see a specialist for any signs of nerve dammage! More later... No pics though. Nothing to really see. I must brag on the step son. He took charge and took care of me. My wife was to busy running around and getting meds and special items for me. Craig was with me the whole time and took care of me. Mike

Yup, I was cutting some sheetmetal storage boxes out of my Z today when I struck a piece of sharp thin metal with my right forearm on the inside, just four inches above the wrist. It hit an Artery and shot blood 6 feet in the air... It was a bad episode... Never seen so much blood leave my body so fast. I'm home now, stitched up and on GOOD drugs! Be careful guys... I never felt it! Mike

I don't think you understand the stepped approach. In Japan you can't get licensed to the next class of motorcycle until you have spent a designated amount of time on your current ride... There are VERY FEW liter class motorcyclists in Japan because of this reason. It keeps less skilled and more irresponsible riders on smaller bikes (125CC-250CC) for a MUCH LONGER time period. And if you get a ticket, you can lose the right to have an M class forever, depending on the infraction. See, In Japan they don't screw around with licensing... Something we need to get a better handle on here. Mike

I think Denny hit it on the head. You are trying to hard to do TO MUCH at once. You are gonna hate the car when you are done. I call my son stupid little names when we are working together and he dishes it back to me. However, I've never shown him the level of disrespect to damage anything but his pride, and I certainly wouldn't stand for him damaging or spitting on a $50,000 sports car. My advice is to sit there and put yourself in his shoes. I'm sure he has worked real hard to put a wonderful roof over your head, keep you in the most wonderful of clothes, and has provided you an unmeasurable amount of advice. Yea, maybe he doesn't want to help YOU with YOUR project every time you need something done on it. My guess is he values his free time away from work and may not want to turn wrenches on your project as much as you do. However, You need to rethink how you react to him, and what you say or do. Had a son of mine done those things, we would be discussing how he was gonna sell his project to pay for damages, and where he would be living come the next morning. Respect, Michael. I'm sure he has earned it. Mike Kelly

Art, Contact me offline... I've got a few ideas... Mike

Joe, No harm no foul. I think we're seeing things from the same side of the fence... A poser/ wannabee is a poser/ wannabee. Designer bikers sicken me, no mater the brand. I'd like to see America go to a stepped licensing program for motorcycles. I think it would save a lot of lives... One true statement about the harley set, you don't read about them cutting cars in half while blasting 130MPH down the street. Wish I could say that for the sport bikers. Having had a license to ride two wheels for 20 years, I'm probably as cranky as you when it comes to these idiots! On the flip side, maybe it's god's way of adding clorine to the gene pool! 8) Mike

Chapparal2F, Not sure if you are serious or what, but I didn't attack all Harley riders. I'd appreciate it if you play by the rules... As for the maintenance on Harleys, I know of others that are more bothersome. At least harleys are easy to get to for valve adjustments and carb tuning. However, make no bones about it, I know of M-A-N-Y sport bikes with well over 100K miles on them. You see, some of us really DO ride and are as passionate about our "Rice Rockets" as you are about your hogs... There are a number of differnet types of 1% in scooter land and life for that matter. It wasn't born in Miwaukee. As for the comment about the wannabees, we have the same problem in sport bike land... You see the idiots in flip flops, shorts and tank tops on sport bikes doing all sort of stupidity. I personally WILL NOT ride with anyone who isn't in a leather jacket, boots, gloves and proper helmet.. That's just me though. Mike

YOu could shim it and use a stick one possibly to get you where you are going, but I'd recommend replacing them with the right ones sooner rather than later... Use a large washer to take up the additional space between the top of the insert and the cap if it is a loose fit to the top of the insert. Gland nuts obviously run in various sizes depending on the maker of the insert, and sometimes you can get lucky and find another that will work. You could also go to the auto parts stor for help... They sometimes have a miscelanious bind in the back! Mike

The parts arrived Thursday evening and I was able to get everything packaged up. However, as those who live locally can attest, Friday rained hard and every MORON who can't control a vehicle had accidents around the Washington DC area. Took me almost three hours to get home last night. I'll try to get ALL the boxes shipped out on Monday! Mike

Contact Tokico and they will send you the right one... Explain the situation and see if they can overnight it. Or go dumpster diving at the local salvage yard and hopefully you will find one. Mike

I'm considering a more sedate bike for the wife and I, while I keep my ZX9R for me. Bikes I'm considering are in the touring class. The one and only reason I'm not a fan of HD bikes is the markup. Quite honestly, I rode my brother inlaws Yamaha Roadstar Road King and it is was as much a Harley as any HD, and it does it for a far cheaper price. HDs are old technology, which works, but you shouldn't have to pay a premium for it. Also, I'm not a huge fan of the proverbial chip that seems to be placed on the shoulder of a Harley owner (Not all, but many) the day they roll theirs out the showroom doors. They are a motorcycle, nothing more. You love them or you hate them... Mike

Yup, the street Z is going out for a cage install at Pro Street Chassis in Ashland, Va. Seems that Brian has converted to a muffler shop for financial reasons, but is gonna do the work for me on the side as a side job. I'll truck it down next Thrusday and pick it up when he is done! Now I've got to print off pics of what I want and the rules for Silver State Challenge related rules... I'm on my way! Mike

The ceiling is just sheet rock with LOTS of flourescant lighting... I have 48 four ft. long tubes total in the down stairs. The floor to ceiling height is 12 ft. 6 inches and is BARELY enough room for my lift... I have ONE INCH of space to spare... So be carefull when you shop for a lift! My lift ran me $900. The building is 32 wide X 24 deep and I do have an upstairs I need to finish... it is a 32 X 11. Mike

I'm constantly fabricating stuff... With the projects I have going, I could use one to make all kinds of things, from fuel cells to battery boxes to sheetmetal box style flares... Mike

Pete, You are like me then, NOT interested in straightline speed... I want to see them with worn knee sliders... Then they can ride in my world! Still, it will be nice... However, Keep in mind guys, that R1 number is crank HP. Makes it cranking out somewhere in the 160s at the wheel... The 03 GSXR1000 was making 160HP... At 380pounds! And Yami's are known to be twitchy out of the box... Mike

I got it from aplace called Tractor Supply Center. It is only a single stage unit, but should be more than enough for my needs... Mike

Click on my personal album and click through the picks of the garage I built last year. Near term additions will be a four foot sheet metal break and a new set of cutting torch tanks for my heads. I'm also gonna get a Tig welder at some point! I currently have a tubing notcher, Mig welder, tubing bender, several vises, Porter Cable Sawzall, several sized drills, Ryobi drill press, die grinders, disc sanders, hand grinders, My Car lift, a folding engine lift, several engine stands, a small parts washer, and of course Tons of mechanics tools... Get a fridg and TV, as well as a radio. I'm also running my computer line in to mine so I can have my Connection out in the garage with a slow lap top! Mike

Damn that is SEXY! This is gonna be a good year for liter class bikes. A real good year! Mike

This one doesn't have the wheels... It is fixed stand alone, but is also super quiet. $500 New out the door! Mike