100,000 mile scooters

[glencoeman]

Has anyone tried muffler cement or hight temperature RTV in place of the $32 Canadian gasket which does not last that long?

I answered the question in the other thread - use gasket paper and red RTV
Using it for cars, trucks, tractors, dozers, for years

You have to use the genuine gasket as it is nothing like what you describe. It is basically a tube shape about 20-30mm long with walls of about 3mm thick. Should really be called a seal rather than a gasket.

[davenowherejones]

I measured my spare pipe like gasket. It is 35.2 mm long, the inside diameter is 28 mm and the outside diameter is 34 mm with 3 mm thick walls.

I would like to look to see what other machines also use this size. Maybe the quads have a similar size.

The 2014 Honda Forza 300 is relatively rare scooter, especially in Canada where it was ridiculously over priced. Almost $10,000 by the time it was on the road in British Columbia with all the add-ons. They lowered the price a few times but it still would not sell. Mega $$$

[glencoeman]

The part number of the seal is: 18391-MN1-670, price about £13 UK. Also used on, Forza 250, Reflex 250, Jazz 250, CH 250, and CRM 250. All Honda models. I hope this might help you.

[DAB]

Buy some 3mm copper sheet and make your own.

[canthai]

Has anyone tried muffler cement or hight temperature RTV in place of the $32 Canadian gasket which does not last that long?

I answered the question in the other thread - use gasket paper and red RTV
Using it for cars, trucks, tractors, dozers, for years

You have to use the genuine gasket as it is nothing like what you describe. It is basically a tube shape about 20-30mm long with walls of about 3mm thick. Should really be called a seal rather than a gasket.

Mine been on for quite a while. but keep on spending $$$ over and over
You do know gasket paper can be rolled into a tube ?

[davenowherejones]

I think I have forgotten how to ride my Forza. It is -1C and snowing today. I am hoping to ride on March 1. Who knows if I can?

The Pirelli Diablo Rosso needs to get put on. I will wait until the shed is warmer. The wire sticking out of the Conti-scoot tire says it is time even though there is a little tread still remaining.

I tried compressing the sidewalls together with a nylon zap strap. I could get the beads almost touching so I will use that to get the tire on easier. I don't think I will need the spare muffler connection gasket I got from Norway. I suspect the rear brake pads will be a mess. I have spares and I made shims out of some roofing galvanized steel. I will try and scrape/brush the brake cylinder clean.

The Continental Conti-scoot tire has 9348 km on it now. It could probably go another 1000 km if I really pushed it. Getting stuck in the middle of nowhere can turn you into bear food. I have seen lots of bears while riding on my Forza 300. The tire was OK but nothing special. Next.

The snow is not really piling up but it was icy when I went out in my truck. Not good for riding.

[davenowherejones]

I have started changing my rear tire. I got the wheel off of the Forza in the shed. I took it out into the light to check it over.

The centre of the tire has worn down a lot and the side of the tire looks brand new. The wear in the centre is a little uneven but not substantially.

My last Shinko (formerly Yokohama) tire was not round and wore down unevenly so I decided to spend the big money on a Continental German tire. Both tires were made in Korea. Both have the same bad wear pattern. Japanese, German, all made in Korea.

I have a Pirelli Diablo Rosso ready to go on tomorrow. The Pirelli was made in Indonesia. My previous Michelin City Grips were made in Serbia. I am not sure were my Heidenau was made, had an old one in the shed, Germany.

The best tire was the City Grip or City Grip 2 Winter but my favourite was the semi-off road Heidenau. I might try a Kenda off road tire next on my scooter.

[davenowherejones]

I really struggled with removing the Conti-scoot rear tire. It was so stiff that I could not get it into the drop centre. I ended up putting zip ties on the tire. It came off but I am not sure why.

I also had trouble getting the Pirelli tire on. Very stiff sidewalls was the problem also. I ended up putting a lot of zip ties to get it on. I jumped up and down on the sidewall to get it into the drop centre of the wheel. I also ended up turning my heat up to 30C to soften the rubber.

I am 62 and I struggle doing mechanics. I watched a few YouTube videos, they always get it done easily. One guy squeezed the sidewalls together with his hands. The Pirelli did not go anywhere when I squeezed it. A 17 inch tire is probably easier than my 13 inch rear.

I have changed tires before. The Michelins are quite a bit easier to get on. The ContiScoot was hard to get on and hard to get off.

I had a Chinese Geely 150cc scooter than had such flimsy tires that I break the bead with my fingers. It was an almost new scooter but the tires looked like they were 20 years old. All the Geely rubber was really bad, the hoses were crap.

I will try to get air in the tire tomorrow. I need to replace the brake pads while I put the Forza back together. Providing I am still alive in the morning. Those tires really beat me up today. I am having muscle cramps.

[davenowherejones]

I spent Monday in a lot of pain, I have too many injuries. I went for a walk today, Tuesday to loosen up the muscles a bit.

I bounced the wheel & tire on the ground a few times and then added my little air compressor. I was able to seat both beads with a good pop.

I replaced the rear brake pads. The old ones were a really bad wedge shape. The pads must have gone in crooked last time. I pumped the cylinder out a little and gave it a good clean. My shims were in bad shape so I made new ones from galvanized roofing strips.

I placed the wheel on and the false swing arm with the spacer and the wheel nut. I gave the wheel a spin. I then placed the brake assembly in, hopefully the slides and the shims with the pads are all in the right place this time. No guarantee. I pumped up the brakes and got a neighbour to hold them while I torqued the wheel nut.

I carefully re-installed the muffler and bolted it down. I started the engine and it all seems to work. We still have snow and Ice. I will probably get insurance on March 1st and road test the Forza.

I am still in a lot of pain from trying to mount the tire. It is a 150/70-13 instead of the factory 140 mm. I do not know where to get a 140/70-13? The 150 probably made it harder to install. There is only about 1/4 inch of clearance on the left side. I am not too concerned if it rubs a little, the edge of the tread can wear down a little without causing problems.

Round profile tires are always a lot of fun when new. The ContiScoot was very flat shaped with the centre of the tire worn down but the edges not worn at all.

A former neighbour died yesterday unexpectedly. I could go on any given day. I like the joke that I will slide into my grave with a completely wrecked body and EXCLAIM, WHAT A RIDE!

[davenowherejones]

My old body is recovering from the tire changing abuse. I installed new brake pads yesterday and ordered my next set of brake pads from China.

The way things are going with the supply chain I should order my next rear tire right away also.

This motorcycle is expensive. I need a rich girl friend.

[davenowherejones]

I did a quick trip to Agassiz to return some library books, it is a free library box at the side of the road. Take what you want, donate some also. I owe the Library box up in Lytton a few books also but I presume the box burnt down when the whole village was destroyed by fire.

It got up to 8.2C today so I bought 6 months ICBC insurance for $180 Canadian. Just liability. A scooter with 171,000 km is not worth much.

I saw the usual stupidity on the highway today. I also saw the RCMP dealing with some of it. Such pretty red and blue lights.

[davenowherejones]

Yesterday I went to Chilliwack to buy some Ride-On tire sealant and balancer. Probably a waste of money.

I put it in the rear tire today. It required a short ride to distribute it.

I went up to Boston Bar to check out the road damage from the big November storm. There was very little damage. The usual rock in the ditches from the freeze/thaw. I expected more damage. Further north there is a lot more damage. Too cold to go look.

I want a little teeny 13 inch electric cordless Ryobi lawnmower for my tiny mobile home pad. Home Depot Canada lawnmower sales start on Monday. Grass cutting starts in 3 weeks.

[davenowherejones]

Taking the 4wd to get my tiny mower tomorrow. 15 mpg is going to hurt after getting 70 mpg (Imperial) on my Forza. The latest war is also inflating the price of gas. I should steal a goat instead. I have seen pictures of goats riding scooters.

Heavy rain is forecast. The last heavy rain caused a lot of mountains to fall down. I might need 4wd.

[davenowherejones]

My Olympia jacket zipper has been breaking for a while. Sometimes difficult when I have to use the bathroom in a hurry, old body.

It is basically worn out after 180,576 km and the zipper got replaced today.

A local oriental seamstress put a new zipper in, she did nice work. The only problem is that the old zipper was a right hand slider and the new one is a left hand slider. Is there a difference between zippers for men and women?

[davenowherejones]

It was cold and raining when I got out of bed this morning so I went back to sleep. It is now several hours later and I am watching my internet weather station, 5 degrees but my wind meter has broken.

It has stopped raining and the temperature is slowly rising. I will do the dishes and check again. There is lots of fresh snow on my local mountains. The valley is only one mile wide where I live and the mountains are steep.

[fish]

The Brits not only drive on the wrong side - their zippers on my Oxford rain jacket from the U.K. are on the wrong side as well.
I wonder....do their shirts button funny-sided, too?

I'm enjoying your posts Davie! Hang in there bud.....
Still missing my Forza!

Fish

[davenowherejones]

I am right/left dyslexic so the zipper doesn't matter anyway. I have played golf with right or left handed clubs. I am bad either way. I played hockey briefly as a left handed player. I write right handed but find cursive writing almost impossible. I cannot do my own signature.

I went briefly to Sunshine Valley yesterday for coffee. It is 2000 feet higher than my home, more snow, roads were wet. It started raining coming down the hill.

I have a lot of nightmares but some are almost memories of my life. I have dealt with people with dementia a few times. Some of them are bloody quick and hard to find. I have spent hours looking for my mother at the mall. I lost one guy at Vancouver Airport. One guy found the hidden keys to his car, I jumped on the scooter to try to follow him.

I have had a lot of head injuries. I recently walked into a chimney and dented my forehead. Years ago I hit a 200 year old tree while skiing, the tree did not fall but I did, knocked out. Too many to list and a few I don't remember.

I am scared to go back to bed but I must.

The Pirelli Diablo Rosso is still a nice round tire on the back. The Shinko is wearing evenly on the front. Time to figure out my next rear? I might try a Kenda off-road tire on the rear for the summer. No money.

[canthai]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6uXJpBoJl8

[davenowherejones]

I got a chance to test out the zipper today. I went to Arnold to check out the flood damage. I did not see much damage. I'll be back.

I left Hope in very questionable weather. The sat photo looked like it might clear up. It didn't.

I got to a Tim Hortons by Deroche and had a coffee. I did not go to the First Nations Cannabis store in the parking lot. Should have. It started raining hard.

I have ridden my Forza 300 thousands of kilometers in the rain. My $1000 Olympia riding suit is pretty good but after way over 100,000 kilometers it is getting worn out. I won a free lottery ticket.

I continued on. I needed my Klim pinlock shield insert but it is badly damaged and useless. I got to the Abbotsford Tim Hortons down by the USA border and decided on some food. Bad idea. I had the Chilli Nachos and a sour cream & chives baked potato. I thought it was pretty good.

I snaked along the Canada/USA border for a while to Arnold and then went over Majuba Hill.

I was running out of gas and got some in Vedder Crossing. I just got the gas in then the other gas started to hit the fan. I ran into the gas station and the lady didn't even ask, she shoved the washroom key into my hand.

I think I was in there for an hour, at least it felt like it. I got all cleaned up and jumped on the Forza for the highway to home. There are frequent mudslides between Bridal Falls and home. I could barely see the road. I hoped the road was there. One of my elderly neighbours a few years ago had her car trapped in the mud. She had to shove her overweight butt out of the hatchback rear door.

I got the scooter into the shed and then it hit me. I had nice warm wet pants for a few seconds. I stripped everything off and started washing stuff. I am sitting here mostly naked waiting to get into the shower. The 2014 Forza 300 is a great maxi-scooter in the rain.

[davenowherejones]

Sunny in Hope, I thought I would have lunch in Merritt. The construction delays made me sit for a long time.

The Coquihalla Summit had too much snow. The road was good but my fingers were cold.

I needed to get lower down so I turned around and went home.

Did some 7/11 food and shopping before I finally got home with the milk.

About a 100 km detour for milk. Gas is too expensive for this nonsense.