IN FACT HE’S A GAS
I decided that the front brake on my Kawasaki KLR650 is pretty much crap.
I went on line and checked out the KLR forums, and found that people agreed with me.
Some said braided steel brake lines made it better. Some said a bigger disc made it better.
I bought some braided steel brake lines and a bigger disc, and a bracket to re-position the caliper over the bigger disc, and on Saturday morning I fitted them. I put speedbleeders in the calipers and replaced the rear brake line as well, and bled the hydraulic circuits until the lever and pedal were firm.
I took it for a test ride around the block. The front brake was worse.
I thought maybe that this was just because the pads hadn’t bedded in properly on the new disc. What it needed, I decided, was a medium length ride with lots of gentle braking.
I headed for Galston Gorge, and rode through the tight turns and hairpins to the bottom of the gorge. Then I kept going to Wisemans Ferry, because there is a steep descent to there as well, and also a pub.
I parked outside the Wisemans Ferry Hotel and went inside. I sat at the bar and bought a beer.
I was two thirds of the way through the beer when some drunk sat down near me, and wanted to chat. He told me he used to ride motocross on a Suzuki 400 in the old days, and he was doing pretty well until one race he had a big crash and injured his back.
I asked him what happened after that. He said he gave up riding motorcycles.
I asked him why. He said his doctor told him to.
I told him he gave up too easily. I said I knew a bloke who had a motorcycle accident and lost his left arm and his left leg.
“Jesus”, said the barfly. “What happened to him?”
I drained my beer, and stood, and reached for my helmet.
“He’s all right now”, I said.
About the Author
Al Al does a bit of everything, and likes hanging around with Boris, because there are generally motorcycles and whiskey, and because hilarity generally ensues. He wastes his spare time not moderating the BIKE ME! forums, where he posts occasionally and is regarded as unfair, unbalanced and unmedicated. Shows how much THEY know.
