Time to start riding again

A few years ago, I went snow skiing and fell on my back. No major injuries, but a subdermal bruise that took nearly a year to go away. I hadn't ridden the bike in that time, and well, I never could alot the money to do the necessary repairs.

With gas now $4 per gallon, and the bike getting twice the mileage of the car, I can now make a case for recouping repair costs quite quickly. Its the worst time of the year to ride frankly, with the weather in the upper 80's and higher, and the humidity as well, but financially its a good investment. And I'll get to have some fun again.

So I'm going on a trip tomorrow, and while I am away the mechanic shop will pick it up and take it to their shop and do what needs to be done.

I've also given them permission to order the Shorai battery if I need a new one,
and instructions on fixing the wiring problem.

I'm guessing less than a grand all told, or about 250 gallons of gas.

Considering I go thru 25 gallons a week in the car, it will be worth it.

Dan

x

Didn't realize they had a temperature limitation,
But you're right it shouldn't affect me in Miami.
We get 3 weeks of winter here...but only 1-2 days at a time.
And winter for us is anything below 60 degrees.

Dan

bigbird wrote:

For me the Shorai is crap in the cold.

I remember reading about people putting their Shorai in the freezer to test the low temperatures and had no problem.

http://www.shoraipower.com/t-faq.aspx

Q. I hear that lithium crank poorly when it gets cold, is that right?
A.Lithium do increase in resistance more as temperature drops, compared to lead-acid. However, they also react to cranking under cold conditions in a much better way. Lead-acid will increase resistance on each subsequent cranking attempt, until it won’t turn over. If your LFX fails to start the engine on first crank, that first crank has warmed the battery, and the second attempt will be much stronger, and so on until you get a good start.

Shorai LFX are much better in cold-weather conditions than other-brand lithium starter batteries, due to our eXtreme-rate formulation with low resistance. Down to about 20 degrees fahrenheit (-7C) most users find that they can start normally on first crank. If your headlight comes on at key-ON, it is good for the batteries to flow some current before cranking in cold weather. The suggested headlight-on time before cranking depends on the temperature. If starting at 40f (5C), 30 seconds will help wake the battery and increase cranking performance. If at 0f (-17C), leave the lights on for 4~5 minutes before cranking. The result will be a better first crank, and longer battery life. Any other accessories that can be turned on before cranking can also be used for this purpose, such as heated gear, radio, etc...

dspevack wrote:

A few years ago, I went snow skiing and fell on my back. No major injuries, but a subdermal bruise that took nearly a year to go away. I hadn't ridden the bike in that time, and well, I never could alot the money to do the necessary repairs.

I am glad you are reviving Scootzilla.

If you can get some scenic pictures (beach, ocean etc) with Scootzilla ... it may be the next forum picture ;-)

If your back or bruise area are still sensitive, then an Air Hawk may be beneficial.

"Hey buddy, what are you doing sitting there. Let's ride." "First I have to wake up my battery." Everything you thought you knew; you didn't. Kind of like pumping the accelerator on modern cars. But that's the way granpa taught me.

Back is fine now, and I still think my "Tron Job" pic would make a great forum picture! (Hint, Hint)

x

Glad to hear you are going to be back on the bike. I did not know you were not riding.

I just use a gel battery that I got from Budget Battery for $70 and it works great....... cold or hot, rain or shine, with or without my heated gear hooked up.

Have fun on vacation Dan! Glad you healed up well.

Isn't winter in florida when everyone wears black shorts instead of khaki?

Well bad news and worse news.
Had the mechanic pick up my bike while I was away and check it to see what it would cost to put it no the road again.
Just to replace the fuel pump, clean up the gas tank, replace the front forks and replace the battery, to get the bike running....about $2200.00

Worse news. That's just to get it running. That doesn't mean it won't need new tires or other items to put it back in service.

I'm sure I could find used forks on ebay for cheaper than the $450+ retail, but all in all its still gonna cost over $2000.00 to restore it to its former glory. Probably between $2500-3000 all told.

Don't no whether to fix it, part it out, or try getting a newer used bike and moving all the important farkles to the new bike.

Its a real dilemma. The bike is a 2003.

The reason I chose the Silverwing is because I wanted an automatic.
Since 2003 a number of automatic bikes have come out from the DN-01
to the Honda dual clutch bikes. Maybe time to look for something other
than a wing.

Dan

x

Hey Dan, sorry to hear about your swing.
Hope it works out for you whether you repair it or go to another bike.
My repairs are costing me that amount as well but mine is all cosmetic and its an 09 and very new to me so I don't want or have the heart to part with it. I'm still waiting on the insurance on whether they are going to let the repairs go through or what options I have.
Look around and see what's out there in your price range, do some test rides and then make a decision on what works best for you. Due to the age of your swing, you might be able to get a really good deal on a newer used one or a different style. Good luck with your decision and hope you will be riding soon!