After work today, I rode down to Southwest Harbor where my post office box is located. I hadn't checked on my mail since last Wednesday. I sorted through the bills, and flyers, (I recycled the flyers), and mailed a package to a good friend of mine.
I left the post office, stuffed my mail into my topbox, slipped my helmet on over my head, and slid my leg over the seat and down to the right footpeg. Before I started the engine, I looked in my mirrors. A few parking spaces away, behind me, was a blue DL-650 V-Strom. I had not seen this machine on the Mount Desert Island before!
I removed my helmet, and dismounted my bike. As I did so, a "motorcyclist", clad in riding gear, strolled out of the post office and made their way over to the blue Strom. I did too.
When we both arrived at the blue bike a the same time. I asked the fellow how he liked his V-Strom. He responded with the typical positive remarks about the bike; and no negatives. We chatted for a little bit, and then I invited the rider to take a look at my version of a V-Strom.
After we exchanged names, Corey told me that when he first pulled into the post office parking lot, he thought my bike was a BMW, or possibly a KTM. One thing that Corey picked up on about my bike that he liked was my kickstand foot. Last year, I had welded a countersprocket to the base of my kickstand. It is practical, recycles, and works great!
Corey and his wife recently moved to Mount Desert Island from the Northwest part of the U.S.. He doesn't know the state of Maine that well, nor has he spent much time here on this forum. As a "Welcome To Maine" gesture, I asked Corey if he would like a countersprocket welded to his kickstand. He told me he did.
Corey and I rode back to my house where I went to work on his bike.
Here is Corey checking out some more details of the "beast".
Stepping back to take all of that "beauty"(?) in......
I grabbed an old countersprocket off of my workbench, (I changed both sprockets and chain this past Sunday on my bike), and gave it a quick grinding to clean it up.
I also ground the paint off of the edges of his kickstand base.
I welded the sprocket to the kickstand.
While we waited for the modified kickstand to cool down before painting, I invited Corey to take a look at a DeLorme Gazetteer and a couple of maps I have of Québec. "Corey, this is what your new backyard looks like. And, it is fun as heck to play in too!" He was excited to learn a little more about what was around him, (He has only been here for two weeks.).
When the stand was cool enough, I gave it a quick squirt of black paint.
Another happy customer!
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I mentioned above that I had changed my sprockets and chain this past Sunday. I noticed that the right, swingarm axle adjusting bolt had loosened up, and that the chain was a little more slack then what I wanted. I also wanted to check the countersprocket nut and retorque it. I have ridden about 550 miles since the swap and I wanted to check things out.
As I was reinstalling the "clutch thingy" after tightening the countersprocket nut, the lower bolt sheared its head off.
I know that the hole for the bolt is threaded all the way through the "ear" of the generator cover. I decided to bet on a drill bit fetching up on a burr and have it spin the bolt out.
I chucked up a small drill bit, and began twisting away at the center of the broken bolt.
Sure enough, the bit caught on the bolt and spun it clear out of the threaded hole!
I rummaged through my "bag of tricks" and found another 10mm bolt and buttoned everything back up.
All is good with the world again!
B.L.