Grumpy Old Men Thread

[PGlaves]

Rode both bikes today. Why was BMW able to put self cancelling turn signals on my '87 K but not on my '98 Oihead? The Oilhead now has an after market cancelling module.

Grumpy Old Paul wondering WHY???

'87 K bike had electronic speedometer providing signal pulses; the '98 Oilhead had a cable driven speedo, thus lacking such pulses. And the instrument guys didn't know what the ABS guys were doing with electronic pulses.

[henzilla]

I just remember the conversions for a fw regular speeds. 50 km/h is about 30 mph. 90 is 55 etc etc...

A086EF3B-FB7D-4885-A93C-3E71BFFCEE4B.jpeg
Me keeping legal pace right after passing a state LEO cruising fifteen UNDER in the left lane
I waved

31794226-9839-4D98-951B-B61354DAA656.jpeg

Yes, the limit on SH130!



3A3B43F7-012E-4842-A326-1429FC3DBBA2.jpeg

Nowhere close to prior sign!

Had to remind H that meant 65 in Canada more than once

[Paul_F]

3A3B43F7-012E-4842-A326-1429FC3DBBA2.jpeg

Nowhere close to prior sign!

Had to remind H that meant 65 in Canada more than once

Once returning to Canada and leaving the border booth, the speed was posted as 50 on the long ramp leading to the expressway. Couldn't understand why I was flying past all the cars until I realized I had neglected to reset the GPS from miles to kilometres. So I ask, why doesn't Garmin programme their products to change units of measure when crossing borders? My Garmin automatically reminds me that a province or state requires a helmet or not.....but nothing about speed units!

(Just giving BMW grumpiness a break here.)

Grumpy Old Paul

[STEVENRANKIN]

LOL, the last time I rode in Ontario to Detroit, I carefully calculated the miles per hours I needed to do the appropriate Kilometers per hour. At ten over, the limit the local drivers were passing me like I was standing still. Oh that was exciting, LOL. St.

[Paul_F]

LOL, the last time I rode in Ontario to Detroit, I carefully calculated the miles per hours I needed to do the appropriate Kilometers per hour. At ten over, the limit the local drivers were passing me like I was standing still. Oh that was exciting, LOL. St.

Gotta go with the flow, Steve.

[RPGR90s]

• Those modern electronic systems are no good. They'll leave you stranded some day.
• Best to leave those points and condenser in my R90s. Plus I get to use my dwell meter, like dad taught me.
• Gee, the bike is not idling good today. Gotta trip planned to Hocking Hills, OH. Oh well, gotta take off.
• Damn, this thing just doesn't want to idle. I'll take the front cover off (after pulling the battery cable of course) and see what's going on.
• DAMN, the points are almost closed up. WTH? Oh well, adjusted them back to .016" and it runs like new again. Gee, these points sure are better than any new fangled electronic system.
• Only gotta 250 mile ride back to Michigan, and with my newly adjusted points, I'm sure glad I don't have a electronic system that's doomed to fail.
• Man, why is my bike idling so high? Well, I didn't have a timing light with me in Ohio, so I'll pull the front cover off again, Dammit, the rubber point seal thing came off again. Last time I used some 3M glue and really thought I could keep it in place. Sure is fun pulling this front cover off all the time. Hope I don't short out the diode board as I forgot to pull the ground cable this time.

Well, whatta you know. Motorrad Elektrik has a Alpha ignition system with an electronic advance. I guess I can try it. I mean, if it fails, I can always put my points back in. Everyone know those electronic systems are crap but maybe, who knows....it's worth a try.

Update on this grumpy old man rant. Alpha system has been flawless over the last three years. Perfect instant starting, perfect running and idle on this '74 R90s (145k).

I guess I need something new to whine about. "yeah, the last real GS they ever made was a '93 GSPD" Them new Oilhead's are junk......."

[STEVENRANKIN]

LOL, I just installed the Wedgetail system on my 78RS after running for years with a Dyna. For once the advertising hype is true. Only problem is, I won't be able to give any long time or comments on how reliable the system is as I only had 500 miles on it when I totaled the bike in a stupid accident. LOL, it may live on on someone else's bike as I bought the bike from the insurance company and sold it to my friend who owns an airhead shop.

One of the best things BMW did was get rid of points, it is funny because my cousin's Suzuki had done that five years before BMW. The last time I rode a trip with a bike equipped with points, I ended up on my hands and knees in a hotel parking lot "adjusting" the damn things because they had shifted and the bike was pinging. My cousin on his bike thought that was very funny. St.

[henzilla]

I’m on previous two posts… simple by design but a PITA when least needed! I had Hondas that stayed in adjustment until I messed with them… the /6 had me thinking I was incompetent! Having to fiddle more than I cared to anymore had me go with Alpha. And that dang gasket…grrr
Now if only you could install FI !
The same statements about electric ignition was constant when FI was introduced

[henzilla]

We’ve had a week plus of cloudy/drizzle conditions and more coming through the holiday. One of my peeves is folks running w/out headlights, especially in road colored paint jobs or large trucks. I used to flash them and sometimes saw taillights come on in rear view and some satisfaction of maybe saving someone. The last few years it seems more prevalent and I went from trying to be road monitor to mumbling to them , to trying to just ignore and realize folks have no clue how invisible they are. Yesterday’s attempt to enter highway from our neighborhood in foggy drizzle and holiday travelers was a challenge with 70mph cross traffic… and a lot of invisible broadside torpedoes as I muttered SERENITY to myself.

[mcmxcivrs]

Simple by design, you can fix it at the side of the road which is good cause you'll probably need to. Meanwhile us technophiles with our whizzy electronics will be enjoying rolling on the miles.

[jonnybow]

I work on an Air Force Base and with very young kids in their 20's mostly. The other day one of these children asked me when was it that I got old?
That's a good question and didn't quite know how to answer it. I told him I still feel young but I'm grumpy more often than not when I'm around them which makes me seem older than I really am.
I said they'll see if they are lucky enough to hang around as long as I have.

[PGlaves]

Simple by design, you can fix it at the side of the road which is good cause you'll probably need to. Meanwhile us technophiles with our whizzy electronics will be enjoying rolling on the miles.

But don't try to use your "comm" system or trust the dashes on your TPMS display.

[mcmxcivrs]

But don't try to use your "comm" system or trust the dashes on your TPMS display.

Those are annoyances for sure, but not show (ride) stoppers.

[nickrides]

Points
TPMS
ABS
RDS's
Heated grips
Tubeless tires
Electronic gizmo's
Gas
It's all BS
These are REAL RIDERS, dammit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG6CUhLamsw

Nick

[STEVENRANKIN]

Happy Thanksgiving, I am thankful I am healing, albeit slower than I would like. St.