Part 1 - Diesel's Spring Clean and Rewiring Project - ST1300 Pan European

Well, after numerous trips, and 1,000s of km touring on my ST1300, a disturbing pattern was appearing concerning the reliability of various systems and components on the bike.

Waaay out in whoop whoop, I’d have some sort of failure that would require a work around, or merely not being able to use say, the spotlights, for the remainder of the trip. Or the level of noise coming through the helmet speakers due to a rubbing or shorting wire, or no heated grips on the coldest morning of a ride - you get the picture.

These problems can almost always be put down to:
a) Wear and tear
b) Shoddy bodgy or lazy workmanship; or
c) Cheap components from cutting corners in time and $$$

Let me say straight out - I am GUILTY of all 3! So generally I am only blaming myself for my freezing knuckles!

You also hear often of a workshop being guilty of one or more of the above as well.

Anyway - enough is enough - so I started planning a comprehensive fix for the systems that needed fixing, to become reliable and efficient.

The planning stage lead me to ask many questions, read many articles and watch many tutorial ‘how to’ vids on the internet.

Once armed with a considerable amount of knowledge, I went out to make the necessary purchases of QUALITY tools and components, and work my detailed plan.

The work I was to carry out was as follows:

- fit HID spotties
- clean up wiring looms
- add fuse block that runs off switched power
- add switches
- rewire or replace heated grips
- renew and re-oil K&N air filter
- lube side stand
- add side stand mod for HID ops
- remove OEM AM/FM radio
- rewire and re-switch 55W Halogen spotties
- add 3 relays
- wash all panels etc inside and out
- remove old Autocom system and extraneous wiring and plugs

This complements my recent Sena bluetooth comms setup purchase that has no wires from bike to rider.

And it caused me to do this to my ST1300.....

But I kept an eye on the widgets and clips using this handy schematic...

First task I attacked was to remove the air box cover to get to the air filter for a good scrub and re-oil. I used protective gloves to save scrubbing under fingernails for a lot of these pics....

A cleanup with some Aerostart to remove grime, and not leave any undesirable residue.

Re-oil the re-usable filter after a suds bath - and it is ready for another few thousand clicks.

Also gave the side stand mechanism a lube...

And the wind screen tracks...

OK - time to start removing some of the spaghetti wiring crap and obsolete/redundant systems.

Like this AM/FM head...

The main box for this sits down in the LHS glove box rendering it virtually useless for carrying anything thicker than a deck of cards.

Things one can’t see from these pics are other abominations put together by “the shop” when items were added by the previous owner.

End of Part 1.

A pic of my cockpit...

This pic shows many of the extras I have installed for touring....

I have re-arranged a few things since this pic was taken - more about that in a future post.

Video of the region around my home....

This was taken returning from a ride one afternoon. The Sun was just right for some great late-in-the-day colours......

Turn the sound on for a great tune to accompany the footage....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0LOQMPSIQQ

Time for some Micro Camping Gear...

Now that I regularly take the ST out to stretch her legs over 1,000s of kms, it was time to review exactly WHAT GEAR I need to have on board.

Traditionally, I am a 'just in case' person, and usually take about 3 tonnes of equipment more than I need/use.

The times I have needed one of those way out items has been fantastic, but hardly outweighs the numbers of times I merely transport dead weight!

Someone told me to "take an item with you 3 times. If you didn't pull it out and need it - then don't take it a fourth!" - Probably sound advice - to a point!

Without sounding doomsdayish, Australia is such a vast, barren, harsh and unpopulated continent, that in rare and extreme cases - you can actually DIE as a result of being stranded from running out of petrol, or mechanical failure!  OK - fair enough - that is rare (and a long bow to draw to legitimise my pathetic ideology - sorry bout that), but the point remains that, when touring in this country (as stated in an earlier post about fuel stations and road houses being hundreds of kms from each other), you do well to be of the mind and capability to recover yourself when unplanned incidences occur. Such as a flat tyre.

With this ideology in mind, you like to take as much as you can, but take up as little space and weight as you can. You get good at packing, and you like small, reliable equipment.

Below are some of the items I have sourced over time that do a great job, and afford me a few creature comforts when touring. Remember - in Australia - you just pull up at a truck / lorry parking bay and have a kip - so you may want coffee, tent, bed roll, pillow etc ....

Have a look at these gems....


My ST micro camping gear....

This is amazing stuff that fits easily into panniers, top boxes or strapped on somewhere - ideal for stealth camping too....   

These are great bits of kit and are essential for my inspirations for wanting to see a lot of this planet on two wheels.

My billy (kettle)... I used my rum glass strictly for perspective purposes only! (and NO it's NOT a quart! It's standard).

my sleeping bag...



my inflatable pillow...

my kitchen - unpacked...

packed....



my cooker......

my chair....




and finally... all packed in the top box... the fuel can is empty - I was transporting it as a gift. My spare fuel is in the pannier.



all this and I'm 6'3" and 93kg!  

If I don't kip diagonal in my tent, my feet would stick out the end!!  

Changing the oil on the Pan / ST1300 made easier...

Check this pair out...

The oil filter - with built on nut for easy removal with a socket & ratchet....

And the 'claw' which works like this.... the tighter you turn it, the harder the claws grab on to the oil filter cartridge casing...



These two have turned a SOB job into a 'nice one to do over a rum' job.

I've heard all sorts of stories of puncturing the filter casing with screwdrivers to get leverage etc...

Happy servicing.   

Diesel

How I got the nickname "Diesel"

How I became "Diesel".....

Here is the tragic story...

Okay - so we know I chucked a gutfull of Diesel in my bike one day....

Here is the tragic story (with pics)....

I had organised a latte run for a few fellow ST1300 and ST1100 owners. And they came in great numbers.... from the Gold Coast, Brizvegas, and even Bundaberg. I had 13 ST bikes to cater for in the end.

Anyway - the meeting point was Samford Village, but the Bundy crew wanted to stay at Caboolture the previous night to ride down there with me. "No wukkas" I thought as they were unfamiliar with directions to the start point.

This is where the beginnings of the rot set in....

As I rocked up to my regular filling station (BP Morayfield), I saw Jinxy and waved whilst pulling in. My 'usual' bowser was taken, so I picked another BP Ultimate bowser, and continued my salutations to my guest.

Have a look at the labels on the pump.....

You can see that if distracted... the worst can happen.

Anyways, I filled as we yibbered about his journey down etc etc, and set off for the meeting point.

Around 15 k's into it, I started to notice a delay from throttle on to feeling the power. This progressively got worse the further I went. Puffs of smoke also started to emanate from the exhausts, and I had that 'oh sh*t' feeling as there was a few hundred clicks to travel that day, and my bike was never anything less than totally reliable!

Anyway - made it to the start point, greeted all the riders, had the first morning brew, laid out the rough plan and then mounted up to leave.

My bike only just started, coughed, weased, smoked more and more, then died.  I thought I'd dropped a valve or something.

I had to wave everyone off on the ride that I had organised and was ride master of.    

I was then left to call the towey and go home in the truck with my tail between my legs.

I learned a terrible lesson that day to pay attention.

We dropped her off to the Honda shop (still thinking the motor may be rooted). After a while we all worked out the problem. I called the servo to see what flavour was on pump 13, and she confirmed.

Amongst all the devastation and disappointment of missing out on the ride, was a little feeling of elation that it was only me being a dickhead and NOT an engine failure.

Funny thing was, later, as I was helping out the trouble n strife in the garden (in fact I was pooper scooping at the time), I thought to myself... "look at me... shovelling sh*t instead of belting through some of Australia's nicest twisting roads to pubs with a great mob!"  DOH!        

Anyways - it cost me $300 all up - $150 to the STealership for draining etc, and $150 towing.

All is good now and I certainly learnt my lesson. But you all know what the lads are like... as of that moment I became "Diesel Dave"  shortened to Diesel.

Also, with all these Euro cars and 4WD's using diesel fuel, the pumps are as 'normal' as possible. They used to be segregated - but now are integrated into the bowser layout too because of their popularity.

These two pics were taken at a Bundy servo - must be a common occurrence.....

Anyway - this is why I will NEVER do that again. I'm all cured!      

Hope it saves someone some $$$ and plenty of stress too.

The three main contributors to this were:

1. Distraction. Had a fellow rider grabbing my attention which left me not concentrating on the bowser enough;

2. Similar Labels & diesel bowser integration. Being distracted stopped me properly identifying the 'diesel' bit after the 'BP Ultimate' bit (and the colours are similar too - dark, dark blue for premium, black for diesel) ALSO - diesel pumps don't sit over there in the corner by themselves any more - they are just another pump in the row; and

3. Unlike a car, the diesel nozzle still fits in the motorbike filler hole. A car's filler is necked down and I would not have been able to put the nozzle in to the filler. On a bike - this is possible.

Vigilance is the easy answer to ward this off.

Oh, and later that evening, some smartarse came up with this clever little pic...

Might have to review his Club Membership!

Cheers, Diesel           

Bacon & Eggs at Lightning Ridge

It started like any other year... you see, my good mate Mongrel (Poul, Growly, Growlypops), and I have bacon and eggs with each other once a year - somewhere between BrizVegas and Canberra as I live at Caboolture (near Bribie Island) Qld, and he lives - you guessed it.

Last year it was Yamba NSW (and it was great - but that's another story).

This year it was Lightning Ridge.

The routes, talking, activities and itinerary planning started months ago and as the departure day arrived, the usual excitement levels heightened commensurate with the expectation of adventure.

Whilst the destination was the same, the journeys were two very separate accounts of their own adventure - this is mine...

STella was packed early and ready to go.

I left around 8.30am under magnificent skies on Thursday

My ultimate destination for the day - Roma Qld.

Breezed through Maleny - after some road works - then on to Conondale, Kenilworth and up the Mary Valley Way to Kandanga, Amamoor and Gympie

Then on through the South Burnett including Kilkivan...

Murgon, Goomeri and Wondai...

- where I had a thoroughly enjoyable Mexican pie at this little take away. I recommend a stop here for either this, or seafood to anyone! Tell Judy (the owner there) that the tall guy on the maroon bike sent ya! She is great for a chat, makes great coffee, and is a sensational baker/cook. I guarantee it!

Then on to first fuel stop at Chinchilla - still under blue skies...

A lot of B-Doubles and mini road trains later - not to mention a LOT of straight road, I hit Roma. My first night's stop.

Now, all the time I hear of people just breezing in to town and picking up a room for the night wherever they wanted - but I have always been too cautious and meticulous for this reckless, spontaneous behaviour! This is EXACTLY why I decided to give it a go this time - yeah right! I dunno how, but I picked the only small outback country Qld town that throws on “Easter In The Country” that goes from a week before Easter (this weekend) to the week after. Trust me - there was not a SINGLE BED AVAILABLE in this whole town! I was on the phone for half and hour to the duty roster person trying to tell me “Muckadilla should have one luv!” (Even though it was 40 clicks the wrong way!) Surat was looking like the only alternative - 80 clicks to the south! I made the reservation of a tent spot in Surat and was riding out of Roma when I thought I'd have one last throw at it at the 'Big Rig Van Park'. I rocked in the front gates to the office, and the balcony of the house above it was full of people at a dinner party. One the the people got up and asked what I was after. I explained my predicament and she directed me to the bit of grass where all the 'bottle trees' were. I asked what she wanted for it and she said “nicks mate - enjoy” - What a great place!

Here is what it looked like...

My camp....

The town was full of these bottle trees - beautiful!...

Next morning - left Roma for St George. Roads were straight and long...

Had a speedo malfunction afterwards where it seemed to indicate twice my actual velocity....

... it soon fixed itself.

I must have scared 27,000 birds off the road... however, this one zigged, when he should have zagged!...

Hit Lightning Ridge and met my long time friend and breakfast partner Growly...

... that's a 250cc Piaggio Scooter for the record, and he takes it everywhere!





In a moment of madness, and after tasting Growl's chilli schnapps, I was forced by him to wear a T-shirt, boardies and helmet, and proceed to the hot natural springs for a soak...

We froze our proverbials off getting there as the weather was inclement and spitting. The springs were fantastic and warm. We soaked for 40 mins, then hopped back on the bikes, dripping wet and froze our other proverbials off getting back to the cabin. For medical reasons we had to partake in another chilli schanapps to ward off frost bite!...

Here's the reason we're here...

Then it was off to the minefields...

Found a house made from beer cans and bottles...

After the 'Ridge', it was off to the next destination. Stopped at the “Hebel” (just on the Qld side of the border) for a beer. What a great, friendly little place...

Then - through St George to our next stop for the night...

That's my room on the corner - not bad for $20. It was originally built in 1864 (during the American Civil War, and it was only 102 when I was born!)... 

They said they didn't mind if we slept on the deck floorboards - after all - camping is free at the Nindigully!

And here is the reason we are here..... the ROAD TRAIN BURGER!!!...

This bad boy has a meat pattie that weighs 1.2kg! The bun alone weighs 1kg!

And those sadists put 1kg of chips at one end of the plate, and .5kg of fried, crumbed onion at the other!...



Oh. And did I mention the chicken burger.... we were lucky enough to be at the inaugural launch of it. There are FOUR chickens in this baby!..

We had an absolute ball all night meeting people from all over (as there are no 'locals') an totally enjoyed the atmosphere. Even Burnsie (the owner) chewed our ears off for 3 hours! It was great.

Met some other travellers on a Harley and an ST1100 with side car set up...

Thought about going to the dark side for a minute...

But quickly came to my senses...

Off the next morning through Goondiwindi and Texas to Tenterfield, and on to our last night's stop at the Riders Rest near Tabulam on the Bruxner Way - WOW! What a ride, what a place!...

I fully recommend this overnighter - particularly if travelling in a group. Pop (above) even had the fire pit cranking for us when we arrived! Awesome!

Next morning, it was through to Casino, with views like this.....

Then off home through Kyogle and Rathdowney....

Rode in to a massive downpour to welcome me home - but got there safely with no dramas.

I guess it's now on to bigger and better things.

See you round somewhere.

Cheers, Diesel