I am sure Craig and Dan had a wonderful time tearing up the Stulz Tanner Trail on the dirt bikes today, me I woke up late and slept in for a change skipped my punishment this week. I am finally fully recovered from a week of soreness from the last time I went dirtbike riding with those guys. I am thinking I really dont enjoy the dirtbike experience as much as they do. Perhaps it is because I ride a 650 instead of a 400 like they do or that I just suck at it? In any case I have to ride to the trails since my truck is now my former truck, the water pump literally fell off. Well it lasted like a trooper. Which is why I bought a street legal XR650 as opposed to a trail only bike.

A 400 just cant be ridden at highway speeds on the highway and well drivers around here are predatory ya know. But then I suffer on the trails cause they just wind away so easily in the tight technical sections, and of course I suck. I am also trying to overcome a serious mental block when it comes to riding the dirtbike, as some of you may remember I broke my pelvis riding Dans dirtbike (Jan 2005) and I just dont have the cojones I used to when it comes to riding off road. I could use the exorcise though and do find it to be physically challenging in a good way, always gets my heart rate up, and I seem to be gaining fitness as I continue to pursue off road riding.

I have to fix the xr yet again cause I ripped off the rear turn signal in a failed attempt to ride up a difficult hill last week, and had to bail off when the bike pitched over, breaking the signal off - it actually melted on the exhaust can. I am thinking of ditching the outrigger signals in favor of smaller ones that mount on the plastic and dont stick out so much, this is the second time I have lost that right rear signal.

Instead of riding I worked on the forum again, and was quite entertained at BR and his picture posting woes. Das Bone who cant find his shoe laces lately stole a laugh too. These two guys can ride the snot out of a bike but when it comes to being computer savvy naw!

Concerning the VFR I have some new issues - replaced my brake pads yesterday with new EBC HH pads all around and now am thinking perhaps I should have gone with a G pad in the back or an H? Its a bit grabby, and for some reason I get a stutter when I press on the rear brake petal at low speed, like I am riding over ripples in the road? I took the shims off perhaps the pads are shaking or jostling in the caliper? Or perhaps I need to bleed the rear brakes again, the Proportion Control Valve might be causing this. I know its not a warped rotor cause I just replaced that off season, and it doesn't happen at higher speeds and it is not happening every time at low speeds either? I am at a loss to explain it, its very frustrating to have spent all of a hundred bucks to replace all the pads and to have this stuttering as a result. I read somewhere to take off the shims on the pads when installing the rear brake pads, perhaps thats incorrect?

In any case I also ordered new wheel bearing for the front, new oil seals, axle and axle bolt for the front wheel. Baileyrock noticed they were worn when I was staying at his place in preparation for the TexasMac ride last spring, and now I am finally getting around to taking care of that too. Fun Fun Fun btw I am loving the Pilot Powers never gone faster than with these babies or have I had so much confidence in the bike even with stuttering brakes and worn front wheel bearings, when I get this all sorted it will be a dream ride!

Now I just need to get motivated to do my valves - I can hear some ticking in there after 77k miles I am sure I need to replace a shim finally (incredible 4 valve checks and still have the original shims)> and last time I was painting my headers I broke a header stud need to remove it and replace it, and drill out another one and replace it too. The header bolts just corrode on them and they break off too easy, I hope I dont have to remove the engine to do that job? That would be a PITA just to replace two header studs?