Rob's "new" R65...(or what I've been up to lately)

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

(In abusing my moderator abilities, I messed up this and my thread on the seat pad.  As a result, that seat pad review posting is now at the top of this thread.    )

Hi folks,

I have been busy keeping late hours bending metal for fairing supports.  But that is not what this is about.

This is.  _{(click the picture for larger image)}



So far I have only used it on my 15 minute commute to work, so I can't really say what it is going to do for the interstate highway.

It is MUCH more comfortable than the seat with my 2 year-old rebuild with miracle-foam, by itself.  

This particular pad cost $99.50 to-my-door.  I believe it is the "large" size.  I gave up trying to measure what I wanted covered and matching that to one of their pads.  I went to the bike-matching thing on their site, and the closest I could get to my bike was a K75.  Good enough for me, I thought.  If it gets me to Ken's in Oklahoma and back in less discomfort, I will be happy.  I plan to switch it out with the wooden beads and the sheepskin, as well.  

I find that it comes off the seat easily.  It finally fell off when I dismounted at work the other day.  That startled me.


There are two smaller loops for additional security, as well.  I may be able to tighten up the straps a bit more, as well.

I bought the plain, black version.  The bottom of the cushion is a neat rubber thing.  It almost looks like a miniature version of the wooden beads.  It looks like it is made to let air through.

Here is the company's website http://www.buttbuffer.com/


This is just a "quick fix" until I can find a replacement seat proper.

It will either be a new 2nd generation R65 seat from Stefanie Meyer, or...maybe one of these....





































more to come!

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Before:



Now:



After I put on the leg shields, I mentioned the Tracy fairing that was sitting my shelf, on Boxerworks forum, and the Veg kind of prompted me to get off my butt and put it on the bike, as well.

So I have been cutting and drilling and painting and bending and repairing and more bending and drilling...

I had to extend the turn signal stalks, for which I used LS stalks and clamps.  I had to cut the original stalks back a little bit as they were too long.  
Couldn't have done it without a Dremel!
If the fairing were to ever become a permanent fixture (unlikely) I would probably relocate the turn signals to allow more flexibility of positioning.

I had to make four brackets.  Two are on either side of the headlight, so they match up with the bucket screws pretty easily.  

The upper mounts were a whole nuther thing entirely.  I was using 1/2" wide flat steel stock.  
This picture shows the right upper mount.  It has really given me a hard time.  It has changed quite a bit since this picture was taken, but the same basic curves are there.  The large hole is for the upper triple-tree clamp screw, and the small hole is for the fairing mount.

I stripped the threads the in the triple clamp when I removed the right side screw.  I ended up drilling out to the next size larger fastener, which turned out to be 7/16".  So I now have a SAE fastener on my bike.  Maybe someday I can find a cheap used top clamp and replace it.

So I rode it to work on Monday of last week with it mounted, still the original silver color.  It looked and felt good, so that night after work I pulled it off to prepare it for paint, which I did over this last weekend.
I must say, I REALLY like the tinted windshield with the black better than I did the silver.  

I have yet to get it out in the daylight for decent cockpit pictures.  The GPSr is a bit more cramped now, but doable.

It rides real nice.  So far only to work and back, with a nice 20 minute ride thrown in at lunch!  Most of the time I don't notice any additional or different wind noise than I did with it naked.  For that I am relieved.  It must be fairly "clean".  
My chin comes fairly close to the top of the windscreen.  I have to be conscious of it when mounting and dismounting.  Same with the leg shields.  But it will be worth it come cool weather!
If I want my neck out of the air stream, all I have to do is slouch slightly.  For my upcoming trip to Oklahoma on the 18th of Oct., I have a new neck triangle for my throat from Aerostich, and of course the handlebar covers complete the coverage.


Hopefully my seat will not become too much of an issue in my testing this as a touring mount.  I know I have struggled this year fighting the wind in my attempts to travel.  These three pieces come on and off so easily, I know I will remove them once warm weather comes, but if I take any trips next summer, they will go back on in a jiffy!

[Semper Gumby]

Cool Rob.  Looks kinda old scool RS'ish!  I like it!  With all that wind protection you probably drive faster.

Seat - Russel or Mayer - take you pick.  Does Corbin make R65 seats?

TTFN,

[SCJJR65]

Nicely done, Rob!    [smiley=thumbsup.gif]  And it does look like an RS, if I do say so myself!

[Bob_Roller]

Looks good Rob, you should be able to ride until the first snowfall !! I noticed in one of the pictures, that the leaves are starting to turn colors. I kind of miss that back in the Midwest, cacti and palm trees don't turn yellow , red and orange !

[Joan]

Wow! With the black paint it is complete. I never thought I'd like it better than the nice silver, but it really does look great with the shiny black fender and tinted windscreen.

What paint did you end up using?

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Wow! With the black paint it is complete. I never thought I'd like it better than the nice silver, but it really does look great with the shiny black fender and tinted windscreen.

What paint did you end up using?

I am pleased with the result, but I keep thinking "fire engine yellow..."

I will have to check the can for a brand name (I'm at work).  I got it at Lowes.  I was browsing through their selection with the guy, and he pulled one out that said "made for plastic"!  Along with no sanding, quick drying, etc.

It looks MUCH better in the pictures, trust me!  I did end up spraying it 4 or 5 times to try and get a consistent sheen.  And then there are the thumb prints in the still soft paint from when I worked on the mounts some more the day after the last coat...
But that is O.K., I have a positive I.D. if it ever gets stolen, and it blends in with the rest of the bike real well!

[Justin B.]

Barbara bought a "Butt Buffer" before the trip to Ken's in the spring.  She said it made a noticeable difference but not as much as she was hoping...  We got the "large" sheepskin with gel pad so it would cover the entire front half of the seat and wrap around and down the sides.  I think the wishes she would have gotten the medium one as the large makes the seat effectively wider.  Seems that the large was in the $125-$130 range.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

It does wrap over the sides a bit, and I am glad for it, because that is where I have been noticing a lot of breakdown of the comfort of my seat.

I am carrying all three, the butt buffer, the wood beads, and my sheepskin on this trip.  I expect to swap them out, and perhaps even different combinations...

I was mistaken in my original post.  I got the "medium" size.

[suecanada]

Oh boy Rob what a coincidence...I bought a medium Butt Buffer at the Finger lakes Rally last month and have 4,600 miles on it now  I took it on the tour to Cape Breton and back home.....it helps more than the rubbery pad I had from a car seat cushion. The polymer doesn't squish...the experiment by the vendor had him place scissors under the butt buffer and he asked me to push down hard on the pad to see if i could feel the hard scissors. I couldn't so I figured that might be the solution to my soreness. Along with the sheepskin I travel a bit more comfortably but there is NOTHIN' going to save my butt after 5 hours....it starts to ache but ya know after a long while it goes sorta numb....or maybe I just stop thinking about how much this hurts.  I think the constant use of baby powder in the special undies has helped a lot too and I did really splurge and buy some LD Comfort underwear for women...this helps with the powder but sometimes all this lycra makes me feel like I'm in a girdle!
I think I need to find some underwear that is a bit looser up front but will not wrinkle either.

After 16,750 miles the only part of me that hasn't gotten used to riding IS my bottom! I have no idea how one drives 1,000 miles in one go....I did 14.5 hours in one go and had to sleep for 2 days!! Not quite but I have to be in a certain mood for the pain to go away.

I would like to attend the Gathering of the Clans rally next year in NC. Are you going to try again for that one??

[Justin B.]

Sue, I remember being able to put in 1000 mile days when I was in my twenties, but now a 300 mile day is pushing things.  Sux getting old, I don't care what anybody sez...

[Tim_McGee]

Justin,

Your only as old as you feel.   Did my "Iron Butt" "Saddle Sore 1,000" when I was 59. Rode 450 miles last Saturday, and now I'm 62. I won't allow myself to get old.    My mother used to say "Getting Old Ain't for Sissys". Now I'm afraid to get old.  

[Justin B.]

Glad to hear it!  I'm also kinda scared to get old...

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Looks good Rob, you should be able to ride until the first snowfall !! I noticed in one of the pictures, that the leaves are starting to turn colors. I kind of miss that back in the Midwest, cacti and palm trees don't turn yellow , red and orange !

LOL!  

I meant to reply to this earlier, Bob.  That picture has the color distorted because I used Photoshop to lighten it up for detail with the black paint.

I'm still crawling with Photoshop.  I haven't put as much time in learning as I should.  Maybe when we get our new PC up and running here at work there will be more room on it for me to play.  At the advice of someone on this forum, I bought a external drive last spring to back up my system at home.  Now I can take my computer with me anywhere, if I want to!  Thank you, again, whomever that was.

Here is what the tree actually looks like (but not for long...)


(don't cha love those jugs?)

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Oh boy Rob what a coincidence...


I would like to attend the Gathering of the Clans rally next year in NC. Are you going to try again for that one??

Hi Sue!  Yeah, a coincidence, but not surprising!

I have heard (just today on Boxerworks) that ibuprofen can improve things (he called it Vitamin I...).
It worked wonders on my shoulder.  I may give that a try in [size=20]15 days![/size]  I get to try this rig out going to Ken's in Oklahoma!  Got me lots of Geocaches planned along the way to get me off the bike!  I'm giving myself 2 days each way, for a 700+ mile trip, so it shouldn't be too bad.  But day one is 450 mi.  I'll be spending the night on the road at Ron & Theresa's, who will be heading down the next morning, also!

My return trip is state highways through northern Arkansas and southern Missouri, to a $25(!) motel in the middle of nowhere.

I really love Google Maps.  You can check out my fun here:

This is Day One - Return

This is Day Two - Return  There is an airhead friendly dealer in Cape Girardeau, MO.  I may stop in!