Fine Tech Session

[was]

I'm sure that others will post as well, but I wanted to be the first to thank Jim (and his wife Amy!) for hosting a fine tech session today at their house. Despite pouring rain, 6 of us made it to the shelter of Jim's garage in Colchester. Distance kudos to Smitty, who rode up from Long Island, and Chuck, who started out yesterday in Binghampton, NY, and rode over from Carmel today. We did a tranny/rear drive fluid change on Jim's '05 (three of us brought the notorious 14 mm tranny drain plug hex socket!) and a HID (hi and low beam) and PIAA install on Kevin's '03. (We all had to put on sunglasses when Kevin lit up his new lights - unbelievable difference over stock.) Jim and Amy fed us royally. I'm not going to mention the number of screws that were left over after the bikes were buttoned up or the amount of tranny oil on the garage floor. I had a terrific time meeting new folks, connecting again with some folks I had met before, talking about BMW LT stuff and about riding, and helping out a bit with the work. I hope we do this again before too long, and would be glad to have a tech session at my place in Hamden, CT.

[messenger13]

...and a HID (hi and low beam) and PIAA install on Kevin's '03. (We all had to put on sunglasses when Kevin lit up his new lights - unbelievable difference over stock.) Glad to hear about Kevin's install. I gave him some advice over the phone. I hope I didn't screw y'all up to badly. :)

Sounds like you guys had a great time, and got a LOT accomplished! Congrats ALL!

[KMC1]

I just have to figure out now how to make the lights in my avatar go roundy-round.... :D
Joe, it was a pleasure to talk with you the other night, I have PLENTY of electrical stuff hanging around the house now thanks to this install, I just may need to get some more stuff to hang off the bike now, just to try to use some of it up! Thank you for all of your advice, I would say it really paid off as I had just about everything we needed for all of the work we ended up doing, and what I didn't have Bill wins the Boy-Scout award for! He made sure to have everything we would need with TWO tool boxes tied to the back seat! :D
Bill, I posted in the original thread, but just wanted to say thank you here as well to be sure you see it, for all of your help today. I could not have done it all without you guys.
BTW, You should see these puppies when it's dark out!!! :cool: :yeah:

[ksailor]

Jim/Amy: Many thanks for braving the unknown and opening up your castle to a bunch of rag-tag bike bandits. Your hospitality made the cold/wet ride a joy to behold for sure. Great eats topped of with hot Java warmed the cockles of my heart.

Great job Guys!! Many thanks to Gerard, Bill, Smitty, Jim & Dad (Bill), Barnett and Kevin for some real good times. Learned a lot about how to count... guess I'll go nose pickin and head scratchin to see if I have any left over screws on the bike?! Still missin 3 screws here, Kev... got any extra? :D

Belly laughs; tranny oil on the floor; kitty litter; wrenches on wrenches for knuckle busters; "Kevin, don't listen to that noise!!" where's the flashlight??; dang - dropped that nut; "got one in the tool box!" "need a spade connector?" "Shilo, get back over here; nothing breakable on the floor"; "want some more coffee?" lights; camara; action;. :)

Left Jims about 5:15; stopped for gas in CT; rode to Brewster & stopped for coffee and a dry off (poured all the way to Danbury). Rained on-off through Newburg; Liberty; till about Roscoe; got home at 10:30. All safe and sound.

[was]

Left Jims about 5:15; stopped for gas in CT; rode to Brewster & stopped for coffee and a dry off (poured all the way to Danbury). Rained on-off through Newburg; Liberty; till about Roscoe; got home at 10:30. All safe and sound.

It was great to meet and work with you, Chuck. Glad to know you got home safely despite the rain. Next time you'll know to bring one of your sailboats so you can sail home!

[Lzyellodog]

Well, for a first attempt at a tech session i think it went quite well. You are all welcome anytime and if you ever need anything please do not hesitate to call. The oil is cleaned up and I did not find any extra screws so i think Kevin has them all, just do not know where they came from though.

You guys are all great and thank you all for your knowledge. I hope you have dried out because I just finished and I only road to Portand and back.

Gerard, I found your copy BMWON and I will put it in the mail for you. Unless you want to swing by and pick it sometime. I can put it in the mail box or some place. Just let me know.

I ahve attached a couple pictures for you all.

Jim

http://thumb13.webshots.com/t/62/62/3/60/34/2610360340090485573zGQJuB_th.jpg (http://community.webshots.com/photo/2610360340090485573zGQJuB) http://thumb13.webshots.com/t/40/41/5/59/15/2600559150090485573parDbI_th.jpg (http://community.webshots.com/photo/2600559150090485573parDbI)http://thumb13.webshots.com/t/46/47/9/41/98/2235941980090485573KDfrMz_th.jpg (http://community.webshots.com/photo/2235941980090485573KDfrMz)

[BMWphreak]

Jim,

Just keep the BMW ON copy as I had finished reading it anyway. The session was a blast. Next time it will need to be a two day affair with one day dedicated to riding!

BTW, I just got back from NH and I am the proud owner of a second BMW, a 2003 R1150RT with 1200 miles on the clock! (thanks to an ad in the BMW ON)

Also, Kevin has yet to report on whether or not I fixed his ABS fault!

[Lzyellodog]

Gerard, thanks. Congrats on the RT. I second the 2 day evetn next time. When you get a chance post a picture of your new baby.

[BMWphreak]

Here she is...

[Lzyellodog]

Sweet!!!!!

[KMC1]

WHOA! NICE RIDE!
That is a really nice looking RT Gerard, not a bad "backup bike" at all!
I just got back in from a night ride to get the lights all adjusted and see how they work. Anyone who isn't sure about the HID, NEEDS to ride with someone who has them, I'm ashamed it took this long to do it! And the two PIAA's throw as much or more light than the stock low beam did and make nice fillers off to the sides... we passed a deer on a corner and seriously, it did not move an inch, just stood there fixated on the lights.. high+low+PIAA's all at once.. it's probably still standing there for fear of tripping over something :D
The high beam is off a little, up and to the left, probably about 15 feet high and 10 feet left at ~100 feet. I'm going to dig in to it tomorrow night to see how much of a change I can make to it before I leave for the Smokeys on Thurs. but as is absolutely fills the entire road with light out to at least 150 yards or more. I know this is old hat for you guys that already have them, but for me I'm just in shock at the difference a sub $600 investment just made, and feel much better about taking unknown corners at night now.
On another note, when I went out to take the night ride I could smell fuel again.... that dang disconnect must still be leaking. I'm going to put in an inline splice while the fairing is off tomorrow so I know it's not going to burst while on the trip. It seems unfortunate to have the leak after having the $$$$ service just done to it last week, if they actually did work on it that is.
As for the ABS fault, it seems to be gone now! Just a dab'll do ya!! :D

[was]

Kevin, just take a big hammer and beat hard on the nose cone, down and to the right (that's right as you are sitting on the bike, not right as you are facing the bike beating on the nose cone), and that high beam will straighten right out. Actually, the fact that the light is canted up and left suggests that those extra torx screws go somewhere on the left side of the bike; the right side, with all its fasteners, now is heavier than the left, causing the entire fairing to ride higher on the left. Or something like that.

Gerard, that '03 is Beautiful!!! Question: would the mirrors fit on the LT? I like the front blinkers up high on the front of the mirrors.

Ya know, we don't have to wait until the next tech session to get in a day's riding. When's the next 24 hour downpour?