Construction!

Ok, so, I've had this problem with the VFR for a while now. Basically, a tab broke off the frame. I didn't do it, the previous owner did (problem has been around since I owned it). Here's a really badly drawn version of what it looked like:















Now, I didn't want to do it, but I knew I had to pay someone to do it, so I decided that I knew a welder. FastFoodFred. So, I emailed him and asked his price. His pri


ce was to watch his bike a few months ago, and he wouldn't accept anything else. He also said he'd re-weld my rear-stand for me (which....well...broke....more on that later).

So, I borrowed a ramp and some muscles from JohnnyM and we loaded the VFR into the pickup. Now, this trip had triple duty: welding, Spokane Moto Show, and possibly selling the Rebel. So, we loaded the Rebel up in the pickup too. Both bikes made my pickup sit kinda low, but I was ok with it...hopefully coming back lighter.....(no dice....came back with the rebel....oh well).

Both bikes, Jessica, and I rode up to Spokane in the pickup and I dropped Jessica off at the mall. I called Fred and said I was about to his shop and he said he'd meet me there. I showed up, he wasn't there (yet...still on his way) and the guys at A2Zen came out with a ramp and helped me unload the VFR, and pointed me towards Fred's bay that he's renting from them, and then I waited. About 2 minutes later, Fred showed up and we had to make a run to his other shop (and I don't even have one!) to get a piece of aluminum and some tools. A quick run back and Fred started in on my rear stand.

This is a rearstand I made over Christmas with my father-in-law. He provided the building knowledge and I provided the bad welding and the design. The first time I used it, one of the arms broke off, almost causing a disaster. Fred re-welded that leg back on and then very politely told me that my welding sucks...not in those words...more like "you aren't going to be offended if I go over some of the other welds?" So, I'm pretty sure he went over all of them again, and if not, he might as well have. But, we did put it to the test...using it to hold the VFR up a bit and straighter while he was welding the tab on. Once we got the tab on, he cleaned it up, drilled a hole, tapped it, and made it work. I need to get a more proper bolt for it, but the one I have now will work for now.















Thanks for your help Fred!

So, we loaded the VFR back into the pickup and I headed off to the Spokane Moto Show, with a quick detour to pick up Jessica. I decided that since we were going to be buying a new laptop, we might as well just go do it. I hate Best Buy, but I knew they'd have what I wanted. We walked out about 15 minutes later with a new laptop and none of that other bullshit they try to sell you for more than the cost of the fucking computer...."Have you heard about our 'Geek Squad'"..."yeah....ME"...."How about our security suite"...."I've got better FREE ones"..."they aren't as good"...."you sell computers, I program them....I know".....that shut the fuckers up. Have I mentioned how much I hate Best Buy? Anyway, so, we have new laptop too.

Ok, back to the moto show. The show was pretty good. There were a few bikes there. Ok...quite a few...but this isn't about the Moto Show.... But, I guess it should get equal billing as Best Buy...Ok, I sat on just about every bike I wanted to except for the Ninja 250 (which has been selling too fast for anyone to have one in stock for this show). Lots of stuff there, lots of bikes, lots of gear. Pretty cool. Anyway....back on topic.

So, I had this problem today.














I decided that I needed a ramp TODAY. I could call people with ramps, but eventually, I'd need one anyway. I was saving the project for when I was in Redmond, and Jessica was still in Moscow, but that doesn't look like it will happen that way, so I just decided to build one.

2 8 ft 2x8, 1 3 ft piece of inch and a half steel strap, 24 bolts, 24 washers, 24 nuts, a sawzall blade for metal, and a BFH....uhh...a big hammer... It cost me $30 for materials.

So, I cut the metal strap into 8 inch lengths, drilled 2 holes in one half, and then bent them at an angle using the BFH. Simple enough.

I cut the 2x8's into 6 foot lengths, and used the other pieces as straps to hold them together.

I bolted the whole thing together, bolted the straps together, and I have a 14" wide ramp (because a 2x8 is really closer to 1 1/2 x 7-ish) that could be split in half to accomodate a 4 wheeler if needed!

So, here it is: