Motorcycle Racing Forum

Motorcycle Racing => Wrenching => Topic started by: Jeff on September 07, 2006, 11:10:51 AM

Title: That'd explain it!
Post by: Jeff on September 07, 2006, 11:10:51 AM
(pics will be in my race report)

The task was simple.  Replace the front forks that were just rebuilt by Trackside Engineering. 20, 30 minutes tops.  Then load the trailer, clean the RV, etc so that we're ready to roll immediately on Friday.

Forks go on, everything torqued. Wheel on, brakes on, bodywork on.

As part of my pre-flight checklist, I flip the switch and fire it up.  Runs for 3 seconds & shuts off.  hmmm...  fuel light is blinking as I always drain the VP and put in a splash of gas.  Maybe it's dry.

Add gas

Fires 3 seconds and dies.  repeat a couple of times thinking it might be air in the lines or whatever.  No dice...  Hmmm...

Then I see what looks like foam, sitting on the alternator cover top.  What the hell?  Oh, hell no!  Look closer and there's a wire laying in it...  Oh HELL NO!

15 mins later, all the bodywork is back off and there in all it's beauty is a BARE ASS WIRE HARNESS and a nice comfy mouse nest.

Them sumbitches ate through 4 wires (right down to the injector on 2 of them) and stripped down 6 more.  Yep, that'd explain it..  2 1/2 hours later, bike runs like a top (for more than 3 seconds) and is loaded in the trailer.  Ugh.  I freaking hate mice.
Title: Re: That'd explain it!
Post by: G-reg on September 07, 2006, 11:37:28 AM
You've got more problems with those wires coming off of the injectors than anything else with that bike!  :ahhh:
Title: Re: That'd explain it!
Post by: Woofentino Pugrossi on September 07, 2006, 12:14:46 PM
Well put some mothballs in papercups and leave it around the bike when its stored. Sticking a few under the tank near teh wires may be a good idea also. Mice HATE mothballs.
Title: Re: That'd explain it!
Post by: HAWK on September 07, 2006, 12:45:40 PM
I'm bettin that mouse didn't like 12's at BHF too much either, he finally found a way to slow his pretty red house down!
Title: Re: That'd explain it!
Post by: Jeff on September 07, 2006, 02:18:19 PM
Nah, the mice weren't in it until after blackhawk when I unloaded it to pull the forks.  And to think, I actually had it on the stands and was going to take the forks off in the trailer.  Boy, that would have saved me a LOT, but nooooo, I just had to do the work in the garage.

I had an entire box of mothballs strewn throughout the back garage, but got complacent since I didn't see any mice (duh) and the mothballs eventually evaporated.  Funny how the mice returned after that...
Title: Re: That'd explain it!
Post by: spyderchick on September 07, 2006, 03:10:43 PM
get a garage cat...no mice. The owners of the place where we have the barn (and all of our toys stored) has 3 cats roaming the property. We'll see kitty footprints, but no mouse droppings or damage.
Title: Re: That'd explain it!
Post by: Jeff on September 07, 2006, 03:18:41 PM
I hate cats (regardless of how they're cooked)...

but weighing out which I hate worse...
Title: Re: That'd explain it!
Post by: Woofentino Pugrossi on September 07, 2006, 06:18:28 PM
Well the tin cats at menards (those big metal moue traps that can catch 15) work pretty good. Put one on each side of the garage doors, side door and inside door. Just make sure that yu put a glue board in each. Its easier to clean out when teh mouse is stuck to the glue instead f sticking to the metal botom.
Title: Re: That'd explain it!
Post by: Jason748 on September 07, 2006, 11:38:56 PM
Quote from: Jeff on September 07, 2006, 03:18:41 PM
I hate cats (regardless of how they're cooked)...

They're not so bad with a ton of BBQ sauce!

That reminds me, need to mothball the garage early this year.
Title: Re: That'd explain it!
Post by: loc_dogg on September 07, 2006, 11:42:06 PM
Quote from: Hawk on September 07, 2006, 12:45:40 PM
I'm bettin that mouse didn't like 12's at BHF too much either, he finally found a way to slow his pretty red house down!
LOL LOL
Title: Re: That'd explain it!
Post by: Jeff on September 08, 2006, 11:44:30 AM
Those tin traps... I'll never use one again.  I used to catch 'em and let 'em go from one of those.  Then I forgot about it for a few weeks.  Came in to an AWFUL smell.  10 or so dead mice and about 3-4 live ones going all Dahmer on the dead ones, eating them to stay alive.  It was absolutely effen hideous...  Ugh.. Now I can't eat lunch...
Title: Re: That'd explain it!
Post by: G-reg on September 08, 2006, 01:18:31 PM
Quote from: Jeff on September 08, 2006, 11:44:30 AM
Ugh.. Now I can't eat lunch...


You're just saving room for the steak.. ;)
Title: Re: That'd explain it!
Post by: Jeff on September 08, 2006, 01:50:07 PM
BEEF! it's what's for dinner.
Title: Re: That'd explain it!
Post by: h2o_motorsports on September 08, 2006, 02:19:37 PM
I prefer PORK......the other white meat
Title: Re: That'd explain it!
Post by: Jeff on September 08, 2006, 02:55:44 PM
BABY! the other other white meat!
Title: Re: That'd explain it!
Post by: loc_dogg on September 08, 2006, 06:17:42 PM
How do u make a dead baby float?! One part ice cream, two parts dead baby! MMM
Title: Re: That'd explain it!
Post by: Woofentino Pugrossi on September 08, 2006, 07:03:36 PM
Quote from: Jeff on September 08, 2006, 11:44:30 AM
Those tin traps... I'll never use one again.  I used to catch 'em and let 'em go from one of those.  Then I forgot about it for a few weeks.  Came in to an AWFUL smell.  10 or so dead mice and about 3-4 live ones going all Dahmer on the dead ones, eating them to stay alive.  It was absolutely effen hideous...  Ugh.. Now I can't eat lunch...

Now try dealing with that every day. 2yrs at Orkin dealing with that crap. But when you wont be at the place for a month, those are great. Its better than having to repackage poison traps and having to pick up dead mice that bled out from the poisons (one we used caused teh blood cells to burst causing them to bleed internally).

If you have access to an ultraviolet (blacklight) light, go in the garage with the lights off and look for a urine trail (they piss constantly and leave a trail along the wall) and find where they are entering the garage and seal it off with copper mesh or expanding foam. They cant get in, they wont eat your bike.
Title: Re: That'd explain it!
Post by: GSXR RACER MIKE on September 08, 2006, 11:58:38 PM
Quote from: Jeff on September 08, 2006, 02:55:44 PM
BABY! the other other white meat!

Get in my belly!!!!