Ever Play "Lap full of Trident"?

jaydee75 said:
I'm so glad you didn't drop it. Worth the skin.
jaydee
Click to expand...
Ya, especially since the buyer has waited a LONG time for me to get it ready! Today, I'll finish the rear end and try my luck at changing the front tire - at least that
shouldn't be sketchy and is a simple job :)

The worst part of losing skin is that I need a knee surgery and then a foot surgery. They won't do it if you have any leg wounds. I've spent months getting all my wounds healed and now have new ones :mad: including one on my calf that I didn't notice until today - got it yesterday too.
 
Score! Front tire changed, no drama, no new bruises, no lost skin. Even got the beads to pop into place with about 10 minutes effort. In other words, the way it is supposed to work! Did keep my phone in my pocket - you know, Murphys Law.
 
Two things to ask: 1. surprised to see your shed doesn't have the walls rocked out. Is that not an issue for fire hazard? Curious it was allowed. More importantly, 2. You must use the engine hoist seen in pix to put the bikes on work benches? I don't have one but I can attach a cargo strap to the joists to lift things. When working on anything that could (will) fall over I put on a strap. A Trident is a heavy old thing and if it starts to tip over no way can I stop it and not always get it back up. So in the future you might want to take this precaution.
 
Onder said:
Two things to ask: 1. surprised to see your shed doesn't have the walls rocked out. Is that not an issue for fire hazard? Curious it was allowed. More importantly, 2. You must use the engine hoist seen in pix to put the bikes on work benches? I don't have one but I can attach a cargo strap to the joists to lift things. When working on anything that could (will) fall over I put on a strap. A Trident is a heavy old thing and if it starts to tip over no way can I stop it and not always get it back up. So in the future you might want to take this precaution.
Click to expand...
Rocked in (drywalled) does not prevent fire. It slows the spread of fire to other rooms in houses. In a single room it changes nothing fire-wise. Initially, when I had it built, I was going to finish the wiring, add air drops, insulate, and then cover. That would help with my heat pump. The idiots I hired to built, it did not maintain 16" on center and although I could still insulate it, it would be a PITA. If I ever get a break from all the customer projects I have, I may yet do that. It was fully approved by the government as you see it.

I use the engine hoist a lot. It's very safe transferring bikes to and from my tables. It was extremely sketchy lifting the rear of the bike to get the rear wheel out. In a perfect world I would have rigged the bike for a lift and been able to handle both wheels safely. Especially when in a hurry and operating on steroids, the world is not perfect! The final decision to change the tires was made after the bike was finished and ready to test.

When I document something on my web site, I want people to see the "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly". When I do stupid things, they are documented just like everything else.

The crazy part is that I understand steroids very well and I know the kinds of things I should not do after receiving them and I mentally nag myself "be careful" but that's not very effective. At least I won't do engines to gearboxes when I've had a shot, and I will double check everything before deciding whether to start/ride it today (steroid effects mostly gone now).
 
I'd keep your phone in your pocket at all times if I were you
That's what I do
And I've had a couple of incidents working alone in my workshop
One time I was changing the drive belt on my stand alone belt facer
The base was cast iron and extremely heavy
I had my arm through the inspection hatch at the bottom removing the belt when the motor dropped down trapping my arm
There's not enough room to get my other arm in to lift the motor
Plus the weight was holding my arm against the sharp edge inside the hatch
I was married at that time and shouted to my wife in the house but she couldn't hear me
In my panic I looked around and saw my large adjustable spanner was just in reach
I grabbed that and forced it in next to my arm and managed to lift the motor enough to get my arm out
Never ever again!!
I learned a lesson that day
Another time I was working on a mates gixer 11 when I managed to tip it over off of my work bench!
It was completely upside down with it's clocks touching the guages on my oxy acetylene porta pack!!
In a narrow gap between the wall and my hydraulic bench
I then had the job of holding the weight of the bike whilst slowly lowering the ramp
I doubt I'm strong enough now to do that again
I always ratchet strap anything I work on these days
 
baz said:
I'd keep your phone in your pocket at all times if I were you
Click to expand...
I tell myself that every day, then I bend over and it falls on the floor, so I lay it nearby which does not work since I move all over the shop. I also tell myself not to go to the shop without my shin guards - I forget 90% of the time. I'm going to look for something to keep my phone available other than my pocket.

BTW, I investigated Life Alert and the similar services - definitely not all they are advertised to be! Can't have two base units and the neck pendant has quite limited range - won't even cover all parts of my house much less shop. They are fine for apartment dwellers. Also, when close enough, push the button, fire dept comes and then the $2500 fire dept bill follows.

I absolutely hate working on bikes stilling on the floor, but I have no drop out in my tables for the back wheel - I'm going to fix that. This would never have happened if I had already done that. Of course, I could have been smart and used a flat jack under the frame to get the rear wheel out and in - really great hindsight!
 
Since around COVID time, Nortons have been coming out of the woodwork for me to work on. The Trident of this thread has been spoken for since July 2023 but I've never time to work on it and the buyer has a 73 T150V I sold him. After finding a few more things to work on today, it was finally go time. Quit reading if you can't handle the truth! It sure is nice to hear that triple run! It fired idled and the pilot circuit seems to be perfect without any adjustment - it's just as I set the carbs on the bench. My stepson is here so he was tasked with an around the block - came back wanting the rear brake to work sooner. Then off he went again and came back about the clutch. The clutch has maybe 10 miles on it, so adjusted the cable and sent him again. This time for some mid-range testing - hoping the mid-range is good but if not, changing the needle clips is not hard.

Yes, I will test it myself but it's too damned hot and I'm too messed up right now. Once it cools off and my shoulders and arms are doing better I'll like nothing better than riding it.
 
On my lift table once the bikes are up on it and the front wheel locked in I straight away put my front motorcycle tie down straps on from the handle bars to the table and I also use rear tie downs on the rear of the bike just to be safe as well I have a MC scissor jack best $90 I ever spent for working on the bikes and works great with my lift table, use it all the time, take very little time to slide under the bike, has adjustable frame arms or can use flat, wish I had both 40 years ago.

Ashley
Ever Play "Lap full of Trident"?
Ever Play "Lap full of Trident"?
Ever Play "Lap full of Trident"?
 
Home workshops can be a dangerous place or any work around the home for that matter, as we get older we still think we are the same as when we were younger (indestructible), but we aren't, as I get older I think about things that might happen before I do it, doesn't always work, accidents do happen even when you think it won't.

Ashley
 
Since this incident, I've been looking into emergency help services. The big names in the industry have no service even remotely applicable to my needs. Today I found MedicalGuardian.com. They have a device called MGMini. I've ordered one. I assume it's US only. Here's why I chose them:
1) No base unit needed.
2) Works everywhere via cell.
3) When you press the button you talk through the device - most require you to be near a base station.
4) With optional fall detection, they talk to you though the device when they detect a fall. If you don't answer they call 911
5) I have combination locks on my doors. I can provide them the combination and if they call 911 they will provide it to the responders.
6) It provides GPS info if you're out in the country riding and have a wreck, they can find you.
7) It weighs .08 lbs (36 grams)

With the options I chose and state tax, it costs right at $600/year if billed on an annual basis.

While that's not chump change, the thought of possibly being still under that bike makes it pretty inexpensive to me.

All that said, I have no relationship with them other than as a new customer - I hope it's all as it's supposed to be. If not, I'll certainly trash them vigorously here!
 
Last edited:
marshg246 said:
Since this incident, I've been looking into emergency help services. The big names in the industry have no service even remotely applicable to my needs. Today I found MedicaiGuardian.com. They have a device called MGMini. I've ordered one. I assume it's US only. Here's why I chose them:
1) No base unit needed.
2) Works everywhere via cell.
3) When you press the button you talk through the device - most require you to be near a base station.
4) With optional fall detection, they talk to you though the device when they detect a fall. If you don't answer they call 911
5) I have combination locks on my doors. I can provide them the combination and if they call 911 they will provide it to the responders.
6) It provides GPS info if you're out in the country riding and have a wreck, they can find you.
7) It weighs .08 lbs (36 grams)

With the options I chose and state tax, it costs right at $600/year if billed on an annual basis.

While that's not chump change, the thought of possibly being still under that bike makes it pretty inexpensive to me.

All that said, I have no relationship with them other than as a new customer - I hope it's all as it's supposed to be. If not, I'll certainly trash them vigorously here!
Click to expand...
For the peace of mind it brings… that’s a bargain Greg.

For the chance you (unfortunately) actually use it one day… it’s priceless.
 
Last edited:
ashman said:
On my lift table once the bikes are up on it and the front wheel locked in I straight away put my front motorcycle tie down straps on from the handle bars to the table and I also use rear tie downs on the rear of the bike just to be safe as well I have a MC scissor jack best $90 I ever spent for working on the bikes and works great with my lift table, use it all the time, take very little time to slide under the bike, has adjustable frame arms or can use flat, wish I had both 40 years ago.

Ashley
View attachment 115006View attachment 115007View attachment 115008
Click to expand...
l"I have a MC scissor jack best $90 I ever spent for working on the bikes and works great with my lift table"

I agree. Those jacks will take 400 kg and are perfect for lifting the rear wheel on the table. Cheap and very useful.
 
Last edited:
Greg, I realize you're a widower but for the other folks out there let me say that there are some things I don't do if my wife isn't home. Such as work on the roof of the travel trailer, load a refrigerator and such onto the motorcycle lift that doubles as a mobile loading dock, run the chainsaw.... But then there are things that when I'm in the middle of doing when I realize I'm in danger.

I try to anticipate the danger but there are lapses. One recent project was to dig for the rear master cylinder on an old Goldwing 1500, a four-hour job. At first I thought I'd just run it up on the lift and hoist it to work height. But it weighs north of 900 pounds so after positioning the lift and aiming it at said lift I came to my senses and just decided to work on it on the floor. I have a creeper for getting under the truck for grease jobs etc, so I've used that.

I got involved in repairing a poorly engineered Chinese grain combine and when I got the bent shafts straightened and the various chains and belts back in order, realized that the machine was inherently dangerous and the owner should not operate it. I had traded two summers worth of fresh vegetables for the job. He was happy that it was back in order but unhappy about what I told him, i.e. "I won't work on it any more." I don't carry garage-keeper's liability and I doubt my home owners umbrella policy would cover any failures that could possibly be traced back to me. So I'm being more careful about the jobs I take, and I do not work for cash, only trades like vegetables, cabinet carpentry or brush mowing, etc.

I should have been more careful when I was younger too but I got away with it on account of strength and agility both of which are waning.
 
I read about having to get air under the rear tire because the center stand doesn't do the job. My quick fix is to have 2 pieces of 3/8 or 1/2 plywood cut into approx 4x4 squares. Loosen up the front tie downs and tip the bike away from you. The tie downs will prevent the bike from falling over if they're given just enough slack. Slip one block under the kickstand foot. Go to the other side and do the same. tighten the tie downs. Only takes a few minutes.
 

Similar threads

G
  • Locked
Quick question: crankcase full of oil
2
Replies
20
Views
3,107
Hobot
Hobot
Back
Top