Janel & Gary's Photos, Music, and News...: Front End Parts...

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Friday, September 12, 2008

Front End Parts...

Parts to improve the suspension and handling of the BMW have been on my mind.

My previous BMWs have all had a little too much flex in the upper triple clamp area. When the bike was loaded heavy, you could feel the flex in a fast turn. It was never something that would scare you, but I never liked the feeling. I think this machined aluminum billet part will certainly take care of that...

This is overkill design...

I bet this part is 1000% stronger than the stock upper triple tree, which is only perhaps 3/16" thick. This should also lower the front end of the bike about 3/4" to 1". There will be no flex here!

Tracking in the turns will certainly be improved.

Not sure yet if I will anodize the part in gold, blue, or leave it in natural polished aluminum... I kinda like the way it turned out in natural aluminum.

I will also need to polish the bar backs to the same high gloss finish. Should that prove too difficult, I will just anodize both parts to match.

Although probably not needed, I will also do something to stiffen the lower legs to assure the fork tubes

always remain perfectly parallel through all their travel.

This sturdy tubular steel fork brace from San Jose BMW holds fork tubes in precise alignment and exerts a self-aligning torque as cornering forces increase. Provides smoother fork action, sharper steering response and more stable, predictable handling. They are rare and hard to find.

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The Rat Cat Story - by Janel

Rat cat came to us in a strange way. I was looking out at the greening of sping taking place when I heard a strange sound under the shrubs. I walked around to the front of the bushes and there underneath was what looked like an injured rat or squirrel. Upon further investigation it turned out to be a 5 month old kitten with an abscess so large that he looked like Quasimodo. He was so sick that he allowed me to pick him up and wrap him in a towel. I immediately took him to the vet where he stayed for a couple of days. Apparently he was bit by either another cat or rodent - therefore his name is rat cat. He has been a member of our family for 9 years. He is really a character and very loyal to me. He actually sleeps on my pillow every night and is very aware of any little hurts that we may have. He lays his body on the injured place and seems to think he is healing you. he is a joy and tribulation all in one.

Alexander's History.... Gary

Alexander came into this world, as do many kitties - homeless, very small and not so sure to survive. Cowering in a small and cold steel cage in a bleak shelter, he pulled at my heart strings and I happily added him to my life. He started out tiny, so I thought he needed a big name, thus Alexander the Great. He has since grown to meet his name. He is a big lug but very sweet and affectionate. He can meow up a storm when he wants his chow, which is so often he's on a diet now.

He is an American Short hair tabby cat who has many cute tricks....

He rubs noses and taps on my shoulder when he wants my attention and at meal times'

One cute gesture he taught himself was giving a high five. That was his first trick and it still cracks me up after 10 years.

At night he waits for me to pull back the covers and say, "let's settle in", and thats just what he does. He snuggles into his spot by my side and there he sleeps comfy and cozy all night.

He is a great cat, that Alexander... Whoops.. have to go, Alex is calling me for chow. Time to go , dont want to keep the big guy waiting.

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