Zac's Site

Fixing the problems

While waiting for the gasket to come get delivered I also ordered a new oil filter and oil to do while my dad and I are changing the gasket. Our plan is to knock out two birds with one stone. 

Removing the gasket

As you can see in the diagram below you will need to take off 10 bolts to remove the engine cover and have access to the gasket. As you can see the gasket being replaced is labeled #2 on the diagram. Once the gasket has been changed we just need to reseal all the components together and bolt everything back together. 

Changing the oil

The oil changing process on my bike is quite simple. All that needs to be removed is one side of my fairing. Then you are able to clearly see where the oil drain plug and oil filter are located. You first need to drain the oil then replace the oil filter with a new one that is lubed with the oil. Once the filter and plug are screwed in then you just simply add new oil then start the bike and let the new oil circulate through the engine.

Dealing with Problems 

About a week ago I was able to take my bike out for the first actual ride of the year. During my ride I was only trying to burn the bad gas out of it and just get a feel for the bike. For me, riding this bike feels so natural. I got two good runs in on the highway and was actually able to see what the bike could do. This is my first time riding a bike with a quickshifter, which is a device that allows you to up shift without using the clutch lever which makes the shifts way smoother and faster. After the nice highway run, I just cruised through my city for a little bit and I looked down and noticed my left shoe was surprisingly dirty for being brand new. I was wearing all white vans and this was my first time wearing them out of the box. I pulled over in a parking lot to see exactly what was on my shoe. I got off the bike and got an actual good look at my shoe and it turns out it wasn’t dirt. It was oil and it was all over my shoe and my shifter. I bent down to see if I could figure out exactly where the oil was coming from. It wasn’t enough oil to be alarmed about, but enough to know something was leaking. When something like this happens it is important to diagnose the problem as soon as possible so it doesn’t lead to anymore problems. 

Diagnosing the problem

To find out where the oil was leaking from my dad and I raised my bike up on a bike stand. I noticed oil starting to squirt out of the alternator cover once the bike reached high speed which usually means that the gasket was either leaking or the cover was loose. After tightening the cover back down we did the speed test again and oil continued to come out of the alternator cover which told us the answer we were looking for. The gasket was bad. The alternator gasket seals the alternator and keeps oil circulating in the right places. Luckily the gasket that needed to be replaced was only $20. 

Why leaking oil can be hazardous

Leaking oil on your bike, especially when you are riding can be extremely dangerous. If oil gets on your rear tire while riding it can easily cause you to slide out and crash. After my test drive to diagnose the oil leak I noticed that there was oil on the rear tire, which is not safe at all. It’s important to check your tires for any hazardous things that could lead you to crash.

Continuing from the previous week’s blog post I am going to be breaking down each of the items on the maintenance checklist to make sure your bike will be safe and ready to go for the new season.

• Oil change: Changing the oil prevents your motorcycle’s engine from getting damaged. This is because oil changes allow for the removal of debris and other corrosive impurities that build up in the oil over time. As such, every motorcycle owner must examine the engine oil regularly.
• Chain cleaning: cleaning and lubing your motorcycle chain helps extend your bike’s lifespan. Adequate and proper cleaning, lubing and lubricating of the chain is essential to increase the functioning of the sprockets, chain, wheel, and other parts of your bike.
• Tire pressure/tread check
• Battery check:  Batteries have a finite life, so try to keep track of when your last battery was installed (check for date stamp on battery). Good preventative maintenance is simply to change a battery when it gets close to the end of its serviceable life.
• Brake check: Most motorcycle manufacturers suggest that the brake fluid be changed or flushed every 2 to 3 years, and the level should be checked approximately every 100 to 200 miles. Air bubbles can infiltrate the master cylinder reservoir and affect the brake pads. The master cylinder should be filled with the right brake fluid.
• Fork seal check: One of your regular maintenance jobs should be to check your fork seals for leaks, especially after you’ve been riding in dusty or sandy conditions. Knowing how to clean leaky fork seals may save you the unnecessary expense of replacing seals. Your bike’s fork seals are made up of two seals, the Oil Seal, and the Dust Seal.
• Registration: you will need to register your motorcycle to make it legal to ride on the street
• Insurance: you will need to have insurance on your motorcycle to protect you financially in the case of an accident.
• Fresh gas: if you have old gas from previous years still in the tank it’s important to run all the old gas out and be replaced with new fresh gas to help you motorcycle run the best it can
• Complete detail and wax- (optional of course) I personally give my bikes a regular wash and wax to help them look as good as possible when I am out riding.

Each of these steps is what you can follow to insure that your motorcycle will be great shape for the upcoming riding season.

Pre-season maintenance 

Before each riding season it is a necessity to make sure you do all of your seasonal maintenance to make sure your bike is safe and ready to go. Somethings that most likely will need attention are : 

• Oil change
• Chain cleaning
• Tire pressure/tread check
• Battery check
• Brake check
• Fork seal check
• Registration
• Insurance
• Fresh gas
• Complete detail and wax

Each of these things listed are all things you want to stay on top of to make sure your bike will perform its best and stay in the best condition. In my next blog post I will get into why you want to specifically check each of these items listed and each of the benefits they have when changing or checking them are. 

For more information on this topic you can visit

• Motorcycle Maintenance Checklist – Nationwide

Bike’s I’ve ridden

In my experience riding I’ve gotten the chance to get on quite a few bikes, but there were a few that stand out and these are my top 3 bike reviews. 

2014 BMW s1000RR

This was my first ride on a 1000cc sport bike and it was unforgettable. The S 1000 RR, BMW is  the most enhanced, dynamic and adrenaline fuelled motorcycle in the range. The RR Sport takes super sport riding to the next level, with performance enhancing features to fuel the passion of even the most demanding of track riders. This bike comes stock with 193 horsepower, which on a bike is a handful. Getting on one of these after being used to riding 600’s felt different because of the power and weight difference. The place where I saw the biggest difference was on the highway and in turns. This bike topped out at 186 mph with the stock ecu. I couldn’t lean the bike over as far in the turns because it was heavier and I didn’t feel comfortable enough on the new platform yet. But overall it was an amazing riding experience.

For more specs you can visit – 2014 BMW S1000RR Standard Equipment & Specs (nadaguides.com)

2012 Triumph Daytona 675r

This was by far the best bike I’ve ridden so far for me personally. The 2012 Triumph Daytona 675R is a Sport Style Motorcycle equipped with an 675cc, Liquid Cooled, Horizontal In-line, DOHC, 4-Stroke Engine and a 6-Speed Manual Transmission. This bike has an inline 3 engine instead of the more typical inline for engine which gives it a very unique sound that I absolutely love. My full two brothers exhaust with headers sounds absolutely perfect and pops and crackles when I am just cruising. Overall this bike felt lighter, more nimble, and felt way easier to control in the corners. Also a nice ad that comes with the R model is the quickshifter which allows you to clutchless upshift from gears 2-6. 

For more specs you can visit – 2012 Triumph Daytona 675R Reviews, Prices, and Specs (motorcycle.com)

2009 Yamaha R6

Light, powerful and bristling with knowledge gained from years of racing, the YZF-R6 is the most advanced production 600cc motorcycle Yamaha – or anybody else – has ever built. Yamaha is one of the best brands on the motorcycle market in a lot of people’s opinion and I also believe they are a phenomenal brand. This was my first bike I ever truly got to really ride without any restrictions and is what made me fall in love with motorcycles forever. This bike was slightly heavier and less nimble than the Triumph Daytona 675r I felt, but by no means was it a bad ride.

For more specs you can visit – 2009 Yamaha YZF R6 Reviews, Prices, and Specs (motorcycle.com)

 2022 season riding plans

The 2022 riding season is fastly approaching and I couldn’t be happier. But before the season arrives there’s many things that need to be done before the bike hits the roads. First I will need to get my bike insured, registered, and inspected. Then I will just need to do my pre season oil change, chain clean, and full detail then my 2012 Triumph Daytona 675r will be ready to hit the road.

Ride Locations

This season my dad and I have planned to go to the 2022 Bike week in Laconia, New Hampshire. Laconia Motorcycle Week is a motorcycle rally held annually in Laconia, New Hampshire, United States. The rally has its origin in the Loudon Classic motorcycle race started in 1916 and the Gypsy tour, during which many motorcyclists passed through Laconia. The scheduled events included races, shows and a motorcycle hill climb competition. The rally traditionally takes place over nine days in June, always the 2nd and 3rd full weekend. The 2022 event is due to take place from June 11 through June 19.

Laconia Motorcycle Week® (laconiamcweek.com)

Getting back on a bike

After crashing everyone’s immediate reaction was that I was never going to get another bike. I never saw the logic in that because I knew exactly what I did when I crashed and I learned from it.  Little did everyone know I had a plan to get a new bike  the whole time. For me it’s not just about having a nice bike. It’s the feeling I get from it. Everyone has that one passion they could just go on and on about and mine is bikes and going fast. When I’m riding all the noise goes away, it’s just my bike, the road, and me.

First Ride Back 

After buying my bike I had to put it in a storage unit so nobody would know that I had it. If my mom found out she would kill me. I had it there for about a month then on one of the recent warm days I got a chance to take my new bike out for a ride. There was a little snow still melting, so the roads weren’t ideal, but nevertheless it was amazing. It was the highlight of my whole February. It felt like I never stopped riding. Just the sound of the bike and feeling it rev just put a huge smile on my face. 

Taste of spring 

Ever since the day of my surgeries I’ve just been looking forward to next summer. Because of my injuries I missed out on a lot of my previous summer as I was bed ridden for 2 of the 3 summer months. This spring and summer is a chance to make a bunch of memories I couldn’t have last year. A big part of those will most definitely be my bike. Whenever I get the chance you better believe I’ll be ripping 160 on the highway somewhere around New England.

Where I am Currently

After my two surgeries I needed to get both of my knees better, I had a long road ahead of me. Dealing with mental struggles and rehab to get back all I lost from the injuries was no easy road. I ended up nearly missing the first half of my first semester in college and falling way behind, but I managed to catch up and do what I needed too. Then not too long after being back at school I decided I needed to start working because I wanted another bike. 

Getting another bike

Right after I crashed I knew I needed and wanted another bike. The question was how am I going to let my parents let me get another one? The answer is that they wouldn’t find out. I came up with the idea that I would rent a storage unit and store my bike there and have everything in my name. I just needed the money so I started working about 30 hours a week just on the weekends while I was at school. Then came winter break. This was just what I needed. I had a month and a half to just work and save money. I worked about 65 hours a week during winter break to save enough money. In that month and a half I managed to save more than I thought.

Finding the right one

While working all that time during winter break I was on face book marketplace looking for bikes whenever I had the chance. I wanted a bike even cleaner than the R6. Then came across an ad for a 2012 Triumph Daytona 675r. It was perfect. I came with an inline 3 which meant it didn’t sound like any regular bike. It also came with many mods that I absolutely loved. I knew right away that was the one. I messaged the guy right away saying I had cash in hand ready to come get the bike. The guy was just 20 minutes away from me so it wasn’t too far of a drive to go get the bike. When I got to the guy’s house and saw the bike my face immediately lit up and I knew I made the right choice.

The Day I Wrecked 

It was the middle of May and it was a perfect day outside. Not a cloud in the sky, low 70’s, and very sunny. My friend Java and I had a few cars scheduled for the day at my house so we were going to clean them all up then head to Java’s house to go eat. We were initially going to go to Java’s house both in 1 car, but I decided I wanted to take my bike to Java’s because I was wet from washing the cars. And let me tell you, I sure did make the wrong decision.

The Crash 

Javas’s house was just about 10 minutes away from mine so I didn’t think anything of it. Pulling out of my driveway Java was in his car in front of me and I was on my bike driving behind him. It stayed that way until we were about 5 minutes away from his house. We took a left then a right and there was a minivan in front of java driving extremely slow. The street we were on I knew fairly well, but not as well at high speeds. Being the young kid I am on a sportbike I sped around Java and the minivan in oncoming traffic. There was a car coming toward me that was a little too close for comfort so it forced me to swerve back into my lane before I wanted to. By then I was going about 90 mph and there was a curve coming up that I was going way too fast to take.

The Impact

Since I was going too fast for the turn I locked up my front and rear brakes and slid off the road into someone’s front lawn. On their lawn was about a small car sized boulder that I hit head on. At the time of impact I was going about 80 mph. When the front of my bike hit it launched me about 60 feet through the air. As I was in the air it felt like everything was in slow motion. Then I hit the ground hard. When I hit the ground it instantly knocked the wind out of me. I slid for about 20 feet then got up on me 2 feet numb from the amount of adrenaline in my body. I knew right away I messed up. I limped over to a tree and layed down. A bunch of cars pulled over and I told Java to look for my phone . It turns out my phone exploded on impact in my pocket and was destroyed. I had to build up the courage to call  my mom and tell her what just happened.

The Hospital 

After about 5 minute of me lying on the ground it was like a scene out of a movie. Cop cars, fire trucks, and an ambulance all pull up in a hurry. I knew I messed up my right leg, but I didn’t know how bad. I took a look over at my bike and the whole front of it was gone. My stomach dropped because I knew I totaled it. The EMT’s loaded me up on a stretcher and got me in the ambulance. Once in the ambulance they had to cut off all of my clothes to see if I had any Injuries. I had a small swipe of blood on my hand, but I couldn’t see if I was bleeding from anywhere. Then when they cut my pants off I looked down and my quad was about 4 times it’s regular size and I had bad burns from my phone blowing up in my pocket, and a large gash at the top of my thigh that didn’t look real. It was so big. I was in quite a lot of pain so the EMT’s drugged me up and it was a blur after that. I ended up needing 40 staples to close my gash, had a pretty big patch of 3rd degree burns from my phone, and tore my acl and mcl in my right knee which required surgery.

How I got into Streetbikes

Taking you back to my childhood, I was just 4 years old when I got on a dirtbike for the first time and I fell in love with motorcycles and powersports ever since. Ever since I was that 4 year old little boy getting on a dirtbike for the first time, I always imagined myself getting a streetbike one day. I would see pictures of my dad with his bikes when he was younger and I wanted to be exactly like him.  Whenever I saw one driving on the road I would just listen, stop and stare. Just the sound, the look, and the speed drew my attention to them so much.

Who Influenced me?

My dad, who was the one who put me on a dirt bike, rode street and race bikes his whole life, so you can clearly see where I got that passion from. As I got older I got more skilled at riding and started pushing myself to learn new techniques to make my riding cleaner and faster. By the time I got to the age of 10-11 years old I was pretty comfortable on a dirt bike so it was time I got a real bike. My dad bought me a Suzuki rm-85 which was a pretty popular bike at the time and was my first bike I rode with a clutch. Learning how to ride with a clutch was difficult at first, but the more time I spent riding the better I got. Not too long after that I put my dirt bike away for the winter and stopped riding for a couple years because I got serious into football. Then in my junior year of high school when I was 17 years old my sister started dating this new kid named Mustafa. He had a gorgeous BMW m235i that made about 600 horsepower and I was in love with it. He started coming around more so I spent more time with him and was heavily influenced by his need for speed. That summer going into my senior year of high school Mustafa bought a BMW S1000RR which is one of the best 1000cc sport bikes you can get on the market, it’s also one of the fastest. Once I saw him pull in the driveway with it I knew I had to go for a ride on it. And for those that don’t know you can’t just hop on a 1000cc sport bike and ride it that easily with no experience. So I went for a ride with my dad. As soon as I sat on the back I knew what was about to happen. The ride was chill until we took the exit to merge onto the highway. As soon as we came around the bend my dad ripped it. I never felt something pull that hard in my entire life. The feeling that it gave me is incomparable to anything I had ever felt in my entire life. It changed everything for me. When We pulled into the driveway I knew right away what I needed in my life. A street bike.

Getting my first street bike

All throughout the next year I worked my butt off and saved up about $8,000 to buy myself a bike. It took me to the beginning of April. I would scan Facebook marketplace everyday trying to find the right bike. Finally I landed on the perfect one. A 2009 Yamaha R6 with Yamaha’s classic blue and had all the modifications I wanted. I was in love. My dad and I drove about 2 and a half hours away to pick it up and when we got home and got it unloaded I just sat and stared. It felt unreal I was 17 years old with my own street bike that I got all on my own. It was about another month before I would get to ride it. But, boy o boy, when I got to ride it was the best time I’ve ever had. Being by myself ripping on the highway was my peace, my bike was my getaway. The rush of adrenaline it gave me just made nothing else matter. Then snap I wrecked, bad.