I have the chance to buy a lot of ceramic molds. How do i tell if they are good or damaged from inproper heat use or age?
Ceramic molds normally mean plaster molds used with clay slip to make hollow thin shelled clay copies that are then fired and glazed. Generally collections of molds that have been used have very little value (I learned years ago) because the erosion that occurs in use distorts the details found on new copies and any physical mishandling chips the edges, resulting in a need to clean-up the molded clay. Also, many molds sold used are out-of-date in that they were made of topics popular for a while but passe now. Normally, if the plaster feels right not soft or discolored, heat or age are not involved. Check the inside surfaces of at least some to see if odd materials were molded that would affect use - I have made wax shells for lost wax casting in my own molds after making slip castings, but don't know what effect it would have on further use with slip.
Unless you plan on having abs on every motorcycle you will ever ride, then no I wouldnt recommend it. You will never learn how to brake properly if the machine is doing it for you. Im not a fan of it either personally. Concerning the dealer saying that. Theyre a business. Their job is to make as much money off of you as possible.
Just my opinion, but for only $300, I think you'd be foolish to not get it. I've been riding for 35 years and have put over 100,000 miles on several bikes and if I could retrofit my old bikes with ABS for $300, I'd jump at it. And while I'm sure some people prefer non-ABS brakes, it's that one time in a thousand where the unexpected comes up and even they wish they had it. Anyone who says they have never needed it are either lying or else they've never ridden on gravel or sand roads (done that plenty), in the rain, had some a$$hole pull out directly in front of them in the rain and knew it was either hit them or risk locking the brakes and losing it (luckily I did neither, but it was mighty close), on snow covered roads or on rain slickened red brick streets. I've done all of that and if nothing else, ABS would have kept my heartrate and blood pressure from spiking on those rare occasions. I wonder how many people would rather not have ABS on their car or truck? As far as ABS preventing you from learning how to brake, if so, then there's millions of teenagers out there that will never learn how to properly brake their car since ABS is pretty much standard now days. And if they never learn how to properly brake their car, so what? With the avdent of automatic chokes in the 1950s and then fuel injection, for 50 years there's been countless millions of people out there who have no clue of how to operate a manual choke on a car or truck. And what has the impact of that been? Nothing! And if ABS saves you one trip to the ER or skinning up pretty chrome pipes, then $300 is a bargain.
I dont think anyone will be able to answer that question for youABS is relatively new to the motorcycle industry. 99% of people that ride now grew up without ABS on a bikeand most still do not have it. If you dont get ABS I can tell you, you WILL have that OH NO moment and lock up the rear tireit happens to everyone. The odds of going down from it are pretty slim but it will scare you. That being said, it also really depends on what type of riding you are doing. People that ride aggressively (sportbikes) do not like abs at all, being able to kick the rear end out setting up going into a corner is fun and is Incorporated into a lot of riders styles. But if you are just going for cruising and not ever plan on being that aggresive rider, ABS would probably be a good investment.
