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Doctor Zero posted:Are goons doing deals gap again this year? I'm actually close enough to go now. Wondering the same, because I also am as well. Good news today, I got my bike back this morning (88 Ninja 500)! Bad news is even though it runs, it runs like complete loving rear end. I have no idea what is wrong with it, and when I called the mechanic he said it was probably bad gas, and to let it run the gas out before I worry. The bike feels like its running without an exhaust on it, because I ran it with just straight headers for a week a year ago, and it feels identical. It is ok, but still sluggish, until about 6k rpm, and then from 6k rpm and 10k it will basically stop pulling completely and stay at maybe 8k rpm's at best. The exhaust note is also a bit deeper than what it was, and completely different sounding once it hits that 6-7k rpm mark (almost deep like a harley, instead of higher revving like it should sound). I think it could be a few things, my first thought was that the carbs aren't properly synched, but I don't know how that would feel. My other thought is the dumbass mechanic had no loving idea how to properly tune my bike to my jet kit I have in it after dicking around in my carbs for a week the jets are completely out of wack. I'm happy it can get me places now, but I seriously am sick of having a bike that will not run properly (especially when I pay people to make it run properly). I'm debating just throwing it on craigslist and being done with it.
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Feb 26, 2009 21:52
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Trintintin posted:Wondering the same, because I also am as well. I'm new to the whole bike thing, but I got a fair amount of experience with older carbed cars. Couple of questions: Have you checked compression? Do you have spark? How old is the fuel? Because I've driven a couple of old cars that ran like poo poo because they were weren't firing on all cylinders. Once we replaced the plugs and wires they would ride much, much better. Before that they didn't really rev properly and would bog down at random points in the rev range.
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Feb 27, 2009 02:29
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Trintintin posted:Wondering the same, because I also am as well. Sounds like it's only firing intermittantly on one cylinder, just like BotchedLobotomy's GS500. So...sounds like the mechanic hosed it up. I'd be PISSED at any mechanic who said "oh it sounds like bad gas", fucker, drain that poo poo and do your job properly. How do you know if it's fixed if it's not running right? Useless.
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Feb 27, 2009 02:35
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This is where you demand your money back. If it's not running right, he didn't complete the job. My bikes all run just fine, even on year old gas. Old gas won't be a problem until you reach high throttle settings. Basically, your mechanic is poo poo.
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Feb 27, 2009 02:39
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Nerobro posted:This is where you demand your money back. If it's not running right, he didn't complete the job. My bikes all run just fine, even on year old gas. Old gas won't be a problem until you reach high throttle settings. This I know, the fucker took 2 goddamn weeks, to order new floats. He ordered them one at a time apparently, because hes a loving idiot and forgot to order two, but didn't notice until only one of them showed up in the shop. So it looks like when I get some free time I'm going to cruise over to the shop and bitch a whole bunch to the owner. The compression on it was loving fantastic, which I'm very happy with, and it has new plugs as well. Glad to hear I'm not the only one thinking he hosed up. I'm going to run the fuel out anyway, and if that doesn't change it (which I highly doubt it will) the shop will be getting an ear full.
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Feb 27, 2009 15:35
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Trintintin posted:This I know, the fucker took 2 goddamn weeks, to order new floats. He ordered them one at a time apparently, because hes a loving idiot and forgot to order two, but didn't notice until only one of them showed up in the shop. So it looks like when I get some free time I'm going to cruise over to the shop and bitch a whole bunch to the owner. The compression on it was loving fantastic, which I'm very happy with, and it has new plugs as well. Glad to hear I'm not the only one thinking he hosed up. It has compression and new plugs, but does it have spark? Did he check/replace the coils and caps while he was there? Does it smell like it's running really rich while feeling like it's running lean? Like kicking out unburned fuel rich?
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Feb 27, 2009 16:01
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Simkin posted:I'm sure that the availability of good lutefisk more than makes up for vehicles costing 2-3x as much as anywhere else, right? Haha, I'm,closing in on 30 now and have not yet tasted lutefisk! That poo poo is just gross... I can deal with the prices here, but when it comes to riding offroad poo poo just gets stupid. Have not ridden a snowmobile for almost ten years now because of stupid regulations. Have also wanted a dirtbike since I got to sit on one when I was 4, but it's a pain in the rear end to get to places to ride. Thinking about getting some enduro wheels and tires for my bike and offroad when no one sees me 
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Feb 27, 2009 22:55
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Gr3y posted:It has compression and new plugs, but does it have spark? I have no idea if he checked the coils and caps (I don't know what those are  ) but yes actually, quite a few times I've smelt gas when coming to a stop and its definitely popping some serious backfire when I roll off the throttle compared to how it was.
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Feb 27, 2009 22:56
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Trintintin posted:I have no idea if he checked the coils and caps (I don't know what those are You coils are what provides an electrical impulse, the caps are what caries it to the spark plug, where it jumps from one terminal to another, providing a spark to ignite your fuel/air mixture. If there isn't any spark there is won't be any combustion. This will result in a loss of power (which will feel like the engine is running lean, because it isn't burning as much fuel as it wants), and the distinct odor of running rich (because it's kicking out a whole cylinder's charge worth of unburnt fuel). Again I'm new to motorcycles, but if you had this problem with a '67 Chevelle and not a 1995 Kawasaki I would suspect an issue somewhere in the ignition system. Listen to Nerobro. You gave these guys money to fix your bike, the bike is not fixed, they either owe you your money back for not doing your job, or they owe you a running bike. Talk to a manager. Be polite but tenacious.
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Feb 27, 2009 23:27
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http://www.kettenmax.com/ This looks like a fun product. Basically a box with brushes in it that cleans your chain as you rotate the wheel. It does peg my bullshit meter a bit, not because I don't think it works but because it replaces old school elbow grease on a simple task. If the video actually showed a really dirty chain being cleaned or with sufficient internet praise I'd buy it. For now I'll just dance to the awesome(ly generic) 80s synth pop in the demo video. Reminds me of the ads on old VHS tapes. http://www.kettenmax.com/video/Kettenmax%20Premium.wmv edit: they're singing praise for it over at advrider.com, this goes on my to-purchase-with-idle-money list Ola fucked around with this message at 14:00 on Feb 28, 2009 |
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Feb 28, 2009 13:48
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Good thing motorcycles depreciate real slowly. Paid $1,000 for my ninja, road it for a couple months, changed the oil, sold it for $1,500. 
Nostalgia4Dogges fucked around with this message at 20:50 on Feb 28, 2009 |
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Feb 28, 2009 14:48
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I got my RM250 for.. $250. Sold it for $961. I got my GS450L for $100 (roughly) and sold it for $850. I"m anxious to see what the 86 GS550ES sells for.
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Feb 28, 2009 18:56
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Ola posted:http://www.kettenmax.com/ //Road biking maintenance time Probably not bullshit as long as the cleaner is a beefed up version of what they sell for pedal bike chains. On the bicycle you have 3 round nylon brushes which mash up against the chain and spin in a bath of kerosene or other cleaner. Spin around till kerosene is dirty, clean, replace, do it more. For a motorbike it would have to be larger, go through more fluid, and probably need better brushes or it wouldnt clean as well. From the pictures it looked kinda small, but the theory is sound for cleaning smaller chains at least.
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Mar 1, 2009 04:58
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I have one of those three headed brushes that I use to clean my chain (like this http://www.motosport.com/dirtbike/p...&segment=badger). It works really well and was cheap. I just put brush on chain, dump some simple green on it and rotate adding more simple green as I go. When it looks like it's been decrudded successfully I hose it all off then dry it with a rag. It comes out super clean and only takes about 15 minutes from totally disgusting to squeaky clean, ready for some lube. I like using simple green because it works great and isn't going to penetrate the o-rings and mess the internal lube up. EDIT: The only thing that sucks about this method is that you end up getting a bunch of little spots all over your arm from the brush. They are chain lube residue and are really hard to get off. I would recommend a long sleeve shirt that you don't care about and some latex gloves. Bugdrvr fucked around with this message at 05:30 on Mar 1, 2009 |
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Mar 1, 2009 05:27
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How come it seems that whenever I stand up on my motorcycle to give my rear end a 20 second break every car within eyeshot of me has to speed up and go around me as fast as possible. It happened 3 times when I was out riding yesterday. I can only assume they think I'm going to do some mad stuntaz wheelies down the road but why would speeding past me make there situation any better at that point as opposed to slowing down, or not driving next to me? \/\/\/\/\/ Yeah thats what I figured. But damned if it doesn't scare the poo poo out of me every time I'm standing and a car blows by me when it was a good 4 car lengths behind me prior to that. \/\/\/\/\/ Trintintin fucked around with this message at 20:34 on Mar 1, 2009 |
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Mar 1, 2009 19:26
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Maybe they think they'll end up running you and your bike over when you loop it and are trying to get clear of the potential carnage.
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Mar 1, 2009 19:37
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So not even a week after getting my bike out of that goddamned shop, the clutch cable snaps while I'm parking it (thankfully not driving it) 5 blocks from my house. So I got the pleasure of forcing it into neutral, then walking a motorcycle 5 blocks home. The mechanic said my clutch was "on it's way out" which I assumed meant it was going to need to be replaced in a few thousand miles, not the cable critically snap after less than 40 miles of gentle as gently caress riding. I currently have 3 dollars to my name, so looks like its time to figure out how to fix a clutch. EDIT: What mechanic in their right loving mind would let someone ride a motorcycle with a clutch that was that close to being a critical failure.
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Mar 2, 2009 15:52
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One that doesn't have x-ray eyes because most of the clutch is covered by the housing, or one that didn't check the clutch cable because you didn't ask, or one that is just a crummy mechanic.
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Mar 2, 2009 15:59
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Trintintin posted:So not even a week after getting my bike out of that goddamned shop, the clutch cable snaps while I'm parking it (thankfully not driving it) 5 blocks from my house. So I got the pleasure of forcing it into neutral, then walking a motorcycle 5 blocks home. The mechanic said my clutch was "on it's way out" which I assumed meant it was going to need to be replaced in a few thousand miles, not the cable critically snap after less than 40 miles of gentle as gently caress riding. Your mechanic probably meant your clutch is on the way out, and didn't know that the cable was about to break. Might want to call him up and clarify.
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Mar 2, 2009 16:01
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Should have clarified, he lubed all my cables for me, including the clutch cable. So he was right up and personal with it. The initial Argh Mechanics rage has cleared and I ordered a new clutch cable already (thank god I never use credit cards). Hopefully it will be here before the weekend and I'll be able to replace it, it seems easy enough. Plus the cable was cheap.
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Mar 2, 2009 16:36
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Trintintin posted:Should have clarified, he lubed all my cables for me, including the clutch cable. So he was right up and personal with it. The initial Argh Mechanics rage has cleared and I ordered a new clutch cable already (thank god I never use credit cards). Hopefully it will be here before the weekend and I'll be able to replace it, it seems easy enough. Plus the cable was cheap. Where did it break? Clutch cables are covered, so unless it was obviously frayed right up at the end where you could see it, there was no way he could possibly know it was about to break.
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Mar 2, 2009 18:10
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And normally when you lube it you're not removing it from the covering, you're putting oil/lube down the tube with the wire still in there, so even then he'd have had no chance of actually checking the cable. Does make me happy that both of my cable failures are/were the speedo.
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Mar 2, 2009 20:52
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This is my new idea for motorcycle touring this summer, originally it was just England. The stars that need to align are money and my summer holiday, the timing with friend group A in Provence, friend group B in Oslo and internet friend C in Tuscany is already there. Budget is between $2200 and $2800, time a bit over 3 weeks. (not dead exact, I just paintbrushed the approx route) I've cut down the original England idea a bit to allow room for Europe, much like those rapscallions in Brussels eh eh? Anyway, here's the basic outline: - Ride to Kristiansand, spend the night at my aunt's, take cargoferry to Immingham near Hull. - Up to Scotland, do backroads and passes down the northwest coast. - Then through Lake District and Yorkshire Dales - Through Cat & Fiddle pass down to Portsmouth - Ferry over to Cherbourg, visit the D-day beaches. - Across France to the village of Contignac in Provence. There I will spend a few days with some friends who have a house there. - While in Contignac, take a daytrip up in the Alps to Col de Turini - Then to Italy and Tuscany to visit a Norwegian guy who lives there. He's "tagesk" on advrider. Two days or so, doing local rides. - The trip north goes through the Alps; Bormio, Stelvio, Davos. - Autobahn boredom through Germany, maybe a detour here and there but this is my pure transport stage. - Into Denmark, across the Öresund bridge to Sweden and up the coast to Oslo, just in time for two of my best friends' wedding!  - Finally home to Bergen and be broke for six months Total distance will be around 4500 miles, which is only 200-220 pr day but allowing for a few days rest. Costs will be cut in the food/comfort area. Mostly tenting, mostly supermarket/pub food. Apart from indulgences in Contignac and Tuscany of course, anything else would be a travesty. Now to make those stars align... 
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Mar 2, 2009 21:19
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I'll join up on some of that, I'm in London. I think the cost and time estimates might be a little low though. Of course you can always chop bits off as required. Gas will probably be about 4-500 euro at least. I'd probably want 6 days just to do London-Geneva-Menton and back, and that doesn't even give much time to stop and smell the flowers. I know people do it in less, but they motorway large sections. If I wanted to get to the Med in a day, I'd sleep in and take an afternoon flight!
Finger Prince fucked around with this message at 00:47 on Mar 3, 2009 |
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Mar 3, 2009 00:41
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My gas estimates will be higher for sure, but I'm hoping to save A LOT on tenting and eating cheaply. Broken down in days: 2 days from Bergen to Kristiansand, then ferry to Immingham 6 full days in England 2 days into and across France 3 days at friends in Cotignac 1 day to Toscana 1 day in Toscana 1 day to and in the Alps 2 days across Germany and into Sweden 1 day to Oslo and then 2 days for the wedding and the ride home = 21 days All of the destinations are worth more time than I spend on them, but you can't smell every flower I suppose. I'd be happy to have a riding buddy at any stretch, I'll post a thread when the time draws closer. Of course, there's a good chance I won't have enough money to do it, so it might not happen at all, haha.
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Mar 3, 2009 01:07
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Z3n posted:Sounds like it's only firing intermittantly on one cylinder, just like BotchedLobotomy's GS500. So...sounds like the mechanic hosed it up. I'd be PISSED at any mechanic who said "oh it sounds like bad gas", fucker, drain that poo poo and do your job properly. How do you know if it's fixed if it's not running right? Useless. To comment, yeah, it does sound like mine, but the opposite in terms of when it cut out. Mine was dead until I hit a certain rev, yours seems to maybe cut out at a certain rev? Maybe try holding your hand against the exhaust coming out and see if it feels like less is coming out at the revs it feels lovely at? (I could feel a distinct lack of a "poof" if you will when idling on 1 cylinder. I don't know much about bikes but its worth giving a try?) Speaking of my GS500, its still running like a champ thanks to the socal goons. I noticed after I let it sit for a couple days I need to choke it and give it some gas while starting to get it to fully kick on. I've been having to leave it on prime because my vacuum is currently weird on my fuel system, could it maybe be bogging down or something when I leave it in prime while parked? Should I leave that sucker on ON/Reserve when not in use? Sorry, this should have gone into the questions thread v v
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Mar 3, 2009 01:47
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BotchedLobotomy posted:Should I leave that sucker on ON/Reserve when not in use? Yes. If it's hard starting, set to prime and wait a few seconds. Then try again, choke as required. If you're unsure if it'll flood you can hit the start button then gradually pull the choke as you're cranking. When it catches simply adjust choke as necessary.
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Mar 3, 2009 02:08
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Ola posted:Now to make those stars align... Looks fantastic I'm curious to see how costs spell out and how cheaply west europe can be done.
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Mar 3, 2009 02:13
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I had to put my bike in storage in a hurry and haven't had access to it since I put it away (November '08). This means I didn't get the chance to put Stabil in the tank. How hosed am I? Is my gasoline going to be a pile of sludge and will I have to clean the carbs? It's a 2005 Ninja 250.
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Mar 3, 2009 20:49
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gotly posted:I had to put my bike in storage in a hurry and haven't had access to it since I put it away (November '08). This means I didn't get the chance to put Stabil in the tank. How hosed am I? Is my gasoline going to be a pile of sludge and will I have to clean the carbs? It's probably fine. You might have to charge the battery, though.
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Mar 3, 2009 21:19
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gotly posted:I had to put my bike in storage in a hurry and haven't had access to it since I put it away (November '08). This means I didn't get the chance to put Stabil in the tank. How hosed am I? Is my gasoline going to be a pile of sludge and will I have to clean the carbs? The answer is none... none hosed at all. My bike's sat for ~a year with just gasoline in it. You may have to clean the carbs if it's running funny, but it'll more likely than not be fine.
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Mar 4, 2009 02:59
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I wonder if that varies from region to region. Some say their carbs are hosed after four months of sitting but my old Honda CB 100 once sat for over a year and its little Keihin was just fine. Maybe different additives from different gas suppliers has some effect and I guess temperature/ moisture cycles is important as well.
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Mar 4, 2009 12:05
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My cbr 125 has a brake probem, at least i think it is. The back brake feels like its stuck on/seized, making the bike impossible to ride. when i press the back brake the light doesnt come on, so im guessing its seized. No idea how im going to get it to a garage to have it repaired though.
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Mar 4, 2009 13:42
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fronkpies posted:My cbr 125 has a brake probem, at least i think it is. You dont know anyone with a truck/van/trailer? How far away is the garage?
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Mar 4, 2009 16:34
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Anyone here have any experience with the Ducati 748/916? Can you daily drive it without becoming a hunchback? Is maintainance really that expensive? I'd like to hear some opinions. I'll probably to upgrade to one after putting some more miles on my sv. It's gonna be either a 748/916 or a VTR
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Mar 4, 2009 18:14
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jujube posted:Anyone here have any experience with the Ducati 748/916? I know some people who daily their ducs. I can't do it. You need to sit on one and figure out if it fits you or not. Maintenence costs depend on how much you want to DYI and how decent your local dealership is. VTR is the cheaper, more comfortable option, although it's got a particularly small gas tank, and the 50mm carb sucks gas an unbelievable amount if you're heavy on the throttle. See if you can snag a test ride on each one. They're very different bikes.
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Mar 4, 2009 18:23
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And what about the TLR? Big twins get me so hot augh Also, I've never taken a testdrive at a dealer before, what's the best way to get a ride?
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Mar 4, 2009 18:39
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fronkpies posted:My cbr 125 has a brake probem, at least i think it is. There are two bolts that hold your back brake to the caliper. Remove said bolts. Use bungie to keep brake off of the brake disk. Viola, working bike. If it's actually the back brake. jujube posted:And what about the TLR? Big twins get me so hot augh It's all fixable. But you'll be out a grand before you're done making the bike "right". And even then, it's a bike with some geometry issues regarding the swingarm and chain, so the rear suspension effectively locks up under power. I'd still buy one....
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Mar 4, 2009 19:30
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drat I had a flat tire and then at the garage they detected some problems with the engine so now they're going to open it to see what's wrong. I just hope it's fixable, but it'll be very expensive (2005 CBF250 with 36k km :\)
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Mar 4, 2009 19:52
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fronkpies posted:My cbr 125 has a brake probem, at least i think it is. Oh, easier way: Pop the bleed screw and let the excess pressure out of the caliper. Just loosen it, some brake fluid will squirt out, and tighten it back down once it stops squirting. It may be a little mushy if you let out too much brake fluid or get a little air in the caliper, but if you're just taking it to get fixed, that's the easiest way. Buy a TLR with the suspension work already done. Any decent rider on one will have done it, so no big deal...they're cheap and fun.
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Mar 4, 2009 19:54
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