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How serious are you about trackdays? If you're quite serious about it, just buy a pre-prepped trackbike that someone else has already dumped all the money into. You get them for way cheap because mods really don't hold their value. For the roughly 2k you'd spend on all of that stuff new, you could spend another 1-2k and have a really nice trackbike with all the goodies already installed. If you're not serious about it, then I'd upgrade your streetbike with plastics, sliders, and engine covers, and call it good. Get rearsets when you start to drag them, race clipons aren't really worth using unless you expect to have to be able to slap the bike together for a race after a crash. I'm not sure what the toe guard is, and I'd be careful about which pads I chose depending on how much street you'll be riding and how much track you'll be riding. Pure race pads are great for track use but I personally find them to be numb and then overpowering on the street, due to them stopping really well when hot and not so well any other time.
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Oct 29, 2009 05:03
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I feel silly asking this, but how universal are clutch cables? Can I walk into most cycle shops and get a clutch cable for an almost 30 year old bike, or is it gonna be something I need to order online? Also, is there a quality difference between Clymer and Haynes manuals?
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Oct 29, 2009 07:35
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PestiferousTrollop posted:I feel silly asking this, but how universal are clutch cables? Can I walk into most cycle shops and get a clutch cable for an almost 30 year old bike, or is it gonna be something I need to order online? As I've recently found out, they're bike specific, and odds are you'll have to look for it online. Which bike are you looking for cables for?
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Oct 29, 2009 08:13
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Z3n posted:It's easy enough to check if the bike's charging system is working right, just turn the bike on, rev it to roughly 1/3rd of total RPM, and check the voltage at the battery. It should be around 14v, if you're getting significantly more or less, there's a problem. Yeah, I know. The problem was that the battery had fried and we weren't finding anything wrong. Thus we had no reason for the battery to have fried. And if we didnae have a reason, we couldnae fix anything, and so it could happen again.
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Oct 29, 2009 10:12
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Z3n posted:How serious are you about trackdays? That's kind of the issue since I don't know how much Ill get into it until I get into it haha. I guess it's more a question of how much time will I have for it and how much I want to spend for that time. The toe guard is that little device on the swingarm many racing bodies require to keep bad things from happening to extremeties on their way to the sprocket. I was mainly thinking about crash survivability and repair costs for the build, plus the ability to recoup some of the build cost from the sale of the OE parts. Thinking about it, my bike may be worth too much still to be worth converting for track duty. I might just hold off and save more cash and make a decision then. I know I want another street bike (Monster  ) but Im not sure on my future on the track. I may want a simpler, less powerful track bike that's already taken it's licks for that anyway.
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Oct 29, 2009 14:16
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Plus in the future I might have more cash available for those pesky transport/upkeep and entry fee costs
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Oct 29, 2009 14:19
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Orange Someone posted:Yeah, I know. The problem was that the battery had fried and we weren't finding anything wrong. Thus we had no reason for the battery to have fried. And if we didnae have a reason, we couldnae fix anything, and so it could happen again. Oh, I see now. I was confused, my bad.  PestiferousTrollop posted:I feel silly asking this, but how universal are clutch cables? Can I walk into most cycle shops and get a clutch cable for an almost 30 year old bike, or is it gonna be something I need to order online? As mentioned before, clutch cables are not universal. There's not really a quality different between Clymer and Haynes manuals, they're both not that great. Factory manuals are where it's at, but they're expensive and can be difficult to find. lancemantis posted:That's kind of the issue since I don't know how much Ill get into it until I get into it haha. I guess it's more a question of how much time will I have for it and how much I want to spend for that time. Ahh, a shark fin. Right. My advice is to go to the track with your bike in street trim a few times. If you're hooked, then start looking for a dedicated trackbike, if it's fun but not exactly for you, then you won't have invested a bunch of time and money into it. I wouldn't want to track a brand new bike either, but as long as you keep firm control of yourself, it's more than possible to attend many, many trackdays without ever crashing.
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Oct 29, 2009 14:51
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PestiferousTrollop posted:I feel silly asking this, but how universal are clutch cables? Can I walk into most cycle shops and get a clutch cable for an almost 30 year old bike, or is it gonna be something I need to order online? Clymer is better than Haynes, but Haynes is better than nothing.
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Oct 29, 2009 16:23
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I'm not sure if my rear brake is set up right. I'm not sure if it's dragging or if the noise is supposed to be there. It seems like the only sliding mechanism is some rubber between the bolts and mount and the pin for the pads.
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Oct 30, 2009 02:18
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lancemantis posted:I'm not sure if my rear brake is set up right. I'm not sure if it's dragging or if the noise is supposed to be there. It seems like the only sliding mechanism is some rubber between the bolts and mount and the pin for the pads. A little dragging is normal and not a big deal. Easiest test is to take it for a quick spin without using the rear brake, if it's still cold when you get in, you're fine.
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Oct 30, 2009 06:01
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My KLR's carb is dripping petrol out of the overflow tube when I idle, I figure it's a stuck float needle or some poo poo in my carb, I'm at a place with no proper tools right now, is it safe to ride it like 20 miles in the state it is in?
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Oct 31, 2009 13:16
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niethan posted:My KLR's carb is dripping petrol out of the overflow tube when I idle, I figure it's a stuck float needle or some poo poo in my carb, I'm at a place with no proper tools right now, is it safe to ride it like 20 miles in the state it is in?
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Oct 31, 2009 13:52
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I was fiddling around with it and ran it with the petcock on closed and that made the needle unstick itself, now it's not dripping anymore and also idles like it should. Retracing what happened I think it got stuck when I ran out of gas and switched to reserve. Can those hiccups cause the needle to get stuck?
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Oct 31, 2009 14:29
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niethan posted:Can those hiccups cause the needle to get stuck? Not without grime present that would otherwise cause it to stick permanently. You still need a carb cleaning, just not as much as you needed it before it got unstuck.
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Oct 31, 2009 16:33
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Ola posted:Not without grime present that would otherwise cause it to stick permanently. You still need a carb cleaning, just not as much as you needed it before it got unstuck. Yeah, I'll get to that in spring, I just put the bike away for this season.
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Oct 31, 2009 17:26
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Just recently bought a Kawasaki ER-6N, my first bike. I also bought a 1 inch lowering kit that moves the rear shock slightly to lower the bike. Have a problem though, I have no idea how to lift this thing safely. Moms boyfriend has a motorcycle jack similar to this: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00950191000P?keyword=motorcycle+jack just a little bit larger but I don't see how I can use it. The entire lower section of my bike is taken up by the exhaust system and I'm guessing it isn't designed to support a couple of hundred pounds. Looking over the bike I found a couple of points that I thought might work to bear some weight but I wanted to ask you guys first.  A and C are just reasonably flat portions that tie into the frame. B is a spot under the lower plastic fairing that's the bottom of the crank shaft. It has the exhaust pipe running under it but nothing a couple 2x4s couldn't fix. I would of course have to remove the plastic but it doesn't seem to bad. Any suggestions? All I really need to do is take the load off of the rear tire so I can move the rear suspension so I don't even need to lift the entire bike. EDIT: If I need a different jack please let me know. I have the part number of the jack that kawi recommends but I don't want to buy it if I dont have to. Numinous fucked around with this message at 17:33 on Nov 1, 2009 |
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Nov 1, 2009 17:30
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When I removed a lowering link from my SV650 I just used a ratchet strap hung from my garage door track.
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Nov 1, 2009 17:41
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niethan posted:I was fiddling around with it and ran it with the petcock on closed and that made the needle unstick itself, now it's not dripping anymore and also idles like it should. If the needle sticks at all it's finished. Your temporary workaround is just that. Replace it. Tolerances on a needle valve and the seat are measured in my. If it's been stuck once it's FUBAR. It's a loving intermittent fault to ride with, and the fix is so cheap and simple that there's no excuse not to do it.
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Nov 1, 2009 18:23
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For motorcycle jacking I made one of these. http://www.mad-ducati.com/Technical/FrontStand/HMFS.html I built it for $50 I think and used it to completely disassemble the Duc earlier this summer.
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Nov 2, 2009 01:45
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I used the ratchet strap from my garage door track. Worked nicely. Definitely going to assemble the black pipe stand for any serious work in the future. Thanks for the link.
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Nov 2, 2009 03:28
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Oy vey, well I finally called it quits trying to trouble shoot my bike on my own since the battery is dead and needs to trickle charge. I sea-foamed the engine, ran it for a maybe 15-20 min, and it cleared up noticeably, so I decide to wait on adjusting the idle. I then shut it down and decided to quickly tackle the clutch cable replacing. Replacing the clutch cable could have been a 20 min job, except the previous owner, meth-heth that he was, decided to make his own scottoiler. In the form of a oily washcloth packed under the housing over the clutch cable attachment and chain. The washcloth was obviously mostly a terrible greasy dirt now, so I had to clean all the crud out, and take an old toothbrush to it before reoiling the chain and outer clutch assembly. I then put everything back the way it was. It won't start now. I didn't fiddle with any of the fuel stuff, and was especially careful not to mess with it when I was installing the cable. Basically, even with full choke it won't catch. Starter turns the engine over, but it just keeps doing that. It had one or two very far apart backfires, but nothing else. It seems like the engine just isn't getting fuel, but I went over all the lines from the carbs and fuel tank, can't find any pinches or undone connections. The best I can come up with, is that the sea-foam loosened up so much crap, that it just can't burn the fuel. Is this feasible? How would I drain the tank to put better fuel in? Any other ideas?
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Nov 2, 2009 04:22
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I seriously doubt it was due to the seafoam. It doesn't work that way. You didn't turn the fuel off and forget it turn it on again, did you? I've done that before.  Also, perhaps you flooded it. You mentioned backfires which is unburnt fuel detonating, so if it's backfiring I would assume its getting gas. Have you tried it recently?
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Nov 2, 2009 16:03
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Found this shock on eBay for my Seca II. They guy says it has $5,800 miles on it. Anyone have any thoughts on if I should pull the trigger on this guy or not? eBay Seca II Rear Shock
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Nov 2, 2009 20:26
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Looks kinda crusty, but thats probably just oil and dirt. I'm thinking even if the shock is junk, you could resell the swinger and recoup your money.
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Nov 2, 2009 21:00
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Phat_Albert posted:Looks kinda crusty, but thats probably just oil and dirt. I'm thinking even if the shock is junk, you could resell the swinger and recoup your money. Good call. I think I'll go spend some more money. Yay.
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Nov 2, 2009 21:04
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Is it normal for a used 08 ninja 250 with 5000 miles to vibrate like a motherfucker? I've been riding a used 08 ninja 250 for a couple months now and it seems like the thing vibrates way too much. It occurs mostly in the handlebars, footpegs, seat, and gas tank at anything over 35+ mph. Travelling for 30 minutes at 50-70 mph on highway roads is pretty uncomfortable.The 08 ninja is my first bike, so I don't really have anything else to compare it to. I'm not sure if there's something wrong with it or if it's just something I'm not used to as a new rider. I'm not experienced with mechanics, but this bolt on the handlebars seemed like it had been hosed with extensively. Could it be related to my problem?  Click here for the full 1600x1200 image.
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Nov 3, 2009 22:04
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What gear and RPMs are you at? Does it bother you at low speed at high RPM? Certain people are more sensitive to vibration than others. The bolt was removed by someone with the wrong sized socket or who wasn't too gentle with it, but it's not a problem unless it's loose.
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Nov 3, 2009 22:37
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Doctor Zero posted:I seriously doubt it was due to the seafoam. It doesn't work that way. Heh, I don't really know exactly how seafoam works, but I figured whatever it cleans out of the engine doesn't just magically disappear, and if there was a lot of crud it could make the fuel lovely. Regardless, I went over all the connections and fine-c before trying to start it and got nowhere. The backfires were few and very far between. So I wasn't sure what to make of them. No smell of exhaust or fuel either. What are the chances the clutch cable install and rag oiler bullshit removal could effect the engine being able to start? Is there anything under that first housing that stops the engine when not set up right? Not seeing anything from the Haynes Manual Diagrams that clues me in. Also, not sure when I can work on it again right now and I know I'm not giving much good info. But any advice on what kinda info to bring here for you guys would be nice.
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Nov 4, 2009 08:36
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Are you getting spark? Pull out the plugs and ground them on the head, and then crank it over. You should see a nice blue spark. If you don't, replace the plugs. However, if you're not getting any smell of fuel, it sounds like something is clogged in the fuel delivery system. Have you checked that your petcock is functioning? Are you getting fuel flow? Is there a vacuum port on the petcock that a line has fallen off of or the line has cracked? Is a fuel filter full and blocking the carbs? Did you run out of gas?  (I only say it because I've done it before while working on a bike  ) When I run into problems like this, I tend to isolate areas. So I'll feed the carbs directly with a gas slave tank, and see if it starts to fire. If it does, then I know that the problem is somewhere upstream. If it doesn't, it's time to start seeing why the carbs aren't delivering fuel.
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Nov 4, 2009 18:11
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Haven't ridden in about a week. I went out to go start her up (I'm planning a 21 day bike ride starting tomorrow.) Hit the starter, the engine tried to turn over and click click click click click. I was able to jump it and it started right up. Rode around for a while last night but now I have the same problem today trying to start her up. What do you think goons, battery or starter?
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Nov 6, 2009 19:38
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unorthodoxender posted:Haven't ridden in about a week. I went out to go start her up (I'm planning a 21 day bike ride starting tomorrow.) Hit the starter, the engine tried to turn over and click click click click click. I was able to jump it and it started right up. Rode around for a while last night but now I have the same problem today trying to start her up. What do you think goons, battery or starter? Battery. As in, the battery voltage was low. That can mean your bike isn't charging properly, but most likely just the battery. "Click" (voltage drops as relay engages) "Click" (relay disengages, voltage rises) "Click" (voltage drops as relay engages) "Click" (relay disengages, voltage rises) Disclaimer: A mechanically poor relay or starter would behave the same way regardless of voltage, but an electrically poor relay would respond better to higher voltage, even if your battery voltage was good to begin with. The first point of troubleshooting in this potential mystery is to measure your battery voltage when the starter is acting up.
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Nov 6, 2009 20:17
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unorthodoxender posted:Haven't ridden in about a week. I went out to go start her up (I'm planning a 21 day bike ride starting tomorrow.) Hit the starter, the engine tried to turn over and click click click click click. I was able to jump it and it started right up. Rode around for a while last night but now I have the same problem today trying to start her up. What do you think goons, battery or starter? I also vote battery is nothing but for the simple fact that's the most likely culprit. If you have a Batteries Plus near you, take the battery in and they will test it and sell you a new one on the spot if it's bad. However, the real question is why is your battery bad? Is it old? Or do you have a charging system problem? You may want to test that once you get a known-good battery.
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Nov 6, 2009 20:20
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Not sure if to ask this in the tire thread or here, but I need to buy a new set of Pirelli Sport Demons for my bike. Any recommendations on sites to purchase from?
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Nov 6, 2009 22:22
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ari.gato posted:Not sure if to ask this in the tire thread or here, but I need to buy a new set of Pirelli Sport Demons for my bike. Any recommendations on sites to purchase from? http://www.tiresunlimited.com/motorcycle_tires.htm and so can you! if you can ignore how ugly the site is.
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Nov 7, 2009 03:59
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I loving hate carburetors. So, the problem I had a few weeks ago was apparently never fixed. I had cleaned the poo poo out of the carb (and drained out the gas), and taken it for a 30-45 minute drive a few weeks ago, and it ran like it used to. Last week, I took it out for a longer ride, and when I was about 30 minutes from home, I clutched in to turn around, and it died, revs just dropped down at a normal pace like it was returning to idle, but then it died. I got it running again by holding the throttle about half-open to start, and then holding it there, and every stoplight/sign etc was a barrel of fun, as I have to hold the throttle or rev it like a jackass to keep it from stalling out. "gently caress, pilot jet is dirty again, guess I'll have to clean it out... again" So I set to that task this morning, pulled the carb out, cleaned the outside first, then the inside, didn't adjust anything, just disassemble/clean/reassemble. However, now it's proper hosed. It'll start (initially with just a choke, and later only with half-throttle) and the revs jump up to 3k or so, where it sits. It will sit there, revving happily at 3k and then, with no prompting, the revs drop.. drop.. drop.. sputter.. die. If I touch the throttle during this process, it'll rev itself back up to 3k and hang out there but then it'll stall itself out again. What the gently caress is going on here? All I want to do is get the loving thing running/into storage so I can sell the fucker in the spring. Anyone have any ideas? This is frustrating.
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Nov 7, 2009 17:43
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Welcome to the reason I sold my ZX600  Check the float inlets, make sure nothing is caught in that area that might plug one of the carbs. I ran into this about 3 times from different sections of the same oring that was floating around in the fuel inlet piping.
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Nov 8, 2009 02:59
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Fantastipotamus posted:I got it running again by holding the throttle about half-open to start, and then holding it there, and every stoplight/sign etc was a barrel of fun, as I have to hold the throttle or rev it like a jackass to keep it from stalling out. Yeah good times, I had to keep my CBR250RR on about 6-8000RPM at the lights the other day after my battery died Only choice was to jump it with a car, got it going and had to sit at a red light for loving ever literally 3 seconds after getting it started again and the whole time everyone was giving me looks because of my little 250cc inline 4 screaming out in joy so the revs didn't drop to the point where it'd be draining the battery and hence stall and have to be roll started.
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Nov 8, 2009 14:42
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Question: I have a 2009 triumph bonneville. I just did the 500 mile service on it and had it out for a nice long ride through the twisties today. I noticed that when I have the throttle engaged in gear, there is a grinding noise (mild, like a piece of metal against a wire wheel), but only when my right leg is not tight on the fuel tank. I think it occurs due to wind-flow as I move my leg because it is not present if I am in proper riding posture. It does not occur if the throttle is not engaged, or the clutch is engaged. I am baffled and don't really know enough to know whether this could possibly be a problem. If it were true in either of those circumstances, it would make a lot more sense to me. However, I need to be 1. in motion above 15 miles per hour or so 2. apply at least some throttle 3. off the clutch 4. shifted so that my leg is not shielding hte back half of the bike from wind. Any ideas?
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Nov 8, 2009 22:08
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Ever heard a clean chain making its bacon sizzling sound before?
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Nov 8, 2009 22:18
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ohwandernearer posted:Question: How much gas is in the tank? Mine tends to amplify and echo noises when empty and putting pressure on the tank tends to make weird noises go away.
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Nov 8, 2009 23:36
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