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-Inu- posted:Mildly retarded question: If you hit one of the reflectors on the road (like they have on the DY) while you're at a high lean angle, is there a large chance of the bike losing traction? Logic tells me "yes", but I'm not sure if it's one of those crazy things the bike can handle or not. The way my old boss explained it, there is a big difference between momentary and continuous loss of traction. A single rock, a single bit of tar, some blip in the road... the bike just gets unsettled for a second. Change that into a pile of gravel and you are hosed though.
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Nov 13, 2009 22:27
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They most definitely have lower traction when wet, but not too bad when dry. I've never tested this other than locking the rear on curious purpose when driving over various markings. About lines, my instructor taught me this about blind corners: Stay wide (just outside the right wheel track for a right hander) until you see the exit, THEN cut in to the apex while aiming for the desired exit point. It doesn't make for perfect MotoGP corners, but they have the advantage of lots and lots of practice and no oncoming traffic. This is helpful with corners visible all the way through as well. Hang wide until you see a clear line past the apex to the desired exit. If you cut in too early you might see yourself drifting out too early as well. Suddenly you find yourself drifting towards the center line (if in a right hander) without the turn having finished turning...you need to lean further and it feels like you took the turn way too fast, even if you could have gone faster if you had stayed wide a little longer.
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Nov 13, 2009 22:33
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Cool thanks guys. I guess the biggest concern about tapping a reflector then would just be controlling SR's as to not do something retarded like try to brake or snap the throttle closed. I'll have to keep working on my lines, thanks for the tip. I still have trouble putting faith into blind corners so that should help.
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Nov 13, 2009 22:58
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-Inu- posted:I still have trouble putting faith into blind corners. If you don't know the road or there's a chance of obstacles, you shouldn't rely on faith. Go slow enough so you're able to dodge or brake in time.
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Nov 13, 2009 23:16
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-Inu- posted:Logic tells me "yes", but I'm not sure if it's one of those crazy things the bike can handle or not. Your logic is sound. Momentarily losing traction is not neccesarily a big deal, however those markers aren't just slippery when wet, they're also bumps. They can upset the suspension, and if you're cornering hard, they could start a slide that will run you out of talent real quick. The greater the bikes lean angle, the less capable the suspension is at handling a vertical bump. At a 45 degree lean angle 1/2 the force can go into compressing the suspension, the other half only has as much suspension as tire, frame, fork, and swingarm flex allow. Running over markers isn't dangerous, but if you're near the limit of traction, it could be. I hit one while riding too fast on the street, and broke my leg when I slid into the guard rail.
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Nov 13, 2009 23:16
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Ola posted:If you don't know the road or there's a chance of obstacles, you shouldn't rely on faith. Go slow enough so you're able to dodge or brake in time. Zool posted:Running over markers isn't dangerous, but if you're near the limit of traction, it could be. I hit one while riding too fast on the street, and broke my leg when I slid into the guard rail.
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Nov 13, 2009 23:35
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-Inu- posted:Mildly retarded question: If you hit one of the reflectors on the road (like they have on the DY) while you're at a high lean angle, is there a large chance of the bike losing traction? Logic tells me "yes", but I'm not sure if it's one of those crazy things the bike can handle or not. Yes, you could lose traction, but the lines are so narrow, unless you are on the perfect arc where you follow exactly along the line, or the reflectors are more than a few inches wide, you dont have much to worry about. The moment where you are in a low-traction situation is so small it shouldnt send you off the bike. Basically it will slide for a split second over the reflector and pick up traction on the other side of it. Of course it CAN cause you to wipe out, anything can, so always be aware.
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Nov 13, 2009 23:46
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-Inu- posted:Even on roads I know, I have that lingering feeling that there could be some dumbfuck stopped halfway in the road taking pictures or something. Rightfully so, I suppose. gently caress yeah. On the stretch of road I know the best, there is a decreasing radius corner which I used to hate but have come to love. I nail that sucker so good. I stay wide much longer than someone who had never done it before would have. Just partly leaned and turning with the yellow line until I go past a dent in the railing where I know the turn tightens. Then I hug the gently caress out of the tarmac, brush my helmet against the railing and come wide just to kiss the yellow centerline at the exit. Rossi would have gone "woof", shook his head and cooled his face with his waving hand. Ok, that's not exactly how it happens but that's how it feels. But the thing is, since it is: 1) A blind corner 2) A road I ride a lot in my daily goings back & forth 3) A known destination I excite myself in advance with 4) A place which is usually desolate and 5) A corner I am so loving complacent with it is a perfect accident waiting to happen. When I ride on the typical backroads of western Norway I am very careful about sticking to my side of the road in case the milk truck or the bus is coming around the corner. But since I know the corner perfectly and there's usually no obstacles, I give it the beans. One day there's going to be a tractor with a hay loader there, or the horse girls with their carriage. And I will be verily hosed. It's funny how I am so aware about my own complacency yet keep on doing it. Take that as whatever advice you will. As long as you have done an honest assessment of your abilities and you have thought through the potential risks of your activity, your own sphincter will limit your potential for destruction. Perhaps the CA safety police will help in a small but important manner, the best bit is that you have this instinct already and it should keep on being the main compass direction for your future riding. Kudos for that.
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Nov 14, 2009 01:08
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Ola posted:It's funny how I am so aware about my own complacency yet keep on doing it. I do the same thing. I hang my head over the DY like no one's business. I know I shouldn't be doing that, but I just can't help it, it feels so natural.  Just gotta keep fighting it, I suppose.
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Nov 14, 2009 01:17
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My Ninja 500's headlight is ugly (as in not clear like modern headlight designs). I want to tint it to emphasize the bike's shape. Every time I look at the front, my attention is taken away from the nice body shape by the ugly '80's style headlight glass. Anyone have any cheap solutions? So far I've found stickercity.com, and decalfx.com (more expensive).
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Nov 16, 2009 00:46
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So, rare parts request: I just came into possession of a 1982 Honda CB750SC. Being a two-year-bike, parts are a bitch to find. Does anybody have any good connections for rare parts? I got the bike for a song, but when the guy handed me the box of "spare parts", it was a box of Suzuki crap. Basically, I need a fuel tank, a seat, and some other assorted pieces (battery, brake parts, etc.)- I'm in Austin, TX if that makes a difference.
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Nov 16, 2009 01:51
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areyoucontagious posted:I just came into possession of a 1982 Honda CB750SC. Sup fellow Austinite! http://z1enterprises.com/ and http://www.bikebandit.com/ should be able to help with the brakes and other hard parts, but when it comes to the tank and seat you'll probably need to start digging into Ebay or some of the Honda enthusiast forums. If there's a bike salvage yard in Central Texas, I'll be damned if I have found it yet. edit - corrected second URL Raven457 fucked around with this message at 14:44 on Nov 16, 2009 |
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Nov 16, 2009 02:54
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Got hold of a stock exhaust system for my Gixxer tonight. Must've looked awesome riding along with a set of headers strapped to my pillion seat and a stock muffler in a backpack. This means I can fit my M4 stubby pipe tomorrow. Mwahahahahahahaha! Loud pipes save lives, bitches!
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Nov 16, 2009 12:46
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So as far as winterizing a bike goes... I usually have the bike in the garage (or god forbid, in the RV park with a tarp over it, but this rarely/ever happens) and try to roll it forward and backwards 6-8 feet every couple weeks for the tires' sake. One thing I'd like to do this winter is start it up and possibly drive it around the neighborhood (if it isn't still snowing) maybe once a month. Sta-bil in the gas tank, but I don't put anything in the oil. I run engine ice (the purple stuff) so I'm not concerned about that freezing, but is there anything else I should really be taking care of before the bike goes in the garage for the winter? It's made it through 2 winters this way; in the spring I change the plugs and the oil, but the plugs and oil have looked fine both times. Is this even necessary?
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Nov 16, 2009 18:34
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Nait Sirhc posted:So as far as winterizing a bike goes... It's best to take the battery out and put it on a tender, or charge it up every 4-6 weeks. Also, as far as the oil goes, don't forget that oil breaks down with time as well as use. If you're bike's been sitting for 3 months unridden, it's still time to change the oil! Shouldn't need to change the plugs, though.
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Nov 16, 2009 18:44
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I think Thanksgiving will be my last road trip of the year and I have some questions. I started riding last year in Nov and Dec, but never highway runs. Will my AST jacket and a balaclava keep me not dead in 35-40F air temp with wind speeds around 80MPH? Watching the forecast like a hawk as well, since I would be well and truly hosed if it snows or ices over. If it does get icy and I must drive home, how do I handle that on a bike?
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Nov 16, 2009 18:56
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dietcokefiend posted:I think Thanksgiving will be my last road trip of the year and I have some questions. Call a cab.
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Nov 16, 2009 18:57
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UserNotFound posted:Call a cab. To drive me WI to OH? 
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Nov 16, 2009 19:00
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Doctor Zero posted:It's best to take the battery out and put it on a tender, or charge it up every 4-6 weeks. Is there any sort of additive for oil that isn't complete poo poo? I refuse to use the Lucas stabilizer and I haven't seen anything else that is the equivalent of Sta-bil for oil. Or if such a thing is even possible.
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Nov 16, 2009 19:12
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Anyone got that link to the snowmobile conversion handy?
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Nov 16, 2009 19:12
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Nait Sirhc posted:Is there any sort of additive for oil that isn't complete poo poo? I refuse to use the Lucas stabilizer and I haven't seen anything else that is the equivalent of Sta-bil for oil. Or if such a thing is even possible. Oil shouldn't breakdown in any way relevant for a motorcycle in 3 short months. If you are that concerned just do an oil change after 500-1000 miles into the next season.
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Nov 16, 2009 19:14
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dietcokefiend posted:I think Thanksgiving will be my last road trip of the year and I have some questions. I did a gear review after riding 60 mph at 45 degrees for about four hours wearing an AST: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2393894&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=84#post367931764 First off, I hope you have good gloves. Second, definitely wear a sweater underneath. And a thermal undershirt. Do you have overpants? If not, your legs will freeze. I would pick up a bunch of those chemical hand warmers at Wal-Mart and stuff them under my jacket and in my gloves. They're not super hot, but a little bit of warmth goes a long way.
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Nov 16, 2009 19:15
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Raven457 posted:Sup fellow Austinite! There's a place called Action Cycle Warehouse in San Antonio, and it's basically exactly that- 1000+ bikes in the back, relatively inexpensive, cool people. The only drawback is that after I drove my rear end down there, after they told me they were sure they had the tank and seat, they didn't have it  The guy was real helpful, though, and said he'd use his connections to find me the parts. Hopefully he'll find something and I won't have to scour the earth for the drat parts. Seriously though, check the place out. It's got a ton of poo poo, and I'm always down for a road trip. I need to buy a battery anyways...
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Nov 16, 2009 21:15
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dietcokefiend posted:To drive me WI to OH? Do you have another choice than your bike? WI to OH on a bike with icy roads?!
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Nov 16, 2009 21:34
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dietcokefiend posted:WI OH Actually I think this sums it up even better, bike has nothing to do with it 
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Nov 16, 2009 22:40
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Are there any good motorcycle books or movies that I should be aware of? I am not aware of any good motorcycle movies besides documentaries like "On Any Given Sunday," and the books I know of are mostly informational non-fiction such as Proficient Motorcycling. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is another good one, and actually incorporates a (true) story. Anything else?
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Nov 16, 2009 23:51
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FuzzyWuzzyBear posted:Are there any good motorcycle books or movies that I should be aware of? I am not aware of any good motorcycle movies besides documentaries like "On Any Given Sunday," and the books I know of are mostly informational non-fiction such as Proficient Motorcycling. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is another good one, and actually incorporates a (true) story. Anything else? One Crazy Ride was pretty cool if you don't mind the indian accents. Riding Solo to the top of the world was good, but not as motorcycle-y dietcokefiend posted:I think Thanksgiving will be my last road trip of the year and I have some questions. If it doesn't hurt you're doing it wrong. blugu64 fucked around with this message at 00:01 on Nov 17, 2009 |
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Nov 16, 2009 23:58
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FuzzyWuzzyBear posted:Are there any good motorcycle books or movies that I should be aware of? I am not aware of any good motorcycle movies besides documentaries like "On Any Given Sunday," and the books I know of are mostly informational non-fiction such as Proficient Motorcycling. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is another good one, and actually incorporates a (true) story. Anything else? I highly recommend Peter Egan's Leanings and Leanings 2. He writes for Cycle World, and he's an awesome writer. Both books are collections of the various bits he's written for them over the years.
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Nov 17, 2009 00:00
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FuzzyWuzzyBear posted:Are there any good motorcycle books or movies that I should be aware of? I am not aware of any good motorcycle movies besides documentaries like "On Any Given Sunday," and the books I know of are mostly informational non-fiction such as Proficient Motorcycling. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is another good one, and actually incorporates a (true) story. Anything else? Both Riding Solo to the Top of the World and One Crazy Ride by dirttrackprodcutions.com are incredible. Here are some trailers: http://www.dirttrackproductions.com/trailers/ridingsolo/index.html#ocr As far as books go: The Longest Ride by Emillo Scotto Lois on the Loose by Lois Pryce Red Tape and White Knuckles by Lois Pryce Two Wheels Through Terror by Glen Heggstad
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Nov 17, 2009 00:01
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dietcokefiend posted:I think Thanksgiving will be my last road trip of the year and I have some questions. Icy roads are VERY hard to handle, but if you want to attempt it you could pick up a box of screw in studs. These can be put in with a power drill, worst case you could find a shop and see if they let you install them. If you choose not to go that way then try to stay in the track of another large vehicle and remain as steady on the throttle as possible. When the bike steps out or loses traction you want to try to react very little as there's a good chance that it'll recover quickly with steady throttle. If it doesn't well you're going down anyway. That's what I've done in the past with ice and it's worked well enough for me. Clothes wise you'll want a sung knit cap to go under the helmet. At freeway speeds even closed helmet vents leak and in those temps it's like an icy bore going into your skull. Your hands and feet will get cold first and both are needed to safely operate a bike, have some very good winter gloves and some heated grips. Thick wool socks are also a must. It's really not that bad to travel as long as you can stay in some good sunlight, but long overcast days or even worse night riding in those temps is miserable. I highly recommend a heated jacket liner, it will change the trip from endurance event to fantastic good time. PlasticSun fucked around with this message at 00:08 on Nov 17, 2009 |
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Nov 17, 2009 00:06
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PlasticSun posted:it will change the trip from endurance event to fantastic good time. DEATH MARCH 
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Nov 17, 2009 00:11
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FuzzyWuzzyBear posted:Are there any good motorcycle books or movies that I should be aware of? I am not aware of any good motorcycle movies besides documentaries like "On Any Given Sunday," and the books I know of are mostly informational non-fiction such as Proficient Motorcycling. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is another good one, and actually incorporates a (true) story. Anything else? I'm partial to The Racer's Image which is a little known book about canyon riding in the bay area. It's not amazing writing or anything, but it's entertaining. I'm also partial to Dan Walsh's book "These are the days that must happen to you", but I'm a sucker for gonzo type writing. Song of the Sausage Creature is good too. Kevin Cameron's book "Top Dead Center" is another collection of his cycle world columns, and is quite good.
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Nov 17, 2009 00:40
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UserNotFound posted:Do you have another choice than your bike? Yea I could drive one of my two cars, but what the hell is the fun in that? Also I just noticed my rear tire is basically bald in the center. Ordering a new set of tires now, praying they get here before tuesday so I can get the rear mounted before I leave.
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Nov 17, 2009 02:15
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dietcokefiend posted:Yea I could drive one of my two cars, but what the hell is the fun in that? SV's are no fun in ice, too much engine braking. I was commuting to work in icy weather last winter and it sucked, like plasticsun said throttle control is a must, getting on the gas too hard or chopping the throttle shut can break the rear loose. Braking is all about serious forward thinking, if you have to emergency brake you're going for a slide. I was using really light front brake and relying more on the rear brake and engine braking combined with clutch modulation to slow down. I remember going sideways down the road one morning, straight towards a T junction and praying there was no traffic coming along the main road after having to brake hard to avoid some oblivious schoolkids who decided to cross the road right in front of me. luckily I was going slowly to begin with so I just held the slide till I came to a complete stop and puttered off again slowly. Once the roads were gritted it was ok but they only grit main roads here, so smaller backroads and roads around housing estates are treacherous. I fell once in the yard at work on a completely innocuous looking bit of tarmac that had black ice on it, picking a bike up when you have barely enough traction to stand is the loving worst.
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Nov 17, 2009 02:37
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dietcokefiend posted:Yea I could drive one of my two cars, but what the hell is the fun in that? I really don't mean to be a dick, but tire wear is something you should be instinctively aware of. How would it sneak up on you if you're checking tire pressures, oil level, or any basic checks before riding. Maybe it's different for me because I have a 27 year old bike, but I think there are essential things you should be aware of before riding to ensure your safety. echomadman posted:SV's are no fun in ice, too much engine braking. Holy hell I can imagine. I rode an SV for the first time(and first vtwin) the other night, and due to the engine breaking (which I was prepared for) and the rear disc brake(which i am not used to) I slid the rear end on both the 3>2 and 2>1 down shifts during one stop. This was just cool weather, nothing nasty...I think in any rain or god forbid ICE I'd just pull in the clutch and forget about engine breaking. UserNotFound fucked around with this message at 03:06 on Nov 17, 2009 |
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Nov 17, 2009 02:57
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UserNotFound posted:I really don't mean to be a dick, but tire wear is something you should be instinctively aware of. How would it sneak up on you if you're checking tire pressures, oil level, or any basic checks before riding. Maybe it's different for me because I have a 27 year old bike, but I think there are essential things you should be aware of before riding to ensure your safety. I always check the tire pressure but tread depth isnt something I make a note of measuring. I was planning on replacing them at the end of this season since the rear is pretty squared off but I didnt realize the tread near the center of the profile was only 2-3mm tall. My last road trip basically put it into that range, so its not like it snuck up on my over a few months or something. I ride the bike for a few weeks here and there and put about 6-7k on a year. This last possible trip wasnt planned until today. My previous plan was tooting around town for the rest of fall/winter on that tire getting as many miles out of it until my new set comes in. Obviously I paid enough attention to them to order a new set to get them mounted before I leave next week  UserNotFound posted:Holy hell I can imagine. I rode an SV for the first time(and first vtwin) the other night, and due to the engine breaking (which I was prepared for) and the rear disc brake(which i am not used to) I slid the rear end on both the 3>2 and 2>1 down shifts during one stop. This was just cool weather, nothing nasty...I think in any rain or god forbid ICE I'd just pull in the clutch and forget about engine breaking. The engine braking isn't too bad, was on par with what I was expecting coming from my ZX600. Most of my day to day stops are on the heavy side of things and chirp the tires, but I have never need able to kick out the back tire on the SV since it has ABS. dietcokefiend fucked around with this message at 03:26 on Nov 17, 2009 |
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Nov 17, 2009 03:23
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dietcokefiend posted:The engine braking isn't too bad, was on par with what I was expecting coming from my ZX600. Most of my day to day stops are on the heavy side of things and chirp the tires, but I have never need able to kick out the back tire on the SV since it has ABS. Ah, ABS changes things! I have to stand on my drum brake to lock it up (literally rear end out of the seat) without engine braking. Going from that, to a disc brake on an SV, I wasn't aware I was doing anything more than just dragging the brake, and was only down shifting at like 3k rpm. God I want an SV now, it was so precise compared to my 20 year older Suzuki...
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Nov 17, 2009 03:38
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UserNotFound posted:and due to the engine breaking (which I was prepared for)
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Nov 17, 2009 12:53
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Endless Mike posted:I don't think I could ever be prepared for this. Like I said, I was down shifting at 3k, maybe a bit less. I'm sure it would be worse at higher rpm. vvvv lol oops  I actually AM prepared for my engine to break...well, misbehaving and not working properly, at least...27 year old bikes always let you down after reaching your destination, but before you can make it home.
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Nov 17, 2009 13:55
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UserNotFound posted:Like I said, I was down shifting at 3k, maybe a bit less. I'm sure it would be worse at higher rpm. The engine breaking causes a lot of engine braking.
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Nov 17, 2009 14:09
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