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Z3n posted:Just get a wrench around the back of it to hold the square nut. This is the correct answer. It's a right old pain. A ring spanner is your best option. Although I haven't had to do it with the stock exhaust valve thingy. 2ndclasscitizen fucked around with this message at 03:02 on Dec 22, 2011 |
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Dec 22, 2011 02:59
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I'm in need of a bit of help. This week my old car blew its head gasket, so I am now motorcycle only. New problem is, motorcycle doesn't want to regularly start. I have a 2004 KLR650. Whats starting to happen more and more is when I hit the starter button, all I hear is a *click*. It used to be random, and I'd only have to hit it two or three times and it would suddenly fire right up and run fine. Last night and tonight I've had to hit it about 15 times before it decided to start. Once the starter actually engages, it fires right on up. It doesn't sound like it struggles to start, just *clicks*. The battery is fairly new, and it did the same thing on the old battery. The lights don't dim when the button is pressed. I've tried starting it in gear and in neutral and the same problem persists. Any ideas?
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Dec 22, 2011 03:53
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Hughmoris posted:I'm in need of a bit of help. This week my old car blew its head gasket, so I am now motorcycle only. New problem is, motorcycle doesn't want to regularly start. Whack the starter with a broomhandle. It's sticking in the cold. If this makes it start, get a new starter. Hey, it works on Car Talk, it can work here, right? Do motorcycle starters work like car starters? Solenoid that jams the starting gear out into the flywheel path? babyeatingpsychopath fucked around with this message at 04:12 on Dec 22, 2011 |
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Dec 22, 2011 04:02
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babyeatingpsychopath posted:Whack the starter with a broomhandle. It's sticking in the cold. If this makes it start, get a new starter. Its in the high 60's here today.
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Dec 22, 2011 04:03
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Hughmoris posted:I'm in need of a bit of help. This week my old car blew its head gasket, so I am now motorcycle only. New problem is, motorcycle doesn't want to regularly start. When that was happening to me, it was because a certain connector was not seating properly. Basically it's a molex that goes in vertically into...the starter relay/solenoid thingy I'd like to say?...and when it's loose it will do exactly what you describe. It's going to be in the vicinity of one of the main vertical frame tubes, probably under the stupid little plastic cover that protects some of those electrical relays. If you can't find it I can dig in the manual. If you're impatient, just firmly reseat everything, starting with the battery terminals.
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Dec 22, 2011 08:48
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MotoMind posted:When that was happening to me, it was because a certain connector was not seating properly. Basically it's a molex that goes in vertically into...the starter relay/solenoid thingy I'd like to say?...and when it's loose it will do exactly what you describe. It's going to be in the vicinity of one of the main vertical frame tubes, probably under the stupid little plastic cover that protects some of those electrical relays. If you can't find it I can dig in the manual. If you're impatient, just firmly reseat everything, starting with the battery terminals. Thanks for the reply. I found it. Disconnected it, re-seated it and nothing. Not sure where to go next.
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Dec 22, 2011 11:42
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infraboy posted:Because the incredibly tight space leaves virtually no room to get any kind of wrench/tool in there. This is the stubborn Chi your forceful Ka must overpower every time you work on a Japanese bike. The dragon beats at the gate while the raven flies over the wall. There is always a certain tool that fits at a certain angle.
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Dec 22, 2011 12:40
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Since I had nothing better to do, I decided to gently caress with the bike at 0400 with a flood light and my phone to light my way. I think I narrowed it down to some suspicious wiring going to the starter button. It has electrical tape covering it, and when I jiggle it the bike seems to fire. Not sure if its coincidence or not, yet.
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Dec 22, 2011 13:17
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Hughmoris posted:Since I had nothing better to do, I decided to gently caress with the bike at 0400 with a flood light and my phone to light my way. I think I narrowed it down to some suspicious wiring going to the starter button. It has electrical tape covering it, and when I jiggle it the bike seems to fire. Not sure if its coincidence or not, yet. Suspicious wiring is always the first place to start when troubleshooting issues like this.
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Dec 22, 2011 17:37
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Hughmoris posted:Thanks for the reply. I found it. Disconnected it, re-seated it and nothing. Not sure where to go next. Sorry to hear that. Do you want to try to bypass everything and short the solenoid and see what happens? quote:Oh yeah did you jump accross the starter solenoid main terminals? You must be sure your in neutral!! Heck you can do it with the key off just to see if it will turn. Use a old or junk screwdriver and just touch it to both terminals at the same time. With the key on, be prepared for it to start!! http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=625516 At your own risk. Sounds like that should bypass all the switches and safety switches. Another forum notes: quote:Exercise some caution with this: Remove any rings from your fingers. If the starter current flowed from one terminal through the wrench or driver, through the ring and on to the other terminal the current would melt the ring and cause serious localised burns.
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Dec 22, 2011 18:43
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Hughmoris posted:Since I had nothing better to do, I decided to gently caress with the bike at 0400 with a flood light and my phone to light my way. I think I narrowed it down to some suspicious wiring going to the starter button. It has electrical tape covering it, and when I jiggle it the bike seems to fire. Not sure if its coincidence or not, yet. That's entirely possible, people have found corrosion inside the starter switch as well. You can take it apart and unwrap the electrical tape and make sure everything is kosher.
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Dec 22, 2011 18:48
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Couple of questions: 1) I'm planning to take the mid-sized (125cc-400cc) motorcycle test here in Japan. I've ridden a lot of 125cc bikes (none more recently than 3 years ago), and can practice on my friend's XR250 in a nearby parking lot. The test bikes are CB400's, which are bigger than anything I've ridden/have access to, without paying for a Japanese driving school (expensive and of dubious comprehensibility). One part of the test I'm really not looking forward to is the balance beam (15m long by 20cm wide), which you've got to spend more than 7 seconds on. Any tips? 2) A lot of what they're looking for are little habits I don't have down yet (always putting your left foot and only left foot down at a stop, for example). I'm also embarrassed to not be in the habit of using the turn signals, since all of my prior riding was done in Southeast Asia, and generally pretty rural areas at that. I was able to pick up a moped (50cc) endorsement at the DMV* yesterday no problem (converted it from my American license), so I'm planning to buy one of those as close to a proper motorcycle as I can (manual transmission, clutch) and work on that. I want to get a 2-stroke over a 4-stroke, right? 3) Anyone have side pannier/saddlebag suggestions for an XR250? Planning to buy my friend's off him when I get my license (basically exactly the bike I'm looking for: dual sport, and at 250cc it skirts under shakken). When I was touring on my Minsk I really liked the saddlebag situation: I took some bigger ones intended for a Honda scooter, and put them on my bike's flip-down panniers. The bags stuck out from the metal bottom, but most of the weight was still supported. Used bungie cords or old inner tubes to keep them from shifting around and never had any problems. I'm guessing I'll have to get something custom fabbed, unless there's an easier way to build/attach them? I'd like a decent amount of carrying capacity: I'd be using it for runs to Costco, and am also into medium/large format photography.  With saddlebags (can anyone identify these, by any chance?)  Minskin' Ain't Easy by ethics_gradient, on Flickr * The Japanese DMV is staffed with the most kind, helpful, and patient civil servants ever. It was pretty 
Pompous Rhombus fucked around with this message at 02:50 on Dec 27, 2011 |
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Dec 27, 2011 02:44
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So, I bought a 2002 Buell Blast from my girlfriend last summer. I know that CA hates this bike, but it is my first and it has been quite a lot of fun. My car conveniently took a poo poo at the same time I bought the bike last summer, and I ended up putting about 4,000 miles on it. I never rode it longer than 120 miles at a time. I had a plan of buying a Volvo 240 last year for a cross-country trip, but I decided I wanted the bike more. I'm in the middle of an Ohio winter, with my wanderlust getting the best of me. So I'm thinking I want to take my bike to California and back. A Buell Blast is obviously a poor choice for this type of scenario, but there are several pros. Ease of maintenance, mileage, and reliability. Plus I know the bike's history. Plus it's in my driveway right now. I can do daytrips with it, and I've taken it camping loaded up with saddlebags, a framepack strapped to the back, and a backpack strapped to my back. I can pack lighter than that though and drop the frampack. The bike can do interstate speeds just fine, but it's rather annoying. I don't plan on being on interstates anyways. Is there anything glaringly wrong with this? Other than comfort, I'm not seeing it. I would like to upgrade, but I'm not sure what I can budget out for a new bike. Maybe $2k, $3k if I sell the Blast. A dual sport would be great, but I'm not seeing many for sale around here. Especially for under $3k. Ideally I'd like to have a Ulysses but I haven't seen one for sale since last spring. astrollinthepork fucked around with this message at 04:39 on Dec 27, 2011 |
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Dec 27, 2011 04:15
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Aside from 3,000 miles of people laughing at you as you go by because its a Blast, no. I actually think its kind of a cool idea. I mean, who would do that. For that reason alone, I say you absolutely should. Sides, ride what you brung' etc
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Dec 27, 2011 06:36
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Touring on bikes that were never meant to be tourers is the best way to do it. Touring on a blast seems just as daffy as touring on a Supermoto, and that was a blast. I say: go forth and adventure!
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Dec 27, 2011 06:50
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Well hey, if no one else sees a problem neither do I! I had a route planned up that was essentially based on avoiding Texas and hitting up RT 50 in Nevada. I have had this fantasy of taking an old car down a desert road for a long time, and that was basically the start of it all. A desert highway on a blast sounds less than appealing however so I'm going to need to redo my route. I think the only trouble I'm going to run into is when the tires go bald somewhere around Nevada. Other than that, sleeping and shelter will be accomplished by a single person tent and bag, camping stove, and couch surfing. Motels if it comes to that, and it will on occasion. I'm not really thinking this through but that's gotta be the best way right? Blasts need fuckall for maintenance, and mine is at about 7500 miles. Definitely going to replace the drivebelt and rear pulley (sprocket?) if I can find one though. I've got head to toe gear, pretty much Joe Rocket Atomic everything. It served me well in the Ohio summer and the fall if I layered up. I guess the only question I have left is when I should do it. What month do you think would be best for me to go through the Dakotas and the Southwest while being comfortable? I'm pretty much good to leave in May, maybe March if the temps get above 60. As a side note, what is the opinion on a Buell XB? Specifically an XB9. I think that might be a good step up in my motorcycle career at 80 HP coming from all of 34 raging ponies on the Blast. Am I crazy? They seem to be plentiful and and cheap. I drawn to this cursed company for some reason! astrollinthepork fucked around with this message at 14:40 on Dec 27, 2011 |
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Dec 27, 2011 10:06
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What do CA think about older Ducati Monsters? It might be my next big bike after a few years of only scooters. Unfortunately I can only afford the cheaper models (600cc etc) which I've heard are sluggish, but I'm not after a lot of performance. Last bike was a TRX850 which I thought was fast enough for me. I've been trying to google some articles about older Monsters but failed :/
Ringo R fucked around with this message at 17:02 on Dec 27, 2011 |
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Dec 27, 2011 17:00
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Pompous Rhombus posted:Couple of questions: Take advantage of your friend's offer and practice in the parking lot. Riding the plank is about sitting up straight and relaxed, eyes high and a smooth hand on the throttle. Practice going slowly in a straight line without following anything on the ground first, just get a feel for the bike's stability. The trick is to line the bike up with the plank before you get on it and then just ride towards the spot on the horizon it's pointing at. If you have a big empty parking lot, aim towards something on the horizon and just hold whatever throttle is needed to make the engine idle in 1st. Look towards the spot, hold grips loosely and it'll go straight as an arrow. If I'm going really slow I'll do a clutch/brake dance, alternately accelerating with slipping clutch and braking with the rear brake - driiiive, brake...driiiive, brake, just a teeny tiny amount. No problem crawling straight ahead or full lock turning at toddler speeds. Pompous Rhombus posted:
Don't think of it as habits, think of it as procedures, the correct thing to do and practice doing it correctly for the test. Once you get your license you are free to form bad habits, but by then the good ones might be starting to stick. I use the rear brake a lot so holding the left down happens by itself - the right one being busy holding the brake down while I'm stopped. The thing to learn which will make you look good to the tester is shifting into 1st before you stop, then stopping with the rear brake while you put your left foot down. The extra CLUNK in the gearbox of shifting into 1st helps you form the habit. When pulling up, having braked normally from whatever speed you were doing, clutch in, click click CLUNK down into 1st, rear brake to finally stop, left foot to balance. Do it many times and it will stick. And no, I would pick a 4-stroke over a 2-stroke. The XR250 is 4-stroke right? Japanese small capacity 4-strokes from the disco era onwards are extremely reliable, easy to work on and economical to run - but perhaps low on power and macho grin factor. A latter day fuel injected is so smooth, clean burning and reliable it's no wonder they are accused of having no "soul" (i.e. doesn't cause manic depression and divorces). As for panniers, I don't know. Best advice is "google the poo poo out of it". There are tons of aftermarket supplies, some cheap, some expensive, some universal, some bike specific. Trawl advrider.com or the rabid fan forum of the XR250 (if there is one, and I suspect it is) and see what the hivemind says. There are so many ways of DIYing it, ammo boxes, Pelican cases, old suitcases, wood, etc etc.
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Dec 27, 2011 17:01
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Ringo R posted:What do CA think about older Ducati Monsters? It might be my next big bike after a few years of only scooters. Unfortunately I can only afford the cheaper models (600cc etc) which I've heard are sluggish, but I'm not after a lot of performance. Last bike was a TRX850 which I thought was fast enough for me. I've been trying to google some articles about older Monsters but failed :/ Not sure of what you mean by "older" but I have an 05 Monster 620 and I love it. I live and ride in DC, so the 620 is perfect power-wise, and unless you're looking to go really, really fast you shouldn't feel like you're wanting more. The parts and maintenance can be an expensive proposition, but I personally think there aren't any better looking bikes out there and don't regret buying mine one bit.
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Dec 27, 2011 21:57
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Ola posted:When pulling up, having braked normally from whatever speed you were doing, clutch in, click click CLUNK down into 1st, rear brake to finally stop, left foot to balance. Do it many times and it will stick. I am a little confused. For me, having braked normally means to me, that I used the front brake to stop and the rear brake to settle the rear. I wonder where you are coming from with regard to "rear brake to finally stop" - clutch in and downshifting to a routine stop should always leave your right hand A-OK to apply front brake pressure. I imagine any instructor would dock points for stopping on the rear brake.
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Dec 27, 2011 23:07
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astrollinthepork posted:
Grand idea. It was the first bigger bike I tried when I had my Ninja 500. I think those things have closer to 100 horsepower. It's a torque beast, and I lusted heavily after it.
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Dec 28, 2011 00:30
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Ringo R posted:What do CA think about older Ducati Monsters? It might be my next big bike after a few years of only scooters. Unfortunately I can only afford the cheaper models (600cc etc) which I've heard are sluggish, but I'm not after a lot of performance. Last bike was a TRX850 which I thought was fast enough for me. I've been trying to google some articles about older Monsters but failed :/ Compared to a trx the 620 has a little less torque, is tinier, lighter and looks way better than a trx. It's very much a side-grade. The only worry, but this is with all models for everyone, is ergonomic fit. Always test ride before buying to gauge (dis)comfort. clutchpuck posted:I am a little confused. The weaker rear is less 'grabby' so if you only use it in the last second or two before you come to a full stop you can smooth the stop out more gracefully. Stylistic/comfort choice. (if I'm reading ola's post right)
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Dec 28, 2011 01:02
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I've heard stories of Ducatis getting electrical problems and rust after a while, but that depends on whether it's been stored outdoors or not, and there's probably a dose of Italiophobia there. Ducs can also be more finicky about maintenance (shorter valve adjust intervals than a comparable japbike, that sort of stuff), which may be a concern with the lower-end ones, as someone buying a $7k Ducati may not be ready to shell out for $Ducati maintenance; a documented history would make this a non-issue. Monsters with plastic tanks (I have no idea if this applies to the older 600's) have a problem with ethanol-added fuel - basically your tank swells up over time until Ducati gives you a new one.
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Dec 28, 2011 01:17
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Ola posted:Take advantage of your friend's offer and practice in the parking lot. Riding the plank is about sitting up straight and relaxed, eyes high and a smooth hand on the throttle. Practice going slowly in a straight line without following anything on the ground first, just get a feel for the bike's stability. The trick is to line the bike up with the plank before you get on it and then just ride towards the spot on the horizon it's pointing at. If you have a big empty parking lot, aim towards something on the horizon and just hold whatever throttle is needed to make the engine idle in 1st. Look towards the spot, hold grips loosely and it'll go straight as an arrow. Thanks for all that! For the 2-stroke/4-stroke thing, I was talking about just the 50cc I'm going to buy in the interim. The XR250 is a 4-stroke and I'd be happy with that. (Unless I saw a screaming deal on a 400cc Transalp...) A 50cc doesn't have a lot of power to begin with, so I was wondering if a 2-stroke would be the way to go. The bike came with some milsurp night vision goggle cases mounted on the side with metal rods (  ), but for me they would have been too small to be useful, plus were ugly as hell. I might try asking a shop what it'd cost to have something like I had on my Minsk fabricated, but I have a feeling I won't like the answer.Ringo R posted:What do CA think about older Ducati Monsters? It might be my next big bike after a few years of only scooters. Unfortunately I can only afford the cheaper models (600cc etc) which I've heard are sluggish, but I'm not after a lot of performance. Last bike was a TRX850 which I thought was fast enough for me. I've been trying to google some articles about older Monsters but failed :/ I hope you're not planning on buying that in Thailand... did the last bike you bought there teach you nosing? 
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Dec 28, 2011 02:40
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the walkin dude posted:Grand idea. It was the first bigger bike I tried when I had my Ninja 500. I think those things have closer to 100 horsepower. It's a torque beast, and I lusted heavily after it. The XB9s is a beaut. Lust is one way to describe it. Did you have much experience with it? What did you buy instead? How does it compare? The current pros for me are the belt drive, looks, low end, and seating position. It appears as if it's a slightly bigger, more refined Blast and I love that. It doesn't sound like a lawnmower either! Also, does anybody's idea of a dream bike change as much as it does for me? I went from a Monster, to an FS800, and now I'm dying for an XB. Maybe summer will bring lust for Tiger or something. If anyone sees a Ulysses for sale around Ohio, I'd love to know. What the gently caress are you people doing to me!? "So I'm thinking of taking a 34 HP thumper cross country. Thoughts?" "DO IT" I love it though. My life has taken quite an insane turn and I have CA and my obsessive lurking to thank!
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Dec 28, 2011 02:56
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Seriously, touring is the most fun when done on things not really meant to tour. It's a weird concept, like if pounding in a nail with a pair of pliers was vastly more entertaining than pounding it in with a hammer. That's a bad example, but trust us on this one.
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Dec 28, 2011 03:34
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Olde Weird Tip posted:Seriously, touring is the most fun when done on things not really meant to tour. It's a weird concept, like if pounding in a nail with a pair of pliers was vastly more entertaining than pounding it in with a hammer. Yeah, I did a 7-week tour through two foreign countries on that 125cc two-stroke pictured above and had a blast.
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Dec 28, 2011 03:44
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astrollinthepork posted:As a side note, what is the opinion on a Buell XB? Specifically an XB9. I think that might be a good step up in my motorcycle career at 80 HP coming from all of 34 raging ponies on the Blast. Am I crazy? They seem to be plentiful and and cheap. I drawn to this cursed company for some reason! XB12s come up for about the same price as the XB9, so there's that. I think they're near-perfect street bikes. Not sure if I would want to do a cross-country trek on a Ulysses though, that frame/tank looks like a big irreparable target for when you tip it over on singletrack. I currently lust for a Lightning Long with a Ulysses saddle and luggage system, done up with a drummer and EBR ECM. Or a Ulysses done the other way around, lowered with street fender. Sort of like 
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Dec 28, 2011 03:45
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My friend has a yellow XB9S (nickname: Bumblebee). He let me play with it on a college campus so I took it through parking lots and the campus road loop for a hour or so. It has instant boot-in-the-rear end power, but redlined at low RPMs. Like 6-7k, compared to 13-15k on a 600SS. Fun as hell anyway! It felt very solidly-built. My friend had bought it from his boss, who had an Ulysses as well. He had to get rid of one of the bikes for garage space so he let go of the XB. After I got back on my Ninja 500, I realized the drat XB had soured my experience on the Ninja so I sold it right away and got a cheap SV650 to satisfy my desire for torque. I've a (another) SV650 and a 600SS Ninja at the moment. Someday soon I want a torque monster in my garage, but that all depends on how much economical viability I gain with my upcoming Masters degree  Indeed, your tastes will fluctuate day in and day out. Embrace it, and be open to owning 10 different bikes in 2 years, like yours truly.
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Dec 28, 2011 03:47
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Eventually you get to the point where your tastes still fluctuate, but you also know what you like, and what bikes compliment each other. It's at that point that you start stockpiling bikes. Ask me how I know.
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Dec 28, 2011 04:38
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Olde Weird Tip posted:Eventually you get to the point where your tastes still fluctuate, but you also know what you like, and what bikes compliment each other. It's at that point that you start stockpiling bikes. How do you know?
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Dec 28, 2011 04:41
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He probably got to the point where his tastes were still fluctuating, but he also knew what he liked, and what bikes complimented each other. It's at that point that he started stockpiling bikes.
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Dec 28, 2011 05:37
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astrollinthepork posted:Is there anything glaringly wrong with this? Other than comfort, I'm not seeing it. I would like to upgrade, but I'm not sure what I can budget out for a new bike. Maybe $2k, $3k if I sell the Blast. A dual sport would be great, but I'm not seeing many for sale around here. Especially for under $3k. Ideally I'd like to have a Ulysses but I haven't seen one for sale since last spring. If you can get 3K for the Blast, go and do it. But otherwise there's nothing really wrong with the Blast, and 34HP is more than enough for cross-country touring at all legal highway speeds. Having spent 2 months on the road the top advice I can give you is: 1. Get a small 2-person tent, not a big department store tent. 2. Get a down sleeping bag and a compression sack. It will be small when packed and warm when slept in. 3. Throw everything else into your luggage. If it doesn't fit thrown in, leave it behind. You will hate yourself each time you try to repack your perfectly stuffed panniers. Less poo poo and smaller poo poo means less time loving around with your gear which means more happy fun times on the road.
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Dec 28, 2011 08:27
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I've got loads of camping gear, including a decent sleeping bag and Eureka 1 person tent. The tent is mind blowningly light and small. I haven't had the chance to use it yet. When I went I took my bike on long distances last year, I had two small saddlebags and a backpack strapped to the back like a tail bag. It worked out, and I think I have more than enough room for clothes and camping gear. I think I'm going to need to get better saddle bags though. The ones I have now are the cheap-wal*mart ones. They're pretty flimsy. It'd be okay if I could fab up a support but you know, effort. The question about the XB9 was more of a sidenote. I'm not thinking of holding off on the trip because of the Blast. But hey, if I can get an XB9 by the time I leave I'll be all over it. The trip is definitely on for sure.
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Dec 28, 2011 08:57
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Pompous Rhombus posted:I hope you're not planning on buying that in Thailand... did the last bike you bought there teach you nosing? Ohoho no it will be in mein country. Just planning for the summer. Congrats on getting your license btw! By older Monsters I mean pre '00. Thanks for all your comments.
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Dec 28, 2011 10:47
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astrollinthepork posted:I've got loads of camping gear, including a decent sleeping bag and Eureka 1 person tent. The tent is mind blowningly light and small. I haven't had the chance to use it yet. When I went I took my bike on long distances last year, I had two small saddlebags and a backpack strapped to the back like a tail bag. It worked out, and I think I have more than enough room for clothes and camping gear. I think I'm going to need to get better saddle bags though. The ones I have now are the cheap-wal*mart ones. They're pretty flimsy. It'd be okay if I could fab up a support but you know, effort. As a former XB9 owner the one thing I'd be concerned about is the belt. Unlike a chain or shaft they can easily break, especially on the older models and carrying an extra can be a pain since folding it up weakens it. Replacing it on the road is a real task as well due to all the guards and removing the rear wheel took me half a day. On every other bike I've owned it's a 15 minute job. Mine never broke cause it was my first bike in years, but the guy I traded it to was a more experienced rider (wheelied everywhere) and snapped it. There's also plenty of stories of belts just snapping because of some road debris or something. Upgrades are out there though, stonger belts and chain conversions and such.
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Dec 28, 2011 12:17
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Gnaghi posted:As a former XB9 owner the one thing I'd be concerned about is the belt. Unlike a chain or shaft they can easily break, especially on the older models and carrying an extra can be a pain since folding it up weakens it. Replacing it on the road is a real task as well due to all the guards and removing the rear wheel took me half a day. On every other bike I've owned it's a 15 minute job. From what I know about belts and chains along with my experience with my Blast, I think that I would vastly prefer belts. The maintenance factor is big, I would gently caress up chains like nobody's business. The belt drive is actually one of the biggest pros about the XB9. Do they really break that often? I've never heard of a Blast belt snapping unless you get behind on the 15k change interval. If a half day belt change is the worst that happens on this trip I'll be thankful.
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Dec 28, 2011 13:56
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Belt drivers were the poo poo in the 1800s, now they're just poo poo. How can you gently caress up chains? 
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Dec 28, 2011 14:25
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Pompous Rhombus posted:Couple of questions: Before I took my MSF I watched all these videos: "Ride like a Pro" "Street Smarts" And I can't remember the other ones. Ride like a pro is all about slow maneuvering and using your clutch correctly. Street Smarts is basic riding techniques/risk avoidance. I hadn't rode a bike in 15 years or so and that was just small dirt bikes. After I watched these videos I felt 100% more confident riding + and they helped at the MSF course. After you know what you're doing you can watch "A twist of the rist"
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Dec 28, 2011 16:05
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KARMA! posted:Belt drivers were the poo poo in the 1800s, now they're just poo poo. Seriously, the range of gearing afforded by chains is worth any maintenance they require. That, and they dont really require that much maintenance. If you get a good O-ring chain and keep it clean (a.k.a clean it once a month maybe), it will last a long time.
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Dec 28, 2011 16:20
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