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Sagebrush posted:Or just take the front brake off entirely! Layer Dan knows that it's just something THE MAN makes them put on there anyway, it's a death sentence if you ever use it. My buddy rides with no front brakes, they dont exist on his bike. I have no idea how he stops. But with the internal throttle and foot clutch his handlebars look clean, since they are just empty handlebars.
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Jul 23, 2012 21:29
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eh nvm
epswing fucked around with this message at 21:46 on Jul 23, 2012 |
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Jul 23, 2012 21:44
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DJ_Ferret posted:I have a question about tire selection. First thing, just want to say you don't want to cheap out on tires. I'd say it's probably the worst thing you COULD cheap out on, aside from maybe a helmet. Secondly, I hate Bike Bandit, but that's just personal preference. I've had real good luck getting tires from Motorcycle Superstore (also they have free shipping). Also, I've never heard of Kenda tires. I have the Dunlop GT501's on my bike, and I like them a lot. I've also heard good things about the Bridgestone Battleax BT-45, Pirelli Sport Demon, and Avon Roadriders. Front tires - http://www.motorcycle-superstore.co...-50-1-0-1-1-5-5 Rear Tires - http://www.motorcycle-superstore.co...50-1-0-1-1-15-5
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Jul 23, 2012 23:38
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DJ_Ferret posted:I have a question about tire selection. Michelin Pilot Road 2s are high-mile sport touring tires with phenomenal wet grip and a good combination of dry grip and longevity - probably more grip than a EX500 knows what to do with. I have them on my Ulysses that I ride primarily around western WA, haven't had any traction issues yet (on pavement). A friend of mine has them on his Uly and they look like they'll last about 13k mi. My wife commutes rain or shine from Everett to Sodo on them without any surprises, too.
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Jul 24, 2012 00:06
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clutchpuck posted:Michelin Pilot Road 2s are high-mile sport touring tires with phenomenal wet grip and a good combination of dry grip and longevity - probably more grip than a EX500 knows what to do with. I have them on my Ulysses that I ride primarily around western WA, haven't had any traction issues yet (on pavement). A friend of mine has them on his Uly and they look like they'll last about 13k mi. My wife commutes rain or shine from Everett to Sodo on them without any surprises, too. I just wrote a long love letter to my new Michelins in the What did you do... thread and they were my first thought but they don't do them in the rear fitment he wants.
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Jul 24, 2012 00:29
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Is it difficult to adjust the valves on a Bandit 1200? I can't seem to find much information about it online. 
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Jul 24, 2012 00:53
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It's the screw type adjusters, so no need to hoard shims. Somebody posted a pic here not too long ago and it looks like once you get the tank off, there's a lot of room to work. Looks easy enough to me.
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Jul 24, 2012 00:57
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That's what I've found so far and it confirms it. Thanks a bunch, dude! Also, if you know anyone with a Bandit 1200 Valve cover, I'd be more than happy to take it off of their hands. 
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Jul 24, 2012 01:29
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goddamnedtwisto posted:I just wrote a long love letter to my new Michelins in the What did you do... thread and they were my first thought but they don't do them in the rear fitment he wants. The best/closest looking Michelin I'm seeing on Motorcycle Superstore in the right size is the Michelin Pilot Activ. According to the reviews it is worshipped by goldwing trike riders, and a few sport bike riders chiming in saying it's good as well. Opinions?
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Jul 24, 2012 01:43
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DJ_Ferret posted:The best/closest looking Michelin I'm seeing on Motorcycle Superstore in the right size is the Michelin Pilot Activ. According to the reviews it is worshipped by goldwing trike riders, and a few sport bike riders chiming in saying it's good as well. Opinions? Well Michelin is a good brand, and there's a good amount of good reviews there. I wouldn't feel nervous buying them.
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Jul 24, 2012 01:50
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Splizwarf posted:It's a closed system filled with uncompressible fluid, and the piston will never go in without giving that fluid someplace to go (ie opening the bleeder or taking the line off at the master etc). If the piston does go in from pushing on it without relieving the pressure on the line, then you have air in the system or your master cylinder is either shot or designed very forgivingly somehow.
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Jul 24, 2012 03:04
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Zubumafoo posted:Also, I've never heard of Kenda tires. They're a fairly large brand in Asia, though I've only ever seen their tires on scooters and mopeds and stuff. I had a set on my bicycle and those were great. So they aren't just a fly-by-night knockoff outfit, anyway.
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Jul 24, 2012 03:38
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They make dirtbike tires that are pretty popular, definitely not an off brand.
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Jul 24, 2012 03:43
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DJ_Ferret posted:The best/closest looking Michelin I'm seeing on Motorcycle Superstore in the right size is the Michelin Pilot Activ. According to the reviews it is worshipped by goldwing trike riders, and a few sport bike riders chiming in saying it's good as well. Opinions? Don't know that model at all but I'd be slightly nervous about putting tyres designed for a Goldwing on a lightweight bike - a fairly important aspect of tyre performance is the flexibility of the carcass (it's one of the reasons pressure is so important) and something designed to flex the right amount under 300kgs of load might not do so well under 150kgs. See if you can find someone who has used them on your bike or an equivalent and see what they think.
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Jul 24, 2012 07:36
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OK, so this may end with some controversy: I'm planning on changing out my sprockets and chain on the KTM, and the chain I want comes with both rivet and clip type master links. I'm thinking of running clips to make cleaning and maintenance easier. Now most official sources will tell you that you should only use clip-type links off-road, which to me makes no sense. Surely the rougher conditions and greater wear off-road would mean it's the other way around? I've read discussions on various forums but no-one seems to be able to provide a solid answer, many people use clips with no problems at all, on big bikes and small. It seems to me like one of those things that is actually completely fine, but as sometimes they are improperly installed (clip the wrong way round and/or up) the wisdom has become "clip links will explode your chain and kill you and/or your kids/mother/cat".
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Jul 24, 2012 08:59
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ReelBigLizard posted:OK, so this may end with some controversy: I ran a clip link on my F650 and have one on my DRZ at the moment, they're fine, just put a dab of silicone on the clip after you lock it it, helps stop it vibrating out and helps you find it quickly when you're doing maintenance
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Jul 24, 2012 13:49
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Rev. Dr. Moses P. Lester posted:This is not really true, because there is a flexible rubber diaphragm in the master cylinder reservoir which allows movement of the fluid up there. You should be able to push the caliper pistons in with the rest of the system fully assembled and bled. Unless the reservoir has been overfilled and that diaphragm is missing, or something. You're right. I confused my port locations.
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Jul 24, 2012 14:01
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I have never had trouble w/ a clip style master link.
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Jul 24, 2012 15:21
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OK! Simple Choice- 2012 Yamaha Super Tenere or 2012 Triumph Scrambler. I like the idea of the Yamaha better for the windscreen and Tupperware making highway travel more pleasant but oh god... the Triumph is a dirty dirty girl. PadreScout fucked around with this message at 15:38 on Jul 24, 2012 |
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Jul 24, 2012 15:34
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ReformedNiceGuy posted:So I'm looking at replacing the none-baffled lovely Viper race can my bike (naked SV650 K4) came with before I go permanently deaf. Viper is a Motad brand and I'm pretty sure they make decibel killer inserts. Delkevic are cheap and cheerful - pretty much as nice/nasty as the Viper, so you might as well just get an insert from Motad. Scorpion are less cheap and cheerful. Both are probably fairly loud. If you want something that's not much louder than stock, possibly look at the likes of Bos or Remus. Most aftermarket cans these days will basically be "road legal with a decibel eater in" and an e-mark, but when you take the insert out they're just a race can. Tough to find an aftermarket can that's quiet by design these days. One option is to go to one of the small UK operations, e.g. Beowulf, MTC, Fuel or Blue Flame and see if they can make a can to suit. If you just want a good aftermarket brand, in my experience you can often get cheaper but not often better quality and performance than with Akrapovic. Only downside is people will say you're boring and predictable. mouko posted:I'll have to ride it back to my place on the motorway (freeway?) -- any advice to a new rider doing such a thing? I drive on motorways in cars all the time with no problem, but I imagine there's a big difference between a 2002 Toyota Yaris and an unfaired 1982 Honda CB250 RS-A. Have you got an AA/RAC membership? Useful on a 1982 bike you've possibly not ridden before! Nothing special about taking the motorway - it's the statistically safest route so no "advice" needed. Merge, sit in middle of slow lane (it's a Superdream not a superbike...) and be prepared to slow down when a div dives into the space 2 feet in front of your front wheel, which is what seems to happen to anyone who drives/rides in the slow lane. Cross-country route will be more entertaining obviously. PadreScout, the Scrambler. If they're like the Bonnie it will depreciate less, it's cheaper to start with, you can pick it up when it falls over, no-one will snigger at you for not buying a GS/Tiger/Adventure and it has less doohickeys and thingumbobs to break. If you actually want to ride it off road I'm going to fight the hypo and say neither.
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Jul 24, 2012 15:50
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" reviews by people on the various owners forums.
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PadreScout posted:OK! Simple Choice- 2012 Yamaha Super Tenere or 2012 Triumph Scrambler. They're like, seriously different bikes. The Yammy is like a foot taller and probably has 75% more power, and is a proper mixed-surface bike. The Triumph (and I love the modern-retro Triumph lineup) is an urban poser bike. I don't really see how you can compare them other than on what one makes you feel that funny feeling in your tummy.
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Jul 24, 2012 15:53
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goddamnedtwisto posted:They're like, seriously different bikes. The Yammy is like a foot taller and probably has 75% more power, and is a proper mixed-surface bike. The Triumph (and I love the modern-retro Triumph lineup) is an urban poser bike. I don't really see how you can compare them other than on what one makes you feel that funny feeling in your tummy. I'm not comparing them- I like both for different reasons, and do not consider them similar in any way.
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Jul 24, 2012 16:33
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goddamnedtwisto posted:Don't know that model at all but I'd be slightly nervous about putting tyres designed for a Goldwing on a lightweight bike - a fairly important aspect of tyre performance is the flexibility of the carcass (it's one of the reasons pressure is so important) and something designed to flex the right amount under 300kgs of load might not do so well under 150kgs. See if you can find someone who has used them on your bike or an equivalent and see what they think. As far as I can tell the Goldwing riders are using a rear tire turned around backwards for the front wheel. I think that issue won't come up. Also I weigh a bit more than what seems to be the usual rider of a Ninja 500r (I'm about 97.5kg at 2m tall).
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Jul 24, 2012 19:25
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Saga posted:Viper is a Motad brand and I'm pretty sure they make decibel killer inserts. I'm pretty happy with my Leo Vince set for the Connie. Supposedly they are amongst the quietest out there (I can't stand loud cans) and have removable inserts. Not as quiet as stock, but certainly far quieter than any of the other ones I've heard.
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Jul 24, 2012 21:30
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PadreScout posted:I'm not comparing them- I like both for different reasons, and do not consider them similar in any way. The Triumph retro two-bangers are distinctly down on power compared to a modern bike, so your riding pace will be fairly relaxed. The suspensions (particularly the rear) are also decades-old tech, and will feel like it. This can be improved with aftermarket parts but there's only so much you can do with dual outboard rear shocks. Essentially the Scrambler compares favorably with similar-displacement Harley/metric cruisers and shares use cases. If you can find an old Honda CL it will look/feel fairly similar (but be even slower.) The Super Tenere is a proper dual-sport and will be 17 feet tall. Go with what your heart tells you.
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Jul 24, 2012 21:51
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n8r posted:I have never had trouble w/ a clip style master link.
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Jul 25, 2012 03:37
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The links in the OP are dead (at least the ones I'm interested in) so I'm wondering where I might go for discussion of options for a first bike. Also that bike wiki sounds good but that link is also dead. I'm working my way through this thread but there are a lot of pages to get through.
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Jul 25, 2012 15:58
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Racing Stripe posted:The links in the OP are dead (at least the ones I'm interested in) so I'm wondering where I might go for discussion of options for a first bike. Also that bike wiki sounds good but that link is also dead. I'm working my way through this thread but there are a lot of pages to get through. Here works just fine, as does "Tell me what bike to buy!" The good, the wrecked, and the rusted Feel free to fire away; there's really no penalty for repeat questions. E: In general, CA recommends a cheap, used, low powered first bike in good repair. In most US markets, that means Kawasaki Ninja 250. There are probably 6 Ninja 250s for every living human, you can get one from the mid-90s for about $1000, you're probably not going to get in over your head on one, and they're light enough that you can haul them around while you're still getting used to how bikes park and handle in parking lots. Don't worry about "what if I outgrow the Ninja?" Just flip it for what you bought it for. There's always a market, and once you get to the early '00s, they really don't depreciate much unless you do some damage. More important is good gear. Leather jacket, motorcycle riding boots, armored overpants of some sort, leather gloves, and a full-face helmet. Buy new, and don't cheap out. Get armor that fits. Budget about as much in armor as you do on a first bike, and you'll be golden. Third, get rider training from the MSF. Seriously, the best money you could spend. It's more expensive in some places than others, but it's worth it. Safety Dance fucked around with this message at 16:18 on Jul 25, 2012 |
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Jul 25, 2012 16:13
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Another question on insurance! To repeat, I am a brand new rider (finishing MSF class now), don't have a motorcycle yet, and I have never had a car or car insurance so I know very little about how it all works. Is there anything wrong with sharing a policy? I'm getting into motorcycling along with a very close, trusted friend, and we plan to ride together and stuff. We might even share our first bike until we can find a suitable second one. So, we noticed a few things when playing with insurance quotes:
But a few concerns:
Progressive posted:Enter drivers to your policy that are: Does anyone have experience with insurance sharing, and what do you think? Note, we plan to talk to a Real Human about this, but I want to see what people think first.
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Jul 25, 2012 17:05
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Don't share a motorcycle it will only end in tears.
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Jul 25, 2012 17:32
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I almost shared a john boat with a friend but I got out before it ruined our friendship and john boats don't crash so easy.
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Jul 25, 2012 17:35
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The john boat comment was good I probably can't convince you that my friend and I will share it well and are already pretty communal people and I think it'll be okay, so let's ignore the sharing part for now. I will keep in mind your advice on sharing bikes. What about when we have 2 bikes, does the shared insurance make sense? alnilam fucked around with this message at 18:57 on Jul 25, 2012 |
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Jul 25, 2012 18:55
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Is a 2007 stock Honda CBR 125 with no issues, 4670 miles at £1300-1400 ($2010-2170) 1) being sold at a good price, which I'm reasonably sure after looking about it is, and 2) a good starter bike? The only problem I can see with it is that it's a blue-and-orange Repsol paint job, which may get me killed in Glasgow. edit: Wrong thread, apologies. Wootcannon fucked around with this message at 21:57 on Jul 26, 2012 |
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Jul 25, 2012 19:08
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alnilam posted:The john boat comment was good I have an open insurance policy allowing me to ride anyone elses bike as long as it is road legal, its nice being able to swap/borrow bikes.
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Jul 25, 2012 20:01
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echomadman posted:I have an open insurance policy allowing me to ride anyone elses bike as long as it is road legal, its nice being able to swap/borrow bikes. Is this in the US? If so, more details please.
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Jul 25, 2012 21:04
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Splizwarf posted:Is this in the US? If so, more details please. No its in Ireland I'm afraid.
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Jul 25, 2012 21:53
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Splizwarf posted:Is this in the US? If so, more details please. Most insurance policies in the UK offer this too, it's a pretty standard thing. It's third-party-only insurance though so you still have to pay to fix it if you break it.
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Jul 25, 2012 23:25
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This might belong in the overheard stupid motorcycle related poo poo thread thread, but I'm replacing the chain/sprockets and 3 out of 5 of the rear sprocket nuts are stuck the hell on. PB Blaster + breaker bar does nothing. Is it safe to take a blowtorch to these for 30-60 seconds to loosen it up, or will that damage the wheel (and possibly the brake rotor on the other side)?
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Jul 26, 2012 02:38
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30-60 seconds probably wouldn't hurt but for much longer I'd pull it off. It is coupled to the wheel with rubber dampers that may not like the excess heat. Can you borrow an impact? Or someone with an impact's time?
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Jul 26, 2012 02:52
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I would also suggest an impact driver/wrench before a torch. It's surprising how effective that initial shock can be where a lot of slow and steady force didn't work. They're definitely nuts on studs, and not bolts? That should be easy, because you don't have to worry about torquing off the head of a bolt and if all else fails you can probably just cut them apart with a dremel.
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Jul 26, 2012 03:01
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