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I noticed some headshake at low speeds. Cruising steady at 20-27mph, I can get a moderate wobble. Decelerating from 33-18 or so, same thing. Accelerating, one or two wobbles, then nothing. Is this something to worry about? Will it creep up the speeds? At what parts should I be looking?
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Aug 31, 2013 00:32
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babyeatingpsychopath posted:I noticed some headshake at low speeds. Cruising steady at 20-27mph, I can get a moderate wobble. Decelerating from 33-18 or so, same thing. Accelerating, one or two wobbles, then nothing. Tire pressures, maybe steering head bearings need to be tightened slightly, but probably normal.
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Aug 31, 2013 00:35
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Z3n posted:Tire pressures, maybe steering head bearings need to be tightened slightly, but probably normal. Tire pressures which way? I had them at 35/37 because that's how they came from the shop when the tires were mounted, and decided to go to 38/38 (as per the swingarm tag). Is going back down a good idea?
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Aug 31, 2013 00:38
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babyeatingpsychopath posted:I noticed some headshake at low speeds. Cruising steady at 20-27mph, I can get a moderate wobble. Decelerating from 33-18 or so, same thing. Accelerating, one or two wobbles, then nothing. how old is your front tyre, might be a bit cupped or unevenly worn/out of balance. check your steering head/wheel bearings and tyre pressure too like z3n said what bike is it? 38/38 seems crazy high to me edit: maybe i'm just used to the drz, 38 seems to be reasonable after some googling, i'd run a slightly lower pressure in the front though, maybe 32-33 echomadman fucked around with this message at 00:45 on Aug 31, 2013 |
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Aug 31, 2013 00:39
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babyeatingpsychopath posted:Tire pressures which way? I had them at 35/37 because that's how they came from the shop when the tires were mounted, and decided to go to 38/38 (as per the swingarm tag). Is going back down a good idea? You could try dropping a few PSI in the front - if it's old and has started to wear funny it might cause some minor wobble, as echo says.
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Aug 31, 2013 00:41
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Taking the girlfriend on the back of my bike in an hour, will be the first time I've had a pillion passenger. Any tips? Other than not showboating and taking it slow, of course.
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Aug 31, 2013 09:54
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Give a really good brief before you both get on the bike. Make sure you know what she's going to do in every situation. Cornering, stopping, getting on/off, overtaking, waiting at traffic lights. Explain where to hold on (I prefer my pax to hold on to me, some people don't like it), when to (not) put your feet down, when not to wriggle. Work out some basic hand signs, and where to show them. I like my pax to tap me on the stomach, then make the sign. I can look down and see it easily. My best mate prefers that you tap his left shoulder and then make the in front of him, shoulder height, left hand side. Even just a thumbs up and stop sign. Regards control of the bike, be more cautious with the controls. You'll have a lot more weight, so braking/acceleration will be massively changed. Watch out for the helmets to bump. The bike will tip in a lot quicker when cornering, so particularly watch low speed manoeuvres. Lastly. Make sure she's happy. It's hard to make a good impression if they're terrified. *edit* poo poo. Re-reading that, I may have been slightly over the top. If it's just a putter down side streets, take it easy on the brief. Don't overwhelm her. I have a tendancy to transmit too much, so I'm trying to rein myself in.
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Aug 31, 2013 10:45
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Shelvocke posted:Taking the girlfriend on the back of my bike in an hour, will be the first time I've had a pillion passenger. Any tips? Make sure they know to keep their helmet in line with yours in corners, that way you dictate the amount of body movement. There is nothing worse than a pillion desperately trying to stay upright as you go into a roundabout, forcing you to lean way more than necessary to make the turn. What bike do you have? If there are pillion grab rails then those are the best for her to hold onto, as she can brace herself during acceleration by locking out her arms and can hold herself down during braking, otherwise have her hold onto you initially. Apart from that just do everything as smoothly as possible, you'll probably need to slip the clutch a bit more to pull away from stops smoothly, brake a bit earlier and more progressively. The big differences are at low speeds, once you're above 20mph though there really isn't much difference. echomadman fucked around with this message at 12:04 on Aug 31, 2013 |
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Aug 31, 2013 12:02
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I'd forgotten about roundabouts. I don't tend to mind where they position themselves, as long as it's consistant. I've had complete newbies stay perfectly perpendicular to the ground for the whole trip, and I've had mates who are leaning off more than me. Helmets in line is a good way to describe it. Now my question. After burring off one of the screws in my brake reservoir, where can I get a new screw? Just wander into a Honda dealer? Or anywhere with a good parts counter?
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Aug 31, 2013 14:49
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It really isn't complicated. (And that's the point, you want to make it uncomplicated.) 1. Keep your feet on the pegs when we stop. My feet come down, yours don't. 2. Keep your shoulders roughly in line with the bike. When the bike leans, you should follow it. 3. You can hold on to me, or these bars, or any such combination, whatever is most comfortable for you. That's my baseline, and the vast majority of the time, it's enough. If they do something strange or awkward or uncomfortable, I'll let them know, and we'll go from there. Edit: I don't like "keep helmets in line" because as a passenger, that sucks. I don't want to look at the back of someone's helmet the whole ride, I want to look over their shoulder to see what's coming. Also if helmets are actually in line, it's much easier to bump them, which also sucks. So I say the shoulders thing, see above. epswing fucked around with this message at 15:02 on Aug 31, 2013 |
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Aug 31, 2013 14:55
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epalm posted:Edit: I don't like "keep helmets in line" because as a passenger, that sucks. I don't want to look at the back of someone's helmet the whole ride, I want to look over their shoulder to see what's coming. Also if helmets are actually in line, it's much easier to bump them, which also sucks. So I say the shoulders thing, see above. I only ask them to do it in corners, for general riding i don't care where they're looking as long as they're not constantly shuffling their arse around in the seat.
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Aug 31, 2013 15:03
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I usually just say "Either place your hands on the grab rail or on my hips, wrap your arms around me if you want. Most important is to just relax, let your hips swivel when I'm turning, etc. and don't wriggle around if you can avoid it. Look over my shoulders through corners. Tap me on the leg if you want to talk to me about something." Haven't had any issues with pillions yet!
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Aug 31, 2013 15:39
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"Hold, on, lean with me when I lean. Don't worry about putting your feet down till I get there." The first time I rode with a pillion was on a Z1000 with one of those sportbike seats with the rider and pillion parts separate. She somehow was convinced we were both supposed to fit in the front part. It was a short ride spent thinking "man, two-up riding is hella more cramped than I expected." On the ride back she went "ohhhh, now I see" and got on the back and it was much better. The bike will feel much heavier (regardless of how waifish your waifu is) and that weight will be much more rear-biased. So the front end is going to get lighter faster when you accelerate and you should be extra careful of how the front feels during turns and braking. Basically, take everything easy.
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Aug 31, 2013 15:55
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Snowdens Secret posted:The bike will feel much heavier (regardless of how waifish your waifu is) and that weight will be much more rear-biased. So the front end is going to get lighter faster when you accelerate and you should be extra careful of how the front feels during turns and braking. Basically, take everything easy. As a guy whose first pillion passenger was a dude my size and weight I can say that yeah, take it easy. It wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be, as there are rail-road tracks on the base I work in, still I had to be extra careful as I had to manhandle the ZRX around the corners even more than usual  .
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Aug 31, 2013 16:10
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When you're moving a bike by truck, what's a good system for the tie downs, or any basics I should know when loading it.
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Aug 31, 2013 16:26
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Sharkopath posted:When you're moving a bike by truck, what's a good system for the tie downs, or any basics I should know when loading it. Bike up into the bed with the front wheel touching the cab. Two heavy-duty ratchet straps, one around each handlebar down to the front truck bed tiedowns. Ratchet them enough to almost fully compress the suspension. When you think that you have them ratcheted enough, do it some more, because you'll learn otherwise when you try to drive away and the bike bounces around. You can put another strap over the rear wheel if it is a light motorcycle and you're worried about the rear bouncing up, bit if you do the handlebars good enough it is never really a problem. I've purchased plenty of Craigslist motorcycles and transported them with a 2004 Ram (quad cab, so a short bed) and never had a problem. Make sure to wrap the straps around the bar close to the headstock, and not around any cables or wires. I'd you're going to tarp, this is when you do it (but tarps are useless on bikes on the highway because any flapping bits just get torn up in minutes). Queen_Combat fucked around with this message at 17:02 on Aug 31, 2013 |
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Aug 31, 2013 16:58
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Sharkopath posted:When you're moving a bike by truck, what's a good system for the tie downs, or any basics I should know when loading it. Snowdens Secret posted:The first time I rode with a pillion was on a Z1000 with one of those sportbike seats with the rider and pillion parts separate. She somehow was convinced we were both supposed to fit in the front part. It was a short ride spent thinking "man, two-up riding is hella more cramped than I expected." On the ride back she went "ohhhh, now I see" and got on the back and it was much better.
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Aug 31, 2013 17:44
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I always start with the bike on the kickstand and when I ratchet tie it I leave it leaning slightly to that side so if a strap fails or loosens it will at least have a chance. I also try to strap it somewhere on the triples if I can. Handlebars are weak and are easily bent by cranking the poo poo out of straps. I've even seen people damage steering stops and tanks by cranking the poo poo out of them while the bars are turned. I usually only compress the suspension about two inches but more probably wouldn't hurt. I stick a strap on the back somewhere too but I doubt it would do much if the fronts failed. I've done thousands of miles with my bikes like this (between moving, moving other peoples bikes, craigslist bikes and track days) and never had one even close to falling over or even move much. Never had any handlebar or suspension damage either.
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Aug 31, 2013 19:22
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Don't overcompress the suspension unless you like replacing for seals...my test is I shake the hell out of the bike, and the truck and bike should move together. Also, bugdrvrs advice about the sidestand is good...had that save a friend's bike once when the ratchet strap wore through on a sharp edge of the trailer. Edit: also transport it in gear in case a strap breaks it won't just start rolling around.
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Aug 31, 2013 19:37
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Thanks for the advice guys, she had a blast. Sometimes forgot to brace before traffic lights and got a friendly headbutt as her helmet clonked into mine. Need to get a grippier seat, too, the bandit has a very smooth leather affair and she was joining me on the front seat on downhill stretches more often than not.
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Aug 31, 2013 20:23
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My best mate has what looks a cargo net but it's made of grippy rubber type material. It's sized such that it fits over the back of the seat, just for the pillion. I'll ask him where he got it from.
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Aug 31, 2013 21:34
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I also took my first pillion this week (transmission on my car poo poo the bed, was supposed to show a visiting friend around). Went fine, she was a perfect passenger. Really mashes one's balls against the tank on my bike though, I need to make sure my bicycle shorts are clean next time. Hopefully that extra bit of padding will help. I got a bunch of small maintenance crap/questions I need to get to with my XLR250 (especially now that it's not balls-meltingly hot out), sorry for so much at once: Cleaning the chain: done it before, but it really chews up toothbrushes. Do you guys use something like The Grunge Brush or is that too harsh on O-rings? As an aside, is a 2x4 good enough for propping up the bike (kickstand only, no center stand, was reaaaaly tedious having to roll the bike across the courtyard), or should I get something beefier? Is there a good rule of thumb for length? Oil change: I don't know when the last oil change was, I've put ~3,000kms on it since I got it. The PO was generally quite good with maintenance, but never bothered with putting a sticker on it (there's a very old one on there I can't even read), nor has he been very communicative to emails. Figure I'd better just go ahead and do it soonish to be safe. As someone relatively inexperienced with maintenance on cars/bikes, is it something I can probably attempt myself, or should I leave it to a shop? I read a tutorial and it seems relatively straightforward, although I'm a bit concerned I might overtighten the drain bolt. Bleeding front brake: front brake action is a bit stiff, is this also a relatively beginner-friendly operation? Choke knob stuck: not an issue at present, but will be in about a month or so (XLR250's are notoriously cold-blooded). From Googling, I just use WD-40 or something similar to try and loosen it up, right? Any other tips/tricks/potential concerns? Valves: I don't think an issue, PO did them about 5,000kms ago. When would I want to have them done next? Clock: any recommendations for a cheap weatherproof digital clock I could mount on the handlebars? Just something I find myself wanting to have every now and then, I otherwise have to pull over, take my phone out and check the time. I have to park the bike outside and I live in a theft-prone area (already had a mirror stolen), so either really cheap or very quick/easy to take off the bike would be good. I saw something designed for bikes but it was like $30, which seemed like a lot considering my pretty simple needs.
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Sep 1, 2013 07:18
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Just my .02, a cheapo digital wristwatch on the handlebar would work.
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Sep 1, 2013 08:20
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SaNChEzZ posted:Just my .02, a cheapo digital wristwatch on the handlebar would work.
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Sep 1, 2013 13:21
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I know this is gonna sound really stupid, but I put Rotella T6 in my bike, and I cannot for the life of my find how often you are supposed to change Rotella. My bike manual said you're supposed to change the oil every 4k miles, but I thought the full synthetic would last longer. Should I still change the oil every 4k? Thanks in advance!
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Sep 1, 2013 14:01
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cixelsyd posted:I know this is gonna sound really stupid, but I put Rotella T6 in my bike, and I cannot for the life of my find how often you are supposed to change Rotella. Oil is oil, 4k is fine. Longer if you feel like it, personally I do 5k changes with Rotella T6 in my SV.
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Sep 1, 2013 14:18
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Synthetic isn't magic, it'll still get dirty just as fast.
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Sep 1, 2013 16:10
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cixelsyd posted:I know this is gonna sound really stupid, but I put Rotella T6 in my bike, and I cannot for the life of my find how often you are supposed to change Rotella. Stick to the manufacturers' recommended interval and be happy in the knowledge that T6 is supercheap. Pompous Rhombus posted:Cleaning the chain: When we do the XL175, I pull the back half of the bike toward the sidestand and up off the ground so the wife can spin the wheel as she cleans the chain. Pompous Rhombus posted:Oil change: I don't know when the last oil change was, I've put ~3,000kms on it since I got it... Never trust a PO's maintenance. Get a manual for your bike and do it as soon as you have an opportunity. It's pretty easy, don't overtighten stuff. Pompous Rhombus posted:Bleeding front brake: front brake action is a bit stiff, is this also a relatively beginner-friendly operation? If it's not squishy, you probably don't *need* to bleed/flush the brakes. It's an every-couple-years interval, though, so keep it in mind. It's easy, I can usually knock it out in a half hour without a vacuum pump. e: try hitting the lever pivot itself with some white lithium grease if it is sticking or notchy. Pompous Rhombus posted:Choke knob stuck: not an issue at present, but will be in about a month or so (XLR250's are notoriously cold-blooded). From Googling, I just use WD-40 or something similar to try and loosen it up, right? Any other tips/tricks/potential concerns? WD isn't a lube, but it will help flush out whatever is making it stick (probably some ethanol sludge mixed with road grit). Pompous Rhombus posted:Valves: I don't think an issue, PO did them about 5,000kms ago. When would I want to have them done next? When the manufacturer recommends it. clutchpuck fucked around with this message at 20:48 on Sep 2, 2013 |
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Sep 2, 2013 20:45
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I'm contemplating getting some hand guards for my Honda 599 to cut down on the cold air during my morning commute. There are a thousand options ranging from the dirt bike variety to more subdued street varieties. Anyone have any recommendations? Not too keen to spend a hundred plus on them, but can if its worth it.
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Sep 3, 2013 02:23
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Do heated grips if you're handy with wiring. Ratcheting tie downs suck for bikes, spend $20 and get a decent set of straps that they make for tying down dirtbikes.
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Sep 3, 2013 04:43
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Thanks for the watch suggestion! I was hoping for something a bit bigger so it'd be easier to tell at a glance, but realistically I probably stop enough that I can afford an extra half-second glance down. Reckon I'll JB Weld one onto the back of a cheapo bicycle handlebar accessory and mount that.clutchpuck posted:When we do the XL175, I pull the back half of the bike toward the sidestand and up off the ground so the wife can spin the wheel as she cleans the chain. I'm a solo operation here, so that's more or less out. It actually occurred to me to pick up a stand like this, would it be fine for cleaning the chain? I'm moving in another year and can't take the bike with me, but I imagine the next owner might appreciate it, at least. quote:Never trust a PO's maintenance. Get a manual for your bike and do it as soon as you have an opportunity. It's pretty easy, don't overtighten stuff. The guy's actually a pretty good friend and really knows his poo poo mechanically, just been out of town the last month and busy lately. That's encouraging though, thanks! quote:If it's not squishy, you probably don't *need* to bleed/flush the brakes. It's an every-couple-years interval, though, so keep it in mind. It's easy, I can usually knock it out in a half hour without a vacuum pump. e: try hitting the lever pivot itself with some white lithium grease if it is sticking or notchy. It's actually the opposite, overly stiff sometimes. What should I look at? The window on the master cylinder is kinda yellowed so its hard to gauge the color of the fluid, but looked pretty dark. Full though. quote:WD isn't a lube, but it will help flush out whatever is making it stick (probably some ethanol sludge mixed with road grit). Cool, will try this! quote:When the manufacturer recommends it. Will need to figure this out, although I suspect it may be after I've sold the bike (next summer). Terminus Est posted:I'm contemplating getting some hand guards for my Honda 599 to cut down on the cold air during my morning commute. There are a thousand options ranging from the dirt bike variety to more subdued street varieties. Anyone have any recommendations? Not too keen to spend a hundred plus on them, but can if its worth it. My bike has bark busters on it and I find I still need something warmer when it drops below about 10C (perforated leather gloves). I'm going to buy some Hippo Hands for this winter and try that. Pompous Rhombus fucked around with this message at 05:11 on Sep 3, 2013 |
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Sep 3, 2013 04:47
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I've noticed when riding my '03 KLX400 I get a high pitched whirring/whining sound from the front wheel while in motion. It sounds like a squeaking noise when I'm pushing the bike in and out of the garage, but it's intermittent at low speeds. I also can't hear it when the bike is cold. Doesn't seem to be the front brakes since I get no noise under braking. I imagine it's the speedo assembly, but is there anything else that could be causing that sort of noise? Any suggestions on how to locate it for sure and what I'm likely to need to do to fix it? A cursory google and looking at the manual gives me the impression I can just put some high temp bearing grease in the speedo gearbox if it looks like it needs it. That or it's a normal noise.
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Sep 3, 2013 13:34
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You should probably check your wheel bearings, how many miles do you have on the current ones?
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Sep 3, 2013 14:20
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Not a bad idea checking the wheel bearings, but depending on the volume and pitch of the noise, it could just be typical brake dust. Lot of brakes make funny little noises like that, even when you're not applying the brake.
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Sep 3, 2013 14:24
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I've got a problem with my motorbike, a 2001 Shadow ACE. It's currently not starting. everything is placed correctly to start it as it should be but when I press the ignition button the motor tries to start for half a second and then dies and I hear a click-click-click sound (the spark plug?) I haven't used the motorbike for some time besides changing it's parking space once a week so what could it be? Edit, when I put the key in the lights and odometer start up and display themselves properly.
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Sep 3, 2013 15:07
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Odddzy posted:I've got a problem with my motorbike, a 2001 Shadow ACE. flat battery. The clicking is just the starter relay, it does that when there's not enough juice to turn the motor over.
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Sep 3, 2013 15:15
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Linedance posted:flat battery. The clicking is just the starter relay, it does that when there's not enough juice to turn the motor over. Thanks! that's quite a relief, Can I start it by going at a slow speed and dropping the clutch? ( I think that's called a compression start but i'm newish to all this)
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Sep 3, 2013 15:21
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You can bump start it, yes - look on youtube for videos how - but you're probably better off pulling the battery out and throwing it on a charger overnight.
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Sep 3, 2013 16:07
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Odddzy posted:Thanks! that's quite a relief, Can I start it by going at a slow speed and dropping the clutch? ( I think that's called a compression start but i'm newish to all this) Yes you can compression/bump start it, a hill will help as well starting in 2nd or 3rd gear. Make sure you ride it around for a while to charge the battery, they don't charge at idle on a bike.
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Sep 3, 2013 16:08
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NitroSpazzz posted:Yes you can compression/bump start it, a hill will help as well starting in 2nd or 3rd gear. Make sure you ride it around for a while to charge the battery, they don't charge at idle on a bike. Thanks guys, i'll try it out tonight and tell you how it goes.
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Sep 3, 2013 18:06
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