|
Oregon riding goons (if there are any, specifically maybe the Portland area): Does anyone really ride in the Winter or is it mostly summer? We're getting ready to move and I haven't seen many people out and about on bikes. Not that I would particularly blame them.
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2016 01:57
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 16, 2024 19:40 |
|
|
Here's a stupid question: I almost never hit reserve before refueling. Is the gas in my reserve the same gas that was there this summer? Or does it all mix together...?
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2016 19:34
|
|
|
It's the same gas. Reserve is just a setting that pulls fuel from the bottom of the tank. The normal setting pulls fuel from a few inches above the bottom of the tank, leaving X amount below the intake straw.
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2016 19:46
|
|
|
A MIRACLE posted:Here's a stupid question: I almost never hit reserve before refueling. Is the gas in my reserve the same gas that was there this summer? Or does it all mix together...? I think Geirskogul misunderstood or left out a word, it's not the same gas that was there last summer. Filling up and sloshing during riding etc mixes it around and as he correctly says it just pulls from a lower point in the tank. What can happen if you don't use reserve a lot, which is typical for old bikes that only go out once in a while, is that gunk might have unnoticeably gathered around the filter for the reserve pull and the one time you end up needing reserve the bike gets starved for gas and you're stranded. Not using it doesn't cause gunk to build up, it just masks a problem so it's good to check that it works every now and then.
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2016 20:39
|
|
|
I meant "it's ALL the same gas," as in it all mixes together. Whoops.
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2016 20:45
|
|
|
SquadronROE posted:Oregon riding goons (if there are any, specifically maybe the Portland area): Does anyone really ride in the Winter or is it mostly summer? We're getting ready to move and I haven't seen many people out and about on bikes. Not that I would particularly blame them. You'll see me every weekday morning on highway 26, so yeah, some of us do ride all year. It's really not that bad, since generally if it's super cold it's not wet, and if it's wet it's not cold enough to freeze. I don't ride in the ice, but the rain isn't a big deal. As a counterpoint, my old coworker is an MSF instructor. He really knows his stuff, and does a lot of trackdays and whatnot. He does not ride in the rain. Doesn't like it, won't commute in it.
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2016 22:02
|
|
|
Stupid question here: I've got a 2004 SV650S I bought last summer. My first bike, so still kind of learning things. Been a bit lazy and haven't winter prepped it yet, but winter here in Vancouver hasn't been bad enough to prevent me from riding it about once or twice a week. A few weeks ago, I noticed it struggling to start - kind of the same way a car with a low battery would. Chalked it up to probably the battery going as it appeared fairly old. Last week, it wouldn't start at all. No lights, no fuel pump noise, nothing. Figured battery finally croaked. Went and got a trickle charger, hooked it up - like 25 minutes later, showed as fully charged. Figured that isn't right, battery has to be pooched. Went and got a brand new battery today - put the acid in this morning, trickle charged it for about 10 hours, showing fully charged now. Went and hooked it up - exact same thing. What should my next step be for troubleshooting? I don't have a multimeter, but I can probably borrow one from work. Any other obvious things to check? Connectors/fuses etc? Edit : Forgot to mention, when I was switching the battery, I noticed if I wiggled the positive terminal a bit, I'd occasionally hear a slight clicking noise, and at one point, the speedometer moved from 0 to about 8K. TeamIce fucked around with this message at 04:34 on Jan 18, 2016 |
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 04:31
|
|
|
Check your starter relay.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 04:44
|
|
|
HenryJLittlefinger posted:Check your starter relay. Just checked that. Both fuses appear to be intact. Read online to try shorting the 2 bolts on it - it attempted to start and turn over. So it definitely appears to be getting power...is there a connector somewhere else that could have come loose? Also checked the fusebox under the pillion seat - all those fuses are fine as well. Just for a lark I tried swapping the two 30A fuses on the relay - I understand one is a spare. Also made no difference. TeamIce fucked around with this message at 05:37 on Jan 18, 2016 |
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 05:03
|
|
|
If it turns over when you jump the terminals, then the problem is either the starter relay or the bits/wiring that actuate the starter. Also, dumb question but did a safety switch burn out?
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 06:36
|
|
|
Z3n posted:If it turns over when you jump the terminals, then the problem is either the starter relay or the bits/wiring that actuate the starter. No idea - how would I check that out? I meant the terminals on the starter relay itself is what I jumped - I'm kind of an electrical dummy, but wouldnt that mean the starter relay itself is fine? Would the starter relay also cause like literally nothing on the bike to work - lights, etc? 
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 06:40
|
|
|
Kill switch is on right?
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 06:48
|
|
|
Shimrod posted:Kill switch is on right? Yeah, it's on. I don't think it'd be related to that anyhow - this isn't a case of the engine simply not turning over - I'm getting no lights at all. Before this problem happened, turning the key would light up the gauges, etc - then once I hit the kill switch, I'd hear the fuel pump. I don't even get lights at any stage, whether the KS is on or off.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 06:51
|
|
|
Oh, sorry, didn't read close enough. If it did something weird when you wiggled the cable, check the cables for damage. Also check the grounds.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 06:56
|
|
|
Z3n posted:Oh, sorry, didn't read close enough. Any idea where the grounds would be on a 2nd gen SV?
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 06:58
|
|
|
Not off the top of my head. Trace the wiring harness, looking for things that go to the engine or frame. Also check that the battery terminals and connectors are snugged up/not corroded/ making good contact.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 07:18
|
|
|
Yeah, they look pretty clean. I just find it really weird that it kind of struggled to start the couple of times prior...followed by no lights, nothing.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 07:26
|
|
|
Looks like I figured it out. Lot of references to a "green connector" problem on both the SV650's and 1000's. http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=204161 http://pnwriders.com/threads/sv1000-owners.181329/ A few people referenced wiggling the loom sometimes fixing the problem. Went downstairs, gave the bike a quick tug on the loom under the bars, popped the key in - lights, ignition, everything no problem. At least that solves that mystery...now to actually set aside the time to yank the airbox and get someone handy with electrical crap to do the fix.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 08:30
|
|
|
SquadronROE posted:Oregon riding goons (if there are any, specifically maybe the Portland area): Does anyone really ride in the Winter or is it mostly summer? We're getting ready to move and I haven't seen many people out and about on bikes. Not that I would particularly blame them. Anything, including ice from water but the snow for me. Stay out of the ruts if you can and you won't get as wet. Watch the shadows in icy conditions, that is where it (ice) hides. Consult the tire thread to make sure you're not doing like me with summer tires in winter. The biggest threat once you get used to it is wind pushing you into paint/ruts and cages hydroplaning into you. From: Eugene, OR
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 15:10
|
|
|
Thanks, Oregoons. Sounds like I can keep on riding on days off through the winter. It's actually colder where I live now, but less wet. Related question, what do you guys use to keep your visor clear in rain? Some sort of defogger and rain-x?
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 18:09
|
|
|
More rain  I only get in trouble once I get off the motorway and slow down enough for dirt to start building up on the visor. I've heard rain-x is bad for your visor, disagrees with the coatings or something. Can't confirm as I haven't used it.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 18:28
|
|
|
Comes off on its own if you're moving more than like 15mph. Otherwise just wipe it off with your hand.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 18:40
|
|
|
I use Rain-X on mine, simply because due to I'm guessing the windscreen and some other factors, unless I'm going fast (50+mph) it doesn't go anywhere. You can use a furniture wax, too. For rain, may I highly recommend getting a pinlock for your visor. If you wear glasses, consider contacts. That's my main issue with rain/cold. My glasses fog up.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 19:38
|
|
|
My rain gloves have mini thumb squeegees. Works great for clearing rain from the visor. Sucks for clearing bug guts.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 19:40
|
|
|
Any lefties around who had trouble getting fine throttle control down, in the beginning? I bombed the MSF yesterday, and it all came down to not being able to throttle smoothly. I did alright on exercises that kicked up into 2nd gear, but as soon as we got into the technical low-speed stuff, I lost it. Fell off in the box twice from killing the engine, and my heart just dropped out of it.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 21:19
|
|
|
Low speed stuff should be all clutch control. You want to set your throttle for moderate revs (varies by bike, probably about 4000 for a twin) and then control your speed with clutch and brake. At least that's how they teach it in the UK, if you're talking about slalom and u-turns and such? clutchpuck posted:My rain gloves have mini thumb squeegees. Works great for clearing rain from the visor. Sucks for clearing bug guts. There's a thing like that I heard about called visorcat made by some Scottish startup, that's got a reservoir of cleaning fluid in it that's automatically dispensed when you wipe. Can't tell if they're out of business unfortunately, there's a bunch of web noise from about 14 months ago when they launched, and then nothing. Their site is still up but indicates they're out of stock with no estimated resupply date. Renaissance Robot fucked around with this message at 21:59 on Jan 18, 2016 |
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 21:57
|
|
|
Clitch posted:Any lefties around who had trouble getting fine throttle control down, in the beginning? I don't remember the specific instructions they give you at the MSF, but at very low speeds you need to be using the clutch to modulate power more than the throttle. This doesn't mean that you can get away without touching the right bar -- you still (usually) need more torque than is available at idle for low-speed maneuvers. But while you're still learning smoothness, you can basically hold the engine at e.g. 3000 RPM, and then slip the clutch in and out to control your speed. One way of thinking of it is that the throttle just sets your engine power output, and the clutch sets how much of that power turns into forwards speed. (Note: if you've driven a car with a standard transmission, you might be wary of holding the clutch at a middle point because your dad told you "quit riding the clutch, you'll burn it out!" That's true in a car and in a number of higher end motorcycles. However, most average motorcycles have oil-bath clutches that can be slipped more or less indefinitely with no damage. So don't be afraid to do it.) As for fine control....that comes with time. I don't think it's a problem unique to left handed people. Sagebrush fucked around with this message at 22:08 on Jan 18, 2016 |
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 22:06
|
|
|
The other thing that really helped me was thinking about the forces at work in a running engine. If you're bringing up the RPMs it sometimes helps stabilize the bike through gyroscopic forces internal to the engine (that's what the instructor said, dunno if it's actually bullshit). Regardless, bringing the engine's RPMs up while controlling speed with the clutch really helps. Also practice. I probably practice low speed maneuvering every time I go out for a weekend ride.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 22:11
|
|
|
I would say that's bullshit, yes. Motorcycles don't stay up because of gyroscopic effects. here we gooooo
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 22:13
|
|
|
Sagebrush posted:(Note: if you've driven a car with a standard transmission, you might be wary of holding the clutch at a middle point because your dad told you "quit riding the clutch, you'll burn it out!" That's true in a car and in a number of higher end motorcycles. However, most average motorcycles have oil-bath clutches that can be slipped more or less indefinitely with no damage. So don't be afraid to do it.) Which reminds me, I noticed the other day that if I start up in neutral on the centrestand with the clutch out, my back wheel starts spinning (very slowly). Does that say anything about my transmission, or is it it just that the dogs might be touching each other a little bit and would fully disengage if I hit the brake? (I forgot to test this at the time and haven't been on it since) SquadronROE posted:The other thing that really helped me was thinking about the forces at work in a running engine. If you're bringing up the RPMs it sometimes helps stabilize the bike through gyroscopic forces internal to the engine (that's what the instructor said, dunno if it's actually bullshit). Definitely bullshit (I was told the same), but it's at least a useful lie because while it's possible to do low speed maneuvers at close to idle depending on the engine, if you gently caress up at low revs you're guaranteed to stall and probably drop the bike. Telling newbies it's magic gets them to keep their revs up even if they notice they don't actually need all of them to make enough power to take the bike through the maneuver.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 22:33
|
|
|
Renaissance Robot posted:Which reminds me, I noticed the other day that if I start up in neutral on the centrestand with the clutch out, my back wheel starts spinning (very slowly). Does that say anything about my transmission, or is it it just that the dogs might be touching each other a little bit and would fully disengage if I hit the brake? (I forgot to test this at the time and haven't been on it since) That's the oil between your clutch plates creating a little bit of stiction, which transfers a tiny bit of power to the transmission. Just enough to spin the wheel when there's no resistance. It's normal. A dry clutch shouldn't do that.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 22:36
|
|
|
When I'm not in gear?  I mean, I'd understand it if I was in gear with the clutch disengaged, but I'm talking about being in neutral with the clutch engaged (plates together). I guess the drive dogs in the transmission are touching a bit or something? Renaissance Robot fucked around with this message at 23:14 on Jan 18, 2016 |
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 23:11
|
|
|
Oil friction from the shaft spinning is turning it
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 23:24
|
|
|
Sagebrush posted:That's the oil between your clutch plates creating a little bit of stiction, which transfers a tiny bit of power to the transmission. Just enough to spin the wheel when there's no resistance. It's normal. It will. The clutch still spins on a dry clutch with the clutch pulled in unless you stop it with your foot or whatever.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 23:39
|
|
|
Sagebrush posted:(Note: if you've driven a car with a standard transmission, you might be wary of holding the clutch at a middle point because your dad told you "quit riding the clutch, you'll burn it out!" That's true in a car and in a number of higher end motorcycles. However, most average motorcycles have oil-bath clutches that can be slipped more or less indefinitely with no damage. So don't be afraid to do it.) Out of curiosity, which higher end bikes are you referring to here? My bike lugs beneath 4k and I spend 75%+ of my commute clutch engaged, so hearing about bikes where you can't use the clutch for long surprises me.
|
|
#
?
Jan 19, 2016 01:42
|
|
|
Older Ducati's and BMW's and some others have dry clutches like a car.
|
|
#
?
Jan 19, 2016 02:20
|
|
|
Ducatis don't really have dry clutches like a car. They're multiplate dry clutches on a unit engine with the transmission in the case. BMWs and Moto Guzzis have large single plate clutches between the separate engine and transmission. And yes dry clutch systems will move the rear wheel when on a stand idling in neutral. Unless you pull the clutch lever.
|
|
#
?
Jan 19, 2016 02:26
|
|
|
Huh, interesting. So why does the rear wheel spin even when the bike is in neutral? E: i proposed something but nope, that potential explanation also doesn't work. I'm very interested in the correct answer now Sagebrush fucked around with this message at 03:09 on Jan 19, 2016 |
|
#
?
Jan 19, 2016 03:05
|
|
|
Same reason , the oil, especially cold oil is viscous enough to move the transmission
|
|
#
?
Jan 19, 2016 03:20
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 16, 2024 19:40 |
|
|
Re: Rain-X on visors Rain-X Plastic Water Repellent  Looks like it works just like regular Rain-X, but made for visors, windscreens, etc. I'm gonna pick up a bottle this week sometime, and being that I live in Florida, will report back.
|
|
#
?
Jan 19, 2016 05:06
|
|
