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bizwank posted:I just replaced my stock horn with a Freeway Blaster; figure if I need to get a driver's attention I want them to think something bigger than a scooter is about to hit them. It can't hurt to have it but I have long put out of my mind the idea that I can make someone pay enough attention to matter. A friend of mine is a firefighter, and keeps a now-several-hours-long compilation video of people pulling out on, merging into, cutting off, and otherwise crashing into his massive red truck with the hi vis reflective stripes and flashing lights and sirens. I figure if people are gonna merge literally into the side of a fluro red truck that's making wee woo noises, there's nothing I can possibly do to stop them merging into me on the bike.
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May 24, 2021 23:57
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Elector_Nerdlingen posted:It can't hurt to have it but I have long put out of my mind the idea that I can make someone pay enough attention to matter. You can, by driving passively. Emergency vehicles don't really have that luxury because of the inherent urgency.
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May 25, 2021 09:21
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Late to the chat but,LimaBiker posted:Getting a bike is genuinely the best material thing i ever did in my entire life. Without question. I'd still say that those new radrunner style electric bicycles are pretty good looking, and I'd consider them as an alternative to a slow speed side street motorcycle/scoot for barebones errands/commutes. bizwank posted:I just replaced my stock horn with a Freeway Blaster; figure if I need to get a driver's attention I want them to think something bigger than a scooter is about to hit them. Also installed fork, bar-end and swingarm spool sliders; waiting on a torque wrench to do the frame sliders since that involves engine bolts. Going to be practicing my slow-speed maneuvers a lot and if/when I drop it I'd like to do as little damage as possible. I need to replace the hawk's horn, and am looking for something REALLY loud. The freeway blaster looks like a nautilus knockoff? Or just a simple design? Anyone have a good recommendation for a horn with presence?
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May 25, 2021 15:13
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Coydog posted:I need to replace the hawk's horn, and am looking for something REALLY loud. The freeway blaster looks like a nautilus knockoff? Or just a simple design? Anyone have a good recommendation for a horn with presence? If you want something louder and more menacing then a compact airhorn is probably your best option; again, looks like a bunch of companies make practically the same product (or slaps their name on an OE model). Keep in mind you may need to do some wiring if it pulls more amps then your stock horn does; mine was a drop-in replacement. Here's roughly what they sound like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqgM8Z5RI38&t=38s
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May 25, 2021 16:13
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Coydog posted:Late to the chat but, Freeway blaster/Soundbomb Mini is pretty loud, the Soundbomb/Nautilus are downright painful in an enclosed space. I don't have the mini installed right now, but I do have the full-sized Soundbomb and can get an audio clip of it if you want. Seconding the suggestion to run a separate power line to the battery and use the stock horn wire as a trigger on a relay; those horns can pull enough current to trash the stock horn switch and/or wiring.
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May 25, 2021 16:51
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Thanks for that both of you. That makes more sense to me then. The wiring a separate harness seems like a pain, but I do it plenty for lights and stuff. What ya'll are telling me is I need a freeway blaster for the regular horn button, and a full sized soundbomb wired to a separate button (that also triggers the freeway blaster). 
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May 25, 2021 18:09
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTRYm_peqGA Just go all out
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May 25, 2021 18:23
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Greg12 posted:buy a motorcycle Going back a couple of pages just to ask, who makes the jet fighters?? Kawi? I know they're one tiny arm of what still amounts to a zaibatsu with its fingers in a lot of industrial pies
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May 25, 2021 22:24
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Phy posted:Going back a couple of pages just to ask, who makes the jet fighters?? Kawi? I know they're one tiny arm of what still amounts to a zaibatsu with its fingers in a lot of industrial pies Makes cars (Honda Suzuki) Musical Instruments (Yamaha) Jet They make Helicopters too!
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May 25, 2021 22:34
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Carteret posted:Makes cars (Honda Suzuki) Also a bunch of really heavy equipment, no?
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May 25, 2021 22:36
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Kawasaki makes a lot of stuff. I don't think the two other classic japanese heavy industries Mitsubishi or IHI has a motorcycle sub arm. Mitsubishi has made scooters. Supradog fucked around with this message at 23:07 on May 25, 2021 |
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May 25, 2021 22:59
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Kawasaki and Suzuki also make musical instruments. Honda makes loving everything up to and including planes and bits of spacecraft. Not bad for a company started by a guy hotting up occupation GI bikes.
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May 25, 2021 23:49
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Slavvy posted:Kawasaki and Suzuki also make musical instruments.  Even in KRT livery close enoiugh
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May 25, 2021 23:56
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Rev matching is a lot easier than I thought it was going to be, and riding on real roads is not nearly scary as anticipated. My random-dude-wanting-to-talk count is now three in two rides. Luckily the attractive guy is the only one that invited me to ride.
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May 26, 2021 02:32
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Martytoof posted:
Pictured: 6 time wsbk champion Jonathan Rea!
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May 26, 2021 02:33
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Kawasaki makes literally everything. I had a pc CD-ROM drive from Kawasaki once upon a time
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May 26, 2021 02:36
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Kawasaki Heavy Industries makes giant ships and nuclear reactors. E: I guess they got out of nuclear power this year. Mitsubishi still does it though
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May 26, 2021 02:40
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Spiggy posted:Rev matching is a lot easier than I thought it was going to be, and riding on real roads is not nearly scary as anticipated. Invited you to ride what though
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May 26, 2021 02:46
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Slavvy posted:Invited you to ride what though Guess I'm going to have to swing by his apartment and find out.
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May 26, 2021 02:49
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Finally managed to schedule some time with a mechanic and get frame sliders installed (no cut). They're surprisingly unobtrusive. One one hand I'm thinking it's kinda moot putting them on a bike that was dropped by the PO, but on the other, seems like a good way to prevent any more damage. The mechanic pointed out my front turn signal stalk is loose and my right handlebar has a subtle bend to it, so I ordered those parts. Nice thing about this honda is that most of the OEM parts are on ebay at reasonable prices. Except mufflers, which are super pricey new and all the used ones look beaten to hell. I just want a less obnoxiously loud muffler. The mechanic also told be that 250cc bikes like this have a habit of burning oil at freeway speeds and he advised me against doing more than 45 minutes at a time above 65mph. Also I now have 700 miles under my belt 
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May 26, 2021 03:12
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I have been trying to figure out what to do on the highway for merging traffic coming on on the right. In my car, it has enough power I usually just speed up and let people merge behind me if it looks like they aren't going fast enough to merge. On a bike I have been slowing down. I slowed to like 45 the other day when the speed limit is 55 and traffic goes 65-70. I'm like that doesn't seem right, someone might rear end me. So I tried speeding up the next time it came up and my bike really doesn't have the power to do that quickly. They started merging into my lane with me there, not seeing me. I expected it so I just slowed down. I might just adopt a personal policy of using the center or left lane when I can, and keep an eye out on both sides. Or slow down for merging traffic as long as no one is behind me. Very different thought process than my car. I haven't tried dropping to 5th gear at highway speeds yet. I need to do the math and look up the gear ratios, I am usually at like 8000-8500 rpm ish. Redline is 12.5.
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May 27, 2021 15:19
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Just move over a lane so you don't have to deal with it. Watch out for those drivers that like to swoop from the onramp all the way to the left lane in one motion though.
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May 27, 2021 16:35
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It's the same as being in a car, you move over a lane to clear space for merging drivers. This isn't a motorcycle thing, it's a "don't be a jerk" thing.
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May 27, 2021 17:00
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I think it's generally on the merging driver to merge into the flow of traffic without disrupting it... but it's wiser on your end to preempt the danger and move over left one lane wether you're in a car or on bike.
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May 27, 2021 17:29
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This is gonna sound pretty Yogi Berra or John Madden but I like to think of it as, the easiest way to avoid being hit in traffic is to not be where the cars are going to be
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May 27, 2021 18:26
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SSH IT ZOMBIE posted:I have been trying to figure out what to do on the highway for merging traffic coming on on the right. Drop to fifth gear. Anywhere below the redline is fine. There's 4,000rpm of power you aren't using, small bikes involve lots of gear changing to get the most out of them, that's how it is. It isn't a car, use the revs. Still way too much thinking, you don't need to check gear ratios or any of that bullshit. Has it got more revs? Use the revs. No more revs? Time to change up. Very simple. STOP THINKING SO MUCH. Slavvy fucked around with this message at 19:43 on May 27, 2021 |
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May 27, 2021 19:40
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Speaking of revs, how important is it that I pay attention the exact break-in procedure outlined in the manual? On one hand I assume Kawi engineers know this engine better than anyone else, and know what's best for it, on the other hand plenty of other seemingly intelligent people online have their own break-in procedure that they say has always worked fine for their new bikes. The truth is somewhere in the middle? Also I discovered this bike has a flashing shift light that you can program to pop at whatever rpm you want, so that's kinda cool for I guess. Also has an average and real-time MPG display which I didn't expect to see on a bike.
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May 27, 2021 21:42
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bizwank posted:Speaking of revs, how important is it that I pay attention the exact break-in procedure outlined in the manual? On one hand I assume Kawi engineers know this engine better than anyone else, and know what's best for it, on the other hand plenty of other seemingly intelligent people online have their own break-in procedure that they say has always worked fine for their new bikes. The truth is somewhere in the middle? as long as you aren't doing this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDJjvycDt_8 it's fine. just ride the bike normally. being neurotic about engine break in is just new bike ownership territory. i sperged out about my drz's break in and then immediately flipped it and then rammed it into a mailbox. fast forward 12k miles and it's done 80+ MPH WOT in sand, powerline trails, wheelies through the city and all the poo poo a sumo does and it's having it's FIRST exhaust valve adjustment ever
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May 27, 2021 22:09
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Signed up for lessons next month, nothing to report yet other than slowly gearing up. Expect lots of idiotic questions to eventually arise. Can't wait!
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May 27, 2021 22:34
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Razzled posted:as long as you aren't doing this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDJjvycDt_8 it's fine. 2:27 in O_o
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May 27, 2021 23:12
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bizwank posted:Speaking of revs, how important is it that I pay attention the exact break-in procedure outlined in the manual? On one hand I assume Kawi engineers know this engine better than anyone else, and know what's best for it, on the other hand plenty of other seemingly intelligent people online have their own break-in procedure that they say has always worked fine for their new bikes. The truth is somewhere in the middle? Those people are 95% morons with no basis for their bullshit. Do what the manual says. In reality you can ride however you want and it'll almost certainly be fine because it's a robust, relaxed, japanese engine. It's more a question of it you care about getting the absolute maximum potential out of it in terms of single digit percentages of power, economy and oil consumption. Japanese bikes have a LOT of leeway for doing dumb poo poo and not hurting anything, that creates a space for the legions of people who think they know better to spread their wings of nonsense and soar on thermals of huffed farts. If for example you were on a brand new 690, you'd probably already be hosed without knowing why, or trying to walk a tightrope so you don't get massive future oil consumption (you would fail and just have to live with massive oil consumption because your riding circumstances are not the ones in the KTM dyno room but hey). This was fairly normal stuff until about the early eighties, when the Japanese started selling bikes that just worked when you turn the key, and people lost the sense that they're riding something that could fail at any second and needed constant thoroughbred attention.
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May 27, 2021 23:25
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MomJeans420 posted:2:27 in O_o That guy must have a deliberately hosed-up tune, right? Running it excessively lean to boost the temperature, or dumping extra fuel into the headers, or something? Like even motoGP bikes running flat-out with power densities 50% more than your average street bike don't get exhausts that glow like that.
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May 27, 2021 23:43
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Sagebrush posted:That guy must have a deliberately hosed-up tune, right? Running it excessively lean to boost the temperature, or dumping extra fuel into the headers, or something? I geared up to watch the video and explain about the afterburner thing I expected to see but nope, that is just the world's sorriest gixxer about to melt a piston.
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May 28, 2021 02:02
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Does the rev limiter just cut spark without cutting fuel and dump the fuel out of the exhaust?
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May 28, 2021 02:25
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Oh, huh, I guess if it's carbureted that's exactly what it would do, wouldn't it. And maybe some fuel-injected implementations still just cut spark too. Yeah, that'd do it.
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May 28, 2021 02:34
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MomJeans420 posted:Does the rev limiter just cut spark without cutting fuel and dump the fuel out of the exhaust? Yup, that bike is almost certainly carbed and possibly air cooled.
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May 28, 2021 02:44
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bizwank posted:Speaking of revs, how important is it that I pay attention the exact break-in procedure outlined in the manual? On one hand I assume Kawi engineers know this engine better than anyone else, and know what's best for it, on the other hand plenty of other seemingly intelligent people online have their own break-in procedure that they say has always worked fine for their new bikes. The truth is somewhere in the middle? Haha. I got the Versys-X 300. Yeah the MPG display is nice. I wonder if my shift light is programmable. Break in - I did maybe a few dozen miles at lower rpms. It's not realistic. 4k on my bike is almost not street legal, and I guess they suggest the same RPMs for every bike they say so it's probably not even scientific. I have been riding it normally and everyone and their mother says it doesn't really matter, with many saying ride it super hard early on and heat cycle it so the piston rings wear against the crosshatch in the cyls so it seals well. Universally everyone says ride it in a range of rpms and don't take it on the thruway for a long trip super early on holding steady at the same RPMs.
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May 28, 2021 03:28
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How are you liking the Versys? It was at the top of my list for a while when I was fantasizing about motocamping, then realized that was far enough off that I should get something more suited for where I'd exclusively be riding now (city). My manual says "Avoid prolonged operation above 7000 rpm for the first 600 miles, and above 8400 for the next 400. After 1k go nuts". Most streets around here are all 25mph and I can do that in 2nd gear at around 5-6k so I'm guessing it will be a while before those limits become an issue for me. Definitely not planning any highway trips any time soon.
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May 28, 2021 03:55
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MomJeans420 posted:Does the rev limiter just cut spark without cutting fuel and dump the fuel out of the exhaust? Yeah this is exactly what’s happening It’s also an oil cooled gsxr so also likely the only bike in the video that would still ride home after that treatment
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May 28, 2021 16:03
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bizwank posted:How are you liking the Versys? It was at the top of my list for a while when I was fantasizing about motocamping, then realized that was far enough off that I should get something more suited for where I'd exclusively be riding now (city). I like it a lot. I am primarily using it on the road. Gets decent mileage, 60mpg ish mixed suburban and highway. It is very comfortable. I've been taking it out at night sometimes, I wish the normal headlight was a bit better but the high beam is fine. The suspension is smooth and has a fair amount of travel. Handles pretty easy with its narrower tires. I feel like the bike is in a class by itself with Kawasaki. My other friend is talking about upgrading his Honda CBR500R. I can't find an "upgrade" - just bigger adventure bikes, or faster sport bikes. There's not a lot on this weird niche of fast enough for thruway use, good mileage, a bit more suspension and ground clearance. I am probably going to just keep it forever and if I want another bike have a second. Probably a sport tbh, fairly out in the future though. I am basically using it as a daily driver to commute since it is fun and cheap on gas, haha. SSH IT ZOMBIE fucked around with this message at 16:21 on May 28, 2021 |
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May 28, 2021 16:12
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