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Tyre balancing is insanely easy and I don't know why internet people make it seem hard (see also: brake bleeding, carbs, valve clearances, Ducati anything). You put the tyre on the thing and turn it a little bit so it slowly rotates on it's own. Wait for it to stop. The point of the wheel at 6 o'clock is the heaviest, so you put some weights at 12 o'clock. Rinse and repeat until you can park the tyre in any orientation and have it not rotate on it's own at all. That's it, wheel balanced. Getting the tyres on the rims is genuinely difficult a lot of the time though, can't deny that.
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Dec 7, 2021 22:15
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RightClickSaveAs posted:How involved was the process of balancing the wheels? I am incredibly inept mechanically and tires frighten me. I've done it with the harbor freight balancing stand and a pack of stick on weights. It took a methodical hour sitting on the garage floor with a sharpie. Not especially difficult, just slow. Let the wheel rotate till it stops, put a 1/4 oz at the 12:00 position, do it again until the point at which it comes to rest becomes random.
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Dec 7, 2021 22:16
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I've balanced tires myself no problem. It's just basic mechanical concepts, not significantly different from truing parts in a lathe or something. I've rebuilt and trued spoked wheels a number of times; also no big deal if you have a dial indicator and some patience. Kind of a zen thing. I will not mount tires myself, and after attempting it once, never plan to again unless I eventually buy a tire machine. gently caress that noise.
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Dec 7, 2021 22:30
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Sagebrush posted:I've balanced tires myself no problem. It's just basic mechanical concepts, not significantly different from truing parts in a lathe or something. I've rebuilt and trued spoked wheels a number of times; also no big deal if you have a dial indicator and some patience. Kind of a zen thing. This is what I thought and then I discovered that a tyre machine can only cope with a certain amount of bullshit and the really hard ones you have to do with levers, so the machine becomes a really elaborate stand at best.
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Dec 7, 2021 22:49
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Slavvy posted:This is what I thought and then I discovered that a tyre machine can only cope with a certain amount of bullshit and the really hard ones you have to do with levers, so the machine becomes a really elaborate stand at best. Don't crush my dreams like this
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Dec 7, 2021 23:42
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Slavvy posted:Tyre balancing is insanely easy and I don't know why internet people make it seem hard I wonder if it's people used to cars, thinking bike wheels need to be dynamically balanced. I've never used one of the machines but I remember the hand calculations being a pain in the neck. Actually checking into what dynamic balancing addresses reveals that Slavvy's right, most bike wheels only need static balancing as he describes. Car wheels are a different story. And I suppose if I had a monster chunko rear wheel like off a Diavel or a modded busa or a darksided tourer I'd
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Dec 7, 2021 23:53
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It's only morning coffee time and I already learned a new thing today. I just assumed dynamic balancing was a thing for all fast spinning wheels. Full disclosure: My current summer set of car wheels are only statically balanced because I did those myself and they feel fine at any speeds I ever go. I've never attempted mounting moto tires (I'm new at this) but I've done plenty of car tires with just levers. Also some pretty gnarly and stiff bicycle tires. I might just give it a go next time though I'll probably fail and give up after chipping a bunch of paint on my rims. It is a cheap learner bike though. Can't learn without trying it.
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Dec 8, 2021 06:38
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Very few people will get this experience these days, but mounting tubular continental bicycle tires will teach you many new and interesting swear words.
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Dec 8, 2021 09:09
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ImplicitAssembler posted:Very few people will get this experience these days, but mounting tubular continental bicycle tires will teach you many new and interesting swear words. I’m pretty sure I left a piece of flesh inside the last pair of Continentals I put on a bike.
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Dec 8, 2021 15:45
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Did the front one last night in about half the time as it took for the rear, avoiding the mistakes I made on that one. Balancing was easy. I made the mistake in the rear on not putting the barcode on the tire opposite the valve stem, so I ended up using 4 or 5 weights until it was good enough. Front tire I mounted properly and only needed a pair of weights to get that one set. I found mounting the new tires was significantly less of a pain in the rear end than getting the old ones off. Only real struggle I had with the front was that it stubbornly did not want the bead to pop in. A few more sprays from the bottle, and the PSI knob cranked on the compressor was enough to finally get them to seat in. Needing to grease the axles and wheel bearings made me realize I should finally get a good grease gun and a resupply of nitrile gloves to cut down on the mess. After all this was done, sprayed down all three brake discs with cleaner and gave them a wipe, cleaned up the wheels, felt satisfied that I didn't really cause more damage to the wheel paint than what was already there, cleaned and re-lubed the chain, and found that my method of drawing an outline around the rear axle washers with a pen on the swingarm and then lining it up when putting it back together worked fine for the chain tension as it was within spec before tearing into it. Also, while I'm sure cheaper stands suffice just fine, these Pit Bull ones are really really nice.
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Dec 8, 2021 17:03
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ImplicitAssembler posted:Very few people will get this experience these days, but mounting tubular continental bicycle tires will teach you many new and interesting swear words. One word: tubliss. gently caress those things you aren't Ken roczen you don't need 6psi tyres.
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Dec 8, 2021 19:32
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ImplicitAssembler posted:Very few people will get this experience these days, but mounting tubular continental bicycle tires will teach you many new and interesting swear words. Ugh always needed to leave contis to dry stretch on an old rim/tire. The upside is they typically needed very little messing with after you managed to get them on to have the tire nicely round. Sometimes I miss the smell of tubular glue (mastik one naturally).
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Dec 8, 2021 20:56
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Between me and my brother we do around 6 motorcycle tyres each every years. it gets easier with experience with the right semi-pro tools but sometimes you just get a tyre that's a total poo poo to get off. If you got rims you care about totally get someone else to do it.
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Dec 11, 2021 01:57
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I had a minor off today, basically 0mph and in pretty much the safest place possible at the time. I was uturning left on a divided 4 lane road (2 lanes on each side and a left turn lane so 5 lanes total). There was a car coming from the other way, but with plenty of space for me to complete the uturn. Here, I rushed myself for some reason and didn't shift all the way down to 1st as I came to an almost complete stop, but instead was in 2nd with not enough throttle input. The bike lugged and stalled; and as you know when doing slow speed maneuvers, when you cut the power in a turn, the bike falls over. So I fell over in the turn lane still, very gently and I even managed to walk myself out the bike so I never actually fell to the ground. The dangerous part was now there was a bunch more traffic coming the opposite way so I quickly picked up the bike, pushed it back a little so I wasn't so close to the oncoming lane and got on my way. I don't think there were even any scrapes on the bike from this as the peg and mirror caught the bike. Rest of the ride I felt a little off so I took it easy. I always start my rides with a little parking lot practice, uturns, circles emergency braking etc but seems I need to do more. Did more practice at the end of the ride as well. Besides upping the skills, the big take away for me today is don't rush, one thing at a time. I should have come to a complete stop first and then decided if I could still make it through safely before the oncoming car. Or you know, just wait, since I'm riding for leisure.
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Dec 22, 2021 04:54
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One thing that can help in those situations where you're awkwardly between first and second is to leave it in second and his slip the poo poo out of the clutch while revving the engine. Smooths out jerkiness as well.
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Dec 22, 2021 04:58
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I nearly dropped the bike doing something similar, except it was a tight residential street so I had to go nearly full lock to make the U-turn. I was in neutral and not first like I thought so I had no power at all, just made a lot of noise. Managed to catch the bike just barely and felt like a huge idiot.
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Dec 22, 2021 08:18
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If you find yourself at 0mph in 2nd on your 400cc bike, give it all the revs and feather the clutch to prevent a stall. And also, at 0mph, there's no shame in dangling a foot to the ground just to make sure any instability in the tight rear end U turn is caught before the bike goes down. Just make sure you pick your foot up and onto the peg as soon as you start going. Or just be in 1st at 0mph. Or just have enough engine displacement that you can take off from a standing stop in any gear.
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Dec 22, 2021 11:43
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Steakandchips posted:Or just have enough engine displacement that you can take off from a standing stop in any gear. Alternatively: go electric.
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Dec 22, 2021 17:44
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Are there tricks for reinstalling a rear wheel? Took it off and got a new rear tire for my Ninja 400 mounted, but having a bear of a time getting it back on correctly. The chain slack adjustments on each side are way off, do I need to take the whole thing off again and align them at a certain point and try to hold them in place while I put the rear back on? The videos I found for swapping out a rear wheel don't mention the chain slack gettting all knocked out of alignment, but it looks like that's what I've managed to do! I can't seem to adjust them with the rear on, the left one especially is already almost all the way out and doesn't budge, and the chain is already getting tight. Left:  Right: 
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Dec 26, 2021 04:21
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Don’t put much stock in those frame marks. Measure from the center of the swingarm pivot bolt to the center of the axle bolt on each side and make sure they’re equal. Then scratch marks into the swingarm to use as relative measuring points to start from next time you have to have a wheel off. Those look way off though. Make sure your axle nuts are moderately snug when you adjust the chain slack. Not tight, just loose enough to move with resistance. And you have to achieve correct chain slack in the tightening direction, you can’t loosen back down to correct slack. If you’re able to back the wheel almost to the limit of rearward travel, your chain is toast and you need to replace it along with new sprockets. HenryJLittlefinger fucked around with this message at 04:59 on Dec 26, 2021 |
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Dec 26, 2021 04:55
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I wouldn't put too much stock in measuring from the axle to the pivot because swingarms are often asymmetrical (yes even the ones that look symmetrical usually aren't). At this point you're so far out of whack you need to loosen everything until the axle is right up against the slots as far forward as it'll go. From there do the usual procedure. Tighten the axle nut until the axle can't flap around freely and the nuts have to work a little bit to drag it backwards. Absolutely critical: only ever work in the tightening direction, never loosening. If you're starting from the forward stops, all you have to do is ensure you do the same number of turns on both nuts and you're guaranteed a straight wheel. When you get 90% of the way there, tighten the axle a bit more so it's harder to drag. Rotate the wheel until you find the tight spot in the chain and set tension there. Set the tension by winding the adjusters a quarter turn at a time, both sides at once. Once it's set, tighten the axle fully, then give the nuts another tiny turn to tension them up against the now immovable axle, then do up the lock nuts, being careful not to inadvertantly loosen an adjuster when you do.
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Dec 26, 2021 06:54
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Slavvy posted:I wouldn't put too much stock in measuring from the axle to the pivot because swingarms are often asymmetrical (yes even the ones that look symmetrical usually aren't). Are they really so asymmetrical that length on each side would be more than a few mm different? And I assume the asymmetry is due to the swingarm pivot being off center to the midline of the frame? I’m fortunate enough that all my swingarms have been square tube with a pretty wide pivot so it’s been an easy measurement. Not that it matters on bikes with axle snails after you verify the snail notches adjust evenly on each side.
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Dec 26, 2021 14:52
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Ahh thanks! I took the whole rear wheel off again and started over, backing the nuts on the axle chain adjusters all the way out, then pushing them forward as far as they go. I was not making that connection how they slide back and forth until the nuts stop them at the end of the swingarm. Also that it's not possible to loosen it once the wheel is on, only tighten, as you both mentioned, whoops. This is a good learning lesson, I've shamefully never adjusted my own chain tension, so now I'll have a better understanding of how that works.
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Dec 26, 2021 20:00
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HenryJLittlefinger posted:Are they really so asymmetrical that length on each side would be more than a few mm different? And I assume the asymmetry is due to the swingarm pivot being off center to the midline of the frame? I’m fortunate enough that all my swingarms have been square tube with a pretty wide pivot so it’s been an easy measurement. Not that it matters on bikes with axle snails after you verify the snail notches adjust evenly on each side. If you take the wheel out and look at the bike directly from the rear you'll see the amount of asymmetry I mean, it's to account for the chain being on one side. It varies a lot but generally it's worse on bigger bikes. I don't like measurement like that in general as it's hopelessly unreliable, I prefer methods that start with a concrete repeatable baseline that you work from ie the wheel fully forward on the stops, or the preload fully backed off or whatever.
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Dec 26, 2021 20:16
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This looks much better Got a front tire too as a set (Michelin Pilot Power 2s) I may get done next, though the original front has quite a bit of life left in it. The rear picked up a nail so I just opted to get a new one.
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Dec 26, 2021 23:50
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Wasn't sure which thread to put this in but I figure someone who hasn't ridden in 15 years is functionally not that different from a new rider. When I was in my late teens and early 20s I used to ride a '83 Honda Shadow. I loved that bike and rode it everywhere but previous owners had not taken care of it at all and the electrical system started failing. I was young, didn't have a job or an income, and didn't know poo poo about how to fix it and just stopped riding for a long time. Now, in my late 30s, my financial situation is finally looking like I could afford a bike again. I've been looking at the newer Shadows, but I notice they're 750cc where the '83 was 500. How noticeable will that difference be, and how bad of an idea would it be to just buy a brand new Shadow Aero? unimportantguy fucked around with this message at 08:17 on Jan 4, 2022 |
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Jan 4, 2022 08:09
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I don't have a handle on how slow a Shadow 750 is but you're probably more at risk of a crash than an actual newbie. Fake edit: it's apparently 43hp so sufficiently gutless. Not my thing at all and you'd probably be better off with the thread standard rec of a MT-03
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Jan 4, 2022 10:51
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knox_harrington posted:I don't have a handle on how slow a Shadow 750 is but you're probably more at risk of a crash than an actual newbie. quote:Fake edit: it's apparently 43hp so sufficiently gutless. Not my thing at all and you'd probably be better off with the thread standard rec of a MT-03 Edit: part of the reason I'm looking at Shadows is also shaft drive - chain maintenance never seemed like a good time watching my dad do it unimportantguy fucked around with this message at 13:45 on Jan 4, 2022 |
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Jan 4, 2022 13:36
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You are wrong. I say this as someone who thought exactly like you when I was starting out. I wanted a cruiser ASAP. Instead I got a lovely used standard small capacity bike first to learn on, and it helped tremendously. I'd have hosed up myself and a cruiser as my first bike. Stop giving a poo poo about chain maintenance like it's some big thing. Just spray the exposed part of the chain with chain spray after every ride, just keep the can right next to the bike. 3 second job. Tighten the chain if it gets too loose (you may have to do this once or twice a year). Buy a used MT-03 or a Ninja 300 or a CB125F. Ride it for a year and then get something bigger.
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Jan 4, 2022 14:04
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Okay it sounds like I need to completely rethink this. Sounds like trying to get something kind of like the bike I had before is a bad idea. Thank you, goons.
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Jan 4, 2022 14:55
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By all accounts the new rebel 500 is a fine bike and many people start learning on them.
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Jan 4, 2022 15:34
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unimportantguy posted:Okay it sounds like I need to completely rethink this. Sounds like trying to get something kind of like the bike I had before is a bad idea. Thank you, goons. The Rebel 500 is a perfectly fine bike for you to (re)start with. It looks like a cruiser, but it rides and handles like a standard. While it is smaller and lighter than something like a Shadow, that makes it a lot more forgiving and fun to ride. Go get one with ABS and enjoy. Chain maintenance isn't a big deal. If you keep it oiled, which takes like 5 minutes every third tank of gas or so, it will last a very long time and only occasionally need tension adjustments, which also aren't that hard to do. Just remember you never, ever, ever touch the chain while the engine is running. Sagebrush fucked around with this message at 18:10 on Jan 4, 2022 |
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Jan 4, 2022 17:58
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I should really update the OPs too huh. I don't think I even mentioned the mt03, because it was Europe-only when I originally wrote those posts
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Jan 4, 2022 18:05
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The rebel 500 is one of the greatest marketing tricks I have ever seen. It's sold as a cruiser. But actually look at the bike itself and point out just one actual cruiser feature. I'll wait. It is in virtually every way a totally normal 80's style standard, mechanically and dynamically, but with a cunning combination of styling cues that trick your brain into thinking it's a cruiser. Like those butterflies with eyes on them to ward off predators.
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Jan 4, 2022 19:10
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Sagebrush posted:The Rebel 500 is a perfectly fine bike for you to (re)start with. It looks like a cruiser, but it rides and handles like a standard. While it is smaller and lighter than something like a Shadow, that makes it a lot more forgiving and fun to ride. Go get one with ABS and enjoy. This sounds fantastic. Standard with cruiser styling is basically what my old bike was. Now I just need to find one amid the sea of Harleys old enough to vote.
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Jan 5, 2022 02:17
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Slavvy posted:The rebel 500 is one of the greatest marketing tricks I have ever seen. It has a cruiser style tractor seat and a passenger pad on the rear fender.
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Jan 5, 2022 02:30
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I’ve been riding for a minute now and I really want to try a Rebel 500 because they seem fun. There’s at least one or two goons who started out on one and seemed to enjoy them. Pastor of Muppets, maybe? I forget the other.
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Jan 5, 2022 03:23
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I think someone started on a 500 and then upgraded to an 1100 couple years later.
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Jan 5, 2022 03:31
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i saw a dwarf on a rebel 300/500. i didnt look at the bike too closely so i dont know if he did any ergo mods, but i do remember that he mounted it like a cowboy 
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Jan 5, 2022 04:17
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Sagebrush posted:It has a cruiser style tractor seat and a passenger pad on the rear fender. Also it cruises. God I need to go to bed.
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Jan 5, 2022 06:33
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