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Sagebrush posted:It has a cruiser style tractor seat and a passenger pad on the rear fender. Ya got me there, dad. My point is it's a cruiser flavored normal bike if that makes sense, like how a ninja 300 is a sport flavored normal bike.
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Jan 5, 2022 08:23
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HenryJLittlefinger posted: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. One was me, absolutely love it for a first bike, doesn't feel too powerful, but it's enough that I don't feel worried on the highways
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Jan 5, 2022 15:32
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My dad traded up to a 500 after having a 300 a couple of years and he digs his as well. Quick question. Can someone tell me again why it's ok to use a bikes rev range? What I mean is, as far as I understand, I'm not doing damage by using the upper quarter of the rpms every once in a bit, right?
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Jan 7, 2022 06:02
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gileadexile posted:My dad traded up to a 500 after having a 300 a couple of years and he digs his as well. Redline is maximum speed you can run the engine at for a long duration without damage so by definition anything less than that is safe for as long as you care to do it. Exceeding redline by a little bit for short durations is also not death for most engines.
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Jan 7, 2022 06:11
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Anything below red line is safe operating area for however long you want. Edit: eh oops not applicable, but basically find where your bike makes the peak torque and power and hang out near those rpms for max fun and having suspension, tires etc properly loaded up through twisties Russian Bear fucked around with this message at 06:26 on Jan 7, 2022 |
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Jan 7, 2022 06:13
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Russian Bear posted:Anything below red line is safe operating area for however long you want. What bike do you have? 1983 Magna V45. Or VF 750C.
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Jan 7, 2022 06:15
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That engine is particularly rev-happy and rugged by the standards of the time - gear driven cams, very strong 90° v4 construction, is a Honda. My concern on a bike that old would be far more to do with things like the cooling system being old and frail, ignition and fuel systems not being at their best, gearbox with thirty years of abuse and so on. In a more general sense: if the bike is designed and built properly, and is from this side of the eighties, anywhere in the redline is safe, provided the conditions are right. What makes all those revs safe is the fact that the metal parts never ever touch, everything is running on a cushion/forcefield of oil. If the oil isn't able to do it's job, terms and conditions may apply. The oil can't do it's job if: the engine is cold, the oil level is low/oil is old, the engine is too hot, bike is being misused. The vast majority of the engine wear over a bike's lifespan happens in the first five minutes after a cold start, and in those extra 1-2000 miles the PO decided to stretch the service interval to.
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Jan 7, 2022 07:35
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I don't think the V45 suffered from the same issues as the VF/VFR motors of the same era. Some interesting theory here, I don't know how accurate it is but it is interesting: https://motorcycleproject.com/text/v4_cams_what.html It's moot since any 80's V4 still running is unlikely to suffer from those issues and not a myriad of other oldbike issues. Ride it until it explodes.
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Jan 7, 2022 12:24
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If it starts to smell like hot oil when you stop at a traffic light and it didn't go away when you reach the next stop, consider taking it a bit slower. Otherwise, bike engines are very rev happy and the only reasons to not hang out in their powerband all day are fuel consumption and noise. Do check your oil levels and such when running it hard. I get the impression that if i run my SV WOT on the autobahn for an hour, that it starts to make some oil disappear. But i haven't been able to verify that because i don't live near germany anymore and getting anywhere near readline in my area is a recipe for speeding tickets.
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Jan 7, 2022 12:41
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Excellent, thanks for all the info. It's been losing coolant the past few months and I think I tracked it down to o rings near the carbs, so they're getting replaced over the winter while the carbs are out. I'm also going to rebuild the front brake seals, they were dragging the past few times I was out.
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Jan 7, 2022 12:55
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gileadexile posted:Excellent, thanks for all the info. It's been losing coolant the past few months and I think I tracked it down to o rings near the carbs, so they're getting replaced over the winter while the carbs are out. I'm also going to rebuild the front brake seals, they were dragging the past few times I was out. If you're digging into brakes, it would be a good thing to do a complete overhaul, including new lines and pads if they're near the end. Brake lines supposedly have a lifetime because the inner rubber lining breaks down over time, and if yours are stock, that's getting pretty old. The built-on date should be stamped on the line somewhere. Someone else with actual knowledge of the ravages of time can correct or support me, but I read a few articles a while back that were convincing enough. Galfer stainless steel lines aren't crazy expensive ($120-150 for a set) and provide a minorly noticeable improvement in brake response. Also, clean the poo poo out of all your brake hardware when it's apart, they work better when they're clean.
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Jan 7, 2022 16:50
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Got a pleasant surprise from my insurance company for my bike anniversary.  Also a sentence I never thought I would say
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Jan 7, 2022 16:58
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There is a red VFR800 around me with paint matched hard side cases and it sounds really good.
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Jan 7, 2022 18:47
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T Zero posted:Got a pleasant surprise from my insurance company for my bike anniversary. What type of coverage?
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Jan 7, 2022 19:29
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Basically everything except collision, which would almost double my premium. I didn't think it was worth spending close to 1/3rd of my bike's value on insurance alone.
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Jan 7, 2022 19:47
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e: nvm
moxieman fucked around with this message at 19:58 on Jan 7, 2022 |
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Jan 7, 2022 19:56
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I wonder if after a year and getting a recent safety class on my history would bring complete coverage down. I only have liability at the moment.
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Jan 7, 2022 21:27
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I went for my first real ride on my new bike yesterday and saw another Harley, so I got to do a real, big boy wave instead of waving from my scooter and wondering if I’m allowed or not.
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Jan 7, 2022 21:34
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Maybe keep both hands on the bars for now
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Jan 7, 2022 22:05
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This made me think, I got my M endorsement 10 years ago but didn't actually get a motorcycle until last year. Does insurance consider that "10 years of experience"? I was being honest and claimed less than 1 when i got my coverage, but if i can swindle insurance companies on technicalities i'm all for it.
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Jan 7, 2022 22:28
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Russian Bear posted:This made me think, I got my M endorsement 10 years ago but didn't actually get a motorcycle until last year. Does insurance consider that "10 years of experience"? I was being honest and claimed less than 1 when i got my coverage, but if i can swindle insurance companies on technicalities i'm all for it. Ten years of thinking about thos bieks, sure why shouldn't it count?
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Jan 7, 2022 22:46
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Russian Bear posted:This made me think, I got my M endorsement 10 years ago but didn't actually get a motorcycle until last year. Does insurance consider that "10 years of experience"? I was being honest and claimed less than 1 when i got my coverage, but if i can swindle insurance companies on technicalities i'm all for it. I don't think it impacts much anyway
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Jan 7, 2022 23:04
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I've seen some bike rental shops especially in touristy places in Europe have some stipulation like 3 year+ on full motorcycle licence to rent the high hp expensive stuff. In local Norwegian licence cost it's mostly high hp, expensive bike and sport bike that skyrocket the insurance cost. High hp touring is much less expensive to insure.
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Jan 7, 2022 23:33
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Razzled posted:I don't think it impacts much anyway I bet having a moto class in the last 3 years probably has a bigger impact. Full coverage (c+c) was ~$500 a year for my MT03, but I'm a cheap bastard and liability was only $80 ish.
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Jan 8, 2022 00:33
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I actually called the insurance company to verify that I didn't lose any coverage and figure out why they dropped my rate. They told me there is a 10% renewal discount and that I had a surcharge on my account because of something in my driving record, but they couldn't tell me what. They dropped the extra charge after a year. I assumed it was a new rider markup, but they said that wasn't it. I've never owned a vehicle before this bike and the only moving violation I've had was a speeding ticket in a rental car a decade ago. No idea what points I have on my record. I did switch my state registration when I got my moto license though.  My recollection is that my insurance rate does include an MSF discount and a discount for having a wheel lock.
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Jan 8, 2022 01:26
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Russian Bear posted:This made me think, I got my M endorsement 10 years ago but didn't actually get a motorcycle until last year. Does insurance consider that "10 years of experience"? I was being honest and claimed less than 1 when i got my coverage, but if i can swindle insurance companies on technicalities i'm all for it. Having your endorsement won't make much if any difference, but being 10 years older sure will
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Jan 8, 2022 01:41
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numberoneposter posted:There is a red VFR800 around me with paint matched hard side cases and it sounds really good.
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Jan 8, 2022 02:14
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T Zero posted:Basically everything except collision, which would almost double my premium. I didn't think it was worth spending close to 1/3rd of my bike's value on insurance alone. The limits on US vehicle insurance are always amazingly low. In the UK they're always several million £, and here in Switzerland my bike insurance limit is 100m CHF. I'm not sure how you could do that much damage with a motorbike, maybe somehow crash it into a F-35? 
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Jan 8, 2022 16:48
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knox_harrington posted:The limits on US vehicle insurance are always amazingly low. In the UK they're always several million £, and here in Switzerland my bike insurance limit is 100m CHF. I'm not sure how you could do that much damage with a motorbike, maybe somehow crash it into a F-35? Hitting a full bus. You will be liable for EVERYONE. There is a reason we have these large amounts.
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Jan 8, 2022 16:52
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Vehicle ownership per capita: Switzerland: 524 per 1,000 residents UK: 491 US: 800 https://www.energy.gov/eere/vehicles/fact-962-january-30-2017-vehicles-capita-other-regionscountries-compared-united-states The average car in the UK drives about 6,800 miles per year. In the US, it's more than 14,000. https://www.nimblefins.co.uk/cheap-car-insurance/average-car-mileage-uk The US has more drivers and those drivers drive more. Those drivers are also worse at driving and the US has worse infrastructure. That leads to more insurance payouts. More frequent payouts divided among more drivers means the coverage per driver is lower.
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Jan 8, 2022 19:47
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T Zero posted:Vehicle ownership per capita: I guess that's how american insurance works, insurance laws here are requiring coverage amounts, coverage is not determined by how much money is available but rather how much is needed to fully pay up.
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Jan 8, 2022 20:15
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USA also has this one weird trick where you just don't have insurance/registration/license due to our over reliance on cars, underfunded infrastructure and rampant class inequality.
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Jan 9, 2022 00:31
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So I had my first crash yesterday, was riding to shift early and only checked if the streets were clear. Turns out it might have been a little bit too chilly. When pulling out onto the main street my eMoped's rear just went before even really leaning or anything, so i flopped onto my side at maybe 20kph, probably more like 10. Mostly just got my left side completely drenched, nothing wore through my uniform's fabric. Was wearing just a helmet and gloves as far as protective clothing goes, but I could definitely tell that wearing dual layers (uniform jacket, fleece) helped a lot, no injuries there. Slightly injured my lower leg, but just a little scuff and bruise. So yeah, I'm mostly happy, no serious injury, just had to replace my jacket and pants. Damage to the moped is minor and I really don't care too much about it either. Better than crashing more seriously and on my "good bike". Not really sure what to learn from this other than not to go riding in the freezing cold tbh.
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Jan 9, 2022 10:44
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A possible takaway might be to invest in a set of studded tires if available in your dimensions? I winter commute on a pretty fast electrified pedal bike that will top out north of 40 kph. I sure wouldn't attempt that without studs. It's just a normal set of Schwalbe winter marathon pluses so nothing extreme, but they insure I always have some grip at least - they're honestly pretty good, I haven't wiped out yet this winter.
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Jan 9, 2022 11:51
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Taking the msf class, there’s literally 2 other people with me. Yesterday just me and 1 other guy did the first basic skills lessons, it was like being taught one on one. Only problem: we had a high of 36 yesterday, 45 today. In Texas! Even with longjohns and 2 jackets I was shivering the whole time. I’ve ridden a dirt bike some so felt pretty comfortable with everything but countersteering. He had us do it at 15mph and I felt like I had it a few times. Is it suppose to feel like you’re swinging your back tire out kind of? I did get low enough to scrap my shoe which was exciting. I started the finally get the friction zone towards the end of the day. Hard to get out of a car mindset of don’t slip the clutch ever. But I see now how it helps with jerkiness in low speed maneuvering. Other than I’m too short to flat foot a grom. I can only tip toe. Doesn’t seem to really matter but I didn’t realize I was *that* short. At an inseam of 28” is there literally anything I can flat foot?
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Jan 21, 2022 13:46
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Howdges posted:Taking the msf class, there’s literally 2 other people with me. Yesterday just me and 1 other guy did the first basic skills lessons, it was like being taught one on one. Only problem: we had a high of 36 yesterday, 45 today. In Texas! Even with longjohns and 2 jackets I was shivering the whole time. I’ve ridden a dirt bike some so felt pretty comfortable with everything but countersteering. He had us do it at 15mph and I felt like I had it a few times. Is it suppose to feel like you’re swinging your back tire out kind of? I did get low enough to scrap my shoe which was exciting. 1. Just slip the clutch 100000% more than you think you need to or us appropriate and you’ll get used to it. 2. Needing to flat foot is a feeling that will go away when you get more comfortable. Just kind of scoot your butt over to one side or the other.
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Jan 21, 2022 14:44
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Yeah just keep slipping that clutch 24/7 is the secret to riding slow gud, it was the hardest part for me coming from car driving.
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Jan 21, 2022 15:28
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Howdges posted:Taking the msf class, there’s literally 2 other people with me. Yesterday just me and 1 other guy did the first basic skills lessons, it was like being taught one on one. Only problem: we had a high of 36 yesterday, 45 today. In Texas! Even with longjohns and 2 jackets I was shivering the whole time. I’ve ridden a dirt bike some so felt pretty comfortable with everything but countersteering. He had us do it at 15mph and I felt like I had it a few times. Is it suppose to feel like you’re swinging your back tire out kind of? I did get low enough to scrap my shoe which was exciting. They will teach you (or maybe not) the correct way to stop is to put your left foot down and keep your right foot on the rear brake, so while flatfooting is a nice security blanket (that you don't get to enjoy, sorry!), it's not necessary. Check out the MT03 when bike shopping, it's almost grom level seat height wise. The rider on this youtube channel reviews and addresses a lot of stuff through the lens of a short rider so you may be interested: https://www.youtube.com/c/DoodleOnAMotorcycle
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Jan 21, 2022 18:21
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Howdges posted:Taking the msf class, there’s literally 2 other people with me. Yesterday just me and 1 other guy did the first basic skills lessons, it was like being taught one on one. Only problem: we had a high of 36 yesterday, 45 today. In Texas! Even with longjohns and 2 jackets I was shivering the whole time. I’ve ridden a dirt bike some so felt pretty comfortable with everything but countersteering. He had us do it at 15mph and I felt like I had it a few times. Is it suppose to feel like you’re swinging your back tire out kind of? I did get low enough to scrap my shoe which was exciting. Circling back to last page’s discussion, if you want something you can flat foot and are open to a standard bike with cruiser styling, check out the Honda Rebel. Seat height for the current model is listed at 27.2”.
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Jan 21, 2022 20:39
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That clutch slippage became a major factor for the figure 8. I repeatedly made a fool of myself, cutting wide, putting a foot down, opening the throttle way too much. I kind of sort of got it eventually, but it doesn't feel smooth and I think I'm going to fall over the whole time. Fortunately for the test you only have to make a u-turn. I passed so now it's time to pay way too much for a bike and continue my training in a parking lot. Gonna check out that short motorcycle chick too, thank you. E: Everyone says the rebel is microscopic too so that's probably my best bet Howdges fucked around with this message at 20:50 on Jan 21, 2022 |
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Jan 21, 2022 20:47
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