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ScienceAndMusic posted:So another dumb question I have. Engine braking: is it bad to down shift without adding throttle? Someone told me its fine to do, that he basically just pulls the clutch, down shifts and eases the clutch out, then repeats for the bottom gears. Is this common practice. It's fine but it's better for the clutch (less slipping) if you try and rev match. Also, it'll feel smoother. Furthermore, unless you're gently coming to a stop and let out the clutch really slowly, don't drop down more than 1 gear without rev matching as you might lock up the rear wheel.
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Aug 19, 2013 21:24
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You'll do it smoother and might even negligibly extend the life of a couple components if do a little blip rev match when you shift down.
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Aug 19, 2013 21:25
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I think it's better practice overall because it sets you up in the correct gear/revs for a corner, as opposed to having to deal with manipulating the clutch to avoid locking the wheel (on a larger bike with lots of engine braking this is more of an issue) and then having to jump back on the throttle. I've never down-shifted without blipping the gas, I don't see the point and it's harder to do.
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Aug 19, 2013 21:34
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ScienceAndMusic, the above is good advice and I try to rev match too, but for the time being, don't worry about it. While you're still learning it's simpler to ease the clutch out. Worry about rev matching once you are at the point where you don't have to think about doing any of the normal parts of riding.
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Aug 19, 2013 21:59
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The brakes on my 1981 Honda CX500c are working perfect these days, but now I have another problem. On the way in to work, I was riding up a hill with the throttle just about all the way open. Suddenly I lose power and twisting the throttle does nothing: I see my RPM's slowly wind down. I pull over, wait a few minutes, then try the starter. It turns back on and I make it to work ok. Then on the way home, the same thing happens except like 3 times! It's beginning to seem like a fuel problem so, just to check (the 3rd time my bike loses power and I had to pull over), I switch the petcock from ON to RES. There's a splash of gasoline that escapes from the petcock, and then my bike starts and rides perfect. Is there anyway I can test the fuel delivery system out? How can I tell if I have a bad petcock . . . am I even on the right track?
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Aug 19, 2013 22:03
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Sounds like you ran out of gas. Fill up.
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Aug 19, 2013 22:07
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nsaP posted:ScienceAndMusic, the above is good advice and I try to rev match too, but for the time being, don't worry about it. While you're still learning it's simpler to ease the clutch out. Worry about rev matching once you are at the point where you don't have to think about doing any of the normal parts of riding. Also your brakelight doesn't light when you only use engine brake. Pretty important for other people to know you're slowing down.
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Aug 19, 2013 22:11
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nsaP posted:ScienceAndMusic, the above is good advice and I try to rev match too, but for the time being, don't worry about it. While you're still learning it's simpler to ease the clutch out. Worry about rev matching once you are at the point where you don't have to think about doing any of the normal parts of riding. Honestly, I find during normal city riding, unless you're downshifting into 1st or 2nd, you can just hold the throttle steady during the downshift, and if the downshift is fast enough (that is, the clutch is pulled in for the right duration, a few hundred milliseconds), that pretty much matches revs on its own. I used to think I needed to execute some big arm-twitch blip to get the rpm just right, but that ended up overcompensating more often than not.
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Aug 19, 2013 22:12
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Z3n posted:Sounds like you ran out of gas. Fill up. That's what I thought too, but the last fill up was when I let it sit for like 3 months over the winter (with some fuel stabilizer in there). I really only rode a little bit since then, would that be enough to burn it all off? Or am I still thinking mileage in car terms?
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Aug 19, 2013 22:29
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Boru posted:That's what I thought too, but the last fill up was when I let it sit for like 3 months over the winter (with some fuel stabilizer in there). I really only rode a little bit since then, would that be enough to burn it all off? Or am I still thinking mileage in car terms? Could also just be lovely, old gas causing the bike to die. Fill up with fresh stuff, see if the problem shows up again, see if you can fix it by being on "on" or if maybe "on" is broken? But old gas can definitely cause weird issues and bad mileage. How many miles have you put on it?
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Aug 19, 2013 22:49
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It came with 20k. I've probably put on only a hundred (just a hundred, not 100k) at most so far, seeing as this past week was the first time my bike was (fairly) safe to ride around town.
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Aug 19, 2013 22:56
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What's the best way to attach a backpack to my SV650? I've been looking at ROK straps but I'm wary about how I'll manage to secure it given the bike's design. (Mine is set up with neither a passenger seat nor pegs.)
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Aug 19, 2013 23:06
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mainks posted:What's the best way to attach a backpack to my SV650? I've been looking at ROK straps but I'm wary about how I'll manage to secure it given the bike's design. (Mine is set up with neither a passenger seat nor pegs.) Whereabouts are you? I've got a ventura pack rack for an sv650 that bolts directly to the subframe, I've been meaning to get rid of it for months and can't ever remember to do it.
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Aug 19, 2013 23:21
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Boru posted:That's what I thought too, but the last fill up was when I let it sit for like 3 months over the winter (with some fuel stabilizer in there). I really only rode a little bit since then, would that be enough to burn it all off? Or am I still thinking mileage in car terms? A CX500 will get you somewhere around 100 miles to a tank before you have to switch to reserve IIRC. So if you're thinking mileage in car terms, you probably ran out of gas. ESPECIALLY if switching to reserve solved it. The only other thing it is likely to be, based on what you describe happening, is a messed-up fuel valve. But you probably ran out of gas.
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Aug 19, 2013 23:38
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One of the reasons I asked was because if I do down shift i also like to brake at the same time so my brake light is on, but I can't figure out how to throttle while breaking...
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Aug 19, 2013 23:44
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You pretty much have a couple options for lighting up your brake light while you shift down - both of which require a little practice. One is to put pressure on the rear brake so your front hand is free to do whatever with the brake light on. Another is to use your palm to roll the throttle while your fingers work the brake. Also if you match revs while downshifting, you'll be able to downshift without slowing down. Then once you're in the next gear, light up the brakes if you need to. As you gain experience, you'll figure it all out. clutchpuck fucked around with this message at 23:58 on Aug 19, 2013 |
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Aug 19, 2013 23:56
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clutchpuck posted:A CX500 will get you somewhere around 100 miles to a tank before you have to switch to reserve IIRC. So if you're thinking mileage in car terms, you probably ran out of gas. ESPECIALLY if switching to reserve solved it. The only other thing it is likely to be, based on what you describe happening, is a messed-up fuel valve. Huh I feel dumb. Well I'll fill 'er up and drive in the slow lane to work tomorrow!
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Aug 19, 2013 23:56
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clutchpuck posted:A CX500 will get you somewhere around 100 miles to a tank before you have to switch to reserve IIRC. So if you're thinking mileage in car terms, you probably ran out of gas. ESPECIALLY if switching to reserve solved it. The only other thing it is likely to be, based on what you describe happening, is a messed-up fuel valve.
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Aug 20, 2013 00:59
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ScienceAndMusic posted:One of the reasons I asked was because if I do down shift i also like to brake at the same time so my brake light is on, but I can't figure out how to throttle while breaking... Interesting, when I first learned to ride I found this one of the easier things to do and all I could think was that it's ten times easier than heel-toe in a car. Is your throttle nice and light and springy?
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Aug 20, 2013 01:22
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Slavvy posted:Whereabouts are you? I've got a ventura pack rack for an sv650 that bolts directly to the subframe, I've been meaning to get rid of it for months and can't ever remember to do it. I'm in the NYC area. I'm traveling half-way across the country and that would be absolutely fantastic.
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Aug 20, 2013 01:23
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ScienceAndMusic posted:One of the reasons I asked was because if I do down shift i also like to brake at the same time so my brake light is on, but I can't figure out how to throttle while breaking... Tap the rear brake lightly to trip the light?
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Aug 20, 2013 01:24
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ScienceAndMusic posted:One of the reasons I asked was because if I do down shift i also like to brake at the same time so my brake light is on, but I can't figure out how to throttle while breaking... You could just use the brakes to slow yourself down instead of a bunch of shifting sillyness.
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Aug 20, 2013 02:19
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IIRC, A Twist of the Wrist has a section about braking with the brakes and engine and the same time. Check it out.
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Aug 20, 2013 03:09
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Just brake to slow down and worry about poo poo like rev matching and throttle blips while braking when you have a lot more miles ridden. As a new rider that's too much to be doing until you have the basics down.
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Aug 20, 2013 03:42
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Also being in practice of using the brakes all the time might come in handy when you really loving need to use the brakes right now. There's probably never going to be an emergency situation where you're going to look back and think "thank god I was so good at engine braking, it totally saved my rear end right there."
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Aug 20, 2013 04:38
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Re: insurancechat - I pay ~$35/mo for relatively basic "optional" coverage through Tokio Fire & Marine as a 28 year old, first-year rider on a 17-year old 250cc dual sport. There's also the mandatory/useless insurance you have to buy once a year, which runs something like $80-90. You get a sticker and put it on your license plate, can buy it at 7-11. Which reminds me, mine is due next month. goddamnedtwisto posted:Failing that, a pair of cheap throwover soft panniers can carry a lot of stuff (as long as you don't melt them on the exhaust). +1. I hate having a backpack on when I ride (my lower back is an unreliable servant at best), I've got a pair of not-so-cheap but worth it rainproof Ortlieb's that swallow up a decent amount of cargo. I lent them to my friend for a few months and he did manage to cook the one side on the exhaust, but the damage was purely cosmetic and you can't see it unless they're off the bike anyways. Mainly I just use the locking topcase the PO installed though, as its big enough to hold a few tools/an extra quart of oil/sandals/a fully loaded backpack. I think it's OEM off a Silverwing. I reckon for bigger loads I could throw one of my military surplus dufflebags across the back seat and secure it with ratchet straps. I think I've mentioned it before but I kinda let if fall off my radar until recently: I really need to get around to installing a 12V plug on my bike... for most of my current jaunts I'm fine just swapping batteries out on my Android phone, but I'm planning a big 30 day trip next year (with probably a fair bit of camping) and it'll be pretty essential to charge my phone, camera, and mp3 player on the road. I mentioned it to my mechanically inclined friend (also the previous owner) and he seemed to think I'd need to install a rectifier, although when I mentioned it here a while back the consensus seemed to be it probably wasn't necessary. Was searching today, pretty much all the guides online were just saying to plug it right into the battery. Is it really as easy as that? Searching for a bike-specific 12V socket turned up one of these, would that work without needing to fart around with a new rectifier and stuff? I'm not super mechanically inclined and there's little to no English language documentation on my bike, a Honda XLR 250R Baja. Also, happen to have a small power inverter laying around - would I safely be able to charge my camera (doesn't have a USB charger, just wall-socket) while riding?
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Aug 20, 2013 05:06
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Pompous Rhombus posted:Re: insurancechat - I pay ~$35/mo for relatively basic "optional" coverage through Tokio Fire & Marine as a 28 year old, first-year rider on a 17-year old 250cc dual sport. There's also the mandatory/useless insurance you have to buy once a year, which runs something like $80-90. You get a sticker and put it on your license plate, can buy it at 7-11. Which reminds me, mine is due next month. How bad is the shaken, or do you squeeze under the limit?
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Aug 20, 2013 05:51
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Pompous Rhombus posted:
I have like a $7 power adapter from one of the auto parts stores (Advance I think.) It's wired into the headlight. Since I smashed open my Nook USB adapter I have a $5 one from Walgreen's. All works fine.
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Aug 20, 2013 06:45
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Snowdens Secret posted:How bad is the shaken, or do you squeeze under the limit? Under dat' limit  Over 250cc is where shaken starts on bikes (at least for cars, a couple hundred bucks of it is weight tax/compulsory insurance, the actual cost of the inspection itself is only about $14 if you DIY it and have nothing to fix), so it's kinda the sweet spot for bikes in Japan. The lower tier license only lets you ride up to 125cc, which is too small to legally use the expressways, so getting a 125-400cc (midsize) license and a 250cc bike lets you get the best of both worlds, expressways and no shaken. With that said, in my unscientific opinion I think I see a lot more 400's than I do 250's. I was originally considering a Transalp 400 but it would have run me at least twice what I paid for my XLR (not including shaken), and with Japan's hilariously low speed limits I can get myself into plenty of trouble on a 250. thylacine posted:I have like a $7 power adapter from one of the auto parts stores (Advance I think.) It's wired into the headlight. Since I smashed open my Nook USB adapter I have a $5 one from Walgreen's. All works fine. So pretty much any bike's electrical system (assuming it's 12V) should be able to handle it without undue battery drain, etc?
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Aug 20, 2013 07:00
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Pompous Rhombus posted:So pretty much any bike's electrical system (assuming it's 12V) should be able to handle it without undue battery drain, etc? If it's a normal mobile phone charging adapter it'll drain 1-2 amps - that might be a bit marginal on an older, smaller bike. Wire directly into the battery with an inline fuse and make sure you unplug it when you turn the bike off. A rectifier won't make any particular difference because the thing you'd need to upgrade is the extra drain is too much is the alternator (although an uprated alternator might also need a new reg/rec). However that drain is less than a headlight draws so it really shouldn't be an issue, just don't use it to power a telly or something.
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Aug 20, 2013 08:07
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Just bought an old 1983 Honda VF750 Interceptor that has been sitting in friends barn for almost 8 years. After running it around for a week and a half I've definitely picked up on its quirks, the main one being the trouble it has shifting within the first 15 to 20 minutes of starting it up. Its either extremely difficult or impossible to shift up or down. After its been run around and warmed up sufficiently, no problems. Is this just a result of the thing sitting for so long or did my friend use the wrong type of oil when he tried to de-mothballing it a bit before selling it? I fully expect this thing to have some cobwebs it needs to poo poo out and will be nursing it back to life the remainder of the summer, but I wasn't really sure if maybe doing another oil change with a different oil would help with the shifting.
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Aug 20, 2013 08:16
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Betty posted:Just bought an old 1983 Honda VF750 Interceptor that has been sitting in friends barn for almost 8 years. After running it around for a week and a half I've definitely picked up on its quirks, the main one being the trouble it has shifting within the first 15 to 20 minutes of starting it up. Its either extremely difficult or impossible to shift up or down. After its been run around and warmed up sufficiently, no problems. Is this just a result of the thing sitting for so long or did my friend use the wrong type of oil when he tried to de-mothballing it a bit before selling it? I fully expect this thing to have some cobwebs it needs to poo poo out and will be nursing it back to life the remainder of the summer, but I wasn't really sure if maybe doing another oil change with a different oil would help with the shifting. I would not rely on the P.O.'s oil change. At minimum, drain that poo poo, replace the oil and filter, and maybe add a little Seafoam to the oil. Run that for a few hundred miles and then change the oil again sans Seafoam.
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Aug 20, 2013 17:10
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Tamir Lenk posted:I would not rely on the P.O.'s oil change. At minimum, drain that poo poo, replace the oil and filter, and maybe add a little Seafoam to the oil. Run that for a few hundred miles and then change the oil again sans Seafoam. I wouldn't add seafoam directly to the oil on a bike - just the oil change would be fine. Also check clutch cable adjustment.
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Aug 20, 2013 17:46
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Z3n posted:I wouldn't add seafoam directly to the oil on a bike - just the oil change would be fine. Seconded. Never add Seafoam or any other miracle additives to the oil on a bike. Most additives will gently caress with the pressure rating of the oil and chew your gears pretty fast. Just change the oil.
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Aug 20, 2013 18:08
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Briefly running Seafoam through before a change should be fine.
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Aug 20, 2013 18:16
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mainks posted:Briefly running Seafoam through before a change should be fine. Starting it up full of canola oil would be fine too. But it's not a good idea. Don't seafoam the oil. It's not a good idea.
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Aug 20, 2013 18:33
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If you really want to flush the engine, put some cheap oil in it, run it until it's warm, and then change that out for whatever you normally put in.
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Aug 20, 2013 18:41
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In the words of Chris Rock, you can drive with your feet, but that don't make it a good loving idea.
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Aug 20, 2013 18:42
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clutchpuck posted:If you really want to flush the engine, put some cheap oil in it, run it until it's warm, and then change that out for whatever you normally put in. That's how I handled getting metal shavings and abrasive dust out of my crankcase. After relieving the bores to allow the spigots of a 650 block to fit into a 550 block.. :-) Two oil changes with cheap oil, and back to normal.
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Aug 20, 2013 19:03
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Nerobro posted:Starting it up full of canola oil would be fine too. But it's not a good idea. Don't seafoam the oil. It's not a good idea. Seafoam outlines the whole process for using it in the oil (even with a wet clutch) to free up old oil residue. quote:
I would not run the oil mixture for very long, but using it for a short-term oil run should help clear out some sludge, etc. in a bike that's been sitting for a long time. v0v
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Aug 20, 2013 20:51
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