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back in the megathread someone posted a link to a dutch website that had tests and ratings of various motorcycle locks and chains. I don't suppose someone has it bookmarked?
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Oct 17, 2008 08:16
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ClockworkZero posted:back in the megathread someone posted a link to a dutch website that had tests and ratings of various motorcycle locks and chains. I don't suppose someone has it bookmarked? never mind, I found it! http://www.stichtingart.nl/sloten_resultaat.asp
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Oct 17, 2008 09:09
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VideoTapir posted:Is Johnny Pag http://johnnypag.com/ just another Chinese bike, or are they actually decent? those brakes look scary!
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Oct 20, 2008 18:55
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what precautions should I take to clean a rusty chain on the bike? I've never had to park my bike outside before exposed to british winter elements, so I've never had a chain go rusty before! I'm guessing a stiff brush and a can of chain cleaner, but I don't know if there's anything specific I should do about the rusty bits. I think I'm going to switch to gear oil rather than spray wax too, and/or look into a scottoiler.
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Feb 14, 2009 10:48
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I'm pretty sure it's just surface rust, but there's a lot of it. I Might grab a picture later. I haven't got a paddock stand or center stand and I'm dealing with on-street parking so I can't get very intensive. I could ride it to the shop down the road, it's about due for a professional looking-over. Might look into getting ordering up a factory center stand and having them install it while it's there.
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Feb 14, 2009 13:25
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Simkin posted:No, it's locked pretty firmly on the stand, but the weight is on the back wheel, rather than the front, so you can just fire the bike up, and drive away. It does involve a little bit of feathering the clutch, as you have to give the bike some impetus to get up and over the stand, which seems to imply that it's not going anywhere on its own. one of the major benefits of a center stand is ease of chain maintenance, although that generally is a non-issue when it comes to BMWs. Weight on the back wheel kind of defeats the purpose.
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Feb 15, 2009 13:32
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also, make sure you're using flux-core solder or it won't stick to poo poo.
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Feb 17, 2009 02:55
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Sunny Sixkiller posted:Sorry if this is too non-technical for the thread (I definitely didn't think it'd merit it's own post): I'm a filmmaker in Los Angeles looking to put together a trailer for a movie set in the 1950's. The movie has a ton of motorcycles involved. I want to make sure everything looks authentic/accurate in the trailer, but I'm having a tough time tracking down places that rent classic bikes for non-exorbitant prices. don't know what your budget is like but you could always look into getting your hands on some Royal Enfields. Nothing more old-school than that, except maybe some Urals. http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/
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Jun 21, 2009 01:20
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Colawa posted:Do some stators come with a layer of coating around the wires, or does the one I just opened up have some serious issues going on? I've never done this before, but I don't know if it's supposed to look like it does or if there was too much oil in there and some weird reaction happened.. all the ones I see online have the shiny copper wires exposed. the wires are usually coated in a clear lacquer. On a new stator, they'd look like bare shiny copper, but one that's been swimming in oil for a while, the lacquer browns up over time. also, as a completely unsubstantiated rule of thumb, while the stator can be the cause of your charging problems, chances are it isn't. There isn't a whole lot that can go wrong with them. Finger Prince fucked around with this message at 17:45 on Jun 28, 2009 |
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Jun 28, 2009 17:39
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What are some good nimble (and/or) touring bikes that are good for 2 up? Preferably something newer and fuel injected. I love the wide bars and easy handling of my Pegaso 650 and ideally I'd keep it, but I might sell it to add to the pot. This is all hypothetical musing, I don't even have a budget other than maybe up to £4-5000 or so.
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Feb 17, 2010 07:42
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Whiteboy posted:Two questions. for the first one, what kind of bike? Carbed or fuel injected? I'll take a wild guess and say fuelling problem. If it's carbureted, do something with jets or needles or pantyhose or whatever else you do to carbs. If FI, get a power commander if it's really bad or annoying, else, shift gears! 
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Feb 17, 2010 07:54
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Z3n posted:Aprilia Futura?  Holy Turbo Boost, Kitt! I never new this bike even existed, and apparently it can be had quite cheap too! Hmm, Italian (Ok, Rotax, so half Austrian) 1000cc V-twin tourer with hard bags and comfy for pillion? For £3-4000? Nice one Z3n!
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Feb 17, 2010 20:56
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Z3n posted:Don't be a pansy (buy a supermoto instead and tour on that). there's been a Caponord in my local shop with an undiagnoseable starting/running/pick a cylinder electrical problem for probably over a year now. The owner left it with them to fix on their spare time. When I take mine in for it's spring checkup I'll see how they're coming along with it.
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Feb 18, 2010 21:22
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I've got Pilot Road 2 (dual compound) on my Pegaso. Compared to the old squared off Pirelli Diablos that came off, it's night and day. The bike leans in really easy but feels really linear throughout the lean angle. Masses of grip, and in a wet cold emergency stop, the tires didn't lock up at all.
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Feb 22, 2010 11:54
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Aargh posted:How do people go about doing work on your bikes when you don't have a garage? For example I live in a townhouse in inner city Sydney, I park on the street and do not have rear lane access to my backyard. If I want to get the bike into the backyard I'd have to attempt to get it through the front gate, up the stairs (only one or two) to the front door, then wheel it through the house to the backyard. Do I just find a friend who has space I could use (none come to mind as they all live in the inner city too) or just go to a local park and set up shop in the carpark, or just pay someone else to do it? minor stuff like chain lubing, washing, installing bits like ram mounts or whatever I do in the street, otherwise I put it in the shop for anything else.
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Feb 23, 2010 14:11
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Z3n posted:Start with new battery, go from there. Low battery will gently caress things up and cause no end of weird symptoms, and a motorcycle doesn't charge from just running a little bit in the garage, the RPMs need to be up. this is the weird thing about my bike... it does. The voltmeter shows 14.2 (or 14.7, something like that) at idle. I mean there's no reason why it shouldn't, but I always thought bike manufacturers just couldn't be arsed. Italian electrics 
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Feb 25, 2010 23:50
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Bugdrvr posted:This Bandit 400 of mine is giving me fits. This is not nearly the first bike I've resurrected from the dead, but it is the most frustrating so far. I have a vague memory of reading something about this back when I was looking into Bandit 400s years ago. I can't remember where or what I read but I'll try to google-fu it. I think there's something to do with the carbs on that bike but I can't think what it is. edit- can't find it, internet wayback machine for bandit alley doesn't find it either. If memory serves (and it usually doesn't) I vaguely recall something about the carbs being very tiny on the 400, small bowls or something, and fuel leaks into them?? somehow from somewhere?? But I don't know if this relates to your problems. Always helpful, as usual 
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Feb 28, 2010 10:33
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I'm seriously considering buying a flat where there's no parking either on the street or on the property, only on side streets around various corners. Does anyone else have to cope with this? It's the only real stumbling block with the place. Right now I park right outside my flat and I pass the bike even if I'm walking somewhere and not using it. I'm not sure how I feel about not having the bike in visual range.
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Feb 28, 2010 21:04
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pr0zac posted:Get comprehensive/theft insurance or buy a good lock and find something sturdy to lock it to. Basically all you can do. Really, anyone that has a bike whos loss would be a seriously crippling financial hit should have theft insurance. yeah, I've always carried comprehensive, even if not for the crippling financial hit, just for the crippling pain in the rear end it mitigates. I had another look and where I'd park the bike is actually pretty secure in my mind. Plus my local dealer/shop is practically across the street so I can always pop in and get a new one!
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Mar 2, 2010 08:19
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Jabs posted:Wow. From $130 in "Airline Carry-on" size? Really? awesome until you realize they're heavy as gently caress and by the time you've packed an overnight bag and some dainty underthings in it, you've reached the weight limit (not that that's ever stopped anyone before).
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Mar 3, 2010 18:41
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Phy posted:Anyone know an online tire store that will do cheap shipping to (or within) Canada? where are you located? Rider's Choice in Toronto used to do untouchable deals on tires but I don't think they ship.
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Mar 8, 2010 23:17
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Jabs posted:Since my (extremely low speed) off last fall, I've been suffering the same thing, but perhaps a bit worse. Since I lost it in a situation where I totally didn't expect to (the road was going from 'wet' to 'a bit damp', and I was slowing (1500ish RPM 2nd gear engine braking at ~10 mph) when the front wheel just fell out from under me), I've gone from "Aside from not having 4 wheels to balance on, motorcycles have grip levels similar to a car", to "They'll loving throw your rear end on the ground at the slightest provocation". If you're going to lose it, it's going to be in a situation you totally don't expect to. You don't go riding down the road and think "I'm totally going to lay it down at the next roundabout" and pat yourself on the back for your foresight when you do. When it's wet out you just have to take it super easy on the street because you never know what's under your tire. Paint, metal, wood, gravel, any of it can pucker your anus especially if you're not gentle with the front brake.
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Mar 10, 2010 18:21
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FuzzyWuzzyBear posted:You were right on the money. After getting it towed yesterday I tore the bike down to the frame and carbs (just because by then I decided that working on my bike was going to make me happier than making money at work that day) and discovered that: what year CBR? Similar sort of thing happened on my old '93 VFR, but it didn't blow the fuse. A bit of corrosion on the contacts leads to more resistance leads to more heat leads to more corrosion etc, etc, things melt, battery doesn't charge anymore, maybe rectifier finally kicks the bucket. Nice to know Honda has got their electrics sorted out 
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Mar 11, 2010 16:07
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other option would be to get something with linked brakes, like some Hondas and BMWs, or some sort of twist&go with pushbike style brake controls.
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Mar 16, 2010 09:52
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-Inu- posted:What's the best method you guys have found for moving your body position from side to side on the bike quickly without putting any pressure on the bars? Whenever I take a left followed by a quick right or vice versa I wind up pushing/pulling on the bars and countersteering when I don't want to. I'm thinking about waxing the seat to make it easier to do without grabbing onto anything, heh. if you put the same amount of pressure on both bars you won't steer anything and can shift your butt at will. It's one of those things like countersteering where I've never really thought about how I do it, I just do it. To my mind you don't put any pressure on the bars when you shift your butt around, but I guess you must have to somehow. 
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Apr 12, 2010 22:43
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Z3n posted:Do squats. A lot of squats. It's all in leg muscle and ab/back muscles. You should give NO input to the bars unless you are turning them. Pushing them both will essentially lock up the suspension, preventing the bike from self correcting from small bumps. It is also helpful to lock your outside leg into the bike by locking it into the crook made by the peg and it's support. maybe that's what I do? Use my lower body and whatnot. I don't think it takes a lot of core strength though. Perhaps seating geometry plays a large part.
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Apr 12, 2010 23:00
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I need to clean off some surface rust on a few of my chain links, and I might as well clean the whole thing before I re-lube it. I ordered a POR-15 starter kit to take care of a small gouge in my swingarm and it comes with the POR-15 Marine Wash. Would it be a Good Idea or Bad Idea to use this to clean my chain?
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Sep 4, 2010 00:51
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does anybody else accidentally leave their key in the ignition and walk away? Or am I just a massive idiot? actually, probably best if you don't answer that.
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Mar 10, 2011 19:44
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Probably Hates You posted:No, you're definitely not an idiot. I've actually seen this a couple of times. Twice I've waited by the bike to make sure the actual owner came for it. Luckily for them they came back to the bike within 5 minutes of me waiting. Any more and I probably would have just left; and once a neighbor did it. I pulled the keys out of his bike which was still running and knocked on his door. He had no idea what he had done. I have had this done to me, bike parked outside the house for a couple of hours, someone knocks on the door with my keys in their hand. I've left them in the seat lock and gone for a walk (seat lock always gets me). Usually when I leave them in the ignition I realize within a couple hundred yards... usually. I need a string run through my jacket to the keys like a kid with his mittens.
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Mar 10, 2011 20:23
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I'd just like to point out that this is the best bit of conversation in 245 pages of this thread. And if you're in the kind of place that wild animals are going to attack you in your motorcycle gear, you're probably wearing a textile adventure suit. I think then even a large eagle could mortally wound you.
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Mar 21, 2011 18:58
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Can anyone tell me about Ktm superdukes? I have an opportunity to buy one from a guy at work's son. It's a 2005 with 8600 miles, fair weather ridden. Price would be £3800. How are they for all weather riding? Would it be foolish for commuting? I understand the early ones have a small tank, is it something that can be swapped for a later model tank without much bother? Cheers
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Apr 27, 2012 17:21
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Spiffness posted:I haven't heard the small tank complaints, but it's a pretty standard KTM issue. You're going to be refilling every 100 miles no matter how big the tank is because of how you're going to abuse that bikes throttle at every possibility. Go ride it, buy it, and give us the full report on it's awesomeness. just something I read on the MCN review of it. It doesn't seem like something you'd change mid-model, but I know nearly nothing about Superdukes other than they look pretty sweet and have a big twin. If insurance isn't stupid I might take your advice.
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Apr 27, 2012 23:37
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Odette posted:So I had my front brake pads replaced last year at 37,500km and I'm approaching 44,000km and a motorcycle mechanic friend commented on them the other day, "dude these are pretty low, keep an eye on them." whenever I get my bike back from the shop, the tires are always cranked way up in pressure. Must be an oldschool motorbike mechanic thing. I just let a little air out to set it to the recommended cold tire pressure (1.8/2.0 bar). I have a small dial type gauge that fits in my jacket pocket that I leave in there all the time.
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Apr 30, 2012 09:37
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ohwandernearer posted:How anal do you guys get about the oil level in your sight glass? If I am over top mark by a mm or two, is it worth the effort to try and drain some out or should I just let it ride? I accidentally overfilled my tank once, (like, to overflowing... poured too much too quickly). I drained as much out as I could with a straw and when it was back down to a readable level on the dipstick I just rode it off. No problems. I wouldn't worry about a couple of mm.
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May 5, 2012 14:51
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I got my cheque today from insurance, so I'll be out shopping for a new bike over the next couple of weeks. Whatever I get will likely be a little step up from the old Pegaso, and I'd like to do a bit better job of looking after it over winter. Unfortunately, I live in a top floor flat with no access to outside water, so washing the bike is a huge PITA, and really all I want to do is give it a rinse every few days through winter to keep the road salt from eating it. Well I had a minor brainquake today, and thought of one of these type things: http://www.hozelock.com/spraying/sprayers-plus/12l-pressure-sprayer-plus-4712.html  I've never used one before, but it looks like it could do the job, anyone have any experience with one? I'm probably about the 9000000th person to come up with this idea, then again, most bike owners probably have access to a hose and/or don't ride in the winter. Finger Prince fucked around with this message at 20:11 on Sep 3, 2012 |
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Sep 3, 2012 20:09
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JP Money posted:Why can't you just go to a car wash or use a friends driveway? It's an alternative to the car wash, plus I'm not sure about the pressure of the jetwash wand, and something like a sprayer would pay for itself in a few months, or a few weeks if I got a cheap one. Also my friends don't have driveways either.
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Sep 3, 2012 20:28
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hmm... gonna need to get some beige coveralls too...
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Sep 3, 2012 20:46
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It does occasionally, but they tend to salt the roads her any time there's a risk it might drop below 5°C. I usually avoid riding when it's around zero and drizzling though because it isn't much fun and I can take the tube to work when it's poo poo out.
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Sep 3, 2012 21:23
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Saga posted:Buy something with pre-furred fastners for an appropriate discount, wet with your turgid organ and douse liberally in Scottoiler FS365 on Saturday mornings: I like this idea. I could even put it in the ghostbusters pack. goddamnedtwisto I'm in London but my commute is almost entirely the M4 to Heathrow which does get salty and is made worse by the road spray of a thousand Addison Lee Ford Galaxies headed to the airport.
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Sep 4, 2012 21:29
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Frankston posted:My headlight has dimmed to the point where I can't see anything at night-time, but it flashes occasionally to normal brightness. Is it most likely simply a low battery, or could it be an issue with the wiring or even just a bulb that needs replacing? It just hit 10k miles today. (I missed the turnover on the dial Something wrong with your charging circuit, so your battery is running all your electrics which is draining it. A new battery won't fix it but you might need one if you find the fault. What bike do you ride again? Check the the wiring and connectors from your stator to your regulator/rectifier and from that to the battery for corrosion or arcing. If they look fine it'll probably be the regulator/rectifier that needs replacing. If you've got a multimeter and know how to use it, it'll make troubleshooting a whole lot easier.
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Sep 8, 2012 09:04
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