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I don't get a sore hand, but after a few hours of riding, I do get a quite sore shoulder on my throttle side. It's the muscle just at the back, near the top. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have a middle ground when it comes to riding, I either do 4-hour+ rides, or it's riding to work which is 20 minutes, so I can't really say how long it takes the pain to set in. Doesn't seem to have set in on the 45-60minute rides, but that's a lot of in town work, so there's a lot more moving about and relaxing of the hand. It could be gripping too hard, or it could just be the fact that you need to grip to be able to operate the bke. Having said that, it's a 125cc on 60 or 70mph roads, there's not even much changing of the throttle once at speed, WOT all the day.
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Oct 12, 2008 18:06
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Skier posted:If you weren't using the clutch in the low speed drills you weren't performing the exercise correctly, which your instructors should have caught. The idea I got from his post is that he was using the clutch (that's what the bit about the friction zone was all about), but only the clutch and the brake, with absolutely no throttle at all. The bikes we used on our CBT and DAS would stall if you tried to pull away with no throttle. I guess it's something like learning to drive, my instructor's car was set up so that you could pull away just by letting off the clutch slowly and with the engine idling, but obviously that doesn't work in the real world. Noone pulls away from a stop without some gas when they're actually driving, but it's a useful learning tool to get people used to how the clutch handles. I had a bad habit when I went back to do the DAS course (that's passing the test on the 500c bike for you non-Brits out there). My 125 will behave quite nicely at real slow slow speeds before you need to use the clutch, but with the GS500, you have to use the clutch at anything below about 10mph. If you don't, and try to regulate your speed with just the throttle (like I did), you end up jerking all over the place.
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Oct 17, 2008 16:09
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Skier posted:This quote is the one I was responding to: poo poo, I got it wrong. Must have glanced over that bit, got too into thinking out my reply the moment I saw your comment. I think it was you lot, and the crew in #bieks specifically, that had it drummed into me when I was going for my training/test, clutch clutch clutch. That's how I almost failed my CBT, lack of clutch control but I was more in danger of failing the actual test by skidding on the emergency stop due to my large feet and heavy motocross boots. I'm doing the fun bit now, working out how far my bike will go on one tank of fuel (no fuel gauge). The only time I've ever hit reserve, I was sans working speedo so of course the odometer was also MIA. I always chicken out and refill it sometime just after 100 miles or so, this time I've got to 130 miles and my nerve's failing. Don't really want to run out whilst at work, she's not starting too well at the end of work as it is. I don't think the cold at 6am agrees with her. Last time I was on my way back, full throttle from cold would make her splutter and backfire, she normally likes the cold though, so I'm slightly puzzled.
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Oct 17, 2008 17:42
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I was told that it's actually possible to be asked to put the bike on the centre stand when you're doing the test, assuming you have a centre stand. That said, it's rather unusual because it would have to be the Show question of the Show/Tell portion, and there are more important things the tester would rather you show him, such as checking brakes or lights or brake lights. Remembering back to my test now, the biggest problem I actually had on my test was answering the question the tester asked me at the end, just before he took my license off me and signed all the forms. He asked me about riding two up, I was fine with setting preload and higher tire pressure before you start, fine with the kit for the passenger and the slower accleration and longer braking distances. I just got screwed up when talking about leaning, I was trying to say that they should lean with the bike but I was trying to explain that I didn't want them leaning too far and being further over than the driver. However, I screwed it up big time, got the words all mixed up and then trying to correct it, made it even more of a mess. Finally I gave up and told him I was giving up, he laughed and said something about digging a hole to Australia. Also, my dinky 125 went over 10k miles on the way back from work. I think I've done about 2000 on her, got her with 8600 on the clock and there's about 500 miles on there with a bust speedo cable.
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Oct 20, 2008 20:51
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Twenty-Seven posted:Personally I tend to have my middle and ring finger on the brake and all the others on the throttle, which may or may not be really weird. I feel like I can't control the throttle if I don't have my index finger on it, and putting my pinky on the brake while my index finger is on the throttle makes me tend to grab more brake than I intend to. Woah, middle and ring feels really wierd. I do first and middle on the brake and ring and little on the throttle when I have to. I've had far too much practise finessing brake and throttle at the same time, my bike loving hates starting in the rain and will stall when pulling away idle if the engine is cold and it's raining so I have to keep at least some power on whilst clutched in and braked. Still grab the brake when startled, but that happens whether I have any fingers resting on the brake or not. Also more likely when wet and/or really loving tired. I'm working a night shift atm (10-6 or 8-6) and goddamn are the roads beautiful at 6am. You can always detect whenever someone's coming because of the lights, and I seem to ride faster when I can't freak out over the corner, but just ride whatever appears. I've got a hole in my exhaust though, aparently it's quite noisy and thus I can be heard quite a few streets away.
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Oct 20, 2008 23:19
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echomadman posted:turn up your idle speed a small bit, and try giving the coil, HT lead and spark plug cap a shot of silicone spray to drive out water. Thanks. I remember fiddling with the idle speed a month or so after I bought the bike, but I don't think I did much else with it. A guy at work who rides suggested pulling the plug and cleaning it. I really do need to give my bike some TLC but I've got no driveway/garage space and I much prefer doing wrenching with someone else.
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Oct 21, 2008 13:54
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I stalled my bike coming home at 6am couple of days ago, it's flipping freezing at the moment and I'd pulled the clutch in to coast up to some traffic lights that had turned to red whilst I was on approach and she just died in the airflow. 125 thumper really doesn't do well at idle in the cold. I know I got told to increase the idle speed, but it's idling fairly quickly when it's warm, any quicker might be very much too quick. On the laying it down note, my bike leaks from the fuel filler cap, which is amusing to say the least when you lay the bike down. Cap doesn't fit too well, I think someone's tried to pry it off at some point. It's also a replacement cap, the lock is different from the lock on the helmet lock on the bike, just as well my helmet doesn't have D-rings and I don't want to leave it on the bike anyway.
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Oct 27, 2008 17:35
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shaitan posted:What should you do during a lowslide? Hug the tank with your legs and let go with your hands until you hit the ground then let go of your legs? Should you just relax and let everything go? I dunno what you're meant to do, but last time I wiped out the front wheel in the rain, I stayed sat on the bike, with hands on the bars and feet on the pegs whilst the bike was sliding on it's right side, wheels first until I came to a stop on the other side of the mini-roundabout. Then removed my right foot from it's peg, placed it on the ground and lifted my bike into a standing position. Also, wierd question that struck me at 6am yesterday as I was locking my bike up. Why is the kill switch better than turning the ignition off? Is it purely that it's easier to get to and more reliable/more simple therefore less likely to be broken in a crash? I was just wondering because surely if you're wanting things to be turned off because of leaking fuel or whatever, having all the electrics off would be better than just the engine. Or is it nothing about electrics and sparks and more about stopping the engine, thus making sure your legs aren't ground into mince?
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Nov 10, 2008 00:05
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100 Years in Iraq posted:Has anyone else's reaction to a minor accident been to stand up and think, "I hope nobody saw that?" I've not had enough accidents for it to become that routine yet. My normal response is just to get the bike back upright, get back on it, blank anyone who's actually trying to ask if I'm OK, get my kit straightened out, check my organs and limbs are all in the right place, and get going again. That said, I'm fairly lanky so I've had a couple of slips in car parks or at low speed where I can just stick my foot out, yank on the bars and keep myself upright. Which means any minor accidents are slightly more severe than completely minor, apart from the time the bike blew over whilst I was sheltering not 3 feet away. That time was definitely an "Oh poo poo, I just had that bike repaired" moment.
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Nov 12, 2008 19:24
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I've been considering running premium in my bike, every time I fill up I say "next time" because I'm always either on my way to work or on a long journey. The difference in price is laughable when I'm only spending 8 quid to fill up in the first place. In other news, my bike is running rather rich, she'll splutter and drown if I open the throttle completely when it's wet. And she won't start on full choke, it's gotta be half choke, a lot of coaxing, a bit of throttle and a few curses. Thinking back, I don't think she's ever started on full choke, but then before I got this job, I never needed it, starting at 10pm and 6am is harder than midday, and having to ride in all weathers really does make you appreciate it when it's sunny, or at least clear. I use my reserve, but I tend to keep an eye on my odo as well. Most of the time I don't let it get to reserve. I don't think I actually know how far she'll go on a full tank, I've never let it get that low.
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Nov 16, 2008 18:13
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dietcokefiend posted:How much insurance do you guys buy on bikes? I am looking at various plans and thinking about how much damage a bike could realistically cause to someone else. The only tip I have found is just buying enough to cover assets. I've always (read twice) gone with third party, fire and theft. I honestly didn't consider fully comp, particularly since I'm well aware of how much a 21 year old male student costs in that respect when it comes to cars. People have suggested that third party is fine, but having had my bike nicked once already, I don't think I could handle that. Besides, small dualsports are apparently very popular amongst thieves. I still stick my head out of the window every half hour to hour or so to check on it whenever I'm somewhere that's not home, just to make sure it's not been nicked yet. I'm not paranoid, honest.
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Nov 17, 2008 08:23
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mr.belowaverage posted:Without a fancy rig, I would assume it would be easier to maneuver down the stairs backwards, with the handlebars at the top for support. A friend at the tail, and one in front holding the bike would seem useful as well. Just a thought. Hmm, personally, thinking about it, if I were doing this, I'd rather the bike went down forwards with a rope attached to the back for someone (or multiple someones) at the top of the stairs to hang on it. Bikes are a lot easier to steer forwards, and it going down backwards means the more accessible brake is going to be at the back, meaning it's a lot more likely to lock and skid. Maybe some sort of ratchet like you get on a chain hoist, though that would need something solid to secure to. I might be overthinking this. It's a bad habit of mine.
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Nov 20, 2008 19:42
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Two things. One, my best friend had a very very low speed accident on my bike (XR125L), basically dropped it on the right side. On first inspection it seemed he'd just grazed a few plastic bits and knocked the mirror around. I went out for a ride today and it appears that the forks are twisted. I've looked at the tubes and they appear to be straight, so it's just a case of undoing the clamps, straightening up the tubes and doing it up again. Howevever, my bike doesn't have a centre stand, so I was wondering what the normal procedure is? Also, when adding aforementioned friend to my insurance, the cost of it went down. He's about the same age as me, the bike's still registered same place and he's been riding less time than I have. The only thing I can think that makes sense is that he's got a full car license and has had for 3 years or so. But why does a car license have anything to do with my bike (or does it?)? My insurance also went down when I added my sister, and although she's also got less experience than me, she's also got a full car license. Both of them only have CBTs, neither have passed the full bike test yet.
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Nov 30, 2008 12:51
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pr0zac posted:I read on BARF yesterday about a guy who had his bike chained in place and the thieves just stripped it of everything they could in place. If you are worried about your bike getting stolen, get theft insurance. Someone once asked me during a discussion on insurance what my cheapest quote for third party insurance was. I was taken aback for a moment, I'd seriously not considered it, particularly since my bike was once nicked. TBH, I treat 3rd party, fire and theft as the minimum, generally because I don't think I could afford to have my bike nicked. Fortunately my bike is likely to be nicked for joyriding rather than parts, and chaining it to something solves that problem. When it was nicked I'd chained it to itself, chain through the wheel, round the swingarm and through the frame.
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Dec 8, 2008 19:31
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Ola posted:What's a good webshop for bike parts in the UK? The pound has dropped nicely lately, maybe I can save a little. http://www.wemoto.com/ Someone posted that a while back for some parts I was looking for.
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Dec 29, 2008 14:56
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OrangeFurious posted:Do you remember them? I went down for the first time earlier in the month - on my '07 Thruxton - and I don't remember anything. I don't remember my first one, I worked out what happened working backwards from the final results, the damage to my bike and the bruises I acquired. I remember my other two though. What gets me is that noone ever stops.
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Jan 1, 2009 04:11
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OrangeFurious posted:Judging from my helmet, that was definitely the case. My head didn't touch the ground. I impacted right shoulder, then flip over onto left hip then flip onto both knees. My helmet came out of it without a scratch, touch, mar or even the slightest bit of mud, and the state of the road, if it had impacted, there would have been mud. *edit* VVV yeah, adrenaline was what I suggested to my friend when he came off and was describing the wierd sensation of having this gap in his memory, one moment trying to pull onto the main road, the next sprawled on the opposite pavement with the bike lying on the curb next to him. Just completely forgot about it when I was trying to describe what happened to me. Orange Someone fucked around with this message at 01:13 on Jan 2, 2009 |
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Jan 2, 2009 00:57
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Right, so. Holes in the exhaust (the bit between it coming out of the engine and the silencer). Are they meant to be common (I've got 3 or 4 in the 125 and just found one in the 400)? And what's the best way to fix them? Does it have to be welded or would something like Chemical Metal or Metal Putty do alright? Not really sure how hot the exhaust gases are. Chem Metal's max temp is about 180C but it says not to be used where there is sustained temperature of over 100C. Metal Putty's max temp is about 280C. For the record, the bikes are both Hondas, one's a 2004 Euro XR 125L and the other's a 1993 CB400 Super Four and the largest hole is about 3 or 4mm across. Really stupid questions but with all my bike and car tinkering, I've never had anything to do with the exhaust Regarding the GS500, that surprises me that you even might have killed it. I was looking at getting one for my upgrade from the 125 (as you can see, I got the 400 instead) due to enjoying it on my DAS training. Friend of mine almost lynched me for suggesting it, he really can't stand the GS, instead much prefering the ER-5.
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Jan 21, 2009 17:01
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Nerobro posted:You have two options. Cover them with a metal strap. Or weld them up. Exhaust gasses can top 1400degrees. The pipes, you can expect to reach 5-900 degrees depending on how fast you're going. If you're going slow, some bikes have been known to get their exhausts up to a dull orange. It's a 125 dualsport thumper with a lanky 6'4" dude perched right in the slipstream, it's always going slow. Seriously though, it's not that hot of a running bike though I guess orange pipes is something I'll have to look out for on the 400. Is that Centigrade or Fahrenheit? Either way it's still hotter than I'd have imagined. I'd guess a Jubilee clip would come under the heading of a metal strap, maybe with some sort of patch. I'd rather get ia permanent fix, I think I can get a decent deal on some welding (yay for friends of friends being paid in beer). At least now I've got a backup plan if everything goes pearshaped. Maybe I should learn to weld, though that's a scary prospect. The ER-5 and the GS500 don't seem to be that far off each other, they're also both standard 500cc parallel twins, so I didn't think the comparison would be too odd.
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Jan 21, 2009 19:10
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Hmm, I have a sneaking feeling I'm about to appear very very stupid. I've got a new (to me) '93 Honda CB400 and I've just done my first long trip, 300 miles of motorway from the Midlands to Dorset and back. It started snowing on the way back up on Sunday, and thus by Monday morning, there was about 2 inches of snow on the ground. I had to be in work for 6am, so I fired up the bike and off I went. However, I noticed a previous problem had gotten worse. When I used to acclerate really really hard, there was some sort of rat-tat-tat noise coming from behind me, something similar to the noise you get when you use a drill to screw a screw in and it gets to the limit and starts making a rat-tat-tat noise without going in any further. Anyway, I now don't need to acclerate as hard to get the noise, but I thought that it might be something to do with the snow and ice on the ground, maybe to do with losing traction. Someone had suggested that it was a problem with my shocks, but I had a horrible vision that it's actually my chain slipping off the sprocket and hitting the next tooth.
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Feb 3, 2009 14:40
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Ola posted:It's very unlikely that it's slipping like that, but it could be oscillating up and down and striking the swingarm or some of the sprung parts as the rear suspension compresses. Check your chain tension and adjust it. Yeah, thanks. I had a bit too much slack in it, but the noise was becoming very very regular, I almost couldn't accelerate without it rat-tat-tat-ing. I meant to fix it this morning, but I was yanked out of bed by a phone call to get to work as quick as my bike would carry me. Anyway, with it lubed and adjusted there's now no noise. It really did sound like it was slipping off, no matter how unlikely that scenario was. In other news, we've fixed almost every problem with my 125, apart from the rear drum brake sticking on, and the exhaust having a myriad of holes in it. Did manage to drain the battery trying to start just after we finished bolting everything back on, so the sideplates came back off again to access to the battery. That's a new headlight bulb, new sparkplug, headlight realigned, shifter rebent into it's correct shape, forks lined up and throttle less sticky. Nothing difficult, but there's a large sense of satisfaction in getting that lot done.
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Feb 4, 2009 20:56
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ail posted:Mother loving rain. My "waterproof" backpack is damp as hell, ruined a notebook. My "waterproof" firstgear jacket got water in the interior pocket, almost breaking my cellphone. My "waterproof" gloves got water inside them and I couldn't feel my hand for the last 10 miles. That last one is mostly a function of a dumb rear end glove design. Gauntlet over jacket means water trickles down the jacket into the glove. Ugh. It happens the other way around as well. Gauntlet inside jacket sleeve means the water gets forced up your arm by the headwind you're generating and the normal winds out there. Although my experience is mostly Scottish rain, it does depend on how Hell-like the wind and the rain is out there. Most of my gear leaks, or at least leaks after a while in the rain, except my jacket. With all the shenanigans I've had with kit, getting it to fit (6'4" and 32" waist), and it being within my price range, my jacket is the one bit of kit that fitted me, was the right price and has never let me down. Also, we saw these really awesome Alpinestar gloves when we were in Hein Gericke last time. They had both racing and touring version, albeit both were over 100 quid, but they both had a double cuff. One cuff to go inside the jacket, and then another one to clamp on around the outside. Definitely something I'm going to bear in mind for my next set of winter gloves.
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Feb 18, 2009 11:41
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rifles posted:Honestly it's not the learning to ride it, it's the stopping, putting my foot down on a limb and falling over like an idiot, and then not being able to pick it back up because I'm weak I my bike fell over the first day I was actually taking her on a long trip. Full kit (full motorcross boots are not fun to push a bike in) + luggage on bike + attempting to bump start down a hill = bike starting, then me not being able to get on, bike drifting away from me and thus dragging more throttle so it pulled completely away from me thus hitting the floor. The first thing I'd always say calm the gently caress down. I know when I drop the bike, the adrenaline starts pumping and I can't think straight. Coupled with the endorphins from the exercise of pushing the bike up the hill and then back down, and the effort of trying to lift it, I'm surprised I was in any sort of fit state to ride. I always forget to grab the handlebars, instead I just grab the frame with both hands, one on each side of me. I also forget to put the side stand up (it always falls down on the other side) so I have that moment of panic that it's going to go over the other way. If you can, and you need to, stick it in gear so you don't have to worry about grabbing a brake, it won't roll away. My 125 has given me bad habits when it comes to lifting the bike. It's so little and light but the handlebars give such huge leverage, all I have to do is straddle the bike, hands on the handlebar grips, bend my knees and lift.
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Feb 25, 2009 12:24
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Ola posted:Maybe I should ask this in one of the tech forums, but I'm wondering about a Bluetooth intercom. The most popular ones seem to be the opposite of what I want, i.e. they are headset units that mate up with a phone or some other hub. But since most people already have bluetooth phones with handsfree headsets. Is there any way to talk between two phones using a cheap go-between? Apart from calling eachother I mean? When you say intercom do you mean between two people on two bikes or between two people on the same bike? From what I remember, it seems that pillion to rider communication is actually best done with good old-fashioned wires, there seems to be less to go wrong. You can get intercoms that use bluetooth headsets, some of them just use the headset to link to a radio on each bike, which then uses radio waves to communicate with each other, but I've seen others that use the bluetooth to link intercoms to each other. I have definitely seen at least one system that only uses one intercom box per set of bluetooth headphones. Basically, you each link your headphone to the same box, one rider carries it and it chats that way. Does seem to make more sense in terms of less hassle, less to keep track of and less to set-up. Obviously it's downside is that if you're riding in a group of 3 and the guy with the intercom box decides to run off, the other two are left to go back to slightly obscure and meaningless hand guestures. Everytime I come across this topic, I remain convinced that there ought to be a way to just link a bluetooth headset to another one and communicate that way without any extraneous equipment, but I've been told it's impossible. My heart remains pure however, and I still cling on to hope that this can happen. Out of interest, what's the general battery life on bluetooth headsets and how are they normally charged? I've not used them (my phone is ancient) but it does seem like a ready-made solution to the intercom problem.
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Feb 27, 2009 16:20
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Since we've wandered onto the subject, are the nuts on the battery posts meant to be vertical with the bolts coming in from the side or are the nuts meant to lie horizontal with the bolts coming in from the top? I only ask because the previous battery had the nuts vertical and the connectors on the side, and when I replaced the battery I put it back how I had found it. However, fiddling with the old battery I realised it's a whole lot less fiddly if the nut is horizontal, there's no fiddling of skewers and chopsticks trying to keep it vertical whilst attempting to engage the threads with the nut. *edit* must . . . get . . . question-marks . . . correct Orange Someone fucked around with this message at 15:07 on Mar 7, 2009 |
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Mar 7, 2009 15:03
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UK goons appear! Actually, my CB400 is coming up for it's MOT soon and the previous owner has disabled the kill switch. He said it was because there's a delay in the switch somewhere, and hitting the switch means the bike won't turn on for about 10 minutes. I'm curious as to whether you actually need a kill switch to pass the MOT, or if it's a requirement that it works if it's installed. My google-fu is lacking today. I've also pulled the plugs on the clutch lever, the lead that detects that whether the lever is in, but due to a design flaw, the neutral light illuminates when the clutch is pulled in, which makes it hard to notice if you've actually hit neutral. I'm going to plug that back in before the MOT though, people tend to snear at hanging leads and insulation tape.
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Mar 10, 2009 11:34
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Does it start when bump started? If it does then you've narrowed it down to the starter. If it doesn't then there's more likely something else wrong in the engine.
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Mar 23, 2009 19:08
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When I got my CB400 the speedo cable was broken and the speedo light bulb was shot. So I replaced both, without much hassle (seriously, replacing a speedo cable is so easy, but it's so satisfying). Week or two later, the tacho bulb went, along with the oil temp light bulb (I think that they're two bulbs out, it may be the same one, or two bulbs in series). Not got round to replacing those yet as I get annoyed when I have to dismantle bits of the bike to find what I need to replace, undismantle the bike to get me to the shop to buy the bits, go home and redismantle the bike to install said bits. Plus I've been doing mostly daylight riding, and I can hear the engine speed. Last weekend my headlight seemed to get stuck on fullbeam even when the selector was on dipped. Then the normal dipped headlight went. So I rode the 60 miles home on fullbeam, noone noticed or cared. Then tonight the fullbeam bulb flickered and died. Going to replace all these bulbs on monday, it's gotten to the point where I need to. I was just wondering whether all these bulbs going was a symptom of a deeper electrical problem, or I'd just stressed them with my faulty battery and charging shenanigans, or if it was just them all running out at the same time.
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Mar 27, 2009 23:21
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Christoff posted:So I'm trying to decide whether or not to keep my motorcycle. I'm leaving in June through November or so. Then I'll be back for a month. Then I'll be gone for about 2 months, back for a week, then gone for antoher 4-6 or so. (Navy/Traveling before Navy). Personally, I'd keep it. It's not a tough thing to sort the bike so that it can sit there for that period of time, and it's certainly not wasteful (a bike takes up so much less space than a car). The only question is if you'd feel guilty going away and leaving it, which you might considering you've asked the question. But I would make sure you ask yourself how you'd feel if you came back, itching for a ride and you'd sold your bike. And would you want to take up riding again after that? I mean, I assume you already have the kit. Dammit, coherancy is not my best attribute. I'm planning on keeping my bikes when I sail off into the big blue ocean (or Dartmouth, which will be first), but I'm probably going to find family members to look after them. Thinking my sister will get the 125, my mum wants the 400 but she's not got her license yet.
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Apr 5, 2009 10:04
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Hell yes. I'd love to do it on my XR125, but I'm insane.
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Apr 15, 2009 18:37
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OrangeCrush posted:well i will say that i know my way around an engine and can fix just about anything that coudl break and be fixed roadside. But that is really my only concern, I found a rebel forum now that im browsing for info, is there a cycle asylum IRC channel? I dont want to flood this thread up. #bieks on irc.synirc.org (note the spelling) careful of #bikes though, I think there's sweaty men in lycra in there.
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Apr 15, 2009 19:03
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Anyone know a decent place to get handlebars on the internet? Seems the minor fall I had on sunday onto some grass is enough to bend the bars such that they failed the MOT. And wemoto doesn't seem to sell handlebars. Doesn't help that my bike doesn't show up there precisely, it's a grey import.
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Apr 23, 2009 10:08
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Ola posted:They do, the interface is just a bit clumsy. http://shop.wemoto.com - scroll to bottom of page - "browse by part type" - handlebars Ooh, thanks. I meant that they don't sell the handlebars for my bike on the '93 CB400 Super Four page. Now I just have to find something that is about the same as the ones I already have. The previous owner, or whomsoever installed the braided lines has made them a little too short. So I need something almost exactly the same size.
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Apr 23, 2009 11:10
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The other thing about a cover is that it's a very cheap method of theft deterrent. It obviousy won't stop them from stealing it if they want to, but it helps to disguise what it is, particularly if the bike is parked off the road. I have two bikes, and both get stored outside, and ridden through Britain's lovely lovely winter weather. I have covers for both, but there are times I forgot. Whenever I get off my arse and find a house, a garage is high on my list of needs.
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Apr 30, 2009 08:12
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CSi-NA-EJ7 posted:Taking out my carbs for Keihins left a wonderfully smelling garage. My housemates were not pleased for that week We pulled the carb off my bike in the garage at my friend's house. It's linked to the house through a utility room. Goddamn, that fuel smell stunk the house out for ages. They weren't best pleased, they'd only just got rid of the stink of the stuff that had sealed the driveway.
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May 2, 2009 18:10
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My friend's just bought himself a 1993 Honda CB400 Superfour. If that sounds familiar, yes, I do have one of those, no, we weren't trying to have to same bike. He's not passed his test, but a smidgen over 500 pounds is a steal for a really clean bike. Anyway, the bike's a bit cold blooded, needing the choke to start even on a warm (for Britain) day. And then it didn't warm up enough to be able to run without the choke in the 10 minutes it was running. Previous owner says he's pulled and cleaned the carbs, but I was wondering what other problems would show themselves as coldbloodedness. And is it possible he's cleaned them and put them back wrong somehow? Inline 4 engine by the way, so 4 carbs as far as I know. I think someone else mentioned carb balance? I know not of what he means. And I have a sneaky suspicion I'm about to be jumped on by Nero and his idle jets bandwagon.
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May 12, 2009 09:49
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I think BT45s are what I have. And they're my first ever pair of new tyres, only a few weeks old. Very little to compare them to, but they're not going to break the bank, and the feeling is isane for the price. So seconding goku.
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May 27, 2009 20:27
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Z3n posted:words Since I am a lazy gently caress, and half the time the bike is being used to commute to work, I have a bad habit of not oiling my chain. Yes, I know it will kill me, but leaving the house at 5.30am really doesn't make me want to do anything else when I get back. So I'm seriously thinking of a Scottoiler, partially because of my aforementioned laziness, and partially because I'm looking at doing quite a lot of touring, and I think it would make my life easier. Has anyone used them? Had bad experiences with them? Are there any major get/don't get differences between the models?
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Jun 10, 2009 12:05
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Hughmoris posted:Sweet looking bike. How tall are you, and what do you think of the ergonomics? I'm looking at joining the world of hypertouring, but I'm a little worried I won't be able to find something to fit me comfortably at 6'5". I'm 6'4" and I ride, have been for 2 years. I find height less of a issue on a bike than on a car, at least you have no doors to interfere with your knees, and no roof to smash your head into. I always suggest dualsport bikes to people to learn on, they're easier to manuvoure around than a sports bike, brilliant seating postion, brilliant visibility, only downside is that they can be too tall for some people. Big touring bikes can have similar seating positions, so if you're looking for a big bike, look at the big BMW GSes. The problem with stating your height and asking about bikes is that some people have different proportions. I've got quite a long torso, but even so, I've never found a bike I can't flatfoot. You'll probably run into more problems with sitting right in the wind.
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Jun 15, 2009 18:28
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| # ¿ Apr 29, 2024 13:16 |
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Also, make sure you're actually sliding off the seat slightly when stopped. It'll give you a little more reach that can make you a whole lot more comfortable. *Edit* what are the options for dealing with a flat tyre? As I mentioned in another thread, I did over 1000km this weekend, and then 3 miles from home got a flat in the rear. Didn't realise it was actually flat, I thought it was just low of air and thus I limped home. I'm meant to be off to Cornwall on friday, so I'd really like a solution that won't involve buying a new tyre, purely from the money and time point of view. Orange Someone fucked around with this message at 08:27 on Jul 1, 2009 |
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Jun 30, 2009 22:38
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