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Ola posted:Today it read 9.86. That's pretty much a write-off right? I've successfully recovered batteries that were down at 1.0v/cell (6 volts or so for the whole battery), but they'd only been discharged for a couple of weeks. The one that's been working perfectly in my car for the last year is just such a recovery. Boost it at high current (like 20 amps) for 15-30 seconds to put a surface charge on the plates, so that it reads as fully charged on the multimeter. While the charge is still high, put it on a smart charger until it detects that the battery's full. Disconnect, allow the plates to settle for a few hours, then reconnect the smart charger (boost again if the voltage has dropped too low). Do this several times until when you hook up a multimeter the voltage remains steady around 14v. Place in vehicle and go. Note that I am not an electrical engineer and my idea of what's going on inside the cell is only based on first-year chemistry and google, but the technique does seem to work. I don't know what the total capacity of the batteries is afterwards, but they work fine for starting and running the accessories. Snowdens Secret posted:I would assume it would take temps higher than the outside of a water heater to kill them, and putting them in a freezer is likely actively damaging. High temperatures will slightly increase the rate of self-discharge but it'd only be noticeable if it was really high, like 50+ celsius. Freezing a flooded cell doesn't permanently damage it unless it is fully discharged, in which case the electrolyte is mostly water and it will expand and crack the plates. If there's no physical damage, you can just defrost it and you should be good to go. Sagebrush fucked around with this message at 17:57 on Mar 8, 2012 |
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Mar 8, 2012 17:54
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Ola posted:Hmmm interesting. I don't have anything that can put 20 amps on it and buying something will probably cost the same as a new battery. I will put it on the charger and see if it says "nope, broken" or if it can charge it up. It'll make it easier to get to the battery store at least. I use my benchtop electronics power, which is a repurposed old PC power supply. The +12v rail can supply 10-20 amps easily, and some of the l33t g4m3r supplies go to 40 or more. Just hook it up, disconnect it when the fizzing in the electrolyte reaches your comfort level, then quickly swap it onto your regular charger. Basically all you're doing is fooling your charger into thinking the battery is still good so that it'll do its thing. I'm working on one right now -- a battery that was completely new out of the box, but which the previous owner overheated and boiled over on the first charge. It seems to be slowly recovering. I don't have any way to measure the specific gravity of the electrolyte but if at the end of this it holds a charge that's good enough for me.
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Mar 8, 2012 20:35
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It's not just engine speed -- there are bikes that don't rev that much higher than cars that still use solid lifters. My understanding is that hydraulic lifters are just too complicated for the minor benefit they give to be used in smaller/cheaper engines.
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Mar 8, 2012 21:39
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Are you sure that's not supposed to happen? Carburetors have way more mysterious hidden passages inside them than you expect. It's quite possible that that's a secondary fuel pickup, or an overflow, or something to do with a vacuum system... [e] My semi-educated guess is that it's some kind of enriching system. When engine vacuum is high (or when the carb is choked), the suction pulls that ball up, unblocking the passage and allowing increased fuel flow into the jet. There's a high chance that that isn't what it does at all, but it seems plausible to me. Sagebrush fucked around with this message at 23:40 on Mar 8, 2012 |
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Mar 8, 2012 22:36
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What is the difference (in functionality and in equipment) between a motard, a supermoto, a dual-sport and an adventure bike? Which one of the bunch is most similar to the older term "scrambler"?
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Mar 9, 2012 05:42
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Olde Weird Tip posted:stuff  Now I think I'm even more confused. A spectrum of dirt-oriented to road-oriented might godirt bike -- dual sport -- supermoto/motard -- adventure bike -- street bike? And what's the difference between "a dirt bike with street tires" and "a bike designed to go on and offroad"? In what situation would a motard be better than a dual sport, and vice versa? [e] okay, that explains it a little more, but I'm still not clear of the advantage of a dirtbike chassis with street tires vs. an actual sports bike vs. a bike designed to do both dirt and street. Are motards any good offroad still, or is that basically just a function of the tires? Sagebrush fucked around with this message at 06:02 on Mar 9, 2012 |
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Mar 9, 2012 05:59
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According to the Sea Foam MSDS:code:
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Mar 11, 2012 00:51
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Not just restricted to forklifts, but pairs of forklifts.
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Mar 11, 2012 17:57
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Geirskogul posted:I leave for basic training next week, and I was planning on just filling all my cases (crank, oil, primary, transmission, and cylinder/head) with oil, and removing the gear shift lever so some moron doesn't pop it into gear and hydrolock it while moving it in storage. Also, my standard "cleaning" procedure of spraying EVERYTHING down with WD-40 and giving it a wipedown, and removing the battery and putting plastic bags over every intake/exhaust/bar levers. The bike will be in storage (read: wrapped up in tarps and bungee cords underneath a covered deck/patio) for between 6 months and a year. Well, it's not really necessary. There's enough oil and gas vapor in the cylinders by default that they won't rust over that period of time (indeed, they should last decades as long as the storage area is relatively dry). Just fill the tank to the top, put some fuel stabilizer in and run it for 20 minutes, spray anything that might rust with WD-40, and wrap it up good. Wash it (and dry it!) first, too, so the dust doesn't sit there for a long time. When you get it back out make sure the tires have no flat spots, check all the bolts for proper torque, put in new gas and change the oil if you like.
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Mar 15, 2012 04:49
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Well, realistically, no one in their right mind would choose a recent model H-D as primary urban transportation. Maybe a Sportster, but I mean, come on. Harleys are luxury motorcycles in nearly any metric you choose. If you could find a company that would rent EX250s or DRZs or whatever I bet the price would be quite a bit lower.
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Mar 15, 2012 20:26
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GanjamonII posted:Though getting the chain over it when putting the wheel back on may be a pain in the rear end :/ Your chain doesn't have a master link?
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Mar 15, 2012 21:19
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KARMA! posted:Hmm, I don't really have a link on me, but i do know that manufacturers recommend replacing every 5 years across the board. It's both. The specific fiber you're using doesn't matter very much, because it's the epoxy matrix that degrades. Glass and carbon aren't affected by sunlight.
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Mar 15, 2012 21:33
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I decided to entirely remove my electric starter and associated hardware. Now I have an unused pushbutton on my handlebar that closes a circuit carrying 12 volts at a couple of amps. What new, fun thing should I connect it to?
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Mar 19, 2012 01:22
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Oh, this will go well.
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Mar 19, 2012 19:05
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I thought I'd post this here too since the tire thread is a bit of a backwater -- Do you have to use inner tubes with exactly the same dimensions as your tire, or is there some leeway? For instance, my front tire is a 19" 90/100, but I can't find that size, only a 70/100 and 100/90. The rear is an 18" 110/80, but I can only find 110/100s. On my bicycles I always just go for "close enough" and pick the smaller size, but I don't know if that's appropriate for a motorcycle.
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Mar 19, 2012 20:25
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slidebite posted:hell ya bro My MSF had a bunch of smug 18-year-olds who could just barely contain spouting on about GIXXAHs and TYTE STUNTAZ and poo poo. That video should be required viewing.
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Mar 19, 2012 20:35
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In Ontario, a 10mph wheelie in a parking lot theoretically gets a $10,000 fine with instant vehicle impoundment and license suspension, because it's classified under street racing. There was an article in the paper a while back about a local guy who got hit with the same fine for squealing his tires out of a red light -- "excessive acceleration".
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Mar 19, 2012 21:24
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EZipperelli posted:For example, Dodge's standard rear-wheel-drive police Charger, which has an MSRP of $26,825, comes with a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 250 horses Except you can buy a civilian Charger with that same engine, and also a different civilian version with a BIGGER engine. Yes, it's technically still a unique police version, but the spirit of the "cop package" stuff is that they get a more powerful car than civilians have access to as an ace in the sleeve. Which isn't the case here.
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Mar 20, 2012 07:29
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You know, when I was younger (before I actually got into riding), I used to think that literbikes were the prettiest too. I really loved the look of the R1. Then I saw one in person. Do you know how *big* literbikes actually are? It's pretty shocking. Don't get something you specifically dislike, obviously, but don't get your mind dead-set on a single model that's way out of your range either. What is it about a repsol 1000RR that you like, anyway? The styling is fairly generic sportbike and the colors are, well, colors. Those can go on anything.
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Mar 20, 2012 19:13
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fyallm posted:I like the Repsol, the Aprilia Tuono V4 R APRC, aprilla RS 125, bmw s1000rr. I think it's the really point front end, and really the bmw s1000rr headlights. You haven't sat on a bike for four years, you crashed your last supersport, and you want to jump right back in on a newer and much more powerful supersport...because you like the pointy nose.  Obviously you want to get a bike that you think looks good, but jesus, there are plenty of supersport-looking bikes with pointy noses that aren't going to kill you if you have a wrist spasm.  [e] better example [e2] fyallm posted:I am not under 25 and I am about to turn 26 in a few months. And I don't think I will never crash again, because I know statistically it is bound to happen. Statistically, you are more likely to crash if you don't develop good riding habits. Mechanically, you are more likely to crash on a 1000cc supersport because it is UNFORGIVING of the mistakes you will make when you don't develop good riding habits. fyallm posted:I guess I am confused as to how there is not a thing as a horrible road? In my college town the roads were filled with potholes, manhole covers with a foot drop off every 10 feet, and construction. Not the best place to be riding a motorcycle. I understand that there are potholes in random places but when I say horrible I mean the worst conditions where I was riding prolly 95% of the time. 1. Are you incapable of steering? If so, that might be why you crashed your first bike. 2. If the roads are that bad, you should get an enduro. Sagebrush fucked around with this message at 20:57 on Mar 20, 2012 |
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Mar 20, 2012 20:51
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fyallm posted:EDIT: The not under 25 comment was to say, I have matured since the last time I was riding, which is one of the reasons I crashed. ...but you haven't been riding (your friend's bike doesn't count). Your motorcycling skills are not a fine wine. They do not just get better when you leave them in the basement for years. You have to actually be practicing.
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Mar 20, 2012 21:01
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If you mean something like "I crashed before because I was drinking and riding" then yes, that you can control. No matter how hard you try, you can't mentally control your body's proprioception to make your reaction time quicker or your turns smoother or whatever. That kind of stuff is developed through practice and nothing more.
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Mar 20, 2012 21:09
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fyallm posted:Yes, I totally understand that. Then take our advice and get a CBR250 or EX250 and put Repsol plastics on it if that's really critical to you.
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Mar 20, 2012 21:21
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Ola posted:A certain brand of oil you say? Not too sporty you say? And bumpy roads? THAT. is a Repsol.
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Mar 20, 2012 21:46
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So you mean, you took the vacuum petcock off and left the engine vacuum tap open to the atmosphere? So the engine is drawing unmetered air through an open vacuum line? Yes, that would cause a big problem. I'm surprised it didn't show up for a week, though -- it should have been instantaneous.
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Mar 21, 2012 02:52
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When you accelerate, the weight transfers to the rear of the bike. On deceleration it transfers to the front. Unless you have some really weird suspension, the rear should compress somewhat on acceleration. Maybe you're thinking of shaft
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Mar 21, 2012 04:19
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Where do you live? The deep-sounding ones that rumble and crack are probably Harleys, and the high-pitched screaming ones are likely to be 600cc supersports, yes. The Harleys use a big, slow-turning V-twin and the supersports generally use a smaller, fast-spinning inline four. There is a difference in sound between a 1000cc and 600cc inline-4 supersport with the same firing order and exhaust, but it's not significant unless you listen to a lot of motorcycles.
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Mar 22, 2012 17:54
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Ponies ate my Bagel posted:his baseless complaints There are noise by-laws, you know. I assume your exhaust is within the limit but it would still be a pain in the rear end to get a defect ticket and have to get it examined.
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Mar 22, 2012 17:57
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In Ontario, "excessive acceleration" is a street-racing offense that can carry a $10,000 fine with instant license suspension and roadside vehicle impoundment. If you chirp your tires on the way to 35mph, that counts.
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Mar 22, 2012 18:20
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ReelBigLizard posted:
"Street racing" in Ontario is a separate charge that goes on top of whatever your actual violation is. Having street racing appended to your violation is a mandatory flat rate of $10,000 with vehicle impoundment and license suspension (30 days and up) on top of whatever you get for the basic violation. 50km/h over the limit is always considered street racing, even if there's no one else on the road for you to race with. The other situation is basically "if the cop thinks you were racing". Not too long ago there was a guy in my town who got written up in the paper for his charge; he was pulled over going 90km/h in a 60, but the policeman saw him take off from the stoplight down the road with squealing tires, so it became street racing via excessive acceleration. You're not likely to get stopped *just* for chirping the tires, but if a cop sees you backing it in around a turn with the rear tire losing traction and he's having a bad day, welp
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Mar 22, 2012 19:35
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Dzus posted:I have a rather unorthodox question. What kind of physical training should I focus on to feel more confident on a bike? I'm going to be getting my license from the BRC this summer, and I probably won't be buying and riding a bike until the start of the season next year, so I have plenty of time to work on an exercise regimen. I just don't know how confident I would be riding around on a 300-500lb motorcycle. You'll be surprised at how the weight disappears (well, within the weight range you're talking about, tourers are always pigs) once you get the bike up to speed. Riding a motorcycle is not like riding a bike, where you can muscle it around with your weight...it's more like a horse, where you can steer it to where you want it to go but you can't just overpower it. You operate the controls, but the bike does the work of steering. Get it? That said, core strength and arm strength are both good so you can maintain a good position comfortably, and steering "effort" is going to be stronger than a modern power-steering one-finger car, if there's any way to make that comparison that isn't stupid. (I know nothing about really hard track riding etc but I have heard that it requires immense muscle control, if not outright strength, so only take what I'm saying as the case for average street riding) Sagebrush fucked around with this message at 20:18 on Mar 22, 2012 |
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Mar 22, 2012 20:15
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My new tires arrived today. The date codes are TAL2911 and PEL5111. If I'm reading that right, it means that they were manufactured in the 29th and 51st week of 2011, respectively -- July 20~ and December 22~. Right? What do TAL and PEL mean?
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Mar 27, 2012 21:10
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My ignition switch has three settings. Two of them are OFF and RUN, which do what you would expect. The third one is an unguarded position (you can take the key out) that doesn't turn on the ignition, but does turn on the rear light at low brightness. What situation is that useful for? I'm trying to think of a reason that you would want to park your bike and leave it there with the taillight on while taking the keys with you, and the only one I can come up with is "peeing in the forest on the side of the road at night". But that can't be it...right?
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Mar 27, 2012 23:14
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invision posted:Parking on the side of the street. How long does the battery last doing that, though? That seems like it could be a problem... [e] well, a 5W taillight drawing from a fully-charged 12Ah battery would last 29 hours to total depletion. So I suppose it's doable for an evening out on the town.
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Mar 27, 2012 23:34
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On my old CL, as long as the key is on there's power going to the ignition system, and the coils get pretty hot after a while (plus the battery drains)
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Mar 28, 2012 18:09
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Ponies ate my Bagel posted:Dumb question; If you have a bike with a kick start can you disconnect the battery entirely and run it without one by kicking it? I think that would depend on how powerful the alternator is and how good a job the rectifier does smoothing the output. For instance if you have a lovely half-bridge then there could be a 50% chance your plug won't fire on a given stroke, depending on the holdup of the coils etc. Are you talking about removing the battery on the CM200? I would really check the alternator output first because otherwise you might find that your spark quits when you sound the horn something. Check the voltage and current, and get a buddy with an oscilloscope to check the waveform. A supercap like Motomind says would help a lot if your waveform is dirty, but it's not really going to save you if the alternator is just too weak to power everything at once and is relying on the battery for transients.
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Mar 29, 2012 19:34
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If you look at the alternator as the power source, and the coils/lamps/etc as the load, the battery is as a storage unit connected in parallel with the load. When the alternator voltage is lower than that of the battery, the battery discharges into the lamps; when the alternator is higher, it charges the battery. Diodes (incorporated into the rectifier) prevent the battery from discharging into the alternator coils. So when you take the battery out, assuming you leave all the battery connectors attached as they would be if there were a battery in the middle (ie: all the grounds that come back to the negative post still need to be tied together), you just have a series circuit between the alternator and the load, with no backup. Problems occur when the electrical system is relying on the battery to be there for load smoothing and temporary overdraw situations. It really does all depend on how good the alternator is, though. You might have the aforementioned problem where honking the horn makes your spark cut out, or you might find that with the headlights on your bike can't idle because the alternator only produces enough power to run the lamps and the ignition at 3000RPM+ and it was relying on the battery to keep the ignition running for those situations. Etc.
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Mar 29, 2012 21:20
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Lithium batteries have a complicated charge cycle that has to be carefully regulated to prevent fires, but their discharge is fairly straightfoward. As long as you don't exceed the C rating (discharge rate) and don't drop below ~2.5v per cell, you won't have any problems. You keep within the C rating through proper pack selection, and it's trivial to build a protection circuit that cuts the circuit at a certain voltage. You can actually buy cylindrical 18650 cells that have the protection PCB built into the housing, so they look just like normal batteries but are fully protected. So I can't imagine that they would actually put unprotected cells into the pack, since the cost difference is negligible and an over-discharged cell is probably going to explode the next time you charge it. You're probably safe as long as you don't buy the absolute cheapest chinese stuff you can find on eBay.
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Mar 29, 2012 22:45
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Not likely to be any danger. The worst that I could imagine happening is you blowing a fuse if the bare wires shorted out to the frame, so wrap the ends in electrical tape. [e] yes, separately, like Snowdens Secret says. Don't wrap them together. It would be bad. Sagebrush fucked around with this message at 00:26 on Apr 1, 2012 |
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Mar 31, 2012 22:39
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Vegetable Dumpling posted:Manual choke is all you get, and it only works at idle. If it's on when you're moving it'll live up to it's name by choking the bike out. Yes...what you should be doing is starting the bike with the choke, then turning it off when the engine is warm in a couple of minutes, and not messing with anything else. When the engine's hot it should just start and idle perfectly, no choke or anything. I have a 71 CL350 and I certainly don't have to mess with the idle screw to make it run properly...set it properly and leave it there until the next time you clean the carbs. Check your valves, and make sure the pilot jet isn't clogged and that the throttle plate is set correctly. If nothing else, at least go through the tuning process in the manual (involves adjusting things back and forth and watching the RPM) to ensure that you haven't just got it tuned way out of whack.
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Apr 1, 2012 22:09
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