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What’s the dealio with Chinese bikes? I’m in the U.K. and finished my CBT a few weeks ago, and now I’m looking at getting my first 125cc, which seem to fit into either £4K+ (new) Japanese bikes, or £1.5-3k Chinese bikes. There seems to be a wide range of opinions on them, one guy I talked to had nothing good to say about Lexmoto, but suggested I buy a Mutt. Despite both brands selling nearly identical bikes, just different trim.
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May 30, 2018 08:45
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Keket posted:They're not nearly identical, they are identical. Good advice, ta. I was looking at a Hanway (although, that mondial hipster is awfully appealing) to get me through the first year or two, but maybe more. It all depends on how many opportunities I get to ride somewhere other than work.
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May 30, 2018 19:07
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I’ve pretty much got a rough idea of everything I’m going to buy, gear, bike, insurance. But I realised I haven’t taken into account security. Easily fixed, buy a chain. But where do I keep it? If I’m commuting every day, I’ll need the chain at both ends, and I really don’t want to carry a 6+ kg chain in a backpack each day. If nobody makes pannier (rails?) or top boxes for the bike(s) I’m looking at getting, what are my options?
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Jun 3, 2018 09:31
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I live in London and there’s a police campaign at the moment to chain and cover bikes. Also lots of brazen bike thefts. (That said, nobody’s going to want to steal a Chinese 125 short of opportunistic phone muggers... I hope) Nobody seems to cover them in the business centres, but everyone seems to chain them to nothing as there’s never any street furniture to chain them to at motorbike parks. I’ll see what my insurance premiums differ by if I just use a disc lock at work. Might just chance it. But deffo getting a chain anchor installed at home.
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Jun 3, 2018 16:15
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Sagebrush posted:You'll probably be okay with your Ninja though. In some places (England) there are apparently roving gangs of children armed with unregistered butter knives who will pick up and carry away even a beat-to-poo poo $300 moped They steal them to steal other things with, because the police don’t chase them. You’ve then also got bike thieves that’ll threaten you with a hammer while his mate saws through a chain in broad daylight. Yay London. It’s the best. Horse Clocks fucked around with this message at 16:46 on Jun 3, 2018 |
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Jun 3, 2018 16:42
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Slavvy posted:In a car you get the clutching done asap and let the engine do the work. On a bike you ride the everloving gently caress out of the clutch until the engine's happy. It's just what they do. I feel like this wasn’t something my CBT instructor ever covered. “Use the clutch as a second throttle” would have been a great help while I’m trying to work out moving from a standstill as I found “twist your wrist such a tiny amount to get the engine just right” on their thrashed and sloppy learner bikes rather challenging. I think I managed to get it subconsciously, but whenever I explicitly thought about rolling off from a stop it was a one way ticket to stallsville.
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Jun 12, 2018 08:17
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I went to a motorcycle shop today and tried on some helmets. The Arai Axes III fits my noggin really well, and had loads of room for my glasses. But it’s £350+. Is there anything with a similar fit for less?
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Jun 15, 2018 14:51
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If nobody makes a luggage rack specifically for your bike, what are your options?
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Jun 19, 2018 22:23
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Today I bought
I think I’m going to return the boots, not sure I actually like them. They were comfortable in the shop, but not sure I like the look of them. They didn’t have any trousers that are commuter and office friendly, and not jeans. My local bike shop sold their last Mondial HPS yesterday. So have to wait until their next shipment.
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Jul 2, 2018 15:10
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pokie posted:I am not sure such a beast exists. There’s ‘chinos’ like the Klim outrider pants. They don’t have to be suit pants, they just need to be not jeans. That’s the one nearly consistent rule in most offices I go to.
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Jul 2, 2018 17:24
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All my gear turned up yesterday, and the Motorcycle dealer near me gave me a call today to tell me new stock is in. New bike this week it looks like :mrv: He also has two bikes in a limited run paint job. Is there much additional resale value in limited runs? Or is it just going to be another £300 flushed down the shitter on top of the “new bike cost”?
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Jul 6, 2018 18:22
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Placed a deposit down on a new Mondial HPS 125 today. Pick it up next week. Both excited and a little intimidated. I hope everything from the CBT comes back.
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Jul 8, 2018 18:47
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MomJeans420 posted:
What’s the correct thing to do when you feel you’re losing traction?
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Jul 13, 2018 19:47
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what’s the deal with linked brakes? I did my CBT on a bike without them and it was fine. I could slowly ease in the rear brake when coming to a stop. My new bike, no ABS and Euro4 compliant so it has linked brakes and I just can’t get a smooth stop with the rear. At about 5-10% pressure the 4-piston front comes into play and I stop way too sharp. I can do a lot smoother with just the front lever. Alpha Phoenix posted:It really drove home the idea that you drive where you're looking, a lot more on a motorcycle than a car or bike. I looked at it, registered it, and thought to myself "oh boy I sure don't want to hit that 6" of road steak in this entire lane" and 2 seconds later, Thwap. I often find myself going “poo poo wide gently caress what’s on the opposite kerb?” There’s a car park near me with a tight hairpin to get into it. I’ve taken to driving in and out through it when I go out. Feels like good for looking at the bend not in front of you.
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Jul 20, 2018 07:15
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Slavvy posted:Unfortunately this is just linked brakes and part of the reason lots of people don't like them, luckily they'll soon just be an unfortunate piece of history when everything has ABS. There are many different configurations of linked brake and some are cuntier than others - was your CBT on a honda or something else?
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Jul 20, 2018 16:29
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My front brakes are squeaky. Which isn’t all bad, because it reminds me to not use my front brakes. But my bike has linked brakes, so putting on the rears also makes the front go a little bit, and thus more squeaky. Is this just the new bike being broken in? Or have I dun goofed, and now need to remedy my mistakes?
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Aug 2, 2018 07:24
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Sagebrush posted:If the bike is brand new, and you're in the habit of not using your front brakes, it's possible that the pads are just still not bedded in properly. You should bed them in by accelerating up to 40+mph and then braking strongly with the front alone, repeating that process several times, letting the brakes cool down for a bit every two or three runs. When I first got my bike, I found I was using the front for everything leading to a lot of jerky movement, and precarious 30mph lurches. Its probably a case of the bike being new and the brakes not being bedded in, it’s got as many miles as I do in the saddle, which is ~50 miles, all from a few rides around suburban London in the evening.
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Aug 2, 2018 21:30
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I was going to do a dry run commute today and also take on the A1 (a not-quite-motorway) for the first time in the process. But something with the clutch lever felt weird and a bit wobbly. on the first junction I hit, the gearbox got stuck in 1st or 2nd, but the indicator said neutral, causing me to lunch forward and stall. Then I proceeded to stall the gently caress out of it, struggled to get it into neutral, and just all round had a bad time, so I called it off and went home. So not sure if this is just bike clutches being bike clutches, me being spooked about firstural/neutnd, me being over confident, or somethings wrong with the gearbox. Horse Clocks fucked around with this message at 13:37 on Aug 5, 2018 |
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Aug 5, 2018 13:06
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pokie posted:Even on a fancy bmw, I can't always find neutral in 3 tries :v. It's just not always trivial. It's possibly that something is hosed with your bike, but try to get it in and out of gear a few times with a clear head first. Yeah, I’m not sure how much of it was in my head and how much was an issue with the gearbox. I guess I’ll just run her around a bit more this week to see. Hoping it’s not the latter, was planning on doing a group ride next week.
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Aug 5, 2018 18:40
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Coydog posted:https://www.amazon.com/Worlds-Finest-Plug-2-Pair-Travel/dp/B003FZ8CVG Are these those malleable wax plugs you can get? If so, I’ve always found (other brands) these fall out when things get sweaty or vibratey. Do you find the same with these?
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Aug 24, 2018 19:33
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I had a vanquest sling bag that I used. It was good because it had a third torso strap to stop it flapping around. Until Monday when the main strap slipped off it’s buckle at 10mph on a heavily congested urban dual carriageway. Causing me to hit the emergency cutoff when grabbing it, and in a mild panic be unable to start the bike. Now I’m using a normal osprey backpack who’s straps are sewn in. It’s got torso and waist straps so it’s pretty stable. but might get something more designed for riding. It’s kinda dumb. I just have my shackle lock in it. Would kill for a mount to put it on and not need a bag.
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Sep 6, 2018 07:48
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I’ve started commuting to/from work through London, and while my Arai Axcess 3 is great on nearly all metrics, I have two issues with it - it fogs up like a sauna even in warm weather, but I think a pinlock will fix this. - when watching the road, the chin bar obscures my mirrors, gps and tacho. Meaning I can either look at the road, or them. Making what would be a ‘quick glance’ a full head movement. I’m not sure how much of it to chalk up to inexperience, and how much is just bad ergonomics, but I often find myself doing last minute braking during traffic after checking my mirrors as a car in front has stopped sooner than expected. Is this a common problem, me being a noob, or should I look at buying a helmet with a bigger viewing aperture (eg, Bell MX-9, Nolan N44) for commuting, and resign the arai to recreational lower-traffic trips? Horse Clocks fucked around with this message at 11:26 on Sep 9, 2018 |
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Sep 9, 2018 08:59
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aldantefax posted:
To follow from this, what torque range on a torque wrench do I buy? I have no idea frame of reference for torque, and there’s no service manual or Hayes book for my bike.
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Nov 24, 2018 08:14
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Sagebrush posted:idk if it's in every MSF course, but at mine they threw a bunch of 2x4s down and made everyone ride over them at speed to demonstrate that the motorcycle is self-stable and will just bounce over small obstacles like nothing. If you're light on the bars and you don't panic and swerve or haul on the brakes, it's amazing how much of an impact a motorcycle can take without going out of control. Man, that’d be nice. Would be great to get running up a kerb out of “might drop it” mindset. and by extrapolation, a staircase. Guess I should just go head on at a kerb one day.
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Jul 23, 2019 17:55
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Alpha Phoenix posted:Lately I've had some sharp upper back pain, Google led me to #4 on this and it checks out: https://www.bmf.co.uk/news/show/7-tips-to-reduce-motorcycle-pain Do light exercise to strengthen your core. Pilates, Yoga, free weights etc.
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Aug 3, 2019 07:21
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Sagebrush posted:Smell vs DOT vs ECE There’s also the UKs SHARP scheme that tests helmets and gives them ratings. But they’re not regulatory. But they do show how wildly different in protection helmets can be.
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Sep 2, 2019 07:36
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Rolo posted:What’s the consensus on recording rides? Not for doing stupid things but for liability in the city and for noting some of the prettier back roads I stumble onto when wandering. I have a GoPro Hero 7 White and I may just find a way to bolt it to myself? I bought a “Sys” brand dashcam from AliExpress last month. It’s a dual 1080p thing designed for motorcycles. Will post a trip report ... when it arrives.
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Sep 2, 2019 21:45
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Sagebrush posted:little bikes are the best because you can hit redline in the first three gears before you're even across the intersection After riding my XSR700 for however many months, I decided to take the 125 out for a spin. gently caress it was a lot of work. Constantly shifting, less engine braking. The xsr has made me lazy. Open throttle, consider shifting out of first, maybe go to third. I think I’ve hit 6th twice? Hit 6th on the 125 before I hit the first junction out of my house.
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Sep 11, 2019 12:29
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I wore a balaclava from Costco under a ‘MX’ helmet last winter (London). It wasn’t too bad. But your hands. Make sure your hands are warm and dry. I wore my Knox Orsas, which are not waterproof or insulated. Heated grips cranked to max helped.
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Sep 21, 2019 19:34
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ImplicitAssembler posted:I've decided to commute year round (except when it's snow/icy). Any tips on getting the rain to roll off the visor easier? Rain-x make a plastic variety... But I’ve got a bottle, and every time I’ve tried to use it it’s just made a foggy mess. Tips appreciated.
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Oct 7, 2019 21:17
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RevZilla documents head shape.
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Oct 17, 2019 19:30
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Steakandchips posted:I shop bought my first helmet. Glad I did. I wish more shops had XXL sized helmets though in the UK. Going to have to go online soon. Last time just one helmet in the whole shop fit and it was a cheap Nitro one. I want a fancy one, but no shops here carry XXL Arai in store for example. Call ahead and ask them to pull stock in. Sportsbikeshop will let you do it on their website if you can get to one of their retail stores. I sent £10k worth of gear in multiple sizes to one the other week, spent 1/10th that with no issues or complaints.
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Oct 27, 2019 13:05
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SEKCobra posted:So I'm en route to get my motorcycle license beginning next week and I am facing the shopping phase. I got a really nice helmet (Schuberth C3 Pro) and now I'm faced with having to find a jacket (and pants). But so far I am not really finding anything that can support my figure, everything seems to assume a V-build. The US brands from the OP don't seem to be available here. Can any eurogoons recommend anything? I’m pretty skinny, but I found Knox’s jackets tight in the shoulders. My A* mesh jacket is pretty slim fitting too.
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Jan 31, 2020 21:37
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The UK police don’t have the time money or shits to prosecute petty bullshit like someone sitting a wheel past the road marking. Providing you’re not taking the piss, They’re generally very chill and are very relaxed towards bikes (the police run bike training program is a lesson in “making progress”) Heck, I was doing 50 in a 30, went past two police with a laser gun, and the worst I got was one of them stepping into the road and signalling me to slow down. As for RLCs, they’re weird. part speed camera part red light camera, and afaik use your speed to determine if you get a ticket. But they’re bright yellow, so if there’s no yellow box at that intersection I wouldn’t sweat it.
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Feb 9, 2020 20:38
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Rev. Dr. Moses P. Lester posted:Pretty sure I was told to drag the rear during low speed maneuvers at my BRC years ago In the UK I was told to do whatever works, but if you’re dragging the rear, you need to put more revs in and feather the clutch more so you don’t stall.
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Apr 27, 2020 20:38
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Crappy bike tutorial My cbt bike would indicate right when full lock left.
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Jul 25, 2020 14:20
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Slavvy posted:What is happening to this forum Butt thread and cock thread. What more do you need?
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Jul 26, 2020 08:06
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I’ve been almost exclusively riding the DRZ recently, to the point of needing to jumpstart the XSR every time I take it out. Took the XSR out the other day for an hour and stalled it 3 times.
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Aug 6, 2020 18:33
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I fondly remember doing fig8s in the car park next to my house for days before hitting the road.
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Dec 14, 2020 00:34
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I’ve gone to interviews and funerals in a suit under my Hardanger. I also have an IKEA packable duffel that I can put it in so I’m not lugging around a hollowed out corpse.
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Dec 18, 2020 17:46
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