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The Bikeshite Thread


warren t claim

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Well I was out for a blast on my trusty Kawasaki Zephyr 550 yesterday.

 

Filled up the tank and headed off via Coldstream to Berwick upon Tweed. Half way to Berwick, I had the thought that my fuel gauge must be playing up...hmm The tank was showing half full...

 

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Arrived in Berwick and the tank was almost empty, couldn't understand that because the bike gets around 60mpg and I should have used less than a gallon to get there...

 

Next stop was for some Fish n Chips at Foulis, stopped outside the shop and smelled petrol, looked down and there was a pitter patter of petrol...rode the bike further along the street. Petrol was pissing out somewhere in the middle of the carbs. Assumed it was a stuck float and rode back up to Tesco, to fill up.

 

Tank filled up - bombed back up the road to Scotland and watched the needle slowly creep towards empty...

 

7 miles from home...arsehole bike!

 

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Call Carole Nash for assistance they say they will send a recovery vehicle to take my bike home directly - 45 minutes later, a recovery truck arrives - guy has no clue about motorcycles...advised that he must request recovery from his boss. I explain recovery was requested immediately, I ask how long it will take to get recovery - says 15 mins. After 15 mins no sign of the truck so I call the recovery people who advise they should be there within 30 mins... I should mention the recovery people are a 15 minute walk from my location.....

 

After well over an hour (90 mins or so) we are almost ready to get on the road and back to the house

 

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The recovery lads were very decent but this could have been the easiest recovery available....

 

Back at the house I decide to have a cuppa before the assumption that I'm going to be removing a bank of carbs and stripping them down. I've got better things to do but needs must and all that jazz.

 

Seat off, tank removed...Ahah!

 

What's the non-Japanese contamination under here squashed above the carbs...

 

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The previous owner had obviously fitted (with good intentions) an inline filter but the way it had been crammed in didn't do it any favours but the bend had put pressure on the jubilee clip and as I found out - that;;s a very quick way to empty a tank!

 

All the gubbins removed and the orginal factory setup restored!

 

QPsHSaP.jpg

 

Thankfully no need to remove and strip down the carbs!

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After being out for a few runs on my '86 GSX-R750, the handling ability of the Zephyr is significantly less reassuring!

 

I didn't buy the Zephyr with any high speed aspirations but the sure footed handling of the almost 10 years older GSX-R750 is far more confidence inspiring.

 

So far, the Zephyr ticks the boxes for aesthetics and general comfort but the old Gixxer power delivery and handling soon make you realise that looks arn't everything :)

 

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VSrVVfC.jpg

 

0lSErH8.jpg

 

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can haz leak :(

 

fuel tap

 

If only I'd taken a couple of spanners and a flat-head screw driver I could have fixed this in 5 mins.

 

I'll know next time for sure!

 

I actually thought it was a sticky float and I was losing fuel that way, half anticipated it clearing itself on the way back up the road.

 

80 miles and 6 gallons of fuel...oops.

 

Curiously, I ran out of fuel with the tap set to main tank, when I turned the tap upwards to reserve there was bugger all left...should really have called for assistance in Berwick and had fish n chips while I waited for the recovery... Lessons learned and all that!

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After being out for a few runs on my '86 GSX-R750, the handling ability of the Zephyr is significantly less reassuring!

 

I didn't buy the Zephyr with any high speed aspirations but the sure footed handling of the almost 10 years older GSX-R750 is far more confidence inspiring.

 

So far, the Zephyr ticks the boxes for aesthetics and general comfort but the old Gixxer power delivery and handling soon make you realise that looks arn't everything :)

 

Gguv4AE.jpg

 

VSrVVfC.jpg

 

0lSErH8.jpg

 

D3KYy4J.jpg

That's not the standard front end on the GSXR tho, USDs?

 

Sent from my TA-1012 using Tapatalk

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That's not the standard front end on the GSXR tho, USDs?

 

Sent from my TA-1012 using Tapatalk

 

Yeah it's a later GSX-R set from the early 1990's I believe.

 

It was going to be a full on Streetfighter but I liked the look of the standard rear end at the time and just stuck with it.

 

I already had a Cagiva Mito seat unit to fit.

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I've decided to sell the moped. I'm really fond of it but I just don't have a use for it: it only ever goes to the MoT centre.

 

I've given first refusal to the friend that I bought it from and he's thinking about it. He has the same problem that I do: loves the bike but it would never get used.

 

I am keen for it to go to an enthusiast and not be ragged around, but I think it would benefit from being used.

 

1985 Honda Vision, approx 3800 miles, MoT in April. Good condition overall but a few scratches and bumps in the plastic fairing. I don't really know what they're worth, maybe £200? Located in Lewes, East Sussex.

 

Waiting to hear back from my friend but I thought I'd see if there's any interest on here in case he doesn't want it.

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I've decided to sell the moped. I'm really fond of it but I just don't have a use for it: it only ever goes to the MoT centre.

 

I've given first refusal to the friend that I bought it from and he's thinking about it. He has the same problem that I do: loves the bike but it would never get used.

 

I am keen for it to go to an enthusiast and not be ragged around, but I think it would benefit from being used.

 

1985 Honda Vision, approx 3800 miles, MoT in April. Good condition overall but a few scratches and bumps in the plastic fairing. I don't really know what they're worth, maybe £200? Located in Lewes, East Sussex.

 

Waiting to hear back from my friend but I thought I'd see if there's any interest on here in case he doesn't want it.

I LOVE these. Yes please.

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Would there be any interest in my K75 flying brick?I'm finding it a bit big and heavy for me (I'm 11st wet through!) and feel safer on my ikkle MZ.it's an 89 K75,67k,mot until next March.New Avon tyre on the frint,just changed fork seals,added gaiters,New plugs,air filter,oil and filter and general service /grease up. Starts on the button and is turbine smooth to ride.but tatty round the edges but could tart up if that's your thing,or press straight into WBOD mode.comes with optional BMW screen.£700 ono?

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post-5728-0-58583700-1539433165_thumb.jpg

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attachicon.gifizh.jpg

 

spotted at stafford.An IZH.

 

To expand - it's an IZH Jupiter 3, it's missing the carburettor cover which protects it from carb icing due to snow accumulation.

 

As we all know IZH's more famous export is the Kalashnikov AK47 assault rifle.

 

But this could be a talking point - the IZH 'convoy' motorcycle. Putin does not want foreign (BMW) motorbikes escorting his limousine so Rostec (an umbrella organisation who co-ordinates the activities of defence and high tech Russian companies) organised the development and production of this beast using the IZH brand. It weighs 510kg and has a top speed of 155mph. There is talk of exporting them...

 

post-3405-0-28708100-1539525367_thumb.jpg

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UJMs, the Universal japanese motorcycle, seem to be vanishing, well in the form I remember them in anyway; Round headlight, twin instrument pods, air cooled, plank seat, twin shiny low silencers. As ridden by men in grubby waterproofs to work through all seasons since the dawn of time.

 

They don’t make them like that anymore, water cooled featureless car engines covered with a mess of hoses etc now rule, and have done for quite some time. Fine when swarthed in plastic, but not schoolboy drawn motorcycle looking. I decided I’d better get a keeper sooner rather than later.

 

Would sir like modernish tyres and brakes as well? Well then, sir has a choice of cb750f2n or xj600n

 

CB’s cost money and from scanning the classifieds seem to have an ownership profile...

 

Diversion it is then.

 

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(Artistic funky orientation by iPad and incompetence:)

 

Very pleased with it. Rides well, sounds far better than a diversion should (delkevic system), lived inside all its life. Previous owner says he only rode it in the wet once (he got caught out) and its condition confirms this. The only thing wrong is that dent in the tank

 

I’m a happy boy, ujm keeper acquired.

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UJMs, the Universal japanese motorcycle, seem to be vanishing, well in the form I remember them in anyway; Round headlight, twin instrument pods, air cooled, plank seat, twin shiny low silencers. As ridden by men in grubby waterproofs to work through all seasons since the dawn of time.

 

They don’t make them like that anymore, water cooled featureless car engines covered with a mess of hoses etc now rule, and have done for quite some time. Fine when swarthed in plastic, but not schoolboy drawn motorcycle looking. I decided I’d better get a keeper sooner rather than later.

 

Would sir like modernish tyres and brakes as well? Well then, sir has a choice of cb750f2n or xj600n

 

CB’s cost money and from scanning the classifieds seem to have an ownership profile...

 

Diversion it is then.

 

attachicon.gifB9A69A21-4BE8-4D19-BB67-223055CA7E89.jpeg

 

(Artistic funky orientation by iPad and incompetence:)

 

Very pleased with it. Rides well, sounds far better than a diversion should (delkevic system), lived inside all its life. Previous owner says he only rode it in the wet once (he got caught out) and its condition confirms this. The only thing wrong is that dent in the tank

 

I’m a happy boy, ujm keeper acquired.

I had one exactly like that, same colour and everything. Took it everywhere, all over Ireland and Wales. Held its own with bigger bikes, was up and down the gearbox like a madman to keep pace though.....

 

They just keep going and are quick enough for most roads

 

Sent from my TA-1012 using Tapatalk

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