The Bikeshite Thread

[Guest Hooli]

Warmed up the bike? I've never bothered, they warm up quicker to by being ridden.

[DodgeRover]

I always used to put my start time down as when I walked into the building, then I would get changed in the 1st aid room.

Saving an hour a day commuting I definitely would be on the bike unless snowing.

[Guest Hooli]

I usually wait til a temperature registers on the digital readout (40c) as the bike seems to have settled down by then (carbed).

 

I've never bothered on carbed or injected bikes, but I know some can be twats when stone cold.

[srad34]

I usually wait til a temperature registers on the digital readout (40c) as the bike seems to have settled down by then (carbed).

I would not wait as riding tends to get the temp up quicker and you are on your way!

[DodgeRover]

Ditto ^^ jump on and ride unless it's a stupid arrangement where you can't turn the choke off whilst on the bike.

Just don't rev it silly while not warmed up, especially 2 strokes.

[New POD]

It's on ebay at 450 but make me an offer as it needs to go

where is Wellington? Shropshire? near Telford.

[Eddie Honda]

Starter button pressed (+when it does fire) and I'm offski.

 

Don't actually save much if any time going to work (given the start times I have), but it's zero dicking around trying to park the thing at work. Zero tolls (€4.20 a day round trip). Don't have to fuck around annually getting it tested. Insurance is cheaper than the car. Tax for the year €88. I use it 99.5% of the time for work.

[Dave_Q]

I think in the days when men were men, strokes were 2 and oils were shit it was good advice, but probably not needed anymore.

 

I leave mine running for about as long as it takes to put me hat on then ride off. 

 

 

Last night I swapped over the forks on my SV, this lead me to notice that the calipers are pretty manky and I estimate I have an average of 1.1 pistons working per side. 

 

I will give them a clean up but I don't fancy paying out £20 a side for ebay grade seal kits. 

 

What's the best way to do this? Pump the pistons all the way out for best access but possible problems reinserting, or pump them most of the way out for a less through cleaning job but easier reinsertion?

[Guest Hooli]

I'd just pump them completely out & reuse the seals, works in 99% of cases I've found. The only ones I've had an issue with are the dust seals because they deform in one direction to follow the piston, so I turn them over & they work again.

[New POD]

It's on ebay at 450 but make me an offer as it needs to go

where is Wellington? Shropshire? near Telford.

[panhard65]

where is Wellington? Shropshire? near Telford.

I must admit I thought there was only 1 Wellington and that was my one down in Somerset, but there are a few of them. I can get it to Bristol most weekends

[hairnet]

New Zealand

[Guest Hooli]

I'd just pump them completely out & reuse the seals, works in 99% of cases I've found. The only ones I've had an issue with are the dust seals because they deform in one direction to follow the piston, so I turn them over & they work again.

 

 

Oh I forgot - red rubber grease for the seals & pistons when they go back in. it keeps the water out so you don't get that white crystal gunk that causes the problems. I think the gunk forms when brake fluid reacts with water. Normal grease can swell the seals & cause other issues. Just look on ebay etc for it, one tub lasts a lifetime.

[Jerzy Woking]

The brakes on my SV were really badly corroded - to the point where the right hand caliper was sticking on.

Pumped out the pistons, bit of a scrub with Scotchbrite dabbed with T-Cut saw them shiny and move freely. Had not even damaged the seals, so they went back in again. They will get stripped and treated to new seals before winter comes.

 

I save about two hours a day using the bike, and only lost three days this year where snow stopped me riding in (even driving was terrible). Plus no car parking at work, so taking a car not only means paying £15 a day, it's  a 15 minute walk to the office. Plus the extra cost of fuel (commuter does around 85mpg). And don't dare mention public transport.

 

Even on the coldest day knowing ill be home or at work and in the warm within 80 minutes at a fraction of the cost of driving is worth it. 

[DodgeRover]

I was getting all excited about an aprilia trailie 125 I spotted on Facebook yesterday, then I remembered I have a Sheeco/HRD 125 trail bike to play around on that just needs an MOT to be road legal rather than spending £300 rebuilding the Rotax in the Aprilia....

Any recommendations for where to get it insured very cheap with 0 no claims? Footman James wouldn't add it to my classic policy - it's Spanish rather than Chinese.

[Jerzy Woking]

MCE. Insured me on my KTM RC8 as neither Bennetts nor Carol Nash would add it to the multibike policies I have with them.  Nil NCB and fully comp for £139.

 

OK, they don't seem to have the best reputation, but don't intend to crash it.

 

When I think of all the money I've paid out for insurance for the last 40 odd years and never claimed on my own policy, it makes me weep. All I really want insurance for is to keep me legal...........

[Jerzy Woking]

Today saw a full service on the Xevo 400 after some 14,000 miles (although it has had two oil and filter changes before today).

 

New Michelin City rear tyre (second one in my ownership)

New drive belt and 14 gram weight variator rollers

New rear brake pads (down to 1mm!)

New air filter(the foam one in there is disintegrating badly)

Engine oil and genuine Piaggio oil filter change

Pre MOT check

 

All the bits I supplied, and with and three hours of my mechanics labour still cost me around £150

 

All good for another 14,000 miles.

[hairnet]

5 august

 

car bike show at maldon essex

 

anyone going?

 

will be on the way home in a roundabout kinda way from amiens

 

oh ^^ i had oil change done today 47600 and counting

[Dave_Q]

Can anyone recommend a good horn as an upgrade?

 

Had to issue constructive feedback to a couple of drivers this morning, and the horn on the SV is a friendly peep when what I want is an angry blare.

 

Looked on ebay and there are loads, I'm suspicious that ones that look about the same shape and size as the standard horn probably aren't any louder.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Air-Horn-Siren-for-Motorbike-Bike-Motorcycle-Kawasaki-Suzuki-Yamaha-12V/161266953187?epid=1788509204&hash=item258c426be3:g:-cMAAOSwux5YWQDp

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motor-Bike-Air-Horn-Black-Red-120dB-12-volt-Motorcycle-Loud-Level-Repair/401152760383?hash=item5d66915a3f:g:x0EAAOSwRgJXhMlO

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Klaxon-Air-Horn-Siren-for-Motorbike-Bike-Motorcycle-Kawasaki-Suzuki-Yamaha-12V/181146672436?epid=1066515628&hash=item2a2d2edd34:g:QN8AAOxywCJRbALR

 

?

[hairnet]

Ring hi note

 

Currently gonna buy one for Honda as mine is intermittent

 

Stebel nautilus ftw tho

[Jerzy Woking]

5 august

 

car bike show at maldon essex

 

anyone going?

 

will be on the way home in a roundabout kinda way from amiens

 

oh ^^ i had oil change done today 47600 and counting

 

 

Only up the road from me - well, 10 miles, so might as well go for a look. Its a week before I head off on the Guzzi to Albania, so needs a run to check everything out a final time.

[hairnet]

I head off on the Guzzi to Albania

Stones of steel

 

Noale or mandello on the list?

[Jerzy Woking]

Mate has done the route from Kamlik in Slovenia where we are meeting up. Been surprised by how few roads there are in Albania.

 

We are going to get the ferry from Fierza to Koman (looks like a great way to spend a few hours). Booked a place in Theth, but found out the last 17 km of the SH21 is on unpaved road. Hotel owner says it good for bikes, but all the info I've read and youtube videos ive seen, it maybe ok on a GS1200,  but I think a Guzzi 1200 Sport and a BMWR1200RS would struggle. Really looks to be a stunning place to stay, but unless I can find a 4x4 to rent (which I can't) we may have to stay in Shkodar.

 

This will be the Guzzi's fourth trip to the Balkans, but not been further than seeing my mate who works on the Macedonia/Albania border. Really looking forward to our 4 days there.

[Guest Hooli]

 

Stebel nautilus ftw tho

 

 

That.

[martc]

The FIAMM Mini Blaster horn is a good choice as you can just replace your original one directly without the need for relays etc. It has a nice tone and has an alleged volume of 115dB.

 

I bought mine from Nippy Normans (I don't own a BMW, but they were the cheapest), a snip at £15, although their website says that stocks are low...

 

https://www.nippynormans.com/horns-and-accessories/fiamm-mini-blaster-black-115db-with-spade-connectors

[Guest Hooli]

Anyone got a good website for planning alpine trips to get all the passes in? My lass isn't feeling well enough to go out on the bike a lot if I visit soon so I've been told to go enjoy myself.......

[pilninggas]

http://www.alpineroads.com/alpmap.php

 

 

http://www.alpentourer.com/alpine_passes/

 

http://www.bestbikingroads.com/

[Guest Hooli]

Cheers.

 

I'm currently sat with a europe atlas colouring in all the passes etc before trying to link them together.

[Jerzy Woking]

I rode over the Grossglockner Pass earlier this year, after three previous planned crossings had to be abandoned due to it still being closed (all were planned for late May).

 

Not sure if it was worth the €26 charged, although no doubt it is really well surfaced. One thing to bare in mind is that it free for bikes to traverse early morning and late afternoon.

[Frogchod]

What's a BSA Bantam D2 worth ?

He's asking 1500.

I may be slightly* out of touch but I thought it'd be a lot less than that.

Here's a pic: