The Bikeshite Thread

[CreepingJesus]

@Tickman I should've said about this place... https://www.yellow13bikebreakers.co.uk/ ...which is in Kennoway. The guy's pretty sound, I sold him the Kawasaki.

 

[Tickman]

Cheers for the pointers.

When it comes back from the garage I will pull it so I can get measurements and see how fucked it actually is.

If it is just the gusset then I'm sure it can be jigged up and sorted.

[stereotype]

Worst case we have steel we can bodge back together but we'll have a look. Hopefully it's not completely buggered anyhoo

[blackboilersuit]

20 minutes ago, stereotype said:

Worst case we have steel we can bodge back together  carefully craft a new one that's even better than new but we'll have a look. Hopefully it's not completely buggered anyhoo

FIFY

Back in the day when Moses had just crossed the Tay and before gods dog was even a pup I bought my first road bike (a CG125) from a bloke on Cleghorn St (just off the Lochee road). It too suffered from a swing arm full of holes. I had a local car garage weld some patches over them and despite throwing it down the road and putting it through a hedge several times it was never a problem again.

FFS, I can remember the street where I bought my first bike in 1990 but can't remember what I had for dinner last night. Old age is a cruel mistress!

[blackboilersuit]

End of an era, part the third.........

Yesterday my XR650L was collected by a courier to take it to it's new home. I've owned two dominators and this all with the same 650 lump for almost a decade and this is the last one to go. Not sorry to see the back of it really as it wasn't as nice a bike to ride as the dommie and the last time it was ridden in anger was four years ago when I took a tumble trail riding in Spain and it broke my leg! It was big, top heavy and unstable so I was a bit daft trying to tame it. I did get a free helicopter ride though........

That's me now down to five bikes plus storing one for a mate (which will be repatriated soonish) which to some may seem a lot but compared to a total of 10 last year counts as olympic standard fleet reduction! Trying to make my bike owning a bit more serial rather than parallel going forward. Buy, enjoy, sell, buy again rather than buy, hoard, buy, hoard..... until there is no space to store anything and no time to actually enjoy riding anything.

[Tickman]

On 8/4/2020 at 11:11 AM, Tickman said:

Bit of help required.

Chuck's bike has just been for its MOT and failed on a rusty swingarm. 

Think it is fixed now.

Details here:

 

[hairnet]

robbing insurance cnuts

changed from 500 to 750 last year and ins went up 94 quid - fine bike bigger and more money

renewal came in and its gone up 20 quid even from that - claim didnt help

decided to tpft as fuck it theres room in the bike for a BFO lock and chain

half the renewal

fuck them

in other news i bought a knock off airhawk and it arrived today - what i didnt see in the pics - it came with a little air pump AND a strap to attach to seat

well happy and that was just taking it outta the packet

 

 

[5speedracer]

robbing insurance cnuts
changed from 500 to 750 last year and ins went up 94 quid - fine bike bigger and more money
renewal came in and its gone up 20 quid even from that - claim didnt help
decided to tpft as fuck it theres room in the bike for a BFO lock and chain
half the renewal
fuck them
in other news i bought a knock off airhawk and it arrived today - what i didnt see in the pics - it came with a little air pump AND a strap to attach to seat
well happy and that was just taking it outta the packet
 
 

Sounds good, do you have a link to it?

Sent from my R19 using Tapatalk

[Cavcraft]

Whoops, another arrived this morning. Been after one for a while, would have preferred an earlier model in 'Kawasaki green' with a black seat, but beggars and chosers etc.

[andyberg]

1 hour ago, Cavcraft said:

Whoops, another arrived this morning. Been after one for a while, would have preferred an earlier model in 'Kawasaki green' with a black seat, but beggars and chosers etc.

You bloody know how to make enemies  That is lush, I still fancy an AR 125. I always lusted after the AR50 as a spotty 15 year old, never got one. I was a Kawasaki fan, They did some great looking bikes. Unfortunately like all modern bikes they seem to have lost their way.

[andy18s]

Meanwhile,in sunniest Bulgaria...

[Cavcraft]

Are they yours,  Andy?

[hairnet]

5 hours ago, Cavcraft said:

Whoops, another arrived this morning. Been after one for a while, would have preferred an earlier model in 'Kawasaki green' with a black seat, but beggars and chosers etc.

dont park anywhere there are malaysians

itll be like parking in central scouse - no wheels

can i have a go please?

first bike after me test was a green and white f reg ar 125

i got pulled on a top speed (!) run on barton bridge cos too much smoke

 

[hairnet]

9 hours ago, 5speedracer said:

Sounds good, do you have a link to it?

Sent from my R19 using Tapatalk
 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0868T38CH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Jerzy Woking]

11 hours ago, Cavcraft said:

Whoops, another arrived this morning. Been after one for a while, would have preferred an earlier model in 'Kawasaki green' with a black seat, but beggars and chosers etc.

Doesnt Guy Martin still have his AR?

 

[Jerzy Woking]

On 8/5/2020 at 5:46 PM, blackboilersuit said:

 

That's me now down to five bikes plus storing one for a mate (which will be repatriated soonish) which to some may seem a lot but compared to a total of 10 last year counts as olympic standard fleet reduction! Trying to make my bike owning a bit more serial rather than parallel going forward. Buy, enjoy, sell, buy again rather than buy, hoard, buy, hoard..... until there is no space to store anything and no time to actually enjoy riding anything.

Done the same and feel better for it. Had 11 and now down to two, and one waiting for delivery. Each has a specific role too.

Had an XR650 as well, but the R model in Supermoto guise. No electric start, and a real bastard to kick over, as the carb was hopeless. Still, I never broke my leg on it, so can't be all bad.

Bloody loved that bike but it required 500 mile oil changes, and my weekly commute was 600 miles. Plus the headlamp set up used halogen bulbs from a kitchen light, and were next to useless.

[bangernomics]

Anyone got a clean DR?

[blackboilersuit]

They don't make them like this anymore. Dragged my GPz1100 out of the lockup yesterday and brought it back to the house. 1980's fuel injection might be somewhat crude but it sure is a lot better than carbs. Two year old stale fuel in the tank but with a fresh battery she fired straight up first press of the button. No MOT or tax so it was just a quick run up the road to home. Now stuck in limbo slightly. It's going to be rebuilt into a different frame (freshly powder coated with v5) as the current one has damage to the lower frame rails. I can't tear it apart because I've applied to keep the plate of the bike as it stands (because nostalgia) but that process could be subject to inspection so I need to keep it in one piece until Dvla process that application.

Next year when it's back on the road then I'll probably dispose of my ZZR1100 as the GPz has so much more character and there's no room at the inn for two aging Kawasaki sportsbikes.

[Cavcraft]

Truly a thing of beauty is a GPZ.

[montytom]

Need to clear my head so this morning my father and I are off out on our bikes. He has a 2018 kawasaki z900rs cafe and me I ride a 2015 triumph explorer.

My 2019 royal enfield interceptor is currently in the garage having warranty work done to it.

[andy18s]

21 hours ago, Cavcraft said:

Are they yours,  Andy?

No Billy,just a couple of examples of the completely shagged out stuff over here

Some "nuggets" do turn though

[doug]

Took the ex Castros_Bro XT for a run today. 

It was about here Google maps chickened out, it said the road stopped. PAH!

Found this bothy.

with free beer.

Life is good.

[Cavcraft]

Had a better look at the AR today, which arrived revving it's knackers off.  Took forever to start, he said he's chucked some 2T into the fuel tank 'just in case' which (hopefully) explains why it smokes like it does, i.e quite heavily! Anyhow, I lobbed some more fuel in to thin out the oil,  topped up the 2T tank with some of Castrol's finest and then tried again. It started, still revved far too high, but at least was running. Found what I assume is the tick-over screw, adjusted that and it was lots better. Will try a new plug too, then see what it starts like from cold. Everything seems to work (possibly night light on rear out though) but strangely the oil light comes on with the neutral one.

It seemed to pull pretty well for a 50, at least in the first three gears, but I think it could probably run a bit better still. He suggested whizzing the carb off and cleaning it again as he had done so recently and thought there might still be shit in there.  There are other issues (side panels have broken lugs, though can possibly make some new ones to hold them on) but it wasn't massively expensive to buy.  Also scored a (second hand) belly pan for the MBX50, as well as a proper (s/h) fuel tap. The plan was to fit the fuel tap today, and see what was needed to fit the  belly pan. Failed on both scores, (cba with the fuel tap, and asked on line ref belly pan) but gave the bike a run round the block. It still struggles occasionally, but does carry on running, if I'm lucky the fuel tap might sort that. It was good to have the AR to compare it to, both interesting in their own way (imho) and so far the Kawasaki seems quicker from the off, but haven't had it flat out yet.

Took the opportunity to have a 'team photograph' of hopeless old sports* mopeds,  was going to run the Derbi up/down but the battery is still flatter than a steam rollered pan cake.

 

 

Then went to take the TS for a blast, but ham fistedly broke the fuel cap, so went out on the X7 instead.  Some kn0b (probably in his estate agent mother's 1 series BMW) had to come past me at 200mph as I'd mildly had him off at the lights, but despite having an easy chance to catch up and burn him off, couldn't be arsed. His car might have been quicker, but not stuck in traffic it wouldn't!

 

 

Came home, did a quality* repair on the TS fuel cap, taped up the indicator arm (started hanging off again almost immediately) and went for a blast. It's fucking ace fun, lots of noise and a decent lick of poke.

 

 

 

There is a dreadful video clip of the AR being ridden, but not sure if can load it on here. 

[andyberg]

IIRC didn't 2 strokes of this era have a fail safe with the oil light and it did come on in neutral. I think my old KH125 did that

[Cavcraft]

5 hours ago, andy18s said:

No Billy,just a couple of examples of the completely shagged out stuff over here

Some "nuggets" do turn though

It'd be worth getting your hands on some of those crappy ones (like in your pictures) as if you ever visit Blighty you could probably offload them for a nice few quid.

[hairnet]

56 minutes ago, Cavcraft said:

Had a better look at the AR today, which arrived revving it's knackers off.  Took forever to start, he said he's chucked some 2T into the fuel tank 'just in case' which (hopefully) explains why it smokes like it does, i.e quite heavily! Anyhow, I lobbed some more fuel in to thin out the oil,  topped up the 2T tank with some of Castrol's finest and then tried again. It started, still revved far too high, but at least was running. Found what I assume is the tick-over screw, adjusted that and it was lots better. Will try a new plug too, then see what it starts like from cold. Everything seems to work (possibly night light on rear out though) but strangely the oil light comes on with the neutral one.

It seemed to pull pretty well for a 50, at least in the first three gears, but I think it could probably run a bit better still. He suggested whizzing the carb off and cleaning it again as he had done so recently and thought there might still be shit in there.  There are other issues (side panels have broken lugs, though can possibly make some new ones to hold them on) but it wasn't massively expensive to buy.  Also scored a (second hand) belly pan for the MBX50, as well as a proper (s/h) fuel tap. The plan was to fit the fuel tap today, and see what was needed to fit the  belly pan. Failed on both scores, (cba with the fuel tap, and asked on line ref belly pan) but gave the bike a run round the block. It still struggles occasionally, but does carry on running, if I'm lucky the fuel tap might sort that. It was good to have the AR to compare it to, both interesting in their own way (imho) and so far the Kawasaki seems quicker from the off, but haven't had it flat out yet.

Took the opportunity to have a 'team photograph' of hopeless old sports* mopeds,  was going to run the Derbi up/down but the battery is still flatter than a steam rollered pan cake.

 

 

Then went to take the TS for a blast, but ham fistedly broke the fuel cap, so went out on the X7 instead.  Some kn0b (probably in his estate agent mother's 1 series BMW) had to come past me at 200mph as I'd mildly had him off at the lights, but despite having an easy chance to catch up and burn him off, couldn't be arsed. His car might have been quicker, but not stuck in traffic it wouldn't!

 

 

Came home, did a quality* repair on the TS fuel cap, taped up the indicator arm (started hanging off again almost immediately) and went for a blast. It's fucking ace fun, lots of noise and a decent lick of poke.

 

 

 

There is a dreadful video clip of the AR being ridden, but not sure if can load it on here. 

you coulda dropped it off the bridge while you were there (joke) 

 

[Cavcraft]

Out on a local scooter ride out, and this was by the river...

 

 

 

...still probably the best looking 4 stroke ever made, imho.

 

 

[martc]

^^^^^^ Shame about the so called 'silencer' though; it detracts from the glory of it and I bet it doesn't make the rider any friends.

[andy18s]

Nice field bike

[MrDuke]

Is the theory test that big a deal if you revise for it properly? I wasn't going to book my DAS until I'd done it, just in case I failed, but the possibility of further lockdowns has made my feet a bit itchy. I'm tempted to book the earliest possible post-test slot anyway, just in case stuff gets shut down again and I have to wait umpteen months to do it.