The Bikeshite Thread

[Sham]

7 hours ago, Rustybullethole said:

Do they? Must look at my book! Id think a under stressed lump would need far less care than a revvy single. Have changed the oil will do again in 4/5 k as gets a pasting. 

Every 3k if memory serves, valves every time.

By comparison my SV is 7.5k oil change, with valves every 15k I think. Also is averaging around 75mpg, with a best tank of 78. My lads old YBR125 is 4.5k for 'revvy single'.

[twosmoke300]

Cb500x does 80mpg and is on a 8k / 16k oil/ valves check schedule . Admittedly the valve check is more involved but plenty of people have done silly mileage on them and never even checked them 

[Rustybullethole]

On 8/17/2023 at 6:00 AM, Sham said:

Every 3k if memory serves, valves every time.

By comparison my SV is 7.5k oil change, with valves every 15k I think. Also is averaging around 75mpg, with a best tank of 78. My lads old YBR125 is 4.5k for 'revvy single'.

Just checked and book says every 5k with valve inspection and adjustment at same interval. 3 did sound a bit much though a book 5 i can understand for a one pot banger. I need to make time give mine a proper going over before its next big trip. 

Happy times in Spain 

The BM rode all the way home from that one too. 

[Rustybullethole]

On 8/17/2023 at 6:38 AM, twosmoke300 said:

Cb500x does 80mpg and is on a 8k / 16k oil/ valves check schedule . Admittedly the valve check is more involved but plenty of people have done silly mileage on them and never even checked them 

Took one of my old cbs from 70k to 150 odd with clutch plates being the only internal part that saw the light of day. Cos wheelies.

[Rustybullethole]

On 8/16/2023 at 3:39 PM, straightSix said:

Sounds ideal then. Got to admit the sound of 80+mpg definitely appeals. I'm using my VFR to commute atm and whilst it's fun to drive it's not great on fuel and I'd like to have some panniers for my packed lunch 

Am liking front mounted panniers. Can see when stuff falls out when they're loaded to the point of non fastening and often prevent that on the move rather than arriving at your destination only to have to retrace steps. They are also easier to dodge wing mirrors with and keep knees out of the weather.

[Jerzy Woking]

I've small Lomo bags on the front frames on mine. Tools and Hi-viz in the right hand one, tyre repair can and bottles of water in the left. Been on for the last 3.5 years and I've only opened the left one. Great bags, cheap, British made and 100%waterproof. Seem very UV resistant too.

I took my GSX-R 750 from 20,000 miles to 180,000 miles. Never checked the valves. Only used the cheapest oil I could find, which I changed at 10,000 miles. Engine still good when the bike was destroyed in a crash.

[Bren]

An observation.

Most of the riders I have seen this summer are riding sensible sit upright style bikes - plastic rockets seem to have vanished off the face of the earth.

Maybe it's middle aged riders - I dunno.

[Dave_Q]

4 minutes ago, Bren said:

An observation.

Most of the riders I have seen this summer are riding sensible sit upright style bikes - plastic rockets seem to have vanished off the face of the earth.

Maybe it's middle aged riders - I dunno.

There is definitely more naked/supernaked bikes for sale, that seems to be popular now. 

One thing against the crotch rocket might be the ever increasing cost, a place near me has a Fireblade for sale that is somehow £21k. 

https://www.bsbuk.co.uk/used-bikes/honda-cbr1000rr-r-fireblade-1000-sp-30th-anniversary-brighouse-202305187513762

[andyberg]

2 minutes ago, Bren said:

An observation.

Most of the riders I have seen this summer are riding sensible sit upright style bikes - plastic rockets seem to have vanished off the face of the earth.

Maybe it's middle aged riders - I dunno.

I think you are right. I still see a few 'sports' bikes about, but definitely a majority are the upright style. I must admit I do prefer my little GS Suzuki to the Triumph sprint. I just feel more comfortable and therefore more relaxed.  Still trying to persuade myself and SWMBO that I should get an RE of some description but a rather big MOT bill for the 75 has put that on hold for a bit I think. 

On another note I am seriously considering selling my GT185 next year as I just don't use it, maybe that's because of the great* summer we have had, or because I take the GS125 out as it doesn't matter so much if it gets wet or dirty. 

[Bigman1207]

On 8/12/2023 at 6:33 PM, MT606 said:

its called a Salsbury model B5 superscooter, from 1949, 320cc single automatic, can do 60mph, foot brake and throttle.

 

[Rustybullethole]

Its xmas

[Rustybullethole]

[Rustybullethole]

Saturday DIY avoidance. Back out on the lanes. I told her i had to pop to work for an hour or two. There was some truth in that as i needed to pick up some tools. Home now am busy drinking tea and browsing here. 

 

[Dave_Q]

Is anyone near Bishops Stortford? My wife is after a CB500F and theres a decent/cheap one down there.

Massive trek for me to collect so if anyone could go and give it a once over for me, that would be awesome.

[groovylee]

well, the GS went, bantam still here, but it has a new stablemate....

2022 Honda CRF300L.

took it down to devon to do some lanes. fell off. five times. 🤣

was great fun though. much more capable than the Bantam.  entered the Cotswold clouds at the beginning of september in preparation for the Edinburgh trial at the end of september.

[hairnet]

On 8/16/2023 at 4:55 PM, Jerzy Woking said:

 

The NC od great, as over the 12,000 kms I have done on it since April, it has averaged 86.4 mpg

 

handbrake is on

remove paella from intake

 

[hairnet]

8 hours ago, Dave_Q said:

Is anyone near Bishops Stortford? My wife is after a CB500F and theres a decent/cheap one down there.

Massive trek for me to collect so if anyone could go and give it a once over for me, that would be awesome.

link?

 

[hairnet]

1 hour ago, groovylee said:

well, the GS went, bantam still here, but it has a new stablemate....

2022 Honda CRF300L.

took it down to devon to do some lanes. fell off. five times. 🤣

was great fun though. much more capable than the Bantam.  entered the Cotswold clouds at the beginning of september in preparation for the Edinburgh trial at the end of september.

cant laugh at that

thats not funny

 

[Dave_Q]

6 minutes ago, hairnet said:

link?

 

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/669133361326949/

Guy takes ages to reply to messages and won't give out his number (meant to be calling me back) but if it turns out to be real it's a grand cheaper than any other we've seen and she really wants black or red.

[hairnet]

cheap cos leggy

mine was 3 years old when i bought it and was relatively miley

wasnt much more than that

ask him for a video if it sounds like a sewing machine get it bought

 

[groovylee]

56 minutes ago, hairnet said:

cant laugh at that

thats not funny

 

It was a bit funny. Just not the next morning 🤣

We did some pretty gnarly hills, and I got better as we went on. Just need to practice some more 👍

[Jenson Velcro]

13 hours ago, groovylee said:

took it down to devon to do some lanes. fell off. five times. 🤣

 

Getting some practice in on Simms?

[Rustybullethole]

15 hours ago, groovylee said:

It was a bit funny. Just not the next morning 🤣

We did some pretty gnarly hills, and I got better as we went on. Just need to practice some more 👍

Practice makes perfect. This works for both falling off with style, grace and preservation and also falling off less too. Did a nice little Kent lanes loop early this morning.

Also have a weekend in October for the second half of the South East TET planned for October with mates. Looking forward to that as a lot of not ridden. Also plan to get back to Devon for more trails soon as poss. Done a load of south Devon and North around my mum and dads place fancy going out Cornwall way next time. 

[twosmoke300]

19 hours ago, groovylee said:

well, the GS went, bantam still here, but it has a new stablemate....

2022 Honda CRF300L.

took it down to devon to do some lanes. fell off. five times. 🤣

was great fun though. much more capable than the Bantam.  entered the Cotswold clouds at the beginning of september in preparation for the Edinburgh trial at the end of september.

Nice bikes but the rear shock is a joke .

My 500x one isn’t much better . 
Don’t understand Honda putting such shit suspension on these bikes.

My other halves new z400 is in a comparable price bracket but that appears to have some actual rebound damping 

[groovylee]

49 minutes ago, twosmoke300 said:

Nice bikes but the rear shock is a joke .

My 500x one isn’t much better . 
Don’t understand Honda putting such shit suspension on these bikes.

My other halves new z400 is in a comparable price bracket but that appears to have some actual rebound damping 

Yeah, the difference between this one with the ktech upgrades and my mates one as standard is ridiculous 😳

[twosmoke300]

The amount of static sag on my mates 300 is just silly . Half the travel has gone before you even sit on it .

Ive got a remote reservoir YSS fully adjustable unit ready to go on the 500

[Fat_Pirate]

Couple of pics from Sammy Miller's museum today, an AJS/Matchless meeting was going on. 

I've got a hankering for an old 50s/60s oily-rag bike I can tinker with and slowly improve, thinking about maybe a Bantam as parts are easy to find?

[tom13]

On 8/18/2023 at 8:04 AM, Rustybullethole said:

Just checked and book says every 5k with valve inspection and adjustment at same interval. 3 did sound a bit much though a book 5 i can understand for a one pot banger. I need to make time give mine a proper going over before its next big trip. 

Happy times in Spain 

The BM rode all the way home from that one too. 

Had a look at this the weekend its 3000miles/5000km just in case there is any confusion.

[tom13]

Did a great loop Saturday evening. Decided I wanted to go for a ride abotu 4:30 in the evening.

Have been wanting to head out to Devils Staircase for a bit to see what it was like.

Rode out from the Midlands towards Rhayader, across to Newbridge on Wye. Then out towards Devils staircase. It's a great single lane up towards there. Then over the top, around Llyn Brianne reservoir which is another great single lane winding road. I knew Strata Florida starts around there so I rode a section of that, but didn't want to do too much as it was getting late and I didn't have a tube with me. Headed up over the hills down into Tregaron, around the back of Elan into Devils Bridge then home via Newtown in the Dark. Ended up getting home about 11:30 but it was an excellent ride and one I look forward to doing again soon. I would recommend it to anyone. Next time I will go early morning and include a ride through Elan Valley as well and out towards Aber.

If anyone wants info on the route just let me know.

[Sham]

That looks great, I did Hunstanton to Gorleston on Sunday, having gone to Hunstanton to see how many bikers were out I just decided to ride instead of hang about - stopping for an ice cream and then a fry up on the way, obviously. I hugged the coast as much as possible and had a rather lovely day. Nothing as awe inspiring as the scenery you saw, but pleasant none the less.