The Bikeshite Thread

[Rustybullethole]

On 13/08/2024 at 13:18, UltraWomble said:

Preston Motorcycles (Waterloo Rd) do test rides and supposed to have at least one in stock.
Ive done an Enfield Meteor that they have - rather liked it, however "things" mean that until I have received either a FPN or court date Im not going forward with a buy just yet as I may be looking at 9 points and a ban.

If shit hits the fan and you do get banned Id recommend something faster than an Enfeild to heighten the chance of successful evasive next time. 

[Iamgroot]

23 minutes ago, Stinkwheel said:

Unfortunately not, and I confess I did pay up the 12.50 each for full scale digital download 

Aww that's a shame.

Good for you, why shouldn't you treat yourself?

[Sham]

Those are good pics, I bought a couple of myself when I got papped last year - one hangs on the wall of my office.

It's nice to remind myself of fun times when working.

[gtd2000]

I got snapped a couple of weeks ago going to St Mary's Loch.

Must have been a very fast shutter on his camera! 🤣

 

[S2000]

Things have gone badly wrong, a cyclist being over taken by a truck on double whites coming towards me on a right hand bend. As Martha and the Vandellas sang ‘Nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide’ apart from a drainage ditch and a tree…… I got away with two fractured knuckles, a twisted knee, cracked rib and broken pride.

The truck dinnae stop and the cyclist would not have seen a thing. Anyway, got a lift home from a mate and spent 3 hours in stoke mandeville A&E who did a great job.

[Stinkwheel]

26 minutes ago, S2000 said:

Things have gone badly wrong, a cyclist being over taken by a truck on double whites coming towards me on a right hand bend. As Martha and the Vandellas sang ‘Nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide’ apart from a drainage ditch and a tree…… I got away with two fractured knuckles, a twisted knee, cracked rib and broken pride.

The truck dinnae stop and the cyclist would not have seen a thing. Anyway, got a lift home from a mate and spent 3 hours in stoke mandeville A&E who did a great job.

Ouch, bloody hell sounds like it could have been one hell of a lot worse though. Speedy recovery 

[Sham]

Hope you recover quickly - it's arseholes like that that make people think bikes are dangerous 

[S2000]

Got the bike recovered today, no idea the G I experienced but the impact snapped the left fork as you can see here. 

[Iamgroot]

On 16/08/2024 at 19:10, S2000 said:

Things have gone badly wrong, a cyclist being over taken by a truck on double whites coming towards me on a right hand bend. As Martha and the Vandellas sang ‘Nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide’ apart from a drainage ditch and a tree…… I got away with two fractured knuckles, a twisted knee, cracked rib and broken pride.

The truck dinnae stop and the cyclist would not have seen a thing. Anyway, got a lift home from a mate and spent 3 hours in stoke mandeville A&E who did a great job.

I'm pretty sure most trucks these days have dash cameras, if you happened to catch the firm while desperately trying to save your own life?... 

Hope you have a speedy recovery.

[Rustybullethole]

Not ideal though could of been worse! Fix up soon fella. 

[Barry Cade]

This appeared at my local bike meet.. genuine 3000 miles 😯

[twosmoke300]

On 13/08/2024 at 13:06, Cavcraft said:

Hairnet or the tyre? Actually, don't answer that.

Pegging tho surely 

[Cavcraft]

On 16/08/2024 at 19:10, S2000 said:

Things have gone badly wrong, a cyclist being over taken by a truck on double whites coming towards me on a right hand bend. As Martha and the Vandellas sang ‘Nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide’ apart from a drainage ditch and a tree…… I got away with two fractured knuckles, a twisted knee, cracked rib and broken pride.

The truck dinnae stop and the cyclist would not have seen a thing. Anyway, got a lift home from a mate and spent 3 hours in stoke mandeville A&E who did a great job.

 

 

Shitting hell. Easy/cheesy to say, but at least you're not suffering life changing injuries, or worse. The bike can be replaced, you can't.  I hope you find the driver responsible, perhaps worth an appeal on local media/social media sites, the cyclist might remember the truck if nothing else. Speedy recovery. 

[gtd2000]

I didn't even have an engine on this occasion.

Wear a helmet - especially if you are hitting asphalt head first at roughly 36MPH....

My mountain bike forks, were in the same general position as your Kwacker.

 

 

[Stinkwheel]

On 17/08/2024 at 21:48, S2000 said:

Got the bike recovered today, no idea the G I experienced but the impact snapped the left fork as you can see here. 

Its always more damaged than you think. I once managed to snap both forks on a virtually new BMW R850R and twist the rear sub-frame to near 90 degrees. I also walked away basically OK (thankfully)

As above, as long as you are on the mend 

[Sham]

@gtd2000 I'm of the opinion that if a bicycle and a motorbike are equally well ridden, I'd rather be on the motorcycle - because of the gear and the likelihood of cars treating you like traffic rather than a nuisance.

At least you're still here to post about it.

[bangernomics]

Got the bike recovered today, no idea the G I experienced but the impact snapped the left fork as you can see here. 

Bikes replaceable, get on another asap and shake it off. Fast healing wishes.

[hairnet]

mmmmm quantic....................

*strokes box

[andyberg]

Rather sadly and disappointingly this is the first time this year I have been out on this. New job and life got in the way a bit. And to be fair she wasn’t running right either, right cylinder was fine but left was very hit and miss. New plugs, points and condensers and she’s running the best I have ever had her running 😁 

Was seriously toying with the idea of selling her earlier on in the year but after being out and hearing and smelling that two stroke buzz it has re kindled my love for her. 

[S2000]

On 20/08/2024 at 15:52, bangernomics said:

Bikes replaceable, get on another asap and shake it off. Fast healing wishes.

Got a message this morning saying beyond economical repair, awaiting the payout details then back to the toy shop!

[pilninggas]

On 27/07/2024 at 09:21, pilninggas said:

Anything, cars included, that have an air leak and are idling at stupid-rpms we always call a Kawasaki coldstart. 

 

On 26/07/2024 at 19:55, pilninggas said:

Just picked up this for £50.

Needs an overhaul but wasn't refusing it for half a century 

So after having been on holiday (Bulgaria on the GSXS), I have started to get into this thing.

Have spent time cleaning lots of it - grime upon grime upon grime. Lots of dilute TFR and the paraffin gun.

Pulled the carbs and they were all clean internally - the PO did say he'd ran it down when he'd last used it. Started to check the fuel levels, they were all the same (about -2mm from float chamber mating surface) however Haynes says -7mm. Something isn't right - the fact that they are all the same, says the Haynes is wrong. Infact the idea of bending the tangs on the float levers enough to reduce fuel levels 5mm on each carb  sends a shiver down my spine. So reassemble and refit to bike. Sling on a fit battery, check there is oil and fit my temporary portable fuel tank. Choke out and press start. Instantly fires, but revs to 4krpm. Panic, then remember it's a kwak and it's got racey cold start [should have remembered].

Seems to run like a trooper - idle mixtures are a little off, but will borrow a colourtune and set each carb up, also do a balance. Engine sounds sweet - really kawa sweet.

So:

-Dropped the oil

-Stripped the front brakes [both calipers the pistons are corroded

Chunter onwards.

Parts availability and price far better than the XJ600H elsewhere in the workshop.

[Stinkwheel]

15 minutes ago, pilninggas said:

 

So after having been on holiday (Bulgaria on the GSXS), I have started to get into this thing.

Have spent time cleaning lots of it - grime upon grime upon grime. Lots of dilute TFR and the paraffin gun.

Pulled the carbs and they were all clean internally - the PO did say he'd ran it down when he'd last used it. Started to check the fuel levels, they were all the same (about -2mm from float chamber mating surface) however Haynes says -7mm. Something isn't right - the fact that they are all the same, says the Haynes is wrong. Infact the idea of bending the tangs on the float levers enough to reduce fuel levels 5mm on each carb  sends a shiver down my spine. So reassemble and refit to bike. Sling on a fit battery, check there is oil and fit my temporary portable fuel tank. Choke out and press start. Instantly fires, but revs to 4krpm. Panic, then remember it's a kwak and it's got racey cold start [should have remembered].

Seems to run like a trooper - idle mixtures are a little off, but will borrow a colourtune and set each carb up, also do a balance. Engine sounds sweet - really kawa sweet.

So:

-Dropped the oil

-Stripped the front brakes [both calipers the pistons are corroded

Chunter onwards.

Parts availability and price far better than the XJ600H elsewhere in the workshop.

Im not sure if haynes is wrong (likely) or if the way they tell you to measure it is wrong, most carbs ive come accross on japanese bikes is measured with the carb very nearly upside down so the needle valve is not quite opening under the weight of the float and the 2mm will be the level of the float from the carb body, not the level of fuel in the float bowl. 

    

Dont know if that helps any?

Good work though, look forward to seeing the GT progress

[Iamgroot]

I always find it tricky using the measurements, some are patently wrong. I usually just use a piece of clear tubing connected to the float bowl drain and held up alongside the carb then crack the drain screw and hope the fuel level sits just below the float bowl gasket, if not, adjust the float height.

[pilninggas]

33 minutes ago, Stinkwheel said:

Im not sure if haynes is wrong (likely) or if the way they tell you to measure it is wrong, most carbs ive come accross on japanese bikes is measured with the carb very nearly upside down so the needle valve is not quite opening under the weight of the float and the 2mm will be the level of the float from the carb body, not the level of fuel in the float bowl. 

    

Dont know if that helps any?

Good work though, look forward to seeing the GT progress

I actually used fuel level (with clear hose) rather than inverted float heights. All 2mm below mating surface, rather than 7mm as specified by Haynes. I prefer fuel level over inverted float, when doable.

Pretty certain Haynes has wrong data - wouldn't be the first time. I have a Yamaha genuine workshop manual (pukka paper copy) for another bike and it contains so many data errors it came with a 10 page correction appendix. 

I'm very much doing a shite refurb on the gt. It's not special enough to nut-and-bolt/powder coat the frame.

[Stinkwheel]

1 minute ago, pilninggas said:

I actually used fuel level (with clear hose) rather than inverted float heights. All 2mm below mating surface, rather than 7mm as specified by Haynes. I prefer fuel level over inverted float, when doable.

Pretty certain Haynes has wrong data - wouldn't be the first time. I have a Yamaha genuine workshop manual (pukka paper copy) for another bike and it contains so many data errors it came with a 10 page correction appendix. 

I'm very much doing a shite refurb on the gt. It's not special enough to nut-and-bolt/powder coat the frame.

Ah good, glad it wasnt a case of measuring wrong but instead information is wrong, typical though.

Some bikes deserve the full nut bolt powder coat etc, this one i agree, will be much more 'genuine' as a good tidy up and refurb rather than restore.

Now ive looked at this ive remembered how they use the same basic engine as the zephyr and quite how much i wanted a zephyr at the time

[Iamgroot]

I can't quote the actual figures but the Haynes numbers for my mates XJR carbs were so far out you couldn't have physically adjusted them that far, he thought maybe he put them back together wrong after cleaning (his first set)

I used clear tubing, it runs great.

[Iamgroot]

On 27/08/2024 at 17:08, S2000 said:

Got a message this morning saying beyond economical repair, awaiting the payout details then back to the toy shop!

If the frame isn't damaged I would buy back the salvage if I had the option and bang a different front end on it, glad you have your payout sorted.

[Cavcraft]

On 26/08/2024 at 16:09, andyberg said:

 

Was seriously toying with the idea of selling her earlier on in the year but after being out and hearing and smelling that two stroke buzz it has re kindled my love for her. 

 

Half the fun of owning bikes is that! 

[andyberg]

4 minutes ago, Cavcraft said:

Half the fun of owning bikes is that! 

Yes you are right and I must get out more on the bike. Head says sell because I don’t use it. Heart says keep because of the smile it gives me when I do ride it.  

[andy18s]

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/813988340868228/