The Bikeshite Thread

[Dave_Q]

The road is technically a 30 limit anyway, I wasn't causing a queue, although I do generally ride in about the same road position I would on a pushbike if I'm on a SLOWBOI, so any competent car driver would be able to get past if they wanted to.

[Guest Hooli]

 any competent car driver would be able to get past if they wanted to.

 

Most car owners couldn't then

[Six-cylinder]

 I OVERTOOK ANOTHER MOPED, a 14 plate Korean looking something 

 

 

My Honda 50 was recently overtaken by a Greyhound!

[Jerzy Woking]

After some years of owning a number of Italian bikes, I've finally got to experience owning one with a mysterious electrical issue.

 

Ducati 900 SS been covered up in the garage for a few weeks. Nothing happened when turned the key. Flipped the tank up (takes two seconds) and fiddled about with the wiring. No change. Run my fingers over the wires I could see (it was dark) and dash light came on. Started then stopped when I switched on the lights. Pushed and pulled the wiring about for five minutes, nothing. Then the warning lights came on, then started up fine. 20 seconds later, stopped again.

 

Has all the hallmarks of a loose connection/multi plug but can't find it. I have pushed, pulled, disconnected, cleaned and checked every connection I can find all to no avail. Bollocks.

[Guest Hooli]

Could also be a cracked wire within it's insulation, but I agree it's more likely at a multiplug.

 

 

 

Have you tried putting some PVA in the mix & bodging it?

[Jerzy Woking]

Next step is getting a mate with an in depth knowledge of using a multimter to do his magic on it. He has just sorted out the electrics on my SV650 which also had an earthing issue-reg/rec wasn't earthing, so he ran a seperate earth and now perfect.

[Guest Hooli]

I had a Suzuki that did that years ago, it was  connector not seated in a multiplug around the headstock. I managed to find it on the side of the road when it broke down but it wouldn't stay in place. Free wheeled about a mile down hill into a town, found a shop selling crimps & bodged it. Never did fix it properly...

[Jerzy Woking]

I have had two replace my reg/recs on it now, thinking that was the issue with the battery discharging over a few days despite doing 60 miles runs at a time. Now it runs as it should - always good to ride but now engine feels smoother and revs cleaner and quicker. Must have been breaking down the electrical at higher revs since I've had it as it feels like a completely different bike.

[Guest Hooli]

Sounds like a dodgy diode in the rec pack, that'd cause a power drain when switched off. You loose part of the waveform too so yeah I can imagine it runs better now.

[Jerzy Woking]

Mate says he suspected a break somewhere in the loom, and its now back on the original Suzuki Reg/rec, and not either of the replacements I got for it.

 

He also (very carefully) removed the very well fitted Datatool alarm too - it worked ok but was a right pain when filling up or switching off for more than 30 seconds, and the fob was held together with gaffer tape and a prayer. Now I have my undeseat storage back too, so a win win for once. Best £50 I have spent on the bike

[Guest Hooli]

Yeah I took a solarsummink alarm off my ex's bike. Best thing ever done with it, the damn thing was a pain in the arse. Plus it'd been parked for a few years & the alarms internal battery had gone flat so it wouldn't disarm. An hour or so with a soldering iron & it was gone.

[strangeangel]

There was an alarm fitted to the DN when I got it. All it seemed to do was flatten the battery, so it got binned in short order.

[Dave_Q]

Haven't got a picture anywhere but I had a similar mystery wiring problem on my old VFR750, a bit of playing Chase the Electrons with the multimeter and I found that the main power supply to the ignition switch was the suspect.

 

Partway along its length there was a solder joint where the wire split in 2, not sure if water had got it or just age but a short section of the wire had turned to powdered copper rust stuff.

 

Spliced in a new section and it was fine, but it was a good couple of hours of head scratching to find it without peeling the whole loom.

[UltraWomble]

I OVERTOOK ANOTHER MOPED, a 14 plate Korean looking something

[Dave_Q]

Considering that my new rank ped the Gilera was 2010's most stolen motorbike, and it took me all of about 30 seconds to start it without the keys, I'm thinking of  upgrading my security a tad. 

 

Currently I have a looong cable lock attached to a bracket bolted to a wall, but this would be snipped in no time by your average thief. 

 

So I am considering either mechanical or electronic means. 

 

Mechanical: ground anchor and bigboi chain eg: this or this with something like this.

 

Electronic: alarm and tracker.

 

Obviously both is best, but then I'd have spent almost as much as the purchase price on securing it. 

 

Any suggestions on chains etc? 

 

Which style of ground anchor? The loop one looks better than the 3mm box section to me, think that one is mild steel so could be cut through relatively quickly.

[Jazoli]

Went for a ride on my new (to me) Hayabusa today, fucking hell it's fast, years of litre sportsbikes should have prepared me for it but fuck me, from 3000rpm its like being strapped to an ICBM, it then pissed oil all over my boot and left hand side of the bike, which transpired to be a fucked oil cooler, great

 

A little bit of research later and it transpires the oil cooler can be removed with no issues so that's what will be happening, £14 blanking plates on order

[UltraWomble]

 

 

Any suggestions on chains etc? 

 

Got a couple of 11mm section Mammoth chains and two Ultion padlocks which have the added benefit of being keyed to my house door key.

Hardened double skin steel ground anchor with T section fitted to the wall - was actually bricked into place so the only way to remove it is to smash a couple of bricks out as the T section is in the cavity.

 

I wouldnt bother with an alarm - a decent chain, lock and something immovable to lash it to.

[strangeangel]

Considering that my new rank ped the Gilera was 2010's most stolen motorbike, and it took me all of about 30 seconds to start it without the keys, I'm thinking of  upgrading my security a tad. 

 

Currently I have a looong cable lock attached to a bracket bolted to a wall, but this would be snipped in no time by your average thief. 

 

So I am considering either mechanical or electronic means. 

 

Mechanical: ground anchor and bigboi chain eg: this or this with something like this.

 

Electronic: alarm and tracker.

 

Obviously both is best, but then I'd have spent almost as much as the purchase price on securing it. 

 

Any suggestions on chains etc? 

 

Which style of ground anchor? The loop one looks better than the 3mm box section to me, think that one is mild steel so could be cut through relatively quickly.

 

Wouldn't waste money and effort on alarms, all they do is get ignored when working and flatten your battery when not.

 

Physical security FTW. Ground anchors and big FO chains every time IMO. Pragmasis and Almax are the best chains but cost accordingly. On the plus side, your expensive chain can not only be used on yo ped but on anything you ride!

[UltraWomble]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pragmasis-11mm-Boron-Protector-Chain-0-75m-Bolt-Cutter-Proof/282688090428?hash=item41d185f13c:g:mc8AAOSwhpZZ~ezX

 

eBay can throw up the odd bargain.

[Guest Hooli]

Went for a ride on my new (to me) Hayabusa today, fucking hell it's fast, years of litre sportsbikes should have prepared me for it but fuck me, from 3000rpm its like being strapped to an ICBM, it then pissed oil all over my boot and left hand side of the bike, which transpired to be a fucked oil cooler, great

 

A little bit of research later and it transpires the oil cooler can be removed with no issues so that's what will be happening, £14 blanking plates on order

 

What is it with Suzukis and oil coolers? GSX14s do the same every 50k or so with genuine coolers.

[Jazoli]

What is it with Suzukis and oil coolers? GSX14s do the same every 50k or so with genuine coolers.

 

Shit build quality to begin with, I have had quite a few bikes and Suzuki's are by far the worst, the Hayabusa looks liked its lived under the sea when you take the fairings off, in complete contrast to my 9 year old budget Versys which was like new.

[Jerzy Woking]

Wouldn't waste money and effort on alarms, all they do is get ignored when working and flatten your battery when not.

 

Physical security FTW. Ground anchors and big FO chains every time IMO. Pragmasis and Almax are the best chains but cost accordingly. On the plus side, your expensive chain can not only be used on yo ped but on anything you ride!

Have a look at "Captain Cropper" on YouTube. You'll find out that some chains and locks aren't as secure as they are advertised. Some are absolute wank in all honesty.

 

Nice bloke too - used to commute to work on either his Velosolex or his 1200cc turbo'd Suzuki Bandit. Surprised he is not on here, seeing as he used to run some old knackered looking Yank stuff.

[strangeangel]

Have a look at "Captain Cropper" on YouTube. You'll find out that some chains and locks aren't as secure as they are advertised. Some are absolute wank in all honesty.

 

 

Lots of the unbranded ones are useless, some can even be defeated by hitting with a big hammer. Also avoid anything made by Oxford, as all their locks and chains are made of cheese.

 

Of course nothing is indefatigable - a battery powered grinder will do for pretty much anything. It's all about making the scum go and nick something less well protected than your bike.

[Guest Hooli]

Shit build quality to begin with, I have had quite a few bikes and Suzuki's are by far the worst, the Hayabusa looks liked its lived under the sea when you take the fairings off, in complete contrast to my 9 year old budget Versys which was like new.

 

It always amazes me they get away with making & selling bikes are obviously aren't designed to be used outdoors.

[DodgeRover]

We used to sell 2 types of chain 10mm through hardened or 12mm along with the type of padlocks with 2 slots in that fitted the chain they are what you would use on roller security shutters.

The smaller chain eventually succumbed to a massive pair of bolt croppers about 4ft high and fixed in the vice and assisted with a scaffold pole the thicker one didn't.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Anyone know if the modern 700c single speed type wheels will fit ok into the dropouts on my 1963 Raleigh Superbe?

 

What about a 1980’s racer wheel with a 5 speed cassette on it?

[strangeangel]

Anyone know if the modern 700c single speed type wheels will fit ok into the dropouts on my 1963 Raleigh Superbe?

 

What about a 1980’s racer wheel with a 5 speed cassette on it?

 

I'm guessing this is about push irons? Someone here might know, but there's a dedicated thread on the open forum where you'll probably get better results.

[Eddie Honda]

Nope, but my guess is anything modern is going to be somewhere in the region of 135mm on the drop out width. An old Sturmey Archer FG or similar is what? 118? 120?

 

What about the front? Again modern hubs are usually 100mm (but can be narrower). I would have thought an old Raleigh would be ninety something?

 

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html

[Fabergé Greggs]

Steel frames have a bit of give and there’s always the option of swapping cones and spacers about to get closer to the desired dimensions..

[Eddie Honda]

And that's before considering the brake drop depth.