The Bikeshite Thread

[hairnet]

34 minutes ago, tommytwo said:

Those red windtone horns are absolute rubbish., made in China to a price. I put a set on my Rover and they lasted all of 9 months. Stripped them and they were :red with rust inside. Water gets into them and thats it, it cant get out. Avoid!

theyre not windtone - dgaf  -  louder than stock = all im bothered about

[strangeangel]

9 hours ago, hairnet said:

theyre not windtone - dgaf  -  louder than stock = all im bothered about

 

He's right though - they'll be louder than stock for as long as it takes them to fill up with water. There were a set of those on the Xevo when I got that - they were already fooked.

 

[garellikatia]

Hi guys pointed here by strangeangel . Thought I'd share my plans for my Friday evening. Picked up a new Woodruff key and some crankseals for my Honda Camino. Will fit them tonight once my daughter's in bed and my pregnant wife's finished in the bath haha. Surprising though isn't cost of genuine parts. The seals were a couple of quid for genuine ones from the local Honda dealership!!  Cheap as chips. Anyone else get pleasantly surprised by the cost of genuine parts? 

[tobyd]

I've noticed the only cheap genuine Suzuki spares are the really poorly designed ones that fall to bits and they are embarassed so knock them out cheaply by way of an apology. The bits that don't fall apart are priced to offend.

That said, off ebay this week i procured 2x genuine (or at least in genuine Suzuki packets) valve gaskets, seals, orings and washers for the SV delivered next day for under £30. I think each gasket from Fowlers is about £50.

[garellikatia]

On 1/3/2020 at 7:21 PM, tobyd said:

I've noticed the only cheap genuine Suzuki spares are the really poorly designed ones that fall to bits and they are embarassed so knock them out cheaply by way of an apology. The bits that don't fall apart are priced to offend.

That said, off ebay this week i procured 2x genuine (or at least in genuine Suzuki packets) valve gaskets, seals, orings and washers for the SV delivered next day for under £30. I think each gasket from Fowlers is about £50.

Ah that seems fairly reasonable! It's funny you should say that about the hi it's that fall apart. Some of the Mercs rear lamp clusters seem to burn out all the time so they're very cheap to buy genuine replacements for some models. I guess they know that they have to be cheap otherwise they'd be uproar with customers 

[tobyd]

Finished up the valve clearance job on the SV today. Not too bad a job despite what various parts of the internet say.

Squash bottles make good tensioners for the other cylinders and an eBay locking tool for the chain tensioner (winds it in then locks into some slots in the housing).

and the whole thing bolts back into place. Valve clearances are now in spec and I can put the known shims into the paperwork file for next time. Had low expectations for the locking tool but impressed.

If you had all the bits I think you could do it in a day, there is a lot to remove but nothing too trying. Rare ebay win meant it didn't cost too much, using mostly genuine gaskets either. V-Twin much easier than an inline where you have to torque down a camshaft with at least one lobe compressing a valve spring.

Of course, the throttle cables refused to play so needs some more time tomorrow to get them to run smoothly but the carb has a new linkage and is roughly bench syncd so hopefully good to go!

Then I can find out why the emergency GS500 won't crank and derust its chain - its been on commuter duty and road salt is not kind. Incidentally, anyone used Avon RoadRider tyres? Maybe i'm hopeless but they are bloody awful in the wet and even worse in the cold...

[hairnet]

fail at sidestand foot fitting

the end of the stand isnt flat i think so that wont help

fitting mirrors need another adaptor 

have a go a fitting headlight cover tomorrow

 

[Cavcraft]

Picked the Lambretta up today, figuring I might as well try and fix it free as I'd ordered the new carb rubber thing. Obvs. like it's a twat to fit, but it did start better though it's still too slow in first. It then came off (ham fisted) so will put back on properly, see if it's made much difference (probably not, except for the starting) then go an get a bigger pilot jet and have it fitted.

 

My mate's got a 27mm (or something like that) carb, but it transpires the manifolds are different, plus it's probably over kill as not really arsed about trying to make it quicker anyway.  For longer journeys I prefer the Scomadi, that's got plenty enough power for a scooter.

[tobyd]

Put the rest of the SV back together, fired it up and messed around with the idle. all seems ok, the sync is very slightly off but I'll let everything settle for a while before tending to that. Went out for a quick ride and it seems fine. Set the idle down a bit further after it has warmed up but seems to go just fine. Slopped in some Apple Green's Super unleaded by way of a treat as it was running on old petrol can petrol which was probably past its best...

Then, cleaned up the starter solenoid on the GS and it juddered back into life so both bikes working again!

Road salt is vicious on chains, not been greasing the inside face of the chain and its a bit rusty...

[Aston Martin]

Tomorrow I have a container for a motorbike "manufacturer/dealer/shop"

I'm not sure what I'm delivering. But I assume it's one of these companies that buy Chinese bikes, rip the mudguards off and charge £20k.

 

Im not going to say who it is, or if they're even known about.

 

Edit: I just did a quick search. Handcrafted in the UK and they use decent engines. ?

[warch]

My Triumph actually went somewhere today, having being hidden under a sheet since about October. I was quite impressed that I could just get on and ride it away, no discharged battery (although I did charge it at Christmas), no seized brakes and no soft/flat tyres. To be fair to my old bike it was pretty reliable considering I spent the last five or six years of ownership running it into the ground. 

All my Triumph needs at the moment is a service (10 minute job) and a new front tyre. I have the tyre but haven't devised a means of holding the front of the bike up whilst I change it. My Honda was easier because it had a centrestand so you just seesawed it back with a car jack so the front wheel came up. Any ideas? 

[xtriple]

Axle stand under the offside front frame rail while the bike is on its side stand, then lift it over on to the stand and place another under the nearside front frame rail. obs jobbed. Much easier than it sounds as well.

[Jazoli]

Or just put a trolley jack under the down pipes with the bike on the side stand  and lift the front wheel after having loosened all the bolts/removed calipers etc, it's easier if there is someone to steady the bike but I've done it a few times.

Depending on bike obviously.

Edited January 8, 2020 by Jazoli
I have no idea what triumph you have

[Aston Martin]

On 1/6/2020 at 7:47 PM, Aston Martin said:

Tomorrow I have a container for a motorbike "manufacturer/dealer/shop"

I'm not sure what I'm delivering. But I assume it's one of these companies that buy Chinese bikes, rip the mudguards off and charge £20k.

 

Im not going to say who it is, or if they're even known about.

 

Edit: I just did a quick search. Handcrafted in the UK and they use decent engines. ?

 

I googled while I was there and found a few forum posts. They do shove a few parts on a Chinese bike.

I delivered nearly 100 bikes in the container, they were all boxed. I'm not sure how complete they are when they get here.

[mrdelmonti]

So depending on just how bad it is, as soon as a mate has taken the exhaust and luggage it looks like I'm going to be sticking a gearbox in this and running it as a winter hack.

I think it might even be vaguely presentable with a good clean.

[Jazoli]

10 hours ago, mrdelmonti said:

So depending on just how bad it is, as soon as a mate has taken the exhaust and luggage it looks like I'm going to be sticking a gearbox in this and running it as a winter hack.

I think it might even be vaguely presentable with a good clean.

Be prepared for every single fastener to be knackered, the brakes seized, the shock dead, the headstock bearings notchy, the radiator to be rotten and so on, I tried to revive an old 1100 once, but 30 year old kawasaki's don't age well, they are great bikes when in good fettle though.

[mrdelmonti]

Don't worry, it's not my first rodeo, I'm fully prepared for a world of pain and drilling snapped bolts.

[pilninggas]

Took the head and barrels [which were 'well established' and didnt come off too easily] off of the Gamma, as suspected one of the pistons has nipped-up. I'll look at how scored the liner is tomorrow, might be able to rescue it without a rebore.

 

 

[Jerzy Woking]

Pulled the Ducati out of the back of the garage at long last must have been there for well over a year. Charged up the battery, fuel on, choke on, and it started second turn of the starter

But got to sell it as moving. Looking for around £2,500, as some twonk (NOT ME) painted, or rather coated, the engine casings in gold and silver paint really really badly. 

25,000 miles, great runner, but sadly I've no time to do the paint stripping.

 

[pilninggas]

Went out on my EXUP for a couple of hours. Fairly slippery in places, although nothing too scary. Had multiple cars pull out on me, 2 seemingly on purpose/blatant; what is wrong with some people?

[xtriple]

Ooh Ducati.... never had a Duke but fell off one once!

It belonged to the bike shop I worked at and I had taken it home, fell off on a roundabout on the way to work the next morning. The sprocket oil seal had come out and coated the back end/tyre in oil which I discovered as I was sliding along the road on my arse!

[Fabergé Greggs]

18 hours ago, Jerzy Woking said:

Pulled the Ducati out of the back of the garage at long last must have been there for well over a year. Charged up the battery, fuel on, choke on, and it started second turn of the starter

But got to sell it as moving. Looking for around £2,500, as some twonk (NOT ME) painted, or rather coated, the engine casings in gold and silver paint really really badly. 

25,000 miles, great runner, but sadly I've no time to do the paint stripping.

 

That is bloody lovely. Always fancied one of these to go with my stable of quirky Italian thoroughbreds. Something about carbs appeals.  Must get round to getting my license!! 

[Jerzy Woking]

3 hours ago, Fabergé Greggs said:

That is bloody lovely. Always fancied one of these to go with my stable of quirky Italian thoroughbreds. Something about carbs appeals.  Must get round to getting my license!! 

You must certainly do the test and  get your licence. Riding around East London on an LML is an ideal way of proving you can ride.

Will put it in for an MOT this week, as a quick ride round the block reminded me how nice this runs and rides. Service history shows it had new belts on less than 500 miles ago. Can't believe I have ridden it so few miles. 

I've a few hours spare so will take off the clutch cover and see how hard it is to take the grotty gold paint off

[RED2stroke]

Evening gents, went  on a little road trip to collect some bikeshite on Sunday, being a self confessed CZ nut I just couldn't resist when four of the things turned up for sale less than 30 mins my place. I had already been to see them earlier in the week and sealed the deal, so went back to collect them as arranged. Took my son and grandson for the muscle , on the promise of breakfast at their choice of venue. Fleet services M3 south bound to be precise. Cheap labour as I had neglected to tell them that one of said bikes was in pieces in the loft of the sellers house!

Should taken some pics of the extraction, but we were a bit pressed for time as I thought that we would need two trips in my trusty van, but as you can see from the pics that I did take we managed to get all four (two  complete bikes) and two in bits all in one go......

So 3 X 175 bikes 1977,1977 & 1975 vintage and 1 X 125 1988 year plus a lot of spares, they are all still in the van because the garage is full, currently negotiating with the wife for extra storage in her potting shed. The bikes could be in the van for some time I think.

[pilninggas]

pick this basket case up just now:

 

£300 with a new battery, loads of new gaskets, new camchain, a decent Motad Neta, spare carb bank. 

 

[thatsmacar]

3 hours ago, pilninggas said:

pick this basket case up just now

XJ600??

[Jerzy Woking]

I rode  my Ducati 900SS to the MOT place and it passed with a few advisories. Only two of which should have been noted, as the rear pads are fine. 

First time it's been ridden since around October 2017, and I had forgotten what a lovely bike it is to ride. There is nothing like a v-twin (or is this an L-twin?) for the noise, even though this is on standard exhausts, and the lovely surge of power.

Shame I have to sell it, as it seems that bog standard ones are few and far between

 

[willswitchengage]

Erm, so this apparently isn't a joke or something from Transformers. Yamaha now sell a silly three wheeler thing called the Niken. WTF?!

[Fat_Pirate]

/\ I like those!  The trouble is the MT09 (which it's based on) is cheaper, lighter and faster.  

[Jazoli]

Niken's are great, nowt silly about them, I had a brief spin on one early last year and it felt uncrashable compared to my MT09.