The Bikeshite Thread

[castros_bro]

Not in the UK but there's a some road/offroad trails which are surprisingly accepting to motorcyclists, the Portuguese one is scheduled to take 5 days.

https://adventurecountrytracks.com/elementor-24724/#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dpopup%3Aopen%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6IjI1MTE2IiwidG9nZ2xlIjpmYWxzZX0%3D

And some random bikes have used part of it.

 

 

 

[hairnet]

massive insania kicked in yo

*questions sanity then locks it in cupboard

 

[hairnet]

Stunned that it didn't a lie down this time

[mitsisigma01]

It doesn't look like it's doing your seat much good though 🤔

[tom13]

On 2/1/2022 at 1:08 PM, groovylee said:

Picked this little thing up at the weekend. Just need to get it sorted for lights etc and then can go and try it out 😃

You going to trial it or just use it on the lanes?

[groovylee]

3 hours ago, tom13 said:

You going to trial it or just use it on the lanes?

plan is some light lane use to start with, then at least one long distance trial, and maybe a few one day events.

[tom13]

2 hours ago, groovylee said:

plan is some light lane use to start with, then at least one long distance trial, and maybe a few one day events.

Nice. I have trialed a quite a few C15s over the years which have similar geo and a James with a very similar engine. Ride my dads Bantam on the road from to time as well. Yours will be a great all rounder as it looks relatively standard.

I don't like the newer style Drayton ones as much as traditional. Although the higher front end of the more modern style geo is nice from time to time to make it feel a bit lighter.

You will enjoy the one days on it you should give it a go. What area are you in?

Telford classic show is on the weekend at the ICC if you find yourself needing any parts.

[martc]

On 2/5/2022 at 11:16 AM, Cavcraft said:

 

Looked at the tyres when it was there, and they are absolutely shagged, good job it's not been ridden for a while. The front is a 2.50 and the rear is a 2.25, which appears to be daft. Will price a new pair up (and tubes) and get them sorted.

Nice 'ped. I think it's got the wrong tyres on it - shouldn't they be 2.75 front and back?

[Cavcraft]

28 minutes ago, martc said:

Nice 'ped. I think it's got the wrong tyres on it - shouldn't they be 2.75 front and back?

I honestly don't know, just assumed 2.50 front and back.

[Dave_Q]

Narrow tyres are more aerodynamic innit, my mate said he got 39mph out of his by fitting 2 inch tyres and lying on the tank in the superman position

[hairnet]

20 hours ago, mitsisigma01 said:

It doesn't look like it's doing your seat much good though 🤔

seat is fine its the fat cunt sat on it it needs to worry about

 

[martc]

2 hours ago, Dave_Q said:

Narrow tyres are more aerodynamic innit, my mate said he got 39mph out of his by fitting 2 inch tyres and lying on the tank in the superman position

But don't you need extra wide tyres to put all that power down?

Further to my comments about the tyre size - they could be 2.50 wide at both ends...

[Cavcraft]

22 hours ago, Dave_Q said:

Narrow tyres are more aerodynamic innit, my mate said he got 39mph out of his by fitting 2 inch tyres and lying on the tank in the superman position

If I lay on it, it'd crush like a coke can being run over by a cement lorry.

 

The garage have now found an oil leak from one of the exhaust studs. All kinds of possibilities it seems, option 244 (ignoring it for now) is probably the one to be chosen. 

Still not had a proper run out on the (right hand) Bantam yet...

 

..the other doesn't run, said it needed a new wiring loom, which he gave me for it.

[groovylee]

15 hours ago, tom13 said:

Nice. I have trialed a quite a few C15s over the years which have similar geo and a James with a very similar engine. Ride my dads Bantam on the road from to time as well. Yours will be a great all rounder as it looks relatively standard.

I don't like the newer style Drayton ones as much as traditional. Although the higher front end of the more modern style geo is nice from time to time to make it feel a bit lighter.

You will enjoy the one days on it you should give it a go. What area are you in?

Telford classic show is on the weekend at the ICC if you find yourself needing any parts.

im in shefford, bedfordshire.  will definitely be giving a few events a go

 

Lee

[5speedracer]

On 2/1/2022 at 1:08 PM, groovylee said:

Picked this little thing up at the weekend. Just need to get it sorted for lights etc and then can go and try it out 😃

Daytime MOT!

[5speedracer]

On 2/1/2022 at 7:43 PM, martc said:

More tyre chat. It goes without saying that my Moto Guzzi v7 III is ace but it's Achilles heal is the tyres - Pirelli Speed Demons. They were never brilliant but now they are wearing down a bit they are white-lining very badly. They need replacing.

I have a short list of three tyres, all seem to be well regarded. In alphabetical order - Avon Roadrider II, Contiental Roadattack 3 or Michelin Road Classic.

(it's a shame the Pirellis are mediocre as I'd like to stick with the Italian vibe, but they really are white lining very badly, some new Guzzi's did come with Michelins in the past so I'm sort of wavering a bit in that direction).

Which would you choose?

You've probably invested by now but I'd go Conti. Not used the 3's but on previous iterations I liked the profile and they were a comfy tyre with more grip than normal people need like most modern tyres.

[tom13]

2 hours ago, groovylee said:

im in shefford, bedfordshire.  will definitely be giving a few events a go

 

Lee

Ah thats a shame as I don't know who does classic events down your way. Aquaduct do some good trials in Shorpshire/Mid/North Wales. Midland Classic do good events aroud the Peaks as well.

[tom13]

2 hours ago, Cavcraft said:

If I lay on it, it'd crush like a coke can being run over by a cement lorry.

 

The garage have now found an oil leak from one of the exhaust studs. All kinds of possibilities it seems, option 244 (ignoring it for now) is probably the one to be chosen. 

Still not had a proper run out on the (right hand) Bantam yet...

 

..the other doesn't run, said it needed a new om which he gave me for it.

Snap

[martc]

2 hours ago, 5speedracer said:

You've probably invested by now but I'd go Conti. Not used the 3's but on previous iterations I liked the profile and they were a comfy tyre with more grip than normal people need like most modern tyres.

Thanks for the recommendation. I've not bought any tyres yet, probably get them next month, so we've got 1 vote for the Michelins and 1 vote for the Continentals. Anyone else care to comment?

In related matters, the Guzzi's back wheel has a cush drive and it can be a clart getting it back on with the rubber inserts sticking/falling out. Some people have recommended smearing the rubber with a little Vaseline to help the cushes slide into the orifices  (fnarr fnarr). Would this be OK or would the Vaseline attack the rubber? Any other lubrication suggestions?

[Mudster]

Red rubber grease or silicone grease for rubber parts. Vaseline can attack the rubber.

[willswitchengage]

So I've been bored on ebay and found this...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255331268368?hash=item3b72edf710:g:kY8AAOSwaLRh4Vvp

I now have a lockup and bike insurance is biblically cheap according to confused.com, sub <£100 with CN. I insured with them in the past when I had an ER5, which I also remember being ridiculously cheap. Why should I not buy another bike???? I Haven't had one in about five years but loved it when I did.

 

[Dave_Q]

Why are you even asking? Do it already.

£900 for that is not bad but if all he's done is drag it out of storage and whang on a part worn and some exhaust wob he might take less.

It's not really too bad in the current market but the NTVs have never been that popular and even a full MOT example would probably have been 5-600 a couple of years ago

[willswitchengage]

I look now and then and they're mainly up for dealer premium - which is ofc a lot. I like simple bikes, no more than 2 cylinder ideally but a basic Bandit 600 is appealing too. I remember when @hairnet appeared on his at an old SF. No idea what the bike market is doing these days but then I haven't bought one in nearly ten years.

[tom13]

Just been looking through some pictures I had saved and thought I would post these two amazing creations. 

TPs's RM125 which just looks phenomenal.

The second was featured in Sideburn a few months back. Can't remember the builder but it looks such a nice ride. The attention to detail is great. I always used to ride Bianchi bicycles so I have fond memories of the brand even though this isn't one.

[Jerzy Woking]

Guzzi tyres. The works BMW K1300S's were fitted with Metzler MP7RR's, which were fantastic in the dry and wet, and gripped well on damp roads too.

When the tyres (Contis) wore out on my Guzzi V1200 Sport, I put a pair of Metzler MP7RR's on, because of my experiences on the BMW, just before I set off to Albania.

Useless, absolutely useless. Even after 1000 miles, they would spin up acellerating out of corners in the dry. The Guzzi had far less power than the BMW.

I'd look on a few Guzzi websites to see what tyres are NOT recommended. Not all tyres suit different bikes, as I found out. Ruined my 6000 mile trip, as never confident on those tyres.

[brandersnatch]

50 minutes ago, Jerzy Woking said:

Guzzi tyres. The works BMW K1300S's were fitted with Metzler MP7RR's, which were fantastic in the dry and wet, and gripped well on damp roads too.

When the tyres (Contis) wore out on my Guzzi V1200 Sport, I put a pair of Metzler MP7RR's on, because of my experiences on the BMW, just before I set off to Albania.

Useless, absolutely useless. Even after 1000 miles, they would spin up acellerating out of corners in the dry. The Guzzi had far less power than the BMW.

I'd look on a few Guzzi websites to see what tyres are NOT recommended. Not all tyres suit different bikes, as I found out. Ruined my 6000 mile trip, as never confident on those tyres.

The hot tip when I had my Moto Guzzi Le Mans 11 were Pirelli Phantoms. How the world, and tyre technology, has changed. 
On the work FJRs Michelin Road Pilots were brilliant except for the 4 which just didn’t work on that bike. The 5 was great again. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[Cavcraft]

SS50 is seemingly throwing oil out of the exhaust stud area. Garage said it looks like someone has heli-coiled the studs, over done it and put Steel Seal in.  Managed to find a C70 engine not too far away, so dropped it off and just waiting for a new gasket set so they can put the top end onto the SS engine. Didn't really want to modify it as such, but it was a common thing back in the day and will still look standard and might even go more than 35mph now!

Meanwhile, finally got the RS50 back from another garage, carb cleaned, bike given a once over and taken for an MOT, which it passed. Obvs like it's started being shit to start/run so need to get it on the road and thrash the tits off it. It doesn't half go just in 1st gear, so expecting to card a decent speed using GPS. Here it is with it's older cousin, a Derbi GPR 50 that uses the same engine, apparently. Another one that was MOT'd and never really used that needs a good Italian tune up.

 

[Dave_Q]

^Thanks, 16 year old me just had a trouser accident over that pic

[hairnet]

wanted to go out to check battery voltage in the bike as even tho its used everyday sometimes it would crank over once slowly like it was flat then start

so bought a new varta anyway but due to arm and side mobility issues

wont be - dont really wanna open garage door

ffs

 

[Jerzy Woking]

1 hour ago, Cavcraft said:

SS50 is seemingly throwing oil out of the exhaust stud area. Garage said it looks like someone has heli-coiled the studs, over done it and put Steel Seal in.  Managed to find a C70 engine not too far away, so dropped it off and just waiting for a new gasket set so they can put the top end onto the SS engine. Didn't really want to modify it as such, but it was a common thing back in the day and will still look standard and might even go more than 35mph now!

Meanwhile, finally got the RS50 back from another garage, carb cleaned, bike given a once over and taken for an MOT, which it passed. Obvs like it's started being shit to start/run so need to get it on the road and thrash the tits off it. It doesn't half go just in 1st gear, so expecting to card a decent speed using GPS. Here it is with it's older cousin, a Derbi GPR 50 that uses the same engine, apparently. Another one that was MOT'd and never really used that needs a good Italian tune up.

 

I do like those race rep 50's, and luckily a few kids here have them, and race from one end of town to the other a few times a day.

No such exotica when I was 16, Fizzies, AP50's and SS50's were normal, and only the Fantics seemed to be that bit classier.