The Bikeshite Thread

[Barry Cade]

In surprised at all your opinions on ZZRs, I've always found them to be very good  also I hate Hondas! I've had more bother with them than anything else,  and that includes Italian stuff!

4 ZZRs, and a GPZ1100s, and never an issue, apart from stuffing one into a Polo ..

[Jazoli]

57 minutes ago, Barry Cade said:

In surprised at all your opinions on ZZRs, I've always found them to be very good  also I hate Hondas! I've had more bother with them than anything else,  and that includes Italian stuff!

4 ZZRs, and a GPZ1100s, and never an issue, apart from stuffing one into a Polo ..

Never said I didn't like them, I had a 600 and two 1100's

This was the nicest

My '97 1100, it was mint, swapped an e39 528i for it, think I got the better deal.

 

[Barry Cade]

48 minutes ago, Jazoli said:

Never said I didn't like them, I had a 600 and two 1100's

This was the nicest

My '97 1100, it was mint, swapped an e39 528i for it, think I got the better deal.

 

Very nice! I saw my first ZZR in 1990, at the the bike show in Musselburgh when they were just launched . 16 year old RD50 riding  me decided there and then I was having one, one day. Had to be an early one though. Really wanted black and blue, but got black and red..

 

[Sham]

I find Honda's in general to be a bit too good, if that makes sense - a bit like their cars actually. The precise gear change, the sweet engines that are just a bit too smooth. Bikes should be a little finicky, you should need to know just how to get that perfect shift, that smooth clutch slip...

It shouldn't be too easy.

I'd love an early ZZR, but alas they're a bit needy these days - I almost bought an ER500 as a winter bike recently, I do have a soft spot for a Kwacker.

[Stinkwheel]

13 hours ago, Iamgroot said:

At that point you may as well try and ride it home!

That was my thinking as well, it still seemed to run ok apart from the obvious, only issue was making sure there wasnt too much oil on the back tyre, luckily i only had about 2 miles left to go

[Sham]

The 'vroom cupboard ' where Master Sham and I keep our motorsickles is not much more than a wooden shed, with a felt apex roof. It's dry, as in it keeps the rain out, but it isn't insulated so is prone to condensation when there are temperature changes. I've put those cheap moisture absorbers in, which helps but it's obviously air movement that is key. 

The shed is on a concrete pad that is raised at the rear because it's on a gentle slope, so figured if I put a vent low down at the back and above the double doors at the front it would help - but obviously some kind of forced extraction would be a lot better, except there's no power in there. I thought about one of those spinny doobreys that you see on chimneys, but as it's an apex roof it might not be ideal... You see a lot of solar fans on Amazon but they're little more than large computer fans, and I wonder if they're going to be any better than just a vent.

What have others done to overcome this issue?

[fordperv]

On 23/10/2023 at 14:13, 5speedracer said:

Looks good, is it heavy on the wrists with the flat bars?

Cheers, It's still nice on the wrists with the flat bars to be fair and they are comfier than the OE bars but not quite as comfy as the renthal type I put on it first but they were a little too high for me.

[Sham]

10 hours ago, fordperv said:

Cheers, It's still nice on the wrists with the flat bars to be fair and they are comfier than the OE bars but not quite as comfy as the renthal type I put on it first but they were a little too high for me.

I'm struck by how similar that is to the 2023 model. Frame is different materials but essentially the same design, and a few detail changes.

[martc]

Well the clocks have gone back so, for me, the commuting season has ended (yes, I know). So, you are all asking, with 3500 miles under its wheels, how was the electric Zero?

Well – it has been both flippin’ ace and in the doghouse.

Flippen’ ace – it is just that. Smooth, fast (very fast), quiet, vibration free, comfortable and quite capable of doing a 90-mile round trip with 40 miles range left. The handling and brakes are superb (but see below) - how can this have been made in the same country as a Hardly Dangerous? I was initially sceptical about the cruise control but I am now regularly using it – it’s ideal for a) keeping my licence safe and b) preserving the range.

So why has it been in the doghouse? Well it’s disgraced itself on three occasions –

The onboard charger failed. Apparently, mine is definitely the first one in the country, and possibly Europe, to fail. No consolation for me, but it seems to be a very unusual failure. Obvs it was mended under warranty but it took three weeks and coincided with dry warm weather.

Then it had a puncture in the rear tyre. Fortunately it was near home, but I had to buy a new tyre.

Thirdly, the front floating discs seized up causing vicious vibration on braking. Again replaced under warranty but another wait during good weather. Seizing floating discs is not an uncommon problem according to the dealer – both Zeros and Energicas have suffered from it. The dealer thinks this is due to a faulty batch of discs. Although Zeros use J Juan brakes and Energicas use Brembos, Brembo own J Juan so they could be using a common supplier. But my theory is that the front brakes are hardly used due to the fantastic regen braking just by modulating the throttle. The lack of use could cause the bobbins to stick. I’m going to make sure I use the front brakes more often by winding down the regen a bit.

One thing that was refreshing is the ease of maintenance - removing  both the wheels (I took the front wheel to a local dealer to replace the discs) showed the excellence of the engineering design - it was a doddle (but I do have the optional centre stand fitted, which helps). On replacing the rear wheel I had to adjust the belt drive which again was easy using the 'krikit' tool. The belt drive is a funny thing, no maintenance, but it can feel and sound a bit harsh at times - particularly if the weather is dry and the belt is dusty. The hollow 'petrol tank' (like an NC750) acts as a sound box and magnifies the occasional harsh sound from the belt. When clean, and if there is some humidity, the belt is silent. 

During these involuntary breaks I was getting quite jealous of my IC powered brethren but the moment I got back on the Zero all thoughts of 19^th century technology disappeared within seconds of pulling away. Would recommend.

Not mine.

[martc]

A bit more smokey than the current steed. But I passed my test on a TS125 and then owned two TS150's, they were much better bikes than the press would let you believe, once you'd ditched the awful Pneumants, before they ditched you.

[RayMK]

4 minutes ago, martc said:

A bit more smokey than the current steed. But I passed my test on a TS125 and then owned two TS150's, they were much better bikes than the press would let you believe, once you'd ditched the awful Pneumants, before they ditched you.

I bought a brand new MZ 250 Supa 5 in the late 1970s.  A tank slapper at 60mph on the way to work occurred as I crossed a slightly raised bitumen joining strip at a slight angle.  Convinced I'd got a punctured front tyre, I stopped at a convenient lay-by a few hundred metres later to inspect the damaged tyre.  It was absolutely fine.  I looked back down the road and could only assume the bitumen strip had upset the still quite new and unworn Pneumants.  Avons replaced them and that sort of heart stopping moment did not happen again.  However, I considered my earlier CZ175's handling on Barums was superb compared to the MZ's tendency to 'fall into' corners.  My brother, also an ex CZ rider, got on much better with his later MZ TS150.  I don't have any photos of my '71 CZ but the attached is pretty much identical to the one I had - including the headlamp shape, chromed tank, posilube and colour scheme.

[martc]

13 minutes ago, RayMK said:

....MZ 250 Supa 5 in the late 1970s.  A tank slapper aPneumants.  Avons replaced them and that sort of heart stopping moment did not happen again. ....

I had a Supa 5, not brand new I hasten to add, but still on it's original Pneumants which I immediately swapped for Avons. This Supa 5 is the bike I look back on with the fondest of memories, I would have it back in a heartbeat.

I particularly remember a duel with a Hardly Dangerous which beat me, obvs, on the straights but was going round corners so gingerly that I caught it up,. The increasingly frustrated middle aged middle ranking accountant hard ass bro' on board tried to outrun me again on the straight by going faster and faster  only for me to catch up again at the next corner. This went on for about 10 miles until he pulled in and I left him in a cloud of blue smoke, RING D DING DING!

[twosmoke300]

I ran a 1978 TS150 for a year or two . Much better handling bike than the jap stuff. 
 

[RayMK]

2 minutes ago, martc said:

I had a Supa 5, not brand new I hasten to add, but still on it's original Pneumants which I immediately swapped for Avons. This Supa 5 is the bike I look back on with the fondest of memories, I would have it back in a heartbeat.

I particularly remember a duel with a Hardly Dangerous which beat me, obvs, on the straights but was going round corners so gingerly that I caught it up, only for the increasingly frustrated middle aged middle ranking accountant hard ass bro' on board to try and outrun me on the straight only for me to catch up again at the next corner. This went on for about 10 miles until he pulled in and I left him in a cloud of blue smoke, RING D DING DING!

My equivalent 'duel' was on my occasional commute from near Lincoln to Alsager, Cheshire.  I was tanking along as usual at 65mph on my CZ (more or less flat-out) when a bloody hot kneeler scooter gradually edged past.  I got him on the corners and we eventually parted routes when he turned off near Newark with a cheery wave.

[sdkrc]

I saw this on a FB marketplace ad and I'm absolutely obsessed. What is this and wtf are the wheels? Was it a scam at £3995? I can no longer find the ad

[Stinkwheel]

6 minutes ago, sdkrc said:

I saw this on a FB marketplace ad and I'm absolutely obsessed. What is this and wtf are the wheels? Was it a scam at £3995? I can no longer find the ad

my initial thought was Gilera CX 125

 

The wheels certainly are, but with the alloy frame and honda tank, it kind of looks like an NC30 or NC35 base with some Gilera items added on ?

[tom13]

Anyone have a small trail bike for sale sub £1500? Or an adventure/touring bike?

I ended up selling the Himalayan which for anyone wondering is a fantastic bike. I would 100% recommend one. I only sold it as I now want a slightly smaller bike for Laning.

I want something like a DR200 DR350, XT350 etc etc. Would maybe consider a 650.

Would also maybe consider a cheap translp or something as well. 

I have a 2002 cb500 I could throw in a a cheap PX. 

[Stinkwheel]

11 minutes ago, tom13 said:

Anyone have a small trail bike for sale sub £1500? Or an adventure/touring bike?

I ended up selling the Himalayan which for anyone wondering is a fantastic bike. I would 100% recommend one. I only sold it as I now want a slightly smaller bike for Laning.

I want something like a DR200 DR350, XT350 etc etc. Would maybe consider a 650.

Would also maybe consider a cheap translp or something as well. 

I have a 2002 cb500 I could throw in a a cheap PX. 

If you can get options go for a DR350 rather than an XT350, i found them much more capable on green lanes, an early KLX250 even more so

[tom13]

3 minutes ago, Stinkwheel said:

If you can get options go for a DR350 rather than an XT350, i found them much more capable on green lanes, an early KLX250 even more so

Why is that? You hear so many rave reviews of the DR350.

I would actually rather have the 200 but they are nowhere near as common. 

[Stinkwheel]

11 minutes ago, tom13 said:

Why is that? You hear so many rave reviews of the DR350.

I would actually rather have the 200 but they are nowhere near as common. 

The XT felt more top heavy than the DR did to me and the DR would 'plod' really well, whereas the XT wanted revs all the time. Ive never ridden a DR200 i must admit.

The reason thr KLX250 wins though is weight, its so much lighter and steers where you want it to with much less effort than either of the 350's

Having said that i spent most of my green laning time on an 89' XR250R honda, and that was just fine for 99% of what i was prepared to tackle and no worse on road parts than the more road focussed bikes. Im now too old and fat for laning though

[Dave_Q]

I agree the mystery bike is probably a Honda, I think it might be an RC36 VFR750 with Gilera front/rear and some sort of race fairing.

The tail piece and frame look pretty RC36 to me, not sure what the main fairing is off.

[Stinkwheel]

5 minutes ago, Dave_Q said:

I agree the mystery bike is probably a Honda, I think it might be an RC36 VFR750 with Gilera front/rear and some sort of race fairing.

The tail piece and frame look pretty RC36 to me, not sure what the main fairing is off.

I was thinking similarly, I've got an RC36/2. The reason i said NC30 or NC35 was im thinking the CX125 Gilera wheels wouldnt look quite so big against the physically bigger RC36? All supposition though

[sdkrc]

Found it! Good shout on the Gilera wheels.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1445397839357199

 

[Stinkwheel]

Just now, sdkrc said:

Found it! Good shout on the Gilera wheels.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1445397839357199

 

Ah so it was an NC35 (RVF400) - Damn im an anorak 🤣

[sdkrc]

[Jerzy Woking]

I had a DR350. Only get an electric start one, as kickstart only one's are a real bastards to start when warm (at least mine was). Not what you want when you are stuck in a rut in the middle of Thetford Forest.

And yes, it was set up correctly. Electric starts are for winners.

[Stinkwheel]

Just now, Jerzy Woking said:

I had a DR350. Only get an electric start one, as kickstart only one's are a real bastards to start when warm (at least mine was). Not what you want when you are stuck in a rut in the middle of Thetford Forest.

And yes, it was set up correctly. Electric starts are for winners.

I've always been a don't care about kickstart only type person, grew up starting my Dad's Velocettes etc. After those anything with an auto decompressor and more modern carb is a piece of piss 😉

[Jerzy Woking]

I also had a number of kickstart only bikes, from a BSA A65 (when I was a skinny 16 year old) through to an XR650R (when I was a fat 50 year old), all a piece of piss to kick start, hot or cold, once I learnt the knack with each.

The DR350 and the XT500 I owned were the exceptions to this. No matter how many times I adjusted the ignition timing, the tappets and the carb.

There are bikes that remain complete and utter bastards.

[Stinkwheel]

3 minutes ago, Jerzy Woking said:

The DR350 and the XT500 I owned were the exceptions to this. 

There are bikes that remain complete and utter bastards.

To be fair i did have one DR350 that was  a swine to start, but id slightly bent a valve hyro-locking it when i fell off in a big puddle with softer than expected bottom (which is what i had when i realised id slightly knackered it) 

[tom13]

If anyone is breaking or has some spares for a 2002 CB500 let me know. After quite a few bits, radiator is a top priority though.