The Bikeshite Thread

[DodgeRover]

The old XL or CB 250 used to run well with 1000 mile oil changes a friend ran his cb250rs upto about 50k before we stripped it for a look and it was spotless.

[PiperCub]

My old CB250RS that I sold in 1992 was still running and MoT'd a couple of years back amazingly enough! Wouldn't mind it back. 

 

The old Z250's were great bikes in the day too, way better than WetDreams etc. They usually got to about 50K then died. 

[John F]

I remember broken camchain tensioner blades killing 250 Superdreams off back in the 1990s, they were fixed in place at the bottom of the camchain tunnel by a 10 mm bolt that could only be accessed from underneath so the crankcases (and hence the main bearings) had to be split to gain access. Bloody awful design, that.

[5speedracer]

X11 just passed MOT and now for sale.

Just under 19k, 2001 Y, screen, handguards. Aberdeenshire. £2k for anyone on here.

02 Sprint RS coming home in a couple of weeks, ooh I'm all excited!

Hmm, not snowed under by pm's.

Is the feeling £2k a bit high?

[Fat_Pirate]

£2K sounds fine, it's quite a niche bike though - for instance, I wouldn't think to search for one on MCN or Bike Trader.  eBay classified, perhaps?

[5speedracer]

£2K sounds fine, it's quite a niche bike though - for instance, I wouldn't think to search for one on MCN or Bike Trader. eBay classified, perhaps?

Aye, thought price wasn't too bad. I think the issue is a lot of folk have no idea what they are!

Going to the alter of the Bay and try to ambush some lucky sod on pay day.

Thanks for the feedback.

[Jazoli]

£2K sounds fine, it's quite a niche bike though - for instance, I wouldn't think to search for one on MCN or Bike Trader.  eBay classified, perhaps?

 

I'd agree, they are a funny one, nice to ride and bloody fast but not a traditional sports tourer and not a sports naked, and not as good looking as a ZRX/GSX14 or XJR13, I think the price you are asking is fair, you might need to wait a while for a buyer, don't drop your price unless you really need to shift it, you will find a buyer eventually, I'd be adding other bikes like mentioned above into your description so it will show up when people are searching for XJR's GSX's and the like.

 

In other bike related news, I have sold my gorgeous R1 as it was far too much for the road and it will be replaced by a 675 Street Triple on Friday

[twosmoke300]

X11 not xjr , zrx , Eddie Lawson , Dyson etc etc

 

 

 

FUCK OFF

[brandersnatch]

My father in law (the one on the front) in the 1960's. Not sure of the bike. He's eighty now and still rides from time to time. I love talking bikes with him, he's as passionate about biking as I am

 

 

One's too many, ten's not enough!

[brandersnatch]

A few years ago this was the sign for the motorcycle parking at London City Airport, it's changed now to a more generic bike. Shame really.

 

 

One's too many, ten's not enough!

[Guest Hooli]

IMG_0992.JPG

My father in law (the one on the front) in the 1960's. Not sure of the bike. He's eighty now and still rides from time to time. I love talking bikes with him, he's as passionate about biking as I am

 

 

One's too many, ten's not enough!

 

Looks like a DKW clone, the same as a Bantam. But checking pics it appears to be a 250cc.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Cycles

[brandersnatch]

Looks like a DKW clone, the same as a Bantam. But checking pics it appears to be a 250cc.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Cycles

Top bearding my friend

 

 

One's too many, ten's not enough!

[New POD]

I really need to buy a motorbike. 28 years since I had one.

[Guest Breadvan72]

BV bikepark (The Dragstar is my kid brother's).

 

The RD125 DX is quite rorty with just 17 BHP but not much weight (except me).   It is a bit flexi and twitchy as it hasn't much of a frame.   It's very easy to kick start, has an autolube system to reduce two stroke faffage, and is ntt quite as horribly noisy as I had feared.

 

I may sell the CG125 CDI if anyone fancies it.   Slow, but good for pottering, and quite a head turner in its own way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest Breadvan72]

Yesterday we buried our grumpy Uncle Peter, an Irish-Essex Communist and horse fancier, who had finally stopped shouting at everyone a year or so before he died.  My bro tried out an album cover shot before we headed off to Southend to drink more Guinness and sing more IRA songs than we'd done for quite a while.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[John F]

brandersnatch, on 23 May 2017 - 8:37 PM, said:

IMG_0445.JPG

A few years ago this was the sign for the motorcycle parking at London City Airport, it's changed now to a more generic bike. Shame really.

 

 

One's too many, ten's not enough!

 

Good.

 

Over the years we've made some world-beating bikes here in the UK, it really boils my piss to see our culture being tarnished with insidious yank shit such as that bloody Harley picture.

[Jazoli]

You can't fail a cbt as such, they will keep teaching you till you have gained the necessary competency, nothing to worry about, just keep your arms loose and your head up  

[Dave_Q]

^This, just listen to the instructor and take it easy, they will normally keep you off road until they think you are ready.

 

You'll be fine, you can ride a pushbike and drive a car, it's kind of a cross between those.

 

Do it on a geared bike if you have a choice, just to give you more choice when bike shopping.

[strangeangel]

I've just booked my CBT....

Didn't think I'd have time to do it until mid - late June, but a surprise day off and availability at the local(ish) place I called have seen the stars align for me to be able to do it sooner.

 

Feeling very nervous now all of a sudden....

 

No need to be, as Jazoli says it's not a test as such.

 

Once you get started the nerves will pass, and you'll soon want to leave the cones behind and get out on the Queen's highway! Good luck.

[andy18s]

It's just to get up to a certain level of competence and not throw yourself up the road.

Being a car driver means you won't have to think too much about road position,junctions ect

So you'll be able to concentrate on the actual riding

Plus the school will be experienced with taking complete novices at 16yrs through the training.

It's all about the clutch and back brake at the speeds you'll do on the cat park lol

[martc]

Good.

 

Over the years we've made some world-beating bikes here in the UK, it really boils my piss to see our culture being tarnished with insidious yank shit such as that bloody Harley picture.

 

Before the new toll booths were built the "car" sign for the Humber Bridge was a silhouette of a Chrysler Neon. Subtle cultural imperialism?

 

My personal opinion, based only on test riding an 883 'Sportster' in the 80's, is that most of the world can build a world beating bike. I prefer the very 60's motorbike and piss pot donning rider used on UK road signs as the universal symbol for bikes.

[Aston Martin]

Fuck me, you're right.

 

[Guest Hooli]

I've just booked my CBT....

Didn't think I'd have time to do it until mid - late June, but a surprise day off and availability at the local(ish) place I called have seen the stars align for me to be able to do it sooner.

 

Feeling very nervous now all of a sudden....

 

Don't pedal!

 

I had to walk off & swear at myself for 10mins before I stopped trying to pedal as I pulled away. As soon as I stopped that, it was much easier...

[Guest Hooli]

Obviously that's allowed!

[Cavcraft]

Not been out on the Fireblade in a bit, so got it out the garage today. here's how it went:

 

Battery flat, no problem, I'll bump start it: FAIL.

 

Got booster pack, took seat off, it ran.

 

Put seat back on, it stalled.

 

Took seat off, jumped it, let it run for a while, went for a ride.

 

Got about 30 yards, stalled it. Wouldn't bump start, pushed it back.

 

Jumped it, ran it for ages, went for a ride.

 

Ran out of fuel/didn't switch to reserve. Battery flat, pushed it home about 3/4 mile.

 

Put fuel in it, jumped it, ran for ages, went for two or three mile ride. Saw mate, shouted hello, nearly fell off.

 

It's back in the garage now.

[hairnet]

 

 

this was 17 years ago

 

red hornet feb 99

 

marts yellow may 99

 

at elvington

 

red one no mot since 2008 - i was knocked off it in 2001 and it got taken away but someone fixed it as it has been reg moted since

 

his yellow one was in use until 2012 - mart turned into an aprilia perv and went thru the lot mille tuono rsv4 and coupla triumphs

 

i love this pic

[michael1703]

I rode a virago 535 today, I thought I could run faster when I pulled away but the optimistic speedo was soon up to 75

 

I was even less impressed with the front brake being useless

[Guest Hooli]

I rode a virago 535 today, I thought I could run faster when I pulled away but the optimistic speedo was soon up to 75

 

I was even less impressed with the front brake being useless

 

My mum has one of them, she's about 70.

[Dave_Q]

Not been out on the Fireblade in a bit, so got it out the garage today. here's how it went:

 

Battery flat, no problem, I'll bump start it: FAIL.

 

Got booster pack, took seat off, it ran.

 

Put seat back on, it stalled.

 

Took seat off, jumped it, let it run for a while, went for a ride.

 

Got about 30 yards, stalled it. Wouldn't bump start, pushed it back.

 

Jumped it, ran it for ages, went for a ride.

 

Ran out of fuel/didn't switch to reserve. Battery flat, pushed it home about 3/4 mile.

 

Put fuel in it, jumped it, ran for ages, went for two or three mile ride. Saw mate, shouted hello, nearly fell off.

 

It's back in the garage now.

 

That battery was a brand new £50 AGM jobbie, it's the right one for the bike but it looks tiny to me and the alarm flattens it after 2-3 days.

 

I never had a problem bumping it as I live up a hill, you're probably best to disconnect it, or get the alarm removed.

 

 

 

The latest episode of my never ending compulsion to buy more shite: more 90s sportsbikes. 

Obviously I've still got that bandit at the back of the garage but I'm thinking once it's shifted I will get another sportsbike, maybe a 600 as the 'blade was just a tad scary at times for a big wuss like me.

 

I'm looking for something in full SPEARS OR REEPERES condition and will spend a good while cleaning and painting and whatnot, maybe getting it on the road in a year or 2.

 

 

 

Candidates:

 

CBR600 - preferably an F2 for radial tyres, slightly more power and better looks, but this jellymould is winking at me something chronic, has already been through once at £200 and not sold.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172687736421?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

ZZR600 - these see to be very cheap / underrated, although I find myself more drawn to Hondas for reasons I can't explain.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kawasaki-Zzr600-/122502628999?hash=item1c85b9c687%3Ag%3AXJ0AAOSwPh5ZHYbw&nma=true&si=5e0EBW8eXlLOCwK4z4e6OTnMTVw%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

VFR750 - had an early one before, sold it for MOAR SPEEDS with the Fireblade, but actually fancy another, with a single sided swingarm. More broken than this one, obvs.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honda-VFR-750-/112416753856?hash=item1a2c8f88c0:g:pvsAAOSwblZZJDN-

 

CBR1000 - Probably a bit big and wallowy but can't argue with the VAL-U.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HONDA-CBR1000FJ-1989-/232347999992?hash=item3619051ef8:g:hc4AAOSwB-1Y68Pa

 

 

Any thoughts? It's likely to be a straight choice between the CBR and ZZR to be honest. The vibe I'm going for is 600 sports weapon circa 1994, although I am 6 foot 2 and huskily built and found the blade a bit uncomfortable for stints of over an hour.

[doug]

Passed its MOT today and the first time I have been out on it this year. Only done 550 miles in the last year ashamed to say.