How safe is your bike?

[Arfdog]

Being newish to riding bikes, and one of my bikes is 14 years old, theother is 21 years old, I have not the slightest inkling of how well they really handle, as I have nothing tocompare them to.

Sure, I am quite usedto them both andthey feel fine to me, but if a more experienced biker took a ride, he might tell me the GS is a deathtrap, new fork springs needed! or whatever..

I get lots of advice like fit some hagon shocks on rear, and some progressive springs on the front, and ditch the anti-dive... but I am not in a financial situation that I can go buy all this stuff then discover that they were fine all along. Thinking about whether massive improvements are possible really plays on my mind.

How do you know, when you can't measure something with a vernier caliper and check if it's 'right'?
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I'm a lover, not a fighter.

[Kara]

If you don't have brown pants, the bike is ok.
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NC30 + Bandit 6
www.eabikers.co.uk

[Finglonga]

Experiance it comes with young Padawan.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/finglonga/yoda.gif
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Andy Sez....
F.Y.Y.F.F.

[iooi]

As safe as the person in control of the throttle and brakes.....

You know what your bike can and cannot do, sure upgrading some parts might make it more sure footed, past the point you take it now. But as you say if you haven't the money, then riding within your's and the bike's limits is all the safety you need....

Even the best shocks and progressive spring will not save you when that pillock pulls out in front of you....
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Just because my bike was A DIVVY, does not mean i am......

[Jamie S]

The bike might be old but its been on the road for 14 years ! If its still in one pice now it must be prity mechanically safe. But its the rider that is what counts on the ''safety aspect''

[Weedy]

I believe that you can be the safest, most skilled and most controlled rider in the world, it only takes one t*at to pull out, or swerve into your lane and it's all downhill from there!
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<CBT passed 16th Sept 2007><Theory Test passed 11th Oct 2007><Practical Test passed 19th Apr 2008>
OWNED: 2008 Aprilia Pegaso Strada CURRENT: Bikeless :'(

[Jamie S]

state the obious

[Weedy]

Stating the obvious, maybe, but people can sometimes get so carried away with the intricate details that they overlook the obvious things.

It's also just my opinion, so I expected someone to disagree!
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<CBT passed 16th Sept 2007><Theory Test passed 11th Oct 2007><Practical Test passed 19th Apr 2008>
OWNED: 2008 Aprilia Pegaso Strada CURRENT: Bikeless :'(

[Jamie S]

[Itchy]

It feels right , thats how,

Some pointers , from a semi rat biker.

Brakes , check for any scraping noises when you brake also after a 2/5 mile ride touch with the
back of your fingers how hot your disc is, brake discs get hot if you use them or not , 2-5 miles
should be slightly warm , if its too hot to touch

this is a v bad sign either:

worn to bugger pads ,

or worse seized calipers which I had this week,

Sezied calipers are a bugger , my calipers BOTH seized and the bike was facing the wrong way, also there
was no room to swing it round on the side stand, = dragging it on cardboard , my disc was HOT , after
25 metres I couldn't touch it good thing I don't use locking compound on discs as per Sickpup's advice..

Suspension ride brake hard , if it sticks or takes a couple seconds to come back once you have stopped
= seized stanchions , my fork did this and my bike counter steered all wrong.

bearings , just grab the part and try shake it , it it resists your shake , its fine, (wheels)

headstock a click in the middle

Just push down on it , it should come back but not bounce ie it should come back to the start position before
you pushed it , if it does it maybe shot.

You can also do it the even cheaper skate way , ie go to a dealer a big one and take a test on a
GS500E , compare and contrast, GS500Es feel shot after a very short time however, get one which
has been run in say 2-3000 miles on the clock.
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[SoND]

My bike had oily brakes, bouncy forks, balding tyre and dodgy bearings for a while.

I think it was safe enough to ride if you compensated for all the problems but obviously I wouldn't recommend it.
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Go back to bed - You have no rights - "Streetfighters ~ Mainstream motorcycling's crackwhore sister."

[Jamie S]

[stinkwheel]

It's only dangerous when you either can't predict where 'the limit' is or you find yourself in a situation where the bike does something unexpected.

Like my Jawa, the suspension and brakes are apalling compared to my Japanese bikes BUT they are consistantly apalling so you make allowances. It 'warns' you when you are chancing your luck with the handling, it is then up to me if I want to push it further.

[Ariel Badger]

The bike I just got off is 68 years old and the one I rode this afternoon is 77 years old. They are safe in my hands but I know their limits.
It is riders not bikes that lose it.
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[SoND]

[McGee]

My bike is hopefully safe.

I just don't like how the front end vibrates under heavy braking.

I was told common problem with the disc's warping but I cant be bothered forking out for some new ones just yet.
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◙◙► K6 GSXR 600 ◄◙◙◙◙► K5 GSXR 1000 ◄◙◙◙◙► K5 GSXR 600 ◄◙◙◙◙► 96 RF600r ◄◙◙
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Its pronounced Jixxer!

[SoND]

[McGee]

Aye its a 2005 also check the forks and all that.

Got told by some Gixer Junkies that the stock disc's warp easy so will give a go with some wavy's
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◙◙► K6 GSXR 600 ◄◙◙◙◙► K5 GSXR 1000 ◄◙◙◙◙► K5 GSXR 600 ◄◙◙◙◙► 96 RF600r ◄◙◙
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Its pronounced Jixxer!

[Skudd]

Have the bikes got valid MOTs ? If so then they are safe for the road. Alot of the things you could put on the bikes are mainly fashion bling. Somethings may make the brakes feel sharper or the dive on the forks less or the ride a little less bouncey, but you ride to yours and the bikes capabilities. If you had a 10 year old ford escort would you need to put low profiles on it ? yes it may make the grip and ride a bit better but the ride is still ok with the wheels it has and the same goes for a bike. Parts do wear out and should be replaced, but you don't need bling. As long as it passes an MOT it will be ok.
And as for what other riders think............ most can't agree whats good on a bike brand new out of a crate never mind a bike that is over 12 months old. If it feels ok then it is ok.
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Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[tatters]

Honda Fireblade safe as houses
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Past:NRG50,AF1125(x2),NSR125RR,ZZR250,CX500,VFR400,KR1S,ZZR600(x2),CB400N,YZF1000(x2),KH125,Z200,FX400R,CBR954RR(x2)GPZ500S,GT550,VFR750F(x2),RD350N,XR650R,CBR600F,CB250,KDX250,YZF750R,CRM250,400EXC,KLR650,TTR600RE,DR350S,R100GSPD,RGV250,VMAX1200,DL650,KZ750 Present:G650XC,C12,CRF450X,1190ADV

[craigs23]

Much safer now. Finding a few loose bolts (discs, sprockets, front wheel, top yoke...) as well as a few very dodgy electrics on the rebuild was a little worrying.

[stinkwheel]

The ability to pass an MOT has nothing to do with the safety of the vehicle. You should see some of the heaps of scrap I've MOTed in my time.

I have a bike in my lockup that many years ago was crashed (by me) and rolled end over end down a ravine with a sidecar attached. The frame is as bent as a nine bob note. It has subsequently passed no fewer than six MOTs.

[iooi]

[Visitor Q]

See ive been wondering if there was a kind of 'bike handling doctor' about, do a kind of ride in ride out handling session.

Theres something just not right with the cbr, and it would be ace if someone could just go 100% 'its your shocks/tyres/settings/bearing, change them and job done'.

But yeh my back shocks abit soft, the brakes are abit dodgy (getting them all sorted asap) and the tyres are very worn macadams.

Main thing is apparently where my front subframe is bent in abit i cant change my screen over, so ive just got the cracked remnants of the old one. Still works, but they reckon the fairing is dangerous (or they did at my last mot) and the front subframes are like rocking horse shit because they all bend. So i cant replace it
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China traffic/travel bike vid - When I make a sweeping statement, please add the word 'statistically' in to the sentence before you bitch...
From September 2014 to January/February 2015 I will not be using any English, nor reading any. As such, I won't be on here. PM at will, but I won't be checking/posting unless in emergencies. Certainly not for the first couple of months. Please berate me savagely if I break that rule...

[stinkwheel]

If your subframe's bent, why not bend it back?