What have you done to your bike today?

[dave001]

[grr666]

Honestly Dave, I wouldn't have the first clue. I intend to have someone who does have a clue set it up for my
weight, but I've yet to go out and spank it properly yet so I have no idea how it performs when pushed. Last time
I rode it was home from first service in the rain. I may have gone out over the last few pleasant days we've had
recently but being 100% honest my frame of mind isn't great to say the least and I probably shouldn't be riding a
high powered motorcycle until I have a better handle on my depression. JHS racing isn't far from me and do a reasonably
priced setup service, I'll probably go there when the times right. It feels so much better with stock settings than my last
bike ever did even after a fettle that it may take me a while to find where it's lacking. Also I'm too fucking fat for my leathers.
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[Pete.]

Changed the pushrods. My 'new' bike runs nice and quietly when it's cold but starts to tick as it warms up which gets louder and louder as it comes up to full temperature. I knew right away what it was - these boxer engines have short pushrods about 45mm long or so, which are an ally tube with a hardened ball-ended peg. Sometimes they become loose and the end rattles when hot. It does no harm as there's no way for it to escape but it does hammer the end of the ally bit over time, opening up the valve clearance.



Of course, the previous owner must have had no clue and so closed up the clearances on the exhaust valve tappets in an effort to shut the noise up, which would probably have burnt out the valves had I not checked it.

I had it hppen on my old bike and made new ones. Got no material right now so I've pinched the pushrods out of a spare engine for the time being.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[dave001]

[to v or not to v]

[grr666]

[dave001]

[Hong Kong Phooey]

It will either be the spring has been changed up for a fatty, the preload is too high, or the compression has been fully tightened. There should be some lightly damped downwards movement (rider sag) on the rear when you sit on the bike. 30mm is about right for a street bike, best to measure it with a mate while you're in all your riding gear.

If there isn't, that's potentially dangerous as there's no suspension travel for compression or rebound, and you will find yourself being thrown up off the seat when giving it some on a bumpy road.

Rock hard suspension is normally the result of somebody thinking setting track settings for the road is a good idea. It's not. Especially in the UK. A good stating point will be to set the bike to it's standard suspension settings, take it for a long ride, and go from there.
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'81 CG125, '97 FZS600 : '99 CBR600F4, '09 KTM RC8

[Diggs]

Got mojo back. Cleared garage to expose two bikes plus rats nest. The crafty buggers have been eating hens eggs, so they must have pushed them up the hill from the coop at the bottom of the road. Clever rats!

Coaxed a battery into life and started both bikes. Pilots blocked on Gixxer but Speedy ticks over. Both need fork seals and a good going through. Bought strong ratchet strap so will be removing Speedy forks next weekend. Both now stripped and covered in WD40, so that's a start...

Now, how to get the Gixxer's carbs out? Youtube tells me it is battery box out, airbox out. disconnect throttle cable then lots of pulling and swearing plus bloody knuckles....
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Now - Speed Triple, old ratty GS550, GSXR750M
Gone (in order of ownership) - Raleigh Runabout, AP50, KH125, GP125, KH250, CBX550, Z400, CB750FII, 250LC, GS550, ZXR750H1, Guzzi Targa, GSX750F, KH250 x2, Bimota SB6R and counting...

[dave001]

[P.]

Bought it, ACF50'd it.

Rode it, laughed, locked it back up.

https://i.imgur.com/JvXajRgl.jpg

Should be a bit of fun for the summer.

[that_impulse_guy]

charged battery back to 100%, replaced fuel hoses (was on my todo), deox-c petrol tank, cleaned fuel tap and fuel sender, all went great ,put petrol in, first start of the season, yay all went well.

except.

the sidestand switch is operating in reverse...stand down, light off, stand up, light on. It may have been like this last year and I didnt notice as most of the bike was in pieces but now we are near the home stretch this is a bit of a setback. (it is literally "just a light" on this bike...so neutral combo diode, no starter relay interlock..just a dumb light)

anyway, it go vroom vroom though. Although its a tad lean right now.
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Gone: Yamaha DT50lc, Suzuki DR500, Suzuki A100, Kawasaki z250ltd, RD350YPVS, Suzuki DR Big, Kawasaki AR125, Kawasaki KMX200, Suzuki GS1000S, Katana 1100, GS550M, Suzuki RGV250
Now: Suzuki GSX400X, Suzuki RF900R, NS400R

[hellkat]

I've been avoiding riding in the last few months ( I don't even know why ) ... making all kinds of excuses why I "can't" ride.

So for me, it's an achievement to have unwrapped the Suzuki today, started and ridden it to the gas station and back, and it does indeed appear to go like shit off a shovel.

Not sure I can get all the way to Chelsea and back tomorrow, but at least today has improved my self-confidence.
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[Pete.]

Re-painted and stickered my tailpiece plastics. Painted last weekend actually, then polished this week and new stickers applied.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[Easy-X]

Had a quick tinker with the old fella's T140. It had a bit of a rough spot over half throttle...

Tried raising the needle (lowering the clip) and it was much worse, so too rich. Lowered the needle and it ran a lot better around half throttle but now stumbles over 3/4 to full throttle. I'm guessing the pod filters aren't great and it's overall a bit rich. Stock is a 200 jet on Mk2 Amal carbs so next we'll give 180 or 190 a go.
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Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[ThatDippyTwat]

Bought another couple.
2012 VFR800 Crosrunner, and SophRsoGood's KDX220

Viffer has been standing and needs a bit of TLC. KDX arrives at some point when Soph is free. Fireblade is for sale if someone fancies a cheap summer weapon.

https://i.imgur.com/v1hc4jnl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/ZE3WUrPl.jpg
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'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[MercurialWarc...]

Today I have been mostly changing headstock bearings.

An absolutely hateful job - done it on 3 different bikes before and it was no easier this time round. Took bloody ages with the biggest hammers I own and I even managed to properly twat my thumb in the process, still really sore and swollen.
Maybe now is the time for me to invest in an hydraulic press - anyone have any experience with those £100, 6-tonne jobbies?

I tried to fool myself into thinking maybe I could avoid doing it but they definitely needed replacing, the bottom tapered roller bearing was really quite notchy, and the upper deep groove ball bearing was completely seized - so nee wonder the steering felt rubbish

But this is another of the big jobs ticked off the list now - bought this bike last year thinking it wouldn't need too much work, but so far I've had to do:
Fork seals and bushings,
All 3 brake calipers stripped, cleaned and re-greased with new pad pins (and with new pads, pistons and seals in the rear),
Replaced all the rubber seals in the tank and changed all vacuum lines to new silicone hose,
Rewired the aftermarket Denali horn and added a relay to the LED spotlights circuit,
And swapped the dash bulbs for LEDs.
And that's not including my usual practice of changing all the fluids, filters, sparks plugs, valve clearance checks, greasing bearings and pivots and checking all fasteners for tightness.

Fortunately the stator and reg/rec had already been replaced and seem to be working nicely (albeit with some pretty dodgy wiring which I've since corrected) so that's a fair chunk of cash and time saved.

Sounds like I'm whinging but half the fun of motorcycling, for me, is the spannering and tinkering (the other half is having a socially acceptable way to exercise my leather fetish in public )

Think I just need to wire in a new heated grip switch and add a voltmeter to the dash and then we're good to go - haven't ridden properly in over 10 months and I'm pretty bloody excited to get back out there

[Easy-X]

A trick I use on bicycle steering races is a long piece of threaded rod and two plates, two nuts... tighten up and while you might not get the races in 100% it'll at least start you off. Would the technique translate to the larger headstock of motorcycles?
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Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Nobby the Bastard]

Ste uses my car wheel bearing press kit for that on his cycles.
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[blurredman]

[Polarbear]

[Ste]

[A100man]

Only because 'No posts exist..'

Glued the foot rest rubbers on the GT250 - using the same stuff I re-soled my Gola Harriers with - Stixall* from Toolstation

* see what they did here
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[A100man]

Only because 'No posts exist..'

Glued the foot rest rubbers on the GT250 - using the same stuff I re-soled my Gola Harriers with - Stixall* from Toolstation

* see what they did here
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[MarJay]

Took it's clothes off:
https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/img_7206_small.jpg

I needed to fit R&G frame protectors and engine protectors, and both needed the fairing off. Turns out my right hand fairing is actually cracked, which is annoying. It's also missing a bunch of the Suzuki push studs that hold the whole shebang together. I've had those ordered, and am going to put it back together as per Hammatsu.

I also fitted a 1/5th turn throttle, but now the throttle does not snap shut which is rather annoying. I'll probably have to remove it again.

This is what it looks like now:

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/img_7208_small.jpg

I would also like to replace the rubber brake hoses with braided items, and put Renthal soft grips on. At some point I may also go for a Brembo UCS19 master cylinder as per my GSX-S because it massively improves the brakes with Brembo calipers.

Maybe also a posh rear shock, certainly better tyres than the awful Pirelli Angel GTs that are on there. They feel like they are made of hard plastic!

I am a convert to Continental Race Attack endurance tyres now, bloody great for anything less than 1000cc. No warmers needed for trackdays, just get on and ride.

You can also see the rest of my stable in that first picture. Looks tidy doesn't it? You can't see the mess at the top end of the garage though!!
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.