What have you done to your bike today? Archive.

[chickenstrip]

A few days ago, I put the battery on charge. Today, I gave the bike a wash, as I'd just stuffed it unwashed in the shed before winter kicked in last year, and left it. Came up quite shiny

Started it on choke, likely the only time it will need that for the rest of the year. Not that it'll get much use again this year.

Took it out for a spin. There's one great thing about this stashing a bike for the winter malarkey: when you come to get back out on it so many months later, by 'eck, it seems quick again! Whoosh! There was just one moment's hesitancy when I first tried to wind it open, but that quickly cleared, and then it ran sweet as a nut...as always

Once again, didn't feel at all rusty myself after the winter layoff, always feels like the most natural thing in the world.
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Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE!

[Wyberton John]

Funny that, cos I used to be just the same after not riding for a while - though I only recently started putting the bike away over winter due to silly salting season.

Last 2 years, though, whilst it's been massive fun on the first ride, I find I've been down on cornering confidence - usually caused by watching the road right in front of the bike.

Both times I've had to force myself to look down the road to get back into it properly.

I reckon it's just age creeping up on me.
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Fazer Thou Gen 1

[chickenstrip]

It maybe comes from riding the same model of bike for so long. Just don't have to think about it too much now, and also, the set-up on my current one is really good, inspiring mucho confidence
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Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE!

[Wyberton John]

That's a good point - although I've had mine 4 years, I recently removed the shorter dogbones because it was getting problematic trying to put it on the mainstand - especially if i was in my slippers!

Maybe I should refit them - the handling was so much better.
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Fazer Thou Gen 1

[ThatDippyTwat]

New (partworn) boot on the back. Sportmax Roadsmart 2. Needs some corners doing, it's a bit square, but the price was silly low.

https://i.imgur.com/0zGBy9rl.jpg
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'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[Sister Sledge]

Checked oil levels (cold check) and checked tyre pressures.
Then started it, did the hot oil level check (damn these dry sumps!) and had a cup of tea.
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CCM 404 DS

[Wyberton John]

Fitted shorter "dog bone" suspension link arms and torqued to 48NM
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Fazer Thou Gen 1

[thx1138]

rode the dirt bike down to the MOT place to book it in and ask about legalities of a few things

will get the sticky tape out and go for a daytime advisory

[sickpup]

Not the bike but new equipment for working on it.
Order a new 14cfm 150litre vertical compressor, same one I suggested chris-red get for his garage and its huge.

Arrived on a small pallet and the box was over 6 foot tall.

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/img-20190404-wa0000_1554562286283.jpeg

Bit smaller in place, about 170cm high

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/img-20190404-wa0006_1554562285599.jpeg

Should be abe to power all of my air tools and spraying equipment with ease.

[kramdra]

Fitted a new motobatt, to replace the 2012 one, which has took me from 35k to 110k miles. The bigger size MBTX9U, with moar amps, is still a few quid cheaper, so thats what I got - the correct size would be a sloppy fit in the battery tray. Old one is being given to fix a neglected old 125, which had a cheap battery in 2016 and didnt last long.

Also swapped side stand. The new one has a foot instead of a hole! This means I can now park on summer melty tarmac and firm grass without bike instantly toppling over, but I will still keep the square of wood under seat just incase.

[Pigeon]

Gixxer. Headrace re-grease, fork re-spring + oil, front brake bleed and paint on oil rad guard.

Before pic. Decent amount of grease still there, but cleaned out + replaced.

https://i.imgur.com/NjazQ5M.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/GD5NyfU.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/csDqt2G.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/t4pZ4oh.jpg

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

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

Onto the rear end tomorrow.

[chickenstrip]

Spent an enjoyably warm, sunny afternoon finishing the clean up - polished the paint, wiped most everything else over with a WD40-dampened rag, cleaned, lubed and adjusted the chain, sip of an oil top-up. All ready to spend most of the year languishing in the shed again
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Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE!

[ThatDippyTwat]

Replaced the Mikalor clamp on the endcan, as it was siezed and letting it rotate. Cleaned it. Cleaned and oiled chain.
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'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[Pigeon]

Ktech fat man spring onto bike (mainly because its red).
Cleaned + re-greased all the frame, dog link and shock roller bearings.

https://i.imgur.com/7cLqB9N.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/takrC0Y.jpg

Cleaned up rear wheel and caliper

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

https://i.imgur.com/FUQ9rWV.jpg

[Baffler186]

full strip, clean and rebuild of the calipers. I didn't plan on doing it but good job I did as they were nasty. Lucky I had a spare set of seals.
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Current: 2009 SV650 S, 1990 Kawasaki GT550
Previous: 2009 CBF125, 1998 GSF600, 2004 FZ6 Fazer, 1978 CB400a Hondamatic

[Wyberton John]

Oil & filter change.
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Fazer Thou Gen 1

[kingmunky]

Not today, but over the weekend it was service time on my V-strom:

Oil and filter changed
Air filter changed (Was minging, doubt it had been changed in at least 2 years)
Spark plugs changed (apparently the previous owner, who had the bike from new, couldn't be bothered to change the difficult-to-reach plug and it was nearly corroded into place - 8 years on the same plug!)
Coolant changed.
Valve clearances checked
Chain scrubbed, adjusted and lubed

And the extras:
R&G Heated Grips fitted
Crash bars scrubbed and resprayed black
Scottoiler fitted
New screen fitted
Leaky fork seals replaced

Bike looks and feels great now.

Next task: Strip the fairings and respray once the weather picks up a bit.
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“I'm not good at many things in life but I am a fair hand at drinking tea.”
Current bike: 2011 Suzuki DL650
Previous bikes: 2008 Bandit 650, 2000 XJ 600 and 1998 GPZ500

[Hong Kong Phooey]

Washed it twice, then polished it, which is only the fourth or fifth time in four years.

Changed a dodgy back indicator which had an intermittent break in one of the wires. It was an Oxford LED unit and can't be easily repaired as it's a sealed unit. Had to put the old indicators back on, forgot how big they were.
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'81 CG125, '97 FZS600 : '99 CBR600F4, '09 KTM RC8

[Hong Kong Phooey]

Bent the exhaust away from the swing arm with a scaff bar, ever since I bought it the can was slightly fouling on it. The centre stand rubber stop now holds the stand in the right place for a double win.

Now there's rubbed markings on the arm, not too bothered about that but it did also reveal a deep gash which was hidden.

Ah well, I'm sure if it was structurally compromised I'd have found out before now.
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'81 CG125, '97 FZS600 : '99 CBR600F4, '09 KTM RC8

[R1stu]

Cleaning downpipes.

https://i.imgur.com/XvGz9Ic.jpg
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Carbon closet tart! https://www.bikepics.com/members/r6stuk/02r6/
Stolen bike. 2000 R1: https://www.bikepics.com/members/r6stuk/00r1/
Current bike 1991 Honda ST1100 Pan European, 1986 Honda cb350sg (Finished)

[NooBish-AbbZ]

looked into potentially fitting the heated grips myself..

Question. I currently have a trickle charger connected to the battery, with the two cables that attach under the screws that go into the battery terminals. If i were to add heated grips they have the same connection cables, and then for example a quickshifter unit in the future, also with the same flat metal ring which you screw to the terminals.

Do each of these sets of connectors need some kind of separation between them, or are they all fine as it's just a case of electricity running through them in order to create a circuit. If i had 2/3 lots directly seated together would that pose any issues, ie shorting out?
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SV650S - Feb '14-March '19
XJ6N- Apr '19 -Present

[Sister Sledge]

Took the small tool kit bag I always carry off the bike. It's been located on the small rear carrier rack.
I removed the kit bag with the intention of relocating it onto the front mudguard, only to discover there's no room because it'd get in the way of the headlight.
Tool kit bag is back on the rear carrying rack..
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CCM 404 DS

[Nobby the Bastard]

[Nobby the Bastard]

[Pigeon]

Gixxer, new oil + filter + change to pink coolant (because bikes red).

https://i.imgur.com/3neT1L5.jpg

Waxed some bits that were off the bike

https://i.imgur.com/1NCleih.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/tCZKi9O.jpg

Was in the process of putting everything back together when spotted the steering damper had some vertical play. So abandoned it to order a new damper. But according to the internet, a bit of up/down is normal.

So I'll have another crack at it tomorrow.