What have you done to your bike today?

[redeem ouzzer]

Split thread from original mega-thread. Original thread here:
https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=333100

Finally got my YR5 hybrid back on Mick Abbey's dyno a couple of days ago to check how it’s running and see if there was any small improvements to be had. Been a couple of years since it was last on (when I had the pipes made) and I had a lot of issues with detonation afterwards, my own fault for changing too many things at once and not been aware of potential issues relating to squish, chamber volume and modern fuel. After a couple of horrific piston melting incidents I went back to a set of barrels with the standard deck height and gasket setup and a set of relatively standard heads which ran well for last year and into this year.

Mick machined me a set of 521 B heads with a proper squish but close to stock volume which I fitted a few weeks ago so figured it was time to dyno test it again now it was running reliably. Bottom line is it makes 50bhp or thereabouts depending on how hot it is (joys of aircooled) with a very nice curve which is good for road riding and also nice for drive out of bends on the track. We fiddled a bit with the Zeeltronic but only found marginal gains (mainly a bit more advance after 5k helped the engine hold peak bhp a bit longer) and also tried some flowed Reed blocks with YZ85 fibre petals which gave zero advantage over the original reeds on the dyno. So it’s pretty fair to say that porting and pipes are responsible 95% of the power gains over stock.

There may be a BHP or two to be had with moving the pickup to give more peak advance and dropping the squish but I really don’t want to go down the road of encouraging detonation especially given the variable quality of road fuel these days. The most it’s ever made previously was 52bhp, throwing in the fact Mick has changed dyno software since and ambient temperatures etc I’m really happy with where it is now so just intend to enjoy it.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51225946476_97ce3b90f4_b.jpg
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Be a REAL MAN!

[Pete.]

[redeem ouzzer]

[to v or not to v]

rode it to nearly empty, filled up with Esso premium and added half a bottle of Wynns gold snake oil to the tank.
engine definitely felt smoother after, but that may just be down to the premium fuel

[Easy-X]

Washed the bike and oiled the chain. I'm using Granville spray grease at the moment and I always wonder with these things how effective they are. Anyhoo, I got some on my hands and I can definitely tell you it doesn't wash off easily!
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Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[UncleBFester]

After weeks of pish weather ....

1. Checked tyre pressures. Rear fine but front 26 not 36.
2. Pre ride stretching. No more sciatic pain.
3. New screen. No more NSL plus buffeting.
4. Closed lid vents on the move. No more whistling at speed.

Such simple things. Such a massive improvement. Went for my usual circuit from Knebworth up to Baldock then out via Cottred and Buntingford then back via Hertford through back roads to home. Could have done the route a second time.

Really nice to be out and enjoying it from start to finish.
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Module 1 and 2 passed - October 2014. Happy owner of a 2017 Z1000SX, ex owner of a YBR125 / CB500 / VFR800.

[Easy-X]

Had a tinker with a Quacker, sold as running... supplied with wrong ignition key Bypassed the ignition but still nothing Cleaned up corrosion on various bullet connectors... nope! Turns out you have to pull in the clutch not a common feature on a '70s bike
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Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[ThatDippyTwat]

Changed unknown, unbranded front sprocket out for a JT one with a rubber cushion, as per OEM spec. Supposedly much less drive chain noise. Chain and rear are still shiny and decent so they got left.
https://i.imgur.com/n8vqWbvl.jpg?1

Piddled around with ehaust as it was blowing from link pipe joint, which means I didn't get it lined up quite right last time I was pissing around.

Replaced some Dzus 1/4 turns on the fairing. Washed it.
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'01 929 Fireblade (Fun) - '98 VFR800 (Commuting)

[Tdibs]

Exup was getting sticky on the fazer so finally got around to drilling out the old bolts in there. All 3 snapped even with heat, 2/3 retapped, just need to finish the bottom left one, note the cracked exhaust hanger on the right too. In the winter, I think I will just drop the whole system and refurbish it before its too late, header manifolds will turn to dust down the road.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/767612518586777654/853283628339560468/20210612_154243.jpg

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/767612518586777654/853283629412646964/20210612_154257.jpg
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Previous : 09 Vanvan 125| 02' Sv650s || Current: 1999 Xj600n | 1992 DR650 RSE | 2005 Fazer 1000

[to v or not to v]

took it out for a gentle bimble in the New Forest. bike and rider returned home very happy.
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current bike Yamaha Thunderace.
its old and fat, but its a damned good ride. the bikes not bad either.

[Pete.]

This weekend I have:

Repaired broken gear selector
Fitted new clutch
Fitted new tyres
Serviced the brakes
Fitted new pads.

£400 and 2 long days work.
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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

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

got some new tyres fitted to the zx9r c2 - bridgestone t30s

£174 the pair, 50 fitted, thus £224 all in

had got best part of 8k on other set - in the past i have clocked up 10k on t30s and could've done it again this time as they were easily legal - but they start to feel absolutely horrible between 8k and 10k, and plus are all but illegal for the last 500 miles or so

i swore i'd never take a pair of tyres this far again, cos i scrimp on so much else bike-related

the new tyres improve not just the handling but also the comfort

brake pads next - ebc HH ones, and i'll also clean the calliper and pistons up by removing each calliper, actuating one piston at a time (using wood to keep the other five in their recesses), inspecting for missing dust seals, and attacking each proud piston with a toothbrush and some detergent and water, plus possibly some brake cleaner

i was going to swap the bike's oem six pot tokicos with the four piston calliper that's used on various suzukis and the triumph sprint - i actually bought a refurb'd pair about 18 months ago with the intention of fitting them once the tokico's pads had worn out - but now I feel like although the tokicos are a bit pants, I've got used to them, and get on with em
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[Serendipity]

I picked it up....

Stupidly left it on the centre stand on a tarmac path in the back garden. I normally slip a bit of wood under the stand in warmer weather, just in case. However this time it was the crash sound that alerted me. Found it on its side with fuel pissing out of the breather.

The right foot of the centre stand had punched through the hot tarmac and over it went. The left foot has the big lever on it, so spread the weight and only dented the tarmac.

Only the 2nd time in 9 years of ownership that the CBF1000 has been dropped. No serious damage, just a couple of small marks that won't be noticed on a bike with this many city miles under its belt.

Still sad though. I knew it was a risk and was too lazy to move it.
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2007 CBF1000-ABS - Commuter heaven | 1994 CBR600FR - Awaiting defibrillation

[Easy-X]

Fitted some new Renthal diamond grips to my XSR. They're certainly more errrr... grippy than the old grips

I then went on to tinker with the baffle on the new exhaust system. As mentioned previously I'd packed way too much fibre glass in there to the point that it was barely louder than stock (The baffle's one of those ones you pop in the end with a hex screw.)

Anyhoo, I ordered a baffle of a slightly different design and just popped it in sans fibre glass and somehow I've achieved near perfection!!!

Sub 4k revs it's a bit louder but nothing dramatic so it's possible to start up, gently pull away and cruise about without pissing off the neighbours. Over 5k? All the notes! It's like going from a 3-string banjo to 1812 Overture replete with cannon Dramatic transformation.

Even the decel has taken on a rakish quality, occasionally punctuated with a light whip crack. Pure filth

Loving it, best mod I've ever done to the bike.
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Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Bhud]

Project bike MOT'd. That was its last ever MOT.

It all works, but it's not completely ready.

The front brake doesn't activate the brake switch (by design), so I'm changing it to a modern brake reservoir. Didn't feel safe taking it to the MOT and having to remember to dab the rear brake to activate the brake light.

I want to reseat my (new) front tyre as well. Plus get new shocks. And raise my handlebar. Whenever I get a free moment it gets some more work done.

[hellkat]

I went to visit the GSX750 in the garage where it has been being "sorted" and talked to the chaps who have been looking after it for me.

So one of them says to me I should only put in Super* petrol cos its an old engine and there's too much ethanol in modern petrols.

Its older than the Snarley. Should I put "only Super" petrol in that too, then?


*I have no clue. He told me not 95 if I can help it, better if its 98, and definitely not petrol from the supermarket.
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[Bhud]

[Easy-X]

What year is the bike BTW?
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Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Robby]

From memory her GSX is around 1985.

Short answer for Jen - you might as well stick to super unleaded for both. The difference in price is minimal, certainly less than the cost of fixing anything.

Longer answer. Ethanol can be harder on some parts of the fuel system, mainly rubber parts. So old fuel lines can be more affected by it, and fail. It also seems to leave more sticky residue when it evaporates, so tricky for bikes that don't get used very often. Finally, it absorbs more water from the atmosphere, which condenses out to sit in your tank as water and rust it away.

So most of the trouble from ethanol fuel is a problem from not using the bike often enough. If it gets through a tank of fuel every couple of months, unlikely to be a problem. If you are using so little fuel that you have to stop and ponder whether you get through a tank in 2 months, then the additional cost of using super unleaded is under a tenner a year, which makes this very cheap preventative maintenance.

[blurredman]

The vehicles I have tried E10 on have been an imediate problem with the running which is my foremost problem with it.

Fuel pipes and rubber o-rings and maybe gaskets etc can be changed in time.


But for immediate reaction to running e10 you might need to advance the ignition, but also increase jet sizes and maybe other things. Unless your compression is dirt low at like 8.5:1 then e10 might not change anything at all. All sorts of variables.
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CBT: 12/06/10, Theory: 22/09/10, Module 1: 09/11/10, Module 2: 19/01/11
Past: 1991 Honda CG125BR-J, 1992 (1980) Honda XL125S, 1996 Kawasaki GPZ500S.
Current: 1981 Honda CX500B - 90k, 1987 MZ ETZ250 (bored to 295cc) - 36k, 1990 MZ ETZ251 - 49k, 1979 Suzuki TS185ER - 9k, 1972 MZ ES250/2 - 16k.

[Easy-X]

MCM quite often do Ethanol builds with their cars and the ECU has a specific sensor to ascertain the proportion of petrol to Ethanol and change the map accordingly.
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Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[hellkat]

Yes, its a C reg
Thank you all for your helpful input, especially Robby
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[Bhud]

You're welcome.

However, as I don't know either of you, there is no "especially" as far as I'm concerned, and that will be the last time.

[Robby]

[blurredman]