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2 wheel GAF UNITE!

D

Drinky Crow

Banned
well. i put ~10k miles on ptw vehicles this spring/summer. 600 on the ol' shiver, 3500 on the bv 350 scoot, 3000 on the sfv 650, a little over 2200 on the ctx, and around 600-700 across my brother's ninja 250, my wife's pcx 150 scoot, and the neighbor's ruckus. can't keep me off these fuckin' things! GOD THE SERVICE CHARGES WTF
 
D

Drinky Crow

Banned
monchi-kun said:
Rode a bit more over the weekend as the country roads weren't busy. I'm starting to get a feel for my upshifts but downshifts are still a challenge. The CBR250R is a really fun bike. Yeah the power isn't there but once you get over that you can start to focus on having fun. Right around sunset I see another rider crossing the other direction and we do the motorcycle wave. Highlight of the labor day weekend right there :D
Click to expand...

blip the throttle -right- before you downshift. this matches engine speed to tire speed, and you can let the clutch out faster -- and there's no grindy feel. it takes a little practice to find the right amount of blip for the bike/gear/rev, but once you master it, your slowing will smooth waaayyy out. after that, try front braking + blip downshift at the same time!

(i find lower gears require a good roaring blip on my 650, but i also tend to run them at higher revs. my ctx 700, on the other hand, is a torquey low rev bike, and requires only a tiny blip when downshifting in any gear.)
 
D

Drinky Crow

Banned
weight isn't an issue as much as the center of gravity and the rake of the fork. a high cog plus a steep rake is ass, and riding a v-strom or super tenere in the city is something i never wish to repeat. at least beamer adv rides have telelever front suspensions to keep the nose from diving so crazy...
 
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phazedplasma

Member
colani.racer.rider.jpg

colani.racer.sticker.1.jpg
 
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Watevaman

Member
I've heard some crazy things about cross sections on bikes, so I wonder what riding a motorcycle like that would be like. I imagine the front wheel would have a similar effect as a rudder on a boat does, not so sure it'd be comfortable.
 
D

Dougald

Member
monchi-kun said:
So any advice on riding with gusty winds?
Click to expand...

Err, it's *really* not fun for me! I generally just slow down a little and try to remain calm. Unless the wind is really bad you generally find your body automatically compensates by leaning in.

Honestly it's all about confidence really. The last time I did it we had gale force winds, it was pitch dark in the middle of winter and really heavy rain. I just ended up pulling into a motorway service area and getting a coffee until things died down as it was way above my comfort zone (though I was passed by about 3 guys on sportbikes, I guess their thinking was the faster you go the less rain on your visor!)

The ST1100 behaved like an umbrella in gale force winds anyway, it was so large it really picked up gusts. I tend to find that the smaller bikes are a bit better oddly. Just watch yourself when you're stopped at lights, you can really feel the bike lean in high winds!
 
Fixed1979

Fixed1979

Member
Alright, I said fuck it. I'm taking our work truck and renting a U-Haul trailer to pick it up next week (assuming delivery isn't delayed). The closest dealer is 400km south so that's a bit of a pain, but it's the bike I want... If I drop it or wipe I'll let you guys know so those who were against can say they told me so! Can't wait for it to show up.

I don't have any of the options ordered so it'll be bare. I figured that we probably only have 4 reasonable weeks of riding left before the weather goes to shit so it might be fun to install some items over the winter.
Triumph-2013-Street-Triple-R.jpg
Click to expand...
 
F

Flo_Evans

Member
Fixed1979 said:
Alright, I said fuck it. I'm taking our work truck and renting a U-Haul trailer to pick it up next week (assuming delivery isn't delayed). The closest dealer is 400km south so that's a bit of a pain, but it's the bike I want... If I drop it or wipe I'll let you guys know so those who were against can say they told me so! Can't wait for it to show up.

I don't have any of the options ordered so it'll be bare. I figured that we probably only have 4 reasonable weeks of riding left before the weather goes to shit so it might be fun to install some items over the winter.
Click to expand...

Nice...

I just saw one of these in person at the triumph/Ducati dealer. Looks sick.
 
M

monchi-kun

Member
Fixed1979 said:
Alright, I said fuck it. I'm taking our work truck and renting a U-Haul trailer to pick it up next week (assuming delivery isn't delayed). The closest dealer is 400km south so that's a bit of a pain, but it's the bike I want... If I drop it or wipe I'll let you guys know so those who were against can say they told me so! Can't wait for it to show up.

I don't have any of the options ordered so it'll be bare. I figured that we probably only have 4 reasonable weeks of riding left before the weather goes to shit so it might be fun to install some items over the winter.
Click to expand...

Man, i want that bike so bad, definitely what I would like to upgrade to after my CBR250R! Knowing the power this sucker has I would probably not take it out for a commute and spend a solid month just getting to know this lady.
 
Fixed1979

Fixed1979

Member
monchi-kun said:
Man, i want that bike so bad, definitely what I would like to upgrade to after my CBR250R! Knowing the power this sucker has I would probably not take it out for a commute and spend a solid month just getting to know this lady.
Click to expand...

I'll definitely post some pics and a newbie review. I booked next Friday off of work in anticipation, though they haven't been given me a specific date as of yet. If it's not ready by next Saturday I'll be sorely disappointed.
 
G

Gritesh

Member
So I have been enjoying my Ducati Monster alot lately, tonight I took the wife out for a tour and on the way home I noticed that the bike felt like it was getting hotter than normal.

When I got home and shut the bike off it was EXCEPTIONALLY hot on the frame and under the seat.

I am nearing the first 1000km maintenance which also means an oil change is due, I checked the colour of the oil in the window and its a deep black sludge...it wasn't like this about 600km's ago it was a nice golden colour.

Question: Once the oil gets packed up with that crap, will it cause the engine to run hotter than normal due to the breakdown of the oil and the collection of crap in it?

I honestly don't want to ride it anymore, the first maintenance is scheduled for next week, but I am wondering if I should do an oil change before I even ride it again.
 
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Watevaman

Member
Gritesh said:
So I have been enjoying my Ducati Monster alot lately, tonight I took the wife out for a tour and on the way home I noticed that the bike felt like it was getting hotter than normal.

When I got home and shut the bike off it was EXCEPTIONALLY hot on the frame and under the seat.

I am nearing the first 1000km maintenance which also means an oil change is due, I checked the colour of the oil in the window and its a deep black sludge...it wasn't like this about 600km's ago it was a nice golden colour.

Question: Once the oil gets packed up with that crap, will it cause the engine to run hotter than normal due to the breakdown of the oil and the collection of crap in it?

I honestly don't want to ride it anymore, the first maintenance is scheduled for next week, but I am wondering if I should do an oil change before I even ride it again.
Click to expand...

Oil gets filthy, don't sweat it. If it's overheating it will let you know (do Monsters have a temp gauge?) and you'd notice it in the performance.

The one reason the oil is particularly dirty in the first 1000k's is that it's also got to pick up any metal shavings and loose bits that may have worked themselves loose while you were breaking the engine in. That's also why it's essential to change it pretty early, as you don't want those bits rubbing around on stuff.
 
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Gritesh

Member
I just popped the gas cap lid, i was worried about it being hot, and it looked like the tank had expanded, I was right. As soon as I cracked the seal the tank went down in size.. I have read about this issue before.

I wonder if its a combination of it being exceptionally hot out today, me doubling my wife, and shitty oil that caused it to heat up this way. Either way its going in for first maintenance next week so I'm sure if there is anything to be concerned about they will let me know.
 
G

Gritesh

Member
Yeah its gas tank expansion, its a common thing on the monsters..


There is a line that bleeds off excess pressure that the tank experiences but sometimes it becomes plugged or pinched and the tank expands under really hot temps, its a combination of low fuel in the tank so the tank heats up, and the fact that the bike is air cooled so there is no actual coolant to take the heat away from the engine.

People have made posts before about gasoline shooting out of the tank when they popped the cap lol
 
G

Gritesh

Member
No it doesn't


The ducati tank is made of plastic, and the ethanol in the fuel in north america penetrates the plastic and allows it to absorb some moisture into the tank..The result is unwanted expansion, it can be so bad it ruptures the tank or breaks the tank seal forcing the user to have Ducati replace the tank under warranty.

I will bring it up with the dealer next week.
 
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GONZO

Member
Gritesh said:
So I have been enjoying my Ducati Monster alot lately, tonight I took the wife out for a tour and on the way home I noticed that the bike felt like it was getting hotter than normal.

When I got home and shut the bike off it was EXCEPTIONALLY hot on the frame and under the seat.

I am nearing the first 1000km maintenance which also means an oil change is due, I checked the colour of the oil in the window and its a deep black sludge...it wasn't like this about 600km's ago it was a nice golden colour.

Question: Once the oil gets packed up with that crap, will it cause the engine to run hotter than normal due to the breakdown of the oil and the collection of crap in it?

I honestly don't want to ride it anymore, the first maintenance is scheduled for next week, but I am wondering if I should do an oil change before I even ride it again.
Click to expand...

Engine will not run hotter with older oil. The monster is an air cooled bike so it will always be a little hot. My monster was this way normally. Nothing to worry about, the bike will never overheat. Its an air cooled engine :)
 
G

Gritesh

Member
GONZO said:
Engine will not run hotter with older oil. The monster is an air cooled bike so it will always be a little hot. My monster was this way normally. Nothing to worry about, the bike will never overheat. Its an air cooled engine :)
Click to expand...

Yeah I know that

I never had this issue with this much pressure building up in the tank before though, so not sure what to make of that.


Maybe it was just a result of the above 30 Celsius temps, doubling my wife, and city riding that made it hotter than usual. Then I parked the bike and the heat rose into the plastic tank, doing whatever causing it to build up pressure.

I did some research and there is supposed to be a breather tube for the tank to allow it to vent, people say it can get blocked and that can cause the issue so we will see.

This is one of the reasons why I bought brand new, Warranty, let the dealer worry about it so I don't have to.
 
G

Gritesh

Member
There are one chain of gas stations here that sell ethanol free gas, im going to start running that too.

Lesson learned i guess.
xa
 
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monchi-kun

Member
The non-metal tank is what attracted me to the Ducati Monster as it made it one of the lighter bikes in its class. Too bad there's a downside to it.
 
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GONZO

Member
I've owned new generation monsters since 2009. I've never had an issue with tank expansion. But then again gas never sits in my tanks for too long. And that is really the key to avoid issues with plastic gas tanks, never let the gas sit in it for too long. My EVO had 12K miles on it in two years. And all the gas I put in it had ethanol in it. My 696 before that had 9k with ethanol gas. As long as you don't let the gas sit in it and actually ride the bike you'll be fine. During storage I just made sure to put fuel stabilizer in the gas and I ran the bike for a little while every couple of weeks. Temp changes are what usually caused my tank to vent gas when I opened the fill cap.
 
D

Dougald

Member
I heard that ethanol crap you guys have can absolutely ruin some bike engines.

If I had the option, even if it meant going a little further and/or paying a little more, I'd avoid it entirely.



...and as has been said, the oil will turn black, that's normal! I like to change mine more often than it says on the service schedule, and with decent-branded stuff. Maybe I'm just OCD, but an oil change is one of the easiest things you can do yourself and it's the life-blood of your vehicle.
 
F

Fallout-NL

Member
Eh yeah, ethanol and Ducati gas tanks don't mix.

And in warm weather the air-cooled engine gets hot as hell, it's pretty normal.

Fixed1979 said:
Alright, I said fuck it. I'm taking our work truck and renting a U-Haul trailer to pick it up next week (assuming delivery isn't delayed). The closest dealer is 400km south so that's a bit of a pain, but it's the bike I want... If I drop it or wipe I'll let you guys know so those who were against can say they told me so! Can't wait for it to show up.

I don't have any of the options ordered so it'll be bare. I figured that we probably only have 4 reasonable weeks of riding left before the weather goes to shit so it might be fun to install some items over the winter.
Click to expand...

Congrats, you should be fine if you manage to restrain yourself. That thing is tied with the Monster for best (and easiest) handling out there (even better according to some).
 
Fixed1979

Fixed1979

Member
Dougald said:
I heard that ethanol crap you guys have can absolutely ruin some bike engines.

If I had the option, even if it meant going a little further and/or paying a little more, I'd avoid it entirely.
Click to expand...

I've heard the same, but it's nearly impossible to avoid here in Canada unless you really pay attention, I was shocked to find out that they don't have to even tell you on the pump if it's an ethanol blend. I've been trying not to worry about it too much because it's kind of frustrating to try to find out what's true and what isn't. I also don't pay for gas at a specific chain so that's where I fuel my car up regardless. I'll have to ask some people around town where they fill up their bikes.

Fallout-NL said:
Congrats, you should be fine if you manage to restrain yourself. That thing is tied with the Monster for best (and easiest) handling out there (even better according to some).
Click to expand...
Thanks, I'll definitely be taking my time.
 
F

Flo_Evans

Member
Dougald said:
I heard that ethanol crap you guys have can absolutely ruin some bike engines.

If I had the option, even if it meant going a little further and/or paying a little more, I'd avoid it entirely.



...and as has been said, the oil will turn black, that's normal! I like to change mine more often than it says on the service schedule, and with decent-branded stuff. Maybe I'm just OCD, but an oil change is one of the easiest things you can do yourself and it's the life-blood of your vehicle.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately around here the only place to get ethanol free is the track or down at the lake.

Ugh and I just changed my oil last night. Pain in the ass on my bike, it has a separate oil reservoir you have to drain, conveniently located so it sprays oil all over the exhaust. Then you have to take off a bunch of crap to get to filter, which also leaks oil everywhere when you take it off.

Bike is happy though, running strong :)

I actually test drove the new monster 796 yesterday. I want another one so bad. My buddy stopped by with my old 750 and I gave it a go for old time sake. He really trashed that thing... let it sit for way too long. Top end is gone :(

After being used to a dual sport for so long the riding position/ergos of the monster are strange. Took awhile to adjust. Then my bike felt freaky when I got back on it :p
 
O

opticalmace

Member
monchi-kun said:
As a bike noob, how much time should I put into streetbikes before attempting adventure riding? This looks like a lot of fun!
Click to expand...

Some people actually recommend starting in the dirt before going to the street, so I'm pretty sure anytime is a good time.

This is my first season on a bike (street), but I'm looking to find some offroad for my next bike.
 
D

Dougald

Member
monchi-kun said:
As a bike noob, how much time should I put into streetbikes before attempting adventure riding? This looks like a lot of fun!
Click to expand...

Get/rent a little offroad bike and give it a go? I keep meaning to book some greenlaning lessons at some point. I figure you'll learn a lot that can be applied to your street riding. At the very least you'll learn to pick up a dropped bike...


My entire off-road experience is limited to riding my triumph around a field in France, but that was fun and I'd like to get more into it..
 
Fixed1979

Fixed1979

Member
opticalmace said:
Some people actually recommend starting in the dirt before going to the street, so I'm pretty sure anytime is a good time.

This is my first season on a bike (street), but I'm looking to find some offroad for my next bike.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it should get you used to things like looking around obstacles in the path and dealing with wheel spin/slippage, the sorts of things that only come up every once and awhile on a road bike which could cause a bit of panic or a mistake by a new rider.


I've been watching a few "Jake the Gardensnake(sic)" videos on YouTube and it totally has me wanting to jump on one of those supermotos for on/off road fun. Seems like a perfectly fun way to let your inner hooligan out.
 
D

Drinky Crow

Banned
Dougald said:
I heard that ethanol crap you guys have can absolutely ruin some bike engines.

If I had the option, even if it meant going a little further and/or paying a little more, I'd avoid it entirely.



...and as has been said, the oil will turn black, that's normal! I like to change mine more often than it says on the service schedule, and with decent-branded stuff. Maybe I'm just OCD, but an oil change is one of the easiest things you can do yourself and it's the life-blood of your vehicle.
Click to expand...

i dump fuel stabilizer (sta-bil is cheap at any auto parts store) in every tank. this ethanol shit is awful. fuck al gore!
 
T

thesoapster

Member
Al Gore? lol

And the majority of engines are fine on E10. The only reason you'd have to worry is if the same gas sits for a very long time (many months) unused without stabilizer or anything else. You'd probably only have to use it just for that reason...long term storage. Winter storage for me (MD winters so a few months in a row) has been fine on every bike owned.
 
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Watevaman

Member
I'm in a place with a fairly cold winter and I didn't garage it over the winter. Hell, I put on most of my miles in the winter because I had a lot of free time. Coldest I rode in was 18F but I'm not going to say that was comfortable heh.

However, this winter will probably be garaged. I brought my GS500 to school and I don't like the fact that it's outside (even with a cover). Already have some rust spots on my brand new (~3k miles) EK chain because of moisture. I'm hoping to get it back home and stick it on a tender for the winter months.
 
D

Dougald

Member
Will be riding all winter here.. except in the snow. I hate you damn Californians with your warm weather and your skies that aren't constantly grey.

Gotta pick up those heated gloves soon..!


Edit: that Honda looks awesome. They are really trying to hit back at the cheap Chinese bikes that flood the EU learner market. Though my favourite 125 personally is the KTM Duke 125, but that's crazy money for such a small displacement.
 
M

maxheadwound

Member
Come on man its not that bad (thats what I keep telling myself).... we had some good weather and we do need a bit of rain. lol

I also try and ride through the winter but last year I was off the bike for 3 weeks as the snow was a bit much. And I love my no claims bonus hehe
 
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