maxheadwound
Member
this would not take up too much space in my garage
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2 wheel GAF UNITE!
- Thread starter Flo_Evans
- Start date
Drinky Crow
Banned
and the honda flat 6! and the old kawi triples, and 80s yamaha triples, and the new yamaha triple, and the triumph triples, and and and
maxheadwound
Member
A honda sort of
Fallout-NL
Member
Yeah I would like to have a go on one as well, see how much it's like the Monkey (replica, but it was more reliable than the original Honda's my friends had, haha) I had back in the day.
Drinky Crow
Banned
370 miles of western washington yesterday on the beamer. gonna ride with my brother down to ocean shores (he has a ninja 250). ibuprofen required!
Fallout-NL
Member
Awesome. So tell us, what goes into the decision of picking the F800 over the Z1000 for such a trip? Or do you just flip a coin when you step into the garage
.Yeah I seriously want one of those, been drooling over ones with a turbo fitted on haha. Would make an amazing mini supermoto!
Fallout-NL
Member
maxheadwound
Member
wow very nice... like the bare metal tank
richardhawk
Member
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QTS9JsNv1E
Finally a video of the scrambler moving. Too bad it's the rocket ship version. I was expecting the exhaust to sound a little different.
Finally a video of the scrambler moving. Too bad it's the rocket ship version. I was expecting the exhaust to sound a little different.
I've always been a bit split on the fuel thing. I like to run a tank through the bikes every now and then, and I always seem to get a lot more out of the tank with a premium. Of course this is assuming that the fuel is more than just a higher octane... I've never noticed any performance difference, and why would I if the bike wasn't designed for it. The only fuel I'd never put in the bike is the supermarket stuff, unless I was desperate.
I used to put Silkolene Pro FST additive in the Bonneville during the winter to help with its incredibly poor running before being warmed up (and carb icing, oh god the carb icing). Always did the trick.
The car has and never will see a drop of premium fuel. Of course, it's a Dacia Sandero so I can't imagine what premium would do for it.
I used to put Silkolene Pro FST additive in the Bonneville during the winter to help with its incredibly poor running before being warmed up (and carb icing, oh god the carb icing). Always did the trick.
The car has and never will see a drop of premium fuel. Of course, it's a Dacia Sandero so I can't imagine what premium would do for it.
LeroyPantwether
Member
Chevron gas stations have techron in their fuel, I usually try to fill up there as often as I can
thanks!
And extra thanks to dougald and drinky. After adjusting the idle and running a tank of gas with fuel cleaner through the system, the bike purrrrrs. No more lob lob lob lob at idle and no more stalling on the downshift to first.
Drinky Crow
Banned
startron, usually. the f800 has really lean fueling, so i toss in a shot or two every other tank just to keep the needle clean and the idle smooth.
Drinky Crow
Banned
Awesome. So tell us, what goes into the decision of picking the F800 over the Z1000 for such a trip? Or do you just flip a coin when you step into the garage
comfort! i've done a 300ish mile day on the z1000 and WOW my ass felt like prison meat. i can do 500-600 on the beamer with nary a twinge, plus heated grips, 2x 9v adapters (gps and phone charge), trip computer, mid-fairing protection etc etc etc
Awesome, glad it turned out to be a nice easy fix!
thesoapster
Member
None - never needed it. You can use what the manual says...so long as you don't get "pinging" you're fine. Going higher octane won't actually give you an advantage without some tweaks to the bike (ignition, compression, etc.).
Fixed1979
Member
Nearly all gas stations around here have a mix of ethanol. Shell V-Power (91 octane) is one of the very few grades of gas in Canada that isn't a mix ethanol, it's the only place I've ever filled up my bike.
Fallout-NL
Member
Ah right, interesting though. I would half expect the Z1000 to offer a little more comfort in terms of seat and seating position (going off its looks) - (with exception of wind protection). Heated grips are pretty great, I've often wished for those during the early spring rides.
Chinese bike had its first service today, she said she can now actually reach 60mph on the thing. I noticed they had to adjust the valve clearances already... at 300km! I've added "tighten the downpipe header bolts on her bike" to my weekly checks as they seem to slowly vibrate out otherwise - wonder if I can use threadlock there?
Should imagine so, my old KTM was held together with red loctite. Was it the running in service? I've had valve clearances done on most of those with new bikes
It was the first running in service (needs doing at 300, 1000 and 2000km, then regular services are every 2000km). The valve clearances need inspecting on every single service, and adjusting if necessary. The bikes aren't so bad at all if you keep on top of the servicing and keeping it clean as the finish is poor, but I wouldn't touch a used one with a barge pole unless it had a full service history. Really weird thing about the bike is that the choke doesn't adjust the idle speed, which I've never seen. Apparently this was a "feature" of the old Honda CG125 engine... and you can guess what the engine in this is ripped off from!
Trying to convince her to get an F650GS when she gets her full license, but I don't think it's going to happen, we have very different tastes. Nothing to report on my Street Triple, still love it.
Trying to convince her to get an F650GS when she gets her full license, but I don't think it's going to happen, we have very different tastes. Nothing to report on my Street Triple, still love it.
Mengy
wishes it were bannable to say mean things about Marvel
Man am I super excited. Tomorrow morning I leave for the Smoky Mountain area. We have a cabin for the week and get to ride all over the mountains of NC and TN for a whole week. I've been there several times so I get to play tour guide in a way, but I'm fine with that. For the rest of the group it's their first time on the likes of the Tail of the Dragon, the Cherohala Skyway, Hellbender 28, the Devil's Whip, and even the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Anyone else here really love the Smokies for motorcycling?
Anyone else here really love the Smokies for motorcycling?
Drinky Crow
Banned
why a cheap chinese bike, though? would she ride a suzuki tu250x or gw250? those two are indestructable. or a decent mid-size scooter like a forza?
Licensing in the UK doesn't allow for that, has to be no more than 125cc and barely any horsepower until you get your A license.. When you compare a 15 year old cg125 and a brand new bike for the same price... She could have had something like a cbr125 but just couldn't afford it.
It'll be sold the moment she can get her direct access license. As its really only for learning on, there's no need to get anything good
In about a year she'll move up to something like a GPZ500 or a GS500
Well yeah, if your premium is the only one without ethanol then it's worth it but if all the gas has ethanol then there's no point in using premium in a bike (or really any engine) that can take regular.
Fallout-NL
Member
The story goes it caused quite a lot of (American) Ducati gas tanks to expand due to them being plastic (which apparently does not play all that well with ethanol).
XT Vengeance
Member
From what I hear it is terrible for small engines. I use the Shell V-Power premium in my Shadow to avoid the ethanol as well.
thesoapster
Member
If an engine is tuned properly for ethanol, it should be fine, in theory. That would explain flex cars, at least. I've never had any problems. I usually hear ethanol woes about old bikes, lawnmowers, weed whackers, etc. There is the chance of phase separation between the two, but that takes quite a long time of sitting still.
Over the past few days I've become a lot more comfortable on my bike... My chicken strips on the rear are almost completely gone.
One strange thing I noticed, though... I seem to be more comfortable with left turns than right ones... My brother noticed the same thing, and sure as shit, we both have a few millimeters more of untouched material on the right sides of our tires compared to the left...
The weird thing is, he's left handed, and I'm right. I figured it would have something to do with the dominant hand... Anyone know what the cause of this might be?
One strange thing I noticed, though... I seem to be more comfortable with left turns than right ones... My brother noticed the same thing, and sure as shit, we both have a few millimeters more of untouched material on the right sides of our tires compared to the left...
The weird thing is, he's left handed, and I'm right. I figured it would have something to do with the dominant hand... Anyone know what the cause of this might be?
Funny you should say that, I always had a problem turning right when I was new (and I'm right handed). Can't even say it was because I liked having the larger turning circle coming around a junction, because we drive on the left here!
Eventually it went away with experience. The problem I had was "I can't turn right" somehow got stuck in my head, which made me worse at turning right!
Eventually it went away with experience. The problem I had was "I can't turn right" somehow got stuck in my head, which made me worse at turning right!
Picture of what I'm talking about. Only in the last couple days did I start pushing past the yellow there.
I don't even consciously feel more uncomfortable when I'm turning right, but apparently my subconscious is holding me back for some reason... Ah well.
Unrelated, where's a good place to get license plate covers? I'd like to stop advertising for RIDE at some point, as cool as they are. Edit: Nvm, just picked up a matte black metal one from Amazon.
thesoapster
Member
I'm pretty sure almost everyone turns left better, regardless of which hand is favored. It just takes practice. I've found that I seem to actually make a lot more left turns than right - or at least the wear amount on my last front indicates this. I don't know if I'm subconsciously picking routes that have a lot more left turns or what (and I rarely do an exact backtrack of the route). I actually think I turn right a little better now, as my last two crashes happened in a left lean...I think it's messing with my mind
Fallout-NL
Member
My left turns are way better as well. And I've got the least amount of chicken strip on my Buell X1, like considerably less than on the Ducm Could it be a better bike than the Monster 1100? Perhaps I should have someone really dial in the suspension on the Ducati, or switch to Michelin there as well...
Huh, you know... That actually makes sense.
Drinky Crow
Banned
cycle gear in lynnwood. i need to roll over there sometime soon myself.
Drinky Crow
Banned
no chicken strips on the f800st, but i have a bit on the z -- it's heavier and i still tend to enter corners slower on it. they'll go in time! (i also did a track day on the f800st, so i kinda cheated.)
edit: also, brag time! i was taking the vespa in to get an manufacturer ecu reflash, and the tech gal said "man, you must ride the shit out of this thing!" worried that this presaged some awful (read: expensive) revelation, i said "uh, not THAT hard, what's wrong" and she laughed and said "first vespa i've seen without chicken strips". true story, i *do* ride that little 278cc bitch like i stole it, and have nearly gotten a knee down countless times. it's just so easy to throw over doing 30 mph intersection turns!
edit: also, brag time! i was taking the vespa in to get an manufacturer ecu reflash, and the tech gal said "man, you must ride the shit out of this thing!" worried that this presaged some awful (read: expensive) revelation, i said "uh, not THAT hard, what's wrong" and she laughed and said "first vespa i've seen without chicken strips". true story, i *do* ride that little 278cc bitch like i stole it, and have nearly gotten a knee down countless times. it's just so easy to throw over doing 30 mph intersection turns!
Drinky Crow
Banned
also a great article from a sport biker on the vespa hooligan life: http://rideapart.com/2014/05/loaner-report-2012-vespa-gts-250-ie/
huh, was removed. wtf
huh, was removed. wtf
thesoapster
Member
My chicken strips on the rear used to look like this:
The right side was about the same. Now I move at the same pace or faster (especially through turns), but I'm back to having larger chicken strips (1" or so). A few things changed. After California Superbike School, I really started focusing a lot on lines, and getting on the line when entering a turn as quickly as possible. Much less lean angle is needed if you get on line quick enough, and you can immediately start adding gas. One thing I stopped doing quite a while ago was adding throttle and lean angle simultaneously - bad habit! Don't do it.
The right side was about the same. Now I move at the same pace or faster (especially through turns), but I'm back to having larger chicken strips (1" or so). A few things changed. After California Superbike School, I really started focusing a lot on lines, and getting on the line when entering a turn as quickly as possible. Much less lean angle is needed if you get on line quick enough, and you can immediately start adding gas. One thing I stopped doing quite a while ago was adding throttle and lean angle simultaneously - bad habit! Don't do it.
maxheadwound
Member
I have spent the whole weekend filing down my tyres so that I can have smaller chicken fillets.... just joking. Thanks for the tips.