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2 wheel GAF UNITE!
- Thread starter Flo_Evans
- Start date
Fallout-NL
Member
^ Lookin' sharp Doug.
Ugh that sucks.
I think they're aware of what kind of bike they're on. Replaced all the seals of the Showa front forks on my Buells too
.
Ugh that sucks.
But the shock was a Showa part
I think they're aware of what kind of bike they're on. Replaced all the seals of the Showa front forks on my Buells too
.Fallout-NL
Member
Bent Brembo brake-discs on my Monster 1100 after less than 10k kilometers seems to corroborate that theory.
Hmm, probably the same ones that ship to Aprilia, I warped the supposedly warp proof 'floating' brembo discs after 15k
Fallout-NL
Member
Yeah, such bullshit if you ask me. Then the dealership has the nerve to imply you didn't let go of hot brakes during stops or someone 'knocked something into them'. Pfff after 6000 miles and absolutely zero track use those brakes should have barely been broken in.
maxheadwound
Member
But the shock was a Showa part
how old is the bike... I would thought they would fix that under warranty as that shock should last a very long time and must be capable of handling allot of abuse.
thesoapster
Member
The OEM Brembo rotors are still working well on the R1. 31k miles or so...*shrug*
Drinky Crow
Banned
oem brembos on my f800st are fine after 10k miles
Its a 2006 so well out of warranty. I think what happened was the previous owner took the dirt guard off to fit side panels and a rear fender extension.That left the shock assembly exposed enough over time that dirt got onto the piston and scoured it it enough to make the seals useless. Not to mention the last 5000km have been nothing but fire trails, gravel pits and all of the worst roads around the mountains outside Dublin.
maxheadwound
Member
At least you are getting good use out of this machine as most GS riders only use the bike on the road. As it start to get wetter and the roads just becomes covered in mud I do miss my GS. The upright position does make it much more comfortable. Hope you get it sorted out.
maxheadwound
Member
thesoapster
Member
Fucking nuts. I approve.
Drinky Crow
Banned
befarkled with: windscreen, belly pan, frame sliders, bar end mirrors, black brake fluid cup.
opticalmace
Member
2 Wheel GAF UNITE! |OT2| Everything was STriple
Drinky Crow
Banned
knew i shoulda got a daytona instead! ah well, i spose the striple is now the official neogaf two-wheeled ride
aygomyownroad
Member
I was hoping one of you bikers could help me?
My best friend has given me a voucher for bike lessons, in the UK and I have driven cars since 17 (im 30), a place near me where the voucher is do some great lessons and packages so tempted to try it out and if I like it go for it all.
He rides a Harley Davidson 883 Iron and my partner loves harleys.
Question is does anyone have a website that has rankings of motorbikes in different catagories? Can find them with cars but never bikes.
And if I pass the tests etc what cc is best to start off with. Don't want to go straight to a Harley as there will be falls and definitely don't want to ruin a bike like that.
My best friend has given me a voucher for bike lessons, in the UK and I have driven cars since 17 (im 30), a place near me where the voucher is do some great lessons and packages so tempted to try it out and if I like it go for it all.
He rides a Harley Davidson 883 Iron and my partner loves harleys.
Question is does anyone have a website that has rankings of motorbikes in different catagories? Can find them with cars but never bikes.
And if I pass the tests etc what cc is best to start off with. Don't want to go straight to a Harley as there will be falls and definitely don't want to ruin a bike like that.
What kind of categories? If you mean the license categories then most manufacturers will say, if for types of bikes, mcn and autotrader both list by category (mcn has lots of historical reviews too)
If you are going for your class A DAS in the UK then as a rough guide based on you liking Harleys, I would suggest an 883, Bonneville, Kawasaki W800, Guzzi V7 or similar would be fine. If you want a rough cc guide you should be set on anything but the sportiest bikes under 600cc, and any of the classic-looking bikes under a litre. You have to do your test on a bike around that size for the class A so you shouldn't really have any trouble. Stay away from anything over a litre
The training in the UK is a bit of a slog but you have to meet quite a high standard for the full license. I started on a Bonneville, my sides first real bike was a CBR600f. Just don't go buying a massive great cruiser or a Fireblade or something.
If you are going for your class A DAS in the UK then as a rough guide based on you liking Harleys, I would suggest an 883, Bonneville, Kawasaki W800, Guzzi V7 or similar would be fine. If you want a rough cc guide you should be set on anything but the sportiest bikes under 600cc, and any of the classic-looking bikes under a litre. You have to do your test on a bike around that size for the class A so you shouldn't really have any trouble. Stay away from anything over a litre
The training in the UK is a bit of a slog but you have to meet quite a high standard for the full license. I started on a Bonneville, my sides first real bike was a CBR600f. Just don't go buying a massive great cruiser or a Fireblade or something.
aygomyownroad
Member
Yeah I was thinking of a 600cc bike maximum If I decide to go through with it. But Will look at some of the licence details, find out a bit more.
The jist is, at 30, you're going to want to go straight for a class A license. You can only do that after 25, but there is no reason to get a lower category as there is no longer an automatic upgrade between license categories
You'll need to complete:
- CBT Certificate (basically your first lesson), which allows you to ride on the road with L-plates any motorcycle upto 125cc for 2 years
- Theory Test (almost identical to the car theory test)
- Module 1 Test (cone maneuvers in a large car park)
- Module 2 Test (basically the UK car test, but without any maneuvers as these are covered in mod 1)
You need a valid CBT+Theory to take Module 1, and all 3 to take Module 2. You don't need a Theory to do the CBT.
If you want, you can just take the CBT and buy a 125cc bike and ride that with L-plates for a year or so to get some experience, but I feel its better to just go straight for the full license if your aim is to get something with more than ten horsepower.
You'll need to complete:
- CBT Certificate (basically your first lesson), which allows you to ride on the road with L-plates any motorcycle upto 125cc for 2 years
- Theory Test (almost identical to the car theory test)
- Module 1 Test (cone maneuvers in a large car park)
- Module 2 Test (basically the UK car test, but without any maneuvers as these are covered in mod 1)
You need a valid CBT+Theory to take Module 1, and all 3 to take Module 2. You don't need a Theory to do the CBT.
If you want, you can just take the CBT and buy a 125cc bike and ride that with L-plates for a year or so to get some experience, but I feel its better to just go straight for the full license if your aim is to get something with more than ten horsepower.
My bike has been doing this annoying swaying while riding down at constant speed/constant throttle back and forth, its a ninja 300 so it isnt a carb issue. It got so bad to a point that my whole body shook with it so I adjusted chain slack to spec (.8" to 1.2") and it got better but its still there specially when Im doing 6,000-8,000 rpm. Could the chain and sprocket set be toast after only around 6,000 miles? Reason why Im thinking about those being the culprit is that it feels to me like the chain momentarily lets go of the sprocket creating the sinusoidal pattern in acceleration
Drinky Crow
Banned
cc is kinda irrelevant. for cruisers, weight and the distribution of that weight determines whether you'll have a lot of low speed drops learning. cruisers at speed are functionally identical in general clutch/throttle behavior, so once you get low speed down, displacement isn't an issue. if you live in a city or do a lot of stop-and-go, big cruisers lose their charm quickly. it takes some real training to sling 800+ lbs of steel around in a tight, cambered parking lot full of potholes, curb materials, and lurching idiots.
for other bikes, displacement isn't as big as weight/distribution, clutch action, and throttle response. the latter two reasons are why a little, light 600cc sportbike ain't great as a starter, and the former is why a tall, heavy adventure bike is bad for a n00b. supersports -- i4 supersports in particular -- require good low-speed clutch skills to manage the early limited torque, and turn into teleportation devices with even marginal twists of the wrist as revs climb in any gear.
my advice?
if you wanna become a track star, START ON A 250 or 300. (cbr250/300r; kawi ninja 250/300; yamaha r3; even a ktm rc390) you cannot be murdered by the throttle on these bikes, and you will actually learn how to shift well and manage revs without 100+ speeds.
if you wanna keep your chrome nice on a future expensive cruiser, start on a used middleweight (650 to 900cc, under 600 lbs) ride. (suzuki boulevard m/c50; kawi vulcan s; honda shadow; triumph speedmaster/america; yamaha/star 850; hd sportster 883) you'll drop it a fair few times, and therefore used will make you less inclined to roll around in the ditch in the fetal position after a good ol' panicky front brake grab mid-turn scatters chromey bits all over an intersection.
if you wanna become a serious general anywhere/anytime road jockey, get a good 500 to 800cc standard with smooth fueling (non-notchy throttle) and a decent suspension. (yamaha fz-07; honda's 500s; bmw's f/g650; even a triumph bonnie which is a bit heavy but has a lazy lump of a parallel twin) you'll probably never outgrow it.
if you wanna be an adv part-time dirt stud, get a 250cc dual sport. learn dirt, and THEN aim for the big 800-1200cc ewan macgregor dressage poseur bikes. ;-D
if you're potentially a hardcore urban commuter, just get a 150 to 300cc scooter and hoon the fuck out learning traffic and master-level low-speed skillz for a year.
Drinky Crow
Banned
also, some cruiser porn:
wa state is one hella beautiful place.
wa state is one hella beautiful place.
Fallout-NL
Member
^ Good stuff, that Triple too. Love what you've done with it.
Swaying in what manner specifically? Sideways?
Swaying in what manner specifically? Sideways?
maxheadwound
Member
befarkled with: windscreen, belly pan, frame sliders, bar end mirrors, black brake fluid cup.
Hey man that is a good looking bike. Before my next bike I am going to go and test drive the speedT and the streetT. Just to get it out of my system as I am leaning towards that look allot
aygomyownroad
Member
Thank you drinky cow. Your banned but the post is great advice.
Looking at 250 to 300cc bikes see what's out there.
Looking at 250 to 300cc bikes see what's out there.
You will find that 250-300cc bikes are very uncommon in the UK unless you are buying very recent/new. They are getting more popular now that 19-25 year olds doing their test for the first time are limited in what they can ride to, in practice, under 500cc, but finding anything beyond about 3 years old I suspect will be a challenge
If you are taking the license and not just sitting on L-plates, you'll be doing it on a 600cc bike these days
If you are taking the license and not just sitting on L-plates, you'll be doing it on a 600cc bike these days
Drinky Crow
Banned
i still got the tuono jones but triumph's triple is a miracle engine with an amazing transmission. i think everyone needs to ride one once.
maxheadwound
Member
Is that the Street or Speed you have there?
No, front to back. I can even hear the transmission whine go waaa...waaaa....waaaa as load cicles while Im maintaining the same speed if that makes sense.
Drinky Crow
Banned
street. almost got the speed but decided to limit spend to the insurance payout + farkles.
Fallout-NL
Member
That is quite odd. Though I did feel some weird shit on my old YZF750R when the chain was in need of tightening. But since you already took care of that... Perhaps something with the clutch? Though that would have a very specific, easily identified feel to it and would (probably) only occur when increasing amounts of power are applied. Maybe you should take it to a mechanic or ask around on a Ninja 300 specific forum. There's a couple of Ninja 300 owners here, but I've never heard them report on something like this.
Also, the chain slipping (or skipping) over the sprocket seems nigh impossible. You'd have to have worn down those parts to the absolute ragged edge before it starts doing something like that. I think it would also feel a lot more violent than what you're experiencing now.
blackprophesy
Member
My current ride
I've only had it 6 or so weeks but has been great fun riding it while doing my Direct Access. Passed my Mod 2 last week so now looking at something bigger. Will likely keep the Grom for a while as it is so cheap to run and great fun around town.
Shortlist for number two is the 2015 BMW F800R, CBR650F, Yamaha Diversion, and the Kawasaki Versys (2015).
I've only had it 6 or so weeks but has been great fun riding it while doing my Direct Access. Passed my Mod 2 last week so now looking at something bigger. Will likely keep the Grom for a while as it is so cheap to run and great fun around town.
Shortlist for number two is the 2015 BMW F800R, CBR650F, Yamaha Diversion, and the Kawasaki Versys (2015).
Ahhh you have an MSX125/Grom! A lot of us here (myself included) will be very jealous, is it as much fun to ride as it looks?
If you like the adventure-y style, have you considered a Suzuki V-Strom 650? I always quite fancied one of those. The Tiger 800 is pretty fun too, though I'd rather have the BMW.
If you like the adventure-y style, have you considered a Suzuki V-Strom 650? I always quite fancied one of those. The Tiger 800 is pretty fun too, though I'd rather have the BMW.
blackprophesy
Member
Yeah it is great fun. As soon as I test rode it I knew I had to have it.
It's just unfortunate it's not really that well suited to the type of riding I need to do. It tops out at 60 on a good day...hit a hill and a headwind and it's done for, but then that's not what it's designed for either. Around town up to 30-40mph it's an absolute blast.
And no I hadn't thought of the V-Strom. That's got the SV650 engine in it hasn't it? That is by all accounts a superb engine.
It's just unfortunate it's not really that well suited to the type of riding I need to do. It tops out at 60 on a good day...hit a hill and a headwind and it's done for, but then that's not what it's designed for either. Around town up to 30-40mph it's an absolute blast.
And no I hadn't thought of the V-Strom. That's got the SV650 engine in it hasn't it? That is by all accounts a superb engine.
Yes it's the same V-Twin, I heard that its so good theres almost no point in going for the V-Strom 1000. Of course it's a Suzuki so it'll probably feel a bit cheaper than the others... because it is! My shortlist when I replace the St3 is currently that or a Ducati Scrambler
Or you could buy a Street Triple like everyone else in this thread! But that's not that great for regular motorway runs due to the lack of fairing. What are your requirements?
Or you could buy a Street Triple like everyone else in this thread! But that's not that great for regular motorway runs due to the lack of fairing. What are your requirements?
maxheadwound
Member
My current ride
I've only had it 6 or so weeks but has been great fun riding it while doing my Direct Access. Passed my Mod 2 last week so now looking at something bigger. Will likely keep the Grom for a while as it is so cheap to run and great fun around town.
Shortlist for number two is the 2015 BMW F800R, CBR650F, Yamaha Diversion, and the Kawasaki Versys (2015).
Damn that was on my list... test rode it and loved it. Foot out cornering. Enjoy the bike man its great fun
Thanks for the tips... I dropped it off at the dealership today and I'm expecting to be told that its somehow my fault. Will report with the damage outcome. All I could have possibly done wrong was neglecting to lube the chain now and then. On the way to the dealership I kept hearing and feeling a "crunch....crunch....crunch" regardless of gear or clutch engaged/disengaged.
I really dont want to dump any money into this bike since I was planning on upgrading come tax return season...
Fallout-NL
Member
My current ride
Shortlist for number two is the 2015 BMW F800R, CBR650F, Yamaha Diversion, and the Kawasaki Versys (2015).
Dougald is right. I am jealous! Would love to ride one of those sometime.
As you should. It looks absolutely gorgeous. In those colors especially.
I hope it's something minor. Be sure to report back here once they've had a look at it. I'm curious to find out what it is.
Last guess would be maybe be a misalignment of the rear wheel after tightening the chain? Though if the problem was there before you made some adjustments there... hmmm, weird.
maxheadwound
Member
Hey man that looks like a nice ride you had... just inbetween the big clouds
I would love a grom as well, every since watching this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SVKlG9Iiak they look like so much fun
In other news I had my little (engine wise) WR250R on the dyno to get the power commander V (fuel + ignition) dialled in. As you can see below, the makeshift map (in red) wasn't too far off but getting it tuned for ignition as well yielded me another 3 hp (every bit counts with a small engine), in total from stock my mods and the dyno has gotten me around 9hp extra (a 30% increase). The butt dyno test showed more of a difference than the numbers themselves. It pulls much harder in every gear at every rev range now, can't wait to get out on the dirt this weekend
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SVKlG9Iiak they look like so much fun
In other news I had my little (engine wise) WR250R on the dyno to get the power commander V (fuel + ignition) dialled in. As you can see below, the makeshift map (in red) wasn't too far off but getting it tuned for ignition as well yielded me another 3 hp (every bit counts with a small engine
), in total from stock my mods and the dyno has gotten me around 9hp extra (a 30% increase). The butt dyno test showed more of a difference than the numbers themselves. It pulls much harder in every gear at every rev range now, can't wait to get out on the dirt this weekend 
Drinky Crow
Banned
that's a gorgeous bike. nice scenery, too!
maxheadwound
Member
I am looking for next year at the BMW R1200R but last night I saw the new MCN where they tested the new Duc Scrambler..... oh no this looks like a fun bike and as I am not going to loads of miles and want to do a few gravel roads this might be the one. So many test rides to do in 2015
maxheadwound
Member
Yes that is a damn good price for the base one. The base one also look the business. I saw some test ride videos and it does sound great for the monster engine. Any it will have enough speed if I want to do a longer ride.
Just cannot go wrong with this look
maxheadwound
Member
Here is the vid for the 2015 Ducati Scrambler Termignoni Exahust
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVNBqyPgS5M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVNBqyPgS5M