Smokin Joe

We bought a sausage dog last week. We took it back after a couple of days, the sausages it made were revolting.

I can't see how the gear lever could have damaged the right hand side of the engine as it is situated on the left.

My main fuse blew 400 miles ago, been ok since. Sometimes they just do.

Back in the day some scrote nicked my Mk1 Facelift Capri. The worst thing that ever happened was plod finding it one week before the insurance were due to pay out. No battery, oil light staying on at tickover, spare and tools missing. If it's nicked it'll be trashed.

Not on British Eurosport either, according to the Radio Times.

Make the most of this years series unless you've got subscription TV or BT broadband, The BBC has lost the rights for next year.

Could have been worse. He could have forgotten to do his flies up and the local hottie could have walked by in a tiny skirt and a plunge neckline while he was kneeling by the chain.

I have a GPZ500, the glass does cloud up with condensation. A good run long enough to get the engine hot should clear it. I can't answer specifically about your bike, but these engines do tend to clatter quite noticeably at tick-over and low revs.

Re the dipstick, there isn't one. You have a sight glass on the R/H side of the engine through which you can see the oil.

I think the clue was when he said his chain was rubbing against the centre stand...

If it was only a few weeks ago the garage fitted the tyre they are responsible for the chain being so slack. It wouldn't stretch that much in too weeks. The only visit I would ever make to that garage again is to complain about their incompetence. I would never trust them with my bike.

Buy a screw extractor kit - around a fiver on ebay - and get them out yourself. I've just done that with two cross head screws where the previous owner had mashed the heads. If the threads need cleaning, a set of taps can be had for 7 or 8 quid. They're worth buying because that sort of kit isn't used much but can get you out of a jam.

Can't you use a cable tie to loop it against something and out of the way?

i take it you never had new tyres fitted? as they always fit new valves Neither of the local places I take the car do and on the bike I've always said don't bother with the valve. Maybe I've been lucky or maybe valves are reliable enough not to bother. This post has probably guaranteed me a leaking valve now

Lol, it was fine as long as you lean't over to the right when riding with no hands, although it was the buckled front wheel that was the bigger danger I suppose it concentrated the mind somewhat

Neither would I

I've never had valves replaced, car or bike. Never had one fail either (touch wood).

It does the job, but it will fly off and cover the back wheel in oil. Specific chain lubes are made to cling to the chain. They are so cheap it really isn't worth sodding about with anything else.

The two stroke oil is used to lubricate the engine, there is no separate lubrication system. The only oil needed to be changed is the gearbox oil and there is no filter to worry about. Your mate should have a look on Youtube, there are bound to be scores of instructional videos showing how to do just that.

That's not really a lubricant, more a sort of souped up WD40. I wouldn't use it, go for a proper chain lube. They're not expensive.

Thanks for that, the whole thing finally becomes clear. Makes me glad I was able to do the couple of times round the block test!

Now, I can't be bothered wading through all that Civil Service speak on these links, but can someone clear something up for me? If a 17 year old (or someone of any age) were to pass the test on a 125 would he or she then be able to ride a bike of any capacity after a given period of time, or do the various classes have to be tested before they let you loose on them? BTW, I'm very skeptical about the benefits of tougher testing. 20 years as an ADI during a period when the driving test changed out of all recognition convinced me that teaching and testing inexperienced drivers to a standard above a certain level has had unintended consequences of a negative nature.

To be able to tell a frame is bent while sitting on the bike it would have to be bowed like a banana, and as Tango said it would take a massive wallop to do that, destroying a lot of other things in the process. I'd go for forks if anything is out of line. How does the bike ride?

A few years back one of the American mags (Cycle, I think) did some extensive long term testing and research into car and motorcycle specific oils and came to the conclusion that the only difference was the price.

I use Wilkinsons semi synthetic at £14 for five litres. Back in the day I knew a London despatch rider who used to use Winfield car oil (That was the name Woolworths used for own brand products) and he ran a GT550 up to 250,000 miles without problems.