RantMachine

Right so I have my front wheel booked in at a local garage to have the spokes done, which means I need to take the thing off tonight. Not got a centre stand, but I have got a paddock stand and a small jack. But, a certain housemate's bikes were too heavy for my paddock stand and now it sags - not convinced I trust it to support the bike for the whole time I'm out getting the wheel done! So here's the question: instead of taking the whole thing off the floor, what if I use the jack under the sump to shift the weight off the front wheel and onto the rear while and sidestand just enough to get the wheel out then lower it down gently so the forts are on the floor. Not gonna do them any harm, is it? Bike only weighs about 130kg. Guess I could rest them on my toolbox so the bike doesn't tip too much. Inb4 bodge job, OF COURSE IT IS THAT'S WHAT I DO.

This video is both relevant and awesome https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MGhgGDhnWg

I don't bother! Got a set of allegedly waterproof vented textiles for long rides, a leather jacket and bike jeans for short rides, and bright green MX gear for getting muddy

Yeah, TOGS are running this show

This. If you really wanted, drain the fuel tank and float bowls just in case there's shit in there from all the time the bike has been standing, and fill with fresh fuel and Redex it for the next dozen fill ups

I'm assuming they're not going to bother with any of that and just chuck a new engine in. And torque everything up nicely

But it doesn't look like it did when it started. Nah that's the other one, the CG is staying stock. Bodge free!

FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA Yeah I ask myself that all the time

Sounds like learning time, then I didn't know squat when I started out, and now I can rebuild dismantle my Honda into itty bitty pieces and stick it back together again using little more than the toolkit under the seat and a bit of guesswork

Yeah but charging more than a replacement engine is a piss take

Jeez! Have they told you what they would actually be doing for that £400?? Plenty of complete engines going on eBay for less...

That's officially the most hilarious way to kill someone, period. Love the huge flag on his garage door, I have to say

I wouldn't go so far as to say that he's completely vindicated, though. Or that the people who disagree should just put up and shut up. After all, Trump himself was one of the most vocal critics of Obama's election - he really championed the birther movement. The right to protest is there for both sides, and both sides have a history of making use of it. Admittedly you don't tend to see the Tories protesting in the streets anywhere near as much as Labour (unless fox hunting is involved), but the American political system has a very different balance to ours and it's far from uncommon for the Right to have their turn waving crappy cardboard signs and collecting signatures on pointless bits of paper. The right to free speech is pretty sacred under their system, and as such I don't think anybody should be discouraged from making full use of it or else they risk being shouted down by the other side- but the thing they need to remember is that free speech alone doesn't solve shit, you need to actually take proper democratic action. There are systems in place for fighting a genuinely unjust government, so make use of them if you feel it appropriate. The shit will stick to the wall if there's reason for it to. But then that takes me to the other side; this goes way beyond just protecting citizens. For one thing there's the matter of not letting people with Green Cards - ie. permanent resident status - back in the country if they happened to be born in one of the places on his shit list. They can have a house in America, a job in America, a family in America, but tough shit you can't come back if you happened to be overseas on business when the executive order rolled out. And there's another thing, his approach to executive orders has been a bit shoddy, he's practically cut Congress out completely for these first two weeks. For yet another there's a whole load of deeper and dodgier subtext about him protecting his own private business interests with who he does or doesn't let in. And don't get me started on removing the joint chiefs of staff from the NSC... There are valid concerns with both sides of this, and dismissing either side on a basis of "stupid lefties" or "stupid righties" would be a horrible mistake to make. Hell, it's the mistake that got them into this situation where the country is practically split down the middle... And people on this side of the pond should really take more time to understand their system before passing judgement against either side. It's not as simple as just drawing parallels to our own system. The Republicans aren't the Conservatives, and the Democrats most certainly aren't Labour. And beyond that, the entire system is founded on different principles, different priorities, different structures. Tl;dr: Left are oversimplifying Trump and how best to react to him, Trump is oversimplifying some very complex and delicate issues. Both sides are idiots who are pushing further and further apart towards opposing extremes and 90% of the people in this country have 0% of an idea what they're talking about when they comment on it. My two cents is that I don't think we're heading for another world war, or a nuclear holocaust, or any of the other melodramatic shit that people keep spouting. I think that America is going to become significantly more reclusive, a bunch of people will probably decide to leave, world politics in general will be a bit wobbly as the US withdraws from the stage, and ultimately they might have another civil war if the left grows some balls but most likely they'll keep trying to fight him with tears and poetry for four more years then we'll get some other turd sandwich.

The more this all unfolds, the more I think that people should worry less about Trump and more about the power behind the throne... And also, the petitions are the same as the protests. They make a show of numbers but they don't achieve shit on a political level, and a whole load of people feel all warm and fuzzy that they stood up for something and made a difference before going home and not taking any further action in ways that might actually make a change because they've done their bit already. Activism doesn't stop at making a crappy cardboard sign and crying in public

So... a whole load more people that can fine me for my behaviour ON the road (and you can bet they'll be petty ar*eholes about it), but no increase in people who can fine me for riding OFF the road in places I'm not supposed to? Guess I need to rethink my commute

Nice!!! Certainly stands out in the crowd! What gave you the idea?

I'll believe it when I see it

If you smacked it hard enough to crack the outer shell of hard plastic even a small bit, the inner shell of POLYSTYRENE is sure as hell going to be compromised

Could've sworn I read someone saying that they'd run a YBR without oil and it was fine... Oh wait no, that ended horribly

Yeah that's friggin' nuts Hint: if you hit your head hard enough to crack the helmet, you've got your moneys worth regardless of how much the helmet cost - no amount of money will fix a debilitating head injury so that's pretty good economy right there.

CURSES I'll just have to find another excuse to spend money. Sounds possible, we'll have to check with Stu if that was how it went down

Didn't get nearly a good enough reaction, everyone knows your game Maybe create a second account and pretend you've got a Sinnis?

Something not quite right with the output shaft bearing, I guess? Disclaimer: RantMachine don't know shit

I'm never sure how much of a know is too much of a knock... Had mine resting on the seat while I fuelled up yesterday and managed to have a major twat moment culminating in it hitting the forecourt floor was a nice loud bang. New helmet time? Please? Can't afford one right now but I'm always looking for an excuse to get some new bits of kit. Ruddy fashion victim right here