Dav3y

Went for a test ride today on the Z1000SX as it's top of my next bike list. If I do buy one I'll update this thread at some point in the future. Cons. Mirrors are a touch too small. Seat could do with being lower or adjustable Can't fit a top box with factory fit panniers Lack of availability this time of year. They just didn't make enough of them. Not a great choice of colours apart from the Candy Lime Green. No centre stand. Pros. Great engine with plenty of torque and nice exhaust note with stock pipes. Nice positive gear changes. Amazing brakes Electronic Traction control and power modes. Good instrumentation despite the lack of gear indicator. Like the instant and average MPG readout. Having been riding and XJ6 for a year and getting on this bike, it felt really quite similar and a very comfortable ride within minutes of getting on it. I can only imagine how good it would feel after some time with one. Yes it's a touch taller and maybe not ideal for a total shortarse but it was a great bike to ride. Will now await new stocks probably in November as I just couldnt buy the one and only Black 2014 one they had left.

Maybe the water flicked up from the front wheel then. If it's bone dry now then all sounds good

Hope the Radweld works for you although I'd be concerned with a 300 mile trip coming up you could potentially wreck the engine if the rad does blow and overheat the engine. Any idea how much water you're losing over what sort of mileage ? It might give you an idea of how many times you need to stop and top up the cooling system and how much water you might need to take with you. Buy me although there are probably better ones to be found.

Yeah, I hear what you're saying and it's probably irritating me more as I was just about to put it up for sale or part ex subject to a test ride on a new bike. Just wouldn't want to be selling it if there's something wrong with it. Hoping the magic oil might do the job and if not maybe I keep both bikes for a bit if I get the other bike.

Noticed the noise only occurs when the engine is up to temp. Can't hear it at all when it's cold. Just ordered a filter and oil to see if it's going to do the job. Strange thing is though I've seen a couple of vids on youtube of oil changes on an XJ6 at 3000 and 11500 miles and the oil looked black. My oil is nothing like black so I'm still not sure. Will have to wait and see what happens at the weekend.

When I was that age and I had my RD125LC, all I wore different was a waxed jacket and trousers and my bash hat. If you're going to be doing this daily, much as you might want the leather jacket, I'd be tempted to get textile stuff instead and some boots/ waterproofs to go over the top. J&S is where I got my summer jacket (own brand) so pricing should be pretty good if you shop sensible. Got some cheaper RST Raptor boots online one size bigger than my shoe size. Guess at the end of the day having somewhere to put the gear during the day is going to be a consideration if you don't want to carry it around.

Haha, they came past here a few years ago on their way out of London. It was nice to see and one of those onece in a lifetime events unless you're a cycling nut. Get that headlight apart

Thanks for backing up my initial thoughts. Maybe it needs a good ragging around as it doesn't get driven hard at all. Just daily commuting and occasional weekend ride out. Think i'll get some new oil and filter and then go from there. I'm pretty sure this upcoming service requires oil/filter change anyway. The level is good and the oil is a little dark but certainly far from what I'd consider dirty. Maybe a bit of throttle flicking might convince the adjuster to do something or failing that something goes bang. Either way i'll find out the problem

Well, If that diagram that I posted is correct then :- a) If it did work, the common earth could well have broken away. Explaining both the headlamp and indicators not working. b) Wiring on the connectors could be different if it was a plug in replacement unit. Almost certainly a bad earth I would have thought. If you have a meter, check voltage from either the frame or negative terminal of the battery and any of the wires in the headlight/indicators (if you can access without unplugging). My guess is they will all be floating high (+12v) due to a poor earth.

Personally i'd just wire to a switched live. If you want to get fancy you could always buy a car towing charging relay (assuming you have a 12v system) and then that would switch on supply direct from battery when the engine is running and the battery is being charged. Keep it simple i say, less to go wrong

If the rear indicators are working it could be a common earth or live (depending on wiring) and broken wire/loose connection around the steering yoke. Do you have a wiring diagram and a multimeter ? Not sure what year bike you have but just found this diagram. Looks like the front headlights might share a common earth with the indicators. I take it they work o.k. ? Is this the correct diagram ? (See bottom) http://attach.kawiforums.com/2007/04/30/20070430053757-0-9302.jpg

Hi folks, I'm not sure if it's me being paranoid or whether it's normal but I've noticed a very faint noise coming from the engine when rolling off the throttle/slowing down. It's almost like a clattering noise and it does it when the bike is in Neutral on the stand as well as slowing down on the road. The 12000 mile service is coming up shortly and wondering could it be the engine oil starting to deteriorate or could it be slackness on the cam chain ? Engine sounds and runs fine on the power and fuel economy is unchanged since I got the bike so a little curious as to what it could be. I'm fairly sure this is only a recent thing though and don't recall such a sound when I got the bike. Greatfull for any opinions but might get it checked if I get the bike shop to do my upcoming service.

I don't suppose you have a multimeter or wiring diagram ? If so, I would have thought you should be able to check the switch with continuity setting on the meter if you know what colour wires to check. Taking a switch apart sounds like you could have a spring or metal contacts come flying out. I'm guessing full and main beam might run off of the same fuse but again, a diagram will help to confirm incase it's a different fuse that could have gone.

Hi Dale, I'm from the Northwest corner of Kent but like to travel down to the coast when I get the chance. Have been through Canterbury a few times on rideouts. I quite often go out with another mate but he's been out of action for the last few weeks due to snapping 7 out of 8 exhaust manifold bolts on his bike while attempting to change the exhaust. We will probably be up for meeting up somewhere for a rideout in the next couple of weeks once we've got this bike up and running again. We don't do rain and like to keep speeds sensible as after all one of the things I like with biking is enjoying your surroundings as you ride through. Most recent rideout was A2 down to Whitstable, along the old road to Herne Bay. Nice greasy fryup in café along the seafront and then took a few windy roads along to Reculver and back down through Canterbury on our way home. Drop us a reply if you fancy joining us or have any ideas of places you'd like to rideout to.

You could do your A1 licence now, but the only benefit would be you can take a passenger / go on motorways and you wouldn't have to do CBT or Theory test again as they both expire. When you step up through A2 and A licences you would then just take the Mod 1 & Mod 2 on the appropriate sized bike when you hit the correct age. No need to do Theory at all unless you intend to do a Mod 1 test. Certainly the A2 is worth doing as soon as you get to 19 though as 2 years after passing that you can do the A licence which you would otherwise have to wait until you are 24 before you can take.

I thought it was a pretty universal process across Europe these days hence all the changes. It's really not that bad, just expensive.

Check out my Sig for the answer to your question More seriously though it really depends how the dates all fall into place / school bookings and test availability as well as getting time off from work to do it. I did have about 3-4 years riding experience from 20 years ago though so that did help with getting me comfortable back on a bike after all that time.

+1 for the Pilot Road 3. Just had a set fitted on my XJ6 and the bike feels so much better around corners than it ever did with the original BT021's

Take in as much as you can. If there's anything you don't understand, ask. Most of all enjoy the day. I'd hope your training company will fit you out with gear for the day for safety. From memory :- Bike familiarisation, maintenance, basic riding/ braking / junctions made out of cones then when competent enough on the road for about an hour with an instructor. I'm sure theres a syllabus online somewhere that lists everything that should be covered. Try this page https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... ance-notes

Would have to be the GL1200 for me. Comfort first.

Had my front Pilot Road 3 fitted last week. Still have got to get the back done once my chain finally gets delivered but WOW , what a difference over the BT021 I had on the front. The bike has never felt better to ride since I've had it. I guess the only downside is if I sell the bike, someone else is going to get the benefit of this great rubber.

Hmmm, looks a bit like Pimp my Superdream. The fairing and engine look too big for the rest of the bike and as for those tiny panniers, I'm not sure they would be much use for anything. Not for me I'm afraid despite the fact I like retro looking bikes.

It's pretty common to do courses in towns where there are test centres as the instructors will pretty much cover most of the routes you are ever likely to take when doing your Mod2. Don't sweat it, enjoy the different roads and to be honest it's probably better you don't use roads you know as it will make you more alert and observant of everything from speed limits to positioning at junctions/roundabouts and take away any over confidence you might have from using local/familiar roads you might have grown some bad habits riding.

Might sound strange, but I'm sure there was someone talking about boots that I gather have a deeper sole on them that can also help a little.

Didn't go in the end. Glad I didn't as I went for a rideout in the afternoon and got about 10 miles from home when the heavens gradually opened. The fairing protected me from the worst of it but my mate on his GSX1400 got his trousers a little wet. No fun in this sort of weather. Looks like the only decent day for a rideout is likely to be Friday now during my week off