Phooey

Thanks mate ... 'll take a look at that before the light goes! If you get a chance ... no worries if you are too busy ... the section 8 bit for top fairing removal would be useful.

Thanks guys ... I might have another little fiddle in a bit. If not I'll get to my mates somehow ... it is only half a mile down the road!

No I tried that earlier, Tango. Thought if I could get a pic I might be able to see how it fits. I have a Galaxy 4S and no matter how I manoeuvre it, something is in the way! Hoping the forcast fog around here isn't too bad and I can get it to a mates who is helping me fit a new clutch cable on her. , I couldn't even manage that by myself. I got the old one off but couldn't get the new one on so I had to re-fit the old one! I can't be good at everything I suppose

Here is the spring clip. I know that the loop end is used to hook in somewhere but i can't work out how the other end attaches.

I have removed a small access panel which gives me a lot more room and I can almost see the back of the headlight now. But, I can't figure out which way or how the spring goes back in. Does anyone know where I might find any pics of how the spring clip is situated? Still waiting for my Haynes manual and i will need to use the bike tomorrow daytime forecast fog and evening ... forecast dark

Now this is proving interesting I now have to strip the front fairing off. In my attempt to 'feel' my way around fitting the new lamp the little retaing spring came away in my hand. Supposed to be dry tomorrow so I have a scary job to do, Any advice would be very much appreciated.

it would appear that it did! Although I didn't notice anything ... just started the bike and noticed that the front light wasn't working! I'm sure that there must be. God know how I am going to get it out. I went to my local car parts shop and picked up a standard Osram H4. Will be ordering some Night Breakers from Ebay though. Sounds like they are worth a go.

Found the problem. Checked fuse and it was good so forced my hand up her fairing and managed to get the plug off and the rubber cap and eventually figured out how to release the clip then maneuvered the bulb out. Haha, did I say bulb? It was a piece of metal with the bulb section gone. No glass bulb just a piece of wire hanging out of the 3-pin connection. Now I know and have done my first maintenance job on my bike!

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Star-Trek-Klingon-Bird-Of-Prey-Haynes-Manual-Ben-Robinson/9781451695908?redirected=true&utm_medium=Shopping&utm_campaign=ShoppingUk&utm_source=UK&utm_content=Star-Trek-Klingon-Bird-Of-Prey-Haynes-Manual

OK ... plug seems tightly seated. Where do I find the fuse? Does the fuse not serve front and rear together then?

Cheers Chris

Ok guys ... I apologise for being so dumb but I have NEVER done any maintenance on a bike before. So, I managed to get my hand up under the fairing and alongside the forks and with a bit of a struggle I managed to locate what I believe might be the electric plug on the back of the lamp. I managed to pull it off and I could feel a rubber cap sort of thing behind the plug. Does it sound like I am in the right place? If so, do I disconnect the plug, pull off the rubber cap and what? Of course I will have to rely totally on feel. I so prefer to see what I am doing! Removing the fairing is looking a bit scary for me at this stage. I worry about removing stuff that I can't get back on properly! I have ordered a Haynes manual in the hope that some fear might abate!

Counter-steering? What's counter-steering? ... lol, Only joking before I am banned!

Lol ... Thanks tango. Sounds like it's going to be a fun day then!

Excellent ... Thanks Chris

OK so stupid question time. I have discovered that I need H4 bulb for my headlamp. Which is better Halogen or Xenon? Or doesn't it matter?

There is potentially a MASSIVE difference between looking over your shoulder and SEEING the threat to your safety that the shoulder check is supposed to highlight. Consequently a potential MASSIVE difference between satisfying the DVLA eyesight requirement and being able to carry out sufficient observations to increase your chance of staying alive and safe on the roads on a motorbike. Motorcyclists know the difference between looking and seeing... SMIDSY anyone? As motorcyclists, we cannot afford too many poor observations on the road, or it'll lead to observations in ITU. Hope she "gets on" with the Get On session. It'll hopefully provide her, and you, with the answer you need. Good luck! BOGOF, I hear what you are saying but what I meant was the legal eyesight requirement is no different. SMIDSY's happen in cars too, although less dangerous of course. I was asking the question to get the thoughts of anyone who has known or indeed has a visual impairment in one eye and still rides OK. I understand the observation importance but having good eyesight in both eyes myself meant that I could really give her any understanding of the difficulties she might expect other than stating the obvious. I think I will get her onto a 'Get On' session and see how things go.

I hate to say it but my nob of the day is another biker. On my home from the school run this morning I have a rather narrow road to go down and hindered further by a blind bend that often gets a parked car on it. Today, as per usual, I approached the bend almost rubbing my tyres on the left kerb to get the best possible view and I notice at the end of the road - it's not a long road - a transit coming the other way. Now there is only room for one of us so I straighten out of the bend and stop opposite a junction on the right to allow him to pass me, as is the usual practice on this road. Behind me comes a shinny red Ducati (I think it was a streetfighter but not totally sure!) ridden by a girl who looked about ten. She overtakes me (on the RIGHT), see's the transit, panics and comes too close to the left hand kerb, wobbles and falls over. Both myself and the transit driver jump out of our vehicles. She then gets up, rips her helmet off and starts shouting at the transit driver who shouts back 'are you blind? That car was waiting for me to come through!' She then confirms her stupidity by shouting and waving, 'I thought the f***er was turning RIGHT' Me and transit driver look at each other in disbelief!

Guys ... I don't ride my bike everyday, as much as I'd love to, the weather just does not permit. Today I thought I would start her up and let her run a bit to keep the battery alive and to check over general condition more than anything else. So I started her - fired up no problem- but the front light doesn't work. Lo nor Hi beam! The back light works fine and all other electrics seem to be OK. Is this just a simple bulb change? If so how do I do it or am I looking at a bigger problem? thanks guys.

I thought about getting the Scala Rider stuff at some point. Several different systems ranging from £60 - £260 I found. Worth looking into I think ... especially on those longer journeys. And I might be able to sort my SatNav with it too!

So here's the thing. I was driving the car back home from dropping the kids to school and the wife to work and listening to my local radio when one of the presenters announced that an accident had left a fuel spillage and said that it was particularly dangerous if you are riding a bike or motorbike. Now, I got to thinking, if I where on my motorbike, I wouldn't have heard that report because I don't listen to radio while riding so I wondered if anyone else did. Do you listen to the radio while riding your motorbike?

The thing is mate, she is fully legal to drive and there is still a requirement to look over your right shoulder before moving off in a car in order to satisfy the examiner. She has her eyesight checked annually and she makes sure every single time that she is ok for driving. The optician is getting fed up with her asking now! There is no requirement for her to report no sight in one eye to DVLA. From an eyesight requirement point of view there is no difference between driving a car and riding a bike. Her concern was not that she would not be allowed to ride but whether she would become unstable having to look so far over her shoulder. - She worried the same when learning to drive 11 years ago! I think that I'll encourage her to book a 'Get On' session (thanks BOGOF). That should resolve any issues and concerns she may have.

Thing is ... she passed her car test fine and she needed to check right blind spot then. I think she is more concerned about wobbling through having to turn so far round. I thought about booking her a CBT and see what the guys at the training centre say but I don't really want to waste £125 if they say no she can't ride but then my understanding is 'if she is fit to drive then she is fit to ride.' She has recently visited the opticians and always asks about driving and they always say there is no problem.

You won't be needing the Firestorm then

Need some advice guys. My wife has no sight in her right eye. She drives OK. Has a full car licence and has so for coped OK. She is now considering taking her CBT and getting a 125 She is worried that she won't be able to look over her shoulder enough without wobble and becomming unstable. Any thoughts please.