Mr Fro

There look like there's enough meat left on the snapped stud to get it out with some mole grips - after a liberal coating with WD and maybe a tickle with a blow torch (not at the same time of course!). If it were me, I'd be tempted to try and get the broken bit welded up - not a big job if you've got the broken bit but will require a bit of fabrication if not.

Yeah, it's kinda been done to death on 28DL and the like - there's another, smaller place a bit further down the road but it's in pretty bad shape. Are you saying my photo's are shite then young man?! I'm off to a mates wedding this weekend - in Kent funnily enough - so there's no way I'll be able to join in the fun. There are a few more places that I've not put on PB as well - I'm quite happy to drag you round a few at some point if you can suffer it.

There's Lillesden Manor not far away: Some pics

Phil - you might want to take your camera with you, there's something tasty you might very well like just round the corner from your meet point in Kent.

Daft question... How are you bleeding the brakes? The procedure should be: Attach tube to nipple and make sure M/C has a good amount of fluid in it. Crack off the bleed nipple half a turn or so and squeeze the lever until it's back to the bar. Re-tighten the nipple. Gently release the brake lever. Repeat until you have a good, solid feel on the lever and no more air appears from the nipple.

Don't know if this is any good but I had a mystery lightish clonking/rattling noise when I spun the back wheel round when on the stand - sounded like it was coming from the front sprocket. I checked the tension and all was good. The chain was a bit stretched and the rear sprocket was a bit worn so I replaced the lot. In the end it turned out to be the rear wheel alignment, it was everso slightly out as it was running a narrower chain than OEM. A quarter turn on one of the adjusters was all it took to sort it out.

Master cylinder kits are only £20ish so are well worth replacing on an oldish bike (did mine recently). You could try reverse bleeding the brakes - i.e. use a syringe to push fluid through the nipple and up to the M/C. You'll be forcing the air upwards - the way it want's to go.

Just the make and model. Looks like they're not compatible unfortunately...

Oh, for f**ks sake... I was told yesterday afternoon I had to give an hour presentation this afternoon about the stuff I do at work so I spent all evening working on it, thus missing the Tuesday night bikey meet. I finished my slides about half an hour ago and the bast*rd meeting has just been cancelled. Thanks a f**king bunch!

Check what carbs you've got buddy - I've got a set of carb warmer needle things and associated tubing that I took of my ZXR 750 track bike which are sitting in a box somewhere.

Hulloh! How much choke are you giving it? If you're whacking it full on then you might be giving it too much so opening the throttle will essentially lean the mixture out until the engine can run - you shouldn't need full choke at this time of year anyway. Maybe try starting it while gradually increasing how much choke you give it until it'll start and run in it's own. I know that for mine, if I give it any more than half choke it will just laugh at me and refuse to start.

Just needed "Up for fun?" on the end and it would have been complete.

I dunno. I've got a pass out so providing it doesn't lash down I should be there.

Can you unpick the appropriate seams and sew them back on a bit higher? You'll probably need a leather needle to get through all the layers.

Dunno if it's any help but I had the same thing happen on a little old Yammy when I was a teenager. I took them to a garage to get an airgun on the tops but that just shagged them even further. I finally got the threads to move by clamping the top as tightly as poss in a vice, loosening it up, turning the tubes 1/8th of a turn, reclamping, loosening, turning etc until I'd gone all the way round a couple of times. The clamping deformed the top of the tubes just enough to free up the threads a bit. Don't take it the wrong way mate but filling the forks down the side of the tubes sounds like a chronically bad idea. It's even a bit too bodgy for me!

Goodbye Cruel World - Pink Floyd

I had a buffalo jacket years ago - it was pretty good. Waterproof (ish), warm and stood up to a minor spill.

It's not so bad, Wilbraham road (just over the way) leads on to some pretty nice little roads if you fancy a before/after ride.

The Missing Sock has had a pretty good turn out from the times I've been past on the way the Conington. Not as much older metal though.

Aaaaah, I see. I read it the other way! Apologies if that's the case, I assumed the OP would be able to use the starter to crank the engine with the tank and such removed so must have been referring to the removal of bits. No offence to anyone if I got it all arse about face.

It's only a couple of bolts, eight screws and a bit of magic with a screwdriver... http://tewjinhau.blogspot.com/2013/07/er6nf650r-tank-and-air-box-removal.html Nothing the OEM tool kit can't cope with. Honestly, I take the tanks off my bikes very regularly and it only takes a few minutes.

Just spin the engine until stuff stops coming out of the plug holes! Top tip is put a rag over the top of the engine before you start turning it over or whatever is in there will fly everywhere.

I tried that once. She said no. Edit for on-topic question: Is that 7th October? Snetterton has quite a few days coming up - only a smidge further.

Silly billy.

I think Joeman has a switch on his Beemer for that.