ApolloMozart

Thanks Mr. Fro and Dynax! I will try the ones from amazon first, they're smaller but could do fine.

Anyone could manufacture some metalwork? Looking to have some hinges for a gate, which I plan to weld to the metal frame and gate. Have a look at the attached "drawing" and let me know if you can do it and how much it would cost. I need three of these made. Thanks

Thought I'd post an update. Insurance paid, but obviously they deducted the excess and also took another £110 for not telling them that my wife was involved in an accident (not her fault). However, even after they deducted all this, they paid more than I was offered by the dealer for trading in the bike, so not too bad! Spent about £600 on train tickets though, and had to suffer from excess of people and lack of space... BUT, good things come to those who wait, and last week I took delivery of a brand new, blue NC750X with DCT gearbox, because I'm too lazy to shift gears! I very much like the more upright position, the more info on the "control panel" and the storage compartment. AND, it costs only £15 a week in petrol to travel to my place of work! That is less than a day's train ticket! Of course I am much more security conscious now, and have the following in place: - decoy wooden gate with padlock (and security screws) - hidden metal gate with a mortice lock AND a padlock - 16mm chain that if affixed to a 10mm thick wall anchor with bolts going through the wall - two Oxford boss locks - two alarmed disk locks (one of them screaming randomly) - no less than 4 CCTV cameras of sufficient resolution to see a bird s**t on a passing car number plate - two baseball bats at the ready to be used when the next item on the list makes noise - infrared motion detector with alarm inside the house Hopefully that'll keep the thieves away. I do find it difficult to ensure all the locks and alarms are fitted and operational every day... On another note, my insurance premium went up significantly... Paid nearly 4 times more to insure the new bike. I suspect this is both because of my claim and also because the new bike is new and more expensive... This is it! https://d27bj6iyeg9azx.cloudfront.net/prod/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2016/01/2016-NC750X-Glint-Blue-Wave-Metallic-1.png

A friend of mine is welding a wall anchor, made from 10mm steel, in the form of a square tube 180mm long. It will be mounted using threaded bars, going all the way through the wall and secured inside the house. Adding some fake bolts, to confuse the would be thieves. Will be using a Oxford Nemesis chain, securing the "next" motorcycle by the frame and rear wheel. Also planning to have a metal gate welded, and will install behind the wooden gate, so it's not seen from the road. Or should it be seen?

I had a CBR500R for 9 months or so. Nimble and fast, but you do feel it is small-ish on the motorway. So went for a CBR650F. A lot more power, BUT I think the 500R has slightly more torques down the revs. I stalled the 650 more often than the 500. On the 500R you have to lean more over the tank. On slightly longer journeys on the 500 I was feeling a bit of pain in the wrists. As an all-rounder, there is very little wrong with CBR500R. Fairly fast, economical, good looking and not very expensive - what's not to like?

Got a list of documents to send over, have all of them except service book records. I was doing all the servicing myself, but kept accurate records of what was purchased and when installed/serviced, including the mileage when it was done. Can provide loads of receipts (amazon, Sportsbikeshop etc), but not all of them. Receipts from local shops are long gone to the shredder... Do you think this will reduce the payout?

Can anyone recommend a wall anchor?

It is on my list now...

Even if I don't think about the weird neighbours, I still believe it wasn't a coincidence that the motorcycle was stolen the same day I bring a brand new one home. Everyone in the neighbourhood knew I had a motorcycle, knew what it was and how old was it. Why not steal it when we were on holiday and no one was home for two weeks? Why steal it the very same day a new one is seen? There weren't that many people outside our place when I arrived on the new NC750. And I didn't stay for too long, 10 minutes max. It must be one of these present who told the gang (I don't think one person could have done it alone) to grab the bike.

Crossed my mind, might have a word and see what's he up to.

I like the blue one more...

Thanks for the advice, Winston!

The thought did cross my mind... Don't think will work though - kids want their father home, not in jail! On a brighter note, I'm glad I didn't buy the red NC750X that day! Would have lost a lot more!

Unfortunately the 650 will not need any more tyres at all - it has been stolen!

Sometime between 2300 Saturday evening and 0400 Sunday morning my motorcycle has been stolen... One of our kids asked who left side gate is open and I knew something bad happened. The thieves jumped over the brisk wall between us and neighbors, and took the gate lock off (removed the screws holding it in place), then broke the steering lock (found piece of metal and plastic) and dragged the bike out. Wheels locked with oxford boss locks (front disk and back sprocket) but that didn't deter them. We have one of Ring camera doorbells, but the bast*rds did not drag the bike through our own drive (granite chippings, would make loads of noise) but cut across neighbors drive (concrete). We saw the marks in the patch of grass between properties. Being a good citizen, I didn't allow the camera to record neighbors drive (privacy) but now I am really regretting this! So called police yesterday, got a crime number, but that was about it. Today called my insurance (MCE) told them about this and started a claim. Was told my claim needs to be verified by a special company, and they'll get in touch soon. Waiting for the call. Was also told they'll have to wait 14 days after the claim is validated before making any payments, and after retaining the excess (£875). Given the year and mileage (40K-miles) I suspect the payment would be rather low. Wondering if I shouldn't have told the insurance at all about this... Also wondering if this will affect my car or house insurance (remember there is a question "did you make any claims in the last X years")... Now some other bits, please chip in with any thoughts. On Saturday, I took my CBR650F (2014) for MOT. While MOT was being done, I took a NC750X brand new (nice red colour) for a test drive and rode it home, to see if it will fit through the gate. Some neighbors were outside minding their own business. Then I rode off to pick up my old bike. And that same Saturday my got got stolen... Do you think this was a coincidence? More than that. Last year one of the neighbors (lives across the road, doesn't work but practices boxing in his garden every day) flew a camera equipped drone around the houses (including ours) and the drone fell in our neighbors garden. I didn't like that. Same drone was seen one more time, peering into houses from the street. Didn't like that either. What do you think about this drone stuff? Could it be that the thieves use them to inspect the properties before hitting? More interesting, on Sunday morning, while I was outside examining the tracks left in the ground, he (the drone operator) came around and said "did something happened last night? someone broke in?" to which I said, no just checking these tracks on the ground... Later on Sunday, my wife went to speak to a doctor (lives across the road and has CCTV) and the very same drone operator asked her "something happened to the motorcycle?". Very odd! Not saying the neighbor is the one to steal the bike, but could be the one to tell about a "new" bike to others... Spoke to "good" neighbors. One drove home just after midnight and on the in-car-camera we could see a van parked outside our property. Another neighbor CCTV registered a van passing by at 00:40. Our own CCTV (damn Ring doorbell) registered a few cars slowly driving up and down the road, with two of them slowly turning and reversing in front of our house... Looked the the days before footage and it doesn't show that much traffic during the night... Anyway, feeling quite sh1tty today.

I saw a mention of 4 GT version - did anyone find them worse in day to day riding (commuting) compared to normal 4s? I might consider the GT for next tyre change if I can get more mileage at no or very little cost to handling and road keeping.

Let me take a few pictures of the thing and then you can have a look and tell me how much it's worth. It's in Watford, Hertfordshire. And it has a bag! Where you can, conveniently, keep the rain cover!

Regarding the three keys - yes ignition, seat and fuel tank have each a different key! The bastardin0s who stole the bike broke the fuel tank and the cap with something flat, like a massive screwdriver. The cap was not closing properly so had to be replaced, alongside the fuel tank! There has been a bid of £500 outside the forum. Link to the thread from the time bike was stolen... https://www.themotorbikeforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=61888

Updated the initial post as per suggestion. Cheap (as chips) Honda CBF 125 with not one, not two but THREE keys!!!

I was left a bike (CBF125, 2009 reg, 13000 miles or so) and I don't know what do to with. Have all the papers for it. The bike was stolen then recovered a short while after, and had some plastics and parts replaced. Ended up with three different locks, the steering lock does not lock left side, only right side. MOT valid till August, tax is still being paid monthly... I have looked online, a newer bike can be had for £800. If I were to sell "my" bike I'll probably have to ask much lower, given the three different keys you need for it and the broken steering lock. Not really keen to spend much time seeing prospective buyers who just waste time. What you'd suggest doing? UPD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN HAVING A CHEAP 125, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tried the Renapur leather balm - I think it needs a few days to work... Also tried the salad - didn't help, unfortunately. Maybe the steak before the salad or pint of beer after the salad had something to do with this? Decided to do some activity today, so went for a 2 mile run. According to the tracker, lost 175 calories!

Almost forgot about Renapur tub! Will give it a go tonight and see what happens tomorrow morning... Will also eat less tonight.

I have a few bottles like these with engine oil. Lift the bike on the paddock stand, apply one drop to each link. Job done. No fling, no mess, chain stays lubricated and ready for action! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plastic-Squeezable-Dropper-Filling-Bottles/dp/B00LP8VB86

I have a pair of very nice leather trousers which I wear when weather gets warmer. But fore some weird reason, over winter they have shrunk around the waist a bit, by an inch or so... Is there a way to stretch leather? Obviously without causing any permanent damage... Thank you

That's a great idea - you should go on Dragons Den I might fit that to my garage door it has no power but, if I can find a door bell with sufficient range... A bell and a long string would be just fine.