bonio

Hi, welcome! Which gixxer have you got?

I've paid up to 50% in advance to cover materials (1000s of bricks) which seemed reasonable enough to me. But this was with a local guy who everyone knows. In your case there's enough to make you unsure, so move on and get some new quotes.

This one's an odd one. In Germany last month, the weather was roasting, and the rear shock went soft. Really soft, like I needed to have enough clicks in for a pillion just to make it rideable with me alone. Now back in Blighty, and the weather's become cool, I've had to unclick back to normal settings. This should be a warranty job, but the warranty runs out in February and I have until then to to persuade KTM that the suspension really is gone. Not expecting too much hot weather before then. Anyway, I wonder if the oil's becoming runny in the heat and not doing it's job properly? But I've never heard of this happening before... I've had shocks go before on me, but never be soft in the heat and firm in the cold. Anyone come across this?

What happens is this: starting off from rest in 1st gear, I'll add some throttle and let the clutch out and sometimes - like 1 time in 20 - the bike lurches forward unexpectedly. The only way to bring it under control is to disengage the clutch, let the revs die down and start again. Can happen two or three times in a row. And then just once last night it happened going from 1st to 2nd - just a surge and bump and then it settled down. Pretty sure it happens a lot more when the bike's cold. Looking back, I think this started some while back. At first I put it down to my clumsy clutch action, but it's been getting a lot worse these last couple of weeks, and now it's clear that the bike's doing it, not me. I'm a complete numpty when it comes to spanners, but, could this be the wrong oil (oil change was 4k miles ago, done by the indy guy up the road)? Or what else should I worry about?

I get it. The roads are getting worse and worse and it's harder to find the right places at the right times to make it fun. Round here we're still ok: summer evenings are still great riding. But it's changing.

Really sad to read this, Paul. Hope all's ok.

That's awesome news.

Mt Ventoux and the crazy road to the summit.

Hate it when people actually *know* you on this internet thing.

We didn't get to ride Combe Laval when we went to France a few years back - it was closed for repairs - but we did get to do one or two balcony roads. Some pics here of @Gerontious on them.

The fix was great. Still is, and if it wasn't for the slow leak, I'd leave it in and run it. But with the slow leak and the fact the tyre's getting on, makes sense to change it over. Was going to do this anyway in the spring.

Happy work days, @goat

Had the same. Done about 600 miles now on the repaired tyre, but it's now got a slow leak. The tyre's had a good 7000 miles on it, so I don't mind replacing it. In your situation, though, I think get a professional repair on it.

I reckon it all went to pot when politicians started setting limits instead of police. I suspect we have limits being set now without much reference to accident stats but more with an eye on what's to be gained in the Senedd, the Commons, in Holyrood, or in any County Hall.

We're running out of options. Don't want to live further north (darker winters). Don't want to live further south (cos it's the south innit). Don't want to live further from a railway station. Don't want to live further from the sea. So it's basically here or Aberystwyth.

Always aspired to a Waitrose lifestyle, but some ended up with an Asda one.

Sunny day, some (rare) time on my hands so I head off up towards Cromer, then down the coast and back home. Some nice views from the coast road, but apart from that what a sad ride. Endless streams of traffic. 50s and 40s everywhere. More traffic. And bumpy old roads (ok, everywhere has bumpy old roads). I still nurse a dream of going to Norfolk and finding open roads with smooth bends in different sizes and the space to enjoy them, but every time I head out over the Waveney my hopes suffer one more death blow*. It is just my bad luck? Are there any decent routes for riding in Norfolk? *Ok, not 100% true. I've found nice roads between Harleston and Attleborough.

What about a YBR?

It's *really* twinned with Boring, OR??

<gasp/>

Oh noes. This is the one universal daft act I have yet to carry out. Just give me a bit more time. Someone - perhaps it was @Bungleaio - recently gave me a tip: fasten the disc lock up against the fork so that the bike can't move forward if you forget it.

Nice outcome.

Been streaming this on ITV-X. It's a cracking piece of TV. I've never been to the TT, so I don't know how like the real thing it is, but I like the way the riders got to speak - formal interviews, informal chat with family - and all spliced in with race commentary and footage from last year's event. Seems to me they've done a first class job at capturing some of the madness, the exhilaration, the atmosphere - and the people - who make up the TT. If you've not seen it, go watch it now.

On my recent trip to the garage to put on my kit I came back without the bike key. Still can't find it. Sometimes being a nob wears my patience.

You can find out if it's the same part by cross referencing the parts number from the catalog. zx9r here and the zzr is this one (might need to adjust the model year).