Ingah

I was feeling pleased with myself for covering maybe 10-15 of the lectures i've missed last semester, over the easter holidays (everyone else is just chillin', but they haven't had the "benefit" of been told they'll be kicked out if they fail another module ), so i decided to count how many lectures i have to cover before i'm up to date. 38 lectures remain, 9 of which i'll have to work out myself because the lecturer in question has decided to post only a copy of the handouts online. Of course, i still have 2 practicals to get handed in when i get back, and another ICA. Who said the first year is a doss? I'd like to strangle them Oh, and i haven't gone bed yet (it's 5 in the morning) F**k it!!

Simple enough question: How do i turn the clocks back on my 2002 CG125? (i.e. the odometer). I keep reading buyer's guides that say to check to be sure that a motorbike you're buying isn't clocked, so i'm assuming it's actually quite simple to do (especially on older mechanical style odometers). If anyone doesn't feel comfortable replying publically i'm quite happy to receive the information by PM (although the information is going to be available for those dodgy people out there no matter what we do to keep it from them). And also, if it's illegal to clock an odometer even with a valid reason (i'm pretty confident it isn't illegal in itself, although of course could be used illegally as with lots of things), then no need to tell me as i'm not willing to break the law simply to correct the mileage on my little 125! I do have a valid reason for asking (being that the clocks were changed by the previous owner for well-used second hand ones and he didn't bother to clock them back himself as he was more bothered about spending his money on a mechanic to get it running again after an accident, but was able to satisfy me that this was genuinely done with old MOTs).

Agreed.

£2K for a male 17 year old first car is not too much "out there". I would've expected more £1.5K but hey-ho. Women pay far less. Anyway, i don't think a Honda Civic and a 1150cc (or thereabouts, as i'm aware the actual size is quite probably a little smaller than that) BMW bike is a fair comparison, the Civic being a "normal"/average car and the BMW being a large engined tourer (different classes of vehicle entirely!) I can see it being cheaper for the car in your circumstance as you have such a meaty bike, but i believe you're wildly wrong with saying "cars on the whole are cheaper to run". Not like-for-like they aren't! Taking your example... Honda Civic's 0-60 times seem to largely be in the range from 10-13 seconds (depending on model of course). As your BMW produces around 100BHP i'd expect it to have at the most under 5 seconds 0-60 (because if a 57bhp CB500 does it in sub 5 seconds, an extra 40 odd horses should help keep the time down even lower). Even a measly 4-stroke 250 - the CB250RS (27bhp, 65mpg) does it in just over 7! (still faster, so therefore should cost more) You pay for power, after all! (in tyres, petrol, vehicle price and servicing at the very least, as can be seen from the figures you're coming out with for that bike). As i've said, it's only fair to compare like-for-like performance. You can't expect a stock superbike or that large tourer to return 45mpg + fuel economy and be cheaper than a car with such amazing (comparitive) performance. Also, i'd put money on it that your Civic is almost certainly new (or at least was bought new) for you to have secured a 5 year service deal (alternatively you must know somebody ) for £500. It is entirely possible (even probable) that this is in part subsidised by the price you paid for the car. It could be a sweetner to encourage new car sales even (or even selling workshop time at a loss in the recession because they're currently paying staff to sit around idle most of the day). Your BMW bike is clearly not new (or maybe it is, but they didn't have a deal on) and so you are paying "full whack" and it is again not a like-for-like comparison. What would main dealer servicing cost on the Aston Martin / Ferrari that is able to keep up with your BMW i wonder Tax-wise, smaller bikes are again cheaper, at least than the bike you are using because of your large engine size (unless we're talking about vs a new low carbon car, which again probably doesn't shift very well and is in a different league). Regarding tyres i will happily admit i have no idea of running costs (only to say that your bike will eat through the money far more than a smaller and/or less powerful bike will). And don't forget parking charges, which are non-existant on bikes. Any performance / big engine car will eat the money. As will any performance / big engine bike. The point though, is that on a like for like basis, i'd expect more bang for your buck out of a bike than a car.

+1. I've never had a car, don't want / probably can't really afford (to pay for) one. I suspect that eventually you have to get (access to) one otherwise you'll end up having to use the bus or freight company or something once and a while (serious cringe, i hate the buses!) I figure that if i get my car license done too i could just rent a car/van on the 1/2 days a year that i'd find a need for one, and save all the headaches associated with owning one! Haven't voted though because i don't think it's an entirely fair question; needs and wants can and almost certainly will change over a lifetime (e.g. having kids and/or living in the middle of nowhere will hugely affect things), so deciding right now what will suit me for the rest of my life seems a little bit premature. And besides which, what if something happens health-wise so you can't ride day-to-day anymore! And what if i move to London or something? Or become a trademan / other person who must carry LOTS? I think that either one chosen would cause me pain at a later date (not biking again would probably make me feel pain every day as i'm really really into it, whilst not having a car may make me feel pain once a year or something as i've never owned (although have driven) a car - so i'd probably go for bike if forced). One thing i do think is that cars aren't all that "practical" (or maybe my definition of "practical" is different to all yours). They've got more luggage space, that's pretty much about all there is going for it. There's few things (and certainly nothing you should need to carry regularly) that won't fit on a big bike, and i don't see waiting in queues for hours and generally having city journies take a frustrating long time (making you late), and struggling to find somewhere near to where you want to be to park as "practical" at all! Nor does paying through the nose for that pants multi-story car parking appeal. How about 2in1? http://www.worldcarfans.com/10803231750/not-sure-between-motorbikes-or-cars-buy-a-cirbin-v13r

Having bought them before i'd say they are suitable as a second pair as they lasted me maybe a year as the main pair i used. So not great, but at least they didn't go wrong in less than 6 months like the RST Vortex 2 boots - for £80! (almost 3x more expensive) I don't think these Aldi ones provide the level of physical protection or the longetivity that i'd want for every day use on my feet/ankles though.

Just to re-phrase this for you: Pull the clutch lever in (towards you) with your hand and if the noise stops with it pulled in like this, then it's probably clutch rattle. If the noise continues, it is probably not clutch rattle. Now get that dealer to give it a good check-up

For the CB500, there are 2 metal discs which go into the air intake/inlet manifold plastics. And a jet change. Just thought i'd throw that out there, in case it helps.

I get clutch rattle in the region of 30-50mph in 2nd gear. Never noticed it at any other time, including at standstill. Either way, asking the dealer seems a good idea.

I don't suppose you're describing clutch rattle are you? (Easy way to test is to make it happen then pull the clutch in, and if it stops with the clutch in, you've got clutch rattle!)

I get the impression the government really doesn't care if they put off new bikers and force the country onto 4 wheels (congestion, yay... :/). I'd bet my bottom dollar the only thing they really care about is reducing the death/accident statistics so it looks better, and as the death rate for 2-wheels is relatively high (probably largely due to the 16-year-old-scooterers and L-platers being included in with the fully licensed biker statistics, but hey-ho) the easy option is to push more regulated training down their/our throats (line of thought being that it's easier to inflict it on the minority than teach the majority how to drive safely). I highly doubt that the thought of making it prohitively expensive was a real consideration in their factoring. In fact, i bet some big-wig is secretly happy it's all been slowly choked off, as that'll massage his statistics all the more.

I fitted long-stem mirrors to my bike. Works well for me...

A perfect summarisation imo

Is this true? So earplugs? Car radios? Profoundly deaf people (a particularly good example as they can hear nothing)? All banned? Or is it just a case of an idiot cop who doesn't actually know the statute surrounding the issue, trying it on? After all, they can arrest you for what they like - what matters is whether it's got a firm basis in law and sticks in court - or not.

Just wanted to point out, that from reading the OP's message carefully, he is asking how to do an emergency stop (that is, stop a motorbike as quick as he can, safely), not how to pass a test / CBT (although i do understand it's part of the test). There is a crucial difference in some techniques. For Rossage's benefit (i'm assuming you're a newbie, apologies if you aren't), there's a few things come to my mind that you do for the test than an experienced motorcyclist will not be doing or will be doing differently (but if you do these things on the test they probably won't like it and it could cost you a pass). However, i think if you're going to learn something (especially something as important as the emergency stop - if you don't know exactly how important yet you will soon out on the road with the multitudes of complete and total incompetant morons you have to share it with), you may as well learn it properly first time around as it's much harder to unlearn something you've learned to do automatically, and then learn something different! I think the advanced guide referred to is this one here: http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcycle-Safety/braking-tips.htm If so, i second the recommendation wholeheartedly and am in the process of learning to do it in the way stated in that guide (and i can tell you, i'm finding it quite hard to get out of my habitual braking technique!) Note: It's worth reading the guide properly as stopping a bike is not something you want to mess up or you'll eat road (as i've found numerous times :confused: ) Although for the full license test at least, i think if you do skid that real wheel, although it's perfectly safe if controlled, it *could* get you that fail, as it does appear you're losing control (which makes that guide maybe something that should wait until after your test ) I personally do not recommend to start with the rear brake in a real emergency situation (NB: I've been riding a couple of years so i'm not the voice of huge experience, but i am quite up to date as a result of having been through it all recently enough ). Time is of the essence in a real emergency stop, and the time you're testing the rear brake is time you could be actually taking a good few mph off your speed. Oh, and don't e-brake over a manhole cover (the places they put those anti-bike deadtraps, honestly ). I'll save you that lesson at least

Am fixing up my CG125 for road use again (it's been sat unloved for at least a year so i'm probably being a little hopeful thinking about this already; before i've even tried to start her up / fix her yet, but here goes). I remember when i first got it (December 2007, as an 02 plate bike with 13K miles) the bike was able to do 70mph for the first few thousand miles or so, and performance gradually declined despite me renewing the oil, spark plug etc, until in the end i would be lucky to get near 65 out of it (on about 21K miles - i'd done 8K miles in that year). Any tips for "tuning up"/restoring performance (bar basic servicing tasks of course) as when i get it back on the road i could really do with it being as fast as it can be because i'll be using it on A-roads alongside my rather-quicker CB500. While i'm at it, is there any way of improving those drum brakes bar a conversion to a disc (which i'm not going to do).

Almax (preferrably series 4 for home use - 80% of bike thefts from the home - and a series 3 for use out and about - although if budget is at all limited take the series 3 because it's more versatile) with squire padlock or better, through the frame of the bike, secured to an immovable object (good example: a lamp post/solid ground anchor - NOT a traffic/street sign). In sight/hearing distance of your window/house/sleeping quarters. Combine with motion sensing alarm and datatag/alpha dot to cause professionals to largely move on (unless you've got something exotic they're being paid handsomely to procure. Or if you annoy someone enough...). Cover your bike to reduce the chances of vandalism/anger related damage when Dave realises his junior hacksaw isn't working on your chain. Garaging the bike is a superior form of cover and insurance companies like it (but no substitute for other security - and in fact give thieves more privacy to work in). Regarding chains - if you get a chain with less than 16mm width (Almax 3 is 16mm exactly), then it can almost certainly be bolt-cropped. Silently. And then loaded into the van. TBH, i say stuff insurance for theft claims on any bike not worth a good few grand as they only get you back in the end with NCB loss / accident / theft history based price hikes. I have TPO because it was the cheapest cover to have for my 2 old bikes (CB500/CG125). Almax 3, motion sensing alarms, covers, datatags, and standard steering locks do the rest (yes it's overkill, and that's why it works).

... Tucked in or out (of motorbike boots) - which way is it supposed to go?

500mA = 0.5Ah. Therefore 2.5Ah = 5 hours of charging at 500mA (0.5Ah). Theroetically. In the real world, i can't help much unfortunately.

In the end after about an hour or a little more I put it back in and disconnected the alarm for a little while, and it was fine. Apart from taking about 20 hours to charge on arrival :/ Hmm. Can't bump start my CB500 on flat land and it's too heavy with no hills where I was i've previously in desperation ran with the bike to start it but as I can't jump onto it the rear wheel locked and it nearly took off. Only just managed to avoid dropping it that time. Won't be doing that again in a hurry Did work though.

Thought you might benefit so i'm copy/pasting what i've put elsewhere on the forum: "Recommend Almax through the frame of the bike (or at least not just the front wheel) and to an immovable object. At all times. ... Have previously heard that alarmed disc locks are well, abit pants (but if your research suggests otherwise i'd be interested to know why). Would suggest a cheap and easily fitted bike alarm instead (£20-£35 if you can fit it yourself - good example here http://www.motorbikealarm.co.uk/node/48). Maybe a talking one as above if you want other people to pay some notice (the first few times at least). Always found alarms are better used to alert you to someone messing with the bike, than to anybody else - no one else seems to care unless it's their property It only takes a few chirps to alert you, so i'd be less worried about it being easily disabled ... [On disc locks] Have heard many a rumble that they're very easily defeated (easily smashed off, bike picked up instead, alarmed versions silenced very easily - the unbolting the disc [to make the disc lock useless] is new to me, but sounds just like a normal thief's day). That's without all the threads where someone has forgotten they'd put the disc lock on and dropped/damaged the bike as a result And of course, there has been examples of people buying them and finding that the particular one they bought didn't fit their particular bike. And that the batteries seem to run out (in some) all too quickly - the alarmed ones that is. ...[On disc locks vs bike alarms] because of it's exposure it's not going to be as good as an alarm (which is at least inside the bike). The disc locks also take more time to put on and take off the bike, every time you use it. More faff-factor. With an alarm fob it's a button, although you will probably forget the alarm's on at some point, so better keep the fob handy As they cost a similar amount at the low-end (c£30), i'd go for a cheap alarm, that preferrably runs in parallel to your bike's electrics (i.e. would, on my mechanic's advice avoid the ones that the bike has to go through to start, as when it eventually malfunctions it'll leave you stranded - of course this is the more secure option but it's too high a price to pay imo, whereas the in-parallel kind can just be unplugged and you can ride home then)." Sorry if you've already read this. Edit: Spotted a disc lock with alarm in Lidl today for just under a tenner. For that price even i was slightly tempted!

It's a newish battery, bought end of last year. So it's probably fine, just drained. Got a deadline to hit unfortunately

Just wondered if anyone know/could hazard a good guess, at how much juice is needed in a battery before it will successfully start a bike a couple of times? (it probably won't start first time because it's been so cold). The reason for my curiousity is that my CB500 battery was pretty much just put on charge because i went to use the bike, and it was dead. Again. Damn cold/fancy alarm. I am sort of waiting, and want to go ASAP (and need to go ASAP too), but i don't want to go faffing around putting this battery back in, until i'm sure it's got enough in it. I'm charging at 600mA. The battery is supposed to hold 8Ah (when full of course - i'm not waiting the 12 hours or so required to fill her up!)

+1 to try it on. I tried on lots of boots and leathers of lots of brands, and despite most being "my size" (or the size above/below) they just didn't fit properly. Too loose here, too tight there, etc. In the end i found that one (pair of) touring style boot and just one touring style leather jacket (and no trousers) was all that fitted me out of my local Bike Gear and Hein Gericke. And i'm not an odd size. Or at least, i didn't think i was

Having just applied to be a scooter-based pizza delivery boy (woo-hoo!), i'm on the hunt for cheap new gear. The previous kid has written off 2 bikes in 2 months, so he's either an idiot, or the local roads really are a true nightmare. Probably the latter, so wish me luck! To this end, i've just bought a new helmet - another HJC CL-ST (for £85 with a spare visor - a helmet i know fits me well - and i'm poor so how can i refuse? ), and now need some form of thingie to keep my neck warm. Wish i'd bought a copy of Ride or whatever a few months back, it had a free neck warmer with it! Just hoping someone might've happened to see a cheap (couple of quid) neck warmer/balaclava up for sale recently? Along this vein, any other "been-there, done-that" style tips/advice, gear wise? (i've got textiles already, although i'm looking for a boots upgrade as i don't think the RST Vortex 2 boots protect ankles well enough).