Ingah

It's much easier with a cheap one-man brake bleeding kit (used correctly, that is - first time i tried to use one i couldn't work it out and so ended up cutting the end off and doing it the "old fashioned" way )

I'm "looking forward" to having to do it on my CB500 for this reason. Camshafts out!

Checking the clearances is pretty easy, quick and painless (providing you can do basic maths accurately and have a manual and vernier caliper to measure the shim with). Do it yourself imo. The probability is that it'll be within spec. If required, changing the shims is harder and more time consuming, and if you cba/are nervous, let a mechanic do it and watch. I'd guess at ~2 hours labour. IIRC, shims are about £3 each.

To be fair i had a small nightmare changing my handlebars for the 1st time because i was having cables not reaching/streching etc. Thing is, the Renthal bars were £30 (and about £12 of that was for the bar ends!) whereas the official CB500 handlebars were £110!

I remember the agency conducting a mid-term inspection on my shared student house (me and 3 total slobs, unfortunately). The report was very disparaging and the guy said that the kitchen was not acceptable and they'd come back in a couple of weeks to check it again. This was also written on his fancy report in his crappy handwriting. I did precisely nothing to clean it (principle, i only clean my own crap up), nor did anyone else. The repeat inspection never happened. Wasn't planning to let them in for it anyway (the house had a 2nd lock that they didn't have the key to). I knew i could simply tell them to get lost. They can't "make" you do anything mid-term.

To my understanding it's a legal requirement for a commercial business working on brakes to copper grease the back of the pads. Either way, if they're that sloppy when working on the braking system, do you really want them anywhere near your bike, for anything?

You can refuse entry if the time is inconvenient under rights to quiet enjoyment. There is nothing forcing you to allow them unsupervised access to your property, even if they've put it in the tenancy agreement. Contracts do not overrule the law. Worst they can legally do even if you're in the wrong is serve you notice ( ). And you can make it a very time-consuming and expensive process for them to actually get you out.

Hein Gericke underlayers won the RiDE test.

Lovely, thanks for the reassurance! I suddenly feel chuffed that I've been able to do a non-trivial thing to my bike, mechanicallywise! Well, it's probably trivial for some, but seeing as the most technical thing I've done to it so far has been adjusting the chain and keeping the tyres inflated, for me it's pretty technical! That being said, I've done it, it was OK (took me a while though), so I can attempt something else now - need to do a 15,000 mile service, I might attempt that (or some of it at least) myself. Out of interest, the chain and sprocket kit, with chain breaker, plus delivery, cost me £122 (because I went for the deluxe version of the chain and sprocket kit - VXGB, whatever that means!) and fitting it all did involve quite a bit of work (taking off back wheel, etc). It took me a couple of hours (three with tea breaks!), how long would it take a bike mechanic who does these things day in day out? And how much do you reckon I've saved in labour costs? 1-1.5 hours.

I think eBay is perfectly safe for buying (provided you check your item within the 45 day Paypal period because i get the feeling that after that you're on your own), but i'd never sell anything worth over a couple of quid on there (i.e. just books). It's not even worth bothering doing that most of the time though because you make so little and risk losing postage+packaging+item+money all at once!

Precisely. And as motorcycles logically stand a far reduced risk of damage to 3rd parties (evidence: TPO insurance premiums, if not plain common sense!) then they particularly should be left alone. Autonomy!

I enjoyed riding a peugeot loomix 50cc scooter when i had to ride it for a job (lame just doesn't cover it).

A wife?!

As of 2013 this will not be possible. Nor for 22 or 23 year olds. You'll need to be 24+.

Will admit i have had similar thoughts, especially because i'm now working on an out of town industrial estate (no practical bus/rail links) for not much above minimum wage. As things stand / if i can't work something out, i simply won't be coming in on the icy days. Am a temp though, so will have to see how it goes down as to whether it costs my job or not. Estimated it'd be about half my yearly takehome pay to get a car, all considered (including finishing lessons, test(s), insurance etc). It's just not worth it. Neither is my job worth dying over, much as it would cause money problems to lose it. Would happily consider alternatives (converting the CG into a snow bike (?), getting a hovercraft/quad - you know all the usual alternatives, but can't imagine anything will come in significantly cheaper )

Don't know how you put up with it to be honest. Have had to live with the CG125 again for a good month or so now and it's quite frankly dangerously poor all round*. And frustrating - it's only the thought that it's temporary that keeps me sane . Fortunately as my speedo drive's packed in (nothing a session with PlusGas/WD40 won't fix i imagine...) i don't have to know how slow i'm actually going * = Despite recent and previous investments in the headlamp/tyres/brakes/personal body fat (for road holding)

Which option is it for "I have 3 bikes (all shitters)"

Guy called Dave Bancroft on Knedlington Road near Howden, he reckons the chain is sound though. The point is that by changing the front sprocket the chain will wear rapidly as it no longer 'fits' so well with the used chain. If i was in a bind (e.g. couldn't afford a chain and sprocket kit yet) then i would change the front sprocket and then change the lot for a whole new chain and sprocket kit later (and pay bloody close attention to the chain and sprockets in the meantime). But that's because i can do it myself. If i was paying for labour too then i wouldn't want to waste the money as it wouldn't be worth it for the small miles i will get out of it (i.e. £ per mile it would be cheaper to get the lot replaced). TBH though if i can afford it then i'd buy a set and fit the set myself, it's not worth doing a job if it needs doing again really soon (even though my labour is "free" it's still time i could be doing something else, like my job!)

I just wondered if anyone has ever used it successfully, as i want to! Basically, i'm pretty skint, and my (relatively) expensive textile jacket pongs pretty badly, and i want to clean it. However, last time i tried to use Nixwax wash-in via hand-washing some textile trousers, they weren't any more than showerproof afterwards despite the claimed effectiveness. And i don't want to wreck the waterproofing in my jacket! I'd like to use the washing machine this time (as i live with the in-laws... and they wouldn't be too impressed by my misusing the sink). I'm aware that you need to run the washing machine first a couple of times (or something) to clear the soap powder...? Anyone had any success with this product, in the washing machine, with textiles, and cares to share what they did/how much they used/etc? I'll be doing my new 2nd hand textile trousers in there too, if they fit in the machine! I imagine i should take all the padding out first?

I thought trepass was now only a civil crime - i.e. you can't get "done" for it in a criminal court?

And that's the reality of it. Did you complain (as they've acted illegally...) Not that they'd admit they did it.

To my understanding the police can confiscate any recording equipment that they suspect may contain evidence of a crime. Is my understanding incorrect? Obviously a security guard can't, he has the same legal powers as Joe Bloggs on the street.

I knew that bit I had forgotten the term clutch basket though (well i've only changed one once before! )

Am in need of a cheap cordless drill and looking for recommendations. I already have a decent corded drill, it's just it's a hammer drill with no reverse setting (and corded, which currently means i can't get it as far as the garage even with extensions). Want to spend as little as possible, but not get something totally rubbish that won't last 5 minutes. Already have some decent drillbits, so don't care about the quality of the included drillbits as i won't be relying on them.