fastbob

Much of that trend stems from the builders of early choppers taking tanks off the Mustang economy bike .

But surely if you have a plethora of active Driver Assistance Systems and a Sat Nav , why do you need lights if there's no need to look out of the windows ?

Styling , no other reason . The Sportster has been a retro bike ever since it was outclassed by the Honda 750 four . And it's been a retro bike since long before the Japanese manufacturers started turning out retro bikes . So the styling is archaic and that's what sells ..

I believe I've got the 3.3 gallon tank but there's nothing inside it except petrol . EFI models have all kinds of gubbins in the tank taking up space .

It's not as bad as it sounds . The range to reserve is 80 - 90 miles . It's a lot more than the later EFI models like the Iron . When I'm touring Scotland I don't have any issues as long as I don't pass any garages without filling up .

Not on carburettor models . There is a digital trip meter if you remember to reset it whenever you fill up but mileage varies according to the type of riding you're doing .

Not to everyone's taste perhaps but my only regret is that I didn't get one years ago .

Oh yes , it's happened several times . Obviously I've got reserve but my bike tends to quit without any preliminary hesitation or spluttering . So it's clutch in and get to the hard shoulder asap and restart .

I would like to apologize on behalf of all Harley Davidson riders , myself included , who appear not to have a clue what their indicators are doing . It's bad enough having one button on each handlebar particularly the right one where you're doing three things at once . When you've got used to that , there's the self cancelling system which operates completely at random . Designed in the US , the tilt sensor appears to have no understanding that in order to go right at a roundabout you have to lean left , then right and then left again . Then there's lane changing on the motorway . The indicators always seem to stay on too long but whenever you flick the switch a second time to cancel it will be at the exact moment that they self cancel so of course you end up reactivating them . The only good feature is the hazard function which is very useful when you run out of fuel without warning in the fast lane * of the motorway . * Comments anticipated .

What I don't get is why Coventry Council has randomly dotted isolated charging points all around my neighborhood when eventually everyone is going to have to get their own charger . Just looks like a stupid PR stunt to me but I bet somebody has got their snout in some trough or other .

I'm with Swinton . My insurance is so cheap that I can't remember how much it is .

I don't think you've read that back to yourself before posting .

Good luck with that .

I assumed it was EFI when you mentioned the Petrol Pump .

Well on most , but not all fuel taps , there are usually three positions . Run , Res ( Reserve ) and Pri ( Prime ) Prime is for filling up the carbs by bypassing the vacuum operated fuel tap after work has been done that required the carbs to be drained . If you have a defective vacuum line , the bike should still run on Prime position thereby identifying the fault .

Yes , I do like the ER5 . I think it's because I had such a good time touring Scotland on my last one . Plus it's nice to do the same bike twice because you know everything off by heart the second time around .

Oh , it's fuel injection is it ? Sorry then , I've no idea . ( Visually check any sensors ? )

Kinked , split or detached vacuum hose . Does it run on PRI ( Prime Position ) ?

I've balanced it and played around with the mixture screws but I still can't get the revs to fall as quickly as I would like . Some say that's indicative of a lean condition and of course some disagree and say it's a rich condition . I've tried to make it richer and there was some improvement but maybe I should try the other way .

Finished . All it needs now is a shakedown . Anybody got a litre of petrol ?

What a f*****g idiot ?

Looking good . No leaks and I've almost got a steady idle speed . Another quarter turn out on those mixture screws and it's good to go I reckon .

Come on .

Got a bloody water leak now but at least I know what it is and how to fix it . Top Tip when you're fettling a bike , fill the rad system with tap water until you're sure it's leak free . Then drain and fill with coolant . The cheapest of which is B&Q by the way at £3.99 a litre .

You couldn't make it up .