fastbob

I was thinking of going to the Rugby bike weekend but I don't think I've got enough gas to even go looking for any more .

What's the petrol situation around your way chaps ?

Over night I did a bit of googling on bike sites that use the same engine ( KLE , EN , EX and GPZ ) and discovered that glowing header pipes is more common than one might think . Anyway I started it up again this morning and all is well . As soon as it's off choke it settles down to a steady tick over . It's hunting a little bit and when I rev it the revs take a long time to return to normal again . So the next job is to double check for air leaks and then take the mixture screws out a quarter turn or so . I cannot help but wonder what guardian angel made me decide to shelve the project for the summer . If I'd ridden it and a cam sprocket had fallen off it would have been pure carnage . On a positive note , the Wilkinson's Barbecue paint on the exhaust seems none the worse for being heated to red hot . Other good news is that the ridiculously cheap Chinese carb kits ( £8.00 for 2 including diaphragms and floats ! ) are not leaking despite my bypassing the petrol tap and there being a head of pressure from the auxiliary fuel tank .

I've already checked the thermostat operation but not with a thermometer . ER5s usually only require a few seconds of choke before the revs rise and you can knock it off so I've never run one at a high idle for longer than necessary so maybe this is no cause for concern . The fan didn't kick in and I know it works . I'll set it up for a correct idle with the choke off tomorrow and see what happens . It's all good fun ..

Right . Put the bike back together racing against the failing light . Hit the button and and the thing is absolutely whirring and purring . What a difference ! The best sounding ER5 engine I've built so far . ....... However , having not had time to connect the throttle cable and completely forgetting that I can set the idle speed with the throttle stop screw , I can only keep the thing running at a fast idle by manipulating the choke ( Enricher ) So I let it run at a fast idle for no more than a minute and a half and , lo and behold , both the exhaust pipes are glowing bright red ! I had to do a double take because I've never actually seen a pair of glowing exhaust pipes before , not in real life anyway and certainly not on a humble ER5 . I'm packing it in for today but I really don't know what to make of this latest twist . Any ideas ?

I was in denial . It started easy enough but there was a clacking noise that even an ER5 shouldn't make. Oh this forum is driving me bloody mad ! Why can't I make a new post in this thread without having to quote myself ?

I was in denial . It started easy enough but there was a clacking noise that even an ER5 shouldn't make.

An update . Started this thing up back in the Spring and I did not like what I heard . It sounded like a bag of spanners . So I put a cover over it and walked away . Until today . I've just popped the cam cover off and all looks good . But do not rely on your eyes alone , give everything a wiggle . WTF ! The inlet cam sprocket is rattling loose ! I had replaced the camshafts but it never occurred to me to check the bolts . They must have been just finger tight all along . So I'm going to torque them up and see what it sounds like after that . The moral is , take nothing for granted when buying second hand parts .

Here you go . https://youtu.be/ch-BF2QXAQU

There are two sides to every story and none of us were there .

That does sound like a great idea .

No , I haven't been asleep and I am well aware of the numerous posts from people who struggle with CBT but have never ridden a bicycle . In fact it's me that usually asks them whether they have done exactly that . I think the way that I pitched my latest response i.e from a position of mock incredulity , might have confused you a little .

Idly trawling the net checking out prices and I come across this . Of course when the Sportster is paid off and sold next year there won't be a Dyna to be found . I actually suspect this is a scam . It's only done 9,000 miles . I just wish I'd never seen it .

I was happier in the 70's than I am in this shit show .

Not from Scotland but since Covid 19 I always free camp on the other side of the railway and the Clyde midway between Crawford and Abington when I'm on my way up to the Highlands on the B7076 / B7078 .

Well back in my day you still went to some industrial estate or deserted road on the the back of your mate's bike and then he hopped off while you had a ride around . I let an ex girlfriend ride my GS850 all around a big carpark in Wales before she did her CBT . And she passed . Not exactly legal but no kittens were harmed .

I'm confused . You're saying that people turn up for a CBT with zero motorcycle riding experience and literally expect to be taught how to ride ? Surely it would be an idea to get at least a few hours practice in first . How are you going to develop the necessary balance and coordination ?

They actually used to joke about themselves by saying that there are two man-made objects visible from space , the Great Wall of China and the Frank Thomas returns mountain . The fact that satellites carry ultra high resolution cameras had clearly passed them by .

We still have Bikers Paradise in Coventry . They might be able to make you a one off design .

Formerly Frank Thomas . Years ago when I was in the bike shop I visited the place . I wasn't aware that they actually made anything there . I thought all the leathers came from Pakistan .

I used Bank transfer when I bought the Harley . I got the seller to take me to a bank . Hand over debit card , say " Please give this bloke £4,200 " Seller hands over debit card . I get a bit of paper and that's it . Well almost ..........Then the seller says in a horrible mock foreign accent so all the bank can hear " Very good , now I release your family " Great .

When you get it back , have a really close look at the side stand switch .

I know what you mean . I did it years ago on my first GSXR 1100 which was not the ideal bike . This was before the days when we preview everything on YouTube . In fact I'd never heard of it . I just decided to take a left turn at the bottom to see where the road went . Not only did I find myself in a white out but it was raining cats and dogs at the top and blowing a gale . At one point the rain was going up on one side of the road and down on the other . Fighting to stay on the road and stay upright , I stopped briefly to consider the options . And then in my white , howling , buffeting , rain lashed little world I burst out laughing at the sheer stupidity of my situation . I made it to Applecross in the end but it was very dicey . Applecross bay was a mass of huge grey breakers and the wind was roaring through the trees in a terrifying fashion . I spent an anxious night in a tent that was blown flat by the strongest gusts but in the morning all was calm and the sun was out . That's Scotland for you . By the way , have you read about what happened up there this year ?

The Thunk is the lash in the drive train due to a momentary loss of power . It's going to be worse on a Kawasaki because of their strange obsession with primary drive chains instead of direct gear drive . My money is on the side stand switch . Can I have Lt Uhura doing the uncomprehending face this time please ?

And dip them in Copperslip !