Mississippi Bullfrog

For the Bobber I use a cheap scissor jack I got from Amazon. It's the Oypla 500kg Motorcycle Jack - cost me £42 and it lifts the Bobber nice and steady. The only change I made was to use my socket rachet to operate it rather than the box spanner that comes with it.

I have a block just deep enough to hold the bike nearly level but just leaning enough to be safe. I know that means the sight glass will read slightly low. I also use a scissor lift which holds the bike dead level which means I can check the sight glass perfectly, then drop it onto the side stand plus block, and work out where on the sight glass the difference between the two is.

The best bit of advice I know of is to look where you want to be. A lot of novice riders end up in the gutter or over the centre line because that's precisely where they are anxious about so they fix their focus there. Keep your eyes on the place you want to be, keep your speed to where you feel confident....and with experience your cornering speed will reach an optimum safe level.

Of course it is correct. At the red line the high inertia of the pistons will put more load onto the con rods which will cause them to stretch and so the top of the piston will go higher up the bore. Also the valves will stop them going too high. So that's what the valve springs are for? To absorb the piston to valve contact. Well, you live and learn. I don't rev my car engines to the limit so next time I have the head off I can leave the springs out. That will save a shed load of hassle.

Somewhere back there someone called someone else a nob. Should that not have a "k"? Genuinely, I don't know if people mean nob or knob. I'm still getting over watching Bedknobs and Broomsticks where the little lad asks the immortal question, "What's that got to do with my knob?"

It shouldn't be like that. I'd try lubricating it and seeing if it will free up. If not then it's a bad link. Some OEM chains are a bit poor anyway so maybe consider a better quality replacement.

Driving today towing a trailer when I saw a BMW dealership ahead. Being wary of the kind of numpties that drive such things I moved out a bit and slowed down. Good job I did because just as I drew level with the entrance two mechanics in huge black BMW shot out into the road without even looking. Fortunately I was to stop with a couple of inches to spare, but if hadn't pre-empted an avoidance strategy I wouldn't have had a chance. It pays to expect the worst!

Sounds like the usual overreaction to the GDPR regs. I'd go back and ask for it as it should be transferred with the bike. The previous owner's details can be deleted if they're worried but it's not their call.

Plastic gizmos

Isn’t pinking more to do with using the wrong octane fuel in an engine?, I know most cars have knock sensors that adjust for this, my car is meant to run on 98+ octane but it will run ok on 95 but just be a bit less responsive and down on power. I’d have thought modern bikes might have knock sensors in?, but I don’t know, I’ve always just put Super Unleaded in my last few bikes. Pinking can be caused by low octane fuel but it can also be caused by excessively labouring an engine, low rpm and high load will also cause pinking. Damage to pistons is often caused but to be fair we're talking about excessively low rpm for load. In terms of putting super unleaded petrol into bikes there was a thread on here a while back about how cars can benefit from higher grade fuel but most bikes don't have the management systems for it to make any difference. It's worth buying branded fuel because it contains better detergents but not the premium stuff as you won't see any increase in performance or mpg. Cars are different, I use premium in the cars.

I'm a bit surprised as I've seen plenty of engines damaged by pre-ignition shockwaves. Even your humble Haynes manual used to display a photo of evidence of spark plugs destroyed by the effect.

It's pretty hard to over rev a motorcycle engine as the rev limiter usually keeps them within manufacturer's limits. Bikes tend to thrive on running at high rpm because the load in the engine per revolution is less. Conversely allowing an engine to labour can increase wear and oil consumption. Most running in guides advise more against allowing an engine to labour than running at higher rpm. In the days before knock sensors you'd hear a labouring engine pinking which is pre-ignition shockwaves within the cylinders. That can be a very destructive force within the combustion chamber. Bikes don't tend to use knock sensors so if you labour the engine you can create pre-ignition though it's seldom audible.

Riding on high beam can alter speed perception and hide other bikes around you so not a good idea. No matter what you do some drivers won't see you so take that into account in your riding habits. Extra light down low to make a triangle of light can help. Yellow or amber colour can help. A gentle weaving can also draw you drivers' attention. I used to have a VanVan and on them the headlight always vibrates, I never had a SMIDSY moment on that bike. I reckon a bright LED on a flexible mount so it can vibrates a bit could be worth trying. Also look at your riding gear. I've found quite a difference between gear in terms of how it either catches attention or blends into the scenery.

No way to say for sure without seeing the bike but if you check that the wheels are true, tyres not cut, brakes work and sign of damage to the hydraulic lines then it ought to be safe to ride. They're pretty robust at handling a slide, it's sudden impact damage that causes most problems.

I know that joke...the version I know is about a yuppie trying to impress a girl by ordering the most expensive dish in a seafood restaurant. Which turns out to be a squid The snag is it's so expensive that they've had the squid for ages so they've got rather attached to it. The head waiter tells the yuppie that this dish is tres rare, tres exclusive and therefore tres expensive. It is green squid sir, but not farmed squid, this is wild caught. This particular variety is particularly difficult to find as it is the furry lipped variety. The guy orders it but the chef can't bring himself to kill the poor thing. Neither can the sous chef, or any of the kitchen staff. Eventually they remember Hans who is the dishwasher. He's got no finer feeling so they reckon he'll chop the squid. But even Hans falters as the squid looks up at him tearfully. " Nein, I no kill squid" So the waiter goes back to the yuppie and apologies that the squid is off. When the angry diner demands to know why he is told..... Because Hans that does dishes is as soft as can be with wild green furry lipped squid Ta da! That's it ! but you forgot that the Head Waiter was called Gervais . That wasn't in the version I was told. I heard it on a ship in Liverpool docks one new year's eve, be around 1982 I think.

Could have been diesel on the road. The amount spilt from trucks is ridiculous. They need to double the price of diesel to make people more careful with it

Numbers in spec don't tell the whole story. It's how it rides and unless you need your arms extending the CB ought to be entertaining enough. Certainly capable of holding its own in traffic.

I know that joke...the version I know is about a yuppie trying to impress a girl by ordering the most expensive dish in a seafood restaurant. Which turns out to be a squid The snag is it's so expensive that they've had the squid for ages so they've got rather attached to it. The head waiter tells the yuppie that this dish is tres rare, tres exclusive and therefore tres expensive. It is green squid sir, but not farmed squid, this is wild caught. This particular variety is particularly difficult to find as it is the furry lipped variety. The guy orders it but the chef can't bring himself to kill the poor thing. Neither can the sous chef, or any of the kitchen staff. Eventually they remember Hans who is the dishwasher. He's got no finer feeling so they reckon he'll chop the squid. But even Hans falters as the squid looks up at him tearfully. " Nein, I no kill squid" So the waiter goes back to the yuppie and apologies that the squid is off. When the angry diner demands to know why he is told..... Because Hans that does dishes is as soft as can be with wild green furry lipped squid Ta da!

Thank god. We also get to have endless arguments with Americans over how words should be spelt. We of course are correct and they get quite upset when you tell them they don't speak English. Except that a lot of American usage is really closer to the original English than our own modern usage. Languages change and evolve but the Americans seem to have got stuck in a bit of a time warp with some words. Their version is sometimes more 'English' than English.

I remember swigging some actified cough syrup when I was a student - man that was cool. I've never been able to find the stuff since

Blimey, that takes me back a bit. Bet most folk on here have no idea what you're on about. (Situation normal then )

I reckon you will be fine. Probably fined for the noise.

Why should you never buy flowers from a monk? Because you shouldn't encourage florist friars.

I have two methods The Bobber is wiped down with a cotton bud soaked in the most finely refined fragranced cleanser from a local spa. Then tenderly buffed to shine with virgin silk. The CBF gets a bucket of water lobbed over it once a quarter.

That's what I usually do. Builds better relationships and keeps the local guys in business.