NearOn

I found smashing mine to pieces made me feel quite good after spending so much on it and then having an accident and gear not being covered in my insurance. My bad! Also I should add I did remove any bits I could sell before destroying it and also I do think if emergency services can get some use out of it then obviously that's a better idea

Good tip Alex, is the only stuff I ever use. Is brilliant stuff, like you I usually only leave it on for 5 minutes and that's enough to clear the crap off. Another tip is keep an eye out online, sometimes the odd motorbike site has the offer when you buy a bottle it comes with a free bottle too and as its not cheap its too good an offer to refuse. Ill be buying more of it once I get another bike.

Hammerite thinners are extortionate, you are right Steve, but usually I find it easier to buy £1 brushes from wickes or somewhere and just chuck em after 1 use, saves a lot of hassle, and a brush is never the same after hammerite!

I did exactly that, I could of purchased a higher quality brush and something to clean it with too after but instead went and got some cheap brushes and chucked the one I used away straight after, much easier.

Before and after de-rusting pics pleeease! I promise to do it too when I'm able to get to a B&Q and hammerite mine too. So you just rub it down with white spirit then paint it? It may be worth me buying some online and doing it while I'm off sick actually while I have some time to myself dear god I miss my bike - every time I start her up ({so batt doesn't go flat) I just want to hop on and drive off into the sunset

I didnt get round to pics after de-rusting it and wont get another chance for a few weeks now. But can safely say looks decent. As long as the area you are painting is clear of flakes and dirt and is generally clean the tin says paint straight onto it. I did not rub it down with anything. Keep an eye out on ebay as someone keeps listing a 1 litre tin of smooth black for 20 including delivery, and that's excellent deal when 250ml is 8 quid in B&Q.

Okay, looked up powder coating

No way Jose! My bike with the repairs was cheap as hell and so was NearOn's, and not keeping it for that long - no point. Stripping and Hammeriting all the way! Well, when I'm back on my bike again!

Completely agree in that situation. If it was a bike I was really passionate about looking good and something I might want to make money on I would have it powder coated. But in truth there's quite a few things wrong with the bike and just doing the odd bit when I have time and with having no garage is proving difficult I give it till next April before its gone and I have another fully working Hornet instead

I got round to doing a bit on my 1984 Honda VT500 today. Got to be honest its a mess so I am using it as a project to learn about mechanics and I am not too fussed if things don't work out as didn't pay a lot for it. Anyhow I have never used Hammerite before and I wanted to cover some of the rust up on the frame. I bought a tin of smooth black hammerite from the local orange D I Y Store. At 8 quid a tin its not cheap but wow it goes a long way! Hardly looks like I have taken any paint out of it and I am impressed with the job its done on the rusty parts of the frame, looks half decent! So if you have a frame with rust spots and its old and you are not too fussed about whether it looks perfect, I highly recommend it! Ill try add some pics tomorrow. Here's the bike before I stripped it to keep you going! Looks ok from a distance but was rusty up close in parts

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/odloveless/IMG_1629.jpg

NearOn

Yeah its a V Twin mate, I tried using hair dryer and did notice they much more moveable so think I need to be more patient and really get them heated up even more, and have another go, here is a pic of one of the little buggers

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/odloveless/IMG_1797.jpg

I had the same problem with my 1980 cb750c. If I remember rightly, the rubbers need to squeeze over a lip on both ends? Pain in the arse! I'm glad they use smooth joints now and a clamp on each instead!

I eventually managed mine by doing the same as you, except I soaked mine in boiling water rather than use a hairdryer (I didn't think of that), plenty of grease. I made my knuckles raw, but it worked eventually.

Thanks for the replys

Yeah the palms of my hands today are pretty sore! The problem I also have is, it took me ages to get the rubber boots on the carbs, so now to heat them up, obviously I have to hold the carbs, would it not be a good idea to put whole thing in boiling water? I hope to give it one more go this week myself, if I fail yet again I will then try find someone who is better at these sort of things.

Hi, I have been trying to get my carbs back on my old VT500 for a few weeks now and is doing my nut! I took the carbs off to give them a good clean as bike been sat a very long time! Getting them off wasnt easy, so I bought new rubber boots which go on the inlets (not brand new but off a low mileage bike in better condition than mine. I managed to get them back on the carbs after leaving them in the sun for a while, but now getting the carbs back on the cylinder heads seems impossible.

I have tried heating them up with a hair dryer and they do get significantly more moveable but still wont go on. In the service manual says to use oil as a lubricant on the inner area of the rubbers which I have done too but no luck. Is there any specific way people know of? or any tips really. If no luck soon I will have to pay someone to do it for me as really annoying me now lol.

Cheers, Oli

Heard good things about both of the below,

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SS70-Oval-Stainless-Steel-Exhaust-Silencer-Muffler-Honda-VFR800F-98-01-/280863364600?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item4164c2d5f8#ht_3364wt_1185

and this one

http://www.pipewerx.com/pipewerx_bikes/products/pipe-werx-sl-gp3/honda/vfr-800-97-02/honda-vfr-800-97-02-stainless-steel-round-gp3-race-exhaust.html

If they had of been LED on the front I would of said change the relay for an aftermarket one that can cope with the differences, but as you said they arent, guess it could still be different voltages. The relays only cost around 5-6 quid, worth giving it a go, if anything least you know if ever do want LED's, they will work.

Went on Saturday morning in the end as I knew I had a BIG party on the Saturday afternoon. To be perfectly honest, it was crap. Never worth the £19 entrance fee, and unless I`m meeting up with anyone, will seriously consider giving it a miss next year.

Gotta agree with this, apart from the lid I got, I was fairly disappointed with it, doesn't match entrance fee, there were at least 5 or 6 tents selling same crap at not very good prices. If was camping guess it be better atmosphere and more of a chance to meet people. Unfortunately was not able to do that this year.

On the back of photo card licence bit, prob's the bit everyone carrys, it has <25kw> from the date you passed. Then after 2 years you can have it taken off by sending it to them, but beware it will come back with full bike licence showing from day your restriction ends. This is the norm now, as they did with mine, I still give day I passed my A2 when taking out insurance though, thats when I passed my test as far as im concerned.. Also bit of a tip, wait till your photo needs renewing (ten years) and they will do it at the same time.

Anyone go today? I went with a mate, was alright, shame about the weather, was ok once there, but on way cold and drizzle most the way. Have to admit a on quite a few stalls stuff was pretty shoddy and not many good deals, but if going tomorrow look out for a big tent, think had warehouse clearance on the side, has lots of oxford stuff in it, and good deals on helmets, got a new carberg for half price would of cost me online or in store.

I was talking to a bloke with Beowulf on his Hornet and he loves it, says the sound is great, and isn't too over the top like some makes are and is well priced. Only thing is I have seen their customer aftercare is quite bad if something goes wrong. Simple search on google brings up quite a bit.

I've seen a company on ebay with good feedback and some nice cans for reasonable money, they are Delkevic cans, think Ill replace my standard CBR exhaust with one soon and once I do it will put a review up.

NearOn

Hi,

I was looking for a review on this too.

After not finding one, I've placed an order anyway.

I'll let you know how it works out once it arrive.

Phil.

I should of updated this, forgot. I bought one, and is excellent! Works incredibly well, basically thread it through belt buckles along with belt. Once zip it to jacket is nice and secure and doesn't ride up. For just over a tenner is best bit of motorcycling kit have ever bought. I think the other top makes do their own branded version.

Rating 10/10

Also the CBT is not a test, its training, there is technically no pass or fail, you just will be asked back for further training if they don't feel you are quite up to being on the road on your own and then issued with a certificate to say you have completed basic training.

I had same problem with my AGV S4 Stealth, I tried different sized cheek pads and not much difference, I sold it in the end on fleabay......to some lad in Brazil, apparently they very sort after there, he even paid huge postage cost for it, now back with my trusty caberg

I went down route of buying a 125 from dealership. they threw CBT in free, whizzed around on that for just over a year or so, did my MOD 1 and 2 on it, passed, sold it, paid off finance (luckily bloke I sold it too happy to pay the finance company the remaining amount and me the rest), and then used that for a 600cc bike, and have gone from there.

A mate of mine has saved up a grand over a year or so, is now about to do CBT and buy a 125 and get plenty of practice on that before doing tests. A lot of people do it, not all go through DAS route.

 

What bike did you get? How much was the bike and how much was you paying the bike back over how long? I guess you took it over a year?

I had a Honda Varadero 125, cost £3400 at the time, now think they 4k. Paid £110 a month over 3 years, but paid it off after a year or so when sold it for £2.7

It sounds more like something I would be able to do. I think I would rather get riding sooner rather than later. But if you do your test on a 125 then doesn't that limit you for 2 years?

Yes currently restricts you to 33bhp for 2 years, pretty much any bike can be restricted to that, some restrict better than others.

EDIT: If I did go down that road then I could still do my test on the 125 before it all changes couldn't I? Or do it on their bike (if it limits me on a 125) and then sell on the 125 and buy a bigger bike?

Yes

Nah I choose to walk. Could buss it but other than snowboarding, it's the only excercise I get

So going by that would it be better to not do my CBT yet and rather just save up enough money to buy a bike? Cause I guess if you passed your CBT and then haved to wait months before you can get a bike then you could have forgot a good bit of what you learned?

Nell, so have any examples to what maybe you would reccomend?

I went down route of buying a 125 from dealership. they threw CBT in free, whizzed around on that for just over a year or so, did my MOD 1 and 2 on it, passed, sold it, paid off finance (luckily bloke I sold it too happy to pay the finance company the remaining amount and me the rest), and then used that for a 600cc bike, and have gone from there.

A mate of mine has saved up a grand over a year or so, is now about to do CBT and buy a 125 and get plenty of practice on that before doing tests. A lot of people do it, not all go through DAS route.

An hour each way to work? Is there no one can lift share with? You have the majority of the gear, and obviously like learning new things with the snowboarding, just save a grand from wages as you said can afford to put away each month, 6 months down the line could have a grand saved and get any decent second hand 125, which will not only give you plenty of practice but will give you the majority of those 2 hours spent walking to work back!

Hi, got a slight issue with my bike, well hope is slight! Cant get to bike mechanic till tues next week so wondered if anyone might have an idea of what this problem is, is a fuel injected CBR600F4i from 2001. Basically after say around 5 minutes, start to hear a knocking sound from lower front left of the bike, when more so when clutch engaged, so am thinking something to do with the clutch? It is not always there, but its like a slow tapping noise which can feel in handlebars occasionally. Whether at high speed the sound of the engine drowns it out I am not sure but to me it only appears to be noticeable at lower speeds and when sat in neutral at the lights. Any advice welcome,

cheers

NearOn

Not sure if allowed to post links so will do best without it, have seen an RST Connection Zip Belt, basically it can be used with any trousers so can connect RST Jacket to it. For me I will be connecting it to my Kevlar Jeans until I can afford the matching leather trousers. This is the description

The new RST Connection Belt is a simple yet incredibly clever solution to the issue of how to connect your Kevlar jeans to your RST bike jacket. Simply thread your own belt through the connector, and you immediately have a zip that can attach to your jacket!

Anyone used one? As I wonder if is 360 connection or just short old style.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/odloveless/rst-belt-connector-zip.jpg

My front L plate was always blowing away

Ill def be there again this year as luckily it falls on my one weekend off in May, bonus!