Inithra

So this weekend my brother and I went to a show, and were riding through some very high winds. He was on a CBF500, me on my 125. At times, especially uphill and around corners, I felt like it was all I could do to stay on the bike, my arse was hanging off to the left, right hand pushing down to the right, just to go in a straight line. I ended up riding really slowly as a result. He told me I should actually have been riding quicker, but that was the very last thing I wanted to do. Is he correct?

I don't think he lost his edge, it was taken away from him when people started threatening his job for making jokes that nobody got offended by, but pretended to because they didn't like Clarkson. I didn't even click that the slope on a bridge joke could possibly be deemed racist until the news broke that a complaint had been upheld. I saw a wonky bridge. Then there was the UNAIRED footage of the word nigger (It is NOT racist to USE the word, it is racist to CALL SOMEBODY the word) being MUMBLED, and that was the last warning. Wasn't paying the license fee before, certainly won't ever again, if they make more episodes I will watch the first one online, if it's any good I will watch others. Maybe they will get rid of the shitty "Celebrity in a car" bit? Unless it is an actual interesting, famous, funny, celebrity, I always skip those. Who the f**k is Olly Murs anyway?

Yep, definitely take some time off. Even if you have to use your holiday allowance so you still get paid. My left knee had been giving me loads of problems (weak tendons, also after a Rugby injury, kept giving out, or locking up, leaving me limping for days after), but I had 6 weeks off work because I broke one wrist and fingers in both hands, and the knee has healed too!

Top Gear was the only show I even bothered to watch via the IPlayer. Literally not a single other show the BBC makes that is worth watching, in my opinion. Haven't had a TV license four about 6 years now. Youtube, Live Streaming and a certain site involving people who really like Rum have me covered. Even downloading, I don't bother with UK shows, Midwives, Posh Knobs and Reality Shows is all the UK knows how to make these days.

Yesterdays NOTD is a double award, to the pricks in the red hatchback, the driver decided to overtake me at about 80 in a 40 zone, then his passenger flicked a cigarette butt out the window as they went past. Saw the sparks as it bounced and hit my windshield. Had my visor up as I had just been stopped at a red light, so lucky it didn't go in my face instead!

In short, go to the doctor, not the internet. Pretty much advice for anything that is causing enough pain for an adult to be in tears.

GoG, persons are normally fine. People, however, are dicks. Individually we are mostly nice as pie (shortcrust chunky steak from Morrisons, is my favourite), but as a group? Dicks.

No idea if this is relevant or not, but when I got a quote last year it couldn't find mine either, until I noticed a tiny box that said "tick if personalised reg" (or something like that!) Ticked, and it worked. Don't think the reg IS custom, but it didn't work until that box was ticked.

I have the same problem with mine, too, always have. I do find that regular chain and clutch cable/lever maintenance improves it, but the problem never goes away entirely.

Getting into the egine and trying to do it myself isn't really practical. Yes I have a Haynes, but I wouldn't even know what the carb looks like! The spark plug looks fine to me. I had the problems before a service which replaced the plug, and it was still there after too, so I have my doubts about the spark plug being the cause. I'm heading back to the home town for my 30th next week, so am going to ride it round to a mate of mines. He builds custom bikes, so while not a mechanic per se he at least can show me how to take it apart, tell me which bits to clean and help me put it all back together again. I've definitely spent birthdays doing worse! Shame about the 200 mile ride there, with a max speed of 50 if it's running well. Going to set off at 3am to avoid traffic!

I have suspected that the gearbox might be knackered, but am hoping getting the carb serviced will fix the problem, as this should be cheaper? I've seen people asking for help with almost the exact same problem, and seen suggestions including cleaning the jets, resetting the float and similar, but nothing from somebody who had the problem about what caused/fixed it! One thing to consider is that this is not a powerful 125 to start with! All the reviews I read on it said not to expect much over 50/55, or that getting over those speeds takes a lot of work, and the max speed was only ever said by Suzuki to be 65. So I am losing 10-15mph, not 30-40, which is why I was hoping it might just be the carb. If/when I do get it sorted I will make sure to put here what did it for the next guy like me!

Speed problems have been there since I bought the bike, had it serviced a month or two after I got it, when they replaced the Air and Oil filters, changed the oil, put in a new Spark plug and did something that had the word "tappets"/"tappits" in the sentence? Made zero difference to the performance. It goes fine in 1st and 2nd, accelerates normally, same as my last bike (that got stolen) did. I can get to 35 in 2nd, then change up to 3rd and can feel power drop off - unless I quickly change up to 4th, the bike will normally slow DOWN from 35 to 30 in 3rd. When in 4th, I usually get up to 40 fairly easily, anything more than that isn't acceleration so much as momentum. On a long flat fairly straight road speed gradually increases, but too many bends means staying around 40, any incline means speed dropping off quickly, and I usually have to drop down to 2nd to maintain 30mph.

The sprockets are standard - ordered and had them fitted just before I started tracking the mileage. I'm not doing the calculations, Fuelly (a website) is doing that for me - all I do is put in how many litres it took to fill the bike, and how many miles I have done since I last filled it up. As for fuel injection vs carb, yes some models have fuel injection (those are the ones that get 99+mpg) but there is a 2002 model I compared it to which is also carb that gets 83mpg, still quite an improvement on my 60! As I said, I do have speed issues (ie, it can struggle getting above 40mph, on good days I get 45, very rare occasions I get 50) that may be carb related, so I do plan to get that done when I have spare cash and the time to take it in. That may kill both birds with one stone, who knows? Thanks

Hi all. I've been using Fuelly for a couple of months now, and it seems to be showing that I get a really bad MPG from my bike compared to other people on the same model. I average 60mpg, compared to the next lowest of 83, with some reaching into the 90's! I've always had speed issues, and have been meaning to get the carb serviced to see if that resolves them, but never have the spare cash. Could the carb be causing the poor MPG too? Or should I be looking at something else? Chain and sprockets are practically brand new, tyres are at correct pressure. Bike itself is a Y reg, with just over 17k miles on the clock. Thanks!

Yeah I hope that is the cause. Low beam went last night on the front - have had the bike 6 months now, no idea when/if the front bulb got replaced before that. Considering the rear light goes all the time, and it's always just the tail light and the brake light keeps working, is it possible the low beam going now could indicate a wiring issue? Vibration is a lot easier! LED bulb shouldn't blow out from that, so it is a simple solution. My road home is a VERY bumpy country lane.

I was just about to make a topic asking for advice on bulbs, guess I don't need to now! Seems like the Osram bulbs are the way to go for headlights, what about the tail light? Mine keeps blowing, so I was going to get an LED one instead - is there any reason not to?

I'm the one mug who voted for 29th, either is actually fine as I never have plans at any time of the year, but 28th is Payday. Then I read the thread and realised I should have voted 15th. Tewkesbury is 80miles, IF you decide to take the motorway. If you don't, it's, um, 50!

Not exactly NOTD, but whoever designed my bike so that the exhaust is in the way of the rear axle bolt is on my shit list. Need to adjust the chain, but can't because the socket won't fit with exhaust in the way. Only have spanners up to 17mm, which isn't large enough.

Brackley is just round the corner from me (ish) so would definitely try and get to this! Just need to remember to book it off work - usually only realise when I am riding into work on the day and see all the bikes on the road, then have to spend 8 hours selling the bikers petrol and feeling jealous!

I wasn't sure if they would be ok with nornal washing procedures. But if the inners don't need special treatment then I shall not give it to them, with extreme prejudice!

Hi, so, my sexy new trousers are great, keep me really warm and dry, BUT they met their match earlier today when I had to walk 2 miles in all my gear after leaving the bike at the garage for a service (had to go collect and ride it back to work later, didn't want to leave my gear there to be honest). What is the problem, you ask? Well, gear that is designed to keep you warm and dry while on a bike has a tendency to keep you VERY warm whilst walking. The insides are soaked in sweat, and frankly they stink. The jacket is a bit..fragrant too. I've seen a few posts suggest Nikwax, but for drying they say put it on the line. NOT an option while there is gale force winds and winter rains outside. Any suggestions? I work every day, and can't leave them in the airing cupboard for the 24 hours plus it would take to dry them out in there. Could I put just the removable liners through the washing machine with no detergent, just a rinse, then put them in the dryer?

Cheers GoG. Booked it in with the garage in my work town. Rang them, and the guy said much the same about it probably being the cam, without trying to tell me it would need a whole new brake unit or some such. Besides, even if I did decide to do it myself, couldn't order the new pads until I got paid on Friday, wouldn't get them until well after Christmas, and then would have to wait until I had a day off. Also, I don't have a paddock stand, and without one I really don't see it being a one man job! This way, the garage orders the new shoes, then I take it in Friday morning, and pick it up an hour or two later. Day off today (kinda - finished work at 7am this morning), so instead of sleeping I'm going to give the bike a proper clean. Can't take it in dirty! PS: the bit about the clocks looks like it should have gone somewhere else?

There's definitely still an issue, could feel the resistance as I wheeled it backwards in neutral to turn it round and leave work this morning. So will call the garage around 9 this morning and see if they are actually open Friday, and hope they can order some rear shoes by then, take it in before starting work. Haven't fitted rear brake shoes since my first bike, almost two years ago now, and then my brother was doing most of the work. Does the rear wheel have to be taken off entirely? I'm pretty sure it does, right? I'm going to see if they can check the bearings in the rear wheel. Has been feeling a bit wobbly lately, but don't know if the bearings can cause that, or if it is just the very high winds. Have also had the back slide twice while braking in the last week, but again the roads have been wet and greasy, and the second time it was just after passing a petrol station, so may have been a patch of diesel. First time was on the country road in the fog, and I thought I had strayed onto the grassy edge before a tight corner.

Yeah I realise that, and they are probably right. I'm not exactly in a good place lately and have a hard time seeing anything but the negative. Doesn't help that the Suzuki place charged me £160 just over a month ago for a service (oil, oil filter, air filter, tappets)that did nothing as far as I can tell. Even the rear bulb they put it I had to replace again three weeks later! They certainly didn't say anything about the wear on the back shoes. Or the frayed clutch cable that snapped on me soon after. (That one I managed to replace myself)

I don't know anybody around here, biker or not. I moved here because my brother offered me a place to live when I was homeless. Since then he killed himself, and I'm working 6.5 days a week to pay rent and his funeral costs. There's no mechanic in my village, and the choices are one ten miles away, in the town I work in, or one nine miles in the other direction, who are only interested if you order first party suzuki parts through them. Obviously it would be easier if I knew how to twangle the flanges in it myself, or at least had a paddock stand so I could get the back wheel off the ground and have a go at fuckng the job up, but I don't.