What did you do to your bike today?

[Davidtav]

1 minute ago, S-Westerly said:

The courtesy bike I had yesterday was a  V Strom 650 and had significant buffeting at motorway speeds.  Otherwise it was quite a sweet bike.

Yes. That’s exactly the thing. 

[Trooper74]

On 13/01/2024 at 14:30, Davidtav said:

Yes. That’s exactly the thing. 

My 650 V Strom has no buffeting … I went the other way … smaller …. Result !!!
 

 

Edited January 14, 2024 by Trooper74
Gfcyfchfctrxc

[S-Westerly]

I think with all bikes the amount of buffeting experienced depends on the interaction between the rider and the screen. Some riders swear by a taller screen, others by a lower one. There's a reason there's so many after market screens and deflectors on the market. 

[Fish]

Got the bike insured and MOT'd, passed no issues.

[smallfrowne]

I have just drilled the cam cap casting of my KTM with barely 6k miles on it. You wouldn't catch me doing this to a Honda 

[RideWithStyles]

yep as ive mentioned before its all to do with aerodynamics. with relative to the bike, cowl , screen, rider (body and head position) helmet etc. 

 

im surprised you need to do that with the ktm, thought just a hair dryer and a fisher price drill would be enough?

[Bianco2564]

Did some prep to the Kawasaki in readiness for sale, had the fairings and side panels off and gave it a good clean. Removed the heated grips that had stopped working and fitted new grips. Just need to give it a final clean and get the advert pics taken.

Took it for a spin around the block, haven't riden a bike since the start of October, muscle memory must take over as it was like I rode it yesterday.

 

 

[S-Westerly]

Looks really smart too.

[Joe85]

Im giving up the GS. I want the M1000XR instead. It's going back to the dealer.

 

The whole abandoned bike thing has triggered a midlife bike crisis.

 

Edited January 16, 2024 by Joe85

[bonio]

That's not what I expected. Especially with those golden wheels.

But a midlife bike isn't something to be taken lightly, buddy. You've gotta do what you've gotta do. 

 

[curlylegend]

On 13/01/2024 at 23:05, smallfrowne said:

I have just drilled the cam cap casting of my KTM with barely 6k miles on it. You wouldn't catch me doing this to a Honda 

Why ?

[smallfrowne]

On 16/01/2024 at 23:01, curlylegend said:

Why ?

Well, I fancied checking the valve clearances at 6k miles, which is a bit soon by the book. Turns out 3 inlet valves were too tight, and the last inlet and two exhaust valves on the lower limit. So, I had to get the cams out to change the shims and in doing so revealed a bit of wear on a part which should see no wear at all.

This is the head with the "camshaft bridge" still in place, note the bit where the spark plugs go are separate pieces which come out as well.

 

Spark plug tube. This is what one looked like.

 

Here from the manual you can see that the balancer shaft is easily removed by screwing a long bolt in to it and pulling, gently. There is nothing holding it in place and is a sliding fit. The only thing holding it in place in normal operation is the two spark plug tubes, and one of them was doing a bang up job of it. It looks like the shaft does like to rattle about in there. Anyway that didn't seem right to me, and at only 6000 mile don't forget.

 

It turns out there is an updated part, which I bought on a whim along with my new shims. There was no indication on the fiche to show how the new part was any different but I was intrigued - when it arrived alles war klar. They must've had a change of heart and decided they needed to bolt this thing in place after all, on the 890 at least - this is an early 790.

 

It looks like somebody knew about it because the casting has a nice flat bit which perfectly aligns with this new shaft's bolt 'ole.

All I had to do then was drill a 5mm hole in this bit of ally, which is only available as part of a cylinder head set for about £650, and Bob's yer uncle.

 

My new lickle M5x12 low profile cap head bolt has arrived now so that bit is all back together; I can carry on with the other stuff, like sorting the valves out at 6000miles.

 

Edited January 18, 2024 by smallfrowne
SPG

[Gerontious]

its never nice when a bike suffers from heatstroke in a synergistic ecstasy of sympathy for the owners suffering. Too hot it was. Too Hot.

 

 

35 minutes ago, smallfrowne said:

Well, I fancied checking the valve clearances at 6k miles, which is a bit soon by the book. Turns out 3 inlet valves were too tight, and the last inlet and two exhaust valves on the lower limit. So, I had to get the cams out to change the shims and in doing so revealed a bit of wear on a part which should see no wear at all.

 

 

KTMs... glorious.

[smallfrowne]

You might be right with the synergy, we were ice cold in Alex

[Joe85]

I brought an M1000R. 

 

 

[Simon Davey]

11 minutes ago, Joe85 said:

I brought an M1000R. 

 

 

Congratulations... 

Where are the pics? 

[Joe85]

12 minutes ago, Simon Davey said:

Congratulations... 

Where are the pics? 

That’s all I’ve got at the minute. Haven’t picked it up yet.

[S-Westerly]

17 minutes ago, Joe85 said:

That’s all I’ve got at the minute. Haven’t picked it up yet.

That's a very nice looking bike.

[Simon Davey]

2 hours ago, Joe85 said:

That’s all I’ve got at the minute. Haven’t picked it up yet.

Fantastic looking bike, great colour scheme without being in your face and OTT. 

[RideWithStyles]

On 16/01/2024 at 23:01, curlylegend said:

Why ?

Holy moly you fell for that one! Lol.

20 hours ago, Gerontious said:

its never nice when a bike suffers from heatstroke in a synergistic ecstasy of sympathy for the owners suffering. Too hot it was. Too Hot.

 

 

 

KTMs... glorious.

What drugs ur on? Youd normally be spitting feathers and shoutingabout how a shite design and htf it got passed off at the design stage let along further down the road...

2 hours ago, Joe85 said:

That’s all I’ve got at the minute. Haven’t picked it up yet.

Nice , your on the left?  looks like youre ready to joy ride it already!

[curlylegend]

21 hours ago, smallfrowne said:

Well, I fancied checking the valve clearances at 6k miles, which is a bit soon by the book. Turns out 3 inlet valves were too tight, and the last inlet and two exhaust valves on the lower limit. So, I had to get the cams out to change the shims and in doing so revealed a bit of wear on a part which should see no wear at all.

This is the head with the "camshaft bridge" still in place, note the bit where the spark plugs go are separate pieces which come out as well.

 

Spark plug tube. This is what one looked like.

 

Here from the manual you can see that the balancer shaft is easily removed by screwing a long bolt in to it and pulling, gently. There is nothing holding it in place and is a sliding fit. The only thing holding it in place in normal operation is the two spark plug tubes, and one of them was doing a bang up job of it. It looks like the shaft does like to rattle about in there. Anyway that didn't seem right to me, and at only 6000 mile don't forget.

 

It turns out there is an updated part, which I bought on a whim along with my new shims. There was no indication on the fiche to show how the new part was any different but I was intrigued - when it arrived alles war klar. They must've had a change of heart and decided they needed to bolt this thing in place after all, on the 890 at least - this is an early 790.

 

It looks like somebody knew about it because the casting has a nice flat bit which perfectly aligns with this new shaft's bolt 'ole.

All I had to do then was drill a 5mm hole in this bit of ally, which is only available as part of a cylinder head set for about £650, and Bob's yer uncle.

 

My new lickle M5x12 low profile cap head bolt has arrived now so that bit is all back together; I can carry on with the other stuff, like sorting the valves out at 6000miles.

 

Well done Sir, that's the kind of thing that makes my heart soar like a hawk !

[bonio]

That bike's a Beast.

Looks awesome too.

[smallfrowne]

12 hours ago, curlylegend said:

Well done Sir, that's the kind of thing that makes my heart soar like a hawk !

Cheers. I was a bit worried to start with but I've been itching to use that drill for a while, ever since I pinched it out of my neighbour's skip. 

 

Bit icy for playing with a new bike - you'll have to cosset it into the drawing room. 

[RideWithStyles]

Its not pinching its called free for all tool transferring, or unless your referring to the skip as his actual garage/shed? .

[smallfrowne]

3 hours ago, RideWithStyles said:

Its not pinching its called free for all tool transferring, or unless your referring to the skip as his actual garage/shed? .

That's true. He was moving house and couldn't be bothered putting them on Facebook. Little collection of tools like mitres and band saws, grinders, etc. I ended up with a few quid for the duplicates and swapped out for upgrades and gave my mate the bandsaw so I know where it is if I need it. 

 

He was a good neighbour but I did alright from his move. Workbench too, folding tables, plus a nice big lump of wood for making a work top when I get round to the next shed building adventure. My scavenging eyes were on stalks. 

 

Now I wished I'd pinched the little log burner he had in his shed. The new neighbours haven't touched it, I haven't caught a whiff of it anyway. He'd often be found asleep in there with a few tinnies dotted about, what a lad.