What did you do to your bike today?

[Davidtav]

Fitted the Givi engine shield to the VStrom. Took it for a ride. All seems ok. I fitted the Givi crash bars last week.  I’m not really a fan of adding loads of aftermarket parts. So I reckon that’s it really. I have a top box and panniers that clip on. So all set for the summer. 

[Ian Frog]

4 hours ago, Fiddlesticks said:

Hi Ian. Mine's a 2013 (Gen 1). The software is TigerTool. Might be worth a try.

Thanks for that. 

Unfortunately Tiger tool is currently being updated to try and work with gen4 which is why I asked.

The guy who made it is on it from what I hear.

Thanks anyway. 

Cheers 

Ian 

[V650]

Getting ready for summer 

I put in an outside tap and a double power outlet on the side of the house as I was fed up dragging the watering can through the house to clean the bike 

So after a test blast with the karcher I got out in the little bit of sunshine we had

 

[bonio]

1 hour ago, V650 said:

Getting ready for summer 

I put in an outside tap and a double power outlet on the side of the house as I was fed up dragging the watering can through the house to clean the bike 

So after a test blast with the karcher I got out in the little bit of sunshine we had

 

Looks grand. Not so long to wait now  

[Tinkicker]

Out to the shed.  VFR tank removed.  Airbox lid and filter removed.  Attempted start.  A pop now and again.

 

Out with the rear plugs, only two I can access with bodywork fitted.  Absolutely drowned in fuel.

 

Put blowlamp flame to plug.  Nothing.  Started to dry out plug.  Fuel started burning off after five seconds or so.  Not good.

 

Plugs dried and refitted.  Sprayed easystart down the rear carbs, and tried with no choke, hoping to dry out the cylinders.

 

It started and ran on the rear bank for about two seconds...then quit.

 

Removed plugs.  Wet with fuel.

 

Fuel is so bad in the carbs that it will not burn in the cylinders.  It struggles to burn in a blowlamp flame. This was fresh fuel when I topped off the tank in September and it started fine in October and November, a bit harder in mid December and no start at all at end of January because I left it nearly two months with the fuel sat in the carbs instead of the usual one month.

 

Modern fuel is garbage for bikes on carbs that are stood over winter.  It has turned to paraffin and water.

 

Only thing for it is to wait for warmer and drier weather, get the bike out of the shed, remove the bodywork to access the carbs and front plugs, dry them, drain all the carbs and put fresh fuel in.  It is not clear whether I added the usual dose of fuel stabiliser or not..

 

Failing that, carbs out for a dip in the ultrasound machine.

 

Im a bit miffed.....

 

Next year, I am draining the tank, using the old fuel in the car, bringing the tank into the house so it does not rust internally and running the carbs dry.

I wanted to keep the bike in useable condition over winter " just in case" but it is clearly not working out.

 

 

Edited February 9 by Tinkicker

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I've left E10 in mine for longer than that due to family issues taking over last winter. I've had no problem af all with it. 

 

I always use Shell in the bikes. What brand of fuel was it? The base petrol all comes from the same refinery, its only the additives that differ. 

[RideWithStyles]

55 minutes ago, Tinkicker said:

Out to the shed.  VFR tank removed.  Airbox lid and filter removed.  Attempted start.  A pop now and again.

 

Out with the rear plugs, only two I can access with bodywork fitted.  Absolutely drowned in fuel.

 

Put blowlamp flame to plug.  Nothing.  Started to dry out plug.  Fuel started burning off after five seconds or so.  Not good.

 

Plugs dried and refitted.  Sprayed easystart down the rear carbs, and tried with no choke, hoping to dry out the cylinders.

 

It started and ran on the rear bank for about two seconds...then quit.

 

Removed plugs.  Wet with fuel.

 

Fuel is so bad in the carbs that it will not burn in the cylinders.  It struggles to burn in a blowlamp flame. This was fresh fuel when I topped off the tank in September and it started fine in October and November, a bit harder in mid December and no start at all at end of January because I left it nearly two months with the fuel sat in the carbs instead of the usual one month.

 

Modern fuel is garbage for bikes on carbs that are stood over winter.  It has turned to paraffin and water.

 

Only thing for it is to wait for warmer and drier weather, get the bike out of the shed, remove the bodywork to access the carbs and front plugs, dry them, drain all the carbs and put fresh fuel in.  It is not clear whether I added the usual dose of fuel stabiliser or not..

 

Failing that, carbs out for a dip in the ultrasound machine.

 

Im a bit miffed.....

 

Next year, I am draining the tank, using the old fuel in the car, bringing the tank into the house so it does not rust internally and running the carbs dry.

I wanted to keep the bike in useable condition over winter " just in case" but it is clearly not working out.

 

 

is that still with super or E10?

exactly the same here Tink.

i used moly and one other i cant remember off top of my head for fuel stabilizer for the last few years which does help to a point but its less of the good stuff and more of the bad that still speeds up breaking down especially if it gets really wet and cold.

same, i put the old stuff in the car parts at a time. while i refill the bike on a decent day after a couple of months with fresh just incase a get chance to ride out the week after..that reminds me wifeys bike is due a burn about or an empty and refill.

 

id still run the carb dry but just empty the tank, refill with fresh tank once or so a month putting the old stuff it in the car to burn off.

i have a 20ltr metal fuel jerry can (that is years old) to store good fuel or an emergency for old and a hand pump to make it speedier to transfer. 

[Tinkicker]

1 hour ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

I've left E10 in mine for longer than that due to family issues taking over last winter. I've had no problem af all with it. 

 

I always use Shell in the bikes. What brand of fuel was it? The base petrol all comes from the same refinery, its only the additives that differ. 

 

 

CBF is fuel injected I believe?  Fuel injection system is sealed so it keeps the fuel fresh.  Irrespective of fuel in the tank, you will always get a good hit of good fuel to get it started from cold.  Once it is running and warming up, it has enough energy in the system to tolerate fuel that has not gone completely bad.

 

Not so with carbs.  Fuel left in those a good while is not volatile enough to light off a cold engine.  If it started and ran for 10 seconds, it would have no problem handling the tank fuel afterwards.  It has enough volume that it is still fairly decent quality.  It is the small quantities in the float bowls that are the problem.

 

If fuel loses volativity at a uniform rate, it stands to reason that the 25cc contained in a float bowl is exposed to the oxidising atmosphere far more than the five gallons contained in the tank and goes off faster.

 

I never had to throw a full tank of fuel away.  Just used it normally.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

48 minutes ago, Tinkicker said:

 

 

CBF is fuel injected I believe?  Fuel injection system is sealed so it keeps the fuel fresh.  Irrespective of fuel in the tank, you will always get a good hit of good fuel to get it started from cold.  Once it is running and warming up, it has enough energy in the system to tolerate fuel that has not gone completely bad.

 

Not so with carbs.  Fuel left in those a good while is not volatile enough to light off a cold engine.  If it started and ran for 10 seconds, it would have no problem handling the tank fuel afterwards.  It has enough volume that it is still fairly decent quality.  It is the small quantities in the float bowls that are the problem.

 

If fuel loses volativity at a uniform rate, it stands to reason that the 25cc contained in a float bowl is exposed to the oxidising atmosphere far more than the five gallons contained in the tank and goes off faster.

 

I never had to throw a full tank of fuel away.  Just used it normally.

Nope, my CBF is carbs.

Edited February 9 by Mississippi Bullfrog

[Tinkicker]

What BP has to say on the subject..

 

 

 

 

The storage life of petrol is one year when stored under shelter in a sealed container. Once a seal is broken the fuel has a storage life of six months at 20°C or three months at 30°C. The storage life of petrol in equipment fuel tanks is one month.

https://www.bp.com › fuels

PDF

 

Fact Sheet - A guide to storing fuel - BP

 

 

 

[bonio]

Had some trouble a few years back when I'd left the DRZ idle for a few months over winter. Took a lot of starter motor to get it going again. I find it's ok if I give it a run once a month. But the tank is so small, a quick trip out is at least two refills.

[RideWithStyles]

the injectors may have tiny droplets amount in them yes aswell but its very small percentage of a percentage again, so its little problem for injectors but pumps, pipes and tanks are a different matter.

 

fuel tanks are rarely 100% vacum from new let alone a few years.

have a breathers and need to breathe with the atmosphere pressure so in the doing of that allows water vapour in naturally.

tankers have to extent allow water in, petrol stations do, pumps let in tiny amounts back in when they stop, they have to breathe to a point too so all have tiny amounts in.

 once its in its downhill from there.

 

funny enough that doesnt say which fuel or real world conditions, the humidity of the air at those temps? that sounds like controlled storage quote in a very warm and dry area...not humid or outside winter in the uk.

but how much percentage of a liquid (e10 in this case) that will want to absorb water in with it, thats the problem that greatly accelerates degrading the fuel.

[S-Westerly]

Fitted a side stand extender.

[Tinkicker]

Drained all the fuel tanks and dumped it into the cars.  Ran both DTs till the carbs ran dry.

 

I am going to order 15ltrs of Alkylate fuel and put that in the bikes and house generator.  Horrendously expensive stuff but if it works...

 

May get around to pulling the bodywork and draining the VFR carbs tomorrow.  Then again... Its not my favourite thing at the minute.

[Mickly]

Replaced the one on the right with the one on the left Hopefully Green laning will be more forwards than sideways now

[V650]

Removed and wire brushed the main stand as there was some corrosion on it 

I gave it a coat of Dinitrol rust converter primer and have given it a 1st coat of enamel black 

Will give it another coat tomorrow and refit sometime during the week weather permitting

Needless to say I stabbed myself in the hand with a screwdriver removing the springs  bound to happen with my luck 

[Fiddlesticks]

Fitted some Hepco & Becker crash bars to the Thunderbird. Even less room in the garage now.

 

[Simon Davey]

3 minutes ago, Fiddlesticks said:

Fitted some Hepco & Becker crash bars to the Thunderbird. Even less room in the garage now.

 

 

Can you rest your feet up on them? 

[Fiddlesticks]

Just now, Simon Davey said:

 

Can you rest your feet up on them? 

You can, although you'd really want highway pegs for the full effect.

[Old-codger]

3 hours ago, V650 said:

Removed and wire brushed the main stand as there was some corrosion on it 

I gave it a coat of Dinitrol rust converter primer and have given it a 1st coat of enamel black 

Will give it another coat tomorrow and refit sometime during the week weather permitting

Needless to say I stabbed myself in the hand with a screwdriver removing the springs  bound to happen with my luck 

Make or buy a spring puller, it makes life so much less painfull.

[V650]

11 hours ago, Old-codger said:

Make or buy a spring puller, it makes life so much less painfull.

Yeah I thought that too so I went in to Halfords 

Did not have a spring puller so I came out with a Noco Battery Jumper instead 

Go Figure 

 

I will have a look around the shed to see if there is anything I can bend in to shape  don't think I even have an old wire coat hangar though

 

EDIT:  Just had a look on youtube and will see if there is an old bucket handle I can re-purpose 

Edited February 11 by V650

[Old-codger]

1 hour ago, V650 said:

Yeah I thought that too so I went in to Halfords 

Did not have a spring puller so I came out with a Noco Battery Jumper instead 

Go Figure 

 

I will have a look around the shed to see if there is anything I can bend in to shape  don't think I even have an old wire coat hangar though

 

EDIT:  Just had a look on youtube and will see if there is an old bucket handle I can re-purpose 

Yes that will work or an old metal tent peg bent into shape or for smaller springs use an old small screwdriver  bent into shape with a bit of heat.

[Tinkicker]

Pulled bodywork and drained the carbs.  Honda in their infinite wisdom has decreed that you have to pull the rad in order to remove the front plugs...

 

Thought I would leave those and concentrate on the rear bank.  Got some fresh fuel in and cleaned the rear plugs again.  Tried to start it.

 

Loud bang from exhaust, wonder it didnt split the can.  Next attempt it started on the rear bank for a few seconds and I thought the fronts would kick in, but no it quit again.

After that, nothing but a few pops and bangs. I think it ran on residual fuel in the intakes rather than feeding from the carbs.

 

I think the battery voltage was getting low after quite a few attempts and the starter was starting to rob the ignition of power, so game over for today.

 

I think some of the primaries are clogged with crap .  Only thing to do is pull the rad, probably fit 4 new plugs and pull the carbs apart.

 

About three years ago, I once left it stood for three months without starting it and the only way to get it running was to strip and clean the carbs, so I am not in unfamiliar territory.

 

It will wait until later in the year when I give a damn about it again.  This winter has been a constant merry go round of messing with bike restorations, engine rebuilds and broken backup generators, almost without a break. 

I'm all in with home mechanical problems at the mo.  I get enough of those during the working week.  I need a rest from it.

Edited February 11 by Tinkicker

[RideWithStyles]

On 11/02/2024 at 07:57, V650 said:

Yeah I thought that too so I went in to Halfords 

Did not have a spring puller so I came out with a Noco Battery Jumper instead 

Go Figure 

 

I will have a look around the shed to see if there is anything I can bend in to shape  don't think I even have an old wire coat hangar though

 

EDIT:  Just had a look on youtube and will see if there is an old bucket handle I can re-purpose 

these would have done it especially the C pick at halfords:

https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand-tools/all-hand-tools/draper-4-piece-mini-hook-and-pick-set-489073.html

 

also good for lifting seals or digging crud out of tiny crevs in forks or brake systems etc...

[Joe85]

My lad passed his CBT last week, and naturally, we took advantage of a break in the rain to go for a ride around the Kent countryside to get his confidence up ahead of him going it alone (he’s 17). 
 

As we made our way back along a national speed limit single lane carriageway, some utter w**ker in a Focus decided he couldn’t abide a learner going 5-10mph under the speed limit on a 125 with L plates, so sat right up his arse trying to intimidate him.
 

 I slowed to to allow the boy to close up, and let this gimp pass, and,  as he did, I let him know what i thought of his driving by waving with the back of my hand. Taking offence, he decided to break check me, then try and swerve into me as I dodged around his drivers side (narrowly missing him). I was absolutely raging at this point (still am), so I told the lad to pull up in the lay-by and wait whilst I deal with this twat. Followed him for literally about 3 mins until the helmet pulls up outside his house and refuses to leave his car. Finally gets out and doesn’t have the sack to admit what he’d tried, denying it and blaming my lad ‘for going too slow’’.
 

As it turns out the lad followed me, so I left it at that and we rode off. However I just cannot let it slide at the moment. The driving was a disgrace, and cannot go unpunished. It was that bad that, had I filmed it, I’d have submitted it to the old bill. 

 

Fuming.

Edited February 12 by Joe85