What did you do to your bike today?

[Stu]

3 hours ago, Nick the wanderer said:

Did you have to take out a mortgage for a butty and a cup of tea?

 

I've had worse places

[Trooper74]

 

The Socks Of Doom !!!

chain needs a clean and lube …I have a cunning plan … Ive a pile of white sports socks now redundant as purchased 10 pair of new ones this morning. …… 1. Place disposable glove on hand. 2. Pull on the 2 sports socks over the glove. 3. Pour white sprit in to the hand section of the gloves. 4. Hold sprit soaked socks around chain and spin rear wheel with free hand. … Admire clean chain. Apply chain lube (mine is banana flavoured).

 

[Simon Davey]

2 hours ago, Trooper74 said:

 

 

The Socks Of Doom !!!

chain needs a clean and lube …I have a cunning plan … Ive a pile of white sports socks now redundant as purchased 10 pair of new ones this morning. …… 1. Place disposable glove on hand. 2. Pull on the 2 sports socks over the glove. 3. Pour white sprit in to the hand section of the gloves. 4. Hold sprit soaked socks around chain and spin rear wheel with free hand. … Admire clean chain. Apply chain lube (mine is banana flavoured).

 

That's a great idea! 

I'm always binning socks, now there's another use. 

[RideWithStyles]

Socks are a fave but just old clothing is just a good (natural fabrics are best) especially if you have family growing up so supply is regular. works well on cleaning up wheels, wiping grease and oil, recycle.

[Trooper74]

20 hours ago, Tinkicker said:

 

 

My backside is howling in protest at the mere thought.

Respect.

 

20 hours ago, S-Westerly said:

About to leave Glos. for another grind up the motorway to Northumberland to see my Dad. May do the Fosse Way to Leicester to at least ameliorate some of the boredom. Adds only about an hour time wise so it's nearer 6 than 5.

The Fosse way is a great ride in its own right

[S-Westerly]

15 minutes ago, Trooper74 said:

 

The Fosse way is a great ride in its own right

Done it before from Cirencester to Lincoln but I didn't get away on time due to a previous appointment so ended up doing the whole thing on motorway. 

[Nick the wanderer]

When driving for a timber company we had regular drops to the Exeter, Bath, Bristol and South Wales areas. We were based south of Grantham in Lincs so when tipped and coming back empty I'd explore many of the roads back across that area including the Fosse Way. Nice countryside and gently rolling A roads.

I'd make mental notes of where I thought would be good biking roads.

Your journey to Northumberland though SW is a bit of a ball ache, have you considered flying?

 

[Gerontious]

On 28/06/2024 at 06:34, Trooper74 said:

 

The Fosse way is a great ride in its own right

I agree. It’s a favourite day out of mine. Lunch at Avebury. A wander round the circle then home again.

[S-Westerly]

On 28/06/2024 at 08:43, Nick the wanderer said:

When driving for a timber company we had regular drops to the Exeter, Bath, Bristol and South Wales areas. We were based south of Grantham in Lincs so when tipped and coming back empty I'd explore many of the roads back across that area including the Fosse Way. Nice countryside and gently rolling A roads.

I'd make mental notes of where I thought would be good biking roads.

Your journey to Northumberland though SW is a bit of a ball ache, have you considered flying?

 

I've flown on occasion but then I've got the hassle of getting to and from airport and all the crap of flying. Door to door it doesn't save that much time and even riding on a motorway is more fun than that.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

On 27/06/2024 at 14:57, Trooper74 said:

 

 

The Socks Of Doom !!!

chain needs a clean and lube …I have a cunning plan … Ive a pile of white sports socks now redundant as purchased 10 pair of new ones this morning. …… 1. Place disposable glove on hand. 2. Pull on the 2 sports socks over the glove. 3. Pour white sprit in to the hand section of the gloves. 4. Hold sprit soaked socks around chain and spin rear wheel with free hand. … Admire clean chain. Apply chain lube (mine is banana flavoured).

 

I like the use of socks but white spirit is too harsh for chains. Use paraffin. In my younger and more foolish days I used white spirit on a chain and it very quickly developed seized links. 

 

Just be careful if you have a tarmac drive though. Paraffin will melt a hole in it. 

[Trooper74]

2 hours ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

I like the use of socks but white spirit is too harsh for chains. Use paraffin. In my younger and more foolish days I used white spirit on a chain and it very quickly developed seized links. 

 

Just be careful if you have a tarmac drive though. Paraffin will melt a hole in it. 

“White Spirit “ is a kerosene derivative … used as a kerosene replacement in 2 stroke diesel engines.

[RideWithStyles]

Brake/chain cleaner.
straight strong paraffin (industrial) can attack some grades of rubbers over a period but can leave a protective film/be effective while white spirits are quite good but to some exceptions not quite as good for cleaning certain things while can speed out drying out.

Isopropyl is very good with nearly everything. 
 

to be honest and mixture of all three will good a amicable job while not screwing over what your trying to accomplish.

 

Edited June 30, 2024 by RideWithStyles

[Mickly]

I’m changing the fork seals on Zippy (Fg650gs) and who ever did this before fitted 2 fork seals on each leg rather than 1 seal & a dust cover, never known this before

[S-Westerly]

Washed it - mainly removing 600 miles worth of insect splatter.

[Shepherd]

Stuck it on ebay ... again.

 

This time with a "no courier collections" proviso 

[Simon Davey]

38 minutes ago, Shepherd said:

Stuck it on ebay ... again.

 

This time with a "no courier collections" proviso 

 

Good luck Shep

[Fish]

1 hour ago, Shepherd said:

Stuck it on ebay ... again.

 

This time with a "no courier collections" proviso 

that wont stop them  

[RideWithStyles]

Waste the wasters time by fishing them along with the bait with no intention of sale to them while your actually selling the bike to a real buyer. .

[Shepherd]

On 02/07/2024 at 22:13, RideWithStyles said:

Waste the wasters time by fishing them along with the bait with no intention of sale to them while your actually selling the bike to a real buyer. .

Yep, that was the intention if the same buyer tried it on again.

 

Just frustrating when it wastes my time and costs me ebay listing fee 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

New air filters in the Bobber. Also swapped out the original YTX9 battery for a YTZ10S. It's very slightly smaller but 190cca as opposed to 135cca. 

 

Being a few mm less height it turns the struggle to get the battery back into a doddle. 

[Mickly]

Been replacing the fork seals on the F650GS

a slightly unusual arrangement for compressing the spring.

there’s a plug in the top with a snap ring in a groove retaining it.

So the plug needs pressing down to remove or fit the snap ring.

If you cock it up the compressed spring shoots the plug plus a washer & the spacer out.

Guess who cocked it up?

Several rude words were uttered

[AstronautNinja]

On 02/07/2024 at 18:53, Shepherd said:

Stuck it on ebay ... again.

 

This time with a "no courier collections" proviso 

Any mention of "an agent" or Paypal stay well clear.

 

A very easy way to check notes is to put them into the automated paying machine and if you don't want the money in your account just cancel once the machine has counted and verified all the notes. I'm sure they'd accept 4/5/6k

[RideWithStyles]

12 hours ago, Mickly said:

Been replacing the fork seals on the F650GS

a slightly unusual arrangement for compressing the spring.

there’s a plug in the top with a snap ring in a groove retaining it.

So the plug needs pressing down to remove or fit the snap ring.

If you cock it up the compressed spring shoots the plug plus a washer & the spacer out.

Guess who cocked it up?

Several rude words were uttered

Feel for you experience and knowledge says Safety glasses and cut resistant gloves, Arco, b&m and screwfix sell them cheap. Packs of 5 to 10s for under a £10.

 

[Bianco2564]

Decided to take a look at the RGV gearbox. For a while now when it’s in neutral, the box sounds a bit noisy, pull the clutch in and it goes silent. Don’t know if it’s a noisy bearing or excess backlash in the clutch or box. After a bit of a hunt for my homemade clutch basket tool, not used it for a few years, got this far today.

Good opportunity to change the gearbox oil and antifreeze while I’m there.

 

 

[Trooper74]

Oil change carried out  satis …….

What size oil filter wrench for a 650 v Strom ?