What did you do to your bike today?

[Fiddlesticks]

Today I took the Explorer for its MOT. As I was starting it up, Mrs. Fiddlesticks noticed one of the headlight bulbs out. (She is a mechanical genius, btw, unlike myself who tends to reach for the hammer in 9/10 cases).

Anyway, rummaged around in the box of spares for a replacement. Half as bright as the working one, but needs must. Took off the cap to fit it and noticed a lot of moisture in the headlight assembly. (I do get a little overenthusiastic with the snow foam.)

Out with the blower, dry it all off. Scrape knuckles fitting the new bulb.

Had a quick look online for better bulbs. Osram Nighbreakers £19.99 a pair at the local motor factors. Great, I'll make that my next stop after the test and replace them both. They do the same mileage, after all.

MOT passed with an advisory for rear brake pads. (No mention of the "dangerously squared off" rear tyre from a recent traffic stop).

£29.50. Bargain. I pocketed the 50p change on autopilot, thinking afterwards that maybe I should have left it as a tip. No matter.

Round to pick up the bulbs. "That's £20.40, mate". Hmm. They're £19.99 online. Cheeky buggers. Fortunately I have 50p in my back pocket...

There will be more knuckle scraping, but I'll probably do that on Saturday when Mrs Fiddlesticks is getting her hair done.

 

[Simon Davey]

Good to hear good news,glad it passed. 

[Mickly]

Zippys centre stand wasn’t folding as freely as it should and as I’d read somewhere that the pivot bolts are prone to corrosion and snapping I thought I’d take the stand off and grease things off … a 20min job … like Fcuk was it, after much cursing, squirting of penetrating oil & hammering I finally got the bloody things out … good job I did, look at the state of this … after being wire brushed 

Getting new bolts tomorrow.

 

[Simon Davey]

26 minutes ago, Mickly said:

Zippys centre stand wasn’t folding as freely as it should and as I’d read somewhere that the pivot bolts are prone to corrosion and snapping I thought I’d take the stand off and grease things off … a 20min job … like Fcuk was it, after much cursing, squirting of penetrating oil & hammering I finally got the bloody things out … good job I did, look at the state of this … after being wire brushed 

Getting new bolts tomorrow.

 

 

Strewth! 

Glad to see they used stainless

[Simon Davey]

As it happens, I removed my risers bars (cable tension) and went to my local bolt shop. 

Just needed 4 off M8 Allen bolts, proper chuffed to be offered stainless as well as alloy or steel. 

[Mickly]

46 minutes ago, Simon Davey said:

As it happens, I removed my risers bars (cable tension) and went to my local bolt shop. 

Just needed 4 off M8 Allen bolts, proper chuffed to be offered stainless as well as alloy or steel. 

Being in the Midlands I had a huge choice of materials & finishes available to me locally, I mean, bolts … that what we do best

[S-Westerly]

Saw an absolutely gorgeous exhaust system for the Guzzi but unfortunately it has no catalyst so probably isn't going to be insurable or legal for that matter. Soo beautiful though.

[Gerontious]

1 hour ago, S-Westerly said:

Saw an absolutely gorgeous exhaust system for the Guzzi but unfortunately it has no catalyst so probably isn't going to be insurable or legal for that matter. Soo beautiful though.

Don’t tell em.

 

Specs should tell you if it’s road legal. 

[S-Westerly]

Just now, Gerontious said:

Don’t tell em.

 

Specs should tell you if it’s road legal. 

No cat so unfortunately I don't see how it can be.

[Gerontious]

15 minutes ago, S-Westerly said:

No cat so unfortunately I don't see how it can be.

that’s of no import. De-catting a bike is quite normal. Not part of the MOT and nobodies business but your own.

[RideWithStyles]

nope! cant remember the exact year but it's illegal to do it (to a vehicle of a certain age) why you cant de cat nor dfp remove the filter...

the noise alone will make any self respecting mot man fail it for that alone or claim to be deaf...

Edited March 7 by RideWithStyles

[Nick the wanderer]

You don't have to have a catalytic converter on your motorcycle. Look at the MOT it just says , it should be secure and complete, it's not too noisy. That's from gov.uk.

I changed my whole exhaust on the Yamaha it was just too quiet, now I don't like offensive noise but it changes tone through the rev range, l like that.

Cat's are used to bring emissions down to meet the latest Euro 4 or 5 guidelines for manufacture but motorcycles don't have emission checks at the MOT.

Insurance companies accept change of exhaust as long as they are Not for road use. They do allow cosmetic change.

Edited March 8 by Nick the wanderer
Correction

[S-Westerly]

1 hour ago, Nick the wanderer said:

You don't have to have a catalytic converter on your motorcycle. Look at the MOT it just says , it should be secure and complete, it's not too noisy. That's from gov.uk.

I changed my whole exhaust on the Yamaha it was just too quiet, now I don't like offensive noise but it changes tone through the rev range, l like that.

Cat's are used to bring emissions down to meet the latest Euro 4 or 5 guidelines for manufacture but motorcycles don't have emission checks at the MOT.

Insurance companies accept change of exhaust as long as they are Not for race use. They do allow cosmetic change.

Ooh. What about the exhaust system saying "not for road use".?

[Nick the wanderer]

Oops yes, not for road use, race pipes are loud and obnoxious you don't want those on the road. At the MOT if your tester spotted that he would most likely fail it. But it's still down to your tester who may or may not think it noisy.

[Simon Davey]

I had a six-into-one pipe on a nice old bike once, it didn't feel right, and I could just tell there was too much back pressure. 

I removed the single baffle and drilled the heck out of it, then put it back. 

Fantastic difference, but still with the visible baffle, and still had the necessary kite mark on the can. 

I also knew someone in my youth that would switch exhausts just for the MOT. 

Edited March 8 by Simon Davey

[S-Westerly]

1 hour ago, Nick the wanderer said:

Oops yes, not for road use, race pipes are loud and obnoxious you don't want those on the road. At the MOT if your tester spotted that he would most likely fail it. But it's still down to your tester who may or may not think it noisy.

Apparently bikes built to be Euro 5 compliant must have a catalytic converter fitted for road use and it is forbidden to remove it. Government sources are pretty hopeless but no surprise there. All the manufacturers' sites I've visited are all stating quite obviously that these cat free systems are for closed track only and not for road use. Some even advise you that fitting them will void your warranty. So I might change the end can but not the whole system. Save me about £500 at least.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I just bought this for the Bobber

 

[S-Westerly]

6 hours ago, Nick the wanderer said:

 

Just now, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

I just bought this for the Bobber

 

Very nice. You'll match your bees.

 

[S-Westerly]

Seriously though it does look good. Be nice to see a pic of it on the bike when you get it fitted.

[veracocha]

I didn't wash it. I took it for a 50 mile ride and not once did we hit water 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

9 minutes ago, S-Westerly said:

Seriously though it does look good. Be nice to see a pic of it on the bike when you get it fitted.

I saw it on a bike when the guy got a friend to paint his tank and really liked it. Then it came up for sale. This is it on his bike.

 

I like my red and silver tank but I also love yellow on bikes. So now I have a choice. 

 

[S-Westerly]

Looks really good. Long ago I really fancied a yellow Laverda. Fortunately I was too poor at the time to buy it. 

[Nick the wanderer]

17 hours ago, S-Westerly said:

Apparently bikes built to be Euro 5 compliant must have a catalytic converter fitted for road use and it is forbidden to remove it. Government sources are pretty hopeless but no surprise there. All the manufacturers' sites I've visited are all stating quite obviously that these cat free systems are for closed track only and not for road use. Some even advise you that fitting them will void your warranty. So I might change the end can but not the whole system. Save me about £500 at least.

Hi, I don't think forbidden is quite right and the only thing you will get from the gov is MOT guidelines. After that it's insurance. Warranties I would be careful of. I suppose it really comes down to why would you want to change your exhaust. Noise, looks or power. Sound I understand, power is minimal gains and most folk will never use the power available to them as is. Looks I also understand there are some pig ugly exhausts out there.

Anyway for your browsing pleasure have a look at these.

https://shop.sc-project.com/en/brands/moto-guzzi/v100-mandello-2023-2024/mg05a-89t-sc1-r-titanium-exhaust

https://www.bikebound.com/2024/03/06/v100/?omhide=true

[smallfrowne]

This week I have mostly been spending money. I've had the KTM's ECU flashed back to standard so the fella at Junction 33 can remap it. Dealer charged half hour labour, £45. I declined them bleeding my brakes, they wanted £120. I only wanted them to cycle the ABS pump, I've already changed the fluid. They declined to cycle it and I declined their offer, so now I'll have to find another way to do it.

 

On the subject of exhausts, I've changed it. I never intended to change it. But I have. I quite like the original Duke exhaust, it's a rare sight as an OEM piece of equipment in that it isn't ugly as hell. Actually looks quite nice and suits the bike very well. The sound is ok, well, low revs it is, high not so much. Anyway, my dad changed his on the speed twin so I'm to keep up. Imported a nice Arrow Italian job, off a bloke with Ferrari's all over his insta, so I feel my money will be in safe hands anyway. 

 

I've also fitted a decat just because. I haven't gone completely mad with it though, too many horror stories of regret after fitting cheap decats which in effect shorten the exhaust as well as removing the primary sound deadener. The Arrow decat retains some length and is quite U-bendy like the original cat. Plus It has a bit of a resonator half way, so not just straight pipe. It seems quite un-mental. Waiting for the ECU to come back to me now, then we'll see if it was - only slightly, not that bad really, or at least I didn't mind it - snatchy due to the eurosausage regulations. 

 

But, I'm actually more excited to fit some Jiffy-tite fuel hose fittings and pricy Mocal fuel line to the SV. 

+ Mog, she's cute. 

Edited March 9 by smallfrowne
Bit more text at the start

[S-Westerly]

End cans I change anytime and tbh the standard isn't bad. Better than the Ducati's anyway. What I don't like is that bloody fat box of a thing under the bike which is the catalytic converter.  It's hideous and looks naff. Purely vanity. I don't want it louder and any horsepower gain is at most 3 or 4. Hardly dramatic and unlikely to be detectable in the real world.