What did you do to your bike today?

[Simon Davey]

New front disks fitted. 

I even put the wheel back on... 

 

[Capt Sisko]

On 12/09/2024 at 19:12, Joe85 said:

Rediscovered how much I love riding it in “rain” mode. 
 

It’s so civil and bouncy. 

I often ride my R1250RT with the electronic suspension set to minimum with the engine mode set to rain. It can feel a bit soft on twisty section but the bike still handles well enough and I'm not bothered about having a twitchy instant throttle. On long runs though it does make a lot of difference to the overall level of comfort.

Edited September 18, 2024 by Capt Sisko

[Tinkicker]

Time to think about winter storage.  The weather is turning wetter and colder.  This year, I am not going to cluck over my bikes like a broody hen.

So time to get into gear and do the deed on bluey.

1. Drained the fuel tank and dumped the contents straight into the car.
2. Dumped in a couple of litres of Alkylate fuel, ready mixed with fully synthetic two stroke oil at 50:1 ( cost the same as straight alkylate fuel, so why waste my expensive Bel Ray Si7)?

3.  Gave the bike a good shaking to ensure the fuel splashed over the entitety of the inside of the tank and thereby leave a slightly oily residue from the two stroke fuel.

4. Ensure the carb was empty of straight fuel before turning on the fuel tap and starting the engine.  Ran her for a couple of minutes to get the oily fuel up around the slide ect before switching off the fuel.  Ran her another 20 seconds or so to empty the fuel line, but leave some fuel in the float bowl to avoid seals ect drying out and the concentration of oil to fuel will get greater as the fuel evaporates.

 

I then drained the Alkylate fuel.back out of the tank and into its original container.  I estimate I used 100ml.  I will do the same technique with the VFR and I reckon that will be another 400ml, so at half a litre per year, I have enough alkylate fuel for many years.

The missus does not want me to mothball little yeller for some reason.  I guess she has plans for riding her.

5.  Sprayed her liberally with silicone spray and gave her paintwork a good waxing with carnauba wax to combat any moisture in the conservatory.  And thats it.

30 minutes from unlocking the shed, finding the equipment to putting it all away again and putting her in back in her winter resting place.  Fuel system and  externals protected from the dreaded ethanol corrosion and no problems with stale fuel next spring.  I will check the battery voltage every couple of months, but last year, the battery did not require a charge.  That AGM battery has a very impressively low self discharge rate.

Done and dusted.  Time to put her back in her display case.  She just changed from a motorcycle to a pretty and very expensive ornament.

 

Edited September 20, 2024 by Tinkicker

[Tinkicker]

Back in her "display case".  A fair prospect from any bikers living room sofa.  A combined age of 92 years old...  Bluey at 45 is the junior.

 

Edited September 20, 2024 by Tinkicker

[Ian Frog]

Popped the Busa on the bench for a thorough and invasive clean and check up prior to MOT and then lising for sale. 

Anyone with sensible offers is welcome to contact me through the site and chat.

If I save fees and effort I am sure that will be reflected in the deal. 

Cheers

Ian 

[bonio]

All I did was take it to the shop where it got treated to new tyres, new chain, new sprockets. 

It's like I've been given a new bike: suddenly it's riding beautifully. I'd forgotten how rubbish old tyres are, even if they're not squared off or worn to a point.

 

[Mr_Machrihanish]

Pulled it out of the garage for the first time in six years where it has sat covered in all sorts of junk. Think it might need a wee service.

[RideWithStyles]

Cue wee jokes.  

[V650]

13 hours ago, Mr_Machrihanish said:

Pulled it out of the garage for the first time in six years where it has sat covered in all sorts of junk. Think it might need a wee service.

What have you got ?

Any pictures 

[Mr_Machrihanish]

2 hours ago, V650 said:

What have you got ?

Any pictures 

It is a YBR125. I rode it only for two years on my CBT a while ago but then I moved to Norfolk and stuff happened so I had to give up bikes. I'm okay now though so I am doing my CBT again soon and then DAS. Just need to get the bike sorted out.  Feels great to be doing this again

[JRH]

Took it in for fork seals and MOT.

 

Have a tracer 700 courtesy bike for the day. Suspension is a bit harder than the bandit and needs gears changing more often, other than that nice bike.

 

Now sat in Touchdown cafe with a bacon and sausage sandwich.

 

[Bianco2564]

Dropped the rusted power valve brackets and parts into a platers in Daventry on Monday.

The guy looked at them and said 20quid to electroless nickel plate them which sounded like a good deal, keen to see what they look like. After cleaning up the pulleys, I found they still have the original coating so I’ve left them.

He said he can’t do the yoke as they don’t  do paint stripping so I’ll look elsewhere for that.

 

http://www.daventrymf.com/

[AstronautNinja]

13 minutes ago, Bianco2564 said:

Dropped the rusted power valve brackets and parts into a platers in Daventry on Monday.

The guy looked at them and said 20quid to electroless nickel plate them which sounded like a good deal, keen to see what they look like. After cleaning up the pulleys, I found they still have the original coating so I’ve left them.

He said he can’t do the yoke as they don’t  do paint stripping so I’ll look elsewhere for that.

 

http://www.daventrymf.com/

I love a good coating cannot beat a nicely finished part and or collection of parts 

[Saul]

Got my Hornet serviced at the main dealers today.    First yearly service, I normally like to do my own servicing but want to keep the book properly stamped up for the period of the warranty.   Just in case I want to trade the Hornet in, don't have any plans to do that but, even so it makes sense to me to keep the book stamped.   I know you can home service and keep the warranty up if you buy genuine Honda parts, but I would rather not.  

[Simon Davey]

2 hours ago, Saul said:

Got my Hornet serviced at the main dealers today.    First yearly service, I normally like to do my own servicing but want to keep the book properly stamped up for the period of the warranty.   Just in case I want to trade the Hornet in, don't have any plans to do that but, even so it makes sense to me to keep the book stamped.   I know you can home service and keep the warranty up if you buy genuine Honda parts, but I would rather not.  

 

I agree, especially when warranty policies and insurers will find the tiniest excuse to not pay up. 

Besides, main dealers aren't mega-bucks, unless you ride a BMW of course. 

Edited September 27, 2024 by Simon Davey

[Stu]

On 27/09/2024 at 09:29, Simon Davey said:

 

I agree, especially when warranty policies and insurers will find the tiniest excuse to not pay up. 

Besides, main dealers aren't mega-bucks, unless you ride a BMW of course. 

 

You will be surprised at dealer servicing costs on a bmw! 

 

I was especially with how thorough they are 

 

A minor service was £135 a major was about £250 from memory and a valve check I never found out

 

But have heard of prices varying from £350 to £500 depending on what else needed doing at the same time as the valve check 

[Simon Davey]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

 

You will be surprised at dealer servicing costs on a bmw! 

 

I was especially with how thorough they are 

 

A minor service was £135 a major was about £250 from memory and a valve check I never found out

 

But have heard of prices varying from £350 to £500 depending on what else needed doing at the same time as the valve check 

 

I'd love to be surprised, I've spent months drooling over the used BMW's at our local. 

[Stu]

5 minutes ago, Simon Davey said:

 

I'd love to be surprised, I've spent months drooling over the used BMW's at our local. 

Just do it!

[V650]

Fitted Alixpress Brake Light in place of the original reflector as Sometimes I think the topbox plate obscures the Brake light a bit 

Not quite as Bright as i would have liked I bought 2 of the same connectors that are on the brake light so I did not have to chop in to the wiring

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000239520937.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.31.539c1802gyormB

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001309552201.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.10.70cb1802au9xk3

 

Edited September 29, 2024 by V650

[Simon Davey]

Fitted another set of new pads, seemed a good idea after fitting new brake disks.

I'm so familiar with my front brakes, that it took me just 40 minutes to remove both callipers, install new pads and shut the door behind me.

Went out for a blap this morning to check they were OK, and they are 

[bonio]

15 hours ago, Simon Davey said:

 

I'd love to be surprised, I've spent months drooling over the used BMW's at our local. 

That was my experience with a BMW too. Service costs were very reasonable. Repair costs were something else.

Is that Reiten you've been to? Everyone here reckons there head and shoulders above your average motorrad outfit.

[Simon Davey]

47 minutes ago, bonio said:

That was my experience with a BMW too. Service costs were very reasonable. Repair costs were something else.

Is that Reiten you've been to? Everyone here reckons there head and shoulders above your average motorrad outfit.

 

Yes, Reiten, they guy even said he'd take my ZZR in part exchange, but I reckon that would affect any future customer service 

[Nick the wanderer]

He wants you as a loyal customer..

[Simon Davey]

They really are just so nice in there, very relaxed.

I actually really fancy a R9T

But I have absolutely no money to spend on a bike 

[Stu]

1 hour ago, Simon Davey said:

They really are just so nice in there, very relaxed.

I actually really fancy a R9T

But I have absolutely no money to spend on a bike 

I will repeat 

 

Do it