General chat thread... Links, pictures, banter etc

Wonda-Boy

Great Vid

Zascar

Did anyone go on the United Bikers spin at the weekend. I wanted to but was unable to make it
https://www.facebook.com/events/251188818642082/permalink/265223973905233/

Richard tea

I'm on the blackbird the last week whilst I fit a new disc to my NC. Bike was running fine up until this morning. I left around 06:30. It was raining so I decided to stick to the N4 rather than use th4 motorway. Near Enfield there was a lot of snow and slush so traffic was slow. I was in 6th gear and keeping it nice and smooth. About 30 mins into my trip the bike started to die. Changing down gears didn't help and it with just splutter. I had to pull in to the hard shoulder In 3 inches of snow and crap. I eventually got the bike running after 10 minutes and off I went without a hitch.

So what I'm hoping for is that riding so slow in 6th gear just fouled my plugs? Is this a real possibility?

goodlad

Was the engine running but you just had power loss even if revving it in gear?
If so it sounds like water in the tank. Was it out in the rain the last while? Check th drain plug isnt blocked

Richard tea

goodlad wrote: »

Was the engine running but you just had power loss even if revving it in gear?
If so it sounds like water in the tank. Was it out in the rain the last while? Check th drain plug isnt blocked

I should add I only gave it 30 seconds with the choke on so it didnt really give the engine time to heat up maybe but I was riding for about 30 mins. Water in the tank? I did give it a hose down the day before to was away the salt. Ill look into the drain plug. I rode home from work with no problems.

Wossack

am by no means an expert, but maybe carb icing?

Richard tea

Wossack wrote: »

am by no means an expert, but maybe carb icing?

Ah very good. This is quite possible.

johnmolly92

Wheeled the sv650 out of the drive this morning and it was a b**ch to move! Had to really give it a shove to get it moving. Threw it up on the paddock stand and the rear wheel is spinning freely, so must be the front. Dont have a front stand so couldn't check.

Went for a 10 minute spin without using the front brakes and when i stopped the pads were stone cold, so dont think the brake pads are rubbing. The front is feeling pretty squirrelly in the corners and when i brake hard there's a sort of crunching noise.

I'm guessing wheel bearings are fooked, any other opinions?

frozenfrozen

did you check tyre pressures

johnmolly92

frozenfrozen wrote: »

did you check tyre pressures

Backs at 32psi. Front is just over 28psi, a bit low, but shouldnt be making it so hard to move the bike im guessing?

Wossack

johnmolly92 wrote: »

Wheeled the sv650 out of the drive this morning and it was a b**ch to move! Had to really give it a shove to get it moving. Threw it up on the paddock stand and the rear wheel is spinning freely, so must be the front. Dont have a front stand so couldn't check.

Went for a 10 minute spin without using the front brakes and when i stopped the pads were stone cold, so dont think the brake pads are rubbing. The front is feeling pretty squirrelly in the corners and when i brake hard there's a sort of crunching noise.

I'm guessing wheel bearings are fooked, any other opinions?

sounds symptomatic of bearings alright. If they are shot, you'll need to get em sorted ASAP (or you're gonna have a bad time)

you may be able to spin the front wheel by hand by doing the following:
- bike on side stand, handlebars full left lock
- crouch down under right handlebar, and push it upwards (to the sky)
- front wheel may lift off the ground, allowing you to spin it with your right hand
I say may, as Im able to do this handily enough with my street triple, but not at all with my zx6 - the position of its sidestand I figure putting more weight over the front wheel

johnmolly92

Wossack wrote: »

sounds symptomatic of bearings alright. If they are shot, you'll need to get em sorted ASAP (or you're gonna have a bad time)

you may be able to spin the front wheel by hand by doing the following:
- bike on side stand, handlebars full left lock
- crouch down under right handlebar, and push it upwards (to the sky)
- front wheel may lift off the ground, allowing you to spin it with your right hand
I say may, as Im able to do this handily enough with my street triple, but not at all with my zx6 - the position of its sidestand I figure putting more weight over the front wheel

Cheers mate!

Got a nail through the back tyre this morning on the way to work too! So its going into Megabikes first thing Monday. I work about 5 mins away so the bike will be staying in the work carpark until then.

When it rains it pours eh!

frozenfrozen

28psi would be enough to make it feel very sluggish to wheel around. I'd say try put normal pressure into it before replacing the bearings


Don't know how it could make a crunching noise that would be more bearings but still worth putting pressure in and seeing if the problem disappears

KonFusion

Sitting outside a B&B in Galway at the moment. Watching bike after bike tear along a beautiful stretch of the WAW in this sunshine...

And I'm stuck with the fuggin cage, and the bike back in Dublin.

This is torture.

mamax

Went out for a couple of hours on the blade while the missus took the kids to mass then football
Reminded me of an old saying - I'd rather be out on my bike thinking about god than sitting in church thinking about my bike
I've had a great Mothers Day already

Zascar

First proper spin on the bikes this year - cracking day for it!

sonic85

I fcuked up yesterday and had an off. Feeling fairly sorry for myself at the minute. Bike is repairable but is rough and I fractured my thumb. Balls anyway

GBX

sonic85 wrote: »

I fcuked up yesterday and had an off. Feeling fairly sorry for myself at the minute. Bike is repairable but is rough and I fractured my thumb. Balls anyway

Sorry to hear that. You walked away. Main thing is you're health. Gws

sonic85

GBX wrote: »

Sorry to hear that. You walked away. Main thing is you're health. Gws

Thanks man. Yeah just after it I was more worried about the bike than anything else! Could've been worse sure

Wonda-Boy

sonic85 wrote: »

I fcuked up yesterday and had an off. Feeling fairly sorry for myself at the minute. Bike is repairable but is rough and I fractured my thumb. Balls anyway

GWS m8, sorry to hear that......anything to learn from it (not being smart) or was it oil/dirt on road?

Glad you okay and as you say bikes can be repaired.

Stay safe.

sonic85

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

GWS m8, sorry to hear that......anything to learn from it (not being smart) or was it oil/dirt on road?

Glad you okay and as you say bikes can be repaired.

Stay safe.

Cheers lad. Nah it was pretty much 100% my fault. Came across something I wasn't expecting and snatched at the front brakes. Ah listen you live and learn I just want to get back out ASAP I was having a lovely spin until it happened!

goodlad

Has anyone looked into gps trackers before? Planning to do some googling tomorrow but seeing if anyone here has tried some out before?

Zascar

I have an Oxford GPS Tracker. Not cheap but its good http://www.oxfordproducts.com/motorcycle/brands/oxford/tracker/oxford_tracker/?PHPSESSID=nfd9ag6pfvujrqds1n6k286ev4

Would be intersted to see what cheaper alternatives there are

goodlad

Lads, anyone around kildare with a set of tyre warmers i can borrow?

On the bike today with new tyres doing 20kmh and barely leaned it and the back tyre slide out from under me and down the bike went. Ive driven on new tyres before but jesus christ these are obviously insanely slippy. Dont wanna go out on em again unless they are warmed up

Wossack

shíte, sorry to hear man

I find its a combination of very high tyre pressure with no tyre wear giving you a tiny contact patch, coupled with whatever release agent is on the tyres to get em out of the rubber moulds. So I often drop tyre pressure down a few PSI for the first 100k or so, and actually scrub the tyres first thing with soap and warm water (and a scourer pad) - may be daft, but your story above is always on my mind - can feel the bike is ropey as fcuk on fresh rubber

goodlad

Ah man i was literally crawling along and barely leaned, i could of sworm i drove over ice or something with the speed it went out from under me. I had actually washed the tyres in warm soapy water but will be doing it again with a pad to give em a proper wash and maybe scrub at them a bit harder this time.

Its going to be hard to feel confident going out on them again even after washing em again. Thats why im thinking it might be an idea to stick a tyre warmer onto em first.

Its amazing the damage that can be caused by a 20kmh slide.

Mr Sheen!

goodlad wrote: »

Lads, anyone around kildare with a set of tyre warmers i can borrow?

On the bike today with new tyres doing 20kmh and barely leaned it and the back tyre slide out from under me and down the bike went. Ive driven on new tyres before but jesus christ these are obviously insanely slippy. Dont wanna go out on em again unless they are warmed up

Sorry to hear that Gary, hope you and the bike are ok. What tyres did you get? no oil on them or anything?

I have got many a set of tyres put on and its always very important to tune yourself in and remember that are new tyres. I think it is a combination of two things:

1) New Tyres turn in much quicker, especially if you get front and back done at the same time. Also more noticeable if your old tyres were flattened off and you were used to having to force the bike around turns.

2) Grip is certainly reduced for the first few hundred km's but I think keeping all movements steady etc you should be ok even in the rain.

IMO tyre warmers before taking a bike out onto the road is overkill and not needed.

goodlad

Tbh when the bike slides doing 20kmh and barely leaning then tyre warmers arnt overkill. Tyres are still fairly shiny and slippy feeling so gonna go at em again with a scouring pad and warm soapy water

Wonda-Boy

Really sorry to hear that Gary, jaysus you dont go out much and this happens to a spotless bike. What are the chances especially at that speed......?!?!

What tyres did you get? Are they more of a sticky part race tyre like a Pirelli Supercorsa, or the usual PR4 road tyres.

Also check the sell by date on the tyre just in case they have been sitting there for months and the rubber was affected (you never know)

The_Chap

Ah that's bad luck alright, sorry to hear that man, nothing worse than seeing your paj scuffed up