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

CJhaughey

If you have some old 35mm film negatives around you can try using a piece of that, slide it down the fork stanchion and move it around the leg at an angle.
Sometimes dirt and grit gets lodged under the seal lip and causes a leak.
It may or may not work but its worth a try.

H_Lime

CJhaughey wrote: »

If you have some old 35mm film negatives around you can try using a piece of that, slide it down the fork stanchion and move it around the leg at an angle.
Sometimes dirt and grit gets lodged under the seal lip and causes a leak.
It may or may not work but its worth a try.

Worked once for me!
Speaking of fork you fit widgets or do anything drastic to yours my esteemed political colleague?

PCeeeee

CJhaughey wrote: »

If you have some old 35mm film negatives around you can try using a piece of that, slide it down the fork stanchion and move it around the leg at an angle.
Sometimes dirt and grit gets lodged under the seal lip and causes a leak.
It may or may not work but its worth a try.

Doesn't have to be a film negative, I did it the other day with a piece of thin plastic. Cut it into a kinda hook shape first. Like this buck. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5L2K2PXGtA&t=95s

Google seal mate for the kinda thing I'm on about.

CJhaughey

H_Lime wrote: »

Worked once for me!
Speaking of fork you fit widgets or do anything drastic to yours my esteemed political colleague?

I haven't done anything bike related for a while.
I have on the other hand been doing a lot of outside repairs that were.... outstanding for some time, including beefing up security on my shed.
I do however have a strong desire to finally split the cases on my Montesa 315 mill and start the engine rebuild, I have a NOS piston and ring kit to go into it.
I'd like to get it back running for the summer, and I'd rather not start ripping running stuff while this whole scenario is the way it is, parts can be slow or non available etc.

H_Lime

CJhaughey wrote: »

I haven't done anything bike related for a while.
I have on the other hand been doing a lot of outside repairs that were.... outstanding for some time, including beefing up security on my shed.
I do however have a strong desire to finally split the cases on my Montesa 315 mill and start the engine rebuild, I have a NOS piston and ring kit to go into it.
I'd like to get it back running for the summer, and I'd rather not start ripping running stuff while this whole scenario is the way it is, parts can be slow or non available etc.

This is a concern.
A project could easily turn into a long one. On my own front once I'm past the hump on my own and mostly at reassembly. I think...
Montessa 315 eh! I had a go of a gas gas trials bike once and was slightly in awe of it. As a road biker the thing was so alien.

CJhaughey

H_Lime wrote: »

This is a concern.
A project could easily turn into a long one. On my own front once I'm past the hump on my own and mostly at reassembly. I think...
Montessa 315 eh! I had a go of a gas gas trials bike once and was slightly in awe of it. As a road biker the thing was so alien.

Its a HRC engine and shares a few parts with the old CR250R two strokes.

No where to park your ass is the big thing but I grew up riding offroad so it doesn't phase me that as much.
I do think that Trials is pretty good for developing slow speed control and balance and control usage.
Come to think of it its pretty much ideal for the current situation, ride around the yard and set up a few obstacles.

H_Lime

CJhaughey wrote: »

Its a HRC engine and shares a few parts with the old CR250R two strokes.

No where to park your ass is the big thing but I grew up riding offroad so it doesn't phase me that as much.
I do think that Trials is pretty good for developing slow speed control and balance and control usage.
Come to think of it its pretty much ideal for the current situation, ride around the yard and set up a few obstacles.

Yeah that would be good craic alright. Even a tight cone based obstacle course would do me with a bike like that.
If you are refreshing her bang up some pics, love to see them.

DelBoy Trotter

Hi lads, just looking to pick your brains for some suggestions. A bit of background first, I used to have bikes. I started on a moped, moved onto a NSR 80, then a CBR 250 and finally a SV 650. I spent 5 years on bikes in total, but I haven't had one in 14 years. I'm mid 30s, and have a full A licence. For the last few months I've been contemplating getting a bike again for commuting as I am fed up of the Luas. It won't be something I'd be buying until later in the year. The bike will be used for the commute to and from work in the city centre, and that will be it. My original idea was to pick up a moped (something like a Yamaha Aerox or Honda PCX 125), but having looked at the price of them, I was taken aback by how expensive they have got. As the bike would just be used for the commute, I wasn't planning on spending a huge chunk of cash. I hadn't set a budget, but was thinking €1.5k (ish!). I also have to buy all new gear, as all I've left from my bike days are the locks.
As mopeds just don't seem like value for money at the moment, what bikes would you suggest for a 10-12km spin into the city centre? I initially thought a Hornet 250 would be a good shout, but I'm guessing any half decent example would be very thin on the ground at this stage. I haven't really paid any attention to bikes in the last 10 years which means I'm clueless as to what might fit the bill, so any suggestions would be welcomed!

blade1

May as well get a 600cc at least.
You can use it for more than commuting.
There'll probably be plenty of bikes going cheap after this covid is over.

Hotblack Desiato

Went to the shops, stayed very local, first time on the bike in nearly four weeks...

No problem, except I blew the sh!t out of a fork seal :mad:. not a weep or a leak but a gusher.

seals should be cheap, dust seals, fork oil, might shim or uprate springs, pads could need renewing, have a look at pistons and seals, in that case why not put in braided lines...

DelBoy Trotter

blade1 wrote: »

May as well get a 600cc at least.
You can use it for more than commuting.
There'll probably be plenty of bikes going cheap after this covid is over.

As per my original post, I won't be using the bike for more than commuting.
I can't see a 600 being worth it. It'll be a physically bigger big for a commute into the city centre which would make filtering a bit more tricky

Hotblack Desiato

SV650 would be perfect and you used to have one!

DelBoy Trotter

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

SV650 would be perfect and you used to have one!

I'll never buy another SV after hassle I had with my one.....it was a heap of junk that broke my heart!

Cork Trucker

DelBoy Trotter wrote: »

I'll never buy another SV after hassle I had with my one.....it was a heap of junk that broke my heart!

What a very appropriate username to coincide with your comment

listermint

DelBoy Trotter wrote: »

I'll never buy another SV after hassle I had with my one.....it was a heap of junk that broke my heart!

really ? they are one of the most reliable 650's going. What went wrong with it. First time ive heard of one being called junk must have been some ringer.

Hotblack Desiato

Only problem I've heard about with them is the front cylinder cutting out in the wet, a fender extender stops that.

DelBoy Trotter

listermint wrote: »

really ? they are one of the most reliable 650's going. What went wrong with it. First time ive heard of one being called junk must have been some ringer.

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

Only problem I've heard about with them is the front cylinder cutting out in the wet, a fender extender stops that.

Many electrical gremlins that were never found. Battery could be fine for weeks, and then one morning be dead for no reason for example. Bike would cut out the odd time for no reason too. I had a fender extender but that didn't help much either. The pipe that ran through the tank from the overflow drain hole rusted through which let water into the tank, which obviously got into the carbs. Blew a hole in the carbon cans (obviously not the fault of the actual bike as they weren't standard). And more issues that I'm sure i've pushed to the back of my memory. By the end, I absolutely hated it and vowed never to buy a Suzuki again! Sold it very cheap to a mate as he fancied a project of getting it working properly again, it broke him too!

H_Lime

Hey any bike can break your balls, they're made by, wrenched on and modified by humans after all.
Do I remember correctly the sv lump is hard on oil as capacity is small? Iirc they don't like wheeling either as sump is shallow and can starve. Evedy bike has it foibles I suppose, all of mine have some!

blade1

DelBoy Trotter wrote: »

Many electrical gremlins that were never found. Battery could be fine for weeks, and then one morning be dead for no reason for example. Bike would cut out the odd time for no reason too. I had a fender extender but that didn't help much either. The pipe that ran through the tank from the overflow drain hole rusted through which let water into the tank, which obviously got into the carbs. Blew a hole in the carbon cans (obviously not the fault of the actual bike as they weren't standard). And more issues that I'm sure i've pushed to the back of my memory. By the end, I absolutely hated it and vowed never to buy a Suzuki again! Sold it very cheap to a mate as he fancied a project of getting it working properly again, it broke him too!

A lot of that was poor maintenance by previous owners I suppose.
The hole in the can was probably either down to cheap cans or they needed a repack.

Hotblack Desiato

Any time I hear an electrics nightmare like that, is because it was hacked about by a previous owner.

DelBoy Trotter

While it may have been down to poor maintenance by previous owners, the hassle I had with it was only part of the problem....I just didn’t warm to it at all. I didn’t enjoy being on it (even without the relatability issues). I don’t think v-twin lumps are for me. I had a much more enjoyable time on my CBR 250. I also used to be a massive 2 stroke fan and would love to have a go of a NSR/RS 125 now to see if they would I’d enjoy riding a 2 stroke as much as I used to

blade1

DelBoy Trotter wrote: »

While it may have been down to poor maintenance by previous owners, the hassle I had with it was only part of the problem....I just didn’t warm to it at all. I didn’t enjoy being on it (even without the relatability issues). I don’t think v-twin lumps are for me. I had a much more enjoyable time on my CBR 250. I also used to be a massive 2 stroke fan and would love to have a go of a NSR/RS 125 now to see if they would I’d enjoy riding a 2 stroke as much as I used to

Just so you're aware those bikes need top end rebuilds every so often.
Is this something you plan to take on or would you prefer something that requires less attention?

DelBoy Trotter

blade1 wrote: »

Just so you're aware those bikes need top end rebuilds every so often.
Is this something you plan to take on or would you prefer something that requires less attention?

Yeah, I’m fully aware the 2 strokes need rebuilds. I’ll be doing small enough mileage on the commute, so it wouldn’t put me off a 2 stroke. However, I’d have NSR 125s and RS 125s in the same bracket as Hornet 250s.....next to impossible to find a well looked after and reasonably priced example seeing as they are so old. But happy to be proved wrong!

blade1

DelBoy Trotter wrote: »

Yeah, I’m fully aware the 2 strokes need rebuilds. I’ll be doing small enough mileage on the commute, so it wouldn’t put me off a 2 stroke. However, I’d have NSR 125s and RS 125s in the same bracket as Hornet 250s.....next to impossible to find a well looked after and reasonably priced example seeing as they are so old. But happy to be proved wrong!

What you need to find is a good owner.
Then chances are you'll then find a good bike :pac:
Small 2 strokes were mostly driven hard by young fellas though.

The QuietMan

So it begins :pac:

Hotblack Desiato

Looks similar to the picture I was presented with in the supermarket car park the other day lad

I was hoping it was brake fluid - dangerous obviously but easiest to fix!

Fork oil - meant I could ride home safely enough, parts are cheap but it's a bigger job

Some of it got splashed onto the oil cooler so I was afraid it was that - big money!

So is it the fork?

Hotblack Desiato

The good thing about two-strokes is that they are easy and relatively cheap to work on. Also light weight and higher power for a given engine size.

The bad thing about two-strokes is that they need working on quite often!

Back when we had the law that all learners were restricted to 125cc, the attraction of two-strokes was obvious. I wanted a new Kawasaki AR125 for my first bike. But it had just gone out of production, and AIB (cnuts) refused me a loan, so my budget was £500, and I got a nine year old Suzuki GP100U with a wiring loom held together with those screw connectors that you're never supposed to use on a vehicle. This was all crammed into the back of the headlight shell which was for some reason the locus for pretty much everything electrical on that bike. 6V, brakelight was battery powered, indicators flashed if the engine was revving enough, headlight and tail light were magneto powered, another magneto powered the ignition, kick start of course, it could run with no battery.

Had to drop the engine out of that bike a few times, in the end I could do it in an hour easy, one time it was quite late at night when I got the engine reassembled in the shed, I just got up a bit early the next morning, banged it in and rode off to work

Had to do at various times crank seals, small end, rebore and oversize piston, big end and new con rod, and main bearings - that one went from smooth running to a jackhammer imitation within a few miles. Then when I thought it was all running great I pinned it flat out on the M4 on my provisional licence to see if I could bust 70MPH - when it got hot it went into detonation and within seconds burned a hole right through the piston, I had to push it backwards along the hard shoulder for about three miles to get off the motorway and get to a phone box (pre-mobile) so the brother in law could rescue me, back in the shed I was shaking the engine upside down to get the globs of melted aluminium out, then flushed the crankcase out with two-stroke oil, new piston, back together and it was fine

The crank seals and rebore probably weren't actually needed. It was down on power and smoking like a b!tch and every fault finding manual says crank seals and/or worn out bore. It was actually the primary gear nut working loose (it was supposed to be lockwashered), wearing a hole in the crankcase and allowing gearbox oil to get sucked into the carb. I got a good used crankcase half from a classified ad for a tenner.

That bike had another quirk too due to the disc valve and crankcase-mounted carb it was very prone to icing. Damp 4-5C mornings were the worst. OK if I had enough time to let it idle for a good 2-3mins before setting off. If I was in a hurry, the carb wouldn't warm up and the suction of cold air and evaporation of petrol would cool it below freezing, throttle slide would freeze open :eek: one time I unscrewed the carb cover ahd there was visible ice on the throttle slide. Another time I got impatient and tried to ride away before it melted, using the kill swich as a substitute throttle it was wheelie - down - wheelie - down a few times until I realised that this might be a bit dangerous

Tempremental beasts but lovely when they're on song. My yoke was by no means a performance machine but it was still fun

They eat spark plugs for breakfast too, you learn to always carry a good spare and a plug spanner.

blade1

LIGHTNING wrote: »

Oh man I just looked at some Youtube videos of NSR 125's, they look class! Doesnt seem to many for sale though.

An old cagiva Mito is what you want.
7 speed sp model.

Heres some info on mito's

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cagiva_Mito

The QuietMan

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

Looks similar to the picture I was presented with in the supermarket car park the other day lad

I was hoping it was brake fluid - dangerous obviously but easiest to fix!

Fork oil - meant I could ride home safely enough, parts are cheap but it's a bigger job

Some of it got splashed onto the oil cooler so I was afraid it was that - big money!

So is it the fork?

Aye tis the right fork is badly leaking. Definitely not brake fluid sadly which is a much easier fix as you rightly point out, I’ve ordered new brake lines even though visibly they look fine they are 21 years old. Going on the assumption that the forks were never done either that’s 21 year old oil/seals/bushes etc. I’ve been quoted between €190/€210 to sort them plus painting the fork bottoms is another €40, be easier to do them while the forks are off.

It was on the oil cooler as well? Damn, is it as dangerous as regular oil? It’s on my front tyre now as well.

listermint

The QuietMan wrote: »

Aye tis the right fork is badly leaking. Definitely not brake fluid sadly which is a much easier fix as you rightly point out, I’ve ordered new brake lines even though visibly they look fine they are 21 years old. Going on the assumption that the forks were never done either that’s 21 year old oil/seals/bushes etc. I’ve been quoted between €190/€210 to sort them plus painting the fork bottoms is another €40, be easier to do them while the forks are off.

It was on the oil cooler as well? Damn, is it as dangerous as regular oil? It’s on my front tyre now as well.

No you'll be grand..ive driven for weeks with leaky forks die to not noticing and time available to fix it. It won't cause any problems other than making the brake disks noisey when applied. Nice stupid squeel at the lights .