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

Thanks, will try the decomp (why is it better to do so)

I got it so learn how to work on it, thinking, what’s the worst it can throw at me and what’s the worst damage I can do to is

Fun fact... New motorcycle sales were up 25% in Ireland last year...

I'm gonna speculate that it's partly people buying bikes for fun after the COVID lockdown; bike deliveries becoming an industry to itself; different nationalities coming to the country and bringing their own bike culture; and this year, inflation and trying to beat the cost of transport...

Its interesting to see, because it's noticeable how few bikes are on the road these days compared to the 80"s and 90's... Hopefully with increased numbers it will help the bike lobby and help improve conditions.

https://www.motorcyclesdata.com/2022/06/09/italian-motorcycles/&ved=2ahUKEwiayYaG2_b4AhXSa8AKHbUoD1gQFnoECAQQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0bbDDTjw_6L0cwdY_-Yy7b

Why would they bother, many of these illegal e-bikes are as fast as a 50cc, they have no IBT, licence, helmet, insurance or motor tax and you can whizz along the footpaths too! 🙄

Illegal e-bikes could do a lot but I don't see many bikes in general, see herds of kids on scooters. No free lunch either, you're paying for that power in a form it isn't suited for.

Only so much of a motor even if they ignore the 250w normal limit you can fit into a 8-10" wheel, and the ones with 1kw plus are huge but still stuck on tiny wheels with subpar suspension. Even the new law which states it's up to 500w fall short of the 4kW continuous you've got for AM legal electric mopeds.

Energy density isn't great for electric vehicles in general but at least 4 wheels ones have space to fill, a scooter only has a tiny deck to fill and a e bike doesn't do too much better.

Honda releasing a new model in China now for limited release of pedal assisted scooter. This would fall into the new high power category below

Anyone here ever go to the bike rally in Faro?

My brother was at it last weekend.

Had a great time, everyone really friendly.

€55 entry for 2 days and you get 4 meals and a t shirt included.

Are there any retired 60+ riders out there living near Blanchard's town interested in weekday runs in good weather

Wouldn't bother. Tried to get them to order a bike for me recently and they weren't interested.

Finally starting to prep for my next trip.

was going to take the r100, but I haven’t done enough on it in Ireland. So taking the DR650se again.

Just done the general service on the bike to make sure it’s good to go.

valves all set, and cabling checked over.

rebuilt the front calliper last week too, I had melted the piston seals in Switzerland last summer

should probably have washed it since last summers paddy Dakar though.

The dirt adds character! What bike is it?

its a 1996 Suzuki DR650se, built it from parts 2 years ago and added a few modifications.

M-unit blue

Wilburs shock with preload.

Ricor intiminator fork valves with preload caps.

LED Round head light and sequential LED indicators.

GSXR 1000 exhaust,

Procycle jetting kit.

Did the NSU fix and Countershaft seal retainer.

Renthal Paris Dakar bars and Seat concepts seat upgrade.

Tusk Pannier rack and Toprack.

Double Take Mirrors.

25L acerbis fuel tank

Did anyone have a all black royal enfield Himalayan robbed today?

coming back from Decathalon / Ballymun and two lads in tracksuits with hoodies covering their faces and no bike gear went flying past me at about 15:40

Would have seen them here

google.com/maps/@53.3998954,-6.2639633,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sXn-gTy2gUZ6cxklYPXimzg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Nope 😀 I've been trying out the "protective layer of dirt" theory for quite a while now 😁 results are still inconclusive

Not proper muck though. Only been off-road once, in Queensland, on what turned out to be quite a demanding trail (the f-off mountain Simon Pavey grew up on) even though I told them I had zero off-road experience. Got back to the hotel battered and bruised and could barely sit down 😯 we then went out for a couple of drinks and on the way to the restaurant I saw a poster for on-road bike days out, I could have spent the day hooning around on a Ducati instead for pretty much the same money 🙄

Obviously no idea what happened before hand but ****

^^^^^^^

There's people crying out for bikes

Sell them bikes ye are not using 🤪😁

I actually need one more.

I have to use one of them 2 days in the same week.

That's not on!

Yes I have a 2003 Mille R.

Any links to the ones you've seen on donedeal?

Standard RSV yeah?

Your probably going to be facing the inevitable flywheel issue on both.

First one has more of the usual Aprilia "characteristics" ironed out but the second has nice extras added.

Also the second one will be a lot happier running on those akra cans than the first one on those mivvs.

Too short.

If you don't mind whipping out the flywheel you can get it sorted for €70 but it has to be shipped over and back to Austria.

Or drive on and hope for the best but I'd be amazed if it doesn't leave you down at some stage.

Upgraded battery cables are important too.

First one has them.

Brembo wheels on the first one which is the norm but the second one, the wheels are (without seeing the bike in the flesh) probably cast copies of the forged aluminium O.Z. wheels that come on gen1 and early gen 2 factory models.

Well I don't use my brain for anything else so there is space for it 😁

Another area to check if looking at one is the dog bone.

If they are not taking care of, they can seize up and the dog bone can crack.

You get a good idea with a quick look.

It may seem a little daunting but it's not that bad and once things are sorted they are a good bike.

What would make life easier for any buyer is finding a seller that's into Aprilia and knows about them.

They'll usually be well sorted than.

Fire away any questions anytime you want and hopefully I'll be able to give you some guidance.

Money, new bike or even like the fella I bought my last bike off.... getting too old and his wrists and back can't take it anymore.

He was around 10 years younger than me 😰

Anyone with experience of the bike covers on adverts, the ones you push the bike into and has a cover on some poles attached to a ground bracket that goes over the bike. They are about 300 each but look a bit flimsy, probably will rust, maybe waterproof at a push and potential for condensation

Leather is cooler than you might think, especially with ventilation zips open and if you maintain a decent speed 😉

Stop off and walk around a shop for five minutes though and you're poached.

Anyone ever try a full high viz jacket in summer.

I know lads on site with long sleeve policies where a lot would wear high viz winter jackets with nothing undernearth rather than vest with long sleeve shirt on. High viz refelecting a lot of light and insulation doing a lot to keep heat out rather than in.

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