Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

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@Airhead I knew I went wrong somewhere!

We're back up and running with a nearly new whitewall rear which was the only tyre available within 250 miles. We had to stay in Tucumcari again last night.

What it means though is that Colorado Springs and more importantly Pikes Peak is cancelled for us. I'm totally gutted.

We're on a tight schedule and so we're off to Santa Fe today, again for only one night.

We might try and drive to Taos but it depends on time.

How did you break what must be the only non Harley part on a Harley? Xxx

There's something about that part of America - Me and Mrs M ended up racing through because of various mechanicals...not sure if your route takes you that way but it's a great drive across from Santa Fe to Moab in Utah.

Right....so the bike has started being a bit of a pain in the arse, to the extent where I don't really have confidence in it for any long distance. Even after replacing both plugs and balancing the throttle bodies, it's still dropping revs and at times just dying. Then it runs clean as a whistle, followed by sudden erratic behavior again when I refuel for example.
I took it to southern cross as it's a bit beyond my means to dig in, they sorted it out some, but then I went away for a few days, came back, and it's all gone to shit again. This morning I had to adjust the idle to around 1800 so it doesn't just shut the fuck down.
I just want to ride, but at this point my eye is always on the counter...
Should I take it back to souther cross and ask them what the hell?

Where did you put fuel in, also what fuel did you put in.

Shit in the fuel tank blocking the injectors.

Probly.

How old is it?

Helemets do give a little over time.

Now we have mentioned counter steering, we can get all hisy fit like a teen with his/her first erotic dream.

Call it what ever you will, find the way that feels comfortable, be it weighting the pegs or pushing the bar, then you get hanging off the bike or laying the bike. Who cares? I have gone off the edge of the rear tyre on the road...while the front was no where near the edge.

I want more wheelies, so ethanol down at the local scrapyard.

Unless srs. Then just your bog standard at the local BP. The bike has always smelled a bit rich and likes to pop some at around 3k.

Was a serious question, some bikes I have had go shit after a fill up. Most fuel tanks in petrol stations leaks and contain water too.

I'd go at draining the fuel tank and sticking the fuel in the car if you have one. Removing the tank and making sure it is all out. Does the bike have a fuel pump? Can't remember the bike you have. There should be a metal gauze to pick up the larger bits of crud. Motorbikes don't like crappy fuel, nor getting water in the fuel.

Ahhh apologies squire, I was surprised by the specific question.
I'm going to have a go at doing that. I've noticed a pattern of it happening mostly when either the bike has been sitting still a while, or when new fuel is in. I live on a bit of a slope, so if it sits stagnant for a few days at a tilt, it tends to run super rough.
The pump primes nicely if a little noisily. I know two sides of a pointless coin, but I'll try fueling up elsewhere to see what might happen in the meantime.

This is a great question.

Not a fucking clue!

Might be worthwhile to drop a bit of isopropyl alcohol to absorb any water too. This what dry fuel is in the expensive bottle.

Have experienced bad fuel and feels like the bike is misfiring and makes bikes a pain to ride.

Looks like a possible carcass failure.

As you are in the US sue...

Just under two weeks.

I was hoping it would give a bit, but I feel like it's putting too much pressure on my cheeks, and I'm not sure if it'll give there.

In the shop I tried it on out of curiosity and was surprised it fit well, albeit a close fit, the next size up felt too big. Tried on the delivered one and felt the same. But after a while I feel like it's too much.

The fucker is its so much nicer than my old helmet. Not just the weight and lining, etc., but how it feels when riding at speed - there's basically no drag or buffeting on my head. Definitely sold on AGV as a brand (and not just because of Rossi ;).

This happened to my NTV when I got to Portugal. They have shit fuel there. Bought some additive which seemed to help. Was absolutely fine once I got back jnto Spain/France.

I always go for the high octane option at British stations, use the BP 97 as a staple and find it decent.

Chak - I've had exactly the symptoms you describe from a bit of water in the tank. Drain it until completely dry, then purge the pump and try again.

Can you change cheek pads?
My shoei you can. Worth a look

If it's the cheeks and not the brow that's tight, I'd live with it. The cheek pads will change shape.

There are inserts to add... but that's sort of the opposite of what I'm after.

Doing a bit more reading into the lining as well as the skull cap adjustment there are other removable pads which shift the position down (or forward) to change cheek pad pressure.

My logic was as it's effectively brand new whether selling now for a bit of a loss was the smart move.

I guess I'll keep it for a bit longer and see with the new linner configuration.

Just going through some photos and came across one of these rad little Columbian café racers the locals had on an island called Providencia. I kept meaning to take some decent photos and never quite got around to it…

But it sort of gives you the flavour; usually a sprayed frame with the superfluous bits removed – you know like headlights, etc.

(https://flic.kr/p/tzWJvp)

Ah my shoei is different, you can get different size cheek pads.

I sat in the shop for like 30 min with it on testing it. Went through about 20 helmets, a few times. Funnily it was the first one I tried on. And when I first tried it on I thought it was too small. But after trying all the others, when I came back to it, it felt like a glove.

In the Black Forest the now, so many bikes, so much road porn.

Nobody seems to know to ride though, I've seen bikes sitting behind trucks and vans that are going half the speed limit along dual carriageways and dead quiet straights.

Speed limits here are wierd though, very quick changes, changes of 10kmh which hardly seems worthwhile and some unwritten thing with it dropping to 50kmh in towns and then back up to 100kmh once your back out of town.

@TM @Jung That's pretty much bang on...no pun intended. Had a massive backfire this morning shifting from second to first and it just died. Started on the button immediately after though.
I'm gonna have a go at draining and cleaning both fuel pump/tank to see what the deal is.

Not sure if expected, but put hand behind exhaust after starting it earlier and black flecks spit out. Maybe condensation maybe not, but not sure I like it.

How much Isopropyl should I drop in? I got tons of the stuff.

wet - drivers who can't drive in the rain

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