Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

I've blown a fork seal and it's pissing out oil.
How much will a garage charge to sort this?
My friendly local tend to be cost for the parts and moderate on the labour costs.
But I have no idea on how much parts would be (£20 for seals, £20 for oil?) Or how long the job would take (I wouldn't even attempt it as I have no stand to support an unforked bike)

Also brake pads, are these replaced by removing the callipers or than the wheels?

Finally, my bike is filthy from all year commuting and never cleaning. What's a good product for getting road grime off?

(RE lids, I have an AGV and a HJC, both in Large, the AGV aged a little loose and the HJC is a little snug, but both within acceptable terms)

No-nonsense degreaser from Screwfix £5 for 5L.

Probably £150-200ish depending on london pricing. 2-3h job (worth doing both fork legs at same time tbh)
Your costing in parts is right.

Just removing calipers, then replace pads. You'd need to clean the caliper pistons. And hope they're not too pitted from neglect.

Cool, just waiting for the garage to get back to me about if they can get the parts any time soon (or I'll grab some off ebay)

I wouldn't even attempt it as I have no stand to support an unforked bike.

Got a car jack? Big tool box? Garage with rafters and some ratchet straps? It's easily bodged.

Got a car jack? Big tool box? Garage with rafters and some ratchet straps? It's easily bodged.

This always struck me as a great idea:
http://www.triumphrat.net/air-cooled-twins-technical-talk/178772-anyone-have-any-guidance-on-installing-fork-gaiters.html

Originally Posted by liamtanner View Post
hi, I'm new to the forums and believe its best to reply to a thread if related....

Thought I would share how I was able to install my fork gaiters without a jack!
I live in an apartment block and have limited tools and experience but after much research felt confident to try this.
I took my bonneville next door to the playground and parked my bike under the monkey bars. I then used a ratchet (tie down) rope to hook the handle bars to the rope and the other end to the monkey bars above. Then used the ratchet to lever the bike off the ground!
Just loosened the tree bolts and removed brake calibre and bingo, was able to slide the forks out and install the gaiters. Reversed the process and off i went.. maybe took 20mins.
Hope it helps someone

Also brake pads, are these replaced by removing the callipers or than the wheels?

Finally, my bike is filthy from all year commuting and never cleaning. What's a good product for getting road grime off?

Two useful videos on brake cleaning:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNz00OTRLzM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snWJ-upKTbc

You can google good tips for cleaning your bike, but assuming you're not too precious about your bike would just do the following:

(all in the shade)

1. use a watering can to wet bike with hot water.
   
2. spray degreaser
   
3. wait 10min
   
4. rinse using watering can
   
5. spray degreaser again
   
6. agitate the worse bits with a brush
   
7. using a sponge and soapy water flick soapy water and suds all over
   
8. rinse.
   
9. wash like normal with sponge / soapy water
   
10. rinse.
    
11. dry with a towel.
    
12. clean brakes and contact points with brake cleaner
    
    

As a min you need:

• hand soap (car shampoo is better)
  
• old kitchen brush
  
• any degreaser
  
• brake cleaner and clean cloth
  
  

This no nonsense stuff is boss, it's what muc off and sht shifter are the dilute of (so your buying around half water despite the higher price of them). I wouldn't leave it neat on any painted surfaces for any more than 15 mins and rinses off into drains no problem (eco safe enough).
In some places a good squeeze bottle to soak an area (like shock mounts and linkage) leave for ten mins then blast with more squeeze bottle and it'll come up tidy with no scrubbing required. Rinse thoroughly with hose or bucket after though.

Pounlalnd packet of 4 toothbrush (the soft crappy ones) are also ideal for getting in places other stuff can't, o find those particular brishs do a decent job of cleaning, even on painted surfaces without marring finish and they rinse right off, whereas your fancier toothbrush the grease sticks to the bristles right from the first stroke

Yeah, i despense it into kitchen cleaner spray bottles. It's brilliant.

So, got a weeks holiday for the first time since September and I'm getting the fuck out of this city for some extended spine breaking rides. Heading south towards the Poole area (crash at mates) anyone got a decent route to take down there that dodges the A/M3 and then any loops or rides around the Poole area?

Done the seals yet.

Want to do it yourself?

Not overly.
Booked in to my LBG for Friday next week.

Not quite yet. Managed to snag a zx10r shock and bolts and I await some springs to arrive. Bike passed MOT with flying colours, but still not convinced at condition of forks. Dust seals totally breaking down. Much excite, really can't wait to scream at seized bolts.

Finally managed to score myself a 2nd hand Hein Gericke Master V jacket on ebay. Bargin.

Got to say, it 'feels' a lot less safe than my leather jacket. But sure it's decent protection.

Took your advice and went opposite land to you. Put on leather 2 piece and Iron Man feeling kicked in. Under 300 for a full Dainese. Much appreciate the advice.
Still holding on to textiles though for pootling around.

Woke up this morning to discover that "sounds like something plastic exploding sound" I heard at 11 last night was infact the rear mudguard, number plate hanger and a few pieces of side plastic all being kicked in.
Figured it was an attempted theft and when they couldn't be arsed defeating locks they would just kick it in instead.
£70/90 of plastic, so not terrible, bit it's the 2-3 days of lost work (courier) and what will happen next time that's the worry.
If I don't catch them, loose a bike and a means to earn a living, if I do catch them likely at least a court appearance for the bodily harm that may be done.

Sucks to hear man! Wankers.

@Chak yeah nothing like wearing a nice 2piece. I really do feel safe in mine. The protection it offers is about as good as it gets. You get it off ebay? So many leathers on there, sadly not many in our size!

Took long enough to find. Had to buy separate, but patience rewarded with bang on size and track ready zipping. Now just need for the damned weather to chill it's damned mind. Need some welsh roads to graze.

So another question would be...what's the consensus on buying a bike that's obviously been track used. I'm eyeballing a Daytona 675 that has tires that would pass MOT, but have obviously been....shredded some, but no (obvious or covered) crash damage. Would you or not?

Depends. If it's been used at the track then maybe it's hard sifferent fairings on.

I'd proberbly not, unless I wanted a track bike and it all seemed good. Then again, a track rider might have looked after it really well and it's a sweet bike. Guess you need to trust your instinct.
Pleanty of bikes out there, so weigh up the options based on what's on the market and price.

Also possible the owner has bought a club racer's "scrubs" that have been through too many heat cycles for race use but your man gets to pose down at Box Hill along with his knee sliders that have been scrubbed in using a belt sander.

That's what the whistling birds are telling me really. I've kinda learnt from my mistakes with the SV, having to do a dammit with his car and hemorrhage money all over it. it's great and all, but I have a hankering for something a little tighter. Really got my eye on something Italian but sweet baby moses the prices.

@cagimaha as above, that's what got me wondering. There's no obvious telling images of dodgy paintwork or avoided pictures, but while it looks good, the tyres do look a little shredded for comfort. As in they're down to the curve (chicken strips etc etc). I'm not fussed but cosmetics, but mechanically I like things to be clockwork, and the two I've asked to test have been a bit...careless with their service history.

I reckon it's all about the owner. Judge the bike by the owner. Just use gut instinct. If you're questioning it then walk away. Just be patient, the right one will come up.

....... fine fine. I'll wait. I ever tell you how much you're a pain in the ass with your logical sensibilities? First tents, now this! I'll just re-spring the SV for the time being...and I save money. Utter filth.

Jeez man - don't be put off by tyres. They're there for shredding. Seriously, if they're soft compounds on a hot day, they tear. Nothing wrong with bikes that have done track days. Anything heavily tracked, would tend to stand out - overly clean bodywork (kept in a cupboard,) aftermarket crash bungs or rearsets (or shiny new footpegs - kept in cupboard.) Look also around the bottom of the fork legs and axle for scrapes and at sump plugs for evidence of lockwire. Seriously though, proper track refugees will look haggard.

That's the thing, this doesn't, hence my inquiring here to more experienced people. I don't mind a track fiend, so long as its been taken care of mechanically. Bike looks great as far as I can see from learning about buying my first money pit. Now bear in mind that the UK doesn't exactly afford the same silky roads that the US has to offer, so potential for undisclosed drops or damage as maybe higher?
Bike doesn't look like a wheelie or city fiend bike, but the seller was incredibly vague about offering any kind of service history or providence which worries me some.
Reckon I'm falling for the 'daayum that looks good, I want it' syndrome. So will back off for the time being.