Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

Happy to be corrected on any of these:

1. None, as long as your first ride is to a pre-booked MOT
   
2. None
   
3. a) could be advisory or fail depending on the tester and the degree of warpage. Either way, why wouldn't you get it fixed? Brakes are pretty important.
   b) not an issue
   

Cheers, that's really helpful. I'll double check what the deal is with insurance.

Either way, why wouldn't you get it fixed?

Previously, because it's the rear which just created a bit of noise sometimes, and was about to go into storage. Now, because I'm not able to do the work myself and don't want to spend the money on a garage to fix (or cause my mate the inconvenience of taking it there).

I don't think the MOT is like tax where its an offence to have none. Obv as @Ptown says, an offence to ride the bike anywhere other than a pre-booked MOT without a valid one and I imagine if it were parked on the road it could be construed as an offence but if you keep it off the road it should be fine.

I don't think the tax/sorn status matters to insurers. I certainly didn't tell my insurer when I had to sorn my bike for a couple weeks earlier in the year (my mot had run out, had it booked but discovered an issue I had to order parts for and work on, during which time the tax ran out and I couldn't renew the tax without a valid mot).

At said mot I got away with a slightly rubbing rear brake, it probably should have failed but my mot tester is a decent guy so let me away with it being an advisory as he knew I'd fix it. (He also fudged the mileage and let me away with the tyres being worn as I'd already told him I wanted him to change them a few days later when I'd been paid). I think the mot changed about a week later and there's now none of that type of 'discretion'. It's either a pass or a fail.

I've got Bridgestones on at the moment but due to the above mentioned nail will plug as an interim basis (and maybe do some silly braking and attempted wheel spins) before buying some new rubber and a planned trip to Germany in July.

For commuting/sport touring is there a forum preferred tyre?

Going on my Tiger 800, chance of going off road v slim but wouldn't mind a bit of tread just in case

Bridgestone Battlewing £100
Bridgestone Battlax £90
Bridgestone T30 £85
Continental ContiRoadattack 3 £130
Mettzeler Marathon £150 or Roadtec £135
Michelin Road 5 £125

And how are shops when it comes to putting on internet bought rubber, any issues?

I've got Michelin Pilot Road 4s and they've been excellent commuting all winter and now that warmer weather has come, they're leaning over surprisingly well.

Definitely not a sport tyre but I can get to within 5mm of the edge of the tyre on the commute in so can't be that bad...

Would avoid all of the tyres with deathwing in the name. Look out adv rider forum for details why.

I got some pirelli scorpions last year and they've done OK. Do fine on cold damp tarmac (most days here), sure Michelin 4s are better, but they can't deal with gravel and fine dust roads etc.
Nearly worn out now (city courier working), replace front with a heidanau k60 (latest version), obviously much better of road, and decent on tarmac, but man they squirrel around. Transitions are slow and lethargic but predicable.

ive seen lots of sidi boots in small sizes over the years also lots of the boots aimed at women are made in smaller sizes and the styling is not different to that which they make specifically for the male market.

lots to choose from here

Hi all, I'm not sure if this is the place to post but I can't see mto find a fitting category on the classifieds.
I'm selling my BMW R65 as I'm becoming a student once more. It's in good condition and been on a few trips to Bristol and Plymouth from London. It has had a lot of TLC over the 18 months it has been in my possession: new tyres, gearbox re-fit, new fuel pipe, electronic ignition put in, new exhaust manifold and silencers, brakes bled and re-constructed. Brake disc basically new, new battery.Runs nicely.
Currently has an MOT until October 2018 and road tax, and V5 and receipts going back 15 years. Could be chopped up and used as a scrambler/cafe racer, or ridden around as is. Comes with original BMW panniers, pannier keys, BMW tool kit and bike keys. Small ding in tank. Cash on collection and based in Hackney Wick. £1700 ono

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Looks like a late R65 model and in good condition. What year is it?

Looks nice, might even be interested but for me the year is important with the ULEZ looming

V5 states 1980

@jbullman might be interested in this...

Some nice aftermarket/used options to go up to 800 or 1000, the 800 is a good balance if you want to do much motorway work but the 650 should be great around town and better fuel economy than the 800. Someone should snap this up, mine is late '79 and has a slightly less modern look to the dash but this one has the uprated front brake master cylinder which most people end up wanting anyway.

The panniers are great and very expensive if you don't get them with the bike, the flat loading surface at the back with the panniers on is nearly impossible to get on a bike these days. Very handy if you want to transport sacks of sand, toolboxes etc.

Would say the electronic ignition is a bit unnecessary. The biggest upgrade I've made recently is a lithium battery, much better for round town where these bikes struggle to charge the battery at lower revs, better starting power and the lower weight is surprisingly noticeable.

GLWS.

Plugged. Wasn't a nail went in a good way.
Looks like this payday will be tyre shopping.

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So the upgrade curse has struck. New Springs, oil and rear shock upgrade highlighted that braking really needs some attention. I have no idea when It was all last serviced.
To all you spanner masters out there.
Any ghetto service advice? I can hack and bleed your Shimano/Hope/SRAM system, so I'm going to hazard this is quite similar.
Can I just single syringe the whole affair or will it be an Avid like jobby?

Depends on the bike but non abs are pretty simple. Get a bottle and a brake bleed tube, open the master cylinder, open the bleed valve with the bleed tube on it, squeeze the brake lever and watch the bubbles in the bottle, close the valve, release the brake lever, check the master cylinder and top up if necessary, repeat until no bubbles or you've flushed the brake fluid.

Otherwise all the usual car tricks work, like vacuum etc.. Just that on a bike you can reach the brake lever and the bleed valve at the same time so it's doable by one man.

You might find after all that the brakes are pretty similar, maybe just ride slower :)

My garage charges me £25 for a proper mushroom. Still good a few thousand miles later.

Drop the forks and do properly. Can leave damper in but use fluid to flush it by pumping it to clear old shit old till fluid looks nice. Then put new fluid in.

Don’t waste time sucking fluid out with long hose. Do it proper.

Check delboys garage on YouTube Jean pretty good.

This. Either total strip down and replace everything or flush with new fluid a few times then refill to correct level. Should be done every 2 years for a bike with moderate use imo. Shock oil quickly looses it's damping abilities. And it's cheap

Wait, was this comment directed at me?

If so, it's the brakes that I'm looking into. Forks are already done good and proper, new stiffer springs, heavier oil and emulators I got from someone for free.

Ah sory yeah. I glazed over your post and saw springs and oil! My bad.

I wonder if you can replace your calipers with some off another bike. That’d be your best bet. Ask on Suzuki forum if the brakes from a 1000 of any year fit. Some 4 or 6 pot. Then fit some nice compressionless hoses and you’ll be good.

When you change up a gear, you get a nice click as it goes in. My bikes started doing a double click going into second but not the other gears.
Tell me nothings broken and it’s fine please

Anyone ridden the latest Kawasaki Z1000SX? Thinking about chopping my Speed Triple S in for something cheaper, but worried the Kwacka will feel a bit too cheap and a bit stately

Hakkuna Muttata!

Sure can. Most of that era tended to be Tokiko or Nissin. I can do either GSXR or Honda F4i/RR calipers. The trick is getting the brackets. I know who makes them, but they ain't cheap.
Bike already has braided lines, so that's all good. Reckon might just stick to a full rebuild and some high quality pads. Which? Not a clue. opinion is contentious.

@PhilDAS Check clutch cable, adjustment and It might be worth adjusting the clutch arm and push rod. Just did mine and it made a world of difference.

^^ Bendix pads are very good. Just avoid EBC, as they rattle and chew through disks too quickly.