Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

Thanks, I’ll stick to the dual-sport/adventure oriented clothing then. I assumed that MX clothing had no road protection but somehow a benefit on dirt.

Yep definitely all in the knees!

Still early days with all this. Frustrating to by twice or more on some things, but keen to get the best protection/comfort ratio per situation.

Yeah, definitely light clothing / hard armor is the combo for off road. I can think of at least two times that MX boots have saved me a broken ankle in the last couple of years, once casing a jump and the second running over my own foot! :)

Get some proper bark busters and a full wrap around sump guard for the DR if you haven't already too. You'll be pretty much tumble proof then!

So on point.

Love that exhaust on that bike too.

Were these the ones they supposedly made a loss on each sold?

Got a set of Progrip Rally 714(?) and a set of white Venom reinforced handguards to replace the old waffles and non-reinforced plastic guards on it at the moment.

That’s the same setup on the bars of the little GN125 and it’s arrived to Avebury with bushes stuck in the guards and no detriment to my hands. Super comfy grips too.

I like the thicker grips too! - I've definitely noticed less fatigue with them. As long as the handguards have the proper aluminium bar mounted at two points, you're golden. I've used Cycra and Acerbis, both fine. Dropped my XR650R (which is heavy!) down many a rock garden and never broken a lever - invaluable.

Wrap around bash plates are good as they protect the alternator cover which is a vulnerable to rock strikes and spills otherwise. I carry a tube of chemical metal too, just in case.

Yep looks difficult to source a good aftermarket sump guard with greater coverage than the original, but it’s on the list.

Cheers @Jung

I've heard that a few times but not sure how true it is. My bike is from 2003 and was one of the first gen 2 RSVs which apparently was the best in quality, ironically though they're the ones that can suffer with electronic gremlins. Aprilia was bought by Piaggio in 2004 which is when the accountants got involved with quality of finish taking a slight decline. I haven't seen too many gen 2 RSVs up close but that's what some people say on the Aprilia forums. Either way they were turning out some great bikes in the early-mid 2000's.

Check your rear swing arm bearings. Any play in these (they are basic on a ybr) and the back end will not play ball with you. Esp in wet and on rougher surfaces the back will flip flop around.
They are very cheap for new ones and not a hard job so long as the swing arm bolt isn't frozen. As others have said, little bikes tyres don't get as warm as heavier bikes so you don't get the same type of grip

Check your rear swing arm bearings. Any play in these (they are basic on a ybr)

I don't think they're even bearings, just bushes ha! But yeah, all tight back there and heard the horror stories of getting the swingarm bolts out!

Oops

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Wait a second, this isn't my lawn mower

More of this again. Fosse Way both directions for first time, instead of just North->South. Still took the bridge instead of the water crossing, but at least I navigated the tight winding descent without issue.

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Assuming you trimmed a hedge?

@PhilDAS exactly!

More your classic low side, sliding into the grass. Weirdest thing is I don't know why it happened. Was travelling about 50/60mph didn't have loads of lean angle, identical to the guy in front and the bike just fell away. Thankfully the damage isn't too bad, miracle the Arrow can is unmarked.

Nightmare. I bet you're gutted even though damage is minimal, it sucks laying the bike down hey.
Dropped my first bike just after I'd passed my test in a low speed manoeuvre and could have cried

When the medics came over all I was bothered about was the bike, didn't think it would start or ride but managed to get home albeit with a bent rear brake lever and a snapped front. Could have been a lot worse and if you ride on the track these are the risks. But yes slightly gutted.

Oh no! Cold tyres? Something slippery on the track?

Definitely looks like you’ve been very lucky with the damage. Still, sucks, sorry mate.

Maybe the bung kept the bike clear enough to avoid the fairing/can getting scratched?

I don’t know much but I’d cautiously agree with @Jung - maybe the tyres weren’t warm enough, or maybe they just weren’t sticky enough.

Better a low side than a high. How’re the leathers?

First real battle scars ticked off the list. Now you can ride it without concern!

Cheers guys. Happened after 4/5 laps and the Pirelli Diablo Rosso II's were performing okay up until then so who knows. I thought it might be something on the track too but nobody else came down so a slight mystery. Leathers need repairing but agreed bike could have come off a lot worse.

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Now you can ride it without concern!

So they say

Italian. Just decided it wanted a nap.

It did happen around lunchtime!

Succinct.

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They did ask

After inspecting my tyres, post-crash, I noticed something potentially interesting...

Bedford Autodrome is an anticlockwise loop, meaning the right side of the tyres get less heat than the left. Both sides of the rear tyres have small heat blisters as you'd expect, but looking at the front tyre only the left side has these. The front right side has none, which could explain it just wiping out when leaning into a right turn.

Is it possible that even after 4-5 laps (& a 20min session) the front wasn't warm enough to handle leaning into it? If so, why was the rear blistered on both sides but the front only is on the left?

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