Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

Just when you thought a meme was dead, someone posts this on instagram

1 Attachment

Borrowed a mates TL1000 (R I think, was a 52 plate) and got a mild tank slapper changing lanes on motorway under too much power, that barrier came out of no where!

When got home found the head bearings had play in them, so tightened up = races so badly brinnelled I have no idea how it rode as nicely as it did before, set it part way between "goes where it wants" and "goes only in straight lines, but its a fight" and handed it back to him.

Loved the brief 20 miles I managed on the TL before being cooked from the balls upwards, sounded great, all the torque, loved the little screen brace thing, felt very racy and quick, whilst I guess compared to modern bikes actually not being very quick at all! Quick enough to keep me happy though. I guess you can put some diy reflective heat shield under the saddle to prevent premature ball cookage?

My S used to boil my spuds something chronic. Fine when you’re out and moving, rotten in traffic!

I remember my first one one a glorious summer evening leaving Winchester and going wot on the slip road. Steering went lock to lock for fuck knows how long. Luckily no traffic and managed to slow it down, but even at 50 I could feel the bars twitching. Got off at next exit and pootled home.

Partly glad that bike got stolen.

In other news, the CBR is up for sale and gathering a fair bit of interest! I want summat dirt now. You've infected everyone here.

Bought a pair of BT46 for my classic. New inner tubes and some tyre spoons. Going to be my first try at changing an R80 tyre. There's a time in every man's life when he meets a task he can call an equal :) Got some lube ordered too because that's one thing you learn in life, a bit of lube can ease a lot of pain.

I already regret my middle of the road tyre choice but I'm old!

Haha, come over to the dark side. We have knobblies. Fun in the desert this weekend despite the freezing cold and sandstorms. Most amusing was perhaps the all Brit, all white van convoy through a sea of pick up trucks...

1 Attachment

So jealous. The DR has had road tyres on all year. Being ‘respectful’ of the lockdown and avoiding greenlaning. Partly as there are a lot of social media posts of police nicking people even those with road-legal bikes.

Yeah lockdown is sort of done here. They never really had travel restrictions much as long as you were self contained. Johnson Valley is pretty easy to socially distance in...;)

Mmm. I could have made it work to reach at least the easiest nearest tracks, but it wasn’t worth the aggro from a horse rider or walker. Hopefully soon it will be worth the risk. That, and some closures are in place over winter so it’s safer to wait til March/April or risk a bigger headache from said horse riders.

Spring is around the corner in every sense, hopefully.

Apropos of nothing, I will say that after a lengthy lay off, riding the two strokes is SO much more fun. We had a funny mix of bikes - my mates little 1974 CR125 was a total gas. You need to wring it’s neck but it’s a fine handling little bike.

That XT500 in the pic was a surprise too - motor had been fully rebuilt with a slightly bigger cam. Extremely well set up and very fun to ride. You can definitely see why they worked for flattrack - crack the throttle and dial in the angle. Awesome gags.

What's the thing on the left? That totally floats my boat.

It's basically an XT500 - rebuilt and breathed on a bit. More fun than I expected to ride but a sod to start. We had a right motley collection, my XR and CR250, a 74 CR125, the little blue 80s Yammy IT200 and the XT. The old stuff is great as long as you avoid any big hits. Low seat and low COG is very confidence inspiring. I can't wait to get my old RM250 together now.

My faves were the two CRs - my 250 is batshit crazy, it would still try and loop in 4th gear if you sat back to get traction. It's altogether too much: Begbie in bike form in every sense.

The little CR125 is bicycle tiny but still goes well if you really wind it out. You can absolutely stuff it into berms WFO, just with a ping of clutch to pop it back into the powerband on the way out. Makes you feel like a bit of a hero.

Rebuilding carbs, yeay finally! Had this bike 5 years now I think, covered likely 40k in that time, started off fine (previous 'rebuilt' them, but was never sure how many internals they actually changed), but now runs like ass, seems to run lean and then rich at the same time, suspect slides have some wear in them (can't feel it, but guess it only takes a thou of extra movement to get issues) and venturi are no longer round. It also pukes petrol fowards into the engine, and backwards into the airbox at will, despite me fitting new Viton (E10 resistant) O rings to the float bowls every year. Ethanol is a bastard.

Its quite satisfying finally with all new parts, previously I've always just been needles + cleaning. Not holding out for perfection, its a 25+ year old bike that I've personally couriered to death lol.

Also getting a suspension upgrade, new bearings all round (again) and a longer shock.
Bike originally had two shock lengths, 'Strada' which was shorter so less overall travel and lower to ground at sag, smaller front wheel too (my bike started off as this), then Funduro, longer shock, bigger front wheel, same fork though. Had a Funduro shock on it for a few years, but eventually the spring has cracked and we are now back down to ST height. Also riding 2 up, its on its arse, even before the spring lost a coil, the hydraulic pre load isn't enough.
New shock arrived, a later model F650 GS Dakar shock, which is another 13mm longer in eye to eye length (same stroke though). Swingarm is a 1:3, so should gain 39mm in static height, but then spring is a tad softer (20lb/" less rate I think), so hoping that whilst its got more travel, with just me on it will gain a little ride height (around 25mm would be nice) but mainly, that it won't be totally on its arse when riding 2 up.
The slightly softer spring rate may scupper that though, can only find out!

On the opposite end of the spectrum, a week or so ago we fitted a lowering link to dad’s CRF250L to try fix his total lack of balance and get his feet on the ground.

Then, the bike was too upright on its kickstand for his liking. Bought a used stand from a breaker, and finally today got around to cutting 3/4 inch off with the angle grinder and fluxcore wire gluing it with the mig welder.

Then we fitted the Acerbis guards and folding mirrors.

Slow progress at dad-proofing.

5 Attachments

Dirt wheels went back on the bike. First green lane of the year had me clenched.

3 Attachments

It’s the weekend. Get out and bother a few ramblers.

Yup. Tomorrow I’ll go again. Decided to ease into it again, as lockdown isn’t even remotely lifted here yet.

Today was remember how to ride knobblies on the road, and hit one easy track. Maybe tomorrow do a couple more tracks and regain some confidence.

After really pushing the Avon road tyres to their limit, I was reminded a number of times what skidding the front knobbly feels like. Oops.

Been enjoying these canyon chasers videos. Nice and concise.
https://youtu.be/gPE67XqGsV4

Actually fitted my first motorbike tyre today. Only damaged one inner tube. I fail to see how this can be achieved at the roadside when it takes a compressor to seat the bead, maybe they're easier once they've been in use for a while.

Got to do the rear now.

You needed a compressor to seat the bead on a tubed tyre?

Yes, but it's a bit more complicated because the wheels are rated for tubes but the tyres are tubeless. Because nowadays no one makes tyres for tubes. Some people run them without tubes but I've never had any luck with that because the holes are not made for the standard valve and I've not gone as far as drilling them out due to the design. The discussions on this subject have been going on for a long time in airhead circles!

But basically, yes, I tried inflating with a a track pump to around 40 but it needed 60 with the valve out on a compressor and plenty of lube. I will try with the valve out on a track pump and go a bit higher on the pressure when I do the rear later today.

I'm guessing motorcross tyres and rims are built for tubes so have a different shape or I need to do a better job of cleaning the inside of the rim.

Yea after I replied I assumed that was your situation.

After I punctured the Michelin Tracker on a nail on the first outing, I opted to replace the tube myself at home. I learned how impossible it can be without tyre lube - especially when you pinch the spare. Once it was fitted I got Bike-Seal put in front and back to hopefully avoid knowing that pain again.

But yes you are right, the tubed tyres have a more traditional bead shape compared to the tubeless. I watched the mechanic use a compressor to seat a couple beads and it needed crazy-high pressure to pop in place properly.

bother a few ramblers.

Only did the same stretch as yesterday, plus the final gravel bit, and back in reverse.

Mostly dog walkers, and one totally out of control horse being circled by the rider’s three dogs. Absolute madness.

Saw it from a couple hundred yards and stopped til there was a safe place for her to stop, to pass further up. By then a group of enduro guys on two-smokers were oncoming. Waved them to stop.

The lady lacking any body armour (helmet thread>>>>) could barely control the thing as it chose to circle, back almost on top of me, and generally refuse her kicking as I waddled backwards to keep clear.

Bearing in mind the amount of space I’d given, it was a pretty big gesture by the horse.

Finally she cleared off and chatting to the riders they think it was the same person as a few days earlier, and one remarked that she was crazy “not even a helmet, did you see that?”

Kind of funny (considering the reputation of enduros) they were shocked that a horse-rider would go out naked.

Managed to get the rear on but resorted to the compressor again. After the beads seated I thought it would be a good time to read the warnings and instruction sticker! Turns out 57psi is the max and they like you to have the wheel strapped down and a remote way of operating the air supply. I wouldn't be typing this now if it had exploded obviously :)

I'm going to have to do some research on how to handle this at the roadside but I will guess that new tyre beads are harder to seat. I cleaned the inside of the rims but it didn't make the job easy enough to do first time.

I was mistaken about the tyres though, they are in fact rated for tubes.

I think it's a job everyone should do once, nice to learn a bit about such a basic bit of bike engineering.

Yes for sure. I believe that all ‘tubeless’ rated tyres can be run with tubes, but as they are redundant on tubeless rims “why bother?”

100% recommend you find a mechanics with Bike-Seal, for peace of mind.

https://m.facebook.com/bikeseal/

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1468502296669173&id=471226556396757