Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

Cheers, I found an online source for a replacement key that is also promising to send me the key code, should be fine.

On a different note, electronics still hate me and I still hate electronics. Two motorcycles I've bought in my life so far, and twice the indicator relay failed within like two weeks. Yes, it's one of the cheapest* and easiest things to fix but regardless, come the fuck on.

*if you buy it online, that is. The garage closeby quoted me almost 40 quid, online it's 13. I mean...

Got a letter about my subscription to Practical Sportsbikes - they're ceasing publication. Shame its my fav bike mag

I've gone down a twin shock rabbit hole the last few days, must have watched every video on YouTube. Even with an amazingly capable offroad bike, I'm drawn to antiques from the early 80s like the Maico 490 and Honda CR480. Still don't have a van so all a pipe dream, but travelling the country with an old scrambler in the back feels like a nice thing to do. As you were.

https://youtu.be/bY2jvzAWR2k

Yep, still gutted about this. I've now subscribed to Classic Motorcycle Mechanics but don't think it'll be the same. At least they finished the turbo ZX-7R eh.

I'd love a road legal twin shock.

@Chak Sorry the bike shop doesn't do blasting and powder directly, it'd be cheaper to do direct. I think there are a few industrial blasting places scattered across east London, I guess it just depends on how delicate the parts are.

Would anyone like a Cb550 for 3.2k?

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Surely not

What? Already?

@jambon @Chak

I mean I'm not ready to write up an ebay ad for it, but if someone on the forum wanted it, I'd let it go.

I'm really struggling to get into it. I'm trying, but the bug isn't catching.

I'm really struggling to get into it. I'm trying, but the bug isn't catching.

Yep, I get what you mean I think. Why not swap or sell for something modernish, by modernish I mean from this century. It's a lot like push bikes; It's leaps and bounds in difference but not too encumbered by heavy technology and materials.

edit: maybe more a 205gti vs a clio 182

It's not that, I really like how this bike looks and rides, and the 70s Japanese engineering and build quality is unreal - it makes working on it a dream.

It's the activity itself. It's exhilarating to ride the bike, fast accelerations, pops and crackles from the exhaust, but I dunno, I just feel like I get much more from old cars, or bicycles.

Maybe I just need a few nice long rides in good weather to make me fall for it.

That’s fair. To be honest, I don’t really get much mojo from riding until I’m way the fuck out there.

There was a guy I met once who did everything on motorbikes, I mean everything. Even ran a race team.
In the end, he discovered cycling and it was game over. Found it strange at the time, not so much now.

Maybe I just need a few nice long rides in good weather to make me fall for it.

Yeah. Even from a sales pov I'd be tempted to wait a bit until the weather improves.

TBF I never ride my bike. I started riding it a lot more when I moved to the 'burbs and I used it to commute, which I liked. But now if u use it I need to go via the M25 which feels a bit naked on a naked bike.

Yeah I get the way out there thing. I got my license because I need to rent a bike in Morocco later in the year. Will head back to the Sahara and spend 3 or 4 days in the sand crossing between Merzouga and Tata.

@hugo7 I think I'll wait until the weather turns, maybe by then I'll have changed my mind.

The time when I've rented bikes abroad it's been a requirement that I've had the licence for a couple of years. Might just be the type of bikes I was renting but worth checking that.

I had always valued having the motorbike in London and for the ability to get in and out of London in a decent reliable time. Since electric pushbikes and not having a reason to be in Surrey in a hurry I've not used the bike.

Definitely wait until you been riding in some nice weather if you can though.

My first rides in London and up to Barnet etc have not been that fun ether. Once summer is here...

The time when I've rented bikes abroad it's been a requirement that I've had the licence for a couple of years. Might just be the type of bikes I was renting but worth checking that.

Last time I checked it seemed to be the same deal if you wanted a test ride anywhere, too.

I had always valued having the motorbike in London and for the ability to get in and out of London in a decent reliable time.

Even in Swindon (or maybe, especially) this is one of the key things I come back to. Ability to filter through traffic and get parked up done and gone quickly. Distance plays a bit role in that...

Since electric pushbikes and not having a reason to be in Surrey in a hurry I've not used the bike.

...because I don't have an electric bike setup at the moment. Even if I did, it has paid dividends just jumping on the motorbike where the time saving alone outweighed even a bicycle, and definitely the van.

Definitely wait until you been riding in some nice weather if you can though.

I second/third/fourth this. There are times that I've been really down on the motorbikes, but then after a few days needing to drive the van I am desperate to be back on 2 wheels.

A lot of the 'meh' feeling will be bike related, and the rest will be situation. You can ride a bike purely as a tool for transport, or you can ride it for pleasure. A no-frills machine is ideal for the former (read: scooter), and something that is actually exciting with a lot of feedback for the latter (anything, at any power level, so long as the engine does stuff).

Edit: Oh and finally, if you've not long passed your test, you should be using every waking moment to ride the bike to improve your skills and handling. No matter what anyone thinks, they are not a good bike handler until they've had a few hundred hours.*

(*this is regardless of skills driving a car, roadcraft, or skills riding a bicycle, cyclecraft... I thought I knew how to ride a motorbike, until I learned how to ride a motorbike)

@MrBaklava Possibly wait until a few nice days of spring but if you’re looking for a dynamic experience, I’d flog it and get something newer / lighter. All those 70s Japanese 4s are a bit ponderous and not the most engaging to ride. Lovely to look at, sound great but uninspiring in the saddle.

Morocco trip sounds ace! Get some sand riding practice in before you head or you’ll be miserable and fall off a lot for the first day or so. Sand is great fun but it’s very different to ride on.

just put a deposit down on this, tasteless Mad Max custom job to follow

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Nice! They’re great fun to ride. Stock seats are like torture devices though. Genuinely awful.

This apparently has been recovered with the addition of gel pads, so not as solid as the OG red unit. Looking forward to my first bike with a few toys, heated grips, ABS etc

That’s great then! Can’t be worse than the original.

They’re fantastic to ride whatever. Jealous.

Really nice. Probably top of my realistic dream bike list. The modern era Boxers are incredible motors.

Nice!

CBR600F3 got through MOT without any advisories. Put a nice longer-length period-correct ART can on it. Much more torque, and so far better fuel economy too.

Still need to sell it. Not just because it’s too fun (fast), because my wrists are getting bad and hurt after a day riding.

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