Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

It’s the gear driven cams that whine. Great noise.

The flat plane R1s do sound good too. And the RSV4s.

That’s my favourite IOM TT video. I still have a VHS copy in the house. Steve Hislop was a legend, I met him at the TT in 1991. RIP

Finally had a free afternoon to get my rear wheel back in. Can't believe it's been since December.

Had a little blast and now crossing my fingers that the weather holds out over the school holidays so I can have some nice commutes into work.

Having a new rocker cover gasket fitted cost me £200 today, oh well atleast it's done. Hopefully riding up the B660 in the sunshine tomorrow it'll seem worth it.

Not a bad price, a fair bit of work to get to it. When I did mine it took a while day and engine out, that was base gasket actually. Faf.

Miss the ktm.

It apparently took the garage all day but only charged me £200, moving the engine was going to be their next move. What makes it frustrating was I was able to do the rear cover in 15mins.

Maybe an unfamiliar mechanic?
Doing things the 3rd time was so much faster than the first. And I had to check the valves every 9, so had rocker covers of quite a few times.

They're usually pretty good, I think attempting it myself was an insight into how awkward one specific bolt was and they said the same thing.

Less glorious sunshine today so fitted the original clip ons, it came with some raised ones. My back probably won't thank me but amazing how nicer the front end seems. Apologies for not having a before shot for comparison. The clip ons had locating allen bolts into the top yoke which I thought was a clever touch.

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I went for a short blast this afternoon to run a few errands (and go the long way round). Is it normal for Sunday riders to be unfriendly and not do the secret biker nod? Even ended up in a group of other CBR600s at some lights and not one of them raised a smile.

Blimey - even the police nod back round Glozzershire.

I've noticed a decline in 'the nod' over the last 10 years, now mostly reciprocate as opposed to initiate due to hurt feelings. What have I become.

Always 1 bastard bolt.

Everyone nods during the week, it was odd.

Yes finally, tracked down my short circuit. Hidden between the dash cluster and the front fairing frame the power supply (brown and black to #6 warning light) wire for the neutral light had got itself trapped and eventually worn through and caused a short. Easy to repair.
But an excuse to change clocks over the nicer ones that haven't spent 23 years outside in the sun.
Will work out how to correct milage. Will loose the clock (it is useful though and prefer an analogue clock to a digital one) and replace with a coolant temp gauge (rare on these bikes).
Have to work out the wiring though, should just be a case of getting a factory sender unit and adding the signal wire upto the dash wiring, most of it is already in the loom it's just tided up and back on itself.

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A mate just bought his first bike, a lexomoto 125, couple of years old, low mileage.

The seller dropped it off in a van. It started easily, he rode it for a couple of days (about 4 hours riding time altogether) and has filled tank up with regular unleaded. last night attempted to start it and wouldn’t start. He ran battery flat trying to start it. Went out and bought a charger. Charged battery. He’s managed to get bike to start but it doesn’t tick over, only runs if he keeps the throttle open.

Any ideas experts of LFGSS? I’m shit with engines. I told him to ride it a bit and see if it rights itself.

If the battery is aok, and increasing the fuel (ie throttle open) keeps it running then it sounds like it may be something to do with the air / fuel mix.

My order of checking would be:

1. Physical check of throttle rotation - ie nothing snagging / moving freely
   
2. Throttle cable routing to make sure nothing is snagging / too tight
   
3. Check air filter, clean air filter and box.
   
4. Check and clean carbs.
   
   

At as an interim 3. and 4. could be achieved with a stiff brush and spraying a shitload of carb cleaner spray down there. If it is the carbs and they need a proper clean then that's a bit of methodical time and patience (and heavy note and photo taking)

lexomotos will be a cloan of a jap engine. He should find out which one it is.

Have checked it’s a lexomoto venom.

Well, I’m wondering if the battery is fucked. Apparently the seller told him “the batteries aren’t very good on these” usual seller code for it’s fucked. I think cleaning carbs will be out of his comfort zone. Thanks for the suggestions will forward them on.

Absolutely understand not wanting to touch carbs. Getting to them can be a pain as well.

In fairness to the seller, bike batteries are relatively shit. Batteries on 125cc are especially shit. My old 125cc had a rubbish battery.

In fairness I replaced it with another cheapo, as I reasoned using a battery tender and replacing it relatively regularly was economically proportionate to its value.

For my Triumph twin I splerged on a higher cranking on - but also because the EFI are notorious for needed more amps(?).

Oh, just realised you said unleaded.

He shouldn't be using regular unleaded - always premium fuel from a proper petrol station - Esso, Shell, etc. not a supermarket.

Small engines are much more sensitive IME. The economy on that bike will be nuts, so he's probably looking at £2-3p/m extra for the better fuel.

Personally I'd be tempted to get a manual suction pump, remove fuel and replace with some premium to see if that helps.

Edit: I'd add checking some of the obvious random things that you might forget on a new bike:

• fuel tap / cut out / reserve tank /etc.
  
• any safety feature cut outs - ie side stands, etc.
  

The first thing I said was, did you put regular in it. He said yes. I said you should probably put super in, he’s been out and it ran ok once as warmed up. Will tell him to fill up with super ASAP.

Check out the regulator/rectifier and stator - charging system is dead quite possibly.

Wait what?! Should I be putting the fancy fuel in my 600?

Always have done in mine and now my 750. It’s pence more per tank

With small bikes I’ve got a 250 scooter, a honda 90, a bantam 175 and had two Kmx 200s, a gilera 125, and a cbr400, all the big bikes have also just got whatever fuel has been handy, never noticed any difference with expensive fuel, supermarket fuel or regular unleaded.