Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

So true. I've become a shameless tool geek.

Guard your tools! You are old enough to know that!!!

Point 2 - don’t tell anyone you have jump leads. I got a soaking today helping someone out.

I tidied my tools out during lockdown and gave away two sets of tools to a mate. When I say sets - both sets were very full boxes of just about every you would need for DIY.
I also kept duplicates of all my own tools. Can’t beat a bit of hoarding!😁

Duplicates are great - you can have a proper travel box to take out with van. I hate pulling stuff in and out of my main box to tote around when I take the bikes out. I've got most stuff these days, though a press would be useful. My own lathe and mill would be fab too, but I can always use my mates.

What’s the betting - all the way through? Going to leave it in til I can get it to my local bike place I think

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Remember the treads can be reversed so righty loosely.

The thin (red arrow) nut will offer the answer there.

leave it!

Plug it. Plugs are good, so long as the hole doesn't have a wire from a steel belt on the edge. I leave Rema Tip-Top plugs in for the life of the tyre, even with track days. The mfrs say they are just a temporary fix for legal liability reasons. There was a magazine test in which a Subaru WRX had all 4 tyres plugged, then the tyres were skidded and drifted until they exploded. All the plugs stayed in.

Me plus 1 pannier with a d lock and my backpack in it.

My Tiger did this a while. Check your preload and tyres. With my side boxes, It also got a bit funky once I reached 85 or so.
In other cases, I've read the way the air hits the screen effects the front as well. I had it with the screen as tight to the body as possible, which diminished when I put washers between it and the clocks.
Maybe placebo? Who knows.

Tyres and suspension are main culprits though.

At a guess the screw is all the way through. Looking at the tyre (the wear), and the location of the screw I'd say there isn't much rubber left. New tyre will make the bike handle better.

EDIT: When the tyre is off feel how little rubber there is between the carcass and the tread in the middle compared to the outer. The center will feel alot more flexible.

I've got Michelins on the other bikes, but I really like the TK70's on the Tiger though; very predictable. Saying that though, I had Metzeler's before, which were....the wrong kind of fun.

Not a fan of the Dunlops on the SV though, they...snatch? a lot.

I remember you saying you were on the Trail Attacks?

Good point. The tyre is horribly squared off. Bin it.

Yup. TA3

They heat up quick and wet performance is great but they wear super quick - The rear is square at 5k miles and they still feel a little vague on roll over.

Prefer the PR I’ve had on all other bikes.

Ouch....so I'm not hallucinating if I said I can sorta already see some squaring? About 2/3 of your mileage.

😬

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Could be a combo of several things. What bike is it? What's the year and mileage? What's your height and weight? How worn/squared off are the tyres? Leave suspension adjustments until you've removed that barn door of a pannier. Check for free play in the axles/wheel bolts. Try more air in each tyre. See if there's any free play in the forks. And the steering head. Is your jacket like a sail?

Arse. I'm getting there as well.

How you living with the GS anyway? Had a Multi V4 parked up all day outside work. Promo pics are a lie; makes the GS look....dainty and elegant.

Love the GS. Can’t see myself having anything else for my commute / long distance stuff ever again.

Potentially looking to add a sports bike to the garage in a few years once I’ve paid this off.

Have had the front tyre lift feeling when I had stuff in the top box that may have been a little far back. Been taught to counter that by trying to lie on the tank.

No idea if resting on the tank did anything more than make my brain think things were better.

Front tyre lifts on the Blackbird no matter what or where, if you use it above idle.

Yeah yeah, that is called wheelies ;)

You're not gonna be short of bangers really. I'm curious to see what's on the electrical horizon if battery tech leaps forward and becomes viable for two wheels.

I've been thinking that for a couple of years. There's going to be some really interesting electric bikes coming to the market.

What annoys me is there's very little showing up that's designed to carry some luggage. I don't need to double the speed limit just lots of torque and 80mph with a removable battery and room for luggage (or cement sacks etc.)

¯_(ツ)_/¯