Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

Why what? Why turn it off, or why the run-in period restriction?

Why turn it off.

Because it works by releasing the brake before you lose traction. Someone good on a corner they know well would hold on to the brake for longer.

And you can't learn where the limit is if the ABS never lets you reach it.

True, as I said I have no experience of owning a bike with ABS.

Part of me wants to have go on this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zt_BJFyz7P8

One of the race schools has one similar.

I refinished the carbon belt and clutch covers on the duchess. They looked absolutely awful, now they look pretty good from a distance. Worth mentioning, when you sand off the clear coat, you need to get everything surgically clean and neutralized with rubbing alcohol. I skipped the alcohol and ended up getting some spots in the finish. Polished to 5000. Couldn’t be fucked to re do.

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Ok, in that case I know fuck all about modern BMWs ;)

Did a BMW day to play with their sports bikes and that is what the BMW people told us. The idea they explained was that this would only be supposed to be for track only bikes. Especially as all road going motorbikes (above 125?) have ABS as standard since 2015?

Meh, have a few sets of the oe carbon ducati covers that look terrible. Or should I say look like the cheapest fake carbon fibre and were all warranty returns!

Still not a fan of the oil cooler being there.

Cos people are fucking stupid and consider themselves to be riding gods?

On a track day, I may be able to see the point. But on a track day few will get any where near the bikes limits just the riders. Especially a modern bike with modern rubber. No matter how bad the suspension is.

Did they ever do OEM carbon on the 900s? The SL maybe?

I’d definitely do it again. It’s easy to make them look a lot better, even if they’re not perfect.

There’s a reason they move the oil cooler if they’re tuned up. Buggered if I remember why though. Aside from the odd electrical gremlin, it’s been stone reliable in the time I’ve had it. Aside from checking the valves and changing the belts, I’ve not had reason to fiddle.

Ducati corse stuff. Almost like there was no quality control.

Only reason I don't like the rad there as it pics up all the stones and road debris that fills the rads and then fin damage.

After paying my local garage 100 English pounds (yes that's right) to fit new tyres, I want to do this myself in future. Any recommendations for kit that can handle road and dirt bike wheels/tyres?

Wow!! How many tyres? Fitting at mine is something like £20?

Look up Rabaconda for a ‘good’ machine.

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How many tyres?

Two

Break even, go to Barnstaple…

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That's a pisstake!

I'd maybe just find somewhere else. You don't need any special tools to change tubed tyres, decent levers, a bead buddy and one of the little wire gadgets to pull through the valve. It's a miserable bloody job though, especially with the bead locks.

Changing tires on the GSXR, you'll need a bead breaker and a compressor to seat the bead when you put them back on.

Just buy from blackcurles or something and get them to a garage fitted. I use to do it, it's not really worth the ball ache.

I would have said no way when they said 100 quid. Piss take. If you're okay with it, I'd go back and complain and say you went paying attention at time but have been charged 100 quid for two tyres being changed, you think they've made a mistake.

I replaced a pair of tubed tyres on the R80 during the lockdown. It was not that straightforward, it's quite physical and I needed my compressor to reseat the tyres. Using the compressor in the way I did carries a pretty heavy warning. They are supposed to be strapped down behind a screen before you attempt it.

No idea how it's done on the roadside with the pump under the seat.

I understand a bead seal adds complications. Every stage of it was gruelling. I think it would be easier having done it once but it might just be less overthinking it.

Get tyre levers with a tub of lube from ebay.

It's easy to puncture the inner tube so have a spare handy. As always, it would be good to have someone help, especially if they know what they're doing. I watched a ton of you tube examples of the process, which I found worthwhile.

Thanks for all the helpful info, for disclosure I rode the bike there and provided ultra heavy duty tubes (for the crf), but even so thought £100 was outrageous. We moved house so have been reluctantly trying the local garage but I'm not impressed at their service, or prices.

It's good to know tyres can be changed without a 'machine', although sure more swearing and sweating will be involved for the few times you change rubber. I won't be buying a compressor any time soon either, so maybe best left to a (reasonably priced) garage. Should really have tyre levers and a spare tube when I go out trail riding anyway...

Thinking about it, I vacillate between doing my own and paying the local shop $50 to do loose wheels. Every time I pay the $50, I vow never to do it again, but the next time I do it myself, I swear the exact opposite. Changing tyres really is a shitty job.

I did it on my R1100GS long ago, using a technique from one of Chris Scott's books about crossing the Sahara etc. I broke the bead using the foot of the side stand. Essential tools included a really, really long tyre iron, cargo straps, MX boots and fairy liquid. I just wanted to learn how to do it in case it was the only option when touring in the back of beyond. It wasn't that hard. The leverage of the bike's weight, plus cargo straps to squish the tyre before you try to seat it....tbh it was satisfyingly easy, and I'm a shit mechanic.

Just a small point, you mention local garage. Have you any local tyre dealers? They may be better priced to change tyres.

Good point, will give them a try.

Only issue you may have is they may only put tyres on rims and not wheels on and off. Hope it works out for you.

That's actually preferred as like using my torque wrenches to check everything.

Good stuff! Hope they can help out.