Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

The front tyre of Mr GSXR is flat, it's covered in dust and I haven't ridden it for 3 months. The fairing is still smashed up and the rear indicators are still held on by gaffer tape. There is a large dent in the tank and a lockstop made out of a tapped 4mm bolt and araldite.

Started 1st time with a little help from my battery booster and it still sounds MEAN.

Come on spring!

The new PX is apparently going to cost almost £3,000. I'd be able to pick up a decent second hand one for much less than that, right? Is there anything I should be looking out for?

bent frames, Rust. Seized engines, unlubed cables. dodgy electrics. oil seals.

They are very simple things mechanically, but being air-cooled two-strokes, can be seized if not looked after. Wires dry up and go brittle, resulting in flaking insulation and snapped wires. Everything is operated by cables, none of which are up to the task, so they all snap fairly often. Make sure they have plenty of lubrication to prolong their life. Carry spares inners for the rear brake, gears, clutch and throttle cables at all times, plus tools to change them. correctly tensioned and lubricated cables = easy gearchanges, efficient brakes and smooth clutch. They just adjust like those on a bicycle. Remember new cables stretch in their first few miles and need adjusting again.

The engine vibrates, which causes a couple of problems:
Carbs shake themselves loose and need to be adjusted every so often.
seals go, especially if the scooter has been left a while. The rear wheel can undo its nut, and get loose, even fall off. A loose wheel backplate results in the hub seal leaking oil all over the rear brakes.

OK, so that's suitably scary. Still, a little bit of getting my hands dirty is no problem if it's all simple enough.

It sounds like if I see one which runs OK and doesn't look bent/rusty, I should go for it but be prepared to work on it in the future?

You nearby sparky

I'm in Norwich at the moment. Well, actually, I'm in Cromer at the moment, but living in Norwich.

OK, so that's suitably scary. Still, a little bit of getting my hands dirty is no problem if it's all simple enough.

It sounds like if I see one which runs OK and doesn't look bent/rusty, I should go for it but be prepared to work on it in the future?

They will always need you to be handy with a spanner, or deep of pocket. They are not modern machines. Even new ones will be the same. Keep on top of maintenance and adjustment and you should be OK. And don't tune it. tuning is an addiction which can never be sated :-)
Having said that there is nothing you can't fix yourself with a minimum of special tools. I have rebuilt my Vespa engine in my kitchen twice.

@sparky go and see craig at scooterworks. because he's honest.

+1 I have heard nothing but good things about the chap.

Am looking at moding an early two transfer case to three.

Easy with a dremel

I may take a trip down to see him then. Don't mind fixing it myself. Got fairly handy with bikes over the last few years, and it doesn't sound too much more complex than that to fix a Vespa. Will buy a Haynes manual at the same time.

Am looking at moding an early two transfer case to three.

http://www.scooterhelp.com/tuning/vespa.transfers.html

http://www.scooterhelp.com/tuning/vespa.transfers.html

Thats what gave me the idea.

Where you motorcycle people buy their spares? (brake pads, gaskets, etc...) I mean, not on line, but shops in London (preferably SE, open on saturday)... Any recommendations?

Thanks

L

Where you motorcycle people buy their spares? (brake pads, gaskets, etc...) I mean, not on line, but shops in London (preferably SE, open on saturday)... Any recommendations?

Thanks

L

Hiene gerricke in stockwell or welling.

Or gimme a shout and you can use my halfrauds trade card to get the bits from halfords cheaper...or should that be for more sensibible prices.

Bloody hell, batteries are expensive...not even my usually cheap sources are not grrrrrrr

i know somebody that just sells batteries, i will see if i can find his number. he used to be very reasonable not spoken to him for a while. you might know of him he's based in blackheathe. i'll post again about it tomorrow.

when will people learn :-s

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SUPURB-SCHUBERTH-MOTORCYCLE-HELMET-large-7-3-8-59cm-/320645070826?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Helmets&hash=item4aa7ef7fea

I used to have a Schuberth QM - and a BM which they make come to think of it. Was a nice lid

I think that was deliberate.

given their other items i dont think they are into that kinda thing. seem pretty straight laced.

It does say "supersized image". What more so you want - jam on it?

jam or butter but not both.

Just found out his lives in one of my mates garage... it's his dads. Nice!

Facebook image as upload not working for me.

top gear on sunday
the fastest ever car to go round the track the ariel aton V8 had a head to head with the best sports bike of the moment the BMW and they were seperated only by a gnats whisker
a complete purpose build car only just beating the £12K off the shelf motorbike
motorbikes FTW