Reply With QuoteSpent a couple of hours stripping my mates Scrambler so I can take the bits for repair...👍
Just had an ‘excited’ text from a mate - chopped his tuono in for a ‘Busa Z
Spent a couple of hours stripping my mates Scrambler so I can take the bits for repair...👍
Just collected my fuel tank and other bits from the painters. Whilst gazing at them in awe and pondering the re-assembly process I started to think about long term protection of the lovely finish.
As always Google and Youtube present a million options and even more opinions.......but what do the collective brains of the forum think about the merits or not of such things as Ceramic Coatings etc?? For the paintwork only of course.
I had my Mustang ceramic coated with Gtechniq within the first week of ownership (2016) and I had it done again in late 2018.
It is very good stuff and I’m convinced it’s helped to keep the paintwork in good shape, despite me not really being that fastidious with the cleaning. I usually take it to the local car wash guys every couple of months.
I think I’ll get it done again this year just to keep it as good as I can.
For something like a bike tank I’d get a small bottle of the stuff and do it myself, you’ll be amazed at how water beads and runs off. I put some of the glass stuff on my visor. It really does work.
I have no experience of other brands, but my valeting guy swears by the Gtechniq stuff.
Yesterday I managed to solve a problem.
I have a Denali CANsmart on my bike, controlling a couple of lights and a soundbomb horn. I recently connected my laptop to the device to check some settings but the accessory manager software wouldn't let me access the settings without doing a firmware upgrade. Unfortunately, every time I tried the firmware upgrade it encountered a problem and failed.
I tried different USB leads and laptops with no joy and eventually HEX (the developers of the devices and software) suggested it was a fault with the CANsmart and that I should get a replacement from my supplier, which is what I did.
The new device arrived yesterday so I plugged it into my laptop (the device doesn't need to be installed on a bike to set it all up) and it advised that a firmware upgrade was necessary (as expected)...it too failed!
I decided to try using my partner's laptop (this would have been the third tried) and lo and behold, the firmware upgrade succeeded!
So I took her laptop into the garage and connected it to the CANsmart in my bike and the firmware upgraded successfully.
Having now established that the devices weren't defective I concluded that the problem must rest with my (and my daughter's) laptop.
After a bit of digging I found that the problem was down to my (our) McAfee firewall blocking the necessary connection (no warnings had been generated to give any clues to this effect) and after a bit of fiddling with settings I can now connect with the device on my bike.
Anyway, I guess it just goes to show how increasingly reliant we/our bikes are on electronics and also the ability to successfully connect via the internet to some far flung part of the world (in this case China!).
I think I might get a pre-war British bike with gas lights.
Last edited by Stanford; 13th January 2021 at 20:26.
Anyone else discovered Lea Rieck and here you tube videos “got2go”
Just been following her Nordkapp trip- well worth a watch, it’s a collection of 15 mins or so videos
i had a simlilar probelm with tune ecu on my truimph - i tried to connect to the bike with multiple laptops and nothing , got the andriod phone version and boom connected right away.Originally Posted by Stanford
* on another note the 1200rs speed triple gets released at the end of the month
https://www.rideapart.com/news/46573...200-rs-teaser/
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/au...features/story
Last edited by pugster; 14th January 2021 at 09:31.
If I could ride that style of bike, I’d have the new ST RS in a heartbeat.. Got a mate that’s getting one as soon as he can, lucky devil😈
I had a problem using VCDS - diagnostic software for VW/Audi vehicles. It turned out one of the USB ports wouldn't play nice with the cable - I hate random faults like that !
While you were messing about doing all that i was out riding my 42 year old Guzzi.
Looks like there are some MOT changes this year that'll impact anyone who's upgraded their headlight bulbs to HID/LED.
It’s good to give a heads up when you get great service. Was looking for some new head bearings for the Ducati.. Ducati want £42 each and another few quid for the seals.
This company supplied seals and bearings for £33 quid for the lot. Ordered at 1pm on Monday delivered free on Tuesday..
I then decided I’d actually rather tapered rollers instead of the stock ball bearings. So rang and asked if I could swap. New bearings arrived today along with a postage paid returns envelope. I offered to pay for the return as it was my mistake, but they insisted I use their pre paid package and it wasn’t a problem.
Website is a bit clunky, but prices and helpful staff far outweigh that
https://showe-performance.co.uk/
This bit is quite interesting re number plates.
0.1. Identification of the vehicle - Registration plates - Changed sentence 'display white, grey or silver characters on a black background - only on motorcycles manufactured before 1 January 1977' to 'display white, grey or silver characters on a black background - only on motorcycles manufactured before 1 January 1980'
0.1. Identification of the vehicle - Registration plates - Changed bullet from 'be mounted at the rear of the motorcycle' to 'be mounted towards the rear of the motorcycle'
It looks like I’ll have to put a halogen headlight bulb back in.
I generally use https://simplybearings.co.uk and eBay for bearings.
For reference, I’ll use
https://www.allballsracing.com/forkconversion/
At least for the test.
To be honest, I was never a great fan of aftermarket HID systems as they were never self leveling, never had washers and usually the focus was abysmal.
A lot of LED H4 bulbs are pretty good though, and I spent a long time researching before buying mine to ensure that they had a good beam pattern that wouldn't dazzle oncoming traffic.
Looks like I might be going in for the MOTs with a Halogen headlamp and LED driving lights.
Excellent advice.
Rode my Tiger for 1st time this year - to work. Still putting a smile on my face after 10 years.
Have a growing desire for a Guzzi - primarily the new V7 850.
I just replaced the standard halogen with an LED. It’s an old bike and the beam pattern is created by the reflector at the back.
Lucky sod!
The CANsmart issue wouldn't have stopped me riding (all lights and horn were still working) but I've chosen to keep the bikes in the garage until non-essential travel is permitted, so I've got time to tinker with them
Simply bearings are good. But I’m not convinced that allballsracing aren’t using cheaper Chinese bearings.
For reference the bearings I got from Showe were ntn & koyo. Both are Japanese brands and are fitted as oem..
This is true to a point, the reflector relies on the the light source it is reflecting being in the right place and pointing in the right direction.
Or just find/know a friendly MOT station.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I don’t buy from Allballs, I only use them for reference so I know what sizes to look for.
It’s quite useful when you’re wanting to put different front ends on a bike.
Yep... my MOT guy is a Ducati owner and a very good ex motocross rider. I took the XDiavel along and asked his opinion on the very loud Zard exhaust. He smiled and said it’s not that loud浪
my local bike shops test centre owner proclaimed to me that 'no bike is going to fail in here for being too loud' , it good to find a test centre /garage with a sensible owner as theres now too many out there that will fail a bike for having more than 3 dead midges on the screen or some other shite that has no real effect on the safety of the bike.
I might have to for mine too. Pity as it is a full HID conversion and I chopped the back out of the headlight to install the correct projector. It has its plus points and minuses but overall is much better and doesn't annoy anyone and has passed several MOTs but is of course using the H4 headlight assembly (although not refector)
I have in and ordered some of the whitest (4000k) legal H4 bulbs I could find.
Can't be bothered with fannying about.
I had a chat with a friend about the whole LED/HID conversion issue and he mentioned he's tried Philips CrystalVision Ultra Halogen bulbs which must admit looked very white compared to standard halogens.
Thankfully, my local tester is friendly and has previously ignored noisy exhaust on R9T and smallish plate on Multistrada.
Last edited by I a n; 16th January 2021 at 19:52.
Ah yes, the good old days when British bikes had lighting by Joseph Lucas 'Prince of darkness'.........
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
Those look good and are sensibly priced too.
Philips claim that they are up to 3700k, though the Amazon and shows them as up to 4200k. I'm keen to go as white as possible as I'm pairing it with a pair of 6000k spots
Looking for a new chain splitter/joiner.
Can anyone tell me the difference between these?
£48.75.... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154192317933
£120.50.... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231965544494
£71.75
Other than that, I have to say they look pretty much identical to me. The cheaper one is shown on the Sealey website, but the more expensive "MS025" model is not...
only thing i can find online is that the more expensive one is classed as 'heavy duty' so is prob a better quality steel, if its like sockets sets then the cheaper one is probably made from butter :)
* scrap that, ive now seen multiple sites where the cheaper one is classed as heavy duty as well , i guess its a lucky dip with the quality
Last edited by pugster; 16th January 2021 at 21:18.
Things ae getting busy in the man cave.
Picked up an 1150GS, '02 plate with 48000 miles. Mechanically fine and serviced every year, but it's obviously been kept outdoors and cosmetically poor so I'm working my way through it.
As always though, I've fallen into the 'whilst I'm doing this I may as well do that' mode.
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
Cheers.... think I’ll give the sealey one a go... should be a guarantee if it breaks..
With the chance of a European trip this year looking unlikely we are thinking of heading north and riding around the coast of Scotland.
Does anyone have any experience of the NC500 ?
Trying to plan a route with 150 - 200 miles per day to complete I'm struggling to find hotels, especially in the far North and West of Scotland.
What are the "must see" sights along the route ?
Looks like I'm going to add a ferry crossing and hop over to the Orkney Islands and have a day or two over there.
Of course I'd rather be going south, but if that's not allowed I need an adventure this year so North is better than nothing
I always love stopping at Ullapool
But everywhere on the west coast is beautiful
Cocoa Mountain Balnakeil is definitely worth stopping at for refreshment!
https://www.cocoamountain.co.uk/cont...ocoa-mountain/
Hi we did it in 2016 , one of the nicest “ compact” bike tour we have done. My suggestions
1) Do it anti clockwise , the reveals as you turn each corner in the road in the west are breathtaking.
2) we stayed in guest houses , highly recommend Scourie guest hous, Kens breakfasts are stunning.
3) 150 to 200 miles is about right , the small roads drop your avg speed AND you will want to stop to admire the view.
4) Ride the pass of the cattle following a lovely fresh sea food lunch at the Applecross Inn
5) I spent a solid 8 hours booking accommodation, when ringing a pub or guest house and they are full, ask them for their suggestions, we picked up two nights from a “ friend” of the owner who don’t advertise on the the net.
6) Must see sights for me are too many to list , the glens, being followed by a soaring eagle, empty beaches, unused submarine pens, oh and Ken from Scourie’s breakfast.
Highly recommended
Steve
Ps lastly we packed a small gaz stove and two mugs , for those impromptu stops where the views blow you away and there is no where to grab a coffe, or just fill a couple of flasks at breakfast.
Yep, the West coast is stunning and the roads are great.
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All this to replace a £6 seal. . good job my customers have a sense of humour.
Last edited by steptoe; 19th January 2021 at 17:56.
Neil I have heard of it being engine out on Duc 851’s for rear tappet adjustment, but that seal takes the prize for inaccessible.
Steve
R1150R?
Picked up an 1150GS, '02 plate with 48000 miles. Mechanically fine and serviced every year, but it's obviously been kept outdoors and cosmetically poor so I'm working my way through it.
As always though, I've fallen into the 'whilst I'm doing this I may as well do that' mode.
Ralphy, that looks a super bike, whilst you're there you may consider some "uprated" shocks. For me it makes the most significant difference to the bike (Mine's now coming up 20 yrs old on 10/3/21) and at 48k originals will be past their best although I believe ABE can refurb them. Also brake hoses, if still the original rubber ones they would be in need of replacement as they delaminate internally. Anyway, you probably know all this but good luck and enjoy when done, they really are lovely bikes to ride. Cheers, John B4
1200 cyl heads
I wished. The 1100/1150 models is a simple “pivot up the subframe on the front mounting bolts“ to get the gearbox off..., on the 1200 models you have to split the bike in half .. now all back in one piece
Last edited by steptoe; 19th January 2021 at 17:58.
Heads up Triumph outlet sale extra 30% using WINTER30.
This make the shirket which is a cracking jacket £70 quid... Small and medium only though..
I’ve recently agreed to buy a 79 Suzuki gs8550 to convert to a cafe/scrambler style project. Not a lot of money but checks have come back as a car D write off in 99.
Not sure whether to go ahead or not. Not sure whether it will devalue the bike once converted or if I do go through with the sale, have to keep it.
Personally, if I was buying a bike that had been modified, I wouldn't let the fact that the original bike had been a 'Cat D' 22 years ago bother me.
It was 20 years old in 99... a cat D could easily occur if the bike just fell over. Personally it wouldn’t bother me on a bike of that age.
But I would want to cast a careful eye over the bike to establish its general condition.
I'm replacing all the hoses and upgrading the springs to Hyperpro, the Showa originals seem to be OK so I'll leave them for now.Ralphy, that looks a super bike, whilst you're there you may consider some "uprated" shocks. For me it makes the most significant difference to the bike (Mine's now coming up 20 yrs old on 10/3/21
Bobber, anyone?!
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
The GS8550 is a very rare bike, rather than either the GS850 or GS550!
Personally, the Cat D wouldn’t bother me but I’d rather keep it standard or at least, modified in such a way as to easily return it to standard.
Is it an 850 or 550? Either way, it’s a nice bike to own.
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