Briski Bikers Come Forward!

[Xavier]

Martyn, have you done anything to the front suspension? I hear that the stock springs on the SV are the biggest point that let it down (the biggest budget area). Rebuilding the fronts with thicker oil as I've put on a bit of weight compared to the average Japanese person!

[diveslob]

My wife's old SV650S was really good once we sorted out the front end...................white power springs and better quality oil and set up for her weight made it a delight to ride, not overly expensive to get done either and well worth it.

[Xavier]

You can also add some Debrix emulators in the springs when you rebuild them. Make it even better A cheaper option than getting a different front setup (GSX-R is popular, but rather expensive).

[MartynVRS]

I know there's a place near Bristol that specialises in SV's and can setup the suspension based on your weight and height but it's a bit far for me. Do plan on changing pads at the very least and put some new brake fluid in. Thinking about HEL braided hoses too. I still need to research what to do about suspension. Judging by how much it can dip under braking I reckon it's a bit soft for 16st of me. I am tempted to do some bits myself but if I've got quite a few jobs I want doing I'll find somewhere to do it all in one go to really appreciate the benefit. The bike itself I'm getting better with and I don't think I've found it's limit yet, not even close. There's a stretch of road on my way home from work where in the car I'd be almost flat from start to finish but have a speed I keep it below. Bike did the same with little effort and I didn't feel the need to ease off for the bend either. It's a long sweeping one rather than a tight one. Still love how easy it is to pick slow cars off in a line. Half a twist is normally enough.

It will come to a point where I'll have to say there's no point doing certain things and buy something else but I want to learn as much as I can from this bike before contemplating something else.

[Richf]

Is that James Holland Racing , JHR? My mate used to do the set up on them

[MartynVRS]

Could be? Only saw it at a a glance while Googling

[essexocty]

Oh been away from this thread for a while nice to see its thriving!!!!

Done a few unnescacarily long comutes and its been lovely even some knee down on the roads I know better smiles all round!!!!

However I'm now considering swapping my 7r with a 2003 Mille straight swap with a bloke on eBay!! I just miss my v twin soo much

[m17rkj]

nearly bought a KTM 400 EXC today but the guy wouldn't move on far too much money for it , the search continues!

[MartynVRS]

Went for a ride today. Set alarm for 6am, left at 7 thinking of going down West Wales for a change. 7am was still cold and at speed it was bitter. Going down the hill into Carmarthen and I'm sure it was freezing fog. Though to myself to keep going, it will get better. Got to Pendine within an hour. Always go there as I used to holiday and fish a lot there when I was younger and always liked it. Road going to it isn't bad and isn't much of a detour.

Then followed the roads as far West as I could go to Newgale (another legendary fishing spot) then on to St David's. Roads here were dead and nice to open it up a bit. I kept going until I got to Fishguard for a stretch and some breakfast. Then I had a decision to make. Go all the way up to Aberystwyth, even though it was only a few days ago I'd been there or find somewhere new. I decided on the former and headed North. When it's quiet the coast road is good and there are a few good overtaking places. Followed a Man and a woman on bikes for a bit and was good to see how someone else read the road on a bike. Judging by them I'm not doing anything wrong and on some parts due to me knowing the road well I'd have been quicker. Got fuel in New Quay, got to Aber and headed for Rhayader. Great stretch of road when it's empty but by now the dawdlers in Peugeots had turned up holding other cars back. There's only a few good overtaking spots but managed to pass. My washing wide on corners by this point is all but gone and no wrist pain. Legs ache a bit from gripping the tank but good.

Headed for Brecon and more dawdlers. By this time there were hundreds of bikes on the road but all going where I'd come from. Not one overtook me. Benefit of getting an early start. Then I joined the A40 to make my way home. This is a underrated road. When clear or if you get lucky with overtakes it's a cracking bike road and good fun in a hot hatch too. Stopped one last time in Llandovery for fuel and to relax my knee. Had knee problems since I was a kid so they need stretching out regularly. Made almost record time getting back from there and enjoyed every mile. If it wasn't for my knee hurting I'd still be out there.

The route. Almost 300 miles

[FUBAR]

Nice wee ride out Martyn, A40 is one I don't like that much in trucks :( I will be on it again later this week in a van that's something at least. Where are you off exploring next on your adventures?

[MartynVRS]

Not sure. Want to go more North next time but there's lots of roads there I want to try. Ideally I'd need two days

[tuono01]

Well that ride betters mine today Martyn. Finally got free from the family stuff to meet my mate at 6pm. Had been frustrated all day as I'd seen so many bikes out and about.

Got down to some roads out Melton Mowbray and then out to Colsterworth, a local favourite, blowing out some cobwebs on my part ready for the NW200 next week. Managed a couple of hours out, but the last bit back the sun was so low you couldn't see anything.

Suffer from knee problems myself but also get cramp in my thigh which can be a problem when travelling down a nice twisty road.

Thinking of doing Donington this week to try and get myself back upto speed, last time I did Donny was about 5/6 years ago. I feel my riding is a little rusty after not doing much the last couple of years.

When I'm back from the NW200 I'll post some pics.

[MartynVRS]

I get cramp in my hips but I put that down to me not being as flexible as I used to be. Once I get properly into cycling again I think I'll be fine. That's tomorrow's job although I'll be popping into work on the bike to sort something. Same goes for my knees. Even though I don't have cruciate ligaments attached in certain places if I cycle it gets better,

[MartynVRS]

Well it had to happen some time. I dropped it. Still don't know why but I think I braked a touch too hard approaching a mini roundabout and it slid away from me. All of 15mph and half a mile from home. Bike landed on my leg but I still managed to scratch the fairing and snap the shifter. Bent one bracket for the fairing but should bend back. In an odd way I'm not bothered and almost glad it's out of the way now. I'm glad I bought a cheaper bike. If I had bought a CBR and spent several thousand I'd be gutted but I just feel meh about it. Its a 7 year old bike with a few marks on it and now a few more. It will still serve it's purpose of learning. Booked in for Monday to replace the shifter. Asked about the bent bracket and raised washer looking thing and surprise surprise I'd have to buy a whole bottom fairing. I'd need to but don't want to now I've dropped it once.

[tuono01]

Sorry to hear you dropped it, happens to us all at some point or other. I highsided outside my front door years ago

I just look at it as adding character to the bike. The thing is you're ok and the bikes fixable, much easier to fix than yourself.

You're also starting to learn how hard you can brake or not

[FUBAR]

Not so bad Martyn your all right and that's as good as you can expect . Possibly in a weird way a good thing to happen early on, less chance of you running before you can walk so to speak after something going a little wrong. Hope bike isn't too expensive to fix. I would personally leave and scrapes etc alone unless unsightly and it annoys you until your happy to get them sorted. My first (and only so far touch wood) 'off', messed my leg up and has ultimately cost me my job and pension. I am finished in work on Friday coming after 10 years. But all happens for a reason I am told :sun:

[R1DAVIE]

Main thing is your up and about Martyn, bike can be fixed anytime. Took me a few spills to learn that lesson.

Sorry to hear you losing your job Fubs, as you say things happen for a reason so onwards and upwards :-)

[MartynVRS]

The shifter snapping is probably the main point but is the easy fix and is still rideable. Fairings are scratched as is the plastic around the headlight. Priced up the lower fairing and it's around £500 without fitting and I'd only need the one side. If I had space to keep it safe I'd have been tempted to remove it altogether. I won't be replacing it unless I got lucky and happened to find one in the right colour.

I'm trying to work out in my head what happened. I was going to go for a small spin to Brecon and back again but with there being so much traffic I thought better off it and came home. I was off throttle approaching this mini roundabout. I'd switched to the right lane to go straight on. There was a car in front slowing up so I braked, didn't think that hard and landed where the Focus is. Out of nowhere someone ran over to see if I was OK. Good thing I hadn't landed in the other lane. Managed to get it home. It may have only been about 15mph but there's not a mark on my trousers and only a wear mark on my left boot. Thankfully my lid didn't touch the floor.

[essexocty]

Well it had to happen some time. I dropped it. Still don't know why but I think I braked a touch too hard approaching a mini roundabout and it slid away from me. All of 15mph and half a mile from home. Bike landed on my leg but I still managed to scratch the fairing and snap the shifter. Bent one bracket for the fairing but should bend back. In an odd way I'm not bothered and almost glad it's out of the way now. I'm glad I bought a cheaper bike. If I had bought a CBR and spent several thousand I'd be gutted but I just feel meh about it. Its a 7 year old bike with a few marks on it and now a few more. It will still serve it's purpose of learning. Booked in for Monday to replace the shifter. Asked about the bent bracket and raised washer looking thing and surprise surprise I'd have to buy a whole bottom fairing. I'd need to but don't want to now I've dropped it once.

Could be worse my first involved crashing into someone's front garden! He was gardening at the time!

Don't bother spending fortunes to fix it just get on and use it mate, hopefully not but it may happen again

[MartynVRS]

Could be worse my first involved crashing into someone's front garden! He was gardening at the time!

Don't bother spending fortunes to fix it just get on and use it mate, hopefully not but it may happen again

That's my thinking too. I won't be replacing the fairing and just using it as normal. The bike I always said was to learn on and that's what I'm doing. Could have been worse.

[FUBAR]

If you didn't think your braking warranted the lose of traction (assuming front wheel slipped?) perhaps there was some oil or diesel on the road at just the wrong place? Doesn't take much at all, was it damp in any way on road? Roundabouts are the worst place to get diesel spills, especially near filling stations. I hate ignorant cagers who overfill or try and round it up that extra litre or 2, they kill bikers and never know about it. If all was dry and road was spot on, might be worth having someone make sure the brakes are working properly, if partially seized you might feel it braking and as you squeeze more it could grab if it gets past a stiff bit in the pistons movement. No harm for a quick once over if its going in somewhere for bits already.

[MartynVRS]

Pretty sure there was no diesel. Road was bone dry, Could have been gravel or something but good point about the brakes. I'll ask when it goes in.

[sarahvrs]

Well it had to happen some time. I dropped it. Still don't know why but I think I braked a touch too hard approaching a mini roundabout and it slid away from me.

Sorry to hear this but glad you're ok

First time I dropped mine, I was literally just moving it at low speed to park up - still don't know how I lost it, but was so far over decided it was the bike or my back - no competition.

Happens to us all at some point - guess it's all a learning curve that hopefully ultimately makes us better bikers. :yes:

[diveslob]

Sorry to hear about your 'off' Martyn, but it's sounds like your all ok, and the bike is not too bad, comes to us all I'm afraid, they reacon once every five years if your a biker................and thinking about mine that's roughly right for me. All of mine bar the last one I've been hit by other people, including two hit and runs. Last one was just a freak accident that has left me not riding for the last eight months, but onlt another six weeks or so then I'm back out on the beast.

Keep ya chin up and enjoy the bike mate...........bin the fairing and save ya money.

[Johnny50]

Whoops!

Glad you're ok though

At least you've had your first drop out the way!