What did you do to your bike today?

[Chriswright03]

Thanks for that. So basically my suspension is shagged!

I think the front end of the TEX is harsh and crashy so I am guessing oil past it's best. I have seen fork oil in the past on a bike I had that had emulsified. So won't be doing anything.

As for a rear shock I am quite happy to pay for a decent one but I want that to include what settings I would need for the three different types of load. So where do I go for that because all of the bike mechanics I have ever spoken to seem clueless?

I had Hagons build me a rear shocker for the VFR after it spewed it's guts all over the exhaust one night. They were a third of the price of a genuine Honda shock but honestly it was rubbish. It is finding someone who knows what they are talking about and not being a million miles away that you can pop back to if need be.

[Madrunner]

I've got more chance of understanding experimental quantum physics than I have of understanding why anyone would want to ride a bike in the rain, lol.

Lol like it

[fabiamk2SE]

Tri-Z was a Yamaha. Never imported officially to the UK. They had a reputation for being supposedly dangerously unstable, apparently they were banned in some US states because of it. Some were converted to quads. Honda's ATC 250 was similar, and those were available as official imports back in the 80s.

This is a Tri-Z:

Yes! Thats it!

Couldnt remember what make it was. Thought he said honda haha.

His is all black with gold trims. Looks mega tbh.

He did say their is very few now, and are massively dangerous. It doesnt like steering no matter which way you go about trying to do it.

I like it though. Its cool as anythin haha.

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

Just got back from the hospital, I had the choice of either driving and attempting to find a space/get through rush hour traffic/paying for parking OR take the bike. No brainer, but I didnt want to arrive for my scan all sweaty and in bulky bike clobber so took a risk and wore jeans, felt well strange, like I was on the bike naked. Luckily it was only a short trip on 30mph roads for most of it. I will certainly be sticking the textiles on for work shortly.  

[StripleR675]

No brainer, but I didnt want to arrive for my scan all sweaty and in bulky bike clobber so took a risk and wore jeans, felt well strange, like I was on the bike naked. Luckily it was only a short trip on 30mph roads for most of it. I will certainly be sticking the textiles on for work shortly.

Riding in jeans does make you feel vulnerable, doesn't it. I've always found it uncomfortable too, squashes my junk, lol.

Hope the scan's nothing serious.

Edited 29 August, 2015 by StripleR675

[StripleR675]

Yes! Thats it!

Couldnt remember what make it was. Thought he said honda haha.

His is all black with gold trims. Looks mega tbh.

He did say their is very few now, and are massively dangerous. It doesnt like steering no matter which way you go about trying to do it.

I like it though. Its cool as anythin haha.

Dangerous is cool

Edited 29 August, 2015 by StripleR675

[StripleR675]

Thanks for that. So basically my suspension is shagged!

I think the front end of the TEX is harsh and crashy so I am guessing oil past it's best. I have seen fork oil in the past on a bike I had that had emulsified. So won't be doing anything.

As for a rear shock I am quite happy to pay for a decent one but I want that to include what settings I would need for the three different types of load. So where do I go for that because all of the bike mechanics I have ever spoken to seem clueless?

I had Hagons build me a rear shocker for the VFR after it spewed it's guts all over the exhaust one night. They were a third of the price of a genuine Honda shock but honestly it was rubbish. It is finding someone who knows what they are talking about and not being a million miles away that you can pop back to if need be.

Hagon are crap. Ok if you want a replacement shock for something like an old Bandit, without paying OE prices, and don't expect it to be any better than the crappy OE item, but they're miles away from the quality manufacturers. I actually have a brand new Hagon Bandit shock (got it for nowt), but I've not bothered fitting it - based on the experience my old mate had of the crap one Hagon sold him for his 1200, it wouldn't be worth wasting the few minutes time it would take to fit it.

Buy a proper shock from a decent manufacturer and it's built bespoke for you. Tell them your weight, what you use the bike for, whether you carry pillions or luggage etc and they'll tailor its spring rate and damping for your needs, and the adjusters have a proper meaningful range of adjustment so you can change settings for solo or two up etc. If you regularly switch between solo and two up then a remote hydraulic preload adjuster is worth paying the extra for - simple, quick preload changes with with no need for c spanners or skinned knuckles.

I have a Wilbers unit:

adjustable for preload, rebound and separate high and low speed compression, and built bespoke for me, including choice of spring colour, and I specced it 5mm longer than their standard length. It would have been a wallet bashing £825 retail, but I got it for £400, which admittedly made it a considerably easier decision. It would have been a Nitron, but we stopped dealing with Nitron and started with Wilbers instead just before I decided to order it. Nitron are excellent shocks (as good as the Wilbers, or any of the other quality brands), with similar bespoke ordering service, and UK manufactured, so less expensive postage if you need to send it back for changes or servicing (cost me £25 to send mine back to Germany, but I was less miffed about that since I'd got it so cheaply). Aftermarket shocks are fully rebuildable, and can be serviced by the manufacturer or independent specialists, so it's a one off purchase that will last the life of the bike with servicing. Nitron and Wilbers both use a modular construction system so often if you change bike they can even convert the shock to fit the new bike too, considerably more cheaply than buying a new one.

Suspension components are like any other bike component (tyres, clutches, chain & sprockets etc) - they suffer wear and tear and have a finite life. Suspension oil has as hard a life as engine oil, and not many owners would leave the same engine oil in their bike for five years or 20 thousand miles and expect it to still do its job properly, but most seem to expect suspension oil to last forever. And that's before you consider wear on things like fork bushes or shock seals.

Edited 29 August, 2015 by StripleR675

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

Riding in jeans does make you feel vulnerable, doesn't it. I've always found it uncomfortable too, squashes my junk, lol.

Hope the scan's nothing serious.

 

Yeah, I noticed that too actually! Not very nice, wouldnt want to do it very often tbh. 

 

Scan was all good, thanks for asking. 

 

 

Today I rode to work and back again, a inspired choice since I copped a load of football traffic on the way home. Now thinking what to do tomorrow, going to party in the afternoon for cousins birthday (young, like 7 or something) then the mrs is going out in the evening. Do I drink in the afternoon and just watch tv in the evening or do I not drink then go find something fun to do on the bike in the evening? Hummmmm

[Madrunner]

Easy stay off the frothy stuff and get out on the bike.

Mrs madrunner is out all day tomorrow so 2 wheels it is , happy days.

[fabiamk2SE]

Glad to hear everythings okay Matt!

Yeah i dont like drinkinh in the afternoon, makes for a boring evening.. Unless you carry on through till bedtime haha.

Missing my bike :(.

But have just booked a trip to Assen for the motoGP at the end of september. So ill put a few miles on the viffer then (:

[Madrunner]

Well didn't manage a ride but cleaned the bike top to bottom, looking tip top. Then moved onto the car and declagged that.

Then had to spread bags of free horse manure over the veggie plot. Nice.

The chickens loved having a good round in that, dirty little critters.

[Chriswright03]

Glad to hear everythings okay Matt!

Yeah i dont like drinkinh in the afternoon, makes for a boring evening.. Unless you carry on through till bedtime haha.

Missing my bike :(.

But have just booked a trip to Assen for the motoGP at the end of september. So ill put a few miles on the viffer then (:

Err I think that might be the British Super Bikes not Moto GP!

[fabiamk2SE]

Err I think that might be the British Super Bikes not Moto GP!

Well i thought that but its right at the end of september. The BSb Is around the 20th isnt it?

Having no internet, i cant look :(. And mums coneyed the message.

So i dont really know where im going. But itll good hopefully haha

[fabiamk2SE]

Lookin online now ive got 4G

Ive been given the wrong dates havent i....

[Chriswright03]

Doh!  Moto GP has gone.  Are you sure it is a motorbike race you are going to even?  Could be some weird Dutch cheese/clog making ritual! 

[fabiamk2SE]

Doh! Moto GP has gone. Are you sure it is a motorbike race you are going to even? Could be some weird Dutch cheese/clog making ritual!

It has hasnt it haha. I dont keep that updated with it all tbh. As you can tell

Free tickets to something. Maybe a transvestite worldwide gathering for all i know

[Gyp]

<perk>

[fabiamk2SE]

Yup. I was given the wrong dates. Its BSB. Hoping itll be good. A decent ride out if nothing else.

Got abit confused. Those lot have been to MotoGP at silverstone this weekend.

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

Well I've been trying a bit of commuting recently. The rain just started to fall as I opened the garage door and stopped shortly after arriving at work. Bit damp but not too bad, though all was lost as it started to bucket it down again a while ago but the sun is out now so meeting my brother at the bike cafe 'on my way' home

[Tomote]

Well I've been trying a bit of commuting recently. The rain just started to fall as I opened the garage door and stopped shortly after arriving at work. Bit damp but not too bad, though all was lost as it started to bucket it down again a while ago but the sun is out now so meeting my brother at the bike cafe 'on my way' home

Liking the nice subtle helmet :-)

[fabiamk2SE]

Well I've been trying a bit of commuting recently. The rain just started to fall as I opened the garage door and stopped shortly after arriving at work. Bit damp but not too bad, though all was lost as it started to bucket it down again a while ago but the sun is out now so meeting my brother at the bike cafe 'on my way' home

Sounds good mate.

So. Hes riding with you again now? .

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

Couldnt resist riding round with this behind me

 

[Chriswright03]

Rat bike or what?

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

Smashed into a mound doing a wheelie and landed over the other side of it Full details in the 'my brothers an idiot thread'.

He bodged it together with hopes and dreams. It's exhaust is held on by cable ties, fairing by duct tape and is having a continuous oil change via a leak.

Edited 1 September, 2015 by matt1chelski

[Chriswright03]

Oh I remember that now Matt.  I was just wondering if this was yet another 'incident'.