The "Today I did something to my bike" thread

Frank Bullitt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118987282#Comment_118987282

I live over in Canada, Vancouver to be exact.

The salesman told me as well about their supply issues, sounds really terrifying for a lot of dealerships here.

goblin59

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989468#Comment_118989468

definitely not the two I saw then haha. Theres some difference in the engine physical size compared to the airheads.

Frank Bullitt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989800#Comment_118989800

This new airhead is a monster, granted it is smaller in capacity than my HD, physically is dwarfs it.

goblin59

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118991228#Comment_118991228

What are they like to drive? I did notice they come with an optional reverse gear they're that heavy.

I havn't driven anything above 800cc yet, but hoping to get a chance to take Dad's R1200gs for a spin soon.

I can't see him ever getting a R18 though, he's looking at a R100gs as his next bike. One of his friends is after one, and a close friend of his has two airheads, I got his airhead last summer and now he wants one too since he'll be the only one without one xD

Varik

See a lad on the first edition R18 on Tralee-Limerick road, you can see them coming a mile away.

Revzilla did a video on whether HD made a better adventure bike or did BMW make a better cruiser, not really meant to be a serious in depth reviews as it's more a bit of fun.

galwaytt

...fitted 2 new shocks and 2 new silencers to my H-D. Got 15 years and about 50k out of the originals, so can't complain really. I only changed the exhausts because the old ones were getting scabby and I got a set of brand now OEM ones for....... £50. Nobody want's standard ones, so that's a Win for me. The H-D shops are full of OE pipes that end up in the skip eventually.

Shocks are Hagon, and suit the bike, and we great value, and made & shipped to me in 3 days to a slightly custom spec. The best buying experience online I've ever had tbh.

After my near-trauma with my GoldWing a while ago, you appreciate the sheer simplicity of an old school, twin-shock, simple bike to work on. Both shocks & pipes done in....30 minutes with very few tools needed.

LollipopJimmy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989301#Comment_118989301

CBR 954.

I am under the impression these could be used to map the bike. The stock ecu isn't writable. It's been a while since I did any ecu tuning myself but I'll get my touch back I'm sure 🤣

galwaytt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118985950#Comment_118985950

oooh, I like them, I do......

goblin59

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118992335#Comment_118992335

I'm not sure tbh.

I know someone up north who uses them, and he just plug and plays them

https://www.dynojet.com/power-commander-v-for-honda-cbr954rr-fireblade/

Frank Bullitt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118991708#Comment_118991708

Lots of torque and character, it is very smooth and just trundles along. The reverse is a bit gimmicky to me but I could see a use for it, I just see it as something that could break TBH.

goblin59

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118996110#Comment_118996110

I think if your not use to moving a heavy bike around it's definitely useful.

I'm just glad its an independant lever you need your hand to activate. Can't imagine a reverse gear on the pedal lever being a great idea.

I'd probally have skipped it as an option too, even though on my own bike I've been in situations where I wish I had a reverse gear, but that was off road mostly where I wouldn't have had an R18 anyway!

Frank Bullitt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118996502#Comment_118996502

Agreed, for some spots is a pain to move a heavy bike, I had a GSA1200 and moving that was like moving a barge.

knucklehead6

Bit boring, but fitted latches to the panniers. I was sick n tired of them opening while driving

LollipopJimmy

My shed is a mess. But I have the 600f in there now and changed the airfilter, on seeing the state of it I pulled a plug, need to order a set if them too.

Kinda gutted I dropped this bike. Not sure what I'm going to do with it.

There was a K&N sticker on the airbox bit it was a standard filter.

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CJhaughey

I’ve got to fix fairings after my crash this week. I’m going to use ABS glue and ABS slurry to fix them. How bad are yours is there much missing ?

goblin59

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119000395#Comment_119000395

what are your fairings made from?

CJhaughey

I think they are ABS, usually it’s cast into the inside of the panels

goblin59

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119003733#Comment_119003733

ah ok! you should be fine. I think ABS glue partially melts it together. So thats pretty strong

CJhaughey

I make a slurry of ABS plastic shavings dissolved into acetone and it turns into a thick goop after a while, this is excellent as a repair adhesive/filler once you grind a V in the weld area first.

you can also use sheet abs to reinforce the breaks inside

Hotblack Desiato

You can get scrap random fairing pieces from a breaker cheaply and use them as material for repairs.

galwaytt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118996110#Comment_118996110

Reverse: don't knock it 'til you've tried it !!

I always thought that reverse was a pure gimmick on the various bikes it's been available on, over the years. And I've seen several Harley's retro-fitted with it even here.

Then I got a bike that has it. I take it all back. It's fantastic. Slighlty uphill, up a little step into the garage ? - No problem: just reverse her in.

Frank Bullitt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119008493#Comment_119008493

Not sure if the model I am getting has it, or if it can be fitted for a reasonable price, but I will check it out :)

I didn't do anything to my bike today, but this feels like the right thread to ask in, nonetheless..

I picked up a 2009 Yamaha TDM900. All is grand so far. The bike has Oxford heated grips on it. It also has a phone mount with a built-in phone charger. It also has some 'factory looking' spotlights (which have a cheap "Wish" style control pad, which has a red or green light on all the time).

I bought a sat nav for it that'll be getting hard wired this week. I also bought front/rear facing cameras that'll be getting hard-wired at the same time.

... Is there a point where I should be perhaps getting concerned about the battery telling me to feck off? With the phone charger, heated grips and spotlights, the bike starts just fine. Never an issue (albeit it's not been laid up for longer than 3-4 days at a time so far). Am I walking into a situation where I'm expecting perhaps a tad too much from it?

LollipopJimmy

Deleted the exhaust servo from the 954, it was redundant anyway with full aftermarket system but was still throwing an fi light. So fitted the healtech eliminator. Stupid thing came in a box big enough to fit the bike into 🙄

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LollipopJimmy

I took the servo apart with a view to repairing it just in case I ever decide to return it to stock. The little plastic cogs are just mushed up. I'm sure I'll find them somewhere, probably cost a euro or two to fix.

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Zebbedee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119011035#Comment_119011035

I ran heated grips and spotlights at the same time on an XT600.

After a year I had to replace the regulator/rectifier. Maybe it was going to fail anyway as its a 2003 bike, who knows. Its still running a year later but I don't run the grips on full power anymore.

You should figure out the current draw in amps with the 3 of those accessories all on at the same time. Not too hard to figure out. P =VI.

P (power measured in watts) = V (voltage) multiplied by I (current measured in amps.)

And maybe have a spare reg/rec on hand just in case.

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119011035#Comment_119011035

I would see it definitely pulling the battery down and maybe breaking the rectifier as above. majority of Bikes even today still aren't setup with decent alternators and rectifiers to handle current like this. There's things that can be done to assist and lesson the potential for issue but tbh I'm not skilled enough in the electrics department to fully advise. I have already replaced my stator and upgraded the rectifier to a mosfet one because I broke mine running grips a tracker and a phone charger. It's running well now for a few years but the battery does run down if I use a heated jacket and grips on medium. Recently upgraded the battery but I think the wiring from battery to stator is key to next step benefits.

goblin59

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119022075#Comment_119022075

The big things with rectifiers is making sure they're the correct voltage for your battery. I was looking into this for my bike.

the charging kit i got came with two options, the lithium version (Not available from Motobins at the time ) and the standard version. The only difference was one came with a Ducati Energia Rectifier and the Lithium came with a Mosfet type Rectifier.

Main reason was the Mosfet type gave out a lower voltage so not to overload the lithium battery when charging and causing either the battery protection circuit to kick in and shut down the charging, or if there isnt a protection circuit, just cause the battery to overload and catch fire.

Hotblack Desiato

Forget about spotlights if they aren't LED.

I had halogen spots on the Triumph but was afraid to use them, they flattened the battery on me more than once. But the charging system on that bike was always a bit marginal, an aftermarket MOSFET R/R was a definite improvement.

Heated grips draw a fair bit on high but usually you turn them down to medium or low soon enough.

If you do urban rides in winter, fairly stop/start with low rpm that's when the real test of any battery or charging system is.

blade1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119023855#Comment_119023855

What triumph was it?

Some bikes have a safety mechanism in them.

I think a triumph I had was set at 10.5v.

If it drops below that when you press the starter it won't start.

Bike just clicks and kinda resets itself.