The "Today I did something to my bike" thread

nerrad1983 · 11-01-2013 9:40pm #1

Well as somebody else suggested i thought i would start this thread:D

Today i gave the chain a good cleaning and re lubed it

Gave the bike a quick clean aswell

Wonda-Boy · 11-01-2013 9:47pm

Today, I had to "optimise" my battery as it was nearly flat...and I am meant to be going to HG in Belfast in the morning. So it is charging now as I speak.....hopefully a good blast will sort her out.

Will need to do the chain aswell as it has that brown residue on it too. Was sick over the Xmas and only getting over it now ffs!

nerrad1983 · 11-01-2013 9:59pm

Hope yous have a good spin up tomorrow

I took my bike out last Sat morning for the first time in a few weeks, the plan was to go over the gap in to Hollywood for Tea and head back home the same way

Got as far Roundwood and got a puncture on the back tyre, was stuck there for an hour till a van collected my bike and brought it back to be repaired:mad:

Luckily the tyre was repairable as its only new, ran over a piece of aluminium and it went straight through it, I must show it to yas on the next Sunday spin

Wonda-Boy · 11-01-2013 11:33pm

You are one unlucky ****er for getting punctures you know that.

serious3 · 11-01-2013 11:51pm

rode it from clifden to croom and back on a mission to get the wifes birthday present.

Wonda-Boy · 12-01-2013 9:44am

You old softy you...I hope you deducted the price of petrol of the pressie!!!!

12-01-2013 4:30pm

I ****ing came off off mine earlier!
First time,no damage to me or the bike.
Scuffed the inside of my right knee and a little on my lid!
Was only doing about 10mph!
was turning right in an estate and I think the back wheel went out and I high sided!
happened so fast but it nothing really.

minidazzler · 12-01-2013 4:59pm

urbanledge wrote: »

I ****ing came off off mine earlier!
First time,no damage to me or the bike.
Scuffed the inside of my right knee and a little on my lid!
Was only doing about 10mph!
was turning right in an estate and I think the back wheel went out and I high sided!
happened so fast but it nothing really.

Ah that's ****e, glad you and the bike are OK

Not today, but last week was changing the brake pads, thought I'd be able to do it myself, first time doing any maintainence on my own. The friction material was literally gone on the old pads, and the pistons were stuck out and manky. After a good cleaning had to use a hammer to get it back in. Had my dad there to help thank fook, felt like a bit of a pleb just standing there though. :pac:

I plan to sort my back brake pads and disc in a couple of weeks myself. I've decided that the only reason I should have to go to a garage is for tyre changing and electrics.

Roadskill · 12-01-2013 6:04pm

Today I washed & lubed 3 bikes after ibt. The same 3 bikes I washed and lubed only 24hrs ago. God the roads here are ****ty at the minute.
Soul destroying

spiggotpaddy · 12-01-2013 7:05pm

I re-wired my hot grips into the ignition via the back brake switch.
Oxford say they don't draw power once there's less than 13 volts, but in reality they've drained more batteries than the fcukin duracell bunny.

nerrad1983 · 12-01-2013 7:16pm

urbanledge wrote: »

I ****ing came off off mine earlier!
First time,no damage to me or the bike.
Scuffed the inside of my right knee and a little on my lid!
Was only doing about 10mph!
was turning right in an estate and I think the back wheel went out and I high sided!
happened so fast but it nothing really.

Lucky you didnt hurt yourself and damage the drz mate

Say you got a fright!

Keith186 · 12-01-2013 7:40pm

I tightened and lubed the chain.

Changed one set of front brake pads which I only changed about six months ago maybe, the other side are still OK and they're on it since I got the bike! Had very sticky brakes for a while so they wore down extra fast. Gave calipers a good clean and put some silicon based oil on them so hopefully there won't be any more sticking.

I noticed lots of white stuff on the metal work of the engine and stuff. Presumed its all salt from the roads so gave it a clean with a pressure washer in a garage. I know its generally not a good idea to do it but I stood back a good bit and avoided bearings and electrics etc. No access to a normal hose so didn't have much choice. Sprayed a layer of oil over most of the metal parts to protect it from more salt.

Wonda-Boy · 12-01-2013 8:03pm

urbanledge wrote: »

I ****ing came off off mine earlier!
First time,no damage to me or the bike.
Scuffed the inside of my right knee and a little on my lid!
Was only doing about 10mph!
was turning right in an estate and I think the back wheel went out and I high sided!
happened so fast but it nothing really.

****, glad you all right man. A high side of that bike would be really ****in high

12-01-2013 10:25pm

Was high allright!
was amazed at how far down the road the bike went!
left a scar on the road about 3 meters long!
It was so weird tho,felt like I landed on my feet!
I got up and looked around to make sure no body seen me

rat_race · 12-01-2013 10:36pm

Got a new Tiger 800 last week, so today I put on the centre stand (can't operate it yet, bike too heavy!), engine crash bars, pivot covers and tank pad...

Took me all feckin' day...and still have lots more to do.

Also put a new air filter in my Ninja 250!

Wonda-Boy · 12-01-2013 10:41pm

rat_race wrote: »

Got a new Tiger 800 last week, so today I put on the centre stand (can't operate it yet, bike too heavy!), engine crash bars, pivot covers and tank pad...

Took me all feckin' day...and still have lots more to do.

Also put a new air filter in my Ninja 250!

Not having a pop mate BUT....;)

If you think the bike is too heavy then you must be doing the motion wrong. And believe me its quite common, when putting the bike on the centre stand you should not be pulling at the bike at all. All your weight should be going straight down onto the outward bar of the stand when level with the ball of the foot and gentle pushing back at it rises. Your really should be able to use one hand......I have done it on countless bikes from 250's to 1400's.

Did you stick up pics of the bike....would love to see it?

rat_race · 12-01-2013 10:45pm

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

Not having a pop mate BUT....;)

If you think the bike is too heavy then you must be doing the motion wrong. And believe me its quite common, when putting the bike on the centre stand you should not be pulling at the bike at all. All your weight should be going straight down onto the outward bar of the stand when level with the ball of the foot and gentle pushing back at it rises. Your really should be able to use one hand......I have done it on countless bikes from 250's to 1400's.

Just youtube'd how to do it just as you wrote this

... Yeah, I wasn't putting my whole weight on it at al, didn't realise that was the norm! Cheers...will try it now!

Regarding pics, none yet...too feckin' busy to bring it out during the day

... will take some very soon!

Wonda-Boy · 12-01-2013 10:51pm

No probs mate...I was taught by the best. Its important not to start the backward motion until the bike is halfway up the motion off rising....you will kick yourself when you see how easy it is.

Best of luck with the bike, really hope you get yrs of pleasure.

rat_race · 12-01-2013 10:57pm

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

No probs mate...I was taught by the best. Its important not to start the backward motion until the bike is halfway up the motion off rising....you will kick yourself when you see how easy it is.

Best of luck with the bike, really hope you get yrs of pleasure.

I put all my weight on it (almost 11 stone)...she didn't budge!

Gonna go try again till I get it...feeling like a plonker!

Thanks Wonda...am loving it. Worth every penny. Totally different experience to my 250 (which I still love, but in a different way)...

serious3 · 12-01-2013 10:59pm

washed it, and realized my front tyre is absolutely, totaly shagged:( better run the wheel into galway and change it seeing as the new one has been sat in the shed for weeks

BlackWizard · 12-01-2013 11:52pm

Changed my oil and filter.

Heading for a long spin tomorrow and I put 5k or more miles on the old oil.

rat_race · 13-01-2013 1:48pm

And today, I dropped my new Tiger 800

And I wasn't even sitting on it. Not much damage...few little scrapes. Thank *@$k for crash bars.

After beating myself up, I'm kinda happy to have gotton it outta the way!

Wonda-Boy · 13-01-2013 1:52pm

rat_race wrote: »

And today, I dropped my new Tiger 800 And I wasn't even sitting on it. Not much damage...few little scrapes. Thank *@$k for crash bars.

After beating myself up, I'm kinda happy to have gotton it outta the way!

Ahh ffs, that is poxy. Jaysus man be careful, you must be out messing with it all the time lol.

Get some picks up and meet us next sunday for a spin mate....would really love to see it IN ONE PIECE!!!!!

maameeo · 13-01-2013 5:00pm

today my bike wouldnt start so i robbed the battery from himselves bike and away i went

rat_race · 13-01-2013 5:07pm

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

Ahh ffs, that is poxy. Jaysus man be careful, you must be out messing with it all the time lol.

Get some picks up and meet us next sunday for a spin mate....would really love to see it IN ONE PIECE!!!!!

I got away lucky...only tiny scratches to brake lever, bar end, pegs (bit of a dint in one of them), and crash bars. The can miraculously got away with it!

Can't this Sunday, have a stressful Jan (work wise)

...but definitely soon! Early Feb!

serious3 · 13-01-2013 8:38pm

took the front wheel out of mine ready for the tyre change, checked the date code on it.........2203 ffs thats why it feels horrid on the move. tread looked fine when i bought the bike a month ago ah well its coming off on thurs!

rat_race · 13-01-2013 8:46pm

What does 2203 mean?

batman_oh · 13-01-2013 9:04pm

rat_race wrote: »

What does 2203 mean?

22nd week of 2003 - ancient!

BlackWizard · 13-01-2013 9:11pm

serious3 wrote: »

took the front wheel out of mine ready for the tyre change, checked the date code on it.........2203 ffs thats why it feels horrid on the move. tread looked fine when i bought the bike a month ago ah well its coming off on thurs!

What tyres are you getting?

serious3 · 13-01-2013 9:14pm

bridgestone bt020 sat in the shed to match the 600 mile old bt020 on the rear. rear was put on in april, front was a worn bt010 so no wonder it feels like its understeering all the time

serious3 · 13-01-2013 11:00pm

oh and i changed the huge jedward screen for the std one, improved the looks and not that much difference in wind noise etc either

BlackWizard · 18-01-2013 2:24pm

Today I agreed to go on a basic bike maintenance course

Wonda-Boy · 19-01-2013 12:20pm

BlackWizard wrote: »

Today I agreed to go on a basic bike maintenance course

Where is that on, I missed out on the last one that leppla off here is on. And how much wiz?

rat_race · 19-01-2013 3:01pm

I'd like to do a slightly more advanced one...the basic ones are too basic for most of us (regulars on this forum), from what I've learned...

BlackWizard · 19-01-2013 5:21pm

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

Where is that on, I missed out on the last one that leppla off here is on. And how much wiz?

This is it here http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/motorbikes/4309592

120 euro for 10 weeks

rat_race wrote: »

I'd like to do a slightly more advanced one...the basic ones are too basic for most of us (regulars on this forum), from what I've learned...

I rang the guy running it. I wasn't sure if the basic one or the next one up would suit me. But the basic one didn't sound basic to me. It will involve stripping engines and seeing how they work and other parts on the bike. It includes engine theory.

I know I'll enjoy it and learn a few things from it.

Odysseus · 19-01-2013 7:42pm

BlackWizard wrote: »

This is it here http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/motorbikes/4309592

120 euro for 10 weeks

I rang the guy running it. I wasn't sure if the basic one or the next one up would suit me. But the basic one didn't sound basic to me. It will involve stripping engines and seeing how they work and other parts on the bike. It includes engine theory.

I know I'll enjoy it and learn a few things from it.

Cheers for that link, I haven't got the cash at the moment, but I imagine it will be run again latter this year.

Wonda-Boy · 19-01-2013 11:20pm

Sounds Perfect....will see if I can swing it as I too would need the basic course. I can service my Yamaha but I would not be overly confident of doing a different make and model. I would love to be stripping engines etc......

Odysseus · 20-01-2013 9:25pm

I was lazy all day today avoided going out to sort out the bike. Anyway I had to go out in the dark with a head-torch just to adjust and lube the chain. At least it is done now.

rat_race · 20-01-2013 10:27pm

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

Sounds Perfect....will see if I can swing it as I too would need the basic course. I can service my Yamaha but I would not be overly confident of doing a different make and model. I would love to be stripping engines etc......

I'll do it too. I called these before, and they seem pretty relaxed in terms of changing courses (I got the impression you could attend basic & advanced if you wanted)...

Wonda-Boy · 20-01-2013 10:32pm

Had a quick blast with leppla this morning, from Meath to Trim for brekkie, then around the locality....its was a super day for bikes. Cold as **** but dry and nice....

tracker-man · 21-01-2013 12:04am

None of those bike maintenence courses in the West I suppose?

JimmyCrackCorn · 21-01-2013 2:01am

Went all out getting the new chain and sprockets

Armature mistake. Didn't have a big enough socket to get the back wheel off.

Felt very foolish.....

thecivvie · 21-01-2013 2:03am

tracker-man wrote: »

None of those bike maintenence courses in the West I suppose?

Wish there was. Would love to do the basics myself but too scared to try

Wonda-Boy · 21-01-2013 7:54am

thecivvie wrote: »

Wish there was. Would love to do the basics myself but too scared to try

If you are like me relatively new to biking the longer you have your current bike the more you want to do with it. When I got my FZ6 just over 13mths ago I would just about put petrol in it. Now after her next service I am thinking off replacing the fork oil to a slightly heavier oil to stop the dive on the brakes...might need a hand but I wont after doing it once.

Blu3orion off here did his FZ6 and the differnce is quite big regarding the dive on the front forks.

BlackWizard · 21-01-2013 1:09pm

Would doing that to the forks not make it more of a bumpier ride?

I've the same bike and the front does dip a lot.

Wonda-Boy · 21-01-2013 1:14pm

No, changing the oil to a slightly heavier consistency helps all round. Blu3 was saying it helps with the brakes and turning into corners and powering out of them too. I am sure he can explain it a hell of alot better then me....It does not affect the ride comfort as its a slight change in oil nothing extreme. But I seen the dip on his now to mine and its alot.

I taught it was because I had the EBC pads and Hell brakes lines that made it dip like that due to the power of my brakes....but I will change over if its that good.

BlackWizard · 21-01-2013 1:49pm

Sure post back when you get that done. Maybe I'll catch ya on a Sunday run and see it myself.

blu3r0ri0n · 21-01-2013 1:51pm

BlackWizard wrote: »

Would doing that to the forks not make it more of a bumpier ride?

I've the same bike and the front does dip a lot.

I put 10wt fork oil in to mine, I think the Yamaha oil is 0wt or 1wt not 100% sure. I don't think the fork oil was ever changed so it had lost some of its viscosity and the dive got allot worst this year.

All I did was take out the fork's, took out the contents and then emptied out the oil, it was grey!

Borrowed one of these to measure the air gap when filling them up based on the figures from the web/haynes manual.

The difference;
Coming out of corners hard I use to get a head shake, which is completely gone now.

Dive is much better. One of the consequences of using a heavier fork oil is that the rebound is slower, however, I haven't found this to be an issue and I wouldn't be the slowest out there.

Breaking has improved, I no longer get the feeling that the front tire is going to give way under heavy breaking as the forks don't bottom out as quick.

I haven't noticed if it is more or less bumpier, if it is its barely noticeable.

CJhaughey · 21-01-2013 2:25pm

You will probably find that just changing the oil for fresh stuff will make a difference, over time it gets contaminated with metal particles from the valve stack and bushes.
New/Heavier springs will help with dive more than heavier oil, Oil viscosity affects rebound and compression both and can give a harsh ride in colder weather.

minidazzler · 21-01-2013 3:22pm

I need to get a new rear brake disc for my 125 Varadero.

Does anyone know if Kyoto discs are any good? They are the budget guys, and I'd like to keep costs low enough if I can.

Being told it's 99 euro for a rear disc from Lee Honda, but apparently can get a Kyoto one online for 70ish.

So, any experience with them?

Thanks.

Zascar · 21-01-2013 3:24pm

BlackWizard wrote: »

This is it here http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/motorbikes/4309592

120 euro for 10 weeks

I rang the guy running it. I wasn't sure if the basic one or the next one up would suit me. But the basic one didn't sound basic to me. It will involve stripping engines and seeing how they work and other parts on the bike. It includes engine theory.

I know I'll enjoy it and learn a few things from it.

Thanks for posting this, I've been dying to do a course like this for ages- this looks perfect, I just called the guy and he said there is no booking places, its show up and first come first served. I’m definitely going to do it.

Anyone else game?

The "Today I did something to my bike" thread

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