The Bar

I just bought a 1980 GS550 on eBay, gonna go view/buy it tomorrow, anyone know about any specifics you should look out for on these, all I could find was usual stuff, didn't see anything about specific known issues. Can't wait to go see it, just hope it's not a dud, but from what I've heard they're the definition of bulletproof, this is the bike in question: Ignore the horrible gold paint, that's be re-done the second I get it home

hi i have a xv535 2yl with original handlebars ,i would like to try straight handlebars would i have to alter cables etc or will the just fit

I had a trackday booked at Donny last month but had to cancel it due to an untimely re-occurrence of trigger finger on the left hand. Knuckle swelled up and I could no longer pull the clutch. I had previously modified the slave lever to reduce the load, which worked to a degree, but when I sat down and thought a little longer about the hand, it crossed my my that the heavy clutch/repetitive movement might actually be the cause. I did a bit of research on the ineterwebby and could go hydraulic with chinese parts for 30 to 40 quid, but some of the reviews of part quality led me to steer clear. So I took the opportunity while at the last stafford show and got a show price de…

Hi all, I just had the clutch changed on my YBR last week (about 35k on the clocks) as it was slipping. Drove away from the shop and happy days it felt great until I was riding over the hills today and I went for the clutch and there's nothing there. I had to change through all gears without the clutch which waa ok until I had to stop facing up a hill which made getting going a little difficult. I took the clutch cable off the engine and there is no resistance at all when I move the lever on the engine. It's like the push rod is no longer engaged to the lever to disengage the clutch. Is there an easy fix or am I going to have to attempt the 50km ri…

Hi guys, Finally my new bike has arrived, been a long wait but I have to say the bike is awesome!! My background is very new to bikes, having only passed my test in February and as part of my early mid life crisis (42) decided on my first and probably last Sports bike, a 600 being way enough for me! My thing has been cars all my life, having some funky track use cars in the last 10 years i decided a sport bike was a tick box i needed to do. Back to the bike, I've tried several 600cc high output bikes and didn't get on to well with them, mostly on riding position 183cm/ 6ft1 but also as my first bike and having only brand new fast cars I decided a brand…

Hey guys. I have a 1981 sr259. 3y9 by the vin plate. Im having trouble finding parts correspondent to this nodel but found a ton of parts for the 3y6. Does anyone know if the 3y6 parts transfer over to the 3y9? ?? Or any secret source online other then the old ebay? Thanks heaps Jaseo

HI. I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY YAMAHA XS250 1980 MODEL ABOUT IGNITION .MY MOTORBIKE HAS INTERRUPTED SCINTILLATION IN THE CABLE OF SPARK PLUG. I BOUGHT NEW SPARK PLUG BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO EXIST. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEAS OR HAVE FACE SOMETHING LIKE THAT ? THANK YOU IN ADVANCE

Hi guys i am new to this forum i bought 2013 yamaha xj6n last for good price but i notice while riding when i am turning handlebar feel stiff hard doesnt turn smoothly is there a way to fix?

Electrics are not my thing, I have a 2stroke moped i'm going to be working on and the battery drains after a few days, new battery, it charges fine from the mains, its ridden every day so should get a decent charge, all the lights work fine when running its just not topping up the battery? I have a multimeter, what things should I be checking for when I get it? obviously output from stator and checking the voltage at the battery when running but apart from that my knowledge is limited, I would have thought if the lights work then surely the power has to go thru the battery first? therefor it should be charging?

Wow, the wheels on the tdr have been in and out like a porn stars pecker lately what with offering these Aprilia wheels up. Fringe benefit was noticing the front caliper was sticking so got that fixed, nothing more than a clean. Much better brake now so it was long overdue, (slaps hand). Went out today for a blast, er, I mean bed the front brake back in and make sure she's all good. As well as get some fuel to use it for work next week and it just felt wrong, the bike or I was just off. I felt very vulnerable which has never happened before on the TDR. So to get the monkey off my back (I genuinely felt very uncomfortable) I pulled up in the first spot I could and had…

Hello everyone. Can someone recomend me online shop with parts for motorbikes ? I am looking for screw fixing left mirror. Aslo i have a question. I bought spedometer from ebay, probably is a not oryginal one. I replaced this one by myself, but now spedometer showing me 10 mph to much of speeding. Do you know how to fix this problem ? Best Regards.

Its a shame, the TDR forum used to be quite lively, as much as on here certainly. Post something and there would usually be some kind of comment within hours. Its tumbleweed town now, I posted about my wheels with questions and have had little or no comment. 12mths ago the screen would have gone spatty with people commenting, good bad or otherwise. Same ol names same as on here but now, nothing. Suppose its some kind of farcebook group, shame really. Lot of experience on there and it will be lost in facebook. Just be lost in the corporate blue.

I own a 1999 "T " reg 600 S Diversion. It came with a Motad 4 into 1 exhaust the silencer is scrap & motad are no more. To keep costs down can i use the pipes with a link pipe to a silencer off a Fazer ect . The pipes go 4 into 2 into the silencer. Can any body help with a fabricator to make the link pipe ?. The bike has no mot as i am doing it up. Made my own rear rack , cut a Craven rack & inserted new tubes to fit it found Krauser K1/2 fittings.

A big problem for those whose bikes have no center stand is getting the front or back wheel off the ground. I found this solution for about £36 quid.

ive got a bike with a on/off/reserve fuel switch. Im a newbie and was wondering if it is supposed to be in the off position when not in use (couple of hours while at gym and overnight). Does it matter if i leave it in the on position?

I need to know how to test a stator, the better on my bike isn't charging and am suspect theirs no output, or very little from the stator, and for the first time in two years my Haynes manual has let me down and left me confused. It has 3 outputwires, all white, anyone have any ideas as to how to test the windings? Do I look for continuity? Or measure the resistance? Is their a sequence to testingor do I just pick any two random wires outf the three? Any help at all would be appreciated

Forgive me if this post isn't news but its been a while since I tinkered with bikes so I'm posting anything I find useful. Had to hacksaw off four non standard bolts from the rear frame. They were supplied by whatever company sold the back rest they were holding on. I needed to replace them but had no idea of the size or thread pitch, the standard Yamaha bolts would of course be too short - Then I discovered this handy little gauge. I think its self explanatory.

Awoke the FJ yesterday from her slumber in the garage to take to work and drop off at the MOT shop on the way back for MOT today. To my current place of work is 31 miles with 20 miles of dual carriage way in between. The feelings goooooooooood

Hi, My son has a Yamaha Aerox which has been fine for the last month or so, however today he went for a ride with his mates, and the bike keeps dying when above idle. It's going to be recovered by the RAC. Has anyone else had this problem? Any idea what the solution is? Thanks Pete

I'll have to admit I didn't know this. Not all screws are the same it would appear - as I was to discovered to my cost. Many of the smaller ones, holding the float bowl of the carburetor for instance are JIS, Japanese Industry Standard. At first glance you would swear (I know I did several times) that they were standard Philips. The giveaway is a tiny dimple or punch mark on the screw head. A Philips driver will fit but it is more likely to twist out or mash up the head. The JIS driver is slightly different in profile and less prone to slipping. Just thought I'd pass this on as I learn from my mistakes.http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-tools/jis-screwdrivers/