Gas up - Let's Go!

All of my Fuel Injected Bikes do/did it, the TTR (Carb) does not. pull the power from the fuel pum and it doesn't, job sorted - no noises. Right, now I have a problem, the bike won't start, it ever so slightly does, bu then doesn't - could it be a fuel problem I'll get my coat.........

About your only option is a lowering kit, compressing the pre-load just makes it harder, and paradoxically harder for you to reach the ground (as the suspension isn't compressing when you sit on it). You've not much to go the other way either (softening it) as the factory settings are only a notch ot two from the softest. Suggest you have a look through the 660 site - www.xt660.com, you'll find loads of information on there specifically for your bike, from lots of others who have 660's. See you there!

Doesn't say that anywhere in the post. Assumptions are a dangerous place to go

Utter rubbish, do you have the Plods number? complain to his sergent. It is a public place, and therefore you require insurance to ride/drive there - otherwise it is an offence under the Road Traffic Act. Just like you require insurance to ride through the carpark in Asda/Morrsions/Tesco etc. Are you sure he was a proper cop, not one of those plastic jobbies ?? The unfortunate part is your bike is still damaged, and I'l put a weeks wages on the answer you'll get back being "the camera was pointing the wrong way at the time" or "it was kids and we can't see thier faces", rather than the real reason "it's only a bike, I can't really be arsed to do this". It's no help to you at all, and I'd be well miffed if it happend to me, but I think you're going to have to put this one down to experience. A few years ago, a woman took her 4x4 down the side on my 6 month old BMUU (I know! wouldn't have another), there was a witness who saw her inspecting the damage before she drove off, but not the actual incident. When plod got to her the car was spottless, but minus the crash bars it had on it during the altercation. No evidence, case dropped. I was bl00dy furious, but the insurance company didn't want to persure it either, so I was stuck. Realy she should have been done for Perverting the Course of Justice, and however removed the bars for Conspiricy, but alas no evidece, no will to go on.

Mines not listed....... ...... so am I really here ?

Good advice, I'll follow that with this, Don't panic, stay clam, you will make mistakes and will be corrected, do what the man/woman says and enjoy... It's just there to give you the skills to survive long enough to start learning. You should know yourself well enough to know how to calm yourself down, thekey point is if you are geting flustered, take some time out and calm down, get back on the bike and ride! Are you using your own bike?? might be better to use one of the schools bikes, the riding position will give you a better observational possition than the R125 and the agility will be a little better too (tighter turning circle) - and of course you don't want to drop your nice new sportsbike trying to master the figure of 8, or U-turn between the curbs....

Michelle, Firstly, I agree with Paul, it's mighty brave of you to tackle the carbs, especially if they have been 'got at' by Mr famfist and his overly large tools... It could be that the screws are 'stuck', if so tread with care. I would advise that you get hold of a service manual to keep you right, and remind you where that left over screw goes!! We've all been there, bits left over on the bench....

The price is subjective, it might be a few quid cheaper somewhere else, but you're soon going to eat into that with daily traveling/digs/hotel (whatever your prefference is). If you have the cash, and you want the bigger bike then you're going to have to pay. It is an unfortunate fact of life these days that the schools are charging what they like and getting away with it. Personally I'd like to see an end to block booking of test slots by the riding schools, so everyone can have thier chance equally.

I've not fitted a dual injector, but I'm about to get a unit for my Fazer 600 - I'd be interested to see how you have fitted it, pics????? Might even consider a dual rather than a single. Apparently you use less oil - I'm not convinced

Here's some light reading. http://www.datacraftsystems.co.uk/techniqu...echniques_left/ covers most things you are going to come up against.

This line just cries out for some editing! Was it a nice feeling ?? Raised, like a bit more than what it was, never said it was certain, probably very small, unless you rub your gloves down with diesel before putting them in your lid. Oh no, you shouldn't have said that, I was told someone who I worked for, I got moaned at for months! That's the stuff, runs off and leaves a black puddle - hate the stuff! Yes ACF50 makes the bike look a dumpster just deposited it's load over it, then when you wash it in the spring it looks like new!! I couldn't own a cruiser, really couldn't be bothered with all that polishing, a nice muddy dirt bike and the attitude to match

I'm not goiing to comment on the tosser bit, he may well be , but the inside of your lid is far more suseptable to nasty agents like the sh1t they put in Desel and Petrol than the outside. it will destroy the important bit of the lining (the bit that stops your head hitting the hard shell), or make it brittle, try getting some fuel and putting it on some expanded styrene foam - you'll see what I mean. The outer shell is protected by the paint work and outer glaze, so it's not realy affected. So, why not put your gloves in your lid? well you will get these agents on your gloves in small amounts, and puting your gloves in your lid gives a raised chance of these agents being transfered to the inside of your lid. Personally I don't ever put my gloves inside my lid, firstly for the reason above, and secondly as I don't really want the other crap off my gloves (animal sh1t, dead things, water etc) rubing off onto the bit that sits against my bonce. Mind you, to say there is a lid that protects against this is a bit dubious, I mean, how can it? does it have a plastic liner? I think this might well be crap! As for washing, MuchOff and a pressure washer. Been doing it for years and I've never had a problem with any bearings or oils seals, I just don't subscribe to this point of view. In the bad old days, yes, there were issues as the seals only prevented egress, but we're talking about the times when stuffing boxes were still common place. Modern seals are build and designed for high speed use in wet weather, so as long as you aren't pointing the end of the washer, point blank at the seal you'll not have a problem. Then again, my bikes are normally covered in mud rather than road film/salt - and pressure washing never gets road film off. Car wash, incidentally has a high salt content by the way, as do most cleaning products, and until bike manufacturers wake up and start to give us some better quality equipment we'll all have to endure the corrosive reality of having a bike, which is made worse if you use warm water. That ScottOil stuff (forget it's name) is OK for nutralising salt, but it's not as robust as ACF50, after all this stuff works on boats and planes, so to my mind it's the best protection we hav. Well that was a good rant, feel much better now..........

It's true. well worth the training, even if you don't want to do the test (although I can't see why you wouldn't). ROSPA is another training body, some say it's a harder course, I couldn't possibly comment. Most Police forces run a BikeSafe scheme, you'll get training by real Police instructors, so you get to at least get to ask the right people questions.

Everyone has to learn. The CBT is an instruction in basics, currently the system is that you do the CBT, then go and and practise, and maybe take the test if you so wish. My wife passed the CBT without any problems at all, but afterwards her riding just wasn't up to it - she realised it, and she decided the best place for her was on the back of me! Personally I'd have preffered her to keep at it, but that's a whole new thread, along the lines of Lara Croft, mountains and jeeps! It's a crap system, after all we don't let people out in cars on thier own, should be something similar with bikes, in my opinion. But it's like that, and that's how it is.

Hmmm. The second post in two days about the DVLA giving out crap info. I'd be inclined to take all the paperwork and waltz (you'll need a partner for this though) into the ((and one who can dance) nearest DVLA office and ask, and ask, and ask until someone gave me the right forms. They can't turn you away as they are the agency responsible, they might however tell you that you don't have the right bits of paper, so at least that would be a start.

and finally..... A recent scientific study found that women find different male faces attractive depending where they are in their menstual cycle. For example, when a woman is ovulating she will prefer a man with rugged, masculine features. However, when she is menstruating, she prefers a man doused in petrol and set on fire, with scissors stuck in his eyes and a cricket stump shoved up his backside

Every man needs to understand the meaning of a relationship, it can be summed up in two words : Yes dear Then you go ahead and do what you want, just don't get caught, thats all.....

Right, hot on the heals of the trans-european trip, I'm considering a trans-america trip now..... Has anyone out there got any idea on shipping costs for a bike of say 180Kg's, to air frieght it from the UK to maybe Vancover or LAX ??

You should be able to work out the tight spot, soak it in chain oil and work the joint, it should free up. If you are in any doubt about it, you really should go and speak to the dealer, advice is <mostley> free. Last thing you want is a snapped chain. I had one on a ZZR I had a few years ago, made a right mess of the engine and the rear end of the bike. as luck would have it the bike had just been service, so after a bit of an exchange the dealer sorted it all out FOC. Not been back there since! The problem with dry lube is that the chain needs to be warm for it to work right. It's basicaly wax and needs to reach a certain temp before it starts to flow. You should lubricate your chain after/during the ride, rather than before it, while the chain is still hot. Wet oils tend to fly off and it gets everywhere, and it can be messy to get off the bodywork, wheels, number plate etc. The problem you have is more probably down to lack of lubricant, rather than a failure of it. Personally, I stick with a ScottOiler. It is a constant drip of oil to the chain and after 9500 miles on this bike I still have had no need to adjust the chain, and it still looks like new with no visible wear to the sprockets. For the £70 quid or so, it's well worth the investment, after all it's only 7 cans of decent chain lube ! On the trail bike I run wet lube, but clean and re-apply after every ride. Then again this is a different situation as it's normally covered in mud/sand/sh't or has been washed away in a river somewhere.

Take it step by step, if you are in any doubt, hold back, watch and learn. Never ever follow someone else through blindly - that is true of all riding through! I'd suggest (and this is only a suggestion - don't come looking for me if you get squished!) you start with nice wide roads, at say traffic lights. If you are concerned about getting away when they change look for a gap that you can put the bike in. Most people (not all) realise that a bike will only be in front of them for a short while and as long as you don't hinder thier progress they are reasonably happy (except in Carlisle where all car drivers are complete numpties) At some point, some idiot in a tin box will try to prevent you from getting through by moving into the gap. Stay calm, don't give them any excuse to kick off, you'll get past them soon enough. Personally, I filter far too much (except in Carlisle, as all car drivers are numpties) and I find the bigger city's are much more filter friendly (I said I find, not everyone will agree). Much depends on the bike you have, on my Varadero everyone got right out of the way, even more so if I wore a hi-vis vest (dunno why!). I think it was down to the two flipping great headlights at mirror height, the Tenere is the same, everyone moves as you filter through. I find that on the Fazer it's much harder work, don't know whether it's just not as visible or people think it's just another tw@t on a sportsbike?? (OK, so it's not a sportsbike, but it looks similar from the front) Speed, I have some rules on when I will and won't filter, I never filter above 30, whilst lane spliting isn't illegal, there is a fine line separating you from dangerous driving. above all, keep it smooth, calm, be ready to stop if needed and never panic..

It's official, BMUU drivers have small balls!

Just looking through the DVLA website and no mention of an A2 test anywhere! You should be able to do the A test and you are restricted for, er well it's not very clear. It say's 21 but I always though it was for 2 years. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Drive...ions/DG_4022547 is where you'll find more info, I'm sure someone will be along soon who can answer this fully. Don't we have any instructors on ths forum ??? they should be able to help....

Oh my god - He's a bl00dy dentist!

Urgh? I've been in, around, lurked on many many forums - some because I like to, others because it's where work takes me. I can honestly say that I've never seen anything that "panned" this forum. I mean Goff can be a touchy bugger at times - but that noramlly involves something a man has done so fair enough........ I suppose.. Sense of Humour bypass, I think alot of people are getting these done......

Don't want to confuse you any, but are you looking to purchase new, or second hand? If you are in the 2nd hand market then take a look at the TTR's - I run a TTR600E that I use for winter commuting and green lane's. I've lost count of the people who have questioned this, but the fact that the TTR is air cooled and is no heavier than most 400's makes this a good bike for both. It'll sit at 70-80mph, and takle most off road stuff, unless you're more trial than trail...