Gas up - Let's Go!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-11814608 It looks like North Wales has ceased it's offensive on the motorist........ Will bikes be welcome too.....?

How do you get 2 engines to run at the same speed all through the throttle range ?

This has been mooted a few times, a sort of coastal relay-marathon with a tracker-type-thingy. Sort of round the country (legally) in the shortest possible time. There might even be a record in it! Dunno if I ever signed up to the cross dressing thing, but hey BH - if it's your thing, that's fine with me!! I'd certainly be up for some sort of circumnavigation of the coastal routes - as CBD says, logistically it would be very difficult to organise, although the reality is only swap over points would need to be arrange, route planning could be left to each individual rider, but some pretty accurate stage times would need to be gathered in advance. It would be best run around the longest day, but this clashed with the Dusk til Dawn events for Help for Heroes, although an event running parralel, and for the same charity sounds like a good tie up ?

Who's getting married ? no-one tells me anything these days....

I wonder, as it's all caught on CCTV, did the guy in the Ka get a ticket ? It's an offence to prevent someone leaving thier property (but not for preventing them access which is odd). I'm with Cynic.

Worn cush rubbers....... welcome to my world ! Mine wear out every 1 1/2 tyres, so I extend the life a little by packing out the rubbers with sheets of old inner-tube. Bicycle ones will work (but won't last long) but motorcycle ones are better. The method is to cut a sheet that is the right size to cover the 'fin' (part 6) on the sproket carrier, place the sheet over the hole on the hub side then push the carrier (part 8) into the gaps. If it is very tight then you are onto a winner, if it's still slack then your inner-tube bodge won't last very long at all. You can make it a little easier by using a small ammount of talcum powder as this acts as a lubricant for the rubber. Try it, you've nothing to loose.

Yep. I had a KLE a while back that used to stop when the revs hit xxx, took me ages to figure it out! Remember that your bike is a single and quite 'lumpy' compared to the nice smooth inline bikes. The side-stand will be bouncing a bit, especially if the switch is making bad contact. However, you say you shorted out the wires and it still did it... you might want to check the whole cable back to the loom and see if there are any breaks, or frays.

That's where my money is.

Conti TKC80's have superb grip on winter roads.... they are going to look very odd on your bike though!! What you should look for is something soft, as a rule of thumb (and not always correct) the longer a tyre lasts the harder the compound. On winter roads normal tyres never reach optimum temperature, this is why some countries specify 'winter tyres' as they heat up even in the exteme cold. On a bike these are normally accompanied with spikes, so realy not what you want. The alternative is to find a realy soft compound that will last the winter and need replacing in the spring. If this is any help to you I don't know.....

Oh.... well never mind, go somewhere else then. Simple!

Not realy. Firstly, what did you ask for? you need to be honest here, did you specify you wanted the 600 mile checkup, or did you ask for a service ? The reason I ask, is simple, if they delivered what you asked for then I'm afraid it's tough luck, and they can keep hold of your bike until you pay the bill, after a year and a day they can sell the bike to recover the losses (sooner if they ask a court) . Oh, and they are legally entitled to charge you storage too. So best get this dealt with quickly. Now, Yamaha haven't really got any sway with the dealer, the best you should hope for is that the parts will be FOC, so maybe a £60 reduction, leaving £290... about £246 + VAT or around 6 hours work (assuming £40 and hour). For a major service this would be acceptable I think, but Yamaha have fixed 'price' servicing (fixed in terms of time, not cost, so if it's a 2 hour service then you pay 2 x the dealers rate). You need to ask your dealer to itemise the cost breakdown, you want to see how much per hour, how many hours and the parts used, you also want to see the part (they must be able to give you the old parts, or you don't have to pay for the new ones). Then you need to question the time element, it will be too high and ask them why (assuming it is) it took longer to check e the bike than Yamaha state it will. Also make it very clear that you asked for the 600 mile check. Call another Yamaha dealer in your area, not too far away and ask for a quote for the 600 mile check. Go back to yuor dealer and offer to pay for some of the cost, whatever you have been quoted as full and final settlement. If the refuse ask them why, do it in writing. Tell them you are going to Trading Standards as you belive you the have conspired to defraud you. Now go to Trading Standards with the evidence, the bill breakdown, the quote for the other dealer. Tell them you are unhappy, you belive you have been defrauded and insist that they deal with this case, also insist that they assist you in getting your bike returned. Call them every day and ask for an update. As OG said earlier, this is a lessson to learn, especially when you go for a cheaper deal - there are reasons why companies at the other end of the country are cheaper, they don't have to worry about things like the first service, warranty work etc Good luck and remember to be polite, always be calm and polite, state your case, be firm, calm and polite. Never loose your temper or feel compeled to use anything but firm polite language. (did I mention being firm, calm and polite?)

I bought a copy of this a few months ago, came with a free phone sock, and a pretty goog one too! Kinda made up for the utter dissapointment the mag was....

+1 Kinda depends what you are wearing it for.... I have a similar setup I use for off-road. Much better than a jacket with armour as the amour doesn't move, it stays put and does the job you expect it to. On a road spill, with a cheapo crappy jacket then it's just going to wear away, under leather it's going to provide great protection. Most armour inside your jacket is cheap, and not great - but it kinda depends if you are going to fall off doesn't it ? Horses and Courses is what comes to mind.

Alternativly, try these - Sex Aids for 2 Strokes

The whole bloody internet is running slow for me.......

Try these guys, I've used them in the past. Vast selection of stuff, you'll have to search though http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/VWP-onlinestore/home/homepage.php

Exo2...... I have a pair here that I never use, I was given a set for a trip I done a couple of years ago that ventured through the Arctic. They we really good, they don't get hot like grips do, but keep your entire hand a degree or so above normal. The Exo2's are unique in that the fabric is the heating element so it's 100% coverage, rather than most which have heater wires running up and down the figers, back of hand etc. EXO2 StormSheild during my trip I managed to mangle the gloves in an over enthusiastic ride through northern Greece. When I returned the gloves were replaced for me (result!) but I've never found the need to wear them back in blighty. I realy should eBay them.

Don't know, I just found them on eBay. You could try sending a message to the seller ? Normally they clamp onto the bars, same as the barkbusters but a less elaborate design.

Ah, toes, I ride alot of off-tarmac, and up here it's realy wet. In fact you could probably describe them as wetroads rathet than green lanes at times. Anyway I bought a pair of SealSkiz to deal with the water (My Mx Boot aren't waterproof), now I tried these in the winter and they are the warmest sock I have ever had, expensive yes but they don't let in any air and have morino wool wich is like cotton but super efficient and warm. They are well worth the investment. Check the link, they do under gloves too, but I don't know if they are any good - > SealSkinz Socks

Handguards are, or rather can be good, and they can be a nightmare.... I had huge ones on my Varadero and the wind whipped around the edges, so I was constantly getting a frozen little finger, I tried smaller ones and they worked much better. What you are looking for is something to guide the wind just over the top and bottom of your glove for best results. There are lots of makes on the market from re-inforced guards for serious stuff (like falling off) and just some wind protection. I've tried all kinds of deflectors, and the best I've found are the Acerbis ones. There are some for Streetbikes on eBay here -> Acerbis Hadnguards for £65. Barkbusters are pretty good, you can get them at lots of places, try HERE. An old biker (probably dead now) gave me a tip on winter gloves, always buy a size that is too big for you, so your hands can move about in them a bit and have 5-10mm of space at the end of the fingers. it allows the air to heat up in your glove and keeps you warmer. Personally I don't like the feeling of less control, but I tried it and it does work, my hands were warmer!

I had to think about what you ment here... I'l be honest, I shuddered when I read this, but after thinking about it I think you just mean you feel alot more confident than when you got on the bike. Confidence is a good thing, but there is a fine line that you need to learn (it can't be tought) between confidence and ability. You need to get the balance right so the confidence matches your ability, or more accurately, you can control your confidence to meet your ability - am I making sense ? You don't sound like a knob, and believe me there are alot of them out there, so I think you'll do just fine on the bike. I've riden in groups of all sizes, from 30 or 40 bikes to 3 or 4 mates and I don't care for it at all. I'm happiest on my own, and the best group rides are the ones where your mate is 1/2 mile in front or behind you so it feels like you are alone. There really isn't going to be much in it speedwise, but you can be a faster rider (from A to by being a better rider. When you can judge, anticipate and second-guess other road users you will gain the fractions of a second over your mate, but you will also be safer and less likely to trash your bike in the process. Now, get out there and put some miles on your bike, and remember observation, observation, observation....

That is less a matter of speed, and more often to do with stupidity or balls !!! It's worrying that you worry about being overtaken, the road isn't a place for racing. Chill out, relax and enjoy riding your own bike, at a speed you feel safe at, enjoying the freedom and laughing at the cage drivers stuch in traffic. If your mate wants past you, let him, don't get dragged into one up-manship on the roads, it's just not worth it.

Here's something to consider..... Firstly HID lights must (under UK law) be self leveling and self cleaning.......... But things like this don't usually bother people, so..... Imaging for a momment, you are riding down a road with lovely bright HID lights. Around the corner comes Mrs Miggins in here little Austin Metro with the shopping in it, she doesn't normally shop this late at night (it's only 8 O'Clock after all) but there was some bargains at Asda. There is a bit of drizzle in the air too and she's happily singing along to Take That (she's quite hip you know). Anyway, around the corner she comes and is blinded by your HID lights and the startbusrt effect the drizzle is causing. Her immediate action is to cover her eys and look away, but she hasn't properly turned the corner and head straight,,,,,, into you! A month later, you awake, having lost 4 weeks pay, missed a mortgage payment and your credit card. The gas bill has arrived as has the electric bill. Fair enough I'll sue here for the loss. Only the traffic policeman inspected your bike and thought, "this doesn't look right" so asks the VOSA man to take a look. "yes, that's illegal". You insurance company find this out and revoke your cover, and as you had an illegal light the Police conclude the accident was your fault.... 6 months later, you've got back to work, but you have 3 CCJ's and a repossession order on your house..... ------ OK, it's a little extreme, but not beyond possibilty. The point here, is that although lots of people use these HID conversions, they are illegal, and there is nothing worse as a bike as having some git in a BMW/Audi/Merc/Jag with overly bright HID lights coming towards you on a wet dark night. Just because you can see, doesn't mean the person coming towards you isn't going to be blinded. I have HID lights on my car, and they aren't all that great to be honest, I'd much rather have a Halogen and a decent reflector.

I don't but a mate has asked the same question, so I'll go get one. Then the problem of sorting out my FTP site as it has taken a bit of a hissy fit with me......