Leatherat

Collected the Highway Hawk screen this morning, spent all afternoon fitting it.......what a ball ache! The screen itself is great but the universal fitting kit is very poor, it doesn't fit to the bars nicely at all. I'm going to have to have some ali mounting blocks machined to make it a good job, but it's on and what a difference it makes! There is about a 5mph top end improvement, and so much more comfortable. Anyway, a full report with photos will follow in a couple of days, but for now, suffice to say that if you're thinking of a screen for your cruiser you'll not regret it, however be aware the Highway Hawk Large Windshield is not a quick fit if you want it to look good straight out of the box.

I can understand that, but after the completion of the DIY 250 option, is the bike going to be as economical as you need?

I can't help you on the technical side , but........ How much is that lot going to cost? Sending heavy stuff to & from France can't be cheap, and for what return? 250cc? really? Isn't it more cost effective to sell the 125, spend the money you allocated for the alterations and buy a larger capacity machine? Is it the engineering challenge that's driving this project? If that's the case, the price is somewhat immaterial and I wish you all the best, however if you are trying to disguise the status of your 125 to opperate it as a 250 on a learner licence, be aware that in the unfortunate event of an accident, you'll be up ShitCreek without so much as a paddling stick.

Neversay die wrote.......Hmmmmm. So why do you ride a bike then Stupid fuckin' question! I eat junk food, but would like it to be better for me..........Idiot!

So are you saying that, the fact that the car is 3X heavier than the bike, with all the intial engergy that requires to move it forward, has more rolling resistance, more windage regardless of it's drag co-efficient and is still producing a greater mileage per fuel used than the bike, which even with the un-aerodynamic shape is easier to initially get moving, the car has no greater efficiency than the bike? Sorry, I don't see it. All of these turning forces etc are going to be over ridden by the cars weight surely.

Turning forces, bike vs car wind resistance etc is all irrelevent the original question was based around whether the bike engine is as efficient as the car engine, and it's quite clearly not.

Good point, and one I'd not considered. Do you think that this would have a drastic effect on the mpg, the difference is quite large, or are there other things that might be done? Not all cars, and not all bikes, there are some bikes that look almost egg like (CBRR1000) and some cars which are more akin to bricks (Ford Cortina?) I don't see your point here, the figures are just figures, surely the type of riding /driving is irrelevent .

I've no idea, but I would have thought Mr Yamaha et al would have come up with somehing by now, and they probably would have if we as a collective stopped accepting the fact that bikes can't be made to do what cars obviously can. and as for the EFI vs carb, the Escort Mk1 is quoted at 27mpg, so that may have some merit.

According to an MCN review, the Honda Deauville averages 55mpg, it weighs 236Kg and has 65bhp on tap. Therefore it hauls 3.6kg per horse power. Meaning the car still out guns the bike. Even if you could squeeze 67mpg (nearly twice as much as the car) it would still mean the car pulls more weight per horse power and is therefore more efficient. These are quotes taken directly from a review of the Enfield Bullet in 2008........... 'The top speed of the Bullet 500 is an indicated 75mph, but the bike vibrates badly at this velocity and anything above 65mph is a tough strain on bike and rider'.......'The bike is so light, just 160kgs'.................So what we have here is a 25bhp antique road show, with added extras like an excellent, progressive front disc brake, a faultless electric starter, a smoother engine than you might expect and outstanding fuel economy. I logged 82 miles on my way home from Blockley in Gloucestershire, then stopped near Bridgnorth to fill the fuel tank to the brim again, with precisely £4.87p worth of unleaded'....... Having checked , the unleaded fuel average price for 2008 was £1.06 per litre, which means the 82 miles were covered using 1 gallon, very impressive, but as it states the Enfield puts out 25bhp and weighs 160kg which equates to 6.4kg per horse power, still less efficient than a family hatchback and I would venture, the Enfield is hardly a machine any of us would want to ride. Oh, and your quite correct about the 125's they're all up around 100mpg ish. My point is that car manufacturers have obviously invested time and money in R&D to make their vehicles more economic to run, whereas bike manufacturers seem to have spent their time making their machines go fast and look good. Maybe this is another reason that the motorcycle has gone from being the working mans cheap daily transport, to being a weekend plaything.

Far too simple an answer, it doesn't work like that I'm afraid. The Ford's engine produces 113bhp and it weighs 1200kg, so the car has to haul 10.6kg per horse power The 650 twin produces 40bhp so has to haul 5.4kg per horse power The 900 Diversion produces 90bhp so has to haul 2.6kg per horse power So, the car is still far more efficient than either of the bikes.

Don't you find it gauling that as motorcyclists we are being shafted by the manufacturers over the awful fuel economy of our bikes? My current steed is a 650cc twin, it weighs 215Kg and is capable of transporting 2 adults and a small amount of luggage. Fuel economy = 40-45mpg. My last bike was a XJ900S Diversion, 900cc transverse inline 4 cylinder which weighed 239Kg and is capable of transporting 2 adults and a small amount of luggage. Fuel economy = 45-50mpg. Whereas, my Ford Focus is a 1600cc transverse inline 4 cylinder which weighs 1200Kg, is capable of transporting 5 adults and a not inconsiderable amount of luggage. Fuel economy = 37-40mpg. (as a point of reference, the new BMW 1600cc bike is reportedly only getting 22-30mpg) How can a slip of a thing such as a bike, not be attaining fuel figures far in excess of those acheived by a heavy lump of a car? Motorcycle manufacturers have fallen so far behind their 4 wheel counterparts, that we as their customers really ought to be outraged at the dinosaur like machines we are being asked to accept. Surely the advancements of technology which make bikes go, and stop so well should be aimed at making them go a bit further on a gallon of 4 star?

Ah Ha! All becomes clear. You're quite right, you will struggle to find a larger capacity bike which will come anywhere near the mpg of a 125, and the insurance an tax costs are a whole lot less as well. But I've always been of the opinion that you really ought to get the bike you want, regardless of the practicalities, because you'll never be satisfied with second best and it'll eat away at you until you give in to temptation and buy what you wanterd anyway, having wasted a load of cash trying to be sensible. Whilst we're on the subject of fuel economy, how come as motorcyclists, we get screwed...............for another thread perhaps. Good luck on your travels, I'd prefer something with a bit of grunt to pound the miles on, but whatever gets you through the night I guess.

Nice trike........and that's something I rarely say! Trikes seem to have the worst of both bikes and cars, i.e you get wet and still have to wait in traffic. Most bike derived trikes look simply awful, good as bikes but bad as trikes.........the Virago however looked awful as a bike, but strangely really good as a trike.......funny old world really. Be lucky.

I'm puzzled........If you are a learner, you won't be able to use the Motorways, and if you've passed your test why are you buying a 125cc machine?

Hi, I guess I'm some of those folk then 'cause I've got a Caberg Jussimo GT flip front helmet and they are noisy. They also have a habit of the visor seal leaking at the top which is a PITA., but they're comfortable and cheap for a flip front. There are flip front lids that are legal to use as an open face........but the Caberg isn't one of them. However I find it's a real godsend to be able to flip it up to speak to people, have a fag etc, so I put up with it's short comings. I paid £135.00 for mine awhile back, but I have seen them for as little as £50, although that was a sale price. As for clothing, the Dragstar surely warrants a pair of kevlar jeans and a leather jacket, go for the textiles when you retire and buy yourself a BMW.

Don't care! as long as it avoids this...............

Not being one for 1980's dance crazes (at any speed let alone 80mph) I have today ordered one of these from the good people at Highway Hawk, (through Matts Motorcycles Bristol ) Delivery is expected towards the middle of next week, I'll post picture and a fabulously positive reveiw once it's fitted.

Thanks Razor.......and err.... here's a tissue

Do chicks dig the bugs in the teeth look these days? If not I guess I'd better get a screen! The Dragstar is less than half the horsepower of the Diversion, so it's going to be slower, just going to take some getting use to. Quick snap of the throttle overtakes are a thing of the past, but on the brighter side the dragstar handles better than the 900 Divi, creating more confidence which means cornering speeds can be greatly increased, although the foot pegs will need to be replaced on a regular basis.

Sorry Barkwindjammer but it was sold very quickly and easily. There are thousands out there but that one was a low mileage, 3 owner minter with full Givi luggage and very reasonable at £1700............ (As an aside.....I couldn't advertise it on this site as I'm not a paid up member and unless you stick your hand in your pocket which I'm not prepared to do, you can't sell or advertise for wanted stuff) If you ever do look at buying a 900 Divi, drop me a line and I'll run you through the things to look out for. As a jobbing all round bike, the 900 Divi can't be beaten...fact. But it's not a sexy machine, it's heavy (heavier than this dragstar) the 900 motor is bulletproof but thirsty and the summers coming so I wanted a knicker elastic twanging dream machine for those long warm evenings cruising up and down the promenade. So I bought this............. I love it, but the force 12 blast which comes over the handlebars is unbearable.

I have recently sold my XJ900S Diversion and bought a XVS650 Dragstar, which I'm very pleased with save for one thing............... motorway riding. At speeds in excess of 60mph (which is another niggle to be honest, it's not very rapid 85 - 90 absolute max) it takes a gargantuan effort to hold on to the hadlebars, my full face helmet is shoved right back into my nasal passage and keeping my head from being either pushed up or down is nigh on impossible. So I was thinking about a screen, they look pretty awful but I was hoping someone might have something constructive to say about fitting one. Will it transform the XVS650 into a useable machine for motorway cruising, or am I destined to remain pottering about on the backroads? I hope the screen thing is a goer as it's otherwise a great bike.

Hi SSGT, real nice looking ride! This is my '98 Classic, they're great bikes just need a good exhaust system to make them sound right.

Nothing wrong with an old FJ1200, big comfy mile crunchers, the one pictured looks very tidy, just not a bike I'd assosiate with a custom paint job.

Cool tank, don't know anything about it, but I'd never have guessed that the picture of the custom tank was the same bike as the FJ in the next picture.

Hey Teague.......wanna sell 'em? Drop me a PM.