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mr bignal

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Everything posted by mr bignal

  1. thanks, i do have one unsubstantiated finding.. say you spend £650 on a 20 yr old runner in good condition with an mot, it seems like a bargain...but i find that you double that amount over, say, the next 18mths/2 yrs sorting it, all sorts of faults that occur*, so..maybe i should have spent 2 x £650 ie: £1,3K in the first place for one in top order, I don't know, not sure for example i bought a bike off a guy who said he was an engineer, he sais that he had changed the final drive, rebuilt the starter and refurbished the rear brake - guess what the three things that required attention in the first few months.
  2. yes i can see it's tedious to read especially as i haven't done the cartoons yet. i have a slot with vjmc magazine, three articles a year plus illustrating other peoples stories which is what i'm doing at the moment but....buying sub £1K is what I do, sometimes it works out better than others
  3. sad to hear what happened
  4. really appreciate your comment on my cartoon, no idiot like an old idiot! Would have been embarrassing if that got published as the magazine goes world wide, about 5.5K copies.

  5. i hardly know what to make of that - Crumbs is anybody safe from people like him?
  6. most unfortunate - i do find lorry drivers use their bulk to muscle out but what can you do.
  7. well the seals will always be useful so long as you keep that bike
  8. I started a thread on making lists, it was partly to help with a vintage japanese motorcycle club item - i have now wrapped that up pretty much and i'll send it in fairly soon with the cartoons i did. i have another, in the pipeline, on budget motorcycling, if you have the time/inclination i have pasted it in below, this is a draft, i'd be interested in any comments please plus of course your views on the subject, it's a bit tongue in cheek No cartoons done yet. budget motorcycling As a self confessed tightwad you can't find cheaper and more fun transport than used Japanese motorcycles. There's no need to lay out big money for a bike if you aren't too fussy about it being the latest thing. The neighbours might not be too thrilled at the sight and sound but you get a lot for your money. Buying second hand is a minefield of course, the best advice is to go for something as mint as possible. Given that older bikes are plentiful, even one in good condition can be reasonably priced. Tried and tested in the unloved sector of around 20 years old is the skinflint's way to go . Going back much over 25 years, may require more caution because frames rot and seals become brittle. You have to keep on top of niggles but fettling is half the enjoyment. Often there is warning of an impending fault, a good independent motorcycle mechanic is a sensible backstop. We live in a profligate age, products are designed to be relatively short lived and disposable, new models replace old and fashions change. This is a contrast with the 'make do and mend' husbandry of the post war years. Back then, motorbikes were for those who couldn't afford a car. Influenced by post war parsimonious thinking it grieves me to spend out on motorbike. Admittedly buying tatty but sound doesn't work out any less expensive than buying the same in good condition over time but it does spread the cost, avoiding the higher outlay. Traditional bikers of the frugal variety are a minority, stuck in a time warp of austerity, unwilling to pay high prices for today's offerings. However, if you can resist the tide and can be content with an adequate but less desirable motorbike then there are some bargains to be had. A fundamental bangernomics principal that the heart shouldn't rule the head, purchasing research is needed to establish target models and their weaknesses, pertinent questions then follow to cover any such issues. You can't buy something you hate so the heart has a place in the choice. There is 'value for money' pleasure in rescuing older designs that allow new owners to tinker without special tools or special skills. Carburetors and air cooled is simpler as compared with more recent innovations and mid range means you can avoid pricier tyres. New or old you will have to fund consumables, ie: chains, tyres and plugs so we are talking about the motorbike itself. Japanese engines were made to last and the rest of the tackle is fairly robust given our climate. Older models can be reliable, they rarely go wrong unless mistreated. There is a 'Trigger's Broom' factor in so far as everything is replaceable, swapping out parts for those bought on auction sites is the nigardly way of Mr Pinchpenny. YouTube videos are a lifesaver when it comes to 'how to' and motorbike forums are a source of advice and information. There is something to be said for operating with a limited fund of money as it obliges you to appreciate what you have and even to cherish it. These bikes may not be impressive to others but there is a sense of getting one over on consumerism and carrying the flag for older values of thrift. My miserly ways have been extended to accessories and riding gear, if you aren't too proud there is a host of unfashionable but perfectly usable garb, boots, gloves, textile trousers and tough jackets. I don't try to economise too much with helmets though. Free car parking, no bridge tolls, frustrating traffic queues or access issues represent savings in both money and time. There's only two tyres to buy not four, rides are invigorating, you meet people have a laugh, these are things money can't buy. So far, I haven't resorted to coasting down hills or slip streaming other vehicles (just joking) and I don't look that good in eBay stuff either. Nevertheless. there is pride in clocking up the miles having paid not an awful lot. The longer that you keep old bikes, the better it pays off. I don't want to win the lottery, it would spoil everything – I see people on newish machines eye my bike, 'poverty is a terrible thing' they must think but I can't be bothered to be ashamed. I glow with the righteous zeal of the green movement. No 'keeping up with the Jones's' for me, I prefer prudence .
  9. it looks the business i think the xj900 owner is trying to capitalise on the 27.5K mileage which I know isn't everything and I'm sure that the FJ could reach 80K odd.
  10. thanks guys - i should have said i'd been on before but didn't think anybody would remember me tbh
  11. this looks good but a lot of money http://www.ebay.com/itm/1994-Yamaha-XJ900F-Blue-White-Excellent-condition-its-age-/222192002434
  12. that's good - just out of interest what do you guys think of the big version of mine, ie: the XJ900F 1985 -1992 it has shaft drive which makes it a bit weighty and it looks out of date now, nevertheless....
  13. does the 1300 have any better fuel economy please?
  14. something i wouldn't mind asking you if that's ok? over recent times i have met a couple of people with fj1200 bikes, they enthuse about them of course...but the speed limit is 70 mph, i,ve never found that 600cc isn't fast enough and i don't really have any comfort problems plus i am a bit wary of anything heavier but still those bikes have something about them...any comment welcome
  15. thank you slice - 'retirement' is a funny old business isn't it, i am still not used to it after 2.5 yrs or so now. i almost envy the neighbour going off to work each morning but, on the other hand, i have run into a few former colleagues and the place doesn't sound as easy going.
  16. wow i am flattered you remembered - tbh i can't recall what i used for my earlier username or the password so i started again plus the pc had to be replaced and i lost quite a lot of links in the process. yes two sheds that's right well done there we are, two sheds, one bigger than the other. Using 'two sheds' in the search i see that i used my name before ianDouglas - sorry for the confusion. I've still got the red XJ600, not been on the road for a while, it's at the back of our garage awaiting a few jobs to be done.
  17. thanks - is the engine the same?
  18. i am a pensioner and with my new spare time i made one good bike out of two, both the same, one was an mot fail and the other in boxes via eBay would like to know if there are any other owners of this model please - it is over 25 years old now so i'm not expecting a huge response taken at pendine wales recently
  19. mr bignal

    Making Lists

    Do you make lists? I'd be interested to hear if you do. I am trying to write an article on this subject for the vintage japanese motorcycle club magazine, if you have the time and inclination it would be good to have your comments on my take:- Are you a list person? Do you have nagging niggles waiting to be addressed? Some short term priorities and others that need doing but are not urgent? It can become a muddle. Writing stuff down helps clarify thinking. Merely the act of composing a list helps order things although it's not good if it becomes a mass of 'to do' chores that you will struggle to achieve. Courses on 'effective time control' and 'project management' seemed an imposition at work, they were usually too general or unrelated to one's actual job. However, thinking ahead has got to be sensible. It's a case of deciding what you want to achieve then jotting down any random thoughts that might help get the job done. A Greek philosopher observed that, 'if one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favourable' ie: it's good to have a plan. One biker I met said he was aiming to own (by buying, restoring and selling) the motorcycles that he fancied in his younger days but, at the time, were out of reach. He has worked his way through a fair number over the years. Planning ahead may not be second nature but, generally speaking, things have a better chance of working out if a list is attempted, after all we aren't getting any younger. It could be a significant ride, possibly involving over night accommodation, in which case - should you book ahead?, work out a route? or regard the whole thing as an adventure? I am too timid to not at least sketch an itinerary, contingency plan and note down suitable gear to be taken. Whatever, plans go awry, there will be omissions, mistakes and unforeseen circumstances. I don't list down everything, like recording receipts, but we don't want to know how much we lavish on our bikes. However, I do 'pro - con' lists if ever I am tempted to buy another machine. Some people are naturally organised, one bloke I knew said he didn't want to rely on lists because if he did he would fear losing his memory. Not for me, making lists is my safety net, ticking items off and adding more, I try and write anything that occurs down in case the you forget – Branson, the business entrepreneur, recommends noting all ideas for later evaluation. Motorbikes are to be enjoyed, not something one wants to get into an efficient mind set about. Nevertheless, I expect you, like me, have set out on a bike trip and then, well into the journey, recalled something that you meant to take – it could be ear defenders, a map, an address, anything. Now I have a checklist, spare gloves, cash, 'phone and visor cleaner... There's a similar rote with the bike itself – brakes, tyres, chain, oil, lights, fuel and remember the bike lock. Similarly, for eBay, there's another list so I know what items that I could do with should they come up at the right price. Also, a further list of bike type jobs given inclement weather: it's raining, no matter, I'll get the refurbished swing arm sprayed ready for swapping over. There is a tendency to procrastinate when things become daunting but by plotting out complex issues you can usually see a way forward. List making can be an antidote to panic, forcing one to think though a job and how it might be accomplished. Start with the easiest aspect of a task and the rest then unfolds giving a sense of achievement as work progresses in a logical way. Lists are powerful things, you commit to a course of action and almost before you know it you are sub-consciously following your own plan. I wanted to build one good motorbike out of two I'd acquired, an MOT failure and another in boxes – both the same model. I bite sized the project through lists, it became manageable and eventually went ahead but I forgot to factor in the cost Doh! It wasn't a particularly economic outcome. I need to remember future events like servicing, MOT dates and make lists for planning alterations/upgrades but dare I risk it and accept life as it comes? Not worry too much – use my memory and be more of a free spirit unencumbered by premeditation? Somehow that just doesn't appeal, it goes against the grain, I'm a list maker. You may sacrifice spontaneity for predictability but I'm sure that lists are the way to go.
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