fosdyke

I remember that - back in the 70's my dad used to have a Zephyr V6 deluxe with a white vinyl roof - whenever we saw another one (which was rare) everyone waved! As to nods - I tend to nod to everyone including scooters (though the oiks don't really understand), but i draw the line a Pizza delivery - I have some standards!!! :lol:

Hi You could try Boyer Branson they used to do loads of kits for all sorts of bikes I've posted a link here: http://www.boyerbransden.com/ Good luck.

Hi Simon Had similar prob on my YB which turned out to be carb problems. You say you have checked the oil pump setting have you checked all the carb settings, and taken it out thoroughly cleaned it and blown out all the airways? If you've just bought it you could have ignition problems - have a look at the surfaces on the points if they are particularly black you could have a condensor failure - though this is rare. If they are pitted you might need to replace them. The ignition timing is fiddly to set up on the YB without a dial test gauge but you can improvise with a piece of dowling and a protractor! Check everything out and see if it improves - I got a new set of points from fleabay for about £4. Good luck

Verrry nice........we are all of course insanely jealous especially the other half who is now going to nag me incessantly to finish the paint-job on her GPZ. I'm sure you will have lots of fun......roll on better weather......although I see it's going to be good tomorrow..... :D :D

I think this discussion is going nowhere and you should agree to disagree. If any of us could prevent the SIDSY's we would and the world would be a better place - but we all know that isn't going to happen - we have to be as careful and as sensible as we can and do our best to educate, and empower particularly our children so that they can take 'calculated' risks understanding the potential consequences of their actions. Contrary to popular belief life doesn't come with a guarantee of three score years and ten; somewhere over the last fifty years I think we have lost sight of that......

I assume from the post that you have a spark on ALL 4 plugs? If so then I would suspect lack of fuel to number three which could be blocked jet or a valve problem - I suggest you do a compression test. If you haven't got a suitable gauge then put your thumb over the plug hole - if there is a big difference in compression you will feel it. I had a similar problem with my GT550 couldn't figure out why it wouldn't pull fuel in 1&4 until I found the valve clearances were a mile out and the valves wern't closing - new shims and it's all sorted now - but it had me scratching my head for a while. Good luck. :D

You have wisdom beyond your years Wild Foamy! Good luck with the RAF thing!

By prefacing your post with "Well let me throw a spanner in the works...." you are quite obviously offering your opinion on what was originally a post about the legalities of taking children pillion, and contained (what I thought) was a lot of sensible advice about how to make it as safe and enjoyable experience as you could. I would think that most bikers who take, or intend to take their children pillion would have to answer NO to your question on the basis that if they framed it in that way, they would not be taking them pillion in the first place. With the greatest respect your 'question' is too emotive, bordering on the preachy and focuses purely on the negative - it is what will lead us to the cotton wool obsessed nannying state that we are increasingly sleepwalking into, where our children have no ability to assess 'risk' because they have no experience of it.

Sorry Geoffxt but it is not a simple question - What you are suggesting by inference is that a child riding pillion is somehow more dangerous than any other of a score of activities that they might be involved in: Riding a pushbike, walking to school, going to parties! I am sure (though I have not 'checked' the facts), that 'statistically' a child is at greater danger when they are out on a bicycle, are you suggesting that you have the same conversation with them then and suggest that this might be their last ride? Of course not - we all, ( and I am a parent) want to protect our children that is natural, but what others were objecting to in your post was that it appeared to claim the moral high ground because there is a perception from many parts of society that bikes are evil deathtraps and should be banned. In a sense there is nothing wrong with what you are saying. I am all for educating children about the potential dangers of the environment that they live in, in-fact I think this is the most important thing that we do as parents, and is better than the 'cotton wool suit' approach, however your 'discussion' was overtly negative, and only focussed on the potentially negative aspects of biking, which is fine IF you have the same conversation with your children about everything else they do! My daughter will be 16 in the summer and can't wait to get her own scooter/moped - as a bike rider I am not going to discourage her, that would be hypocritical, as a parent of course I am worried, but I would rather start from a positive position: Yes being on the road is dangerous, but having a healthy attitude to approaching that potential danger to me is a better way forward. So in short and in answer to your question NO - but then neither have I had the same conversation with them about going to the shops, or to school, but I have had a conversation with them about ALL of these things pointing out that there is potential danger in everything and that they should be sensible and careful in everything they do.

Hi - and welcome - and as Goff says - let's see it then! :D

Welcome to both of you. :D :D

I would agree - they're probably not going to see you anyway - but anything that is going to increase the chances have got to be worth it in my book. I ride that same way as I drive and just assume the pr*t emerging on the left is a complete moron - it's saved my arse more than a few times. As to making all vehicles use lights during the day - I do think that this will be bad news for bikes - they will get lost among the 'clutter' at least at the moment if you see lights during the day 10 to 1 its a bike. Continuous testing? - sounds good in theory but I don't think the additional revenue stream from re-tests would cover the potential VAT receipts from petrol that might be lost, plus if some of the numptys managed to get through the test once (and I know a few people who shouldn't be let loose behing a ton of metal - period!), chances are they'll do it again. Still I suppose if more people were excluded from their cars through re-tests - we'll need more Bus drivers!!!! :D :D

All the best for a speedy recovery - as they say the bike's only a lump of metal and can be replaced - its more difficult for you! Look on the bright-side at least you get a 'new' bike for the new year! And watch out everyone there are a lot of idiot cagers out there at the moment (well more than usual!)

This may or may not help you....... As per previous posts 2 possibilities: 1. Fork Oil 2. Brake fluid For the initiated - they smell slightly different, brake fluid has a very distinctive smell. For the unititiated - check your brake fluid reservoir - has it gone down at all? - Sure sign of a leak. And don't, repeat, don't re-use brake pads that have been impregnated with oil, they WILL let you down when you most need them! :D

Did you use petrol resistant lacquer? - you only make that mistake once believe me - i've been there!! Oh well out with the W&D and the filler again! Good luck with the rest of the project - keep us posted.

OK one thing at a time: 1. Check float height - remove the bowl and using a ruler measure the height of the floats when they are closing the needle valve (ie in the up position), and compare to the workshop specs. To adjust you have to bend the brass tab that stops the floats from dropping. 2. Needle valve not shutting off fuel flow when floats are at correct height (ie you can blow air down the fuel intake) - you need to 'carefully' (do this over a table and some paper) remove the needle valve it will be attached via a wire to the float assembly. Examine the needle end it should taper to a fine point - if it doesn't then you will have to get a new one. Otherwise clean (carefully) replace and check to see if you can still blow air through the fuel intake. Repeat this process for each carb. 3. Don't worry about the screws - brass are often used so as not to damage the carb body. 4. If you have a blocked jet you will need to clean it out - try blowing through it - if it is a removable jet (some are hidden) unscrew and look through it at a light source (not too bright!) you should see a perfectly round hole - if not blow through it small end to large using your mouth - I tend to find this clears most stuff. If not DON'T use wire, but soak in carb cleaner overnight and try again. 5. Poor performance is almost certainly linked to this - sorting carbs is a bit like doing black magic - but I find persistance usually pays off. Good luck PS sorry don't have float heights for this model - do you have a workshop manual?

I would definitely chuck it back at the garage - they should have sorted this/identified it at the service. But if you want to DIY then you will need to take out the pads and apply a SMALL (emphasize SMALL - don't let this get on the wrong side of the pads) amount of copperslip to the back of the pads - this should stop the noise.

Hi - and don't worry about your english it's far better than my German!! If the frame is the same then there is no reason why you couldn't (with a bit of modification) fit the bigger engine......BUT and here's the 'rub' - You may well have to uprate both the brakes and the forks and use a carb and pipes which suit the 250cc engine, all of which might make the project not worth it in the long run - but someone with more experience of this type of conversion could put you straight. Let us know what you decide.

Good for you!

My advice......take a Northern route across during late summer/early fall...absolute Breath-taking scenery up that way. How long do you think it would take Yamahead? I got quite a bit of time off over the summer - so I would be thinking of doing it late August - especially following your advice. PS Goff - what are you qualifying in?

OK doesn't sound like a top end problem if you are getting 140+ psi, If you haven't run the engine at high revs I would expect the plug to be sooty - have you cleaned and check the carbs and settings? This could be a fuel detonation problem - I would check: 1. Spark on plug to rear cylinder 2. Ignition timing 3. Valve clearances 4. Cam chain tension Don't right off the engine yet - BTW waht is the mileage on this bike?

Think you need to do a complete dismantle and reassemble with a rebuild kit. if you haven't got compressed air try forcing the pistons out using the brake system: You will need to remove the wheel, and get a container and rags to catch the spilt fluid. Pump out the pistons by using the brake (you may need to add more fluid), without the disc to stop them they should come out under the pressure of the fluid. Once they are out you will need to replace the piston seals before you reassemble, and I would recommend using a bit of clean brake fluid in the cylinders before replacing the pistons. As for the air bubbles rebuild the caliper first then try again.

Have used a petrol tank repair putty successfully on a car which would get you out of the poo - but better to look for a new tank or have the old one brazed.

Rest assured.....I'll be doing this trip again......only next time, it'll be on MY schedule! where hopefully the weather will be better. Looks great Yamahead - how long did it take you? There are a bunch of us hooing to ride across the states in the next couple of years - any advice on routes etc?

Is it a 1 or 2 part exhaust - if so is it only on part that has 'gone'? that might help you a bit on cost - but fleabay or bikebreakers are good bets unless you can get it repaired. Good luck