Cynic

That's cos you have a new Bandit. Nothing like the original, that early b12 was an unrefined animal, total licence eater, brutal as a kick in the balls and so like an LC once it was returned to the rightful 160+hp that GSXR lump is supposed to make. It didn't have 6th

Good idea john. Orderd a rivet link so i can put the joint in without weakening the chain. 2 split links would be a bit much i think.

Yep, all original matching numbers, ha. Tis a uk bike though. Different disks, bars, grips, front callipers, the fork gaiters don't reach the bottom yolk and those frankly disastrous Pirelli's. It will handle like a drunken sailor on those. Also, see the barrels, on a bike like that would you not think anybody changing them would paint them, I did, the paint colour is out there. Or there the original barrels if so that mileage is pony. Gold anodised wheels, the spokes break the anodising and then the anodising gets moisture under it and off it comes, I know cos that's what happened to me. Means those rims are replacements too. Another nail in the couple of hundred mile coffin. 3k and it will go up too, makes me wonder what mine's worth sometimes. That's a pretender. Just another rebuild. Bet he didn't pay that for it.

I wish.....

Well aside from the photoblacmailerbucket thing. Small point, be VERY careful to measure twice and cut once when you shorten your chain........... Don't ask.

I'm not sure that even something as indestructible as the squires sausage could cope squeezed between kev and murph.

Is it just me or is the idea of 'a foamy sausage' just wrong.

Mine isn't overjoyed about it but seeing as I have 3 bikes in the garage I myself could not argue against it. Hypocrite I'm not.

Never used it, well ok that's a fib, used it once. Compared to using my phone normally it was a prize pain in the arse so I have ignored it ever since.

You have to put the spoke in the hub first, then move the rim around to get the spokes in. I suppose you could undo every spoke removing the nipples, then fit the new spokes then retighten and true everything.

More of a early go that was just not quite finished. The XS is more what the TX became after the troubleshooting, at least that's my understanding.

That's the only time it IS useful. Saving a learner worrying about a million things in a test situation arriving at their hill start in second. In the real world after a few miles your brain will do it for you. On an overtake after dragging behind 40mph traffic I can sometimes drop 2 even 3 gears (I'm one of the 2t crowd), I don't need to see an indicator to know. You only need to try the overtake in a gear too tall once, seems to stick. Your xj will have plenty enough go to make that worry unimportant.

Pointless gimmick, you have a sequential box. Revs too high lift foot, revs too low down foot. The time you spend looking at the number and then thinking about which gear in particular, which will only be 1 up or down generally most people will have finished with changing gear. Ignore the tech and get the feel for the bike.

Yeah as vehicle insurance goes this is ground zero.

Bigger bikes can go slow and a 125 can easily go fast enough to kill you. If you are a sensible sort you could direct access to an r1, would be a waste but you could. For me, 600 naked would be good, enough go for now and the future and good enough to learn the ropes.

Oh man that sucks, I though I was having a day for nasty shocks but that tops me easily. Well done for not lamping the idiot. Ha, Northampton, snap, or near enough. Which garden centre, only one of the top of my head is down near billing.

Well its coming down, still getting £1200+ quotes, even Bennets wanted over 800quid. Few of the less main stream companies are under 500 so its getting better. More phone calls tomorrow. Only pain in the arse is she cannot be insured till she has her cbt, so I can't get the bloody thing mot'd till she passes her cbt so I can book it in and ride it there. Why do we do it.......?

Today I have spent a couple of hours chasing insurance quotes for the daughters bike....... First quote was well over a grand, then searched around some more and got it down to around 1100 then with me on the policy and a lot of bartering I have got it down to 760. That's with CIA, (careful googling that one) third party only (excess starts at 600 quid on TPFT) fire and theft adds around 400 quid, with the excess on a bike that books at 500 quid is pointless. Anybody know any other insurance companies worth a try. I was expecting around 500 quid and quietly hoping it might be a bit less. Once you have 12 months on the bike the cost drops by over 60pc, its just that initial, no experience, no training bit that hits you hard. I blagged the guy on the phone to give me a ball park what it would be at 17 with 12mths nc, 240 quid..........!

Did you sort out the ride height to get the diagonals to line up. Will you not be stuck between it being right when your riding, or right when its parked up?

Honestly, speaking as a confirmed long time 2 stroke nut. I will admit to liking cruiser muscle bikes and would love a vmax, even to the point of test rides in a couple of bike shops but having 4 bikes already wifey dropped the hammer said no unless I sell the others. The one thing I have never got my head round is ape hangers, sorry. Nice wide set of cow horns giving it a really laid back look works for me. You certainly have the skills and the space to create something special. Will keep watching.

Technically yes, all the nuclear bit does is boil the water.

Blasphemy. As bad as the vmax re-make.

Yep, few years ago there was a steam show near me and somebody had taken an old articulated trailer. Done it up and mounted a soding great steam engine in it. Just sat there ticking over at like, 40rmp. All mint, beautiful engineering from the mid 1800's. Amazing stuf done with candles and a slide rule. Makes modern tech seem a bit low skill by comparison. No cnc or computer modling for brass and chrome steel components the size of a dining table that move effortlessly together. I was watching this thing move and all the tiny details for nearly an hour, oops.

Good job its my bike.

Damn missed this, does that stroker crank have better bearings and a stronger rod? Surely thumper.com and the like would know?