Ttaskmaster

I'm staying as Taskmaster, because whatever the task is, I *shall* master it!! Current task - Locate and extract ceramic splinter from snapped spark plug, which is likely blocking an exhaust valve and causing misfire mayhem...

The renewal and admin charges were the reasons I told my formerly wonderful Carole Nash to go fuck themselves this time and got myself a new (and much cheaper) policy with Churchill (through Devitt).

It happened very soon after the last service and check-over. I know my mechanic does good work, so would have spotted this and I know he checked the thing over before properly lubing it up as I was smoking a ciggie and manning the bike jack while watching him do it! I didn't even feel this go. I only knew my last one went as I rode over a sunken manhole cover to avoid a speed hump and the thing bumped out of it's place against the bush, where it'd been resting for however long. Sudden 'Low Rider' mode is a worrying experience. So now y'all know what to look for, check regularly. Not a common thing to take the seats and back end off, but it doesn't take long and saves you several hundred quid. Every 3 months, I reckon, or sooner if your bike has high mileage (ie more than 30,000 miles).

This crops up all the time. At very low speeds, you turn the bars right if you want to turn the bike right. Above those low speeds, you lean... yes? No. As proven in the videos, you turn the bars slightly left, you will lean the bike right. Many people push forward on the side they want to turn, so push right bar to turn right... right? Now - When you go to lean, the first thing that moves will be your head. Shoulders will follow, then the body... but wait - Shoulders move? Yep, as you lean your shoulders juuuuuuuuust a fraction, you put slightly more force on to one arm than the other... and that's enough to move the bars to start the counter-steer. OK, so now you're banking over. This is where most people think they're turning the bars in the turn direction... and they're correct, to a degree. Because you're banking, you're basically tipping the bike over on it's side, so you turn the bars back to stop this and maintain lean angle throughout the turn. Thus a bike turn is a controlled fall, in essence. But to start the lean, you counter-steer. On a Cruiser, it is much more noticable - The bars are wider and you have almost no weight on your feet, so you have no option but to countersteer and you really feel it in those arms. I actually pull on, or hang off the opposite bar during some turns. On my Tourer, for example, it's less noticable but still works the same way. I'm still conscious of doing it, but it blends with everything else into an overall feel for the handling.

I don't give a shit where you're from - If you ride a Yamaha and are a chatty fella, you're good with me!!

two sheds - Do you have two sheds? Are you Arthur "Two Sheds" Jackson, the composer? bollinger - I like. Lets me do my Gene Hunt impression, Bollie!! surface agent - Mysterious... Another good one.

Bennetts have always been the most expensive. They claimed they were saving me £100 by increasing my renewal fee by £380!!! Fuck that!! CN *were* OK... but after the rigmarole yesterday, I've gotten the new bike under Churchill, of all places!

Long as it's not chucking it down (if I have the choice), snowing or icy, I'll be out in it. Will be much easier with the new bike, I imagine, but still... served my time in horrendous weather on the Cruiser, so...

WTF is this about? You got me out of bed to come look at this??!! I thought either you got married/were having sex/were into genetic splicing or (this being a bike forum) had maybe fitted a new 2-into-1 exhaust!!

Well..... We fettled the carbs, balanced them, replaced the HT cabling, ripped out the Red Hermaphrodite quick-gasket crap and replaced with an OEM, same for air filter, aligned wheel, adjusted chain, rebult forks and all calipers.... errmm.... put some shiny new bolts in place of the rusty ones and did some other fancy mechanicky stuff that I didn't really follow. So obviously... <<<------- I BOUGHT THE FJ!!!!!!!!!! And hey, I'm still a Yamaha Owner, which is pretty damn cool, eh!!

Yes they did change the fairing. I *believe* you have the 3CV model. The FJ1200s come in 1TX, 3CV and finally 3XW versions.

OK, finally remembered to take pics: http://s483.photobucket.com/user/Ttaskmaster/slideshow/Ttaskmaster Remember, this had snapped and I was unaware for a good couple of months, which is why the snapped end is so rusty.

Might need to adjust the mixture screw as you're probably now getting more fuel, so need more air to compensate.

Safe or sorry - Your call, bro. I like safety.

650 Drag Queens sound brilliant with modded pipes. Highway Hawks are good, but straight-throughs are DEAFENING ha ha ha!!!!!!!!

Stock standard 125s usually fetch more money than modded ones.

Still makes out go, "OWWWWWWFUCKITT" though!

Drilling does make it a bit louder. It does also alter the performance a bit. But to get the best results (notably so) changing pipes is the better route.

Few more years and she'll be doing CBT and stuff... Look after yer bike - It'll make a great gift later on!!

No death, but you can shock yourself... believe me!!

I did say you could touch the terminals with the tools... just nothing else at the same time. Speaking from experience! Also, don't lick the terminals, either... !!!

I don't know your bike, but... You'll likely have to remove one of the covers beneath the seat. I'm betting the left hand one: There may be some kind of bracket/cover over the battery. Likely just unclips or unscrews. Then you use either a screwdriver or the appropriately sized socket end to unscrew the screw from each of the two terminals. NOTE: Do NOT let the metal tools touch anything apart from the one terminal you're working on, else you could cause sparks, shorts, self-electrocution and so on. On my Drag, undoing one terminal slightly on the conk connects the terminal to the exhaust - Really makes you jump when that happens!! I prefer the socket, myself. Just try different ends until you find which one fits snugly. Likely an 8mm or 10mm. Remove each screw from the terminals, put them somewhere safe and then move the thick red and black wires out of the way. Next, the battery is likely held in place by a rubber strap, or something. Should just unhook at one end. Take the battery out, replace the cover and you're done. Terminals are usually square loops with holes through them and small, loose bars of metal inside that the screws screw into. Don't lose the bars, either. Put them with the screws. Re-fitting the battery is pretty much the reverse, although the bars can make it a bit more fiddly. Also, owners manual here: http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=ybr125%20remove%20battery&source=web&cd=5&ved=0CFQQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ymenvom.nl%2Fnew%2Fmanuals%2FU27SE0_1.PDF&ei=Y-TBUbzFEo3otQbtx4CYCw&usg=AFQjCNHgu5SwhHRPmKfbslH9oKvM9Ya2CQ&bvm=bv.48175248,d.Yms&cad=rja

Custom should have them fitted as standard. Can easily find you a 2nd hand pair, though. That's what Prospects are for!! Oh... wait...

Based on your area, if it's the Club I think, then they're a decent bunch!

Politics is the main reason I declined to Prospect for the Clubs that invited me and ended up leaving the other groups I tried. If I want a red & white bike, for example, I'll damn well have one!! There are some fantastic aspects to the life, but I prefer answering to myself alone. I also prefer lone riding. MY road, heh heh!!!