Ttaskmaster

I said they have 'stuff'... that kinda covers me for all eventualities I mainly know how to ride them. I have a man who fixes my rides when I can't be bothered... in exchange for beer, usually!

Got a few friends out Bracknell way. Loads of bikey clubs and events and things in Berkshire. Several local MAG groups, as well. I even live within a stone's chuck (literally) from the Lion Rally!!

I bagsy the Speedo cable!

I ride a 13-year old bike with basic twin carbs, no fuel injection and just a trip meter to guess the fuel by. I average 48 mpg, or slightly more if I change up earlier... but I do sometimes ride like a loony.

Heya Sadie!! You got me in Reading and Wild Foamy over in Newbury. Get out on the A4074 and head up to Berinsfield, to stop at H's Cafe - You have great food with a good ride there, M&P next door and a Dyno place round the back! Just be mindful of the speed limits and watch for cops at the weekend.

Bikes have wet clutches and synchro-meshes and 'stuff'. Cars do not... AFAIK. Upshifting is easy and does not damage the clutch, which is why many racers use it. There's a downshift one as well, but I've not really tried it. Clutchless upshift Begin by having just shifted up into a high gear, especially when practicing. Ride along, letting the revs build normally. Meanwhile, apply upward pressure to the shift lever. Very rapidly shut the throttle and reopen it about halfway to where you were. As you close the throttle, your upward pressure will shift the gear and coming back onto the throttle a bit will maintain power without jolting you or racing the engine. Very useful for tight moments in corners!!

Problem is your vehicle has too many wheels. Try losing a couple, see if that improves things!!

You mean each bolt? Chances are they'll all be different, hence people suggesting getting the manual.

OMG, that's a frakkin' PALACE!!!!! Seriously, you could park the bike inside there... I always preferred a smallish tent, especially if alone, as it's easier to keep warm. The bigger the space, the colder it gets and it always seems to get freezing if the day has been blazing hot! Back in the day, I'd use either the one-man bivi bag tunnel tents, or just take a poncho, bungies and a net hammock, but riding now means I have to factor in wet kit and hanging-to-dry space as most camsites won't let you build a massive fire in their treeline! MP3 players and stuff are all good, so long as you're not needing them for a week or more, or if you have charging capabilities on yer ride. Consider a wind-up radio. Some also have solar panels. E-Books are good, but cheap trashy novels are better since once you've read a page it trebles as both firelighters and as toilet paper!!

Well, the UK one directs the beam off and down to the left, while those from countries where they ride on the wrong side of the road direct it down and to the right. Done to avoid blinding oncoming vehicles. I guess you could look closely at the hash pattern on the front glass and see if it is the opposite way around. I know you can do this with some vehicle headlights.

Pick and choose from some of these suggestions: Fuel Can - Get a bottle or somesuch container suitable for petrol, that holds a couple litres. Just in case you Tent - 2-man, even if it's just you alone. Find a decent brand that packs down small. Sleeping bag - Get a 3-season at least. You can always open it up if you're too warm, but recovering from the cold is a BITCH when camping. Find a decent brand that packs down real small. Keep in something waterproof. Rollmat - I personally hate these, but many find them useful. Comfort and insulation = Good night's sleep. Takes up space but weighs nowt, so strap on top of your kit. Your choice. Cooking - Get a Trangia type set of cookware that packs inside itself, to make a small unit. Same with your chosen stove type - Plenty of good little ones out there. Include extra fuel. Cutlery is just cutlery. Waterproofs - Take them!! Undies - Enough, but no more. Dry clothes - One set, packed in a watertight plastic bag. Nothing worse than trying to sleep in wet kit. Extra clothing - A couple of bits, but not too much. Include a jumper/fleece. Hat - Beanie cap or something similarly warm. After a long day of helmeted head, you'll suddenly find yourself getting quite cold at night. Maps - Or GPS. Maybe a compass, if you know what you're doing. Tool kit - Some essentials, as described on one of the other threads. Consider the small type. Include spare spark plugs, fuses, perhaps throttle and clutch cables. All the bits that might leave you standed upon failure yet are easily reparable. TORCH - Get a decent little one. I recommend the Tactical type (can list shops, if you like) that are Pritt-Stick sized and 230+ lumens, ie a portable Sun. Batteries are tiny and last years! Portable Communications Device - In case you need to phone the breakdown/pizza guys. Rope - 10m+ of good quality 8mm rope. For those moments when paracord just isn't enough. Always had some, used occasionally for some of the most bizarre assistances! Paracord - Get a 50m bundle. Make sure it has the white core, rather than being just the cheap knock-off shit. Used for all kinds of stuff, from laundry lines to boot laces, to clothing fixes, to tie downs Pocket knife - For cutting paracord and doing general knifey stuff. Must be less than 3½" long and fold, but NOT lock. Must NOT be sprung, gravity-opened or generally one-handed operating (unless it has a thumb stud). I ignore all that and just use the serrated lock blade I got in the Army! Also, consider a bladed multi-tool of some kind. Avoid cheap ones!!!

Many do not deserve contempt... just the ones that do You have to use your judgement as to whether or not they will be receptive to having the myths busted. A few facts usually do it. I would say, though, that almost all of us get into biking (regardless of when we actually get to ride) when we're full of passion about it and have no preconceptions ourselves. So to have some ignorant random come up and try to piss all over it, uninvited...In most cirlcles of society, that's just asking for a head-kicking and in many of these circles that's what they get. Who the fuck are they to go round dealing judgement? White van men, women drivers, boy racers, ped boys, old people, foreigners, artics, taxis... you name it, everyone out on the road is a twat. We're just about the only ones who stand together and defend ourselves... we just happen to look cool at the same time!

Ask them when they last saw some middle-management dickhead in a BMW driving at 130 down a 60-limit A-Road and changing lanes without indicating, or even looking... On almost every weekday, I could truthfully answer that with "on the way to work this morning".

Comments and my typical responses... >'oh you've got a motorbike have you? Death trap.' I'd rather die than survive crippled from a car crash... I'd only die because a cunt in a car can't take more than half a second to check for traffic (87% of bike crashes involving another vehicle occur when a car pulls out on a bike). Fuck off you cunt. >'oh you are on a bike, you will be under a lorry on your way home.' Oh, you're an opinionated cunt? Your throat will be under my boot in a minute. Fuck off you cunt. Fuck off you total cunt. Those that will listen, I'll educate kindly about the truth and shatter their misconceptions about how there are twats in every kind of vehicle, the difference between loony summer motorcyclists, Ped Boys and proper bikers, etc Those that don't get told where to go and, if I'm feeling kind, how fucking clueless they really are. I can be polite or rude as hell, generally responding in kind.

A whole engine??!! Good luck. I'm still looking for one to go in my 650! Also, Shaolin - Nice first post, but I'm afraid they don't stock a single Yamaha part... I'm guessing they do cars, not bikes. Also, an Intro would be good, mate. It's only polite

Computers "are like any other machine, they're either a benefit or a hazard... If they're a benefit, it's not my problem"

Great bike, great fun, great choice!!

In Reading you have Ride-In Tyres - Ride in, get new tyre fitted, ride out, as the name says. Also you have GS Motorcycle Tyres - Mobile/fixed services in and around the area. http://www.rideinbiketyres.co.uk/ http://www.gsmotorcycletyres.co.uk/ I've used both and continue to do so quite happily - We have a couple of highly experienced bike mechanics in Reading, but after decades in the industry even they recommend using these guys!

Only by the people who developed it... Call me cynical, malcontent or whatever you like, but I think this could be the biggest load of bollocks ever to hit Smartphones. "Why did I crash, officer? I was on my mobile phone looking for all the potholes..." Last thing we need is a load of modern technology bikers glued to a docked smartphone on their bars instead of watching the road! And what the fuck do I need to be 'socially connected' while riding for??!! Tasky has turned left. Noise, Cynic, Foamy and 15 others like this. Airhead says: "BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!" Tasky was at 150mph with Drewpy. HertsPolice is watching this. Nice thinking on all the various features... especially the utterly pointless part when you realise that most of the best riding roads are middle-of-nowhere areas with no data signal. And how the heck can it tell the difference between me crashing and me dropping the phone, going over a big bump or flopping down on the sofa? Chances are, if I crash bad enough that I can't phone a Blue-light Taxi for myself, my phone will be a streak of shattered components halfway down the road anyhow. Honestly, if I really needed this kind of functionality on a bike, I'd not be using a Smartphone to govern it.

Always always do the cheapest things and replace the cheapest parts first!!

I meant warm it up after filling up, as the new oil would be cold Gets the circulation going and all that, so you get a truer level reading. That and to provide a humourous insinuation based on my own experience of suddenly getting covered in oil! I am surprised that after a complete refill and warm-up, you have nothing showing. I can only suggest maybe checking the glass and giving it a thorough clean off. That and checking the manual to make sure you've followed it word for word, as it's always the silly little things. For example, a standard oil change on mine requires 2.6L, but a complete change from a dry engine, including filter change requires 3.2L - You sure you picked the right one?

REPLACE THE FILLER CAP!!! Then run the engine for a couple of minutes to get the oil circulating fully. Then switch off and re-check. You may need to tilt the bike back and forth a bit, because oil is viscous/gloopy and takes a moment to alter levels. Warming it up makes it easier. Also, note I said "REPLACE THE FILLER CAP!!!". I fucking well mean it and I speak from experience. Known several fuckwitts start up the engine without putting the cap back and laughed my arse of at the results!

Perhaps the guys round my way are just special, then but all (well, both) our dedicated tyre fitting companies in this area are shit hot on anything to do with bike wheels. I assumed they were all like that. I approached Hagons myself, when my own rear spokes were loose. They spotted that I was in Reading and actually named one of the local guys, saying they'd be quicker and cheaper (no postage!), but would do just as good a job. Coincidentally, that same guy suggested Hagons for a replacement monoshock and it's been excellent ever since!

It is indeed hideous!! To the untrained eye, which is most of them, this is a blatant Sportster rip-off... That said, I'd rather have one of these than the new Star range. But that tank angle... fecking EURGH!!! What made the Dragstar such a cool looking bike was the flat angle from back of seat to front of tank - Long and low, making the bike look even bigger than it already is. I'd have to have lots of spare cash to upgrade to this one, methinks.

You sure? I can't see the twin shocks anywhere on that...