Ttaskmaster

Try bump-starting. Get a mate or even a neighbour to help shove you along. Check over the plugs themselves, too. Check yer gap, check the condition and discolouration (couple of websites will have very useful colour piccies). There is a trick involving a little fuel dropped into the plug socket, but I'm not too familiar with it myself. One other thing: Always replace the cheapest part first!!!

A big 'Kiss My Arse, Matey' to ya on that one, as I do ride in the rain, wind, snow, sun and whatever else happens to be upon us on the day. I ride pretty much every day, certainly every weekday and wouldn't do otherwise. I do not understand. Why did you put a slick of shit on the road? End of the day, tyres are not so über important that you need to understand them like a scientist does before even walking into a tyre shop........ But neither should you just pick the cheapest, as you'll get what you pay for. Check the manual, check what other owners have used and make an informed decision. Also try asking the guys who've been fitting the things for 15 years - They'll likely know a thing or two!! You do not need to be a scientific tyre expert unless you are designing a 250mph race bike!!! You DO need to take it easy for the first 100 or so miles while the tyre gets worn in a bit.

Check the electrical circuits. You get just a buzzing of the battery, or do you get the starter motor turning too? Have you tried bump-starting it? Are you in Neutral? Have you tripped the Kill Switch? Check everything twice, even the stupid little things!!

It may well have a low fuel light. Just make sure you know the range as well, rather than relying solely on that...

If I recall aright (and being a pretentious, pedantic sod, I usually am right ) - I hear the YBR125 models from 2007 onwards have an automatic choke and no fuel tap... Why, I don't know!! This does mean you'll have to learn the range of the bike, so (unless you have a Low Fuel light, which I'd not trust too much anyway) carry a small litre bottle of fuel - Get a metal one from a camping shop designed to carry petrol, for a few quid. Go out on your travels and be prepared for the sudden stuttering of the engine. Then pull over, add in fuel, NOTE THE MILEAGE and ride to the nearest fuel station. Round down the mileage to the nearest 10 and you have your approximate range. Now you know when to fill up. Honestly, what would they leave a fuel tap off the bike for????!!!!!

What'choo got on yers then, Miss Goff? AFAIK (which ain't far from last night), blueing is caused by one of two things: 1/. Heating of the metal then quenching in hot oil, which is doubtful as only swordsmiths tend to use this. 2/. Overheating of the engine, causing the exhaust gasses to burn the pipes. Just my 2 shilling's worth..... I'm as curious as everyone else!!

120 miles before hitting reserve is generally good, IMO. Most well-kept bikes seem to manage that at least. 120 miles divided by your 2.50 gallon XV250 tank = 48mpg in theory. Please note that this calculation includes your full reserve, so you're actually getting far better than what the specs suggest. I get around 48 mpg on my 650 Drag (I ride her hard, though ). You'll get an average of 65mpg on a mid-range Tourer like the Deauville. The only recent bike I ever heard of that got 87mpg was the Royal Enfield Bullet 500. Now I'm no expert, but I'd reckon you're doing OK!!

You do 45mph in 1st???!!! Feck me...... OK, assuming that's a normal thing for these Sporty bike things..... I'd guess the clunk is normal. Every other bike I've ridden is similar: ER5, GZ500, XJR400, Drag 125, 650 and 1100, Shadow 750, VFR800, Deauville 650 and 700...... Think that's the whole list. I quite like the clunk, myself. I also get a very manly Cruiser-style clunk when I use my big, manly combat boots to stamp into 1st from Neutral. I've seen threads on this before elsewhere and generally it's deemed OK. Do check the bike over, though. Check the clutch cable too. It may be that you're simply not disengaging the plates quite enough. Make sure your biting point isn't near the fullest extent of the clutch lever, ie the lever should not be very close to the grip when it bites. It should sound like a desk drawer locking. If it becomes more like the graunch of a car missing a gear, definitely get it checked. This is my opinion only, though. I am not a mechanic.

We were discussing blued pipes at the club last night, actually... The general opinion seems to be that this is caused by improper re-jetting. I'm guessing these fellas know their stuff, being mostly old hands in the Virago and Star enthusiasts scene.... About 12 of them have custom pipes and the only one with blueing is the girl who didn't bother rejetting.

Find a better tyre place!!!! Seriously, all the boys round here quote one price, all inclusive. Then again, they are also taking responsibility if something goes up the creek down the road, like if your brakes are mis-aligned, the bushes pop out or whatever...... So unless you know exactly what you are doing and are confident in your ability to follow instructions - Let the professionals do it!!! I tend to find the tyre guys round here are comparatively clueless about anything mechanical. But they know EVERYTHING that could possibly involve tyres and associated bits!!!

Please note that the Canine brand of anti-theft products have a high daily maintenance cost. Food is required to keep your Canine operational. Introductory vouchers for Pedigree Chum are included with the product. Walking is also neccesary to maintain the maximum capability of your Canine. Tying it's leash to the back of the bike while you blast down the A4074 is not an approved Walking technique and may invalidate your warranty. Making A Fuss is an essential maintenance procedure. Instructions included. For those unfamiliar with Canine products, a national directory of Obedience Classes is provided to assist you with the programming of your Canine anti-theft product. Installation of a Canine anti-theft product may result in your motorcycle picking up a heavy, urine-like scent. It is the authentic Canine marker, similar to the holographic Datatool stickers. Thank-you for buying a Canine anti-theft product!!

Alarms are great, so long as you're nearby and they're FECKING LOUD!!!!!! I have the advantage of possessing many medieval weapons that I can bring to bear in less than 8 seconds, should someone really want to mess with my bike. However, I've seen/heard of too many immobilisers failing mid-ride or stranding people to trust them enough. It only lowers your insurance and costs a bomb for a decent one. I won't go into how crap some of these 'high security' padlocks are.... Just get something like an Abloy padlock with a shrouded shackle.

Been there, done that!! Following the Other Half's advice and greater years of motorcycling experience, I ended up with an overfilled oil sump. Cue BIG black clouds of combusted oil spewing out the bike!!!!!!!!

Yep, battery karked it. Had a full diagnostic of the whole circuit and all else seems fine. Was just worried that running it off the Alternator for 2 hours might have fecked that as well!!

Get an Accumen DIY fit alarm. Don't bother with an immobiliser. The former only exists to alert you (coz no-one else responds) if someone is fecking with the bike. The latter just stops someone screwdrivering the lock and riding off..... a chain will do that and stop them from lifting it into a van, too!!

Change the batteries on the fob!!

I clean the bike as follows; Spray over with Muc Off. Leave for 2-3 minutes. Wash off with cold water - NEVER hot as this can assist road salt in breaching the parts you'd rather it didn't. Rub dry with old towel. Spray over with either Muc Off water displacement stuff and/or ACF 50. I do not polish my Cruiser. I am funny that way. I have used one of those B&Q fence sprayers (designed for woodstaining fence panels) as a 'low-pressure' washer, though this was when cleaning a fleet of bikes as well as my own!!

I'm saving up to buy the new 700cc Honda Deauville. Yeah yeah, I know.... But I have many very valid reasons, so take the P all you like, but I have an answer for whatever criticism you care to offer. Anyway..... I was perving over the DV's accessories catalogue and looking at the Wind Deflectors, which are basically discrete plastic (for want of a better term) gussetts that fill the gap bewteen screen and fairing around the grips. Now, I was considering getting a Yamaha FJR1300. They also have these wind deflectors, but they are ma-HU-ssive great loppy-lugs that cowl the entire mirror and a large area around them, making the bike look like it has comedy earmuffs on!!!! What were the designers thinking??!! Can you get aftermarket deflectors that don't look like this?

'S fair, I suppose. So long as you don't make it dangerous to ride. I'm a fiddler too, though I tend towards the functionality rather than looks or performance. My bike performs well enough, so I focus on other stuff - Heated grips, SatNav, CB radio and whatever else makes it fun to ride on. I'm making my own saddlebags at the minute!! I like things that do stuff!!

Hi Kenny, I just had a look at the two bikes you mentioned. The SR does have a notably lesser rake angle than the Sukida. The forks being closer to the bodymeans that the SR will tip into corners a lot quicker than you may be used to on the other bike. The SR is a bit odd, sort of like a half-Cruiser, IMO. Not quite feet-forward, but neither tucked up beneath you....Very good bike, though - favoured among learners and those seeking a nippy commuter. One of the advantages in this responsive steering is when filtering. Makes for a very manoeuvrable bike, there Just remember when steering - Small Corrections!! Ride safe, Woody.

I'm just wondering why anyone'd want to fiddle with a 125, especially one that weighs 144kg!! The whole point is that they're supposed to be slow - Nice, slow and safe for all the L-Platers. If you have the option to ride something bigger, get a 250 or a 400. The weight is not going to be that much higher and the performance will be much more suited to what you want. Bear in mind that, if you're still learning, the 125 will get you into the habit of using observation and timing your manoeuvres, rather than relying on power - A very valuable skill for if/when you get something bigger. For this reason alone, I loved my 125 Drag and could out-ride plenty of smaller, faster, higher CC-engined bikes in and around town!! Remember, it's not about how fast you ride, it's about how well you ride!!

The example I saw was a 1/8" chip that was left untreated for a couple of days. That went rusty and then the rust spread under the paintwork. The owner then dropped her bike at low speed and the mudgard just crumbled like a clump of demerera sugar from a cafe sugar bowl.......

Sorry - Mis-interpreted the implication. Yeah, I have some irresponsible moments. But, the bike can perform, so I insist that it does. I refuse to 'cruise' everywhere at 40mph. It's not a Harley, it's not all about posing.... and this was not all done in the UK, either. That was having to avoid a dangerously indecisive car driver. To be honest, I had more hairy moments on my 125 Drag, because that didn't have the characteristics to perform.

Fair play to the biker. BAD play by the judge. Consistency is required here. Having celebrity status does not put you above the law!!!

The water possibly hasn't helped either. Check for loose connections, which by their nature are problematic, but which also may have allowed water, displacement/cleaning fluids in or anything else which may block the connection. It's worth cleaning out all the block connectors while you do this anyway and adding a little silicone* lube to keep them clean/help the connection. *I think this was the stuff. Mind is a bit blurry today as I was at the sauce last night