Ttaskmaster

I've used a Scala Rider headset on an open-face before. Make sure your mic has noise attenuation and all that gubbins, else the wind noise means your transmissions will be nothing but the sound of someone blowing into the mic. That will seriously piss your fellow riders off after 200 miles of this!! TBH, most bluetooths 'work' fine... the problem usually exists between helmet and head. There's teh mic issue mentioned above. Also, unless you have a decent seal around your ear and the speaker, the wind gets in and wrecks your chance of hearing anything clearly. Money down the drain if you don't look to this part first! Other than that, they're usually just as good as a closed face.

HOO-RAH!!!! And welcome to the forum, Lady Beanz!! Never let anyone tell you what you can and cannot do.... unless they're an armed guard, of course. Here's hoping you find everything you need for a full and fruitful biking life!! Catch you on the road sometime, Tasky.

Would you believe the British motorway was designed to permit vehicles travelling up to 230MPH.

A lot of soldiery types like to swear by these German Paraboot things. Most commonly it's cadets rather than regulars of any kind. It's a very 1980s thing. Personally, I prefer the MkII Boots Combat High with the padded tongue. In '93 I had a pair given me by a chap who went to the Falklands in them and who'd worn them almost daily. I wore nothing but these, every day and they lasted about 14 years. 25 years for a pair of lightweight boots? Win in my book! I now have a second pair, which I wear for the bike.

So, to repeat what I said. Stand on the LEFT side of the bike, facing toward the tank. Crouch down and see the bolt UNDERNEATH the bike. The bolt faces out FROM the left side, ie toward you NOT down. Put the socket on and turn it anti-clockwise. The bolt will undo and come out.

Just understand how the initial posts looked and that we do get a lot of genuine twats, most of whom are only interested in how fast their bike goes (and cannot just look it up on Google). Half of them we never see again anyway, except buried in a hedge. However, you've had the 'baptism of fire' as it were, as well as passing yer test and seem all the better for it. So, after all that palava - Welcome to the forum!!

You haven't see what I wear normally. The wife tells me I'm stuck in the 80s!!

80s fashion is cool, man!! And that's actually a 50TB hard-drive containing all the data on MP's expenses...

I mean the throttle slider. The actual plastic sleeve beneath the grip, that the throttle cables attach to. I've known a couple of bikes pick up a lot of fouling in there.

Share the love!!

The words Performance and Cruiser rarely go together. At 40HP on a 37 stone bike, I doubt there's much room for more than what it does straight out the box. Even my mate's 1100 with hypercharger and all that gubbins does little more. The standard 1900 and even the 1300 will leave it for dead.

Ask a thief. Failing that, phone up the immob company and ask them. However, I'm afraid I can't give you any further info than that, as this is a public forum and a step-by-step guide is essentially a 'How To Nick a Bike' guide for your local scrote. There are some nasty people out there and we could land in trouble for publicising such info.

This has been asked a few times and I believe the answer is always no, they aren't interchangable. IIRC, the 650 has a much smaller frame and the connecting components aren't designed to handle the extra power/torque from the 1100 engine.

Now clean the WD40 out and spray some graphite grease in there instead. Keep a cloth handy as it will get a little messy with black oily gunk. Reason you shouldn't use oil in a lock is that it traps more dirt and fouls/jams the mechanism, which will cost you a new lock.

Fine, have my bike. I'll be in a nice, safe APC, smashing the shit out of every mindless fecking blind, unregulated, bullying car driver out there. Either I ride free, or I drive to win. Your choice...

What about the other stuff I mentioned? Crap underneath the slider?

Ride more often and longer distances. I see the foot thing all over the UK - Had several off the Sporties just this weekend.

Well - Overseas where the vast majority of countries drive/ride on the opposite side of the road, you have to take the other hand off the bars and wave... but that's a bit awkward and isn't often seen. So they all stick a leg out instead. Here, that'd be the left leg as you go past someone.

Depends how badly it's been abused by the previous owner(s).

Side nod, usually, with a left hand wave if I pass someone going in the same direction. Occasionally stick a foot out, too.

Only one charity allowed to collect at any time? Fine.... Nothing about how many groups are allowed to march through and protest, is there? How about we all descend on Birmingham and make a fuss?

Are you slowly increasing the throttle, or wazzing it open and expecting a powerful and immediate response? If the former, start by checking your plugs. If they're fine, then your engine is possibly running a little rich and the misfire is too much fuel in the system. Try adjusting the mixture screw on the carbs. If the latter, then you are almost certainly putting too much fuel in the system, causing the misfire. Accelerate more gently.

Seen a couple that people have cobbled together themselves. Most bikes will handle a sidecar outfit, so long as you ride it properly. The handling is VERY different and many put either a secondary or a linked brake system onto the nearside car wheel. It's also great fun to go blasting around a bumpy rally field in. Alas, I wasn't allowed to put an MG42 on the front and blast around shouting in German about Indiana Jones!!

Sarcasm? From ME? Surely you jest, sir!! This is yet another of the arsey lot that the world is full of. This one is a bit older than normal, but still doesn't want to know us or our reasoning... just wants free advice. He misunderstood something and kicked off, which is somewhat understandable at a stretch. But what sealed it is his unwillingness to hear the reasoning. Don't need 'em like that. Fair game, I say.

See, I'm more than just a sarcastic troublemaker!!! And call me Snake Competency is developed through experience. Preferably learning from that of others, but your own is equally valid. You will eventually encounter problems as things do wear out. But that's where knowing people who can help comes in.