KirriePete

Welcome to the Dark Side young Padawan Have to disagree, when you come out with a statement like this .... .... you're a biker whether you realise it or not!

Yep, I could see the rider was a bit unsure, so I placed my motor on the offside (setting up for a proper 'square' overtake) and held position a good couple of car lengths back to show him/her that the road was clear and allow him/her to make a run at it ..... twice! Had to abort the first overtake as the manoeuvre became marginal, yes I'd been hanging back that long. The second time I was actually holding back other traffic to give the 125 a bit of protection from other less generous road users, still no sign of an overtake so I went. Let's be clear here, I'm not talking about a moped which may just be able to pass a tractor, but a 125 capable of at least 70, sitting behind a tractor doing 20-25mph on a 60mph road with good visibility. Whoever did their CBT wants a good slap for letting someone out with this low a level of training/confidence (it wouldn't have been Scotriders, Heather & Alan encourage learners to use their machines properly, as my son can testify!). Record set straight, back to topic ..... on here? Fat chance!

.... and a Ducati clone isn't? I'm afraid street cred and 125's don't normally go together, except amongst the McDonalds generation of fawning teen girlies who think a Saxo with a fart cannon and more power in the ICE than the engine is 'well sick, innit?'..... oh look, I've had a Friday rant already!* Bottom line, get through your test on any old 125 then get an SRX400 and learn that going fast isn't always about ultimate speed .... Old Fart Lecture over, you may now return to normality. *Rant generated thanks to a little tosser on a "sporty" 125 (oxymoron?) who just wouldn't overtake a friggin' tractor this morning .... I ended up blowing him into the weeds in my French non-turbo diesel van with windows!

Why no point doing your CBT? Unless you passed a car test before 2001 (?) it's Compulsory (that's the C in CBT), as in "No Tickee, No Ridee" As for insurance - age, location, job, experience, no claims etc. all make a difference - my lad when he was 17 was about £200 TPFT while I could get the same bike insured £40 FC (being an old fart has it's advantages, y'know!).

Hmmm .... how about a homemade puller? Long fat bit of threaded bar (or a long fat bolt) that goes all the way through the headstock, pop a disc on either end (cut out from some plywood maybe - wont damage the metal of the frame/bearing) and then wind it up with a nut. So, from top down - nut, washer, disc, bar through headstock, bearing, disc, washer, locked nut/head of bolt. Make sure it's all lined up and well greased before winding up and it should all go together smoothly. Hammer? "Shudder!" HTH

Usual method for removal is to use a small cutting disc on a Dremel (other brands are available) and cut a slot across the race, being careful not to cut too much into the headstock itself (minor nicks are OK). Then you can get a BFOS* in and lever the thing out, simples! * - BFOS - Big F*** Off Screwdriver

Just as reference, although I've bought many tyres from these guys over the years, never a problem but it can take a week for them to deliver: Front 3.00x18 - Metzeler ME22 £38 - Clicky link Rear 130/90S-15 - Metzeler ME77 £55 - Clicky link number 2 Think your chap is taking the proverbial a bit, as these are tubed tyres (I think?) it's a lot easier to change them than tubeless, just make sure SWMBO doesn't spot you nicking spoons from the cutlery drawer!

HOW MUCH???? Where do these gold-plated diaphragms come from? How does £32 each sound? Clicky link to NRP Yam page As for the star-shaped screwdrivers - Halfords Torx Screwdriver sets - £20 and you're sorted. £15 for a Hyenas book of random numbers and you've still saved 100-odd on the one job, with tools and books available for further work......

Yes, I'm a cigar lover (Henri Wintermans Half Coronas), but no longer a smoker - stopped in 1999 (16th June 4:32 pm to be precise). Mein Dew there are times even now when I could just ..... NO! Get thee behind me Satan!

OK - external (taken last winter): Workbench (not normally this tidy): Daily driver: Security guard:

... as in brake/clutch fluid? No. HTH

50/50 mix of acetone and ATF is reputed to be the most effective penetrating oil on the planet - Clicky Link.

You've just got to gasp in admiration at the stupidity of these scammers, and even more so at the people who think these things are genuine. Why would a bank e-mail you to fill in a form to accept an incoming payment? Do you get a form to fill out every month to accept your salary/benefits/Mafia hit money? Sheesh! Basic rule of thumb: if you use internet banking, any message they want to send you will be in your online message box, the most you'll receive will be a notification that you've got a message. Anything else is a scam, so delete without opening.

You're not wrong there! Was up that area this summer so me and Mrs KP (and Jasmine the Wonder Dachshund) took a swing by to finish our own LE-JOG (started in 1984!). What a shit-hole! Definitely deserving of the Plook on the Plinth. As for the idea, yes it's silly. That is all.

Quickest way is to use your legs, not t'interweb or the phone: 1. Pass CBT b. Take CBT stiffy cat to local insurance broker, get insured, walk out with cover note iii. Take cover note & MOT to local Post Office and get tax disc over the counter x. Throw your leg over your throbbing beast and ride like there's no tomorrow. .... or you could try ringing the insurance company before taking the CBT and explain that you want to use your own machine to sit the test, but that would probably blow the fuses in "Call Centre Charlie's" head as you're not following his checklist. Worth a punt though. HTH

Points - it's years since I last looked at a set of points, so anything I say is likely to be bolleaux, but is the advance mechanism (springs 'n' weights iirc) maybe a bit sticky? Carbs - did you set the valve clearances before balancing the carbs? If not, the carb synch exercise is futile. Balance them at tickover, then check the take-up on the throttle cable(s) so that both butterflies open at the same time. Another thought - how are the carb diaphragms? The tiniest pinhole will make a mockery of your balancing and cause some dodgy running on the road. HTH

As has been said, the examiner should talk you through it, but a study of the layout you're expected to ride is always good - Clicky link. However, unless you've got an open area big enough to mark out the course for practice you should really try to get a couple of sessions in with a good training school. Spend a couple of hours going round the course and you'll develop a feel for what's needed, especially the speed for the loops and the swerve'n'brake bit. The single biggest issue is not hitting 50kph for this part of the test, plus a lot of people still think you have to brake and swerve at the same time - Oops, crunch! - time spent with a trainer who knows their stuff will beat the speed into you and the brake/swerve out so you won't have to think about it. Just my opinion, I passed my test back in the Jurassic and my lad got through just before the new 2-parter came in, so I know feck all about it, but I am on good terms with some local trainers and see what goes on......

He didn't die because he 'borrowed' the bike, he died because he was an idiot who thought he was indestructible and the laws of physics proved him wrong in the biggest way - unlike human law, the laws of momentum do not allow wriggle room for appeal.

None whatsoever, thieving git cocking about on a stolen bike with no helmet is only going to end one way, with the average IQ of the planet going up slightly. Family comments on how he was a lovely lad etc. - yeah, made sure his Mum had the latest 50" plasma telly and all that stuff, all on dole money, amazing! Also don't have a problem with cops chasing them into binning it, as long as no innocents are involved, or any form of defence of one's own property (hint: get the big Mag-lite torch, the 6 D-cell one, makes a damn good club and the law allows use of such non-weapons in self defence ). Basically, no more "It's me 'uman rights, innit?" - you're operating way outside the law and want protection by that same law? Feck orf! Ooh, look what you went and did, made me all ranty!

Ollie, Nowadays in the UK it goes like this: Step 1 - Compulsory Basic Training - very basic machine handling course, some theory, some wobbling round cones then a couple of hours on the road. Only way to avoid this is if you passed your car test prior to Feb 2001. Step 2 - Theory/Hazard Perception Test - 50 multi-guess questions on Highway Code and stuff, must get at least 43/50 to pass. Hazard Perception is 14 video clips with 15 defined hazards you need to spot in time, marked as 5 points for spotting immediately down to 1 point for last minute (0 for not spotting it) - must get at least 44 out of a possible 75 to pass. Step 3 - Practical Test Module 1 (or just Mod 1) - wobbling round cones at speed - zig-zags, figure 8's, slow ride, speed loop, swerve'n'brake, emergency stop - swerve'n'brake has to be done at least 50kph to pass - Click Here for the layout Step 4 - Module 2 - Out on the road, followed by examiner in radio contact (you can hear him/her, but can't talk back) - about 45 minutes on as many road types as there are in your area, couple of standard manouevres (u-turn etc). Then .... if you're under 21 you're restricted to a 33bhp machine for 2 years (automatically upgraded to unlimited on the 2nd anniversary of passing, no further tests), if you're over 21 you can do Direct Access and take the test(s) on a 46bhp (or more) machine and you can ride any damn thing you like. Phew! I passed my test in 1980, it was half a dozen laps of a circuit in town while the examiner strolled round having a smoke, one emergency stop, 10 yards of slow riding and 3 questions on the Highway Code, then a lot of verbal from him "Don't know why I'm passing you, another bloody hooligan let loose, probably kill yourself inside of a week ....." Just glad I don't have to jump through the hoops these days, probably tell 'em to shove it! Edit to add: All of the above tests have a 2 year life, so if you don't pass Theory within 2 years of getting the CBT, then your CBT needs a resit, likewise Mod 1 within 2 years of Theory etc... In practice, Theory, Mod 1 and Mod 2 are done in quick succession, each test booked as soon as you pass the previous so it's not such a PITA, but still .....

If it's the same guy that claimed the big bore kit (inc fitting) cost him £595, then I wouldn't believe him either! New shoes will need bedding in a bit, plus the cable could be old and shot. Also, for maximum efficiency, the angle between the cable and the arm on the brake drum should be as near as dammit 90 degrees (right angle) - anything other than this will reduce the amount of pull being transferred to the shoes. If you can't get 90 deg by adjusting the cable, and the arm is in the correct position, then a new cable would be in order or you could shift the arm around like we used to when the shoes were fecked, allegedly, but would you want to hit the brakes hard not knowing when the cable may snap? I'd say you've done very well out of the deal, keep it tidy and you'll get a good price for it when you move up at 17 (example: my lad's TS50 cost £200 as a field bike, I spent just over £100 doing it up, big bore kit and tyres mostly, he got over £600 for it as a trade-in on his 125 - WIN!). Betcha can't wait to get that CBT under your belt!

Hmmm ... must be an age thing with me, all my pre-menieres bikes were just bikes, but since getting back on after my cure they've been named: Honda CX650 - Black Bess, coz she was black and could do London to York in no time. BMW K100 - just 'The Brick' until I had to try and bench press it off me (wet ramp from shed), when it was retitled Fat Bastard Honda 650 Dominator - Miss Whiplash (united colours of Benetton paint scheme can't be masculine, hence Dominator-Dominatrix-Miss W) Honda XBR500 - Wee Arfur (XBR-Excalibur-King Arthur and it was 500cc=Arfur litre) Suzuki GN400 - Guinevere, as she shared shed space with Arfur Honda NTV650 - Norman The Valiant, following on from the Arthurian theme using the model number Yam SR125 - not really fair to give it a name as it's just a visitor in the shed, but Sir Short R'se the Scruffy keeps rattling round my head. I'll just go now, shall I? Nurse! The screens!!

Hi & welcome to the forum. Just a wee bit of advice - there's some grumpy old sods here who really like people to introduce themselves properly before wading in with questions, little thing called good manners, they used to drum it into kids when I were a lad - click here to get the lowdown. As for your specific problem, that would be the clutch override switch for the starter circuit - you can't start it in gear unless the clutch is pulled in, tripping this switch. If the wiring is missing from the headlamp shell it may be that a previous owner had a dodgy switch and just ripped the lot out (PO's are always blamed for these things), in which case you can just ignore it. You'll have to be in neutral to start the bike, so stalling at traffic lights could get embarrassing if you're not quick with the left foot, but them's the breaks ..... So, back to my first point, who are you, where are you, how long you been riding, what's your favourite colour, how many fingers am I holding up etc.....

I'm afraid that's the way the market works - they won't have it on the shelf, so will need to order from a manufacturer who's probably got set production run times. Then there's shipping delays etc., 4 weeks isn't too bad tbh - I had an 8 week wait for a stainless 'zorst for my old Honda 500, and that was manufactured in Britain! Patience is a virtue, young man, do try to be virtuous!