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Yes that's true but if you can only fill up at total stations then that alone limits some of the places you can go, I have no idea where my local Total stations are but suppose there are none what then? You are almost certain to need filling up at some other station eventually and then your problems will start. So it's not enough to say use only Total cos if you try that your almost bound to come a cropper. Doe's anyone know of an additive that can stop this problem? Just looked up my nearest station and it's 12 miles away fer f++ks sake!! after that it's nearly 25 miles, not really much use is it?

It's your money and if you just want to have fun then "WHY NOT" I suppose but if, as Cynic says, your bike will then be worthless then equally why do it, seems easier to buy something bigger and fettle that than ponce about with this one, and that might be more fun I suppose.

I have just been reading about ETHANOL fuel additives and the fact that we will soon have 10% instead of 5% in the UK, what seems to be the main consensus to all of this is that most old bikes (10 years old and older) will have some problems with this new fuel, my bike is 30+ years old and will need some major fettling to get used to this nasty gunk. First seems to be any bike with a fibre glass tank must use some of the new tank sealer now available, some of you might have already sealed your tank but if you have used anything from the last 5 years it will not protect your tank with this new stuff as it eats away even some older tank sealant then starts on the tank itself delaminating the glass fibre leaving a nasty gooey mess that will block your fuel lines and jets, also the usual fuel lines them-selves will need to be replaced as the older rubber type will not be immune to damage so new ethanol resistant pipe work will need to be fitted, also you will need to change your fuel tap/petcock as they themselves will be damaged due to their rubber seals and such so replacing them with ethanol proof fuel taps will become necessary. You will HAVE to avoid leaving any of this fuel in your tank (METAL) if (like me) you don't use it in the winter cos of a thing called ETHANOL/WATER PHASE which is where ethanol is soluble in water so if left it separates out and leaves the tank to be attacked by neat water (at the top of the tank) which will then cause your tank to rust from the inside and then you will also have the problem of running on neat ethanol which flows to the bottom of the tank when left, over winter. http://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/news/22231/Ethanol_-_Part_Two:_The_Remedies SEE THIS SITE for detailed analysis I hope some of you will read this cos it seems that once again the do-gooders and green freaks have screwed us over as there seems little to be gained by using this stuff instead of NORMAL petrol. Perhaps if you know different then you will be kind enough to add your own thoughts to this but just for now it seems I will have to give my fuel system a major going over (at my cost) so instead of doing another bike this winter it will be rebuilding my carbs and fuel system (BUGGER!)

Hi Steve welcome to the YOC. Can't help with your parts but wish you luck with your search, that's half the fun!

Thak GOD for that Grouch, we were starting to think this was some kind of weekly instalment like the cartoons in the paper! You must have the most fettled XT in the UK (and the most expensive) but really pleased that you have it up and about. Now remember to service it and not treat it like you did before . Have fun mate.

Hi Grouch (again!) Steering dampers are ok if you need them as you know they are to stop the bike from trying to turn a wobble into a tank slapper by damping down the rapid movement of the head stock, but it's really only at high speed that they come into their own, a normal (sic) wobble can be corrected by just laying flat on the tank till it goes away but when you think about it a wobble should not be there at all, if your wheel is balanced correctly and you have no movement in the head stock bearings then a damper just makes it a pain in the arse to turn your bike round by making it difficult to actually turn the steering and it limits the amount of steering you have just by being there, if your worried about front end wobble then get your bike checked at the local bike shop (you will after all know your way there as you have been a regular visitor over the last few weeks ) other wise unless you actually have a problem with wobble don't bother.

Hi Zoub, might be an idea to say what bike your doing it on as some do some don't.

Hi Lido, Welcome to the YOC,

Don't take it to heart, they are all dickheads, ask them if they have ever riden a bike and usually the answer is "NO there dangerous" which usually means that they drive a car and think your a target!

Welcome aboard Walrus, your not alone "OLD FARTS RULE" older than you and my wife thinks I'm crazy to! You have to do it to understand it.

Well done Matthew, Now to get some photos up so we can get a look at it!!

NIce a really good job, you should be proud of yourself with that.

Grouch I have to say it, cos we're all thinking it WHAT THE F**K AGAIN!! I thought that you had the electrics already sorted and the rest of this stuff sounds suspiciously like the last lot?? If you ever you sell this THING please let us all know where it is advertised so we can stay away from it!

Buy it BUY IT NOW, cos at 2 hundred you are looking at that in parts only, plus you get to feel good for rescuing another old bike from the rust bug, nice one mate.

If you buy one then expect to spend AT LEAST 50% of your time under it inside it or generally fettling it cos if it's wet it won't go if it's windy it won't go or god forbid the suns shining then guess what IT WON'T GO. They require dedication and deep pockets cos any one who has the parts for it knows that some dummy will pay exorbitant amounts to relive their youth, which between you and me was never like you remember it!

Welcome to the YOC combat, good luck finding your parts, someone will have a shed full of bits that they will be only to pleased to part with if the price is right!! Tho you better find out exactly what it is before you buy anything.

I had a look at it on ebay, someone is going to get a really nice bike, shit mate that must STING! mind you a bike with a bra/jock strap might not be to every ones taste

Kieran, Go back to the shop and tell them to fix it, they broke it and they should fix the problem they created, put it back together as you got it and get them to come collect it, bloody cheek you paid for a job and it's crap so demand that they repair it.

That's because we are a member of the EU so we can's be xenophobic ie when they shaft us we have to smile and say "thank you" the days of the Empire are over and we are now the scrag end of europe plus we pay more in benefits than the rest so you get one guess why the hordes are headed here!

My very first bike!! A total blast from the past thank you, would I have one now? NOT IF YOU PAID ME! They are oily noisy rattly and above all else gutless, nothing wrong with gutless if your not in a hurry but if your doing traffic to get to work get a HONDA the 150 was a nice little twin that made the Brit bikes look like they were off the ark anything wtih an electric start and kickstart was like straight from star trek plus the lights worked which was handy at night (try a fanny B 2 candle power you'll see what I mean) this bike would look great in a museum which is where it should be. P.S my next bike after this was the CSR14 AJS 250 which was great but still an old smoker, stay with the jap bikes mate they are getting rare and command a premium price but will still be going when most of these brit things will be garden ornaments ie something to hang your pot plants from or buried under the patio.

Bad luck jimmy, all that work and now some one else will get the benefit of it, you must be real choked! Perhaps next year you can buy one that is working and you don't have to rebuild from the ground up. Hope to see you back soon as it always brings a smile when you turn up.

Hi Kev, Just on ebay and saw a system for a DIVI 600 stainless that was under £300 so my initial price could well be out, if you do find someone that can make one up for you then please let me know what you paid cos mine is a rare as rocking horse shit, and anybody that can make one would be a God send to an awful lot of us on here.If you do buy just the rear end of a system I don't see that as a problem as long as the connector is the same (round adapters) as they all have those but it's where the tail pipe actually attaches that can be the bugger, if yours is attached at the foot rest bracket then you will find that the angle is all important when it comes to fitting it, if it's to low then you will have to make a bracket to bridge the gap if it's to high it will interfere with the rear brake linkage so that when you put your foot on the brake it rubs up the side, my solution was to take it off again and whack the offending bit of pipe with a mallet, THAT FIXED IT and it no longer rubs plus I felt much better afterwards! Good Luck.

You will have to find a source that can tell you what system will fit I should think, it's possible that it might fit but as I said earlier they all LOOK the same but when you try them there is a subtle but real difference, try asking your local yammie dealer workshop if they happen to know, they probably won't but might be able to tell your where to go to get your answer, it's a real bastard to buy the wrong system and have it not fit by a few thou, I know cos I have done it but as I said earlier if your willing and able to do some major fettling and can cut some brackets it's possible to make some that almost fit out of different systems. Sorry I can't tell you exactly which system to buy for your bike but I can only tell you that the correct system will fit (obviously) but some of the others might fit with a bit of inginuity. DON'T buy something just because it looks the same from a distance or photo, you have to be able to compare like for like.Hope some of that helps?

Hi Jacob, Welcome to the YOC, nice intro and always nice to have new folks on the forum, someone will be along shortly to tell you all about your bikes and what the numbers mean.

Hi Kev, Welcome to the YOC, the exhaust on most of the pre-diversions looks the same but the actual down pipes - headers are where the difference is, if you take your old exhaust off and look at the end of the pipe (where it goes into the silencer/muffler) you will see a set of numbers, that is where you can tell the difference between them, the 600s are different to the 750 and 900 exhaust, the angle/rake of the downpipes is much greater on the 600, you can fit an exhaust from these bikes to your bike but it will need a lot of fettling and the addition of some home made brackets to get the right angle where the pipe meets the head or you will get leaks around the joint. as to getting a stainless exhaust well I only hope your sitting down when they tell you the price cos I bet it is going to be in the 1K range, the normal exhaust price is about £300ish and MOTAD were having a sale a while back, selling off old items so they might have a few left but I got the impression that they would not be stocking them once they were gone. Good luck with your bike and to answer the other part of your question about wether some thing else off of another bike will fit yours the answer is NO!