slice

Well done Grouch, about bloody time to, glad to hear that NEXT time you will DIY it, now I have to go and find someone else to take the piss out of.

Welcome to the YOC John,

I don't know but is there a valve in the vent? if so that might be your problem, can you get it off and have a poke around inside to see if it is just bunged up? What about unusual movement or noises from the diff it's possible that some thing has come adrift inside the diff and is causing the oil to splash higher than normal. What oil are you using is it SAE 80 gear oil or something else?

Hi John and Welcome to the YOC, Have you checked the level? if you have to much oil in it then that might be your problem, try draining the oil out and then start again by filling to the proper level. P.S if you can might be an idea to do an INTRO (new members section) that way folks get to know about you and will respond better.

Good for you Conna, good to know that there are nice peolpe out there willing to help.

Martin-- Stroud-- Gloucestershire, If you can think it I can probably fit it, got a garage and LOTS of tools. Always willing to help out if I can and always nice to meet new folks. Retired so lots of time to and before you all say it YES that makes me a lucky git. Electrics or mechanical.

Ok Grouch enough taking the piss, we will all now behave!! Oh and where do you want me to send the TURNIPS Sprouts Carrots and Lucozade bottles?

Hi Davie, Like the idea of CASTROL decals they always look cool, your GPz diaphrams at £70 seems a bit steep have you tried finding out what other bike used them? might be possible to rob some off of something else, if you can't fix your 350 yourself and can get someone to do it for you then that has to be the best way, as for your original problem take the head off and get it drilled and tapped, I won't say it can't be done but trying to retap a thread in situ is nie on impossible unless you have more luck than most of us plus you really do have to be able to see what your doing, good luck either way mate.

Bloody hell Grouch, they are waiting to chop off an arm and a leg and you FORGOT!! I would be sitting outside the shop waiting for the parcel of disks to arrive. Got to up your game mate. Don't let this get away from you, the more you let others decide what needs doing the more it will cost. YOU TELL THEM not the other way round. I'm thinking of upping my estimate!! A whole bag of TURNIPS.

DOH! I see it now, just put it down to old age and Alts Altz bugger, forgetfulness.

If you show them the video of your near miss John they will double your premium anyway and demand that you only ride in daylight.

John, The THINKING bit never entered their heads mate. Still at least you still have all your bit's I suppose. I do the same as you and keep your thumb on the horn button, it makes them at least know they nearly run you down, they will then give YOU the finger like it's your fault. If you have access to YOUTUBE put it up on there and call it like it is "SPOT THE ARSEHOLE!!" Just a thought.

F"CK ME!! John that was close, one more layer of paint and they would have had you. Still you were only 300 yards from the junction and they really wanted to get off and you after all are only on a motorbike and their car cost more than some peoples houses so they have the right to behave like total PRICKS. See if you can make out the reg number and have a chat with your local plod, I would have followed the dick to the next junction and had myself a mirror moment.

Come on Grouch WHAT'S HAPPENING? We are all waiting to find out what this is going to cost, I think we should have a pool and the nearest will get a round of applause as a know it all bastard, so I will go first and say it's going to be £657.24 1/2p PLUS VAT oh and a turnip. I really really hope I am wrong!! and your original estimate of £300 is right, anyone else like to guess what this will cost, I'm sure Grouch will appreciate our caring nature. I should go and have a lie down Grouch this is going to get ugly.

Hi Davie, I suppose if it works then put it back to how it was before, no need to get all het up about it, just seems a shame to have a nice new exhaust and then to do a Frankenstein on it, still really only you will know that it's not perfect and to be honest as long as the gases stay in the pipe and not up your trouser leg that might be enough. If it was me I would sort it out but if your strapped for time then it's a no brainer to just get it up and running after all the riding season is rapidly approching ie not pissing down or 4 foot of snow and ice. Just do what you have to and enjoy the bike.

As Cynic says "it is what it is" so enjoy it, might sound like a wasp in a bottle but the fact that it annoys everyone around you is a good thing!

Welcome to the YOC Nox.

Having more or less the same bike as you I know where your at, i was not suggesting that you fit a heicoil but that it looked like there was one in the hole? Might be wrong of course but if there is one in there it might be possible to recut the thread in it to accept another stud, that seems the only way your going to get around this without taking the head off. That isn't a hard thing to do but best not done if you want just a quick fix, if you want to remove the head then it should take about an hour to get the ancillaries off and another hour to get the head off then you can take it to your local engineering work to get them to cut you an nice new hole. Look at my vehicles and you will see what's involved as I have just done this to the Maxim (same engine) cost about £90 including a nice new head gasket and a set of new head nuts, plus you can change the timing chain if you want to at the same time. Hope some of this makes sense mate, good luck. Just as an aside the tap to recut your thread should fit easily in the gap between the frame and the head.

Do it right Davie, no point in making the same mistake as the other numb nuts did, if you have a set of taps and dies then it should be easy to just straighten out the thread, although looking close it MIGHT have a helicoil in it which will be a bit harder than the normal head material so just take your time and see whats best. Good luck mate.

Me to grouch, if it comes in at ONLY £300 then count yourself lucky, I would check before saying go ahead. Your CDI unit could cost £90+ Set of bearings £30 Starter £80 Then theres fitting and stuff plus brake shoes/pads horn fixing the rear light (electrics God knows what that will cost) Hope you have DEEP pockets mate.

Thanks both, really helpful, I think it's going to be the FJR just got to be nice to the wife for the next 100 years (oh dear).

I am thinking of changing my bike, I have an XJ750 (pre divi) that is 30+ years old now and it's really a good bike but getting a bit long in the tooth for long runs, so I was thinking of buying an FJR 1300A or the Honda 1300A ST Pan, I have not ridden either of these and wondered if any of you have and what did you think of them, I have checked out the forums on both of these and there seem's to be no major problems other than the FJR has some issues with minor vibration from the engine/frame? what ever that means. I would like to hear from any of you that have any thoughts on either of these or even what you think might be a good alternative, I am really looking to do some long european runs this year so I would be grateful for your input. Thanks all, Slice

Hi again Nick, Ok so your going to do this then so first off when your in traffic the bike will get hot but not so bad as to be a problem really and you have the added benefit of being able to filter between the other vehicles so keeping the air flow over the cylinders, just remember that you should not filter at speed, for example if all the other traffic of toddling along at 10 mph you can wimble your way through at a few mph more than them but if they are moving at say 30mph you should stay in place as cars WILL not see you when they change lanes and scoop you off, just be sensible and it's no problem. As for carbs well as long as they are balanced properly they should behave themselves, don't know where you got the idea that carbs are more problem than injectors cos there old tech and most of the problems result from incorrect adjustment rather than the difference to other means of delivering fuel to the cylinder. If your friend is any sort of rider he will tell you most of this anyway and if he doe's not know then it's time to buy a manual and find out yourself. One last point, PLEASE get some training BEFORE you get on this thing I may sound like you Dad but it's really important that you understand this thing before you launch your self down the road.

If this is your very FIRST bike and you have never riden before then "YOUR GOING TO DIE" unless you have all the training that is out there BEFORE you even get on it, your local news paper will have loads of obit's on people who have died and if you go online you will find that riding a bike is (if your not trained) lethal, just check out your Governments stastistics on how many riders died in the last year in your country. You say your 22 years old and want to have fun, well it's out there but not for you just yet. If you buy this bike and take no training before you ride it I give you 2 months before your in hospital or on the news as a headline . I'm not having a go at you just telling you that this is a really BAD idea, do your training and ride a small bike for a couple of years and then you might be ready for this machine but not before. By the way I'm 60 years old and have been riding since I was 14, been in Hospital a few times but all when I was your age so ignore me if you want but being an old fart means I get to tell you the truth about bikes there fun exciting and bloody frightening at times, please think carefully about this before you do it.

Hi Phil, Welcome to the YOC, as above really, you should get the electrics checked (or do it yourself) just make sure that the side stand switch is working an easy job just check all the wires are connected and clean then try again, if that don't work ask your local bike shop to look at it for you. Otherwise buy the manual (haynes or whatever) and learn how to do it yourself, lots of satisfaction in sorting your own faults, if you have a mate or whatever that is willing to go through it with you all the better.