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Thanks Kev, yeah desperation seems to be the mother of invention.

No reason you can't cover vast distances on any bike really, just as long as you have a destination in mind a credit card and breakdown cover your golden. Some guys have taken 50cc Honda step thrus around the world so 115 miles not a problem mate.

Hi Stu, welcome to the YOC.

That does look mint mate, I have seen these on ebay for about £400 +p&p so not a cheap option but MUCH cheaper then the "real" thing.

Most after market type fairings are so say "made to fit" but that usually means you have to fiddle with them to get it to fit correctly whereas if you buy from the manufacturer they will fit right on no problem. So it depends if your good with a Stanley knife or not? If the advert has negative feedback about the product then expect problems, usually best to buy the kit you want and get a professional or fit it, which means of course that it would have been cheaper to buy the genuine one in the first place!

Hi Malky, never to old to have the shit frightened out of you! Welcome to the YOC.

It means your bike has Cosworth pistons! http://www.cosworth.com/products/performance-parts/forged-pistons/honda/

It's very clever Sniff but the question comes not can I do it but should I? Would you put your family in it is the test? Seen worse CUT and SHUT'S tho.

Sounds about right, just chop off the ones that don't fit and solder on some new ones, Just a suggestion tho, make sure, if you can, to use the ones with a plastic sleeve to keep it as water tight as you can.

Over the years I have used probably most types of tank cleaning advice and the very best and cheapest was, string together with some wire a bunch of old nuts, the bigger the better, and pour in a 50-50 mix of white vinegar and water and rattle it round till its clean. Makes your arms ache and you look a right twit from behind (I'm told by SWMBO!) then use heat to dry it as quick as you can then use a sealer of your choice, just make sure it's ethanol proof. Sorry should have added flush with distilled water once it's clean to counter the vinegar.

Grouch mate can I just say something here? DON'T attack your bike with a crow bar and heat, leave the steering lock how it is for now. A photo might help if you want some advice on how best to tackle it.

No Grouch it's about road worthiness not how it looks, as long as the structure of the bike is ok the ancillaries are not important.

This made me smile, also made me remember some old friends.

Saw this the other day and thought that laughter makes the world look better. https://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R3GDDEL1SC1QQ5

Sorry forgot for a minute there that your not a mechanic, my bad! As finners said clamp or turn off the fuel line then spin it over for a few moments till the excess fuel is out then pop the plugs back in and that should be all you need.

Now that makes sense, cush rubbers, everybody forgets them till they need changing. Good thought fabiostar!

Take the plugs out, turn the engine over for a few seconds then wipe your face with a cloth!

Welcome to the YOC, Christ you broke the shifter!!! Never heard of that before, you must be one heavy footed dude. Check that the splines are clear of any swarf from the old one when you replace it.

As above does sound like pad wear, good idea to free up the pins, give them a sand down with wet and dry then grease them, see if that makes any difference.

Not for everyone but if you think it would help and make you feel safer then buy one, only cost a few quid. Been riding for over 40 years and never had one but been knocked off more times than I like to think of most of those were dummies who pulled out IN FRONT of me with a head light on so if they don't see that then there's not much hope for these dumb f**kers. S.M.I.D..S.Y should be nailed to the road and run over a few times to make them aware of how much it hurts. Oh and I want to say " I'm not your mate you dumb arse" when I'm laying in the road. PS SMIDSY = "Sorry mate I didn't see you" just in case you didn't know!

Nope only time it should be flush is when you first put it in after you have put new pads in. After that it sits proud, try CAREFULLY to push the piston out a short distance, use an air line if you have one, put something inside the caliper so the piston doesn't come right out, old brake pads are ideal for this, and check the state of the piston to see if it's rusty, if not then that's probably not your problem. Have you checked the front wheel bearings?

Take it up to about 40mph then change there's no need to rev it's nuts off and a gear change at that speed will get you where you want to go without the risk of being hit from behind, it will do 70 mph in first but ask yourself do you really want to? It's an old bike so treating it like it has an everlasting supply of revs WILL bite you in the arse.

Hi Richard, welcome to the YOC.

What about the electronics? Does he have the loom and all the kit that makes it run?

Fingers crossed mate it will get worse before it get's better.