Campaman

I just nabbed some from the kitchen, cut it to size, stuck it on using contact adhesive (UHU) then I painted it black using some black exhaust paint I had laying around, not sure if it will make a lot of difference, but it can't make it any worse.

The first pic only has a single front disk, so not the 600, looks like the XJ400 Diversion to me.

I had exactly the same thing happen, the wife got me some new panniers from evilbay for christmas that stated they were leather, what a load of bull, they turned out to be vinyl coated plastic, not ideal over a hot exhaust, by the time I had been given them and sussed them out the evilbay seller had done a runner. I assume that you have got pannier supports fitted to the bike? You will be best doing what I had to do and punch some more holes to get the panniers a few inches above the exhaust pipe. I have also stuck on a layer of tin foil on the bottom of the exhaust side pannier and painted it black. I am also assuming that as yours has melted they are also not leather, the problem I am finding is that vinyl will stretch and over time they are dropping back towards the exhaust, I have kept my old leather ones and may end up re-fitting them until I can find some decent quality ones.

I think you will find that the 3.4 gallons is inclusive of the .9 gallon reserve, so the fact that you are only getting around 2.5 gallons in when you are filling up after makes sense. 0.9 + 2.5 = 3.4 gallons

I do the same as gizmo666, I reverse through my gate and have to lean and tilt to get the bars through, on my 650 the bars are the widest part, the rest of the bike goes through a standard gate size OK.

I stopped around 6 years ago, having tried all the gimmicks at the end of the day it came down to pure will power, get over the first two weeks and the nicotine is out of your system then its all down to habit. I tried the sucking a mint thing and that didn't really work, what I found did help was every time I felt the urge for a smoke, I just found something else to think about or do for the next ten minutes or so.

So it does, never noticed it with the portable one before, my mains is very noticeable. Mind you I had to wait until 10:30pm before it was dark enough to see it...

A cordless battery drill doesn't have that problem.

From what I can see the 400 is the same size bike as the 650 but with the smaller engine, although it develops similar power the maximum torque is at 6000 rpm where the 650's is at 3,000 rpm, so I would imagine you would have to be working the engine harder to achieve similar performance to the 650. Personally I would go for the 650, but then that's what I have...

Hi http://yamahaclub.com/forums/forum/48-new-members/ Cheers

It may sound like buying new is getting you more for your money but remember around £1k of the £2k is going to be VAT and on the road costs, but it may also be that the second hand ones are overpriced. I always hankered after a Harley but my mate had one but has now moved on to a Triumph as he got fed up of spending the time keeping the Harley going, that put me off, he did used to wave at other bikes though...

I travel 11 miles to work from Market Harborough to Corby, and you pass more traffic in the first ten seconds than I see on my complete journey.

Couldn't agree more, went out for a ride last Sunday on some of the favoured roads around my way, and must have had at least 20 sports bikes pass me, and rode home from work yesterday with the wife on the back, when we got home she said you do fidget a lot don't you I asked what she meant, well your head is always nodding around, I explained it was due to all the other bikes we passed... Doh!

We did all this last October with the MAG rides, I took part in the one on the A14 from Thrapston services, actually a real good turnout and a lot of fun.

The 650 are supposed to have the rev limiter set at 7200 rpm, so with the final drive ratio that equates to 103 mph tops. Its the max torque at 3000 rpm that I like about the bike, you don't have to ring its neck to get it moving. Max speed in each gear based on the rev limiter below: Max revs 7200 rpm, (Max Torque @ 3000 rpm) 1st = 37MPH 2nd = 53MPH 3rd = 69MPH 4th = 86MPH 5th = 103MPH

Thought that might be the case, well I wont be doing another one, far too fiddly...

Am I the only sad git then that has actually built one? I did the 1100 Draggy last summer while on holiday in the motorhome at Cromer.

I just use standard Turtle Wax type car polish on everything, paint, plastic chrome and real chrome.

I would still have a look at the chain and make sure that is adjusted correctly.

I had this with a new pair of gloves, once they were worn in a bit it stopped, but if you are only getting it in the morning maybe its just the cold getting to them, I get that as well, but then I had a FS1E so that may account for it.

Radial http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2006/05/10/radial-engine-powered-motorcycle/

My first bike/moped was a FS1E that would do 50 mph. I think a lot of the 50cc crowd and a certain amount of the 125's may be riding because that's all they can afford or that they need to just to get where they need to go, my nephew had a 50cc then a 125 just so he could get to work (no public transport) and as soon as he could afford it he changed to a tin box and sold the bike. Personally I nod or wave at every other bike, scooter or moped... I don't give a toss if they don't acknowledge me back, I feel good enough that I made the effort.

After my last oil & filter change I noticed a couple of drops after I had been for a ride, dripping just below where the stand was, after a few more rides it had stopped, oil level still OK, I put it down to a bit of spillage or something from when the oil & filter were done.

Classic

I got some from Lidl, black biker boot, they have a chrome ring at the ankle, just need to wear in though, the wife gives me strange looks cuz I am wearing them around the house.