ANDYROSE

Hey Alan, Look again at the second picture. The beemer from behind ( ), the palm tree and the island offshore. That's not Spain is it? It's just down the road from you where the palm trees grow and the island is called Ailsa Craig! It's all alongside the Clyde really Cheers, Andy PS Nice pics really!

The only people I know of who can help you with any sort of certification of age & model are the VJMC. Andy

Commiserations feller, it's a shitty feeling and we've all been there. However, take consolation that you are not badly hurt and your bike is repairable, it could have been a lot worse an outcome for both of you. Look on it as a major step in the learning curve of riding. Unless upright on your bike, manhole covers of any sort (even the 'non-slip' coated ones) are to be avoided like the plague, especially in wet or even damp conditions. Likewise whitelines painted on the roads. The current (or maybe last) issue of 'Bike' magazine has a guide to riding in the wet in it. I would seriously reccomend it to you as there is some sound advice contained therein (I read it in the shop the other day ). I'm not sure what you ride at present, but if you can borrow an off-roader (preferably not a super dooper mint condition one) and go somewhere off road where it is slippery then do so. Practice riding around and try getting the wheels sliding around at low speed, the more you can do the better. It may not feel like it straight away but you will start to gain experience of the bike moving under you and learn not to react in the instinctive way (close throttle, feet down) but control it. It will make you a far better equipped road rider, that's why the American road racers are so good, they nearly all ride dirt bikes at an early age and a sliding bike isn't un-natural to them. Hope you feel better soon. Andy PS Just spotted that you list a TZR 50 as your ride, apologies.

Cheers Merv, I would never have ID'd the blue one as a UK bike with that colour scheme , the German bikes I have never seen before (aren't they nice )and Andy Mansell's I would have known but it wasn't there last night, just a red cross so maybe he had gone for a ride . Scott, if I understand correctly Oceania seems to have always got it's own models of bikes (and cars) which sometimes vary quite a bit from other countries specs for no obvious reason. Good thread this isn't it! Andy

Thanks for the kind words chaps. The only bike I am certain of out of those Merv is Pete's yellow 250. I suspect I should know the red 400 and the DS7 (or YR5?) but the white & blue 400 is a mystery. Paint job and the rack say perhaps Eric 'RDeesa' in SA? Here are a couple more... my white RD400D 'rescue' which sadly still awaits some attention but is being given a lot of thought. And for you Scott, a Daytona. This belongs to a guy in Australia called Des Lewis, 'Desperado' on the AC-RD forum. I don't think he will mind his bike being put on here as it is such a lovely example. Cheers, Andy

Let's see if I can get these posted for you Scott, to top up the collection so far... '81, RD125DX, original and unadulterated. '79 RD400E, Not original and slightly adulterated. Andy PS Is there a prize for spotting that the footrests and swing arm say 'D' for the blue 250?

Well, a 1A2 prefix is correct for an RD250 so that's a good start. The best place for you to visit would be... http://www.aircooled-rd.com/forum/default.asp (sorry, that link doesn't sem to work but the url is correct) but without a reg number I don't know what chance you stand with DVLA, unless you can get an age related plate once the bike is up and running which is certainly possible. You will I think have to get the bike MOT'd and possibly examined by a DVLA inspector but it can be done. Andy

This is weird - I'm a fairly new user here but it seems that whenever I'm here I'm the ONLY one - do I smell? [checks armpits/breath] anyway..... I have noticed that I am usually alone on here too, so don't feel you are the only one. Just not enough users I suppose? With regard to your question about welders, I would suggest looking at doing a course of evening classes at a college if you have one nearby. You will learn a lot from a quite short course including the most appropriate type of welding for your objectives. Cheers, Andy

And a Merry Christmas from me to all of you too. Andy

Nice to hear a happy ending Andy

My Divvy 600 is prone to this, and I believe it is a trait of the model. Leave it standing for a couple of weeks and the clutch will stick, and putting it into gear will sometimes stall the engine. I have developed the precautionary habit of rolling the bike off the centre stand so that it is moving forward as I engage first gear and if the clutch is sticking then that always seems to do the trick. I feel that it's kinder to the gearbox and not quite as drastic as running into a wall! I suppose that alternatively it is possible to start the bike on the centre stand and then engage first gear, and then apply the rear brake. Hope that helps. Andy

Great pictures Scott, Cool!! (Gettit?). You are really lucky to have access to such places, in the UK it is getting harder to go off road all the time, new legislation has just been passed which makes even previously legitimate areas unavailable . Enjoy Andy

What sort of fuel tap does a TDM have, can you actually turn the fuel off? I am wondering if it is actually flooding, given that it tried to fire without the airbox fitted and no choke. If it's a vacuum tap presumably you could pull the pipe off the tap once you have fuel in the carbs and see what happens? Only guessing I'm afraid but it might help. Andy

To be truthful I cannot personally comment on the R6 but am inclined to agree with chrisw and would respectfully suggest that you spend your first year or so on something a little less performance orientated. I admit to being biased because I own one, but something like the Divvy 600 (or XJ) would be a cheap way of finding your feet, gaining vital experience and building a bit of no claims bonus. Of course, there are plenty of other alternatives to the Divvy, it's worth shopping around. Andy

Rather than dip the plugs, I would drip a few drops of petrol into the plug holes and then try starting it. If it fires on that bit of fuel then you at least know you have a spark and it may well be enough to get it to run. Otherwise I can't offer much advice I'm afraid. Andy

You say you have fitted new plugs and fuel is getting to the carbs, but are the plugs getting wet? If they are then you know the fuel is getting into the cylinders, if not then that is your problem and it is back into the carbs to see why not. Have you put fresh fuel into the tank? You say it is your winter bike, has it stood since last winter with the same fuel in it? Modern fuels go stale very quickly and give this sort of problem so I would advise draining the tank and putting in fresh petrol. Cheers, Andy

Dave, This one comes up on the Air Cooled RD forum quite a lot (doesn't it Scott?) as dealing with '70's bikes means lots of tanks have rusty tank internals (and leaks ). Anyway, to remove rust you do not need to use any sort of chemical, just a bag of small nails or screws (felt tacks are apparently quite good). Having removed your fuel tap (or wreck the flter ) put in a couple of handfuls of the chosen medium, then shake the tank around a lot, then more, then even more and so on until you are happy with the result. Rinse out after removing nails or whatever and away you go. Apparently. I have never done this myself, but it is well spoken of by those who have. Andy

Hi & welcome from a Divvy 600 owner (UK equivalent). I thought I had done well finding a '92 model with only 4,500 miles on it but you have beaten that! The fairing lowers and Givi rack were fitted when I bought the bike, I have just added the top box. Andy

Hi Andy, I would guess you have a valve guide seal gone as that is a hell of a lot of oil to be using. You may want to visit ... HERE for an opinion as well. Andy

I was an all year round rider when I was young (like Alan ) but these days I prefer the better weather for road riding. Like Rolfq I don't want to ride on the roads when they are loaded with salt but more than that being a rural area with no major routes except one, most of the roads around me are deadly at this time of year with tractors and log lorries carrying big areas of mud and slime onto the tarmac, all laced with diesel as well. Not nice Maybe if a trailie came my way though.... Andy

Hi, I can't help you but if you go to this forum... AirCooled-RD.com you might find someone who can. TZR's are relatives of RD's and they have a section called 'Other two strokes' so someone might be able to help you. Cheers, Andy

Hi Alan, I'm fine thanks, just busy! Yes it nice to get a break from the rain, I laid the bikes up before going away in October and haven't had them out since . We don't just get a wet day or two now, we seem to get endless days and it is never just rain but torrents of it, no fun at all for anything, never mind riding Soon be spring again though. I trust you are well and living a quiet and sober life, lol Cheers, Andy

Great stuff Scott! Nice to see you getting the XT out, and in the sort of conditions which it would be well suited for! No snow worth talking about here, just frosts down to about -6*C. Better than the constant wet weather we have had for the last month though. Andy

Ah! That's a begger then Maybe you could try one of the sealants which are available, Petseal I think one is called, and others are about too. Try this forum... [http://www.aircooled-rd.com/forum] as I know it has been mentioned on there in the past, 70's bikes need such stuff Cheers, Andy

Hi Dave, As a fellow Divvy owner sorry to hear your news. It could be that a leak has occured in a seam/joint, but as you say it is the bottom left edge of the tank which is affected I wonder if you have a leak from the join where the petrol tap goes into the tank? I would be inclined to check that first, it may be that you have a perished rubber seal which will only cost a small amount of money and hassle to resolve. You might want to put the question to the guys on here...[url=http://www.bikersoracle.com/yamahadiversion/forum/index.php], ...or at least have a look. I recall something about petrol tap seals being asked a while back so that might be of use to you. Cheers, Andy