Grouch

Very informative, thanks for the info. I imagine London is a complete nightmare.

Welcome, I have the exact same year model bike as you, do feel free to ask me any questions.

Sorry if this is a stupid question but do you mean push it around in gear or with the clutch in? Wouldn't it be virtually impossible to push in gear?

There's just no point because as soon as I get home from the jet wash it is dirty again. All the crud will act as a barrier and absorb all the water. It doesn't surprise me. I bet the brother with the corroded van was well gutted, especially after all the time and money he spent on caring for it.

I've stopped jet washing my bike anyway because as soon as I have cleaned it, it just gets filthy again.

For it to do that, it must have been seriously neglected. XT engines are practically immortal. How long had you had the bike before it did that?

I didn't think about the actual man hole shaft. I now know that would be impossible, also newly built manhole's will still have to be in a hazardous location because the sewer is already in place. But not all of the steel covers are for man holes. Some are of the smaller variety, which means they are for the fire service or other holes in the ground.

What was wrong with your old engine? Not all XT engines are the exactly the same.

I understand the sewers have been there for centuries and they can not be relocated but........ The amount of times the roads are getting dug up, especially in April when they have to do as much work as they can to spend all their funds, why can't they add a 10 foot pipe to relay the man holes or grates to a more sensible spot?

By the time these tires need replacing I will have a bit more knowledge, so I will have a better idea of what to buy. I have to admit I noticed the difference straight away on the Pirelli. I was just surprised how expensive an half decent tyre can be.

I recently replaced my front tyre. I bought a Pirelli Sport Demon as they were highly recommended. I nearly bought some cheap crap as I was unaware of the importance of good tires, but luckily I was informed of the seriousness of it. My rear tyre is a Bridgestone Battle Axe. The guy who I bought the bike off had just put the rear one on, do its still like new. I have been thinking, will it matter having two different brands of tired on my bike, or is it better to have matching?

Because of the constant rain lately I have been constantly on the look out for man hole covers, so I can avoid them. I nearly come off going over one a while back, so now I am very vigilant. I have noticed that they always seem to be on corners on junctions, so every time I am turning at a junction or going round the corner it makes it more difficult because there is always at least one man hole cover to avoid. Also they also always seem to be in clusters of three of four. I don't know what it's like in your town but in Bradford they are in the most ridiculous, hazardous places which make it very dangerous for bikers. Obviously the groundworks teams that situate them do not think about bikers.

Thinking about it, it has done nothing but rain all summer in the city I live, and I mean heavy rain. I don't think the covers are designed for prolonged heavy downpours. It has rained nearly every single day. The only thing I could do is to buy a very thick cover, but I imagine for a quality one these will cost a lot of money, which I suppose will be worth it.

Thanks, I am going to use a brush, I have already learnt my lesson when it comes to brakes and WD40 type products. I will be extra careful when applying to areas near the barking systems.

The cover does have air vents and a gap underneath to allow air to circulate, but this just isn't enough. When I take the cover off there is a layer of condensation and even patches of water on the bike. What would you suggest I do?

You need to write a brief introduction in the relevant section, otherwise most people on here will ignore you. I have an XT and as long as you regularly check the obvious parts and maintain it properly it will go on forever. As for getting more HP it really can't be done. You can buy a after market exhaust, but there's no point as you wont notice the extra 3 HP it gives you.

I was thinking of putting a dehumidifier in there.

She's a real beauty.

Cheers Merv, I will take that on board.

Wow Neo, that is mental. That must be some good shit to do that. When I do buy some protection spray for my bike, how do I apply it, do I just blather the whole of my bike in it, and how often should I apply it?

So the GT85 is the better choice? I use two quality covers for my bike and it still get's damp and wet. I'm going to get a metal shed and put a concrete base down. I plan on getting a second bike so I need a shed/garage. I'll be able to keep all my oil, sprays, jerry can, etc in there.

Thanks DT I'm going to look on eBay now for some cheap ACF50.

The ACF50 looks the better option.

Isn't that just the same as WD40?

Nice buy, looks very tidy for the year.