Benedictine

Hi, I wonder if you can help me with something I am a bit worried about. On three/four occasions my throttle has appeared to jam on full. This has happened in 3rd gear. All of a sudden the bike lunges forward from under 30mph to 38mph+ and I can't slow the bike down by shutting down the throttle, it just appears to be locked/jammed and I have to brake and stick in the clutch. The first time it happened I panicked and used the emergency kill switch (I was approaching a main road). Afterwards I thought I must have accidentally put it in fourth gear, but it has now happened a few times so I was wondering if there is a jam on the throttle, if this can happen and how to fix it? Any help will be appreciated, thanks.

Yes OK, I just thought it easier than starting a new thread every single time I had a question/issue. I would have opened about 10 threads by now...

Yes it's costing me £122 for two tyres and fitting and a partial MOT retest. £77 for just the back tyre (essential to pass MOT) £122 for them both and £49 for the initial MOT, inner tube fitting and 2 litres of oil. Everything costings these days, bloody gas bill as almost doubled in the last couple of years and £70 a month less working tax, rip off Britain!

Thanks. I am booked in this Sat to get two new tyres and then it will pass the MOT, £122, but this should be good for a while.

Seems a pain to have to do all that business when you are just selling a few bikes on. Can't you just start out selling them via ebay and maybe you won't have to jump through all the hoops immediately?

OK thanks a lot lads, 2/2 for new tyres, I will contact them Monday and order two new tyres. I might as well sort it all now as opposed to getting into trouble further down the line. It looks like I'm going to keep the bike for a bit anyway as the 125 suits me at the moment so I might as well get everything right, i just didn't know if the 'cords' were such a big deal or not. Bit harsh with labour on top of that and VAT and MOT re-test but once it is sorted it's sorted (though I'm sure the missus won't say that..) At least there's nothing wrong with the engine or drive chain or anything major.

OK thanks, so would you get a complete set of new tyres then?

Hi, I took the bike to the garage and had the inner tube fitted so that should be OK now only thing is it has failed the MOT!! It failed on rear wheel tread and failing dipped headlight, with advisories on front and rear tyre has cracks to cords and brake fluid low. I'm booked in for next week to get the headlight and new rear tyre. I could do with a bit of advice from more experienced riders, would you get a new front tyre as well, what's the 'cords'? How bad are cracks to cords? I only noticed this when I left the shop and now the garage is closed. Also with the cylinder fluid am I right in thinking it just needs topping up, I don't have to drain the old fluid out do I? Thanks a lot. I'm also thinking of doing an oil change as I've done 1000 miles on it now. I've bought the oil and ordered a new filter. This matches with the advise from the manual and from what I have read.

OK thanks, I have already bought the new inner tube I just need it fitting. I've got the MOT in a couple of weeks so I probably need it sorting for then. I'll try and get it into a garage. Something I've learned with bikes is that you are always fiddling around with the things. Cheers.

Hi, I wondered if anybody could help me with another question. I think I have a slow puncture in the front tire as I'm losing about 5 psi each week. I have bought another inner tube. Will it be possible to fit this myself like on a standard push bike, or will I have to take it to the garage? Seems a daft question but I've heard that bike tires can be really stiff and garages use a special clamp device. Thanks.

I'm trying to use Google maps to plot a decent run out, from Sheffield to the coast, Scarborough or North Yorkshire etc, and it is a bit of a headache, considering also I can only use the A roads, but try to plot smaller roads along the way. So I was wondering about maps as well.

No I left the yellow things in place. The neighbour has just told me you don't do that, so that explains the explosion. It was a poor connection on the battery that caused it. One of the nuts around the connectors was loose. Also the water levels are low again. I came to fit the new battery but the + and - terminals are the other way around on the battery which means I can't fit it on the bike as the wires won't reach around. I'll have to stick with the old battery and just top it up with water when I get some tomorrow. At least it is starting now.

Jesus, my new battery on charge in the kitchen has just exploded!! Acid everywhere. Does any thing go right for me? I've just mopped it up and put it back on charge. Going to watch it more closely now.

Cheers. Maybe changing the battery will sort that then anyway. It's only stuck in the cupboard so I might as well try it.

A strange thing happened this morning. I came to start it as normal and there was nothing, no sound, power, even no power to the neutral light, so I had assumed the battery was completely dead. I've come back to it just now while I am charging up the new battery, but it is now starting with the old one. There was at one stage no power the first time I turned the ignition on, but when I tried again the neutral light showed and it started as normal. I'm going to put the new battery in anyway, but I'm wondering if it is not that at all, with it suddenly not working and then working fine, maybe a loose connection or something? Anyway, the battery charges around 11pm tonight so I'm going to fit it there and then and give it a little night ride. I just can't go a day without my bike any more. I'm wanting it for Wednesday.

Sorted it now thanks. Got the bulbs from Halfords this morning. Can't say the dash light is very bright, in fact I can't tell any difference, but it might show up when it's dark. High beam warning light is sorted at least.

Dash light? We have a dash light? Ha, ha I didn't know that. Thanks. I got to the bulb on the high beam warning light, with some difficulty, but I got there. Took the bulb out and it turns out that it is a larger size than the ones I ordered (that I got from the manual's recommendation!!!). Went up to the local garage but they don't have that size so I'll just pop to Halfords tomorrow and get a few. Yes the nuts are fiddly and there is a washer and a rubber seal missing, washer on one, seal on the other. I'll sort it tomorrow though. I'm also going to get a proper screw driver and wrench set too, as I'm fed up of scrounging around with the bits I've got. Thanks again.

Yes it is loud, very loud, like a lorry. No I don't normally go over 50 mph myself usually. I've sorted the seal, more or less. One one of the three bits is broken but it holds well enough with two out of three and like you say it is not really worth ordering a complete side panel just because of this. I've had a look at the light, but I just want to check before I hack at something. So to get at the warning bulb. Do I need to: 1 Unscrew those two locking nuts? 2 Unscrew the large wire (think it is the speedo connector, hidden behind the green thing)? 3 pull out the yellow and black wire in the top left-hand of the image and replace the bulb there? Or something else? I have no idea what the blue and black wire is top right as there are no bulbs behind that, Thanks.

Cheers Andrew, I'm going to have a go in a minute. I also need to sort out the rubber seal around where the side panels are because one of them has worn over the years and now and then the side panel comes loose like it did today. I went out for a short ride this morning and when I pulled up one of the panels was hanging off. If I just put a bit of seal on it it will be OK. Hit 63mph at one point. I don't usually rag the bike around or drive fast, but it was an open stretch of the road with nothing around so I just wondered what it would do. Oh there was a funny moment as well. If you remember I mentioned that my indicators now bleep like a lorry reversing, thanks the new relay, well I was turning left passed some road cyclists and they must have thought I was beeping at them as one of them shouted 'I moved over you fucking idiot.' I didn't have time to stop an explain it was the indictors. So no doubt that is another cyclist pissed off with motorbikers for a while.

Thanks. I think I once started to take apart the main dash before realising that this can't be right. OK, I'll have a look behind the light. I've taken this off before several times and the jumble of wires just confuse me. I'll have a look for the nuts. I already have a replacement bulb for the warning light just I've not been able to find when it fits.

I've not noticed my indicators quickening, maybe a little but I don't know if I'm imagining it on your behalf! My bike's running fine now. The only thing...the only thing... I've not managed to do is to change the high beam warning light. Any ideas on this? I've tried to find it under and around the dash but it is a bugger to get to and of course the manual is no help. I'm scared of taking the whole dash apart and surely this is not necessary? I have an MOT next month and wonder if it could fail it on this, but besides it would be good if this little thing is sorted.

I've not noticed the indicators quickening with speed to be honest, how quickly do they speed up? If the water is between the lines then I doubt it is that...ha, ha, here's me giving advice hardly qualified but just going on my own experiences of my bike.

I fitted the new relay (amazing came the next working day) and they are working fine now, thanks. I didn't realise I had ordered a bleeping relay though, sounds a bit annoying but probably safer. Having taken the old one it was a bit rusted around the prongs so maybe if I had cleaned them up it would have worked, never mind.

Thanks no worries. Yes mine just seems to be suspended by the two wires. It's a bit fiddly to get to. I just hope it doesn't take too long to come in the post.

Thanks. I've found the part online and I'm going to try and find it in a minute, give it a clean and so on if that doesn't work then I'll order the part. Cheers. Edit: I've found the relay it is under the dash controls, a bit fiddly to get to. It sometime works, sometimes doesn't (mostly doesn't). It clicks when it works, doesn't click when it doesn't. I'll just order another, but in the meantime it is a bit dodgy on the road with indicators not working properly.