Mr Bignel

thanks s/bite, nice of you to trouble, i'd like it to go through it's mot so i'll order the amber type LEDs, thanks, much appreciated.

there's these on ebay, might consider swapping over... eBay UKUniversal Car Motorcycle Mini LED Turn Signal Tail Lights...(Fit for Cafe Racer Motorcycle（DIY mini led light). Light Color: Red 、Yellow （optional). Housing Color: Silver. We must protect your interest as promsied.

good point - just what i had at the time lol.

yes good point on the headlight situation - on the side lights i had a hairy incident where a lady motorist came out into a dual carriageway, i moved over as far as i could and got away with it, the guy behind me said that he saw her husband grab the steering wheel! Anything that promotes visibily, I'm getting distinctly paranoid about it now. Maybe west yorkshire is quieter but 40 miles from london is busy busy now with distracted and less than cautious motorists. If I can get further west, maybe herefordshire, things improve.

These are the running lights on my bike, two front, one either side and two at the back yet still i get peeps pulling out on me. changed the oil and filter today, book says oil change at 4K but i do 3K. next job is to wire in those spot lights you can just see down by the side lights, one each side. my thunderace is an early one 1997 with 50k miles, there's a later model on autotrader that i like: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/bike-details/202509226529043?advertising-location=at_bikes but now isn't the time despite low prices.

oh dear

thanks amb, i see it is annotated 'custom' meaning americanised i think. i prefer the wire wheels that you have now.

i'm not that knowledgeable about bikes but this particular one strikes me as rather a mystery, on one hand the tall bars and tail bar make it look like a chopper but then if you imagine it without those and a minimal seat then it has the look of a scrambler, especially if it had a scrambler exhaust high up to the side. What would it have looked like originally I cannot help but wonder, are those handle bars original please?

well done perservering

the response that occurs to me is that, here in the uk anyway, one has to be a little bit careful not to upset motorists, road rage, things kicking off etc so i would think twice about hovering behind a car with full beam on as one wouldn't want to nuisance/irritate them. as preciously mentioned, led running lights or spotlights aren't quite so intrusive especially if set lower.

hmm.. that's a novel approach ha-ha.

somebody correct me but i don't believe we are alowed to travel about during the day on main headlight beam here in the UK, not withstanding adventure bike style high level spotlights have the same effect. I've installed a couple of led spotliughts for improved daytime visibiity but not connected then up as yet, something I've done on previous motorcycles, they do help with filtering as they attract the attention of motorists ahead going in the same direction.

i don't know alex, we know where we are going and look ahead for potential dangers anyway don't we? Best not to be in a hurry. Staying in control, owning the road - that is easier if there's space ahead so leaving a gap behind the car in front is surely good enough. So many vehicles are bulky with dark windows which doesn't help but nevertheless not sufficient reason to go for overtakes - I stay in line unless it gets really tedious. Eventually you get to clearer areas.

getting there 😊

not me i'm afraid

hmm bright lights and reflective vests aren't that effective then. I'm probably unfit to ride a motorbike as I am prone to getting upset with errant motorists - this is when most of my near misses have occurred, ill judged overtakes mainly now i try to be calmer even when provoked by selfish behaviours. there's so many other hazards though

not too bad really

Gunk is the famous degreased but petrol may be cheaper, works well with a stiff brush usaually. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/145758872650?chn=ps&_ul=GB&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-166974-033325-9&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=145758872650&targetid=2274951440814&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=1007155&poi=&campaignid=22093844385&mkgroupid=173144283077&rlsatarget=pla-2274951440814&abcId=10153141&merchantid=9884324&geoid=1007155&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22093844385&gbraid=0AAAAAD_Lr1fWtM-keLbZXQFh_Jg2vroCu&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2IDFBhDCARIsABDKOJ6nuG7HlCwpv8e9VMSm3-311AYFdXXCNfNyWHG1Dcqt_NWZ54Bcpw8aAgM9EALw_wcB

at 193 kg (wet weight) the MT09 is quite a light bike for the size I see. Roughly how many miles have you got on yours now please?

amb, it may be pragmatic, and cheaper, to make one good one? the more stock the greater the value. just musing 😊

incidentally this is a nice site alex, well done setting it up and keeping it going...🙂

hopefully the photos will help you reassemble the bike in due course lol. just joking 😄

spot and running lights may help, led lights are fairly sharp and bright, i put the spots on for filtering and i'm so paranoid now that i have running ligfhts front and back plus a lit reflector to the side.

i agree with the above, common sense stuff. i don't know what got into iam and rospa, the two main training bodies here about 'making progress' it really isn't the best tactic on our crowded roads in the UK. to my mind there are three dangers, junctions, overtaking and to a lesser extent bends, the latter is just experience. emergency braking, good thing to master of course but i'd say best never to let yourself get in that position if you can, animals might run out that's true. i try and leave gaps, use the gears to get speed down for bends and generally look well ahead for anything that might cause a hazard.

good luck with those then 🙂 I find that I have enough to do keeping chain tensioned, oil changes, tyre checks etc on my one bike lol.