Any Motörbike riders here?

midiglitch

My experience of acf50 is that it absolutely lives up to the hype, provided you understand what it is designed to do (i.e be displace water)   It's expensive though.  The claim that it is the Product of the choice for military use at sea and in the air is true to the best of my knowledge, and gives it a lot of credibility.

BenSirAmos

I am careful where I spray ACF50 nowadays. In the past, I sprayed it on the spark plug leads to keep water out - but the over-spray meant a lot of dust and grit and shit stuck in awkward places - which I now have to watch when I'm changing plugs: I don't fancy dislodging any shit into the spark plug holes.

But I love my Bandit (a 650 - I got it after a recommendation from someone on MR who might be on here now). It loves it when the revs go over 8k - and I love to hear it scream.

Good luck with the tests

Tone71

I use ACF50 and it seems decent, but since it`s dropped below 10c I haven't ridden, in fact I cant wait for Spring to arrive.

Still have a R6 throttle to fit to my SV but refusing to go and freeze in the garden and fit it!

xmrchi

Fusionista said:

mrchi said:

ACF is not to bad, and does work, but after a few says in this weather everything sticks to it and it make the bike look a right mess, if you get ot on your discs its game over.

 I have used GT85 for the last 10 years of all weather riding, keeps all the water out and makes it really easy to clean all the chain and road grease, I don't have anu rust or furring on my 99 r6 and its used daily.

Actually I found the GT85 gets a bit sticky, what's your method ?

@Fusionista I spray it everywhere, and leave it on, but wipe it off the plastics,, but due to rding every day in this weather and salt I wash the bike once or twice a week, then reapply the GT , dust etc will stick to it but unlike acf, you can easily wash  it off

Nomad

Did CBT today - I am now Mostly Harmless.

Struggled a bit at first with balance and turning (especially to the right), and wasn't sure if I would be up for the on-road bit later. For some reason, when we started changing gears, I got more settled and by the time lunch was done, I was up for getting on the road. After doing lots of junctions in a 20 zone, we went off for a scoot on the open road, and that was really good fun.

Theory test next...

sinbaadi

Congratulations!  

I'm sure a lot of people are put off by the low speed wobbliness and think they won't be able to deal with the road.  It's a different beast once the speed increases.  

xmrchi

Just go really fast all the time and you Will be fine:-) congrats, get out as much as you can, in all weather and traffic conditions, now is the most important time for you, it's about getting your newly acquired skills to become 2nd nature, learning to 2nd guess car drivers and being safe on the road.

I did the whole 2 years on my 125 and it was invaluable. When I passed my full test I did a year on a 400, then up to 600s then to thousands, and up, you will love it!

Tone71

Congrats, I too struggled with the slow stuff and once dropped a 600 on a right turn, bloody heavy they are too! Faster is fun.

boogieman

I did a refresher course when I went back to biking a couple of years back, after a 35 year layoff. Started off on a 125 and couldn't get the slow speed manoeuvring thing at all. Once they moved me on to a 600, I was fine though. The instructor reckoned it's to do with the bigger engine acting like a gyroscope and giving more stability. Might be bollocks but I'm always impressed by scientific sounding explanations.

Fusionista

So who's at Excel this weekend ?

p90fool

A few weeks late, but I only just managed to find a copy. My bike had a three-page spread in the January issue of Back Street Heroes. It was a cool write-up too.

http://i61.tinypic.com/okwgw6.jpg

http://www.backstreetheroes.com/issue-369-enfield-500-bobber/

Fusionista

So it should be - it's a cool bike.

I'm looking at something for long distances and maybe rough roads (local high street anyone?) at present. Anyone knows of a Stelvio or GS1200 for sale potential interest here.

boogieman

p90fool;526744" said:

A few weeks late, but I only just managed to find a copy. My bike had a three-page spread in the January issue of Back Street Heroes. It was a cool write-up too.



http://i61.tinypic.com/okwgw6.jpg



http://www.backstreetheroes.com/issue-369-enfield-500-bobber/

Nice!

xmrchi

@p90fool that's brilliant and something to be proud of!

Nomad

Quick question on textile jackets from a noob...

I want something hi-hiz, but am I better to go for an actual hi-viz jacket, or go for black and a hi-viz vest?

It seems that there are very few hi-viz jackets, so choice is rather limited. Do jackets tend to get grubby with road muck and, if so, would a hi-viz gradually lose its brightness? Although wearing a vest on top might be a bit more inconvenient, it would be easier to wash and cheaper to replace.

BenSirAmos

Nomad said:

Quick question on textile jackets from a noob...

I want something hi-hiz, but am I better to go for an actual hi-viz jacket, or go for black and a hi-viz vest?

It seems that there are very few hi-viz jackets, so choice is rather limited. Do jackets tend to get grubby with road muck and, if so, would a hi-viz gradually lose its brightness? Although wearing a vest on top might be a bit more inconvenient, it would be easier to wash and cheaper to replace.

If you think that hi-viz is important, I think you should get an actual hi-viz jacket - that way every time you go out, you will have to wear it. A vest will get torn, mislaid, forgotten, etc. I haven't really noticed anyone with a quality hi-viz jacket looking shabby - whereas vests often look a bit tatty.

Ride safe

Fusionista

I've three different vests (which go over leathers) and 2 jackets (one insulated, one merely rainproof).  My latest is the 'Think Bike' one from Equisafety, whom I thoroughly recommend. Otherwise it's pure preference.

xmrchi

Leave your lights on when riding in the day and have a bright helmet (lol).
Also have a really loud can, you don't really need a fv, and they take away from the most important part of biking..... Looking good and picking up women :-)

boogieman

Are there actually any bikes where you can turn the lights off these days? Thought they were all hardwired on?

Tbh I'm not that convinced by hi viz stuff being hugely effective, especially when you hear tales of coppers in full hiviz gear, riding bikes slathered in fluorescent paint, reflective stripes and flashing lights and still having Smidsy's. A lot of car drivers are totally unaware when it comes to bikes and defensive riding is a much better option IMO.

Tbh I do wear a hi viz vest if I'm riding at night but only because I've got a black jacket & trousers and ride a black bike, otherwise I'm worried I'd disappear into the background.

Fusionista

Totally agree boogieman, except that you can be d*** certain you have disappeared into the background if you are all in black.

For myself, my main machine is white, I wear a white helmet and fluorescents and it is amazing how drivers pick this up subconsciously - and get out of the way!