Any Motörbike riders here?

Myranda

THere is another option for dropping into nutral between 1st and 2nd - you might be being too gentle... just a thought ;-)

octatonic

How hard should I be with it?

I tend to think I am firm with the bike.

Myranda

Well... Neutral exists somewhere between 1st and 2nd... if you don't fully engage with the other gear it will fall into neutral (between other gears is much more of an adjustment issue mine occasionally does this between 4th and 5th which makes for lots of noisy revving on dual carriageways).

So it's not really about force, but moving the lever the full range up or down. Being assertive and positive about it. Also helps to make sure you lower your revs and properly engage the clutch (given how on bike riding the clutch in low gears is/can be normal you can get into overly feathery habits there).

Of course I have had 2/3 of a bottle of wine at this point in the sunday so perhaps logical thoughtses is not a great plan

IanSavage

The NTV engages neutral between 1st and 2nd altogether too often, apparently the gearbox is well-known as the weak spot on those bikes though. 

Fusionista

Someone asked me to keep y'all up to date with my cafe conversion - on target for end of the month

  http://i691.photobucket.com/albums/vv274/AndyP335/Cafe conversion/VZsubframefitted170114-1.png

  http://i691.photobucket.com/albums/vv274/AndyP335/Cafe conversion/Rearlightangle.jpg

Tone71

Looking good, keep em coming.

The only thing that bugs me about my house is the no garage,I would love an old project bike to work on.

boogieman

Good work.

octatonic

Niiiice.

chillidoggy

Nice to hear you're back in the saddle, Oct!

octatonic

chillidoggy said:

Nice to hear you're back in the saddle, Oct!

Oh absolutely mate- I went out for a 4 hour ride today.

It was lovely.

chillidoggy

If it wasn't for the fact that I'd probably kill myself on a bike because I'm such a mad bastard when I get to drive anything that's powerful, I'd buy one. Hence I'm seriously envious, but at the same time relieved. Does that make sense?

Oh, and perhaps I should add that the missus would be filing for divorce if I were to buy one,

octatonic

chillidoggy said:

If it wasn't for the fact that I'd probably kill myself on a bike because I'm such a mad bastard when I get to drive anything that's powerful, I'd buy one. Hence I'm seriously envious, but at the same time relieved. Does that make sense?

Oh, and perhaps I should add that the missus would be filing for divorce if I were to buy one,

I have had several other people say exactly the same thing to me pretty much word for word.

I find that curious.

Not having a go at you (quite the opposite- trying to understand it) but it seems odd to me that you would translate how you drive a car to how you ride a motorcycle.

If you truly are a 'mad driver', does that mean you walk the same way- charging at the nearest wall, or parked cars, or other pedestrians randomly with no considering for your or their safety?

What I think is going on, at least with some of the people (maybe not yourself) is actually it is a bit of an excuse that people use because they don't want to die. 

I have no problem with that myself- motorcycling is quite risky and I sometimes question my own decision to do it.

I had 2 close calls today alone.

It IS a lot of fun though.

On the wife issue- I've heard several male friends saying 'the wife won't let me' or 'I'm not allowed'.

Really?

Some of these guys are cyclists and fairly serious about it.

Certainly for commuting, which is what I mostly do on my bike, I reckon motorcycling is no more risky.

If I fall off again I have a very safe full face helmet, covec/kevlar jeans with knee and hip protection, a great jacket with loads of armour, including back protector, gloves with abrasion protection, very strong boots.

When I cycle I do it in shorts and a tshirt, sneakers and a light helmet.

I'm not trying to question why you aren't motorcycling- but just used your post as a launching pad to discuss it.

Have I said how much fun it is?

snakemanStoo

I couldn't have said it better myself @octatonic

sinbaadi

Very true indeed.  I always say that if you're smart enough to think you'll kill yourself on one, you're smart enough to not kill yourself on one.  The people that get into trouble immediately are those that think they're invincible and infallible.

I've been riding for nearly 8 years, I don't tend to subject myself to the poorer conditions so much nowadays.  I got my license on a whim and whilst I consider myself to be good at it and good at taking care of my bike (SV650S currently) I don't really see myself as a "biker" and I'm not interested in IAM stuff or really anything that is massively quicker than my SV.  I don't do group rides any more because it's just a really good way to ruin a nice ride, and I don't really do touring any more either.  I commute on it when it suits me, and I love a blast on a nice day.  I used to love it to the point of wanting to be on the bike in all conditions, but I can live without that now.

R.e the mis-shift issue, lever adjustment.  You should be able to comfortably press the lever to the stopper in the up position.  A small adjustment downwards for the lever might help with that first upshift..

BenSirAmos

Luckily, my wife loves riding pillion. I hardly go anywhere on the bike without her. I'm not sure if it makes me a more cautious rider generally although I know that I need to be smoother with the breaking or her helmet clunks against mine. And if that happens too often, she punches me in the kidneys. 

Fusionista

When I got married, my wife said she didn't do pubs, indians, bands or pillions.  To which I retorted, "You should have told me before." Of course your social life changes utterly anyway and as the years have passed it has been fun reprising my bachelor days/youth doing things she won't do :-)

O/w with sinbaadi: I'm a fair weather rider now.  Still got back issues from long-distance riding in bad conditions when I was younger. I've had the big, fast bikes and they are - despite the wonderful engineering - frankly too heavy and too fast; the small ones are also too fast. The road is not the track:  you need some road presence, to be comfortable at 70 with a little in reserve to get out of situations, have good brakes and be able to manoeuvre in traffic. Then you need eyes in the back of your head, to be very defensive,  not do anything stupid  - and have some luck.

The worst thing about riding nowadays is there is no leeway: too much traffic, road furniture and potholes. In fact I don't really know why I still do it, except out of sheer defiance.

The people who manage the highways and byways in this country should be fired wholesale, and a campaign started to renew surfaces and clear the roads of traffic lights and most signs.

Jaden

octatonic said:

chillidoggy said:

If it wasn't for the fact that I'd probably kill myself on a bike because I'm such a mad bastard when I get to drive anything that's powerful, I'd buy one. Hence I'm seriously envious, but at the same time relieved. Does that make sense?

Oh, and perhaps I should add that the missus would be filing for divorce if I were to buy one,

I have had several other people say exactly the same thing to me pretty much word for word.

I find that curious.

Not having a go at you (quite the opposite- trying to understand it) but it seems odd to me that you would translate how you drive a car to how you ride a motorcycle.

If you truly are a 'mad driver', does that mean you walk the same way- charging at the nearest wall, or parked cars, or other pedestrians randomly with no considering for your or their safety?

What I think is going on, at least with some of the people (maybe not yourself) is actually it is a bit of an excuse that people use because they don't want to die. 

I have no problem with that myself- motorcycling is quite risky and I sometimes question my own decision to do it.

I had 2 close calls today alone.

It IS a lot of fun though.

On the wife issue- I've heard several male friends saying 'the wife won't let me' or 'I'm not allowed'.

Really?

Some of these guys are cyclists and fairly serious about it.

Certainly for commuting, which is what I mostly do on my bike, I reckon motorcycling is no more risky.

If I fall off again I have a very safe full face helmet, covec/kevlar jeans with knee and hip protection, a great jacket with loads of armour, including back protector, gloves with abrasion protection, very strong boots.

When I cycle I do it in shorts and a tshirt, sneakers and a light helmet.

I'm not trying to question why you aren't motorcycling- but just used your post as a launching pad to discuss it.

Have I said how much fun it is?

I went through loads of bikes and always ragged them..  the bigger the bike got, the higher the speed, I should have stuck to a 125
I didnt drive like I rode. the acceleration of a bike is intoxicating and cars just aint the same..  wait until youve seen a summer and hit the country lanes   you might start to feel more like an endangered species, especially on a bigger machine.
I might be ok now if I rode because I have mellowed considerably in the 13 years since I had a road bike but for now, the enduro riding is enough for me.

sinbaadi said:

Very true indeed.  I always say that if you're smart enough to think you'll kill yourself on one, you're smart enough to not kill yourself on one.  The people that get into trouble immediately are those that think they're invincible and infallible.

I disagree.  I am smart enough to know ill kill myself on one and smart enough not to buy another

Fusionista

Latest pics

 http://i691.photobucket.com/albums/vv274/AndyP335/Cafe conversion/Framepowdercoated110214.jpg

 http://i691.photobucket.com/albums/vv274/AndyP335/Cafe conversion/Blockinframe110214.jpg

 

 

octatonic

Piccy no looky.

Fusionista

octatonic said:

Piccy no looky.

I can see 'em ?