Any Motörbike riders here?

boogieman

That's a 125?? Strewth! It looks a huge engine for such a small capacity. Is it actually a v twin or just a well disguised single ?

Mrs B-to-be is very understanding re boy's toys and is actually quite into bikes. She likes pillion riding and is even thinking of getting a little vespa for herself. I've found a real diamond with this one

underdog

It is a real twin, the bike feels pretty big it's why I liked it, that and he had stripped it , rebuilt engine and box, newly powder coated the frame, dropped the rear mud guard down, fitted expensive after market pipes etc

Got to be honest my wife has a whinge but she's good as gold really, she makes me nag for a couple of weeks for what I want then when she gives in I let her whinge about it for a couple of weeks. She's let me take 3k out of our savings (the majority of which she earns) to buy the bike and guitar in the last 3 months, as well as paying for CBT as Xmas present.

Fusionista

Paint guy got the colour wrong, she was supposed to be pale ice blue (Lazio) not cobalt (Real) - hence the brown seat and grips - but hey I can pretend I'm in the Rothmans Team now.                     

 

  

Fusionista

WTF is up with posting pics - getting on my tits.

http://i691.photobucket.com/albums/vv274/AndyP335/Finished.jpg

octatonic

Looking good.

I had my DAS assessment today- just an hour to see how I ride on a big bike and how much work I need to do.

Was great to get on a big bike (ER5).

So much more power.

The instructor decided I need one day for Mod 1 and another day for Mod 2.

Will do Mod 1 in a couple of weeks time, due to my schedule more than anything.

boogieman

Yeah the step up to a bigger capacity bike is a revelation isn't it? Not only the extra grunt, they feel so much more planted and solid feeling on the road. The instructor I had when I did my brush-up training explained it as the engine acting like a big gyroscope, giving more stability.

boogieman

Fusionista;174411" said:

WTF is up with posting pics - getting on my tits.

http://i691.photobucket.com/albums/vv274/AndyP335/Finished.jpg

Wow! That looks great. Is it finished yet?

cruxiform

Those older Beemers lend themselves well to doing the cafe racer thing. Lovely looking bike.

cruxiform

strumjoughlamps said:

cruxiform said:

With regards to alarms, I'll ask one question. The last time you heard an alarm going off did you run at full speed like a superhero towards it in a bid to save the owner from getting his/her property stolen?  No, of course not. Nobody else does either, so a bike alarm going off isn't going to make the slightest bit of difference.

The only security that is proven to work with motorcycles is a decent lock and chain attached to something solid. A chain through the back wheel doesn't stop it being lifted into a van. What thieves hate is taking time to steal your bike and making lots of noise doing it. Both of which they will have to endure if they come up against a good chain and lock. It saddens me that when I see 'bike stolen' threads on biker forums that so many have left their bike alarmed but not locked to anything. Alarms don't work. Period.

At home I have 2 quality chains through a ground anchor which is cemented 3ft into the ground. It took some time and money for this security measure but it's worth it IMO. I carry a chain to lock my bike up to something solid if I have to leave it. It still amazes me how people can sometimes spend loads of money on fancy gear then have a disc lock for security then are surprised when their bike is stolen.

if I hear a house/car/bike alarm going off I always have a gander and question any suspicions I might have, I know not everyone does but even if I am in the minority I certainly am not alone..

I park in high pedestrian areas such as the middle of town(one of the perks of biking) and security controlled car parks, I would like to think that while an alarm is going off someone is trying to break a disc lock off and then a steering lock to push it away(alarm still going off) or lift it into a van.. that someone is going to question it or call 999 or something....

im fully insured with low excess and no security devices on file so I shall take my chance, sometimes I will fill my top box and backpack with shopping so the weight of my Mammoth chain isnt a consideration.

Just read this through and just wanted to say I wasn't having a pop, just talking about bikers in general and getting their priorities right. I have seen posts on a biker forum where somebody has bought a bike then bought a gopro camera as they want to be the next star vlogger on youtube before even buying proper riding gear or any decent security. Maybe it's because I used to commute into London that I get a little paranoid about security at times.

Fusionista

Next week shakedown rides, adjustments, re-torque heads, tappets etc.  TBH bit t'd off about the colour mistake, but I suppose that can be fixed  if it bugs me too much.  My mates say they like it, but they would, wouldn't they (to coin a phrase)?

What I am pleased about is the seat and tail-light arrangement (Redmax).  Perhaps should have left the cans chrome.  Again, not a huge expense. However it all adds up.  For the price of refurbing this bike I could have had a (good) new one. That said, there is something about the old airhead beemer: over-engineered in the day, but simple, solid and reliable, and stripped-down there is little which can beat it for looks, certainly nothing modern.

http://i691.photobucket.com/albums/vv274/AndyP335/Rearrhqtrview270214.jpg

Fusionista

This is what it looked like last year  

http://i691.photobucket.com/albums/vv274/AndyP335/Cafe conversion/R100RT.jpg

cruxiform

Fusionista said:

This is what it looked like last year  

http://i691.photobucket.com/albums/vv274/AndyP335/Cafe conversion/R100RT.jpg

Ready for touring. I have a soft spot for older BMW's.

Fusionista

Clunky and agricultural more like  Believe me it needed a sort out.  Now 25% lighter, it's more nimble, while retaining road presence and more than enough poke for modern conditions.  Also the final drive ratio on this one was  the longest available (33:11), so cruising at 70 is relaxed. Above that of course as it's naked, wind is an issue, but maybe down the line I will put a race fairing on it, we shall see.

boogieman

The colour does look great, I wouldn't change it. The cans would look better chromed IMO but hey it's your bike.

Fusionista

Decided to call it the Blue Max.  I like the sub text: "Pour le Merite" (which is a rough translation of the L'Oreal strapline 'Cos you're worth it";-) The medals came in both dark and light blue, so it works

.http://i691.photobucket.com/albums/vv274/AndyP335/blue_max.jpg

Myranda

My bike was laid up while I had hurty shoulder and during recovery. After months of sitting idle it did nothing on pressing the ignition. Replacement fuse and try again... She lives! Till the battery die

Fusionista

In order to lose weight  I went for an AGM battery which has gone under the seat.  AGMs need constant topping up so I've invested in permanent leads and an Optimate.

http://www.everybattery.com.au/deep_cycle_battery_charging.php

boogieman

Mine sits in the garage with a smart charger attached too. It's only a cheap Halfords one but it seems to do the business.

Tone71

@Fusionista, that is a cracking transformation, the Rothmans colour looks excellent too.

Thing with my alarm is that it is a parasitic load, prematurely killing batteries, plus it automatically sets the immobiliser so I always have to click the thing off once inserting the key and I can never get used to it, set the alarm off today in town (again) which is pretty embarrassing but more than that annoying.

As I only ride for pleasure it`s either in my back garden or I`m sitting on it or next to it at a bike cafe, it needs to go.

@Octatonic Mod 1 is the harder of the 2 (not that it is hard), get that out the way and you are laughing

Fusionista

Guitars and bikes are same thing with me: I like to take a proven classic design, strip, refurb and tweak

I won't be putting an alarm on it, but I am considering developing some sort of pre-theft deterrence, post-theft defence.  The problem is a two-stage one in other ways too:  casual theft for joyrides and professional theft for money. What deters one does not deter the other and vice-versa.

A flash bike attracts casual theft, so an immobiliser with an obvious warning label is the thing.  

Otherwise, most bikes look the same to the non-expert and you can anyway change the look for a coupla hundred quid (much less if you're a pro).  Somehow I think it's got to be based around an ID - an indiscoverable or generalised one: the problem with a chip is you can find it.  But what if the whole bike had some kind of unique identity ?  Maybe in the paint, or something ?  Am I talking about Datatag ? https://datatag.co.uk/motorcycles.php  Thinking caps on ladies and gents!