Motorcycle Forum

Painting a motorcycle frame help

Grimes — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:11:42 GMT

Soon, I am planning to repaint the frame of my 1974 Honda XL250. I would like to get it powder coated but the costs makes it out of the question.

What rattle can paint, primer and clear coat would be good for it? and the steps to do it.

Hello from Ohio

Outdoorguy57 — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:33:07 GMT

I've been riding off and on for several years and in everything from dirt, muscle, touring and scooters. I'm looking forward to getting into a cruiser style bike and it's probably going to be a Honda 1300 VTX R. However, I've given the Kawasaki line of cruisers a good look too. :)

I'm a member of several hunting forums, as I've been a bowhunter for many years and they have always been a great help for making decisions with equipment and other issues. Since I'm changing hobbies, I thought a motorcycle forum would be the way to go. :thumbsup:

I like water/liquid cooled engines, as I feel they're more consistant in their h.p., last longer, have less maintenance issues and put off less heat to the rider(s).

Good riding, Outdoorguy57

Suzuki S40, 650cc but only 65mph?

shubonker — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:24:34 GMT

I was originally going to buy one, but i found out on topspeed.com that the top speed is only 65mph. What is that? Is it the gearing? If so, possible to swap the gears to something that can reach higher top speed?

I want your money

Dodsfall — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:38:54 GMT

In theaters October 15th.

You Tube

Reserve "tank"

Randy375 — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:33:07 GMT

Can someone explain to me how a reserve works? On my other Shadow to check the range, I would run it down to empty and hit the reserve. I then have about 40 miles to find a gas station.

On my Magna, I was trying to find the range, and once I got to 153 miles, it quit. So I switched it to reserve, and it would not start. After several minutes during which I flipped the switch between reserve and regular a few times, it started and I ran it about 1/4 mile before it quit for good. During that "run" it was very sluggish and I had to keep the rev's up. It died at a stop sign.:thumbsdown:

I had to push it to a gas station about a mile away. Thank god it was on flat ground. Once I was full, it started right up. When I got home, I switched it to reserve and it ran fine, so that tells me the petcock was not clogged.

What the hell?

More issues with the gs550 Please Help

Ccarp1069 — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 05:44:48 GMT

Alright im fairly new at working on bikes but im also mechanicly inclined.

I have an 81 Suzuki GS550T.

I removed the carbs and airbox cleaned the carbs and ditched the box it was beat-up pretty bad.

Put it all back together, replacing my 95.5 main jets with 100's to com. for the new filters which are K&N's.

Heres the thing iv never done any of this and im proud to say that by myself i did it and my bike is running. The filters wont come in until next week so its filterless but i wanted to take it for a short ride and make sure all was good.

As it turns out the Bike is running Rich, Asumeing Rich means more fuel than air. So if i have no air filters and its rich then do i need smaller jets, will the original ones work? I dont know what to do here its all trial and error here any advice. Also at the moment i cant get my spark plugs out, Because i dont have a big enough socket right now. But i believe one of then is either not fireing or misfiring.

So to recap.

Im running rich.
If my spark plug is faulty, Changing it might fix the problem, Right?
And, Will the air Filters fix all the problems?

Please help Im at a slight Stand still here i just want it up to par.

Thanks

Transmission problems

Joseph13 — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:47:40 GMT

i am having problems with the transmission shifting roughly or is hard to shift. i have notice it is leaking out of shifting rod shaft.i had no problems out of it till the linkage went bad. we fixed that and now we notice its hard to shift gears. im out of ideas. by the way does anyone now how to check transmission fluid on the bike. it is a 85 honda shadow vt 700 it only has 34k miles on it which is odd for the problem.

W.t.h.

kat569 — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:10:41 GMT

To the jackhole who thought it would be funny to stick a spoon under the rear tire of my bike: if I ever find you, you will regret the day you were BORN. I will make you pay for every last bit of damage to my bike, then I will shove that spoon so far up your a** it will never see the light of day until you open your MOUTH to retrieve it. I hope all four tires on your cage drop off of it on the expressway when you are sandwiched between two semi trucks at speed. You're just da** lucky I didn't damage my Durangos - otherwise I'd REALLY be wishing you serious harm.....

On that note..... what kind of repair cost am I facing on this? I have a cracked left front turn signal; a scratch to the upper left front fairing (the corner near the windscreen); and the end of my clutch handle snapped off. It also seemed to be running a bit rough but maybe that's normal after a drop?

Question about shifting

shubonker — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:00:30 GMT

I hear that its okay to shift up without pulling in the clutch. Would that be true for my '81 Honda CM400C? Which is obviously an older bike, so i don't know if the rule applies.

Thanks for any insight.

First Bike For A Big Guy?

NCSU-Chris — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 02:57:11 GMT

Hey,
I've been looking at getting a bike for a while and in doing so I came across this site and looks like it is a good community so I signed up. I've been doing a lot of research on things such as what is a good beginner bike and what safety equipment I should get. Though I still have a few questions.

I have seen that a lot of people recommend a 250cc as a first bike and I thought I had settled on a Yamaha V Star 250. However I think that 250 might be too small for me. I am 6' and right around 350, though I've lost about 50 pounds and hopefully by Christmas I will have lost another 50. So knowing that would a 250 be too small for me? If so what should I be looking at.

I plan on doing a class at the local HD dealership as well as a community college so from what I've read I'll get some experience on a 250 there.

Thanks,
Chris

Anybody like red?

rexmitchell — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 01:50:31 GMT

Traded in my cbr for this bad boy today

Splitting ranks?

Dodsfall — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:50:03 GMT

I thought the Secretary of State position was a payoff not to run in 2012. It's looks like the feelers are out.

You Tube

This is an "unofficial" ad and not officially endorsed by the Clinton camp. Do you think they could have used a picture to make her look less like a scary wax figure?

96' ninja 250 Problems

Faib227 — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:44:38 GMT

Sorry guys I'm back.

See I''ve been having trouble with my 250.

It wont start when it's cold, it will turn over but wont catch.

It will push start and when i say push start I mean push it all the way down the street with 3 people until it finally revs up and goes.

Replaced spark plugs, cleaned the carbs. Which when I did I found that the carbs weren't even attacthed to the air filter box. I fixed that and it runs completely different. But still wont start cold. Its becoming a pain.

Any ideas?

paint ideas and would like some opnions

bigtim6656 — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:01:53 GMT

I am planning on buying a new harley this feb. Being I ant been on a bike since I was 13(12years ago) and it was a honda with no clutch. I figured I would pick up a old bike and get the hang of things again and learn the clutch.
I had not been looking but saw a sweet deal on a old suzuki, it is a 1981 gs550 and besides a little oil leak it runs great. Plus it cost me 600 bucks and I have had 3 people offer to buy it off me for what I paid for it and put in it when I get my harley. :thumbsup:

The one issue that grabs everyones attention after they see how nice the bike is and how clean it looks, is the fact the tank has to big bubbles about 1 to 1/2 inchs around and bad peeling around the cap. I am figuring it was a bad paint job since it was repainted.

So I want to repaint the tank and the two peices that cover the battery and some other stuff(one on each side)

What kind of paint should I use, how many coats and how many clear coats?
I would like some opinions or ideas if you guys have any.

I thought about having the body shop at my school do it, or a friend who was a painter for a big company and knows his stuff, but I think I am going to tackle it myself.

Thinking one of the following combos

Silver with black metal flake
Black with red metal flake
Black with silver metal flake.

This following one is alittle over doing it but hey why not .

Paint the tank red and have my vinyl guy make a skin of tribel flames and put on the tank then shoot it with gloss black paint and remove the vinyl to have a black tank with red flames coming up from the motor. Over done I would say not sure if the vinyl would leave a clean line of paint. Do you think it would work?

So any thoughts or better ideas would be great.

I think I can do the job and would like to try if nothing else I could have someone fix it should I **** it up

Info on USMC patch

KMWilliams — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:01:40 GMT

Can anyone here give me some info on the following patch?

What I really want to know is would it be alright for a non-marine to have one on his / her jacket?

Arizona Bound

us214760 — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 23:58:30 GMT

Anybody in western Wisconsin or Southern Minnesota interested in teaming up for a cruise to Phoenix this September? Thought I'd go visit a friend there. I'm retired so I've got great flexibility. Though I'd take 3 day going down, hang around for up to a week and then cruise back.

Need Help With Possible Purchase

yamaha225 — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 22:57:49 GMT

I have the chance to buy a 1999 Yamaha XVS 650 which from the pictures looks in great condition. It has just a shade over 9000 miles on it. The guy said that he barely gets time to ride it and it has had one oil change to date. The one oil change comment scared me a little bit but then again I dont have much experience with streetbikes so it might not be a big deal on a bike that is barely driven. The guy is asking 2400, do you guys think this is a good buy?

Newb from Arizona

retiredtech1 — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 21:45:10 GMT

Hi all, New old guy here.

Been a bike nut for about 40 yrs, first bike was a near new 305 Honda Scrambler. Don't laugh too hard I traded a 55' Chev Nomad for it.

Had a ball on it for a few years,ended up with a 90% Crank,350 kit,converted to ET

Ceriani (SP) Forks, 441 Victor tank and glass seat/fender.

I am walking now,well driving my P/U,but looking for a Builder 750K Honda.

Also trying to help a bud out with his old Honda 90, trying to ID it, Stamped frame not step thru with a tank and fenders like the old Hawk

He is not a wrench and asked me to look at it and get it running, found a bent valve so i need to ID # on frame C2003176735

Too Many Miles for a 93 ZX-11 Ninja?

DarkStar — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:58:49 GMT

I've got the opportunity to get my hands on a '93 ZX-11 Ninja. The bike is in fine cosmetic condition and looks like its been babied for its life.

Two things:

1. It's got 35k miles. Is this too many miles for a '93 and how much life do you think the engine has left? I realize that it all depends on the type of miles and usage, but as this will be my first "big" bike, I'm wondering if I should really be looking for something with fewer miles.

2. There is a funny noise in 4th gear. It doesn't happen all of the time. I'd have to get a quote from a shop to get it fixed. Doesn't seem to effect much of the other riding and there aren't many times I spend in 4th, but nonetheless.

If I don't go for this bike, I'm going after a FZR600. It's a '94 and has 12k miles. I think I'd be happy with either. The ZX-11 is **** sexy, though.

KLX250SF Vs Ninja 250

Super-Angry-Dude — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:54:10 GMT

What is the difference between the bikes as far a speed goes? I assume the Ninja is faster, but how much faster?

2003 Kawasaki Ninja 250 (Front Upper Cowling)

tomsonsllc — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:24:36 GMT

Hey, I am wondering if anyone knows where to find this piece:

Front Upper Cowling/Fairing

Cannot for the life of me track one down, I am around Chicago, IL. I would greatly appreciate any hep finding one for a decent price. Dunno if this is the right or wrong section (in theory). So I post here to, so I apologize if this isn't correct. This is just the only thing from stopping the bike being like brand new, and it's literally KILLING me!

2003 Kawasaki Ninja 250 (Front Upper Cowling)

tomsonsllc — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:21:45 GMT

suzuki pipes

merckid — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:46:53 GMT

Well im not really sure what forum I should put this under so ill start here. I am trying to build a set of expansion chambers for my 1973 T500. I bought a program on the internet to design them and everything but im having some troubles getting all the values correct. One value that it askes for is the exhaust port diameter in mm, i know its probably a long shot but would anybody happen to know that number or how i could find it out? Also another value it needs is "exhaust port+exh gasket length in mm. Would anybody know how to find that out or knows it?
thanks

Prospective Rider

BulgyLamb — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:55:16 GMT

First, a little info about me. Im 5'7" and ~170lbs. I work out so I have good strength. I've been on a bicycle for most of my life (im 26). I live in Chicago and ride the streets virtually every day (being the guy without a motor vehicle is kinda like bringing a knife to a gun fight). I do ride a road bike which is most similar in seat position to sports bikes. Overall I'd say I've put about 10k miles in on bicycle.

I'm looking into getting into riding for pleasure and utility (to and from work and weekend city cruising with some friends). I think I want a standard style naked bike because I like the look of exposed machinery.

I've done a ton of reading so far of opinion on starting points, and various bikes. From what I've read, nearly everyone suggests NOT getting a 600cc sport bike (accompanied by a MSF class and lots of parking lot practice). I can understand this. I wonder how that opinion might change for something like a heavier standard bike like Triumph's Bonneville (also is mad sexy). With similar bhp to the 650 NinjaR but an extra 200cc of engine and only about 50lbs extra, I wonder if this option is not so outrageous as it might sound. On the other hand everyone recommends starting on a 250cc.

I worry about getting bored with a smaller bike. To me, boredom is dangerous since it does not necessarily mean lack of enthusiasm but also leads to risky action from a desire to have the fun I want from riding. I feel that I will have more caution on the road if I have a bike that I want (and somewhat fear because fear breeds respect) rather than a starter that I want to be rid of so I can be on a more powerful and better looking machine. I will have the opportunity to tool around on a friend's 250 Rebel (from the '80s i think) for some practice before I commit to a bike of my own.

My plan is to do research and get started next season (late March to April). I really want a Bonnie but i could concede that maybe a 250 ninja (fun yet highly accessible learning curve) would be the best starter for me since it fits my current riding position a little better (and I know I will cry if I drop my sexy Bonneville).

Thx for your opinion

Suzuki S83 Shifting Problem

palunnk — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:55:54 GMT

Hey all. I've only been riding for about a year and have come across a problem while shifting from 5th down the gears.
When I shift from 1st through 5th, no problems, it's like butter.
But when I'm slowing down, I can go from 5th to 4th no problem, but going to all the subsequent gears causes the shifter to stick in the down position.
So, I pull in the clutch and press down with my foot, but the shifter is already all the way down and won't allow me to downshift. I actually have to use my foot to lift the shifter up a little bit to sort of "reset" it and then I can downshift.
It happens at every gear, 4th - 1st.
Does anyone have any idea what I'm doing wrong or what the problem might be? Thanks in advance.

Free the Shine

Dodsfall — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:46:52 GMT

Here's an interesting video concerning home distillery. If a home distiller does not sell the product, or pays the taxes if they do sell, why is this illegal?

You Tube

Star 1300 gripes

tom10167 — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:07:58 GMT

So I've put about 4,000 miles on my 1300, mostly highway.

Complaints

1.) Ergos. The previous owner put an Ultimate seat on it. I don't know if it was a female specific seat or what but holy crap this thing is narrow. I've lost a solid 20 lbs and it's still way too skinny for me. Also, the way it's mounted is incredibly makeshift. The cotter pin in the rear is very exposed and has scratched the hell out of the rear fender. The front end is where it's really bad though. These two screws go in to the seat itself, well, they're completely stripped. I can lift the front of my seat right off the bike at any given moment.

A Corbin seat is like $400!

The bars are awful. They're too low and too far away. Leaning them lower makes them closer but also way too low and now you're destined to lock your knee in the bike at a u-turn which will almost guarantee you dropping the bike.

The previous owner put some Kuryakayn grips on the bike. These might be great if you ride 800 miles a year and you spend your time washing and waxing rather than riding but honestly these things are pretty awful for holding. I have the blisters to prove it. I don't even know what it would take to put regular grips back on but I'd definitely want the most comfortable ones available since I'd have to spend money anyways.(suggestions)

2.) Engine vibrations. This engine is pretty oversquare which means instead of lots of low end grunt and no top end it's powered a little more like a Ducati or the like. This is fine in a Ducati or an inline 4 since those engines are well... balanced. The vibrations through the grips and the floating floorboards at highway speed are enough to get your hands and feet numb after about 40 minutes of riding. Hopefully new grips would remedy this. By comparison the ultra-glide I testrode was incredibly (more like retardedly) rough at idle but once you got moving you felt absolutely NOTHING all the way up to redline. I was completely blown away and totally envious.

3.) The clutch. Again, wow does the Electra ever win here. The only clutches I've ever pulled that were heavier than the 1300 were the Ducati ST3 and most of the Victory bikes(non-touring) It's pretty **** heavy and I don't know why.

4.) The brakes. I guess to be consistent with the clutch they decided you need to fatigue your tendons to get any type of aggressive braking in.

Some of the stuff is remedied, like the seat and the grips. Some stuff is a bit more of an issue. The perfect bars would mean new cables etc. The brakes wouldn't be cheap to do either I'm sure.

Then there are the vibrations, which I'm guessing would be impossible to remedy.

So I don't really know what to do. Obviously if I was loaded I'd just go grab a C109r, put some Corbin bags on it(which I love on my bike) , add cruise control and call it a day, but I'm not. :(

So, help me out here people, I don't really know what to do, any input would be appreciated.

hi every 1

ricky55 — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:51:58 GMT

hi new guy to the forum

busted :(

benny hedges — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:20:19 GMT

well, out for a ride at weekend, cracking sunny day, stacks of bikes out on the road, went for a ride through wales...

passed a fireblade who was riding like a ****, got stuck behind some cars throwing litter out the window... decided to roar past...
right in the view of a parked cop with a speed gun :o

clocked at 95 round a bend on a 60 road.
worse, i overtook on double solid lines (no overtaking) though i didn't cross the lines...
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&so...02677&t=h&z=18
right on the left hander in the middle of the map, cop was parked in the layby across the road, so tbh i can't see how he clocked me round the bend???

the fireblade was an unmarked cop biker who radio'd the patrol car and warned him i was on my way!

as i'm looking at a ban, i spoke to a solicitor yesterday and he said we'd try to get the recorded speed down as the guns aren't that accurate, accept speeding at a lower speed, 70 - 75, and ask for a short disqualification of 7-14 days, thus avoiding more points on my licence, which already looks like a weekly shopping receipt!

got a long wait now while i wait for the court summons...
spoiled a **** good ride tbh, 449 miles in total on some of the uk's best twisty mountain and hilly roads. thoroughly enjoyed the day.
seems the plod were on a mission to target bikers that day, i saw 3 unmarked cars and 2 unmarked bikes, with spotters and patrol cars everywhere.
near enough everyone i spoke to got ticketed or saw someone pulled over :thumbsdown:

best take it easy for a bit eh!
worse still, i told my boss today and he already hates bikes... wasn't happy at all, gave me a right lecture about my future (or lack of it lol)

New member whit '08 FZ1 N

necarenatul — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:25:52 GMT

Hello,

My name is Marcel, I'm 29 years old, living in Paris and I am the owner of a '08 Yamaha FZ1 N. I joined this forum to see what it means to be biker in the U.S.

:71baldboy:

Selling my 03 Suzuki DRZ 400

Hauntedskullz — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 05:35:15 GMT

Hey all, I am selling my dirt bike so I can buy a street bike. There is nothing wrong with the bike what-so-ever other then the normal wear and tear. As I said, only selling to get a street bike. Please let me know if your interested. I live in Kent, WA. Local would be best. Asking $2200, according to kbb is worth $2365. I am only the second owner, first owner garaged the bike when stored and put only premium in the tank. I continued the same, during the year I had the bike. Dont recall previous owners hours, however mine was minimal because I have nowhere to really ride. I took it to the naches trail one time, and decided I would be better off with a quad like my friends I was with, and a street bike. This is my first forum so I hope it goes well...

v star tires

wingnut — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 03:56:07 GMT

got an 05 v star 650.needs new tires.the front is getting bald.will be replacing both tires in a week are 2.bike gets alot of highway miles back and forth to work at 70 plus mph.whats a good tire for this bike.good traction long life

Well, I did it. Bought my first bike...

Captainobvious — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 03:37:47 GMT

I took the MSF BRC course this summer and have been riding a friends Suzuki GZ250 around town and back roads for the last couple of months. Today, I picked up my first bike- The 2009 Kawasaki er-6n. I got a very sweet deal from the dealership that made it tough to pass up. I had been considering the Versys and the ER-6N and after trips out to sit on and get a feel for the two as best I could, I decided this was the one. The fact that it was less expensive was just a bonus :)

Personally, I really like the blue color they used. The only other color I would have taken over it is the white...but alas, they don't offer that one in the states :thumbsdown:

I took it around some of the back roads today for about 35 miles or so of riding to get a feel for her. Being used to the GZ, the footpeg positioning and throttle sensitivity took a few minutes to get used to, but already I'm feeling quite comfortable on it. The shape of the tank allows for the knees to rest just below the curve to make it feel "right". Its more stable feeling (no surprise their) and very light and easy to maneuver. I can't really push it yet as it needs to break in and I need to get a little more time on the new (read: slick) tires to wear off the factory fresh film, but its already put a big grin on my face. Being 6'2" I was concerned that I may feel cramped on this bike which appears visually small, but I'm not experiencing that initially. This is going to be a fun one to ride :thumbsup:

I'm considering taking it out for some work commuting in the near future once I have given myself a little time to acclimate.

I'm sure you're wanting pics...yes ?

Pardon the amateurish looking photos. Its dark out so I took these in the garage, and apparently my hands werent the steadiest.

Oil leak help

kabory — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 03:29:35 GMT

I was wiping down my bike today (2009 Honda Shadow Aero) and noticed a smear of oil droplets on the right cover below the seat behind the engine. After looking more I saw that the engine idle adjuster had oil all around it and it must have been blowing back on the cover. I removed the air cleaner and there was only a small amount inside. What do you think is the problem if any?
Thanx for your thoughts.

PLP and my first DEFENSIVE Maneuver on the Street.

stantony1 — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 02:46:04 GMT

I did a 30 minute session doing U-Turns, Figure 8s, and Smooth Stop and Gos.

My UTurns were 1st gear, feather brake, friction control and I barely kept it inside 3 parking spaces. I am riding a Kawasaki Ninja 650 Naked. 450LBS and 55inch wheel base. I forgot to try to walk it to determine what the min turning radius is... I will have to do that tomorrow if I can get a chance.

I wonder if I can get it under 2 parking spaces? That's about 20 feet.

My figure 8's were horrible too. Is there a certain size box that I should be doing? 20X60 is the MSF box but is that only for 250cc?

Smooth stop and go's are great. Thanks CaptCrash!

So after 30 minutes, I decided to go 20 minutes of street riding. On a 2 way street with a double solid, I was 4th vehicle in a line of 7 when car 1 wanted to do an quick left at an intersection and ended up stopping hard because of oncoming traffic. He thought he was gonna make it and decided he wasn't. Cars 2 and 3 ended up screeching to a halt behind him and I ended up doing a quick stop and swerve to the right because car 5 was up my bum. I was following about 20 feet behind car 3. We were doing about 25mph. I don't know if car 5 would have hit me but I decided not chance it. He filled up my rear view mirrors. I wasn't freaked or anything, just being defensive. I ended up stopping next to car 3's right because I didn't want to get into the intersection and have some car left turn into my lane. I didn't bother looking back at car 5 but he let me in when traffic started moving again.

Anyway, I felt pretty good and got home when it got dark.

FYI, I took the MSF BRC a few months ago and have been doing 30 minutes of practice before every ride. Just doing the MSF exercises over and over again. I have now... 60 miles under my belt and about 20 hours. :D A a lot of those miles are tacked on during PLP. 5 miles of PLP per every 2.5 ridden on the street...

One hell of a lucky rider.

internationalballer — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:34:18 GMT

http://www.kcci.com/sports/24820283/detail.html

This guy is lucky as hell. Top dollar riding gear, I guess......oh wait not those are shorts, flip flops and no helmet.

He took a hit like that, I bet he's a tough as nails linemen. There has to be a better way to prepare yourself for football season.

New Horn for the Bull

Tigz — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:39:42 GMT

As if the Stebel Nautilus isn't loud enough:biggrin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT3jgvgvrXU

Need advice on Handle bars?

roadrunner — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:19:57 GMT

the stock handlebars on my 883 sportster dont allow me to relax. I am 5'10" and they make me lean over and feel like I am leaning on them. I was wanting to get some hadlebars that would sit at about shoulder height with my arms kind of punching straight out with a slight bend. I was wondering if yall could help me out on figuring what type of bars to get for the bike. I sat on a friends bike (different make bike) that had these kinds of bars and they felt comfortable. Thanks for the help in advance.

Guess the Repair Cost

JAnders1410 — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:47:39 GMT

So we had some wet weather this morning, but I figured I'd be fine taking the bike to work. I drive a '09 Honda Shadow Spirit.

Head out on Lake Shore Drive, a 4 lane highway that runs along the lake and there is some serious traffic today. Woman in front of me brakes hard, I apply my brakes in response but little did I know, I was on top of a patch of oil that is slick with the morning's rain. I start to fish tail as my front tire stops and my rear tire has no traction. End up laying it down in the middle of the road. Luckily, I was going maybe 10-15 mph and cars stopped behind me.

I get the bike up and get it running and off to the side of the road to asses the damage. Rear brake peddle is bent and will need to be replaced, gas tank is scratched up in a circular manner about the diameter of an inch with a little ding in it and bent some metal guiding my throttle and brake cables out of the right handle bar making it difficult for the front brake handle to full extend. Once it was on the side of the road I started it up a few times and it sounded fine.

Physically, I'm fine. I was wearing my armored jacket and have a superficial road rash on my forearm and my knee is a bit banged up from where the bike landed on me. No scratches on my helmet, so I didn't hit my head. I was lucky today.

I had someone tow the bike from the side of the road and took it right to the dealer/repair shop. I also started a claim with my insurance, but I'm hoping repairs are less than $1,000. If anyone is looking for a motorcycle tow service in the Chicagoland area, Custom Cycle Rescue was awesome. They were a bit expensive as it cost me $200 to get it from where I was out to the suburban dealership 30 miles away, but it was worth it to get it in right away to be fixed. If you want their contact info, let me know.

2 Questions:
First, how much do you think a repair like this is going to cost?
Second, is there anything I could have done differently once I hit the oil/slick spot?:frown:

Picked up my 2003 883XLH today.

roadrunner — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:14:25 GMT

I picked up my first bike on Sunday. It is awesome, I have really been enjoying it. I ride it after work and to and from work when I can. What I was wondering is there anything that I need to know about these bikes as far as preventive maintenance on them goes. How many miles do I need to go before I change the oil (he says I got 2000 left on this oil change), How many miles should I get out of tires and also what is the best way to polish the spokes on spoked rims? Thanks for the help, hints, and advice.

Thoughts on the FZR600R

DarkStar — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:12:33 GMT

I'm in the process of looking for a new bike. I'm currently on a Virago 535s and want to move into the sport bike arena. I'm a bigger guy, about 6' and 240 lbs.

I found a '94 FZR600R that has low miles (12k) and looks like its in great condition. I'm going to go over to see it this weekend.

I've search around the forums a bit, but haven't found much discussion related to the FZR600. It looks like Yamaha's newer 600-level sport bikes carry some support around here, but I'd like to get some opinions on the older stuff.

Thanks in advance.

Hello from the Heartland

DarkStar — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:06:06 GMT

I joined the forum as I'm looking to buy my second bike. Currently, I'm riding a Virago. I'm looking to get into sport bikes, so I thought this would be a good forum to get some opinions from.

CB450 ignition Coils.

abalmer — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:02:51 GMT

The right coil on my 72 cb450 will not spark. I have checked ebay and many junkyards for this specific ignition coil. Can someone please tell me some other year and model bikes that have coils that will work with no modification. Thanks.

California biker girl

Erin86 — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:51:00 GMT

Hey guys,

Im dying to get my M class license, Im over 21 and have a drivers license.

Can you CA guys please post or email your DMV written test to me (I want to avoid going to the DMV as much as possible and pass the 1st time, I always have creeps, weirdo's (not bikers) approach and scare me only b/c im blonde and love motorcycles)

P.S. I already read the hand book twice and can ride very very well, but when it comes to the test it can get tricky and I just want to pass it.

Thanks so much.

Exhaust "fix" on 96 Magna

Randy375 — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:39:37 GMT

Hey all.

I am considering removing the baffles on my Magna to give it less of a sport bike sound and more of a cruiser rumble. Here is the link to the process.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWIsWZhKlTo

My question is, how will this effect engine performace? Will I need to mess with the jets?

Thanks.

Importance of PSI in Tires

OEMotor — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:27:12 GMT

Hello everyone! I am new into biking and I was wondering what everyone thought about the importance of tire pressure? Does it have a large impact on riding? Tire ware? what does everyone do to make sure their PSI is good on long trips? I was just curious if this was a big topic in the riding community!

Thanks a ton,

-Zach

1974 Honda XL250 valve adjustment?

Grimes — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:47:39 GMT

I want to adjust the valves on my 1974 Honda XL250. How do you adjust the valves on it. I haven't had the chance to buy a manual for it yet.

"Refusual of am MOT Test Certificate"

pimms — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:35:29 GMT

Okay, I just took my bike for her first MOT (under my ownership), and wasn't expecting a pass. In fact, it's better than I thought, as there are only a few small adjustments which need to be made, and hopefully I can do them myself. However, I'm not entirely sure how to fix these things, and was hoping that someone here would be so kind as to offer me some advice. The following is what needs altering:

Front position lamp does not illuminate immediately when switched on.

Front Brake lever has inadequate reserve travel.

Drive chain excessively loose.

So, my question is, how do I fix these things, in order to pass my re-test?

By the by, my bike is a '98 Honda CG 125, and I don't have a manual. Any advice will be gratefully received.

My First Bike - '81 Honda CM400C , Help?

shubonker — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:23:21 GMT

Just got the bike yesterday, have not ridden it yet, waiting to register it. However, i was going through the gears, and when i upshift there is no click. Is that normal?

Also, the headlight doesn't go on unless you mess with the starter button a few times. Possibly a bad connection? Is it an easy fix?

Also, what should i be doing with a bike like this? Should i change the oil and spark plugs? It's got 29k miles on it and the guy told me he just changed the oil recently. He runs petroleum oil, would switching to castrol 1 synthetic be good for the engine?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

newbie from ny

shubonker — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:14:39 GMT

Hello, started out on a scooter 4 months ago, just got my first motorcycle. :)

Car commercial question

Badlands-4-2 — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:28:12 GMT

On every car commercial the car in it will have a rear license plate on the car. This plate will be painted over in the body color. WHY. If they want to make the thing unnoticable, why not just remove it? There has to be a reason because this is done by all the car companies. Some one must know the answer.

Helmet Dealer in NC

Shortbus — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:25:48 GMT

I hope I am putting this in the correct forum. I have a weird sized head and am wanting a new 3/4 helmet. I don't want to order one just to have to send it back if it doesn't fit. I tried a couple of HD shops and can't an HD helmet that fits properly.

I am looking at Arai, Shoei, and HJC but I can't find a stocking dealer anywhere near Statesville. Everyone I call says they are an authorized dealer but "we don't keep many in stock but could order one". I can do that myself over the internet. Does anyone have any suggestions as to a dealer that would have a large inventory so I can actually try one on before purchase?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Bo

Problem With Spark Plugs

echazar — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:26:18 GMT

Hi everyone, I'm getting a big problem with my spark plugs recently. I have to change spark plugs very often, almost once a month. That is the spark plugs are being burned out and can't be re-used anymore.

Here is an example of how the problem arise. I am riding my motorcycle and suddenly it coughs and stop and switch off and when I removed the spark plug and put another one; the motorcycle is ok until this problem arise again in approximately one month time.

Can anybody help me as my mechanics can't help me?

Thank you

Needing gear shifter for 85 shadow 700

Joseph13 — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:33:56 GMT

I am needing the gear shifter for an 1985 honda vt700. Ive no luck tracking it down and the part is discontinued.

Honda Dream Side Cvr Anchors ??

05hog — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 06:53:00 GMT

Help! Does anyone know where I can buy the side cover anchor bolts/pins that hold on the side battery box and tool box on a Honda 305 Dream. I tried ebay with no luck and thought that maybe there is a source out there.
Thanks!!!

Another new guy

littlehop — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:37:28 GMT

:)Hi all,
I'm new to riding. Picked up a Suzi GN400 and a parts bike, also a third bike that is in a box. I have managed to get the bike running and I'm working through the details now. So excited and hoping I get enough decent weather to get some good riding in this autumn. Excellent forum!

Also for anyone looking I found manuals for gn400 and some others at Dans motorcycle manuals online.

74 suzuki TS 185 carb

Kwish — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 03:52:40 GMT

I was just wondering, the carb is a 24mm Mikuni right? Also is there any other higher performance carbs that will fit it?

bike has been in storage for 3 years...

nerdlinger — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 03:24:13 GMT

but the guy selling is moving and must sell. its got 3628miles on it and is a yamaha 650 from 03'. the battery is dead and it was stored in a garage.
what should i consider?
oil change and in a few hundred change it again.
drain fuel and clean and put new fuel
new battery
what else?
what can be wrong?
what should i look for?
im low balling him cause its been in storage, is it safe to assume id spend 500 at a bike shop to get it in order with that low milage? any and all help will greatly be appreciated and i think you for your time and reading this and replying in advance

1994 intruder 1400 rattling noise

snowwy66 — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 02:51:55 GMT

under accelleration. it sounds like steel balls hitting each other. the heavier the accelleration. the harder the hit.

at coasting speeds it sounds like regular marbles. under decelleration it's pretty soft sounding. almost like it's the hydraulic hose springs hitting the trees inside the holes they are routed through.

at stand still. there is no noise with throttle revs. i've taken a stethoscope to the engine and hear nothing. but at the tree and surrounding areas. the noise is defenitly there.

if you go over bumps in the road. there is no difference on impact. but at the bottom end of the bump. whern the shocks extend outwards. the noise almost goes away.

basically i've got a rattling noise that's bad enough to get on my nerves. i'd almost say it's either an exhaust leak. rocker arm hitting the valve or cam chain hitting inside the engine. but stethoscope points it to the steering somewhere. only thing coming from engine is humming of the motor.

this rattling noise is only at certain rpms when driving down the road. no matter what gear. no noise at all at stand still.

i see a recall for 92 - 94 intruder 1400 concerning the handlebar stay mounts. but don't know if previous owner had the problem fixed. i'm the second owner of this bike just bought 2 months ago.

the bike has been sitting for the last 10 years becuase the previous owner couldn't figure out why one cylinder quit running.

ANYONE?

Problems with vz800, newb

zeusmann — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 02:24:26 GMT

Hello everybody!! I have a 97 vz800 that is cutting out after a decent ride(Around town about 45 to 1hr, HWY 30min tops). When it happens the motor starts bogging out like it isn't getting enough gas until it finally stalls. When I try to start it up it will start but run very slowly for just a second and stall. After sitting a little while it will start back up and depending on how soon you get it to start , you can hear it slowly start to pick back up to normal. I am fairly knowledgeable in cars but not very sure about bikes. I do have a few ideas but need a experienced person to help say for sure what it may be. I am getting ready to order a repair manual for it and plan on doing the work myself as long as it isn't over my head.

I hope I get to keep this knife...

The Tourist — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 02:09:05 GMT

Last week my best customer came to my house and bought my top-of-the-line Zero Tolerance knife. It was their larger version with a solid titanium grip frame.

And as nice as it is, he wanted a smaller one, and saw a ZT clip on my jeans. When he found out it was their slightly smaller model, he bought it right out of my pocket. Granted, that's my business. But I did really like that knife, and I missed it.

The problem is that you order ZT knives when they are available. I always have one or two on B/O. I was lucky enough to find a black version of the larger folder, but I wanted that 0350 size. I was stunned when my supplier told me she had their custom composite blade model in stock. I grabbed it!

Here's some of the nomenclature:

BLADE MATERIAL: Elmax Steel (Cutting Edge) and the meat of the blade is stainless 14C28N steel

This is a first for me in this alloy. I do know that it is stupid spooky sharp, and very attractive, to boot. It polished up nicely and slices newsprint by its own weight as it glides through like a shaving razor.

Now I have to convince my wife that a guy with two Harleys should have a new toy knife...

Hurry! Class action settlement -Lawn mowers

slumlord — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 02:07:17 GMT

I just found out about this. You have only 2 hours to submit a claim . $35.00 for walk mowers and $75.00 for riders. The good news is almost all mowers built in the last 10 years qualifies. Go to lawnmowerclass.com for the details. You will need your lawn mower model number and your engine model number. Sorry for the short,short notice...

FS: Honda VTR 1000 Front Fender, 600RR Tail Fairing

CFCreations — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 01:27:00 GMT

I have a Carbon Fiber Front Fender for the VTR 1000 $150
2005 2006 600RR Tail Fairing for $250
2004 - 2006 1000RR two piece Chain Guard $50
2004 - 2006 1000RR Heat Shield $30

PM Me if your interested. I have paypal, and you pay shipping.

HONDA VTX1300c

Dneel81 — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 01:18:43 GMT

6'3" 240lb beginner. Too big? It's a 2007 Honda VTX 1300c, 9330 miles, in great cosmetic shape. Has bags, that leather strap thing on the tank around the guages, and a windshield, all which can come off. Their asking is $5900...I'm curious why so low, but maybe that's how the Hondas role? I have the picture on my iphone but can't transfer it just yet.

I'd appreciate any thoughts ya'll have as I'm very new and know very little...a bad place to be when laying down serious cash for something.

Anyway, thanks

-Dave

Jake Wilson Poker Run 2nd Annual

ryjb — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 01:14:26 GMT

Jake Wilson/Rocky Mountain ATV is having a poker run this Saturday 9/4/2010 @ their Payson, UT location.

Click here for the info -----> http://bit.ly/bqNc0x

Saddlebag help

crazymainer — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:45:42 GMT

I have a 2002 Shadow Spirit 750 and i have a set of RIDE SB hard saddlebags. The brackets that came with the saddlebags are different and I'm not real sure how to put them on. Does anyone have experience with these bags and if so do you have advice or pictures i could use?

Carburetor Overflow Hose Fell Off!

samburger — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:58:25 GMT

I was pulling out of my driveway & got about half way down the street before my bike sputtered out & lost all power. I had been riding on the same tank for about 250 miles to see what kind of gas mileage I was getting & had been expecting to run out soon anyway, so I switched to the reserve & headed back home to put some more gas in. I put more gas in & couldn't get it to crank up. At first I thought I may have flooded it, so I did as the manual said & tried to crank it up full throttle with the choke fully off to increase the air mixture. No luck. So I let it sit for about a half hour & tried again. Still no luck. I started going through the manual's 'Troubleshooting' section to see what was wrong. The third thing it said for not being able to crank it up was to check the carburetor overflow hose for fuel to see if the valve was stuck open. So I went to check for that only to find that the overflow hose was GONE! I thought maybe I was looking in the wrong place but then after walking around the bike & found a piece of the hose assembly wedged between the carburetor & the frame. In the picture in the manual, it was a T-shaped hose that connected in two places at the bottom of the float bowl & then there was a hose running out of the center or those two hoses into a black hole a little further towards the back of the bike. See these pictures to get a better idea of what the hell I'm talking about. I took the liberty of illustrating where the hoses should be.

The second picture is the T-hose, obviously. The first picture is the hole that I'm assuming the 'shaft' of the T-hose is supposed to connect to. The third picture is the piece of hose I found wedged in the bike frame.

So my questions are: 1) Did I properly diagnose this problem? 2) Can I fix this problem myself with little mechanical knowledge? 3) If it's not as simple to fix as it looks, what kind of price am I looking at for a professional to fix it for me? 4) Where can I find a replacement hose?

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Timing Chain Swap?

eschatz — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:10:24 GMT

I have a CB750C that broke it's timing chain. It really sucks replacing it but I'm going after it. Will a chain from a CB750F work on this bike? The same Clymer manual works for both bikes but that's all I know.

On a side note. If I buy a new one, who is a reputable company and I hear you can get masterlink style or O-ring style. I'm pretty sure I understand each of those. What should I get?

Thanks in advance!

trusting fool

jeremialan — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:54:32 GMT

pulled the carbs off of my 83 suzuki gs650, cleaned them and got it running again. but now the smoke is from the oil getting past the rings into exhaust. its bad when clean oil is leaking from exhaust pipe. but at least its clean. was told that the bike ran well and could be driven anywhere when i got it. of course like a fool i trusted his word. now i'm out the money for the bike and what ever it will cost to fix it. anyone know where i can get it fixed for cheap but good work?

New member from NY

phantom23 — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:02:09 GMT

Hello,

My name is Tony and I have a FZ6R, I am currently having some problems after one month of purchasing my first bike I will be opening a separate thread about it to get your opinions in the general discussions forum.

Cold Weather Gear

JAnders1410 — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:19:51 GMT

Hello everyone,

As fall/winter is fast approaching, I was wondering what advice people have for cold weather riding. First off, I'm in Chicago right next to Lake Michigan - so I need to figure out a way to extend my season to almost year round.

This is my first year commuting to work on the motorcycle and while I rode in March, I'm not looking forward to December.

I'm thinking a full suit like the Tour Master Centurion is going to be best with a proper pair of Thinsulate gauntlet gloves. Anything I should be looking for specifically?

I'm 5'9, 160lbs and ride a '09 Honda Shadow Spirit.

All thoughts, recommendations and advice are appreciated!

Thanks in advance,

John

Is this a good buy?

kat569 — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:46:56 GMT

2004 HD FXSDI Softail Deuce - listed on Craigslist for $2900.

http://charlotte.craigslist.org/mcy/1927905473.html

Oh, there are others who are "dead."

The Tourist — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:28:48 GMT

On my MSN page there is a new story about a woman who was erroneously declared dead. It's causing her problems with banks and applying for credit.

What many people don't know is that older bikers often sought out this very condition.

I heard about 'boomer bikers looking for the grave headstones of babies who died near their own birthdate. Using that info they could get a copy of that baby's birth certificate, and apply for all of the things a new identity could provide. Obviously the baby never left a footprint.

This was in the age before easy computer access, and a new drivers' license, credit cards, etc. was a handy thing to have. Some bikers faced RICO problems.

These guys would find a back-pack, and collect all of this fake ID, some cash, perhaps a weapon, some ammo, enough clothes for a few days and perhaps a "clean" moptorcycle title. These packs were called "running bags."

Survivalists now refer to such things as a 'BOB.' It stands for 'bug out bag.'

Before you laugh, consider the case of Madison bomber Leo Burt. In 1970 Leo and three friends blew up the UW Madison's Army Math Research Center. They killed a late night lab technician. All three of his friends were caught and did prison time.

Not Leo. There have been urban legends that he is safely living in Canada, or Europe or that he has simply died. I disagree.

He disappeared too fast, too clean and there is nothing but a cold trail. I don't think that happened by accident.

There are many old bikers who have disappeared, even local guys. I ask about some of them periodically, and no one knows where they went. It's like 1973 happened and they fell off the face of the earth.

It is my opinion that these guys all did like Leo. They began well scripted new lives.

Charlotte Swap Meet & Bike Show, Nov 13-14, 2010

kat569 — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:17:15 GMT

4th Annual Gaston CBA Freedom Ride 9/11/10

kat569 — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:11:44 GMT

Sorry, it's quicker and easier to just upload the flyer. LOL

new member bobber build

ratfink13 — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 05:04:12 GMT

hi im a new member to the forum i thouht id join in order to learn more about bikes and maybe help some other people along the way with problems i have had in the past. Right no i am in the mist of building a rat bobber from a 72 cb550 so far it has been pretty good but i havent been able to find any pod filters to fit my carbs i ordered one from a local bike ship that was supposed to fit my bike but it didnt . i was wonderin if anyone could tell me if i can use any type of pod filter as long as the measurements are correct and is there a bennifet foam filters over paper or vice versa and where on the internet would be the cheapest place to pick some up
thanks RATFINK13

Buell....er???

Haglaz — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 05:01:09 GMT

Right, so, ignoring the awful pun in the title...

Erik Buell's non-compete agreement with Harley is set to expire fairly soon, as far as I've read. (I haven't been able to find any substantial dates, would anyone have any idea?) Additionally, there's this video that's been floating around:
http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/...t-legal-bikes/

What do you all think will be in Buell's future? Is that a sign that perhaps he is planning to start producing street bikes, or will he stick with race-only machines?

What would you like to see happen?

Personally, I'd love to see him succeed. Nothing against Harley in particular, but I feel he was really held back by them. I'd really love to see an American sport bike be successful on the market. And if he starts making them again, I'll consider buying one (when I can afford another bike :p).

Comments?

Calif moves to ban loud pipes.

CaptCrashIdaho — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 03:51:22 GMT

Be angry. Be happy. Just BE AWARE.

Calif. lawmakers pass bill to quiet motorcycles
By ROBIN HINDERY, Associated Press Writer
Monday, August 30, 2010
(08-30) 18:08 PDT Sacramento, Calif. (AP) --

California, birthplace of Hells Angels and home to legions of weekend motorcycle warriors, has taken its latest step to subdue the state's boisterous two-wheeled culture.

The state Senate on Monday voted 21-16, the bare majority needed, to pass a bill aimed at quieting the earsplitting roar from modified motorcycles.

SB435 would modify the California Vehicle Code to make it a crime to operate a motorcycle manufactured after Jan. 1, 2013, that fails to meet federal noise-emission control standards.

Motorcyclists whose vehicles lack the proper U.S. Environmental Protection Agency label would be subject to a fine of up to $100 for first-time offenders.

California is home to more than 10 percent of the country's registered motorcycles, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Supporters of the bill say many motorcycle owners modify their bikes to make them much louder, which in turn creates a public nuisance. Those modifications also allow the motorcycle to produce more harmful emissions.

"Basic common sense and decency dictates that when a motorcycle drives by and sets off every car alarm on the street, that is too loud," said the bill's author, Sen. Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills.

"This is just an extra layer of bureaucracy," said Wayne Harter, an owner of a Harley-Davidson dealership in San Jose. "Our scarce police resources could be better utilized."

Harter, who has been riding for more than 40 years, said adequate laws already are in place to deal with motorcycle noise and illegal mufflers.

Pavley said enforcement of existing federal noise regulations is lax because there is no uniform statute that gives state and local law enforcement officers the ability to write citations. That's what her bill aims to change.

The measure now goes to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who owns multiple motorcycles. Matt Connelly, a spokesman in the governor's press office, said Schwarzenegger has not taken a position on Pavley's bill.

The legislation isn't the first motorcycle-related bill to draw fire from California's biker community. A helmet law took effect in 1992 after extensive debate and publicity.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...n155153D89.DTL

keeps on clicking

berniematic — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 03:34:29 GMT

Hi - I recently got hold of a '91 R100RT. 20K miles and in need of some minor service. It runs great - but - I've done the rocker adjustment once on the right and 3x on the left and can't get the left side to stop clicking. I've followed the service manual exactly - .2 & .4 mm. Any ideas?

Also - I need the little squarish piece of rubber plug thingy on the bottom of the RT fairing between the fork. Anybody got one to sell?

Thank you!!

cb750 tank swap, what fits???

mitchberry — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 03:13:40 GMT

I have a 78 cb750 K and i have the bulbous ass flippy top gas tank.. I would like to put a tank from an older (say 75) model on there, but i don't have any idea before i buy one on ebay if it will fit my frame or not.

the biggest question is the petcock placement. i can alter the rest of the frame as needed to make it work but i don't want to have to re-weld the petcock in an alternate location to make it fit..

any ideas as to whether a ... 75 or so model tank would fit on a 78 frame ???

thanks in advance.

Anyone looking for a cheap vintage Bonnie?

Lurch77 — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 02:58:15 GMT

I enjoy perusing the local Craig's List despite not being in the market for a new bike. I saw this and thought I would post it here. The guy claims to be the second owner and has had it for 40 years. Sure would look nice in my garage. http://greenbay.craigslist.org/mcy/1924217633.html

Speedometer swaping?

Looby — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 01:31:26 GMT

hey guys im kinda wondering i had a cm400t that esploded now i have a cb450sc with a broken speedo and im wondering how far off the speedo would be if i swapped the parts from the cm400t

the cm400 has 100x90x18 tire
the cb450 has 100x90x19 tire

basically i know the speed is gonna be off i just want to know how far and if there is a way to compensate.

Newbie here, have some questions..

JimmyG — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:16:15 GMT

I just got my permit a few weeks ago and immediately registered for the MSF beginner's course. My first class is in a few weeks and my heart is set on a bike shortly after when I'll have the money.

I'm confused on what bike is right for me. I have practically no motorcycle experience, I'm 6' 2", and 230lbs, and I want a sport bike. My heart is set on it. I like the way they look and I like how the riding position looks. Like with any new hobby or idea I find I read a ton about it before making a final decision. So far it seems the Ninja 250r or 500r would be appropriate.

The bike would be used for commuting to work about 14 miles away (highway driving). I've been carless for 2 years now and my entire life revolves around my Dad's schedule so I can borrow the car, and I'll be able to afford a bike in the near future and finally have my freedom back. I want to be sure a 250r will be able to safely get me from home, to work, and back on the highway. I'm not interested in wheelies or stoppies, or any of the fancy crap; I just want the freedom of 2 wheels.

A lot of my experienced friends and coworkers are telling me to go 600cc-750, which I read is a BAD idea, and after a practice session on my buddy's Verago 550 yesterday I can see why. Before riding his bike my only experience was with a 150cc 4 wheeler. I'm FAMILIAR with the manual setup, but not fluent by any means. He sat me on the bike, checked the bike, my helmet, everything. I eased off the clutch, onto the throttle, and with a slightly shaky start, off I went. I putted around a few laps in 1st gear then came to a stop next to him. He told me to go again.. I readjusted my positioning on the throttle, and in doing so I revved it up a LOT faster than I wanted to, successfully making me hold on for dear life while revving FASTER in the process, neglecting the clutch the whole time and making my friend glad he put some 'crash pegs' on it. I suffered a few bruises and a sore shoulder, and his bike lives to see another day.

It was clear that I was way out of my element with an engine this size. Do you think after the safety course (and their tiny bikes) I'll have a better idea of what size is right for me? Or as a Newb should I just automatically go smaller? Does my size affect the engine size I'm looking for?

Thanks for reading and I'm glad i found a forum where I can fill myself up with knowledge on this new endeavor in my life! :biggrin:

1st charity ride with a big group

j8jensen — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:56:05 GMT

Last Saturday I participated in my first charity ride and while it's still fresh in my memory I wanted to write something down and share with everyone else while I'm at it.
The event was the 'Ride for the Fallen' that takes place here in Northern Utah every year. It is a charity that raises money for scholarships to Utah State University in honor of the local men and women who have lost their lives in military service to our country. For those who are familiar with this area the ride starts in Logan and heads north up to Preston Idaho. From there it heads through Preston Canyon over to the Bear Lake area. Finally the route heads back through Logan Canyon to complete the loop back in Logan.
The morning began with a very moving tribute to those from Utah who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. It included a flag-raising ceremony, singing of the national anthem, reading of names, a video tribute, and introduction of those who have lost family members as well as those who are benefiting from the scholarships. Overall, very beautiful and thoughtful.
Now on to the fun part: After a brief announcement on the route, riding formation, and a request to "not ride over all those people out there in their cages" we hopped on our bikes and started the ride. What a beautiful sound it was to hear over two hundred bikes firing up and rolling out onto the road. We rode in a stagger formation past the home of LCpl Michael J Allred (who lost his life in Iraq) then began our trip north. While it was great to have a police escort so our group didn't have to worry about stop signs and lights maybe the most memorable part of the trip was the people who weren't riding. From the beginning to the end of our trip there were quite a few people lining the roads cheering us on, waving flags, and one kid even had a sign with "We *heart* our troops".
As for the weather, well it was beautiful at the start of our ride. Then when we got to Preston Canyon it got a little interesting. First started out with rain, but for a couple minutes it turned into hail! Let me tell you I was glad to be wearing my FF helmet and riding jacket then! After that the weather turned back to clear skies and with the exception of some winds in Logan Canyon everything else was great.
Myself, I was a little nervous at the start of the ride, especially learning to stay in place and riding with so many people around me. Luckily after just a few minutes everything started getting comfortable and I enjoyed a very scenic ride. I was a little sore the next day, but what a memorable experience.

Help deciding

James Riley — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:38:25 GMT

I need opinions.

I�m the stereotypical midlife crisis dude, 51, never owned a bike, always wanted one. Took the ABATE Course and got my license a few months ago. Rented a Honda 750 for a two day ride through Colorado Mountains. That is the limit of my experience.

I had my heart set on a Harley Davidson Fat Boy Lo, denim black, with some modifications I was going to have done (Vance & Hines 2 into 2s, blacking stuff out and paring it down, etc.).

Then I went and read an article by someone who calls himself Black Echo and I started to have second thoughts.

Now I�m thinking about other bikes. While a lot of what he said hit home, I guess I�m still comfortable with the insults to my ego and I will confess to the whole �badness� and �image� thing. I want that deep, throaty rumble and bad-azz look. I�m comfortable with my desire for an image that Harley brings.

On the other hand, I am not hung up on �buying American� (what could be more American than the capitalist mantra of buying the best product for the best price?) or speed and racing performance. I DO want quality and low maintenance and it is my understanding virtually every other bike on the market is a better bike than a Harley. Plus, it is my understanding they are not only better, but they cost less.

So, with all that in mind, who makes a bike that might be considered a clone in the genre I described (Fat Boy Lo, flat black, rumble, etc.), but which is not a Harley. A good quality bike with a good quality warranty. Oh, and which specific model.

Thanks in advance for your input.

New Bike

Dneel81 — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:22:20 GMT

So here's new bike/new rider post number 908498738123.3

I'm trying to get into riding and want a cruiser. I'm 6'3" and 240lbs. I originally wanted a sportster but feel like they're a little small for me (kinda feel like a shriner at a parade). I've been looking at the dynas just as a bigger framed bike. What do you all think? Shadow 750s are in the running too. i hear they're good bikes that out perform harleys....either way, I'm wondering if I'm getting onto too big of a bike, despite my build. Any suggestions welcomed.

By the way, looked at a dyna today. 1999, 53343 miles, and worn as I guess a bike like that should be. No real upgrades except screaming eagle pipes and the guy said the cam bearing(s) had gone out and he replaced them. BIke started up cold without any issues (manifold/block was cold). Any feelings from more knowledgable folks? Thanks!

Dave

Help with buying a used bike

spreeway22 — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:36:45 GMT

Hey everyone im buying my first bike, my budget is between 3-4k. im either looking for a GSXR, R6, CBR or ninja but under 1000cc. ive been looking on craigslist and been seing a lot of good deals but my main question is about the number of miles a bike has. If the bike has between 10-20k miles on it and between 2000-2006 models, what should i know about the engines etc? How long does a bike typically last? especially for a sports bike, is it a good idea getting a bike with that many miles?

Throttle sticking

Randy375 — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:03:27 GMT

Hey guys and dolls.:D

It seems my throttle is sticking on my 96 Magna. When I roll past 50% throttle, it sticks. Is this an easy fix? I was going to replace the cables anyway, since the chrome connectors were rusted where they meet the switch casing, but I hadn't planned on doing so until next riding season.

I can try and remove them, and shoot in some graphite-based lubricant (dri-slide) to see if that helps.

Thoughts?

Rejetting my 81 Suzuki GS550T

Ccarp1069 — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:07:25 GMT

Hi semi-New Rider here, I Decided to clean my carbs when i took the carbs off i had to take off the airbox too, Well... my air box is not going to work again do to a fairly large whole so I decided to put air filters on instead.

Here's the problem...

With New air Filters i have to rejet and with how old the bike is they dont make a kit. so im all trial and error. thing is i dont know what im looking for for good or bad so im not sure how to know when to settle or try again. also there is a tube that came off my engine to my airbox im told it was for an oilmist that comes off the pistons and runs into the carbs so it basically gets burned idk how accurate this is but i need to know what to do with it know.

So the bottom line is if you have done this before please tell me the right size jets to use or at least a good suggestion.

any HELP is appreciated thanks

Newbie From NC

Shortbus — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:32:28 GMT

I was doing a search for helmets and ran across this forum. I'm from the piedmont area of NC and ride an 06 HD Police Road King. I'm not LE but bought it through the Shriner program. Not much more to say except I'm looking forward to learning here.

Never been on a bike

barneybwilde — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:06:13 GMT

Hello, I am thinking about getting a bike soon. When I was younger my pops use to take me with him on the Harley FLHT which was a lot of fun. I am hoping to learn to ride on my moms Virago 250, but the bike I want to get here sometime in the future is the Sportster 883 or maybe the nightster 1200 once I get some hours on the Virago. My main concerns about riding is I got 3 small children at the house and if something happens to me I dont want to put their lively hood in jeopardy. Is that a common feeling? I will mainly be using it to commute back and forth from work and maybe to joyride on the weekends. I will probably not take it out to Houston to ride till i become more experienced. I definitely not gonna act an ass on it either. Is there anything I should worry about? I am 24 never rode any kind of motorcycle but I am tired of dreaming and day dreaming about being on a bike.

Thanks,

2007 C90 Questions

rebaths — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:19:55 GMT

Hi I am looking at a used 2007 Suzuki C50 and want to know if the price is good.

It is a 2007 that has rarely been ridden. It only has 185 miles on it!! The seller says he just never got into riding.... It is in very good condition.. perfect!

He is asking $4,900. I checked KBB and that is a little on the high side, but they have a chart that says that for a 2007 model, they figure something like 7,000 miles, and this bike has less than 200 miles so maybe I should be paying more?

Also, I am concerned about the bike having such low mileage and being 3 years old...the engine can't even be broken in yet!

I know there's different theories of breaking in an engine, but with less than 200 miles, I doubt it's broken in. Now if I got the bike, I'd have 1,000 miles on it pretty quick, but I am concerned with such an "extended break in time period". Basically the guy rode 20-30 miles then the bike would sit for a few months..........Could this actually be BAD for the engine?

Thanks!

Hello Everyone, New guy here!

AMCman10 — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:49:18 GMT

Hey guys and gals, I just joined up and am excited about being a part of this forum! I'm finally to a point in my life where I can get serious about getting on a bike, and I cannot wait! I've only been lurking for a few days, but I was very impressed with the diversity of bikes, riders, and knowledge floating around here.

A little about myself. I am not new to motorcycles, I've been riding dirbikes most of my life, but I have not been on any type of road bike. I'm getting ready to take my BRC to get my certificate, then license. After that, the bike search begins! I'm an outdoors guy. As long as I am outside doing something, I'm happy. I'm always on the move. One day I'll be out riding a bike (mountain and/or road), the next I'll be in my kayak fishing, or maybe out on my surfboard. I just need to be doing something!

I'm really looking forward to learning everything I can from you all!

Lemon Law

iamjustifyd — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:41:35 GMT

Anyone ever have to use the lemon law? I have a feeling I'm gonna have to call it on the Yammi and wondering if I'm going to have to consult a lawyer or hire one?

Saddle bags

robow — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:45:59 GMT

I have a 2002 suzuki Marauder VZ800, and I am looking for saddle bags but I am not sure how to tell if they fit. If any one has any tips for fitment or knows of a web site that has good fairly cheap bags I would appreciate it.

Virago 250- stupid question

tymaboy — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:45:17 GMT

I am getting ready to do an oil change on my 2002 Virago 250. I see where I drain the oil but I do not see where the oil filter is. I am sure it is right in front of my face. Can you tell me where it is located? I know it takes one as I have found the filter it uses online.

Timing a Honda CL350

1967 Tempest — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:35:28 GMT

I have some other threads open for some other things, but need this answered as well.

In my efforts to check all the ignition stuff, I have found 3 adjustments.

1. Point Gap
2. Timing for each bank
3. Total timing

My question is that once I get a nice point gap etc.. How do I time the Honda with a new dial back or electronic timing light? I see in the book that I need to line up the timing line with the "F" or "LF" mark. But on my timing light do I leave it on 0* or some other number?

Mine is the new electronic type. You put in the number you want and then turn the distributor on the car to get the 0 and balancer mark to line up.

Thanks
Dave

http://www.actron.com/product_detail.php?pid=16315

'82 Maxim 1100 - No Spark

zerogspacecow — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:10:32 GMT

Okay, so long story short, my step-dad gave me his '82 Yamaha Maxim 1100. It hasn't run in probably almost 2 years.

So, in the course of troubleshooting, I found that none of the 4 spark plugs are giving a spark.

I tried pulling out the spark plug, hooked up a multimeter to the plug wire and frame, and cranked it, and the multimeter didn't register any voltage change at all.

So obviously the problem is something with the ignition system. But, that's as far as I know how to narrow it down. Can anyone help me figure out what it is I need to replace? Is it the coils?

Thanks ahead of time for your help!

Hell hath no fury like a biker scorned

us214760 — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:36:41 GMT

For those of you who purchase motorcycle parts/accessories on the web, BEWARE OF DOING SO VIA AMAZON. I am not indicting Amazon so much as the culprit, but rather as a convenient vehicle by which some parts suppliers believe they can sell their goods immune from the responsibility of standing behind their claims/offers.

If you have some time and a cup of coffee you may want to read one about what I recently experienced.

Following is the email chronology I recently had with such a parts supplier. I've omitted the extraneous stuff as it adds no value/explanation.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Shipment notification I received from Amazon.

Powersport Superstore, Inc. shipped the following item(s) in your order
103-3972650-0892208, placed on August 20, 2010.

You have been charged for the following items shipped today:

Supertrapp CHR TAPERED BILLET END CAP SE 108-8031
Sold by: Powersport Superstore, Inc.
Condition: new
Quantity: 1
$66.57 each
Item subtotal: $66.57

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Item Subtotal : $66.57
Shipping & Handling : $8.85

Total : $75.42

2. Follow-up email I sent to Powersport Superstore.

I am very confused. Per the attached I ordered 1 Supertrapp CHR TAPERED BILLET END CAP SE 108-8031 from you via Amazon.com. Please note the price I paid. However, today when I received the shipment and realized that I should have order 2 of them I went to your web site to order another. Did a search on " 108-8031". Guess what? Your site showed 2 different prices for the same item, both are different than what I was charged via Amazon and your shipping charge is different as well. See the below prices I copied from your web site.

List Price: $71.40
Our Price: $64.26
Sale Price: $59.33
You save $12.07!

List Price: $84.95
Our Price: $76.46
Sale Price: $68.38
You save $16.57!

So, here is what I need:

I need to order 1 more Supertrapp CHR TAPERED BILLET END CAP SE 108-8031 from you for the $59.33 price with shipping & handling of $8.85 as was charged for my first order.
I need to receive a credit of $7.14 for my previous order (difference between $66.57 and $59.33).
How can we accomplish this?

3. Response I received from Powersport Superstore

I am sorry for the confusion.

The product you purchased is provided to us from two different distributors, this is why there are two listings on our website. The prices vary because of the price that it costs us to get it from the distributor.

The cost of the our products will vary when listed on Amazon because there is a cost for us to list on Amazon and the price reflects this. Had you purchased from our website directly the cost would have been $69.72. We cannot be held responsible for your choice to purchase on Amazon and we are not able to refund the difference as you did not purchase from us directly, you purchased from us through Amazon, of which we incurred this additional cost.

As for the shipping cost. The shipping cost will stand as is wherever you purchase from. The difference being that you will be either utilizing our shipping calculator or Amazon�s shipping calculator.

4. My response to Powersport Superstore (which they didn�t bother to respond to)

I don't care, and shouldn't have to, whether you deal with 1 or a gazillion suppliers for your parts. You should have only 1 active price for a product.
Don't tell me you aren't responsible for me placing an order with you via Amazon. If you didn't have a business agreement with them I would not have found your product advertised on their web site. How would I know that you sell at a lower price on your site versus Amazon? Bottom line...you and Amazon won and, I the customer, lost. This sucks. And when it comes to shipping. Please, don't try to tell me it costs you more or less to ship an order placed to you via your web site or Amazon. You are playing games talking about shipping calculators. It costs what it cost regardless of the stupid calculators. Again, you are showing disregard for the customer.

5. My add-on response to Powersport Superstore (again, which they didn�t bother to respond to).

I am even more angry with your response after visiting the Amazon site and reading about selling on their site.

IT WAS POWERSPORTS SUPERSTORE'S DECISION/CHOICE TO SELL ITS PRODUCTS ON AMAZON. ON AMAZON IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS "SHIPS FROM AND SOLD BY POWERSPORT SUPERSTORE". AS SUCH, IT WAS POWERSPORTS SUPERSTORE, NOT AMAZON, CHARGING ME A HIGHER PRICE FOR ORDERING VIA AMAZON VERSUS YOUR WEB SITE. THIS MAKES YOUR LOWEST PRICE GUARANTEE A FALSE STATEMENT UNLESS YOU HONOR YOUR STATEMENT THAT "If you find the same part at a lower price (after shipping), we will beat that price plus give you 5% off your next order". IT SAYS NOTHING ABOUT WHERE YOU NEED TO FIND THE LOWER PRICE. IN THIS CASE IT WAS YOUR SITE VERSUS AMAZON, AFTER THE FACT.

SO, I STILL CONTEND THAT YOU OWE ME A CREDIT FOR THE FIRST Supertrapp CHR TAPERED BILLET END CAP SE 108-8031 I ORDERED FROM YOU VIA AMAZON BECAUSE IT WASN'T THE LOWEST PRICE. ALSO, I WANT THE 5% OFF OF THE ORDER I JUST PLACED WITH YOU YESTERDAY VIA YOUR SITE FOR A SECOND Supertrapp CHR TAPERED BILLET END CAP SE 108-8031. AND....I WANT THE LOWEST SHIPPING CHARGE APPLIED AGAINST BOTH ORDERS BECAUSE THE 2 ITEMS ARE BOTH SHIPPED FROM AND SOLD BY POWERSPORTS SUPERSTORE. THERE IS NO VALID JUSTIFICATION FOR CHARGING DIFFERENT SHIPPING RATES.

PLEASE DON'T FORCE ME TO ESCALATE THIS WITHIN YOUR COMPANY

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

I could have also posted the email bunny trail I have had with Amazon, but to make a long and dusty trail short (unlike my thread :) ), I won't. Let it suffice to say that, although it took several rounds, I got my point across and they forwarded the issue to their investigation team (but noted that they would not share the outcome) and offered me a purchase coupon for the price difference.

In the future, hopefully Amazon will have better policies/rules to be followed by listing merchants and the Powersport Superstore will get a clue as to providing ethical and customer oriented service. In the mean time, their business should suffer the consequences of their actions.

Gas on or off

Chillinpp — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 08:10:39 GMT

I own a 2004 V Star....Do I leave the gas on or off when not riding?