Biker's Cafe Chatroom

Soldato
Joined
5 Nov 2010
Posts
23,904
Location
Hertfordshire
Had some **** on a Kwak (all i saw was green) nearly take me out and kill himself at speed on the A1 this morning.

Summer really brings out the absolute bellends that give us other bikers a bad rep.
 
Soldato
Joined
13 Mar 2004
Posts
4,711
Location
Norwich
Yep, bit of warm weather and the number of younger looking guys I'm seeing without any gear, crazy!

Just paid 31 quid for 15 litres! 205.6 for BP E5. Never spent that much filling my bike up :(

Then went for MOT, fine 30 quid but 12 months tax seems to have gone up again too!
 
Soldato
Joined
28 Feb 2006
Posts
4,798
Location
No longer riding an Italian
Yep, bit of warm weather and the number of younger looking guys I'm seeing without any gear, crazy!

Just paid 31 quid for 15 litres! 205.6 for BP E5. Never spent that much filling my bike up :(

Then went for MOT, fine 30 quid but 12 months tax seems to have gone up again too!
Tell me about it, I spent that on some E10 at Morrisons after the weekend ride to Devon. I remember the days when I would probably spend £30 - or a smidge over, for the days riding :(
 
Soldato
Joined
21 Mar 2013
Posts
3,022
Location
Lincolnshire
I have a riddle for you all.

An XJ6N takes 2.8 Litres of oil (when replacing the oil filter.) Let's say you remove the sump plug you drain maybe 2 litres of old oil out plus remove the old filter. Then replace the plug and replace with a new filter, and add 2.8Litres of liquid gold, why is the dipstick bone dry except for the absolute smallest part right at the bottom of the stick? Bike has had about 3 hours to drain and is stood upright on the paddock stand. My question to you, is...where has the oil gone..?
 
Man of Honour
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
20,307
Location
Екатеринбург
I have a riddle for you all.

An XJ6N takes 2.8 Litres of oil (when replacing the oil filter.) Let's say you remove the sump plug you drain maybe 2 litres of old oil out plus remove the old filter. Then replace the plug and replace with a new filter, and add 2.8Litres of liquid gold, why is the dipstick bone dry except for the absolute smallest part right at the bottom of the stick? Bike has had about 3 hours to drain and is stood upright on the paddock stand. My question to you, is...where has the oil gone..?
Run the bike for a minute, let it settle, then check it again. Is it on a completely level surface and does the paddock stand hold it level?
Also, did you fill the filter before fitting it?
 
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Soldato
Joined
21 Mar 2013
Posts
3,022
Location
Lincolnshire
Run the bike for a minute, let it settle, then check it again. Is it on a completely level surface and does the paddock stand hold it level?
Also, did you fill the filter before fitting it?
Yeah I'll be topping it up today. 100% level surface and paddock stand is perfectly flat. I didn't fill the filter otherwise I'd have dropped oil all over the floor :(
 
Man of Honour
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
20,307
Location
Екатеринбург
I have this every time I do the oil on my bike. The oil seems to disappear into the aether after filling back up with the sight glass showing completely empty. After running it for a minute and letting it settle the oil magically appears. I don’t know where it hides! That’s on a BMW 1200 boxer twin so I guess some hangs out in the horizontal cylinder heads. I didn’t think an FZ6 would be the same but it’s worth a try. You won’t do any damage if you have the right amount in there.

One final thing to check though. You did put the drain plug back in before refilling, didn’t you? I may have learned the hard way on that particular point some years ago.
 
Caporegime
Joined
24 Oct 2012
Posts
25,022
Location
Godalming
Wife had her first ride on her Vespa this morning, her bike control is shocking, she almost binned it twice in our car park. Once up to speed she's fine, but the nerves get the better of her at low speed. Tomorrow we're going for a little ride again, I know she can do it as I watched her on her CBT, she just really doesn't want to damage the Vespa.

We drove to Brighton today in the car using Calimoto so she could see what I'm always banging on about and she loved it, so that's good.

Saw a couple of crashes too, one was a pretty gnarly looking bike crash, looked like a car pulled out on a Street Triple and he t-boned it, hope he's ok :(

The other one was a car-only incident, a Fiat 500 which was on its roof in the opposite direction of the motorway we were on, it looked seriously nasty. It never fails to amaze me how many accidents we have on these busy weekends, hope everyone's ok.
 
Soldato
Joined
27 Jul 2009
Posts
5,010
Location
Manchester
Wife had her first ride on her Vespa this morning, her bike control is shocking, she almost binned it twice in our car park. Once up to speed she's fine, but the nerves get the better of her at low speed. Tomorrow we're going for a little ride again, I know she can do it as I watched her on her CBT, she just really doesn't want to damage the Vespa.

We drove to Brighton today in the car using Calimoto so she could see what I'm always banging on about and she loved it, so that's good.

Saw a couple of crashes too, one was a pretty gnarly looking bike crash, looked like a car pulled out on a Street Triple and he t-boned it, hope he's ok :(

The other one was a car-only incident, a Fiat 500 which was on its roof in the opposite direction of the motorway we were on, it looked seriously nasty. It never fails to amaze me how many accidents we have on these busy weekends, hope everyone's ok.
I really need to try Calimoto.
Maybe the Vespas a bit too nice? A cheap beater would have given her more confidence initially?
Just got back from Corfu, we’ve been enjoying mountain hairpins on a MP3 Piaggio HPE300.
Edit: just downloaded it
 
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Soldato
Joined
31 Aug 2021
Posts
2,545
Location
Suffolk
I was with MCE IC when they went belly up, then switched to Hastings Direct when MCE IC cancelled my policy and refunded me, as their quote was pretty good.
I'm now swapping bikes and asked Hastings to quote for the new bike.
They can insure me for the duration of my policy but it'll cost me nearly £400 over what I'm paying now, they also said that when my policy expires in January they can't insure me and my bike.
So, I asked the eternally irritating meerkats and MCE UK pops up at £330 fully comp with all the trimmings, so that's a done deal, thanks very much.
Bike insurance companies seem a law unto themselves :rolleyes:
 
Soldato
Joined
3 May 2012
Posts
8,520
Location
Wetherspoons
Ordered a new battery today.

Current one isn't even that old, 3 years maybe but lack of use particularly over winter has killed it, it won't hold a charge.

Must be more disciplined about putting the charger on it more often over winter.

To be honest though, I've done **** all miles on my bike this year.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
19 Oct 2002
Posts
29,508
Location
Surrey
I followed (in my car) a lovely Ducati Monster today. He wasn't riding fast but the rider seemed to be having so much fun flicking it into corners. It really made me miss my bike.
 
Soldato
Joined
13 Jan 2006
Posts
20,860
Location
Wigan
will be getting my first bike hopefully first week or september, its going in the garage. i plan to install a ground anchor. is it worth getting it professionally installed or is it something to do your self?

garage floor is concrete and was very hard to drill when i split the garage with a stuf wall.

also reccomendation for a ground anchor and chain?
 
Soldato
Joined
31 Aug 2021
Posts
2,545
Location
Suffolk
Is there any point if you’re keeping it in a garage?, although I suppose it would stop a thief/s lifting it away, if they didn’t angle grind the chain off.
Personally I use a huge Oxford chain through the back wheels of both bikes and disc locks on both when they’re in my garage.
I did use one of these when my bike was kept outside for a short period..


Super easy to fit using a normal drill and bit (I fitted it on a wall, rather than the floor).
 
Caporegime
Joined
24 Oct 2012
Posts
25,022
Location
Godalming
Interesting day today.

"We spent £6k on the bloody Vespa, you're gonna take it for a ride and that's the end of it".

"No don't wanna"

Thirty minutes later she's wobbling around on it like a child riding a bicyle for the first time.

Two hours later "I'm loving it, I want to carry on but my hands are sore".

Loads of firsts. First roundabout, first "big road", first speed bumps, etc

It was only 16 miles of pootling around Putney and Wimbledon but it's pretty safe to say she's been bitten :D
 
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