What did you do to your bike today?

[ShakenNstirred]

I wear earplugs these days, didn't in the past.
we have hearing tests at work and if I fail them I wont be able to work outside on the planes anymore, so it just made me think a bit more about looking after them.
luckily work provide them so costs me nothing

 

[wazza300]

you could have gone for a sprint damper pug

I picked mine up used for £110 and the fitting kit with it

 

[pugheaven]

you could have gone for a sprint damper pug

I picked mine up used for £110 and the fitting kit with it

Sprint don't currently do one for my bike, my mate at work races 600 CBR's but he's got an old one, they don't currently have anything... as their service costs are a bargain. Couldn't find anything decent 2nd hand either

 

[wazza300]

ahh I see,ive heard of toby though,they look very similar to the sprint ones,makes your bike so much more ridable/safer

 

[TallPaul_S]

First week done on the 125 varadero, filled up on the way home from work today. 216 miles on 12 litres of fuel, 81mpg. Not bad considering thats on a fair bit of dual carriageway and nsl roads doing 50-70mph at 8000-11000 revs for about 10-15 miles a day (40 mile a day commute), and not riding for economy at all

 

[Rilot]

First week done on the 125 varadero, filled up on the way home from work today. 216 miles on 12 litres of fuel, 81mpg. Not bad considering thats on a fair bit of dual carriageway and nsl roads doing 50-70mph at 8000-11000 revs for about 10-15 miles a day (40 mile a day commute), and not riding for economy at all

We need the motoring press to shout more about uses like this. I'm fed up with hearing mr poverty-spec 320d boast about his 50mpg economy.

 

[ShakenNstirred]

these are my mpg figures from my Kawasaki ZR7 (738cc)
all to the brim, first 2 were when I first got the bike after having not been on one in 11 years.
67mpg
64mpg
52mpg
55mpg
53mpg
54.34mpg
49.99mpg
58mpg
52.31mpg
58.65mpg
58.20mpg
56mpg
51mpg

 

[TallPaul_S]

Haha, yeah and the varadero ain't the most economical 125. Just worked it out and on my (just under) 20 mile each way commute, roughly 7 miles is either NSL or 50 limit (inc. 2 miles of dual carriageway), the rest is all 30 or 40 limit, through one busy town and though another busy industrial/retail estate at the other end, and several villages in between. Takes me 40 minutes pretty much every day regardless of traffic, so 30mph average. In the car it was taking the same amount of time in the mornings (leaving at 7:10am), but well over 50 minutes on the way home, minimum. Was getting 58mpg in a new diesel audi.

Compared to public transport, it's cheaper - £150pm on the train vs £60pm petrol. Under £200 a year insurance on a CBT with zero NCD.

Much cheaper vs a car too, for me it would be around double the cost for fuel, plus about £40 a month for insurance for a decent couple grand car. And it's quicker than both. In these cash strapped times, people need to stop giving train companies money or sitting in their cars in traffic and get on 2 wheels! My £120 aldi textiles have kept me dry and warm so far even in some decent rain.

The get on scheme I did last year was brilliant, needs more press coverage imho.

Also, only had the bike a week and can already notice a massive improvement in my riding, start of the week I wasn't confident at all filtering, now I'm fine with it. Gear changes are much better too, missing a lot less and getting better by the day. Only time I really notice the 125 limits is when sitting behind traffic doing 40-50 mph on a NSL - to get past you need a loooooooooooong gap or for the driver to give you room. At 50 I'm in top gear at 8000rpm so changing down ain't an option!

 

[The_Abyss]

My four day European trip is less than a month away and I've completely failed at buying a more suitable bike to make the tour. So I've just bought a Puig double bubble screen for my Aprilia Shiver to try and give a little bit of wind protection.

Touch wood it will be easy to fit.

 

[Craig321]

I wanna know how fireskulls bike is going!!

Today I got ultimate wet coming home, stupidly didn't take my glove over waterproof things or my winter gloves to work so rode home with my leather summer gloves so they got nice and soggy. On the bright side my bike was pretty much clean when I put it away simply because it rained so much

 

[TallPaul_S]

Yeah it's its rides like tonight's where I'm glad I spent extra on gore-tex boots and gloves. Bone dry everything.

 

[4T5]

At 50 I'm in top gear at 8000rpm so changing down ain't an option!

You could change your front or rear cog to drop the revs & maybe give you a bit more top end for the same revs. Bound to be a forum somewhere with the relevant details.
It was done to my Chopper.

 

[TallPaul_S]

You could change your front or rear cog to drop the revs & maybe give you a bit more top end for the same revs. Bound to be a forum somewhere with the relevant details.
It was done to my Chopper.

Probably wouldn't make much difference apart from less revs at top speed, the 'power band' seems to be around 6k revs and upwards (I think peak power is at 11k revs) so you need to be up there to make any progress at that speed. From 50-60 mph takes an age vs a normal bike. Just what it is, it's physics!

Must admit I am envious of big bikes smoothly sweeping past a car in a few car lengths with a flick of the wrist while I'm stuck behind them for a few miles, in the blink of an eye they're gone

 

[Fireskull]

I wanna know how fireskulls bike is going!!

Haha

Don't you worry there will be plenty of pictures coming this weekend, I was in Italy over easter so didn't get anything done last weekend, but received my repaired and upgraded forks back today

Still waiting on track fairings to arrive...

 

[Fireskull]

Ok updates time


Harris rearsets
Clocks & clock brace
Renthal clip ons
R&G fork protection
Grips
Abba stand adaptors for the K5
Bar ends for the Renthals
Titanium front & rear disk bolts

Ohlins rear

Repaired and upgraded Forks, K-Tech internals.

Fitted so I can now roll her out of the garage
Poor thing was filthy, literally mud everywhere, looks like the retards at the salvage had ridden it through a field, wouldn't surprise me if they had...

So this is where I left it last night, today I will just re-fit the power commander, carbon hugger and steering damper.

Then I found this lot in the shed
Mudguard from my old 750, that should fit.
Front wheel from 750, that will fit with my spare 310mm dics.
Spare rear wheel.
Some random 120 avon wet, might come in handy and some used Michelin Power one's.

 

[Scythe]

Very nice! I have some identical Harris rearsets on my ZX6R, I'm impressed with them.

I really want to strip the forks and shock off my road ZX6R and track GSXR600 and take them to K-tech but it's an expensive hassle

 

[Fireskull]

Give 100% suspension a call and see what they can do for you, they were much cheaper than going to K-Tech themselves and they have a very good reputation.

 

[Scythe]

Give 100% suspension a call and see what they can do for you, they were much cheaper than going to K-Tech themselves and they have a very good reputation.

I'll be doing it towards the end of the year, I prefer to do it then. K-Tech and Kais aren't too far from me either so I suppose I'll have to have a few quotes and a look around to see what's best.

 

[TripleT]

We need the motoring press to shout more about uses like this. I'm fed up with hearing mr poverty-spec 320d boast about his 50mpg economy.

My CBF125 does 130mpg constantly

Really want a bigger bike but it'll double my fuel bill Still not much mind.

 

[Craig321]

Looking good Fireskull. Looking nice & neat in that second last photo. Bet you can't wait to get back on it! What are you riding at the moment, or are bikes a hobby/summer activity (aka you have a car to commute with)?

My CBF125 does 130mpg constantly

Really want a bigger bike but it'll double my fuel bill Still not much mind.

Mine did the same and that was full throttle most of the time! I'd say it probably had a tiny petrol generating device in there . I did enjoy my CBF days, I don't miss the lack of power though! It'd make an amazing town bike, but I've always lived out in the country/quiet towns so most of my riding is national speed limit country roads. Wouldn't like to do my current commute on a CBF!