The General Motorbikers Discussion Thread

[Peter3hg]

The Hornet 250 is like gold dust here as they never officially were sold here. Therefore any that you find is massively overpriced. The 600 is usually cheaper than an equivalent 250.

[hansvonaxion]

Originally Posted by Peter3hg

The Hornet 250 is like gold dust here as they never officially were sold here. Therefore any that you find is massively overpriced. The 600 is usually cheaper than an equivalent 250.

Ah, sorry. Hard to know exactly whats sold in every market.
Shame though, its a nice bike for a 250.

Lucky for you guys though, you can just buy a bigger bike and restrict it for the time you're on your beginners licence. Where I'm from you have to ride a bike under 250cc for the first year of having your licence, meaning you have to buy a 250 only to sell it a year later which keeps the price of 250's artificially inflated. The power limit is much more sensible.

[Bugatti's Aftershave]

Well, I am the proud owner of a 1977 Yamaha XT500. Was idly refreshing Craigslist this morning at work when I saw somebody offering up the bike for FREE. Called immediately but was told that there was already somebody coming in from the island to pick up the bike the next evening, unless I could somehow haul the bike away this afternoon. Phoned everybody I could think of in search of a truck and one of my good friends stepped up - the bike is now parked safely at home, awaiting some carb duty and a cleanup. Papers included; ownership transferred. Extremely happy!

On another note...

Originally Posted by JuggernautRM

Wsup guys. I have become interested in motorcycles for the past year. The fact of gas prices, parking problems have made my small interested in bikes into a real consideration in buying one. I've always liked them and wanted to get one, but now I have a reason to get one.

I've been looking at the bikes and I have realized that I lean more to Harley style bikes instead of the japanese rice rockets.

Bikes that kinda look like this one

...isn't that Brad Pitt?

[Spectre]

FYI, these guys are in Canada and have carb rebuild kits cheap: http://www.siriusconinc.com/

They ship to the US too and are very fast shippers. I've got a set on the way for my Nighthawk.

[Peter3hg]

I went to the local Honda dealer today. They didn't have anything in but are expecting a CBF500 early next week. It will be £500 more than the other one but is 2 years newer and only has 1,400 miles on the clock. I've asked them to give me a ring as soon as they get it in.
I also found I can save over £100 on my insurance simply by just naming my dad on the policy.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by Peter3hg

I also found I can save over £100 on my insurance simply by just naming my dad on the policy.

It will saw you money for sure but it won't make you popular among the bikers that pay their own insurance (in their own name)...

there is a reason premiums are high...

[Peter3hg]

Originally Posted by avanti

It will saw you money for sure but it won't make you popular among the bikers that pay their own insurance (in their own name)...

there is a reason premiums are high...

That is with the insurance under my own name, but with my dad just as a named rider (like he is already on my current bike). I wouldn't dream of using him to front the policy even if it would probably save another couple of hundred.

[KaJuN]

Originally Posted by Bugatti's Aftershave

Well, I am the proud owner of a 1977 Yamaha XT500. Was idly refreshing Craigslist this morning at work when I saw somebody offering up the bike for FREE. Called immediately but was told that there was already somebody coming in from the island to pick up the bike the next evening, unless I could somehow haul the bike away this afternoon. Phoned everybody I could think of in search of a truck and one of my good friends stepped up - the bike is now parked safely at home, awaiting some carb duty and a cleanup. Papers included; ownership transferred. Extremely happy!

A free bike? Awesome! What sort of condition is it in?

[Bugatti's Aftershave]

Originally Posted by KaJuN

A free bike? Awesome! What sort of condition is it in?

Fantastic condition! Seems to just need some carb work; owner says he's ridden on it until recently. Will post photos soon.

[British_Rover]

Originally Posted by Bugatti's Aftershave

Fantastic condition! Seems to just need some carb work; owner says he's ridden on it until recently. Will post photos soon.

That is awesome. A few weeks ago a some guy up in VT was bascily giving away a 1987 Honda Supermagna for 250 bucks but by the time I saw the ad it had already been sold.

Supposedly it only need an ignition control box.

[BlaRo]

Originally Posted by Bugatti's Aftershave

Well, I am the proud owner of a 1977 Yamaha XT500. Was idly refreshing Craigslist this morning at work when I saw somebody offering up the bike for FREE. Called immediately but was told that there was already somebody coming in from the island to pick up the bike the next evening, unless I could somehow haul the bike away this afternoon. Phoned everybody I could think of in search of a truck and one of my good friends stepped up - the bike is now parked safely at home, awaiting some carb duty and a cleanup. Papers included; ownership transferred. Extremely happy!

Pff, that's nothing. My friend got a Moto Guzzi Stornello for nothing.

Oh wait, that might actually be detrimental to his health and sanity instead.

Anyway, congrats on the bike and take pictures immediately! Don't forget we're all here for advice as well.

And yeah, that IS Brad.

[Ottobon]

Blaro, thanks for bringing up that bike!! I think i just found the very elusive good sounding single cylinder bike!

+ YouTube Video

[Spectre]

That thing's modified. See what you think of this single (not my bike or me):

+ YouTube Video

[Bugatti's Aftershave]

A Stornello for free?? So... where does said friend live? Any video surveillance on the premises? j/k

Anyhow, it started to rain just as I got home today and unfortunately there's no room in the garage atm - only got a couple of shots before I had to close up shop. The bike's parked on the outdoor parking lot under mountains of tarp.



As you can see, somebody has painted it a ghastly blue colour and in doing so, has covered the original logos. The front fender has also been swapped out; looks like the same thing has happened with the exhaust pipe.



Pretty clean looking. Looks like the fenders were originally blue.

TBH this bike does not exactly fit the image I had in mind - I wanted something like this. My goals for this project are to clean this Thumper up and have it running smoothly again. As previously mentioned, the carb might need some work. However, I suspect most of my work will be, shall we say, cosmetic.

I was thinking that I want this bike to look as vintage and as flat track as possible. I don't much care for the black fork gators. I found a few interesting XT500s after a quick search:





Here's the original:



Ideas about how I should modify this new old wildebeast?

[KaJuN]

Here's my idea:



Go! Get working! Now!!

[Bugatti's Aftershave]

Bah, Wayne Szalinkski's shrinking machine is nowhere to be found. Otherwise, I would totally take your suggestion KaJuN

[Spectre]

Nah, here's a better idea of what to do with it:




http://www.streethawkonline.com/bikeinfo.php

By the way, looks like they might be doing a new film:

[Blind_Io]

Thumpers always sound like a lawn mower buggering a weed eater to me.

Now V4s on the other hand, those are aural sex.

[Spectre]

I've always thought that the V4s (particularly Honda's) have a peculiar flat drone to their exhaust notes.

[Blind_Io]

When I hear it, it sounds smooth as my ex's beautiful ass. No, not that ex, the other one. No, not that one either.

Anyway, I had custom pipes on my bike which gave it a bit more throaty sound at low revs, and more volume at higher RPM. It wasn't terribly loud, but I did have a few car alarms chirp at me.