The General Motorbikers Discussion Thread

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Originally Posted by British_Rover

Ah but you forget Specter lives in Texas. There is probably some ambitions Texas legislature who also rides already proposing a way to make the last moments of death row inmates useful by using them in just such a test.

Well, I guess you gotta do what you gotta do.

[Spectre]

You know what? There isn't such a proposal right now.... but I think I'll ask my rep to make one.

We might as well get *some* use out of the Death Row murderers.

Originally Posted by BigDaveDogg

The whole world is infested with you guys

Well, if Suzuki would start making better motorcycles instead of figuring out ways to cheap out on bikes, such as, oh, removing needed steering stabilizers, resulting in the deaths of the riders, perhaps there would be more Suzuki owners!

I mean, how do you expect to get more users if the product kills them?

[BigDaveDogg]

Hahahaha that's the best feature.

[British_Rover]

Originally Posted by Spectre

You know what? There isn't such a proposal right now.... but I think I'll ask my rep to make one.

We might as well get *some* use out of the Death Row murderers.

Bah then they are seriously slacking. After all that gerrymandering they did over the last couple of years there should be plenty of election proof districts for someone to propose that.

[Redliner]

Originally Posted by Spectre

Also... has anyone in here besides Blind_Io and myself actually *tested* their helmets? You know, by actually crashing in them?

I sorta "crash tested" my helmet, but it was a slow speed low side, so my helmet didn't hit anything. Thankfully I was riding wearing my leather jacket, so my skin is still intact.

[KaJuN]

For some reason I've always liked the local sherriff's department more than the other two law enforcement agencies around here, probably because they have the most sense and are the most down-to-Earth. I guess that really is true because they're considering getting motorcycles to augment their fleet. And best of all is that it looks like it's actually going to happen! It would be awesome seeing police motorcycles around here.

Now if you'll excuse me it's time to shine up Maxine before her date at the cruise in.

[Karoug]

Originally Posted by Redliner

Also... has anyone in here besides Blind_Io and myself actually *tested* their helmets? You know, by actually crashing in them?

I buy atleast 2 new helmets each year.. I'm a seasoned crash test dummy.. Or just dumb..

[Spectre]

Originally Posted by KaJuN

For some reason I've always liked the local sherriff's department more than the other two law enforcement agencies around here, probably because they have the most sense and are the most down-to-Earth. I guess that really is true because they're considering getting motorcycles to augment their fleet. And best of all is that it looks like it's actually going to happen! It would be awesome seeing police motorcycles around here.

Are they also going to get automobiles to replace their horse-drawn carriages and firearms to replace their crossbows?

[tigger]

Originally Posted by KaJuN

It would be awesome seeing police motorcycles around here.

Cops in my hometown seem to love bikes. Most of the year I'd see as many cops on bikes (iirc Kawasakis mostly, not too many Harleys ) as in cars.

So guys, any tips on rebuilding forks? I've got a good shop manual, but any basic info that will help me keep from taking a spring to the head is welcome.

[Spectre]

Do you want the tip on or off the bike?

[tigger]

Originally Posted by Spectre

Do you want the tip on or off the bike?

You know, I almost changed that. "Just the tip, just for a second ... just to see how it feels?"

[Spectre]

Heh.

Well, my tip would be to drain the forks while on the bike if you have the option, and to undo the top and bottom bolts (but don't remove them) while on the bike as well.

[tigger]

Originally Posted by Spectre

Well, my tip would be to drain the forks while on the bike if you have the option, and to undo the top and bottom bolts (but don't remove them) while on the bike as well.

Well damn haha, I've already pulled the fork tubes. I need to buy a vise anyway.

[BlaRo]

Lift the front wheel up with a wooden block or something. Let the fork tubes drain out first, by undoing the drainage bolt near the bottom. This could take a while. Undo the top two bolts...carefully. To remove the fork assembly from the frame it's just a matter of removing the top triple tree, then lifting the frame out of the bottom steering stem.

The forks are held together by Allen bolts on the bottom of the assembly. These will most likely be stuck on so tightly they're practically welded on, so to prevent stripping the bolt and giving yourself a hernia get an impact driver. Once that happens, the entire assembly should slide right out.

Check the tubes themselves for pitting, especially near the area that contacts the seals. If it's pitted, chuck them out. New fork tubes for Jap bikes are hard to come by, but most people recommend Forking by Frank, their tubes are better than OEM and the people that work there are exceptionally nice. Bit pricey, though; a set for my CB550 cost approx. $250, not including shipping.

Basically...try reading this, it's for a CB750 but the principles are the same.

[Spectre]

Remember to pad the vise or vise grips you use to hold the fork stanchion steady while undoing the top cap/bolt. And keep your head out of line with the cap at all times while removing it.

Also, don't bother trying to put the caps on or fill the forks until they are back on the bike, unless your manual says otherwise.

[KaJuN]

Originally Posted by Spectre

Are they also going to get automobiles to replace their horse-drawn carriages and firearms to replace their crossbows?

I think that was also on the agenda. I think the Columbus and maybe the Cincinnati police have motorcycles. Other than that they're unheard of around here.

[Spectre]

Well, on today's agenda is picking this new jacket up:



I can't find my old summer mesh jacket, so I had to get another one - my leather Fieldsheer is just too hot for Texas summer.

[Ottobon]

hows the protection of kevlar (or whatnot) compared to leather anyways?

I like wearing leather when possible, but for some reason i feel if i wore it while motorcycling people would think i was motorcycling because i wanted to wear leather.

[Spectre]

It's not bad... but proper leather is still the best. The mesh jackets have the same impact armor as the leather jackets, so that's the same, but the abrasion resistance isn't as good.

20 years ago, Cycle magazine did a drop/drag test of Leather, Nylon, Kevlar, and other materials, including the classic denim. Now, there have been great advances in the textiles since then, but this should still give you a rough idea, especially of the worthlessness of generic fashion denim.

Sept 88 "Cycle" magazine article "Abrasion Testing: Torn in the USA".

Drag Test

"For the Drag Test, samples were stitched to a bag that held a 75-pound
sandbag inside a milk crate, then dragged behind a pickup truck..."

New, 100% Cotton Denim Jeans: 3' 10"
Senior Balistic Nylon: 3' 10"
Leather, Lightweight, Nude Finish, 2.25 oz/sq. ft. 4' 3"
Leather, Fashion Weight, 1.75 oz/sq ft. 4' 4"
Two-year-old 100% Cotton Denim Jeans 4' 5"
Cordura Nylon Type 440 18' 3"
Kevlar 29 Aramid Fiber, Style 713 22' 1"
Leather, Competition Weight, 3 oz//sq. ft. 86' 0"


"For the Taber Test, the specimen was mounted on a rotating platform and
scuffed by two rubber-emery grinding wheels." The numbers represent the
number of revolutions until the fabric totally fails. A vacuum clears
debris.

Two-year-old 100% Cotton Denim Jeans 168
New 100% Cotton Denim Jeans 225
Kevlar 29 Aramid Fiber, Style 713 506
Cordura Nylon, Type 440 559
Leather, Lightweight, Nude Finish, 2.25 oz./sq. ft. 564
Leather, Fashion Weight, 1.75 oz./sq. ft. 750
Senior Ballistic Nylon 817
Leather, Competition Weight, 3 oz./sq. ft. 2600

"Finally, protection from road abrasion cannot be guaranteed by a
materials abrasion resistance alone. A jacket may have panels of
highly abrasion-resistant materials, yet if low-quality stitching joins
those panels and the seams come apart upon impact or during a slide, then
the abrasion resistance of the panels could count for nothing.
Furthermore, an ill-fitting garment may ride up in a slide, contorting
the body and exposing the skin. And the best jacket in the world, left
unzipped and/or unsnapped, won't give riders the protection they pay
for. When it comes to safety, the issues are more complex than just the
abrasion resistance of materials."

These days, the general thought is that the Kevlar gear is generally as good as most leather.

Here are some additional commentaries:

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedi...,1938825.story

http://forum.motorcycle-usa.com/defa...19&p=1&m=35076

http://ezinearticles.com/?Motorcycle...eeds&id=472564

+ YouTube Video

All that said, I've crashed in both leathers and textiles, and I don't have a problem with wearing either - but I give the nod to leather for protection in above-average threat environments.

[Karoug]

So i had a go at a few new sooks yesterday here's a short review:

B-King: It's just a little bit too big and heavy for me.. But otherwise it was insane!

Hayabusa: Like the old one but a little bit better in all departments.

Gixxer 750: For a normal rider this probably is the quickest bike on sale. It's brilliant, the lack of power compared to a litre-bike is not an issue..

GSX 600F: Probably the surprise of the day. Light, quick and with a reasonable amount of power it would be a good commute-bike.