The General Motorbikers Discussion Thread

[shad_68]

Originally Posted by BlaRo

And it's XL already, so what am I, a human bobble head?

Not necessarily. When I shopped around for my helmet I found that the size nomenclature is just a very vague orientation help for the actual size. Even within a given size, how tightly helmet fits or even pushes on your head varies a lot from model to model.
Heck, when I tried the helmet I finally got I didn't like it at all, way to tight and too much pressure. But when I tried another example of the same model in the same size it suddenly was perfect!
So really, you should try and find a store in your region that sells a nice variety of helmets, take some time, and just try them. Also have an assistant or w/e explain to you what criteria there are to judge if a helmet actually has the right size for you (apart from obvious discomforts - even a helmet that exercts unbearable pressure at one point can be too big for you overall!).

The wave: I feel like a dick if I don't notice and respond. I got waves from old guys on Goldwings, squids on GSX-Rs, sportbike riders with their girlfriends, some old UJMs, and one guy on a sweet old Triumph. But out of the 12 dozen fat guys on Harleys I saw, I only got one response. Sheesh, how antisocial are those guys?

Heh, back in Feburary/beginning of March I got a lot of waves and/or nods from other riders, always tried to return them and was quite happy that I got some despite my puny bike.
But now, hardly any rider I come past greets or returns my nod... I guess the people that are out right at the start of the season are just a different breed.

[Spectre]

[Blind_Io]

That is awesome!

Someone want to photoshop my yellow VFR in there instead of the GSXR?

[Karoug]

Today I saw a B-king with after-market exhaust! I'm still rattling from the noise!

[Redliner]

Originally Posted by Karoug

Today I saw a B-king with after-market exhaust! I'm still rattling from the noise!

Did it looked better then the factory exhaust? (That´s the only thing I dislike about the B-King)

[Karoug]

^Yes, Those stupid "ears" where gone.

[Jon]

One day you'll crash - A good read

Maybe good for a someone who thinks "I'll never fall". It'll keep you in check.

[hansvonaxion]

Edit: I've solved my problem so you can skip over this post if you like. I'll probably delete it later.

OK I was planning to take some videos on the bike and I'm trying to figure out the best way to mount the camera. The last time I did it I just sat the camera on top of the tank bag which had some elastic straps on the top that helped hold it down. It worked surprisingly well but I don't have the bag anymore.

I'm looking for some suggestions, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind;
I want to do it as cheaply as possible.
I don't have any tools, if any are needed I'd have to buy them.

At first I thought about this idea...



...but the camera sits really far forward so you can't see the guages or any of the bike (I'd prefer to have them in shot) and I'm having trouble finding the parts at the hardware store (not many people have irrigated gardens in Tokyo), plus the glue would probably cost $10 and I'd only ever use it once.


So I thought I'd buy a mini tripod and adapt it. When I checked I found one with a suction cup on the bottom and thought it was perfect, when I got it home I realised it's a vacuum cup and doesn't stick on the tank cos it isn't a flat surface. Also I tried just sticking it to the window (without camera attached) and the damn thing fell off after 10-30 min! The surface of the vacuum cup isn't perfect, maybe I should take it back and exchange it.

So using the suction part is pretty much out of the question but I can disconnect the "head" and use that.

This is the whole unit, with the camera I'm planning to use...



Then I thought, the old tank bag used magnets and they held the thing on, so I bought a big magnet. I thought I might stick a nut onto it and screw the head of the suction-pod into it, like so...




...but the nut is very small and I don't think it's going to stick well enough cos the surface area is too small and the camera will be top heavy.

So now I'm thinking of getting 2 smaller magnets and getting some kind of metal strapping with holes in it(??) and making a kind of tripod with magnet feet to spread the load over 3 points and make it more sure-footed.

...metal strapping...



But it would probably be easier to just buy a whole new mini tripod with flexible legs and attach magnets or suction cups to that. The problem is attaching them and being able to angle them to fit the contours of the tank.

Any thoughts?

[Spectre]

Have you considered a cheap handlebar camera mount?

[hansvonaxion]

Yeah that was in the first part of my post, first picture, but I wanted it mounted further back.

Actually now I think about it, this tripod head might just screw straight into the fuel filler bolt holes. I'll go check that later.

Otherwise, if I can get some of that strapping I'll abandon the magnets and suction cups and bolt the strapping onto the fuel filler and bolt the tripod head onto that.

Edit: OK I guess you can ignore all that drivel now, I checked and the damn thing screws straight into one of the fuel filler bolt holes. It isn't a central one or rear one (the use longer, thinner bolts), but it's pretty damn spiffy. I think I should buy a lotto ticket...



Hell you could probably screw it into the mirror mount too if you wanted it up on the bars. The thing only cost me about $12.

[shad_68]

Oh no! Apparently I have joined the old man brigade!

[KaJuN]

^ I like it!

Decisions, decisions...I'm going to be out of the country for two years and I'm torn between selling the bike and using the money toward another one or holding onto it and possibly having to bring it back to life all over again. By that point the thing will be getting on 33 years old.

[BlaRo]

Originally Posted by KaJuN

^ I like it!

Decisions, decisions...I'm going to be out of the country for two years and I'm torn between selling the bike and using the money toward another one or holding onto it and possibly having to bring it back to life all over again. By that point the thing will be getting on 33 years old.

Sell it to a good friend who can keep it in shape. Then buy a bike in (wherever you'll be stationed) and ship it home after 2 years, so you can start the process all over again!

[shad_68]

^^ Thanks.

Originally Posted by KaJuN

By that point the thing will be getting on 33 years old.

Dunno about the US, but over here that's already belonging to the classic vehicle category then. If you have a good place to put it, I think I'd have it stored - two years isn't all that terribly long.

[BlaRo]

So I finally got around off my lazy ass to install my rear sprocket, which was a cheapo unit made by Sunstar, a company that makes everything from mouthwash, health food, and toothbrushes to construction materials, chemicals, and motorcycle parts.

[British_Rover]

Originally Posted by BlaRo

Sell it to a good friend who can keep it in shape. Then buy a bike in (wherever you'll be stationed) and ship it home after 2 years, so you can start the process all over again!

When I bought my house I needed to sell my MINI for extra cash and it made my debt to income ratio look much better so I got a better rate.

I sold it to a relative who said I could buy it back whenever i wanted. I would have bought it back by now if we weren't having a baby.

[KaJuN]

I bought the bike from my uncle a few years ago and apparently he's interested in buying it back. I think I'll let it go and use that cash toward a new ride in Okinawa. Although it's tough letting that bike go after putting so much into it and bringing it back to life.

[hansvonaxion]

Originally Posted by KaJuN

I bought the bike from my uncle a few years ago and apparently he's interested in buying it back. I think I'll let it go and use that cash toward a new ride in Okinawa. Although it's tough letting that bike go after putting so much into it and bringing it back to life.

Have you thought about what kind of bike you're gonna get here? Being here for 2 years you'll have to get a Japanese licence if you want to ride the whole time, like I said before.

[Jon]

So VERY close to getting my knee down today.. My chicken strips are about 1cm at most..

..One day.... soon.

[hansvonaxion]

Gave the camera a trial run yesterday, but it's too low. I knew it was too good to be true.

Edit: Went back to the home centre and found a bracket that's almost perfect. Forgot that the Allen head bolts/socket screws are recessed into the fuel filler, so when I screw the bracket on the bolts need to be much longer while the ones I bought were only slightly longer. Oh well. Another trip to the home centre.



@ Jon; I've never had knee scrapers or even ridden a bike on a track so I can't say I've ever gotten my knee down. Closest I've come is scraping the foot pegs. That's scary the first time you do it and you're not expecting it. I still don't like doing it.

@ Everyone; What's the general opinion on taking your kids on the back of your bike. I never really had a problem with it, but now the wife is expecting I don't know what my policy will be. I think in Tokyo it's just too much of a shit storm, I don't think I'd have a problem doing some country touring in Oz, but I don't trust other drivers and there's too many of them in the city.

Hell my wife has fallen asleep on the back of the bike before - I had to keep smacking her helmet to keep her awake! A friend said she slept on the back of her boyfriends bike for quite a distance. Japanese will sleep anywhere.



Double edit: I took a test vid with the new mount, but I used a little P&S digital camera's video mode, put it on low quality but didn't realise just how low quality it was. The camera seemed to be bouncing around a lot on the bike but it isn't that noticable on the vid. Also the sun seems to be playing havoc with it, hopefully a better quality setting will help.

Warning: Turn the volume down before playing, there's the usual insane wind buffeting cos I did nothing about the audio.

+ YouTube Video