The General Motorbikers Discussion Thread

And while I'm parting you further from your cash, replace the mirrors.

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I installed a set from an Aprilia/other Guzzi. Besides being usable, they shave about two or three thousand billion pounds from the bike compared to the stock ones.
 
I already have a set of mirrors from, uh, the last bike I had. When you installed the fender eliminator, did you have to cut the wires to the stock taillight? I'd like to see how that looks underneath the seat, if you wouldn't mind taking some pics.
 
I would love to show you, but I haven't gotten around to buying it myself yet. :p
 
I'm probably going to need your number on speeddial if this thing ever breaks.
 
And argatoga calls me when he breaks something on his Guzzi anyway. :p
 
I like to call it community.
 
See, what an awesome group we have here. ;)
 
The motorcycle community is something that the car community could rly learn from. At least here it doesn't rly matter what you ride, it's that you ride what counts. Sure some people are a bit more in to their brand, but people still get along and have fun together. A lot more division on 4-wheels and that's sad.
 
Went for my motorcycle exam today... I passed!

Yeey for me. \o/
 
Congratulations :thumbup:
 
I recently discovered that the XT is overdue for its bianual T?V exam, which should've been done in Febuary already. Ooops.
Anyway, both tires are pretty close to or already at the wear limit. They're Metzeler Tourances and were already on the bike when I bought it, and since I didn't find anything wrong with them I'd just go for them again. So I looked around the net, found a tire discount chain that even has a location nearby where the set'd be around 130?, with 10? for fitting the tires per wheel. If you bring the unmounted wheel, they won't touch the bike itself.
Since I don't have a jack to prop the bike up with both wheels off I went to a nearby mechanic, who wanted 220? for the same tires+fitting. Uhmm... no thanks. For that kind of money I could just buy a hydraulic jack like this and take the dismounted wheels to the other place, leaving me with a tool I'll be able to reuse. So that's what I'll do, I guess.
 
Dang, that is highway robbery.

My local dealer started charging me an extra $50 per tire to mount tires if I just bought him the wheels. After that I started buying tires online and I bought a stand and some irons and I've been mounting them myself.
 
Congrats Adamar!

Boo, I just found out that one of our local dealerships changed ownership, and it's a completely new boat. None of the front of house guys work there anymore. :(
 
I recently discovered that the XT is overdue for its bianual T?V exam, which should've been done in Febuary already. Ooops.
Anyway, both tires are pretty close to or already at the wear limit. They're Metzeler Tourances and were already on the bike when I bought it, and since I didn't find anything wrong with them I'd just go for them again. So I looked around the net, found a tire discount chain that even has a location nearby where the set'd be around 130?, with 10? for fitting the tires per wheel. If you bring the unmounted wheel, they won't touch the bike itself.
Since I don't have a jack to prop the bike up with both wheels off I went to a nearby mechanic, who wanted 220? for the same tires+fitting. Uhmm... no thanks. For that kind of money I could just buy a hydraulic jack like this and take the dismounted wheels to the other place, leaving me with a tool I'll be able to reuse. So that's what I'll do, I guess.

With my 250 there is no need for a hydraulic jack, I can do just this, with a metal stand or in my case just a sturdy bucket. Not sure if it's an option for your xt.

[video=youtube;EmJkdaFx4-E]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmJkdaFx4-E[/video]

I do it like in the video, but I leave the side stand down, and pivot the bike on it (the bike has 2 balance point that way, the stand and the front wheel)
 
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My local dealer started charging me an extra $50 per tire to mount tires if I just bought him the wheels. After that I started buying tires online and I bought a stand and some irons and I've been mounting them myself.

I can understand that dealers and garages will charge you more if you want them to mount tires you didn't buy from them. That's fair enough I think. But 50$? On top of the regular price? Per wheel?!? Jeeez. :shock2:

With my 250 there is no need for a hydraulic jack, I can do just this, with a metal stand or in my case just a sturdy bucket. Not sure if it's an option for your xt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmJkdaFx4-E

I do it like in the video, but I leave the side stand down, and pivot the bike on it (the bike has 2 balance point that way, the stand and the front wheel)

Yeah, a guy in the German XT forums does something similar with a beer crate and likes to show it off whenever the topic comes up. Hmm, wet weight for the WR is listed at 135kg, whereas my XT with the additional crashbars and center stand is probably somewhere north of 160kg. That said, I don't really feel too comfortable manhandling it like that, I don't really have that much space in the garage and most importantly that looks far too much like hard work for me. :p
Still, I might give it a try.
 
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Still, I might give it a try.

Which I did. After half an hour of trying and a coke crate that got progressively more dirty and warped I resigned. No way in hell that I'd be able to do it the way in the video - I can't even get the rear off the ground at all. Tipping it over the kickstand and front wheel was slightly more successfull, but I only managed to get it precariously sitting on the edge of the crate. Again I couldn't lift it enough to get it properly in the middle.
So either I'm too much of a wimp to do it or too daft to replicate the proper technique. Either way, screw this shit. :p
 
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