The friendly "dumb" bike questions thread

The friendly "dumb" bike questions thread

Author
Discussion

crofty1984

Original Poster:

15,830 posts

203 months

Friday 28th April 2017
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We were all new once, thought it might be nice to have a thread where we go over our silly mistakes, things we've learnt, dumb questions we've heard/asked, or ask any basic questions we have.

For me: I was forever flooding my old Yamaha (first bike) because I'd put far too much gas on when trying to start. Since I've had kick-start bikes that's become much more important! Until I know "the knack" I always go with no throttle and build up very gradually on subsequent kicks - easier to add slightly more fuel on the next kick than take it out from a previous one! Though now I do have the knack with the BSA and Triumph so I'm all good. Or buy a bike with fuel injection smile

Another is my FIL telling his son to mainly use the back brake. When braking, weight transfers forward, so use the front as the main braking device.

podman

8,850 posts

239 months

Friday 28th April 2017
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Never neglect topping up your 2 stroke oil tank and never,ever remove your air box and replace it with fit pod filters..

civicduty

1,857 posts

202 months

Friday 28th April 2017
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Tinted/Smoked Visor or Sunglasses?

civicduty

1,857 posts

202 months

Friday 28th April 2017
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What two stroke oil for a 2006 Aprilia RS125?

jjones

4,422 posts

192 months

Friday 28th April 2017
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civicduty said:
Tinted/Smoked Visor or Sunglasses?
Visor is nicer and my preference but sunglasses give the option of removing them if you are out later than planned.

Rubin215

3,985 posts

155 months

Friday 28th April 2017
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Don't take the bike off the centre-stand after you've removed the back wheel...

civicduty

1,857 posts

202 months

Friday 28th April 2017
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jjones said:
civicduty said:
Tinted/Smoked Visor or Sunglasses?
Visor is nicer and my preference but sunglasses give the option of removing them if you are out later than planned.
Do the police take much notice of different colour visors, or can you get legal ones that are good enough?

jjones

4,422 posts

192 months

Friday 28th April 2017
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Been using a blacked out visor for the last 7-8 years, been stopped for speeding twice, neither time did the visor or "show" number plate come into the equation.

Pope

2,633 posts

246 months

Saturday 29th April 2017
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1. Just because a zx10r has sat stock still on a sloping drive for 8hrs doesn't mean it will remain still once you start it and leave it running while you put your lid on........

Oh.....

f###.....

F###.....

S###.

My brothers face when he looked at me holding the broken off left hand mirror in his hand! He just managed to grab it as the weight of the bike toppled it over.


2. Never think: I can clean the chain with this rag while the bike ticks over in gear.


clen666

925 posts

121 months

Saturday 29th April 2017
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Rubin215 said:
Don't take the bike off the centre-stand after you've removed the back wheel...
laugh

Don't go on a long ride with a temperamental fuel cap lock

Biker's Nemesis

38,536 posts

207 months

Saturday 29th April 2017
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clen666 said:
laugh

Don't go on a long ride with a temperamental fuel cap lock
I was there that day, I didn't get grumpy did I

EagleMoto4-2

669 posts

103 months

Saturday 29th April 2017
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If you have aftermarket clutch and brake levers, keep a spare clutch lever under the pillion seat, as if you get knocked off the bike, it will invariably drop onto its left side and snap the clutch lever. At this point you wont be able to ride home. A snapped brake lever isn't so bad as you can limp home using the back brake.

Super Slo Mo

5,368 posts

197 months

Saturday 29th April 2017
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If the bike won't kick over on the starter, check either the side stand isn't down or the kill switch isn't set to off.

clen666

925 posts

121 months

Saturday 29th April 2017
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Biker's Nemesis said:
I was there that day, I didn't get grumpy did I
No you didn't, you simply came to my rescue.

My hero cloud9

Biker's Nemesis

38,536 posts

207 months

Saturday 29th April 2017
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clen666 said:
No you didn't, you simply came to my rescue.

My hero cloud9
That was the day we had to go a different way because of a road closure and I said "don't worry I know another way" and got us lost.

Farlig

632 posts

151 months

Sunday 30th April 2017
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EagleMoto4-2 said:
If you have aftermarket clutch and brake levers, keep a spare clutch lever under the pillion seat, as if you get knocked off the bike, it will invariably drop onto its left side and snap the clutch lever. At this point you wont be able to ride home. A snapped brake lever isn't so bad as you can limp home using the back brake.
A bit brutal, but you can start it in gear then limp home too without a clutch, preferably not in heavy traffic tholaugh

podman

8,850 posts

239 months

Sunday 30th April 2017
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You cant if its a 1000cc VTwin that I can assure you, for that you need a GSXR and a tow up to a decent speed...


Super Slo Mo

5,368 posts

197 months

Sunday 30th April 2017
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Farlig said:
EagleMoto4-2 said:
If you have aftermarket clutch and brake levers, keep a spare clutch lever under the pillion seat, as if you get knocked off the bike, it will invariably drop onto its left side and snap the clutch lever. At this point you wont be able to ride home. A snapped brake lever isn't so bad as you can limp home using the back brake.
A bit brutal, but you can start it in gear then limp home too without a clutch, preferably not in heavy traffic tholaugh
My clutch left a 2 inch stub when it snapped, enough to two finger it, which is all I do anyway.
That leads me to another dumb biker point: make sure your side stand is properly down before you lean the bike on it smile

kurt535

3,559 posts

116 months

Sunday 30th April 2017
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I got asked only the once in over a 1000 CBT's if they made right hand drive bikes for the rest of Europe.

A500leroy

5,085 posts

117 months

Sunday 30th April 2017
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Do i need to take my sprocket and brake disc off to change the tyre?