The friendly "dumb" bike questions thread

[Krikkit]

Not identical but something like this perhaps?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184349822303

[LosingGrip]

Where could my bike be losing oil? Oil light came on whilst riding home and measured it when I got home and it is low. There is no oil leaks in the garage or where I parked it at work. Its a BMW GS. I'll have a proper look tomorrow when I finish work (not using the bike) but just any ideas!

[Abdul Abulbul Amir]

burning it?

[Seight_Returns]

Is it an oil cooled or a water cooled GS ?

If the former then the only possibility is that it's burning oil - if the later then it's either burning oil or the oil is getting into the cooling water somehow.

[LosingGrip]

I think its oil cooled, but I'll have to double check (its a 2012 plate and I think the water cooled started in 2013 however registered in 2013 or something).

If its burning it, is there anything that I need to do other than top it up when needed? Is that normal? Never had it before (and its only done 2,000 miles since I serviced it).

[Speed addicted]

Krikkit said:

Not identical but something like this perhaps?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184349822303

Those would be too big, these are quite small.
I’ve just got no idea what to search for, rubber nipples gets some very unhelpful results!

[RockBurner]

LosingGrip said:

Where could my bike be losing oil? Oil light came on whilst riding home and measured it when I got home and it is low. There is no oil leaks in the garage or where I parked it at work. Its a BMW GS. I'll have a proper look tomorrow when I finish work (not using the bike) but just any ideas!

The BMW Boxer engine does burn some oil, but not normally enough to be a concern.

How are you checking it?

Normal practise is to ride the bike for at least 30 minutes (to get it hot and ensure that the thermostats are open in the oil lines), park it for 5 minutes (to let the oil drain down from the coolers), then put it onto the centre stand (ie get it upright), on a level surface before checking the oil level. (That's for the 1150, I'd imagine the 1200 is the same).

Oil level 'should' be visible, if you can't see any oil, then top up slowly until you can see the top of the oil coming up - ideal is half-way up the sight glass. (on the 1150 the sight-glass is 0.5litre from top to bottom, I'd imagine the 1200 is similar, but check the manual). On the 1150 if you fill it much over half-way, it WILL burn the excess off.

One thing - if you always park it on the side-stand, then you'll slowly lose a little bit of oil because a very small amount will flow past the oil rings and into the left hand cylinder head (just a trickle), and will then be burnt off. Over time you'll see a reduction in the level due to this, so it's best to park on the centre-stand for the majority of the time.

Further - if the bike has been 'babied' or ridden gently for all it's life, then it won't be run in yet, and will burn oil. BMW engines actually seem to prefer to have some hard riding to bed in the cylinder liners properly.

[LosingGrip]

That might explain it over the last month. It’s been parked on the side stand for four weeks whilst at work. At home it’s always on the centre stand.

I’ve got some being delivered tomorrow. Will top it up and keep an eye on it.

(Normally check it the same way that you’ve described other than I put it on its centre stand first and wait five minutes).

[KTMsm]

Amused2death said:

Thanks all, at least I know I'm not alone dealing with the issues of wind noise. I'll keep persevering.

You are not alone - I nearly gave up because of it - buy a few of the variety packs on ebay / amazon

I found none of the silicone type worked and I couldn't get the popular 3M type to seal consistently - but I found the Moldex Contours perfect

[I am alright Jack]

Speed addicted said:

Here’s a random question, I have a headlight guard on my Triumph Explorer held on with rubber things that fit over the ball ends on the securing bolts.
Mine are perished and have hardened so I can’t remove the grill for cleaning. What are they called so I can get some ordered?

Someone obviously makes them but they look a bit specific for ebay. I'd be looking at modifying that. I'm guessing the rubber part you want goes over a ball shaped something connected to the hexagon bar. How is that part connected to the hexagon bar? does it unscrew? I'd be thinking about putting a set screw or bolt though the guard into the hexagon bar somehow.

[Krikkit]

Speed addicted said:

Krikkit said:

Not identical but something like this perhaps?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184349822303

Those would be too big, these are quite small.
I’ve just got no idea what to search for, rubber nipples gets some very unhelpful results!

They're pretty tiny, shrink wrapped around the bolt size...

I'd be tempted to put a pair of anodised or painted dome nuts on instead.

[Speed addicted]

I am alright Jack said:

Speed addicted said:

Here’s a random question, I have a headlight guard on my Triumph Explorer held on with rubber things that fit over the ball ends on the securing bolts.
Mine are perished and have hardened so I can’t remove the grill for cleaning. What are they called so I can get some ordered?

Someone obviously makes them but they look a bit specific for ebay. I'd be looking at modifying that. I'm guessing the rubber part you want goes over a ball shaped something connected to the hexagon bar. How is that part connected to the hexagon bar? does it unscrew? I'd be thinking about putting a set screw or bolt though the guard into the hexagon bar somehow.

Yeah, I’ve been thinking similar. The rubber part goes over a ball end on the hex bar, it appears to be one piece but I’ll have another look when I get home (working away just now).
Suppose I’ve got a few options. Grommets in the holes to grip the ball ends would probably work, replacing the hex bar with ones I can bolt to would definitely work, or I could replace the hex with long bolts and spacers.

Don’t really want to go the long bolt route as they’re just into plastic and I can see the threads degrading over time.

Or I could just take the thing off. It would certainly make washing the headlight easier!

[I am alright Jack]

Speed addicted said:

Yeah, I’ve been thinking similar. The rubber part goes over a ball end on the hex bar, it appears to be one piece but I’ll have another look when I get home (working away just now).
Suppose I’ve got a few options. Grommets in the holes to grip the ball ends would probably work, replacing the hex bar with ones I can bolt to would definitely work, or I could replace the hex with long bolts and spacers.

Don’t really want to go the long bolt route as they’re just into plastic and I can see the threads degrading over time.

Or I could just take the thing off. It would certainly make washing the headlight easier!

If the ball and hex are one part you could always cut the ball off, drill and tap the hex.

[Speed addicted]

I am alright Jack said:

Speed addicted said:

Yeah, I’ve been thinking similar. The rubber part goes over a ball end on the hex bar, it appears to be one piece but I’ll have another look when I get home (working away just now).
Suppose I’ve got a few options. Grommets in the holes to grip the ball ends would probably work, replacing the hex bar with ones I can bolt to would definitely work, or I could replace the hex with long bolts and spacers.

Don’t really want to go the long bolt route as they’re just into plastic and I can see the threads degrading over time.

Or I could just take the thing off. It would certainly make washing the headlight easier!

If the ball and hex are one part you could always cut the ball off, drill and tap the hex.

I’ve managed to find the hex part, they’re called stand-off nuts or hex spacers. So replacing them with threaded ones wouldn’t be an issue.
Then I could bolt on the guard, but that would mean unbolting it for every wash.

I can’t find the hex part with the ball so it may well be screwed in or made just for this.

I’ve got a couple of weeks before I get home for intense googling, I’ll get there!

Edit, after going down various Google rabbit holes I think I might have found something that will work!
Snap on rubber grommets, come in various sizes and are flanged size they won’t just push through the hole.

Edited by Speed addicted on Wednesday 1st June 09:56

[Mr Dendrite]

Speed addicted said:

I am alright Jack said:

Speed addicted said:

Yeah, I’ve been thinking similar. The rubber part goes over a ball end on the hex bar, it appears to be one piece but I’ll have another look when I get home (working away just now).
Suppose I’ve got a few options. Grommets in the holes to grip the ball ends would probably work, replacing the hex bar with ones I can bolt to would definitely work, or I could replace the hex with long bolts and spacers.

Don’t really want to go the long bolt route as they’re just into plastic and I can see the threads degrading over time.

Or I could just take the thing off. It would certainly make washing the headlight easier!

If the ball and hex are one part you could always cut the ball off, drill and tap the hex.

I’ve managed to find the hex part, they’re called stand-off nuts or hex spacers. So replacing them with threaded ones wouldn’t be an issue.
Then I could bolt on the guard, but that would mean unbolting it for every wash.

I can’t find the hex part with the ball so it may well be screwed in or made just for this.

I’ve got a couple of weeks before I get home for intense googling, I’ll get there!

from your photos it looks like one of these,. various sellers on Amazon. But it does have a decent photo of the parts. Not sure if this helps.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bruce-Shark-Headlight-Pro...

[shoestring7]

KTMsm said:

Amused2death said:

Thanks all, at least I know I'm not alone dealing with the issues of wind noise. I'll keep persevering.

You are not alone - I nearly gave up because of it - buy a few of the variety packs on ebay / amazon

I found none of the silicone type worked and I couldn't get the popular 3M type to seal consistently - but I found the Moldex Contours perfect

You haven't told us what bike you have. If the Schuberth (C3, C3 Basic, C4, C5?) is noisy it could well be that your fairing is creating turbulence around the helmet. One way to check this is to stand up on the pegs so your head is in clean airflow and see if that makes a different. If it does you need to sort the airflow, and that's usually a matter of trying different screens or spoilers (start with cheap Chinese ebay copies) until you find something that works for you.

[Amused2death]

shoestring7 said:

KTMsm said:

Amused2death said:

Thanks all, at least I know I'm not alone dealing with the issues of wind noise. I'll keep persevering.

You are not alone - I nearly gave up because of it - buy a few of the variety packs on ebay / amazon

I found none of the silicone type worked and I couldn't get the popular 3M type to seal consistently - but I found the Moldex Contours perfect

You haven't told us what bike you have. If the Schuberth (C3, C3 Basic, C4, C5?) is noisy it could well be that your fairing is creating turbulence around the helmet. One way to check this is to stand up on the pegs so your head is in clean airflow and see if that makes a different. If it does you need to sort the airflow, and that's usually a matter of trying different screens or spoilers (start with cheap Chinese ebay copies) until you find something that works for you.

Helmet is a Schubert C3Pro and the bike is a Yamaha Fazer 600 with a Puig screen. (And I'm very grateful for all the responses thus far)

[KTMsm]

Amused2death said:

Helmet is a Schubert C3Pro and the bike is a Yamaha Fazer 600 with a Puig screen. (And I'm very grateful for all the responses thus far)

Take the screen off and see what it's like

[HybridTheory]

Krikkit said:

These are good, but not as good as the "proper" petal tool: https://www.msa-direct.co.uk/oil-filter-wrench/yam...

Obviously check the filter you have to make sure it's the same setup, but that should sort it. I've only found one filter which couldn't be undone with one of these, and that was because it had rusted onto the filter housing, so when I twisted it the can and filter came straight off, leaving the top behind!

Ended up calling my father in law who sold me the bike as he had a proper spider tool and the filter came off within seconds unlike my failed attempts in the week previous!

[DuckSauce]

My insurance company is paying out on my crash this week and I'm looking for a replacement to my MT09 (2013)

I really like the Triumph Street Triple, but I'm not sure whether I should go for the cheaper and older 675 or get some extra finance and look at the 765 newer model

I have around 5k to spend