Engine sorted for the 'spare' frame.

[Cobbler]

When I was between wifes, I bought a house, did it up, new kitchen etc, time moved on, and a lady friend came to dinner and told me off for having motorcycle parts on the bench and in the dishwasher. Where better to rebuild a bank of carbs on a winters day than the Kitchen bench.
As the discussion progressed, I said “whos kitchen is it?” She said “it'll never be mine and left before dinner”.

I went to the pub for dinner celebrating another escape!

Many years ago I rebuilt a diff from my trials car on the coffee table in front of the fire, it was my wife’s suggestion…………. We are still married after 50 years, I reckon she’s a keeper

 

[stuvy]

I changed the piston of my 50cc in the kitchen one winter when I was 16 so I could get to work the next day

I would have got away with it if I hadn’t torn the lino with the side stand

 

[Windy Miller]

To to predictable, no punch or well anything.

If that’s how you feel, you’re not riding it hard enough!

 

[mtt.tr]

If that’s how you feel, you’re not riding it hard enough!

Don't suffer it any other brand, I've bought and sold loads of bikes.

16-18 I had gone thought about 40 odd

 

[mtt.tr]

I changed the piston of my 50cc in the kitchen one winter when I was 16 so I could get to work the next day

I would have got away with it if I hadn’t torn the lino with the side stand

I had my output shaft **** it self on my xj me and brother got it out, rebuilt and replaced in a few hours being it splits horizontally

 

[stuvy]

Don't suffer it any other brand, I've bought and sold loads of bikes.

16-18 I had gone thought about 40 odd

Glad it wasn’t just me that couldn’t stop buying bikes

Had a few disappointing bikes that I thought would be better over the years

 

[Cato]

Glad it wasn’t just me that couldn’t stop buying bikes

Had a few disappointing bikes that I thought would be better over the years

It's always worth bearing in mind that not all bikes suit everyone the same. Riding style plays a huge part in what you like, and also your size and shape to a lesser degree. I don't just mean riding hard and fast vs cruising. Come in wide braking late, get all the braking done and come in tight, keep the revs way up in every gear, use lower revs and torque, minimal movement on the bike, climb all over it etc etc.

The clearest demonstration I can think of is Stoner on the Ducati. For everyone else it was awful but it clicked with his style. Another good example but in reverse is Mike Hailwood. He didn't have a style so was competitive on anything because he rode to the bike rather than finding a bike or set up to suit how he rode.

A mate if mine who I used to go to the TT with was a decent club level racer and did very well in early stocks. He absolutely destroyed people on much faster/more capable bikes riding his GSX1100 ET round the TT course. Particularly so over the mountain section where his familiarity with the bike, riding style and using the torque was better suited.

 

[stuvy]

It's always worth bearing in mind that not all bikes suit everyone the same. Riding style plays a huge part in what you like, and also your size and shape to a lesser degree. I don't just mean riding hard and fast vs cruising. Come in wide braking late, get all the braking done and come in tight, keep the revs way up in every gear, use lower revs and torque, minimal movement on the bike, climb all over it etc etc.

The clearest demonstration I can think of is Stoner on the Ducati. For everyone else it was awful but it clicked with his style. Another good example but in reverse is Mike Hailwood. He didn't have a style so was competitive on anything because he rode to the bike rather than finding a bike or set up to suit how he rode.

A mate if mine who I used to go to the TT with was a decent club level racer and did very well in early stocks. He absolutely destroyed people on much faster/more capable bikes riding his GSX1100 ET round the TT course. Particularly so over the mountain section where his familiarity with the bike, riding style and using the torque was better suited.

Iv always gone halves with my dad on bikes so we can get more bikes that way(he wouldn’t get nagged by my mum as she would think they are mine)

We had a bmw boxer cup for a while he loved it but I hated it from the stupid indicators to the horrible front end feel

But you are right, what works for one won’t work for another

 

[Cato]

I've never got on well with modern out and out sports bikes. No one thing I can put my finger on, just don't gel.

The only thing I can think that would be the cause is when I started and the 'formative' bikes. Two stroke up to 500 road bikes, then in line four cyl four stroke road bikes. All naked or part faired steel frame and up to late '80s early' 90s.

So the frame flex on a GS or GSX for example I'm so used to I don't even think about it. Take that flex away and halve the weight and it all feels wrong. Consequently I can press on enthusiastically where others on the same bike would think it's awful.

 

[Greeves246]

Most modern sports bikes have to ridden really hard for them to work properly. I’ve ridden Ducati Desmosedici RRs and there is no way you can approach 50% of that bikes capabilities on the road, even on a circuit you would have to be a BSB level rider to take it to the limit. Other problem is the knowledge of suspension setting and the myriad of electronic tweaks that modern bikes need to extract the performance capabilities.
Had customers bringing bikes in with complaints of handling problems, just put everything back to standard settings after they have altered everything after reading some road tests and amazingly they are quite happy.

 

[Cato]

there is no way you can approach 50% of that bikes capabilities on the road, even on a circuit you would have to be a BSB level rider to take it to the limit.

I think that's true of most bikes and cars to be honest from off roaders through to sports stuff.

This time of year you see loads of 'adventure' bikes fully kitted out with aluminium panniers and sat nav, rider dressed in the full Ewan McGregor outfit ready to take on the Amazon; pootling along the M42. Similarly with Defenders jacked up, winch fitted, knobbly tyres etc.

 

[Pete.]

Most modern sports bikes have to ridden really hard for them to work properly. I’ve ridden Ducati Desmosedici RRs and there is no way you can approach 50% of that bikes capabilities on the road, even on a circuit you would have to be a BSB level rider to take it to the limit. Other problem is the knowledge of suspension setting and the myriad of electronic tweaks that modern bikes need to extract the performance capabilities.
Had customers bringing bikes in with complaints of handling problems, just put everything back to standard settings after they have altered everything after reading some road tests and amazingly they are quite happy.

I knew a guy who used to supply and fit dataloggers to big power bikes he said that the average throttle position of a bike on the road is about 10%.

 

[dobbslc]

Not on my RD125LC it wasnt! Waaaaah waaaahhhhh waaaahhhhhhhh ningg ninnggg ninnggg...

 

[Cato]

So the Bandit. Haven't had much time to ride it due to other stuff taking priority, but when I did the handling, particularly turning in was truly awful. Really, really awful. Even at very moderate speeds it was twitchy, and to even attempt dropping into a corner or round-about without some muscling it and counter steer wouldn't end well.

Checked everything over because Bandit's couldn't be this bad as stock could they? First thing found was a slight cant to the forks in the top yoke where the right hand fork top was 4 or 5mm further back than the left when the wheel was straight. Nothing bent/cracked, so slackened off all the clamps and it 'relaxed' to almost perfect, a little tug and it's bang on. Checked tyres, bearings, alignments front to rear etc etc etc.

As is so often the case the issue was the last thing I checked. It was last because it never entered my head that anyone would adjust/change a bikes geometry with no clue what they were doing. The dog bones had been changed to lower the back end by 20 mm, but they hadn't shoved the forks through to compensate at the front. Consequently the bike is running more trail than a bloody Tesco trolley.

I've ordered a pair of standard dog bones rather than shoving the forks through to compensate as I don't need to lower the bike, and if I want to sharpen things up a bit I'll have the oprtion of dropping the yokes down 5mm without so much fork coming through I catch my knuckles on them.

 

[Cato]

As is the way with such things, opportunities arose and plans shuffled about. The Enfield went today making space, and I got offered an SV650 at money I couldn't refuse that'll be here tomorrow. So I can strip the Bandit down ready and still have a road legal run around.

It'll give me chance to get rid of all the Bandit bits I won't be using.

 

[dobbslc]

Great wheelie bikes! Watch out for the bouncy forks though! I crashed mine on the test ride as the forks bottomed out way more easily than the GSXR400 I was used to riding.
Is it carbs or FI?

 

[Cato]

Great wheelie bikes! Watch out for the bouncy forks though! I crashed mine on the test ride as the forks bottomed out way more easily than the GSXR400 I was used to riding.
Is it carbs or FI?

Carbs, it's a 1999 with 26k on it.

I'll give it some running around and then see how I like it. If they're as much fun as people say I might chuck a few quid into it for some forks, shock and tyres. Apparently there are plenty of options for handling because of the mini twin racing.

 

[roofman]

I knew a guy who used to supply and fit dataloggers to big power bikes he said that the average throttle position of a bike on the road is about 10%.

Not on my bikes

 

[8ob]

I've never got on well with modern out and out sports bikes. No one thing I can put my finger on, just don't gel.

I sussed it out years ago, they scare the crap out of me

Bob

 

[roofman]

I sussed it out years ago, they scare the crap out of me

Bob

or the fact your legs are somewhere near your shoulders and your hands under your arsss even when i used to be able to bend i never really gelled with GSXR,s or R1,s etc even though i still rode them