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xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..
The Yamaha demo truck came by this weekend, so I test rode a R1 today. My wrists were hurting within a few minutes. I have ridden a F4i for the last year and before I rode a UJM (1980 Honda CB650). I realize the F4i has a little more relaxed riding position than current sportbikes, but I didn't think it would be that different. Does the R1 have a more aggressive riding position than a CBR RR, GSX-R or a ZX? I've sat on the GSX-R and CBR and they seem fine to me, but it's hard to tell until you are actually riding the thing.

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xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..

BlackMK4 posted:

No, the F4i is just incredibly relaxed compared to modern sportbikes. You just need to change the way you ride - I hold myself up by locking my thighs against the tank with my feet and relying on core strength. I can ride 8-10 hour days like this just fine, and I have pretty bad back issues. Raised rearsets and tank grips helped a lot. The Kawi and Yamaha have more 'dedicated' riding positions than the GSXR and CBR though, in my opinion.

Thanks for the feedback. I've read most of the popular "technique" sportbike books, so I understand the importance of keeping the weight off your hands. It just felt like more of a challenge to me on the Yamaha. Now that I've thought about it some more, I wonder if adjusting the controls (like rotating the clutch/brake) would have helped as well.

I think you've mentioned a few times in CA that you used to have a F4i. What do you ride now?

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..
I noticed that starting in '06 most bikes dropped HP across the board. I presume that was because of tighter emissions requirements. Would removing the catalytic converter (if legal in your locality) restore the horsepower and fuel efficiency?

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..
Yeah, the manufacturers published specs changed around that time, but I also saw the change on dyno charts in independent magazine reviews as well. That was also around the same time that stock exhausts changed from the cylinder to that weird alien trumpet style you see now.

I know this is a lot of speculation on my part, but you can check the government's mpg website and see fuel economy in the same model of car has dropped consistently in recent years beginning in '05.

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..
I thought white lithium grease was used to lube cables. It can also be used for chains, but most people use a chain specific lube.

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..
I was looking at that fi2000r tuner earlier, but then through google searching came across some discussions about backfiring and not being able to correct it with adjustments. Isn't it supposed to correct for that automatically?

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..
Do GSX-R's still have the frame breaking issues? I know they issued a recall on the 05 and 06 models, so I hope they would've fixed that by now. I've been thinking about getting a GSX-R750 eventually.

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..

Shyfted One posted:

Need to replace my front right turn signal (2004 Ninja 250), but finding a replacement has been a pain.


After some searching the only products I keep coming across are these 2

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Smok...s#ht_2615wt_965

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1988...#ht_2016wt_1282

Anyone have any experience with either of these aftermarket signals or have a better suggestion?

Try bikemaster.com, they have OEM replacements around $20. The second set you posted looks like it would be decent, just stay away from no-name LED signals if you want to be seen.

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..
How does it run? Probably won't hurt anything, but there are sealants that can fix exhaust leaks.

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..
Was there some compound on the inside of the slip on where it connects to the header? The heat could have helped it set. I would keep checking it the next few rides if it's a concern.

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..

2ndclasscitizen posted:

Oh, and some protein shakes.

LOL, I'm almost exactly the same build.

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..

babyeatingpsychopath posted:


Does any of this garbage matter? Will I really notice any life difference? Also, I'm going to go 100% chainsaw bar oil on the new chain. The recommended BelRay aerosol chain wax leaves sticky, flaky, powdery flingoff that's really hard to clean.

Just use some 80-90w gear oil from the auto parts store. If you wipe the chain afterwards it doesn't get everywhere and it's enough to keep the rust at bay.

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..
I put the DDM 35watt kit in my car and did a lot of aiming and testing. The headlight assembly provides a cutoff line. Never had anyone flash their brights at me.

I've thought about putting one in my bike, but I decided against it. I have separate bulbs for high beam and low beam. HIDs wouldn't work too well for the high beam because they are not instantly on. I also wouldn't recommend the 55watt kit, especially on a bike. Too much glare and without a relay the initial current draw can melt your ignition switch.

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..
When I was contemplating an aftermarket exhaust, the general consensus was that the two brothers exhausts were the quietest (with the silencer insert installed). It's still not going to be anything as quiet as a stock exhaust.

I would just run searches on craigslist every couple of days. My friend has found stock exhausts for his UJM's that way. search tempest is a good way to search craigslist outside your local area. You can also try local "bike yards" we have a few around here.

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..

JP Money posted:

I have the DDM H4 Hi/Lo kit. It's instant between brights/lows - there's no waiting. There is a nice cutoff line as well. No trouble starting it or anything either - I know some folks put in an off switch so they can start the bike without the light on.

I don't know if there's any need for a 55W kit short of trekking through the desert or trying to replace the sun for the world or something.

You probably have the high/low kit with the retractable shield that opens for high beam, so there's no waiting for the warm up. Most sportbikes will have side by side dual headlights. The left one on mine is the low beam and the right is the high beam.

I wish they made a high/low kit for H7, I would rig it up with some creative wiring and have both working as high/low.

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..
Consider this: the person who took your license plate also peed on your bike.

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..

Ghost Cactus posted:

I have two slightly silly questions for you guys.

If I used the wrong trim clip where one was missing, will my bike be sad or something? I kinda figured that it would be better to hold the front inside fairing on instead of letting it rattle around, but then I got to worrying that maybe I'd mess up the connecting point by using the wrong clip or something.

Also, the shifter lever seems kinda... jiggly. It's where it pivots at the frame before it goes forward again to the transmission. There's about 1 mm of play and I can scoot the washer around with my fingers.

My bike is a 2005 CBR 600 F4i.

I've sourced some F4i trim clips from china and I have more than enough. They are exactly the same as the ones that came stock on the f4i. I will send you a few if you cover shipping. you can contact me via pm.

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..
I've been riding for about 4 years and I can't imagine having a passenger on my sport bike. The cog is just too high and my inseam too short. Maybe if I was riding a cruiser.

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..

Fifty Three posted:

Is it advisable to wear headphones while riding? How the hell do you guys route the wire? I put the Zune (that's right) in my inner jacket pocket and run the wire up through the neck hole, but my buds fall out almost immediately after I leave the driveway. :(

Just keep the volume low enough were you can both hear the music and traffic noises. If I'm on the interstate I feel comfortable enough to turn the volume up a bit more. What kind of headphones are you using? I've never had problems with mine falling out.

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..

goddamnedtwisto posted:

A thing to lock your throttle in place? In the middle of a conversation about emergency braking. Hmm.

What's the easiest way to get the front end up on a supersport?

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..
I use this and a soft clean cloth.

http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-Quik-Detailer-Mist-Spray/dp/B0009IQXAE

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..

MotoMind posted:

It's more a matter of angular or linear velocity or whateverthefuck. Basically you can go in a straight line, and turn sharply, and the sharper you turn the more forward momentum you need to counterbalance (by leaning sharply). So sometimes I'll come up to a 90 degree turn, turn super late, and drop the bike way over, and then catch it with the throttle.

Never really thought of it that way before, but that's a pretty solid explanation. BTW, don't do this on new tires, even if you think they're scrubbed in enough. I speak from experience.

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..
Wireframe or rimless glasses are less likely to fog than chunky hipster frames. Also, wearing a balaclava or wrap over your nose and to a lesser extent your mouth will direct your breath upwards and fog up your lenses. I still find myself having to open my visor at stops and cracked a notch at low speeds. It's manageable however.

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..

nsaP posted:

Has anyone put an airhorn on a naked bike? I'm not sure where to put it on a FZ6 so it won't look huge and out of place. I think I might be stuck with that tho.

saddlebags

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTRYm_peqGA

xd fucked around with this message at 23:55 on Feb 14, 2013

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..

BlackMK4 posted:

Seriously. The hanging off the side of the bike like you see in race pictures doesn't become a stable position until you get quick, until then it's awkward and unsettles the bike. Don't reach for the knee drag, it's a lot further over than you think also.

Also, what kind of chain wax/lube is everyone using? I want something that doesn't fling all over - I see a lot of racers that use this stuff that is white but I'm not sure what it is.

The racers are probably using white lithium grease. My bike came from the factory with that on the chain. It will stick to your chain like glue. I personally wipe the chain with 90w gear oil after cleaning with kerosene.

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..
I think Rok straps would work better for turning a backpack into a tail pack, I've done it with mine.

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..

clutchpuck posted:

I want to dial in my suspension a bit more - I went by the book when I got the bike, and it got me pretty drat close. However, when I hit soft dip-like bumps in the road, there's a little oscillation on the rear that I want to settle sooner; should I turn up the compression and rebound damping a little on the rear? Add some preload?

up the rebound, try 1/4 turn initially

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..
You can get AGMs for under $50 easy (Yuasa even)

edit: Amazon ^

xd fucked around with this message at 03:20 on Apr 15, 2013

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..
Here's a guide to help you find the problem.

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..
Why does it cost 2x as much to change the oil on a bike vs a car at the shops?

It's a no-brainer to do your own oil change on a bike.

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..
I agree. I got a gallon of suzuki oil for $24 at the dealer. It's cheap and gives me 2 oil changes. I've used Rotella on my previous bike, but I really don't want to risk my clutch with some car specific stuff until the warranty's up.

xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..
^^ should be 14 volts max, right?

How does the Ninja 650r/ER-6f stack up against a SV650? It seems like the demand for SV's is way higher and the ninja offers pretty much the same stuff.

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xd
Sep 28, 2001

glorifying my tragic destiny..

LooksLikeABabyRat posted:

Thanks for the advice guys. (Not) coincidentally, I was a bit low on oil this last time the bike battery got zapped, making the bike much hotter than normal. Replacing just the stator should do the trick, or do those need to be replaced in conjunction with a few other parts (rotor, rectifier)?

Bad stators will take out rectifiers too. My first bike was a 1981 CB650C and it had this exact issue. Stator tested good when bike was cold. Replace stator, check rectifier. Hopefully the battery is fine, but you can check it at most auto parts stores.

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