I used to use muc-off cleaner on my mountain bike... Before I realised it smelt the same as car windscreen wash, which is 5x cheaper, an awesome cleaner and proven safe on rubber, plastic and paint. I found it just as effective and assume it's the same stuff rebranded. ;-)

Quote from: Bretty on 06 August 2018, 12:16:51 pm

Incidentally I got flashed in France a couple of times on Friday night. Once by a regular speed camera, the second time between toll booths! That's a new one. Collected ticket at gate one.. Arrived at tollgate two to oay, about 100km down the road. As my passenger inserted payment card into the toll gate. BIG *##FLASH##* and had our photo taken.
Touch wood these tickets never seem to catch up with me.

What sort of speed were you doing along the autoroute?

Averaging 140-150kmph (in a car), limit was 130kmph

What is the limit on that stretch. That's a bit harsh if it's a national speed limit.

I thought it was strange to read that one mirror will have a left hand thread... I guess it's incase you clip something with the mirrors, the mount will undo, rather than snap off and/or throw you off.

I still have the standard narrow bars on mine amd standard stumpy mirrors because I do a lot of filtering.

The irresponsible answer is, I regularly get flashed in Germany and France (probably flashed 3 or 4 times a year for the last 8years). I've never had a letter, been stopped at a border or toll gate. I know that makes me sound like an idiot, but I'm actually quite a chilled out rider, I just like to make progress when on their wide two lane empty roads.

Getting stopped by the police with a radar gun I'm sure is another story and penalties are servere. Ive heard stories of the police leaving your bike at the side of the road, driving you to a cash machine to pay the fine and leaving you at the cash machine to find your own way back to your bike.

The B500 (in my opinion well overrated) was teaming with police the last time I passed through. Both the Mosel and Rhein valley we didn't see any police and IMO much better roads.

(As you asked me on the other thread...) I've no experience of leather. I'm sure they are lovely, will get more comfortable with use and they look great. You'll need a decent stapler to fit it. I've recovered a couple of seats in vinyl and it's really satisfying.

Unfortunately my bike lives on the street in central London, so intentionally I don't want my bike to look too good or of any value as it will get stolen. I'm only refurbishing my seat because I tour quite a bit and it's particularly uncomfortable.

Brett

I don't think I will go to this much trouble.. but it wouldn't impossible to fit a set of air pads like this into the seat With the valves poking out the bottom of the base to allow 100% adjustability. Only £30 for the set.

This has the gears going in my head.. although I generally believe that keeping things simple is best.

First things first, determine which cylinder(s) have the issue by putting a spitty finger on the exhaust manifolds as they warm up. See which cylinders warm up the slowest and report back.


You can then diagnose the issue by swapping plug caps (1/4 and 2/3) and repeat with the spark plugs to see what the misfire follows. If it still remains on same cylinder it's time to look at the carbs.

What's that composite foam you've use and where do you get it? Getting the right density / firmness is difficult when buying foam over the internet.


Rather than build up the nose, I just want the seat pan area to have a slight backwards tilt, as I feel like I'm sat on the slope pushing me forwards.

Show the bike the redline now and again. The inertia mismatch between the cam and crank shafts will put more slack into the cam chain when revving up and down from 2000-12,000rpm, than you will ever generate by rolling the bike backwards!!!

How does rolling the bike backwards 'reset' the camchain tensioner?! That makes no sense.

If your trying to make the tensioner go another click, by putting any chain slack to the back of the engine, you want to push the bike forwards, surely! Assuming that does anything. It would probably be more effective to remove the centre screw (spring and ballbearing) from the tensioner and push a screwdriver in the hole.

It's not a difficult job... Provided you have the right tools. There's a big nut to undo in the centre if you're replacing the whole basket (something like a 26 or 32mm?) and you'll need a tool to hold the basket while you undo it. If you have those it's no dramas.

Surely the critical thing is the balancing. The last thing you want is a wobble on at speed.