Date: 28-03-24  Time: 11:44 am

Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Topics - VNA - BMW Wank

Pages: [1] 2
1
 I guess I’m starting to miss my Fazer.  She’s sorn and was lying abandoned at the side of the garage while I tried to make up my mind what to do about her.  So, travel restriction has been lifted this weekend in Scotland, but guess what – it’s pissing down.  So, I started fiddling.
 
There’s no hurry here.  Just do one thing at a time, and as I please or not.  Of course, I worry I might start breaking things.   If I do, or I get bored, I can always off-load her – presumably.  Also there is still space for another a bike – I keep searching e-bay…………..hmmm.
 
Having bought the FZS1000 zero miles pre-reg in 2004, the one thing I regret is not popping the downpipes off a dozen years ago or so!   Looking at them now I’m thinking – just leave em.  I’m guessing some of them will just snap if I try.
 
So, radiator is off, for a clean up and a lick of paint.  Wondering if I should treat the bike to a new set of hoses.  I’ve seen the Samco stuff – but umm, 175 quid a set!  Is there anything else out there?
 
And, has anybody managed to change the wee short hose behind the downpipes – that is without first removing the downpipes?  Can it be done.  I take it all the other hoses are straightforward?
 

2
Fazer 1000/FZ1 corner / Not many this clean FZS1000 on ebay
« on: 29 June 2020, 08:25:51 pm »
Now and again I have a look at what's for sale on e-bay.
I've still got my thou lying in my garage looking sorry for itself.  It needs some TLC.
But then I keep wondering, if the best route to keeping a thou on the road, is not to spend time and money on my exisitng bike, but to pick up a clean low mileage used example.
I mean look at this.  It looks genuine, it's even still got the crap Metz OE tyres on it.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-fzs-1000-special-edition-2320m-truly-faultless-best-in-country/313128555980

Too far away for me.  But that could be a very nice bike for somebody. 

3
General / What the foc are you reading now!
« on: 12 April 2020, 07:55:58 pm »
 OK, so we’ve got the ongoing ‘What are you listening to thread’, so what about ‘what the foc are you reading now’ thread?


VNA is not a big reader of books.  I’m always wanting to read books, sometimes I buy books, and occasionally I even read one or two of them.  Shocking really.


I figure, a lot of us, though not everybody, has a certain amount of time on their hands now and again at the mo.


So, rather than take out a Netflix subscription – all the rage these days – I’m gonna read some books.


So what the foc are you reading just now?  And if you are reading something really foccin good and would recommend – well go on, let us know.


VNA has just finished The Changeling by Robin Jenkins – which was absolutely fantastic.  Set in the 50’s in Glasgow, School teacher Mr Forbes takes an interest in bright young Tom Curdie, a troubled boy from the slums of Glasgow.   Unintended consequences I think is the phrase that springs to mind in this deeply dark short novel. 



If you do get a copy don’t whatever you do read the introduction!  (and don’t worry the use of Scots is fairly minimal)



I’ve now moved onto Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut. An absolute hoot as Vonnegut savages every aspect of modern American society – at least I think that’s what he’s doing – foc knows, but it’s a heck of a laugh anyway. 



So yeah, both recommended if you haven’t already.
 

4
General / Black Iron Pans
« on: 11 April 2020, 12:28:40 pm »
 VNA enjoys time spent in the kitchen. :)
 
After 5 years of regular use my 240mm non-stick frying pan has given up the ghost.  It’s been hanging in there for the last year or so.  They just don’t last. 
 
So my wok, we’ll it’s carbon steel, nothing much sticks to it, and anyway the finish is always recoverable.  Like my stainless pans it’s ancient and will see me out.
 
So has anybody dumped their non-stick frying pan in favour of something a little more old fashioned.  Thinking of trying a black iron frying pan - this maybe -  https://www.nisbets.co.uk/de-buyer-black-iron-frying-pan-240mm/dl951
 
Or what about carbon steel?  Or should I just get another Teflon pan and just accept they don't last forever.

 

6
General / Any experience of BMW boxers, and in particular their gearbox.
« on: 08 January 2020, 06:41:40 pm »
 OK, so VNA wants to get hold of a new or lightly used BMW R1250R.


But here's the thing – the test bike I rode last year had a quick shifter.  I asked the dealer if it could be disabled and he said no and advised me just to use the clutch if I was wary of the quick shifter.  They didn't seem to understand me when I tried to explain that I only ever use the clutch between 1st and 2nd going up the box.


Anyway, on the test ride I found the quick shifter a little crude, but I eventually found that if you just rolled off the throttle a tiny tad it was as smooth as silk – so really, I’m thinking what is the point.


So my question is, are the gearboxes on the BMW boxers as sweet as any Japanese bike, and are they happy going up the box at full tilt without using the clutch?
 
 

7
General / The future is electric………….
« on: 10 December 2019, 11:45:24 am »
 Prototype electric BMW wastes existing S1000R
 
Quote
As proof of just how nifty this thing is, BMW put one of their test riders on an S1000R – no slouch itself with 162bhp on tap. But even the pro, saving absolutely no horses or clutch plates, couldn’t even come close to keeping muster with the relentless electric drive of the E-Power Roadster.
https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/new-tech/bmw-electric-motorbike-concept/
 


 
 

8
General / Wrong way lights
« on: 30 September 2019, 11:36:54 am »

9
General / The cool bike thread......
« on: 06 August 2019, 07:25:53 pm »
 How about a thread for posting photaes of, and discussing, cool looking bikes?
Post what you reckon is cool.  Call it out if you think it’s uncool.
All whilst staying ice cool.
 

10
General / Pipercross filters
« on: 06 July 2019, 08:24:53 pm »
 Anybody had any issues with pipercross filters?
I bought mine a few years ago.  Don’t do many miles.  I figured it had been in there for a few years now and it was about time I dug it out and cleaned it.
As you can see the paint has been flaking off. (photos to follow)  This is it after I’ve set about it with the kitchen vegetable brush.  I’ve cleaned and washed it as per pipercross instructions using their cleaning kit and it’s in my conservatory drying overnight.
But this paint is on the clean side, some of it must have already passed through the carbs.
So dunno what to do.
1.        1.   Stick it in and stop worrying – the bike has already consumed a good bit of the paint.
2.       2.   Throw it in the bin and get a paper one – sod fancy filters.
3.       3.   Contact pipercross and see what they have to say.
 
 
Anybody else had this issue?
 

11
General / Old man stuff – endoscopy
« on: 24 March 2019, 06:34:37 pm »
 Never mind BREXIT, something else much more important has cropped up :eek


I suspect I’m not the only grumpy old man in here.  And foc-u, as we all know, is full of knowledge.  Would appreciate any thoughts on this from those who have had an endoscopy procedure.


I’m booked in for endoscopy to check my stomach and small bowel.  It’s doon the throat.


Now in the past I’ve twice had a camera up ma wee winkie.  I’ve got kidney stone issues, so once in a blue moon they like to have a peek inside ma bladder to make sure all is OK in there.  First time I opted for the local anaesthetic.  To cut a long story short, the second time I had a full general anaesthetic.  No way will I ever be conscious again when they do that to me.


However, this is down my throat.  I have two options.  Local anaesthetic and fully conscious.  Or local anaesthetic and sedated but still conscious.



I have no great fear of general anaesthetics, though I hate the cannula thing.  As soon as I am conscious again, I start asking if they can take it out.  I can be a bit of a pest, but once that thing is out I'm fine.


So the thought of having that cannula stuck in my hand or arm whilst still being conscious to some degree is making me think I should man up and just take the local.  Plus I can just drive up and back myself so I don’t need to inconvenience others.  How hard can this be? 



So anybody had this examination?  What’s it like?  Pain is my big fear.  I hate pain and further not having any control whatsoever over it.
 

12
General / Christchurch
« on: 16 March 2019, 11:20:11 am »
 Just yesterday 49 people in Christchurch lost their lives to a hateful white supremacist.  Brenton Tarrant spoke of “invaders” and that “they will never replace our people”



Donald Trump’s banal response was extending his “thoughts and prayers”.  Something the Republicans and their NRA backers do a lot of these days – 56 mass shootings in the USA so far this year.


So who is to blame?  I say anyone who promotes a them and us narrative, not just Stephen Christopher Yaxley or Theresa May with her Go Home vans and hostile environment or Donald Trump hailed by the shooter as a symbol of “renewed white identity and common purpose”


Queensland senator Fraser Anning blames the Muslims for their own slaughter “Does anyone still dispute the link between Muslim immigration and violence?” he stated. 



So there you have it whether the terrorist is white or brown, you can blame the Muslims. 



So I post this to remember the 49 dead in Christchurch, innocent people worshiping in their Mosque.  But in remembering we must ask why.  We can say never again, but there is little point unless we are all prepared to call out and condemn extremism.
 

13
General / Triumph Speed Twin
« on: 16 December 2018, 01:03:34 pm »
Finally Triumph launch a bike in their retro series that I might actually like to own and ride.1200cc, 96hp and 80lbs ft, should be pretty punchy.17 inch wheels, a low seat hight and just under 200kg, so should be easy chuck aroond. 
No doubt will sound great on open pipes.
Dunno what the gaitors are aboot though.

14
General / Home Insurance - garage contents
« on: 11 September 2018, 08:12:34 pm »
It's home insurance renewal time again for VNA.My renewal price is up again.  But it does offer decent cover for my garage contents..
So I've just wasted well over an hour phoning insurance companies.You have to sit through all the pre-recorded crap etc etc - you know how it goes.First question I ask is, what is your contents cover for garages.Standard answer is 5000 quid.  I say thanks, but no thanks, and move on to the next insurance firm.
The AA - a motoring organisation said £3000  Umm no thanks.

So where do I get decent home insurance that includes realistic cover for my garage contents?


15
General / Test rides
« on: 21 July 2018, 07:35:31 pm »
 Took the old bike for it’s MOT today.  Passed nae bother.


While it was being MOTed I wandered doon tae the Honda dealer a few streets away.  The new CB1000R looks smashing.  They had a demo model too.


So after my MOT, I thought I’d have a sniff around another dealer or two.  Wandered into the new Triumph dealer just outside Glasgow (no signs of austerity here - focs sake!).  I’m taken with the street triple rs.  I mean it looks good, it’s seriously light, I mean seriously light, the riding position seems easy going enough and the figures suggest it should have plenty of poke.  One wonders if this bike is trying to make litre and litre plus nakeds redundant.


Anyway sales person came over.  Next thing I know he’s offering me a test ride, but he needed my NI number as well as my license apparently – so was no go today.  Seeing as I almost ended up on a test ride I thought I’d ask about the insurance position.  He said we check your license, if it’s valid and you’ve been riding over a year, you got a valid NI number, then off you go insured by us.  OK says I, what about the excess – noting this information wasn’t automatically offered – 2 grand he says.  2 foccing grand! Foc me.


So just wondering – is that typical.  What’s the going rate?


Anyway bikes I’m drooling over, and in order of preference;
CB1000R
Street Triple RS  (though comes with silly track day tyres)
MT10
 

16
General / Yamaha Price Increases
« on: 24 July 2017, 08:40:48 pm »
Looks like BREXIT has struck again. :rolleyes   Don’t know if this is across the whole range but Yamaha have certainly increased the list price of the MT10.

MT10 is now £10,999 – that’s up a grand in one year. :eek
MT10 SP is now £13,699 (up 300 quid on it’s launch just a few months ago)

It can only get worse.

Also it seems the Bank of England is getting increasing nervous of the credit bubble, and in particular the PCP credit bubble.  Will we see an increase in the base rate before the end of the year?
 
 

17
General / New Boots
« on: 01 July 2017, 03:48:03 pm »
I got new boots.  Same as the old ones.

Old and new photo.



18
General / Android texts to PC backup
« on: 30 December 2015, 06:56:59 pm »
Does anybody know of a good way to back-up text messages to my PC?

I have an S4 mini phone running android.  My PC runs Vista 64

Need to backup some important text messages.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

VNA

19
General / Dementia and Hotpoint cookers
« on: 08 September 2015, 07:20:38 pm »
Wondering if any foccer can help;

This is a bit of a long shot.
Wondering if anybody has a electric or for that matter dual fuel HOTPOINT cooker with a minute timer,
ie like models DSC60 or HUE61

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/household-appliances/cooking/cookers/hotpoint-ultima-hue61ps-electric-ceramic-cooker-white-10127659-pdt.html

It's for my mother who lives at home by herself and suffers dementia.  She likes to use the oven to heat up Wiltshire Farm Foods (WFF) meals.
At the moment she has a well used HOTPOINT HUE62 which has a multi-function multi programmable oven.  She switches the cooker on and back off at the wall (ie the dual pole isolator) - a good thing I think for somebody with dementia.

However when she switches on the HUE62, first it wants to know the time.  This confuses my Mum as she just wants the oven on.  Eventually it stops asking for the time.  But though the oven is on the same setting that it was when she switched it off, well the oven won't come on till you move the rotary selection switch (this has settings for fan, conventional, meat roasting, fish, bread etc etc).  So she has to bump that one way and then back the other, then select the temperature with the little knob next to the digital display.

The problem I have is sometimes she selects the meat roasting setting.  This incinerates a WFF meal, and frankly is a fire risk.  So I have to make sure at the mo that I am there every dinner time for her putting the oven on.

Oh, no she won't use a micro-wave and I wouldn't be able to teach her how to use one now.

So I'm wondering if anybody has a HOTPOINT DSC60 or HUE61 or similar.

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/household-appliances/cooking/cookers/hotpoint-ultima-hue61ps-electric-ceramic-cooker-white-10127659-pdt.html

If you do - would you be able to tell me;
If the cooker main oven is on and say set to 140 degrees C (WFF meal temp).  If you then knock it off at the isolator.  Well what happens when you switch it back on?

I've tried HOTPOINT technical support, but you get a guy who tries to help, but can only send an e-mail to the engineering dept, and well I haven't really got an answer to the question I was trying to ask.  Lost in translation I think.

I know this is a long shot, but I don't want to spend 400 quid on a cooker my mother cannae use.  But the one she has right now is no longer really safe for her.  But there is usually some foccer that knows something about anything.


20
General / Dead mobile - help!
« on: 24 February 2015, 07:08:00 pm »
Hopefully you folks are more clued up than I.

Anyway - Fully charged my Samsung S2 last night.  Found it dead this morning.

Charged it but it wasn't really taking charge and was getting a bit hot and bothered.
Picked up a new battery from the local fix unlock mobile phones shop.  Well it just did the same thing to the new battery and phone is dead again.

So assuming the phone has a fault.  I can get it to run with the charger plugged in, but I don't want to risk frying the sim or memory card.  It gets really hot.

Just hoping you smart folks will be able to tell me;
Is it just a matter of buying a new Android phone and sticking my sim and memory card in and away I go again as if not a lot has happened.  Oh I am on a Sim only contract.

Really need my phone right now due to situation with elderly parents.

Thinking of getting an S4 (300quid to pick up in store) as I liked the S2.  Just want something that is nice and easy to use like the S2.  Or am I better looking at other androids, I can I do better for less?


21
General / Abba or eazyrizer lifts - any users
« on: 04 October 2014, 12:43:57 pm »
Sorry for the second thread on bike lifts.

I was thinking of a traditional work bench lift, but now I'm starting to think maybe an Abba or eazyrizer lift might be better.

Pros - easier one person operation.  Takes up less space.  Can do stuff like get both wheels off, swing arm out etc easy peasy.

Cons - lifting from one side can restrict access to lift side.  Are the lifting kits really 100% secure and don't stress the bike in any way?  Compatibility with bike relies on comprehensive range of lifting mounts?

Would love to hear from any users of either of these lifts - or any other such types.

Comments very much appreciated. 

22
General / Bike Lift
« on: 03 October 2014, 03:19:32 pm »
Promised myself no tool chest or bike lift till I'd built a wood store or two to get all the stove fuel out of the garage.  Job done, so......

In the market for a bike lift.

Thinking of the usual table lift.  Want one wide enougth to take a paddock stand.  Also must be able to easily get the bike on and secured myself.  Any lifts that need two folks to get the bike safely onto are nae use to me.

So many out there, dunno what to choose.

Thinking of;

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cml3-hydraulic-motorcylce-lift/brand/x-5-star-products

23
General / Brand new old bike?
« on: 13 July 2014, 09:44:40 pm »
Saw this on ebay - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/APRILIA-SL1000-FALCO/151352342798?_trksid=p2050601.c100103.m2451&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140211150826%26meid%3D8293093725246756012%26pid%3D100103%26prg%3D20140211150826%26rkt%3D4%26clkid%3D8293096496855655979&_qi=RTM1793571 

First thought - I want I want I want.  500 miles!   Asking price isn't too silly considering (if it's your thing), well it's just about brand  new.

But.........are there any draw backs to a ten year old bike that hasn't even been fully run in?
Is it basically a new bike, or could there be issues relating to never having been used for years.
Most bikes for sale at least see a few days out each year.

Pluses - bog standard, nae tasteless mods.  Should be spotless.  has baglux tank cover thingy

Negatives - duff battery?  needs tasteful cans (gotta hear that big twin).  side stand issue, rear shock supposed to be pants.  If I was buying it's 240 miles away.

Anyway just wondering if anybody has any thoughts on bikes being laid up for a long time.



24
General / Visor
« on: 29 June 2014, 01:59:59 pm »
I think my 5 year old Arai needs a new visor (shite visor system on the Arai by the way)

Was out yesterday, what with all the insect life (seems to be a heck o a lot of it this year), then the rain showers.  Well I stopped and took off my glasses to help me see where I was going :eek .  Yup my visor has seen better days.

Question 1.  Genuine or aftermarket?

Question 2.  Any online suppliers recommended for visors. 

25
General / Supermarket Parking
« on: 27 June 2014, 08:21:30 pm »
 Just wondering if anybody else has had issues parking at a supermarket or any views on supermarket parking.
Had the old Fazer oot fae a wee run last Saturday, popped doon tae the Mull of Galloway.  Had a late lunch but was feeling hungry on the ride hame.  So stopped at the new Sainsbury's in Irvine to buy some scran fae ma din dins.
Looked around for bike bays - none - car park was quiet but I still don't like parking in car bays.  So I find a quiet spot on a walk way stuffing it neatly behind an advert sign on said walkway. 
I only just get in the store when some busy body jobs worth supervisor is on me.  I won't bore you with the full conversation, but I do ask her several times if they have bike bays, why do they not have bike bays, and explain that if they don't have bike bays bikers  will park their bikes anywhere they can (in my opinion) out of the road of cars rather than risk having their bike knocked over by a car.
I didn't get through to her.  But didn't move the bike either.  Won't rush back there.
Anyway I've only once before had an issue parking at a supermarket.  If there are good motorcycle bays I use em, failing that I often park with the cyclists (if there are pedal bike bays) or anywhere out of the road.
 

Pages: [1] 2