Date: 28-03-24  Time: 15:14 pm

Author Topic: LO all  (Read 2682 times)

JD-LincsUK

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LO all
« on: 20 February 2016, 03:03:44 pm »
Hello chaps (and ladies)

I'm a fairly new Fazer Gen 1 owner. I really like it, but I am a disabled rider and I do lack a bit of confidence, due to not being able to ride as much as I would like (about once a week, but sometimes have to go a few weeks without). I'm hoping to get out on it more as the weather improves - I'm getting jittery on junctions and so on in town in the icy cold and/or wet. This is new, as I've been riding for 20 years and never had confidence issues before, but my state of health is not going to get any better (the opposite) so that is probably playing a part now, too.

Anyway, I found these forums in my search for info on the upcoming big service my bike is due - it's done 46,200 miles and as far as I know, hasn't been serviced for a very long time. I used to do my own, but due to aforementioned difficulties it's just not possible now. Apart from a heavy clutch (really makes my left hand ache in traffic) there doesn't seem to be anything much wrong with it.

I've been struggling with gear changes (up only) of late - but I think that may be more due to some new boots I bought, being abit of the soft side.

So, I need to get the big service done, and I'm very keen to have the Ivan's carb mod done as well. I do have a qualified mechanic friend with his own workshop, but unfortunately, he's not the most reliable and was supposed to service it when he had time around christmas, but he never did :(  That's happened with a few previous bikes - I should have learnt my lesson, but he's a gem when something goes wrong, though. I'm intending to get it done at Webbs of Peterborough - not the cheapest by any stretch, but at least I think I can trust them to do  good job.

Anyway - long intro, sorry  :z - but that the sitrep.  :D

mickvp

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Re: LO all
« Reply #1 on: 20 February 2016, 04:40:30 pm »
All of that intro and still no pics of the bike :useless

Welcome to the forum mate, get stuck in, plenty of good chaps and the info on the fazer within these forums is unrivalled.

RJL

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Re: LO all
« Reply #2 on: 20 February 2016, 07:19:13 pm »
Welcome from a fellow newbie. As above, pics of your new steed plz


Richard

unfazed

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Re: LO all
« Reply #3 on: 20 February 2016, 08:32:12 pm »
Welcome to the forum?

Definitely one of the best forums out there.
There are a few on here with disability issues, some just don't know it  :lol

Glad to hear you are still biking despite your disability. If you could tell us what your disability is, maybe we can be of more assistance on the confidence front.

The service at 50000 includes checking the valve clearances, which is easy enough to do, the problem is getting to them to do it. :'(

The gear change issue should be easily sorted by adjusting the lever, as it is probably to low, especially with new boots.

Just remember the front nut on the linkage is a normal right hand thread, but the rear one is a left hand thread. To loosen it you have to reverse the thought process in then normal tightening loosens it. Loosen both nuts and turn the long bar and then tighten the nuts when you are happy. Might take a few trial and error turns to get it right and the only way to check it to take it for a run.  :thumbup



JD-LincsUK

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Re: LO all
« Reply #4 on: 23 February 2016, 02:10:45 pm »
Thank you. I don't currently have any photo's (I'm not a photo person and my wife definitely not) but I'll see what I can do with my tablet camera.

The quote from Webb's is £530 all included and 2 days required.

As for my disability - well I have two things causing it - one is a buggered spine and the other is a buggered body! That's a muscle disease if you want to get all medical :) From the toes up to the eyes.

I'm actually biking because of my disability. I used to drive and cycle (long distances each day) but both are really difficult now - so when things got bad, about 20 years ago, I decided to buy a moped and that was it - no turning back. Within 6 months I'd passed my test and joined the local bike club. the rest, as they say, is history :)

Mind you - get this - I got refused DLA because I ride a motorbike!  :eek
« Last Edit: 23 February 2016, 02:13:01 pm by JD-LincsUK »

unfazed

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Re: LO all
« Reply #5 on: 23 February 2016, 06:33:48 pm »
Mind you - get this - I got refused DLA because I ride a motorbike!  :eek

Seriously, because you ride a bike you not entitled to Disability Living Allowance and you obviously have a disability. :eek

Just because someone looks ok, does not necessarily mean they are ok :rolleyes

There are many out there, paraplegics, dead limbs, weak limbs, amputees and so on riding bikes, are they not disabled.

You should be glad they are not wasting money on silly things like DLA, but helping all the layabouts I come across who; if work was a bed they would sleep on the floor.  :rolleyes
Don't get me started  :'(

Is your confidence issue one of a fear falling over when riding at snail pace or something more?

JD-LincsUK

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Re: LO all
« Reply #6 on: 25 February 2016, 09:35:03 am »
The DLA thing was because a local service charity helped me on my return to the UK from the military, but when they saw my bike at the time, they automatically jumped to the conclusion I'd been trying to pull the wool and got onto the lot that do DLA (don't know what they are called now) and said as much. They just wouldn't listen to reason and ignored the medical side completely. Despite the fact I was on SDA for 6 years (i.e. considered over 80% disabled) at the time.
It took 3 years for my appeal to come up (the limit is 2 years) and the fact that I arrived on a motorbike was used as a reason for refusing the appeal.

Anyway, the confidence thing is just a worry about slipping. We did have a lot of slides last winter (my wife rides pillion) though no real incident. We also had a very near miss recently - maybe it affected me more than I thought. That was a car pulling out in front of us, though.
« Last Edit: 25 February 2016, 09:36:35 am by JD-LincsUK »

unfazed

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Re: LO all
« Reply #7 on: 25 February 2016, 08:33:53 pm »
Interesting assumptions  :rolleyes

Slipping issues. Maybe a change of tyres might be the order of the day. What tyres are you using at present?

JD-LincsUK

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Re: LO all
« Reply #8 on: 26 February 2016, 11:29:44 am »
BT021's I think - pretty sure.

It's not the tyres, though, to be honest - it's just me. There are a lot of slippery covers on junctions in this area and when they resurface the roads they use the cheapest methods, which leaves a lot of loose grit/shingle/whatever, especially at junctions, so that's the basis for my worries.

The slipping last year was due to the weather - even when it didn't seem so cold, I'd find the back stepping out on 40mph roads (and I know it wasn't just the bike as we passed a car at 90° with it's bonnet in a hedge once).

No, it's a psychological thing that I just have to get past. The only way I can think of doing that is to get more miles in. Unfortunately, I'm going through a bad phase, so that isn't going to happen soon (just changed meds from morphine to fentanyl and it ain't going so well).

I used to have a reputation for throwing my bikes on their ear on club rides - I used to love riding that way - but now I just need to lean over a bit (like on a smaller roundabout) and I start getting concerned. The T-junction at the top of the road is another one - it has often had loose gravel on it and I've slid a few times - now the gravel is all but gone, but it still has me fretting. Maybe I'm just worried about bending my baby!

Thanks for your interest :)
« Last Edit: 26 February 2016, 11:32:16 am by JD-LincsUK »

JD-LincsUK

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Re: LO all
« Reply #9 on: 28 February 2016, 03:51:37 pm »
Just to round this off - the confidence thing has disappeared and all is back to normal.

As mentioned in another thread, I fitted a new clutch cable today and the bike was transformed, giving much more response and confidence on junctions and roundabouts.
I reckon it must have simply been the cack drive response because the cable was buggered and the clutch wasn't engaging properly. It's a huge difference, solo and two-up.
Even if that wasn't the cause, changing the cable has certainly cured it. :)

unfazed

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Re: LO all
« Reply #10 on: 28 February 2016, 05:34:13 pm »
Glad you fixed the problem and it wasn't you that was the problem :lol