Managed to drop the bike the other day, all low speed, too much front brake, skidded over - doh!  Nowt serious, couple scratches to faring/belly pan/exhaust and bent crash bobbin. Seriously gutted, as bike was almost mint previously. Guess it's inevitable when you're a new rider though.


Anyway, looking at crash bobbin, it seems its the bracket it screws into behind the belly pan that is bent. It's a small U shaped bracket that bolts to frame, with bobbin going through belly pan into it. Is this part of the belly pan mounting kit? Does it have a name?! Where could I get a replacement?

Yeah think you're all right. Playing around last night, with clutch in, it coasts absolutely fine. Guess I just need to spend longer on the bike and get used to it. I am still pretty new to bikes in general and the last two didn't have as much engine braking and obviously in the car, there's more weight/momentum. Guess I wasn't expecting so much lurch forward as you let off the throttle. That's just my inexperience, need to use the clutch more to smooth it out.


Good point about brakes, will try and get in habit of touching back brake to let those behind know.

Your laptop will likely have some sort of monitor out, be it VGA or DVI-D.


If its VGA, see if you're telly also has VGA in. VGA - VGA cables are dead cheap, but don't go too cheap if you want more than around 3m ish, especially at 1080p (1920x1080).


If you're laptop has DVI-D, then try a DVI-D to HDMI cable. Plus side here, is it's digital all the way, so probably better quality. Note, DVI can carry analogue (DVI-I) or digital (DVI-D), hence why you get VGA-DVI and DVI-HDMI cables, but telly's can only accept a digital signal over hdmi.


Note: both these options are Video only, sound will need to go across separately. TV's with VGA usually have a 3.5mm jack socket next to it. However for HDMI in, they expect sound mixed with HDMI. As you have a separate sound system, this is not a problem, just send sound straight to it, skipping telly. The speakers in LCD screens these days are tiny crappy tinny things anyway.


If you laptop is pretty new, you may even have HDMI out on it (possibly a mini-HDMI socket), which should also output sound.


Note: some telly's, particularly older 720p ones will only accept a 720p picture on HDMI and then scale it up to the screens native res (usually 1366x768), which often makes small text and web browsing a horrible experience. My old Sony Bravia was like this, but on its VGA input, it would let me feed it a 1360x768 res image and display it without scaling, which made it crystal clear and as good as monitor. You might need todo some messing around with your video card settings to get 1360x768 out as its not always standard, sometimes just gives you 1024x768, so you get black borders down sides.

TBH all I've ridden before was a Honda CBF500 whilst learning and a CG125 on my CBT ages ago. Hence not a lot of experience to use as reference.


Will try coasting with clutch in later. Ditto checking tyre pressure.
I checked rolling the bike after I a ride from work to home, about 10 miles, so should have been warm then. So, is the sticky brake syndrome more common once warm?

I've got a 2003 FZS600, which is fine for me, however my wife finds it a bit high. She's a bit of short ass at only 5'2", and with feet down can only touch floor with tip toes... I use the bike most of the time, but now and again, my wife would like to take it out. We were thinking it would be a good plan to get a second seat that's cut down a bit for her. Dead quick to swap over and would help her get her feet flat on floor.


Is there anywhere I can get another seat off the shelf? Or would it be a case of getting another official seat and customising it? Any recommendations for any one who can do this?

I've gone for the Pragmasis Protector 16mm chain with Squire lock.  I was under the impression them 1m bolt cutter have a mouth that only opens 14mm. Just have it going through back wheel at the moment. Chained to solid railings at work and a Torc ground anchor at home.
At work there's plenty of other (higher value) bikes that'll be easier to steel. However at home that's not the case. Hence why I was wondering about chaining something more secure than just the back wheel.

Took my mate along to check bike, he's been into bikes since he left nappies. Turned out to be a beauty of a bike, all spot on, nowt wrong at all. All original, chain/sprocket were absolutely fine, next been pulled apart, gears fine, brakes even, tyres 3 yrs old, still had spiky bits on them! Not a scratch anywhere. Just a fraction of corrosion on  original black downpipes and radiator - but nowt serious. Forks and  seals fine. Original rubber brake leads mind, but look it decent condition. Runs like a beaut, starting fine from cold and from warm. Full service history, never had a single mot advisory.

Almost too good and spotless to use as a commuting work horse. Still should be a great start to biking and should pay off in long run in regards to maintenance and future mot's.

Either way, had to buy it, else my mate would have!

Only got 13K on clock. Been garaged a lot, fair weather rider, spoke to chap, admitted it ran crap after no use for a year. But said it's been all serviced now, new plugs, carbs, filters, oil change, battery, and new brake pads recently too.
Tyres, chain and sprocket are still original, but apparently good nick - will give them a good once other though.