Get into 2nd and accelerate hard, then close the throttle, let it slow and then accelerate hard again. If there's anything issues, it'll probably pop out of gear. As to the differences, it'll be a lot quicker but missing some low down power, it'll brake and handle much nicer too. Only issues though will be less miles to the gallon, and they're not good for pillion. Riding position is actually quite comfortable, or it is for me. That said, being 20 I find most things comfortable, although I do actuallyprefer sport bike dpositions, as upright bikes give me back ache. Once you get used to it you'll be able to hammer it hard, well worth getting the suspension set up as a minimum, and if you've the money I'd possibly go the whole hog and get your stock stuff revalved and springed for your weight and riding style. Would definitely think about a steering damper though, they're quite powerful and very little, and accelerating over bumpy ground will be a tad twitchy, to say the least0!

Quote from: darrsi on 27 February 2013, 11:47:13 pm

Tyre pressure is correct, don't alter it!

why not? A few pounds here and there can make all the difference, especially on track. These are guidelines for the uninitiated not Gospel.

Personally, I'd probably be leaving them as they are, the rest recommend for the road and although softening the tyres would make the ride softer, at 15 stone I'd not be wanting to drop them. Also, without trying to cause offence to the original poster, he's clearly not a suspension guru, as most people aren't, and it's just adding another thing into the equation. Decent set of linear springs (you don't want progressive if you're only doing sporty riding) and a good shock and he'll be sorted

Depending on how comfortable you are/your pillion is:

a.) for new riders/pillions. Basically ride as though it's wet, accelerate more gently, brake more gently (you can use the back brake a lot more too with someone on the back without it locking), and don't lean the bike over as much.
Mounting, I get on the bike, both feet on the floor, get the pillion to put their left leg on the left peg and swing over. Once they're on and settled, I pull off - that's the only bit I'm not a fan of as with heavier pillions, the bars are much lighter than normal if you've not adjusted the preload to compensate. You'll probably want to tell them that before they get off, they need to check with you to make sure it's ok!
Cornering with people on I don't really find much different, slow speed stuff is a bit trickier, particularly u-turns.

General advice that you might want to tell first time pillioners - stay relatively still, particularly at low speed stuff. Stay behind the rider (and be warned, 95% of people i've had on the back for the first time have at the first corner, have leaned the wrong way to begin with).

If they're only little/particularly nervous, I'd get them to hang on around your waist, makes people feel more comfortable, but also means they don't tend to lean the wrong way as much if they do. For bigger guys/more experienced people, I prefer them holding onto the grab rails/grab strap as you don't get as much weight transfer onto your arms when braking (not particularly a massive issue with an upright bike, but was seriously painful with heavy people under heavy braking on my old Ninja 900)

That said, once you get used to it, you can have some great fun with people on the back, I've a few female mates who love it on the back that I take out quite often and I much prefer riding with them to riding alone - you have someone to talk to (i've got a set of headsets i use specifically for this purpose, they're also good for new pillioners as you can talk to them, let them know what you're up to and generally reassure them), which is nice for cruising along, and you can also ride quite hard, albeit it in a different way with someone on the back - you get a lot more rear grip, so you can accelerate bloody hard out of corners without the rear skipping up!

Personally, started at 7ish on the back of my dad's bike and loved it, he took it carefully to begin with, and now he's at the point where he doesn't really notice if I'm on the back really (which led to an interesting occasion once where he was grinding his footpeg out, having actually forgot I was behind him!)

Quote from: JayB on 20 February 2013, 05:22:20 pm

... Would you change both tyres on a used bike, or all 4 tyres on a used car you buy too - you don;t know what's happened to them either.
...

Yes, of course I would. Wouldn't you?

No, not unless they  needed it?

Might be able to make this, be good to meet some of you guys and all that

I've never had a baffle in any of my exhausts, and never had a problem with it. My hornet and the fzs 1000 aren't actually too noisy providing you're not ragging it, both of those got through an MOT without the baffle fitted. The ZX9R I had previously had a SPE engineering tri-oval stubby, and that was a fair bit louder - had to put the baffle in to get it through the MOT, but it comes straight back out afterwards and I never had any issues (in either Leicestershire, Kent, or London) with the plod. Think as long as you don't rev the tits off it past a police car or in residential areas you should be ok, unless as said you live in an area where they really don't like bikes!
FWIW I also ride around with a black visor, I've spoken to a few cops about this now and because I always have my clear visor with me too, they never have a problem with it - they have all warned me though that if I were wearing it after dark with it down then I would probably end up in a fair bit of trouble should I be caught!
License plates is the one thing I don't muck around with though, my plates are generally a tad smaller than the norm, but the actual spacing and letter sizing is all fine so it's not a problem

Well went for a decent longish ride today, got up to the heady heights of about 80mph, and noticed that I was getting a fair old bit of wind noise around my helmet! I did suspect coming from a fully faired sports bike to a semi faired one I'd notice a bit of a difference, so took it as granted. I did however, then notice that if I sat bolt upright it was a bit better. Stood up on the pegs and lifted my ass a couple inches off the seat, and it was like I'd just put my head into a bubble, it was lovely and quiet! Obviously my body was getting a bit more battered, but my head was in the quiet.
I know the screen on there isn't stock, it's tinted for one thing. It's not a double bubble though and does look to me as though it's roughly the standard height?


So if this is roughly the stock screen, what screen would be recommended for someone about 5 foot 10 to push the wind over my head?

I fitted a combined cigar socket/USB unit under the seat out of harms way

Don't suppose you could grab a photo fella? Idealy I'd like an under the seat unit to get it out of the way, but there really doesn't appear to be a lot of space under my seat!

I'd be very interested in both the Nitron shock and the multigauge if you fancied selling them seperately, and the fella above me that asked about the multigauge decides he doesn't want it?

Quote from: darrsi on 03 February 2013, 12:13:42 pm

Does the 00/01 tank fit straight on your bike?
That'd give you a couple more litres to play with if you do a lot of mileage.

I guess it would. When I had the tank off for repair a few years back I drilled a hole in the side of the filler tube. Air escapes there as the level rises up beyond the bottom of the tube so "overfilling" the tank doesn't take long... can usually get 19 litres in.
If I ever need to replace the tank though, I'll hope to get the newer one.

When you filled up, how many liters did you get in mate? If it was close to what you should've put in a pretty much empty tank, all be good, otherwise you could possibly have a shed load of dodgy fuel sitting in the bottom - I had that on my last bike and it basically restricted my range on the reserve tank to about 10 miles from what should've been about 4 liters, ended up emptying out the tank and flushing some redex through it and voila, proper tank range was restored

Get the best you can afford mate.
Front is relatively easy either way, a set of springs matched to your weight and riding style and oil to match should sort that out nicely. On the rear, I'd personally not buy a Hagon as they don't have seperate compression and rebound damping - that said it's still a very good shock, just the adjustment is limited. Depends entirely on how much adjustment you want really!
Buying new, I think I'd have to go for a Nitron Track (seperate rebound, compression, preload and height adjustment), as that'd do everything you needed unless you started racing basically. Second hand might be an idea, could try keeping an eye out for a used Ohlins to pop up on ebay, even if it needed servicing and resprining it'd add about £150 odd, so might be cheaper that way.
Other brand that might be worth a nose is a German one called "Wilburs", they're also very, very good, and are slightly cheaper than Nitron for the same specced shocks I believe - that said I've had personal experience with Nitron and they are top class in terms of their custom service!
I've also had WP on my last bike, and it was fab once set up - in all honesty though I don't think I'd be able to tell the difference between a well set up Nitron, Ohlins or WP so it's more a case of get what you can 

How'd you get on then? All OK and good for 1 / 2 finger braking now? Mine is. I had thought I was going to need an R1 master cylinder, but they are fine as is.
Think possibly my pads could do with changing, lots of winter use and been sat around loads, they bite fine but have no real feel to them.

What's the difference between the R1 m/c and the Fazer one? I'll be getting some braided hoses soon anyway, so if I were to swap the m/c over it'd make sense to get it done then! From what I've had so far on the Fazer the brakes definitely aren't bad, but they do seem a tad wooden, I'm finding I'm having to squeeze quite hard on the lever compared to my old bike for the same stopping power?

As seen here:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/YAMAHA-FZS1000-FAZER-2-OWNERS-IMMACULATE-3-BOX-SYSTEM-ENGINE-PROTECTORS-/150949631869?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item23254c977d

They look like the standard givi side racks to me, but without the indicators having been changed?