What have you done to your bike today....

[The Departed]

The amount of customisation needed when buying a new bike, exhaust, QS, mirrors, etc etc sort of makes it too much hassle. Mine has just done 15,200, with plenty of life left.

 

[Public Enemy]

The amount of customisation needed when buying a new bike, exhaust, QS, mirrors, etc etc sort of makes it too much hassle. Mine has just done 15,200, with plenty of life left.

I agreed with you above, but really, when did common sense get involved with bike buying decisions?

 

[The Departed]

I agreed with you above, but really, when did common sense get involved with bike buying decisions?

100% agree, I have that CBA attitude on making an extra 9% torque lol

 

[Bad Billy]

Sump back on - using one of those Stahlbus drain plugs, cheers for the recommendation @Don the Don !

Put some oil in and now worrying until I check later to see if it has all stayed in.

Exhaust, radiator and oil cooler before hopefully firing it up at the w/e.

Plan to flush the cooling system with some cleaner before refilling.

DS

When changing coolant I generally just stick a hose in the filler cap with the bottom drain hose still off, blast clean water through until what comes out it clean, you'll be amazed at the crud that comes out. Once that's done, drain hose back on & refill with coolant, job's a good'un!

 

[Bad Billy]

Mine is the 675 R, the new 765 is more refined. I have gone away from the power of needing a 1000cc as our roads are best suited for something you can flick around.

I have just hit agree, but have bought a 1290 SD which is a contradiction , but I had a 765RS & it holds it's own with bigger sports bikes until you get to the longer straights, the 675 is a good bike but the 765 is better everywhere, it's a good choice if you can live without the fire breathing litre plus naked bikes that are available.

 

[The Departed]

I have just hit agree, but have bought a 1290 SD which is a contradiction , but I had a 765RS & it holds it's own with bigger sports bikes until you get to the longer straights, the 675 is a good bike but the 765 is better everywhere, it's a good choice if you can live without the fire breathing litre plus naked bikes that are available.

lol - you weigh more so you need the 1000ccc whereas I can do the same on the 675.

I do fancy the 765 RS from reading up, it's just the moneyyyyyyyyy

 

[The Departed]

I do like this https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202102249426191? - what's your turning circles fellas? Reports are it's not so nimble as the street for getting around town/commuting/filtering.

 

[Bad Billy]

lol - you weigh more so you need the 1000ccc whereas I can do the same on the 675.

I do fancy the 765 RS from reading up, it's just the moneyyyyyyyyy

Alright slim, calm down!

The 765 is a lot cheaper than the bigger bikes to buy & insure.

 

[The Departed]

Alright slim, calm down!

The 765 is a lot cheaper than the bigger bikes to buy & insure.

My insurance for the street is only £140, can't complain, just humming and arring

 

[Bad Billy]

I do like this https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202102249426191? - what's your turning circles fellas? Reports are it's not so nimble as the street for getting around town/commuting/filtering.

Don't know, will have to come back to you on Saturday

The Street is a great bike though, it is light nimble & easy to ride, the KTM is a 1300cc V twin so probably isn't going to be quite as nimble & easy to ride in traffic/filtering, I have ridden a SD 1290 but it was a while ago & wasn't in traffic so some of the other guys will have a better view.

 

[Bad Billy]

My insurance for the street is only £140, can't complain, just humming and arring

When I tried to change bike on my existing Sprint ST policy (£105 fully comp) I was expecting a hike, but they wouldn't insure me, I thought then that I was going to get spanked on the SD, but I cancelled that policy & through MCN compare got fully comp for £146 with MCE, not a bad result?

 

[The Departed]

15k with FSH for a triple engine is healthy?

 

[Flynnt20]

Finally got around to putting the carb/cylinder head rubbers on the Thunderbird , my friggin hands look like i have tried to drown a tom cat , scratches and nicks everywhere !! Also put the TORS back on , chucked about 2 gallon of fuel in with a tidy glug of redex give it some beans for about 15 mins and pleased to say it now ticks over / idles about 900/1000 rpm sweet as a nut , gonna change the oil and filter tomorrow and ready to go as plugs are 2 years old but only done about 2000 miles so balls to it , they can stay , happy days

 

[Don the Don]

Finally got around to putting the carb/cylinder head rubbers on the Thunderbird , my friggin hands look like i have tried to drown a tom cat , scratches and nicks everywhere !! Also put the TORS back on , chucked about 2 gallon of fuel in with a tidy glug of redex give it some beans for about 15 mins and pleased to say it now ticks over / idles about 900/1000 rpm sweet as a nut , gonna change the oil and filter tomorrow and ready to go as plugs are 2 years old but only done about 2000 miles so balls to it , they can stay , happy days

Nice job @Flynnt20 , it's amazing how much spanner rash you can get working on bikes

 

[Flynnt20]

Most jobs on the thunderbird are a piece of piss but whoever designed the carb/ airbox / intake set up must have been a pisshead , put a K&N air filter in about 2 years ago so hopefully dont have to fully take that off again , cheers

 

[Steve 998cc]

Has anyone got any tips in releaseing siezed pistons in a front brake caliper It's on a 2004 kawasaki Z750 I'm rebuilding last but 1 job forks left to rebuild

 

[Flynnt20]

I take it the pistons are seized in the open position , ie the brakes are not applied and the wheel can turn ?

 

[Sarky B’stard]

Has anyone got any tips in releaseing siezed pistons in a front brake caliper It's on a 2004 kawasaki Z750 I'm rebuilding last but 1 job forks left to rebuild

Variety of methods from using a grease gun or compressed air (careful!) in bleed nipple with the feed hole plugged to judicious use of plumbing tools like small pipe wrench (Stilton) or, my favourite, water pump pliers to ease back and forth. They’re designed for gripping round things and generally small enough to get in there......

 

[MartytheMartian]

Is the caliper jammed on the disc or are the pistons just stuck in their cylinders? If stuck on the disc then it might need judicious use of a rubber mallet to try and shift it enough to remove it from the disc. If it's off the bike then I would fill up the master cylinder with brake fluid and use hydraulic pressure to force the pistons out.

 

[chas]

Is the caliper jammed on the disc or are the pistons just stuck in their cylinders? If stuck on the disc then it might need judicious use of a rubber mallet to try and shift it enough to remove it from the disc. If it's off the bike then I would fill up the master cylinder with brake fluid and use hydraulic pressure to force the pistons out.

Messy, but i've done exactly this. Bodgers in arms