I miss riding my RR.

10/20/2008 11:21:22 PM

I miss never owning an RR

10/21/2008 12:50:17 AM

yeah one of my friends had his 636 stolen while chained to a post with an alarm locked onto the front rotor.

i don't think anything does that much....


do they drive the bike away or roll it into a truck?

10/21/2008 8:56:21 AM

They almost never drive it away, and of course they would prefer to load it into a covered van, rather than a truck.

I've helped put some massive bikes into trucks, and all it took was a few hands, and some 2X4's through the wheels. Locked steering columns, alarms, chains through the wheels - none of it matters. Putting the chain around a pole or tree might add an insignificant amount of time to the theft.

Point is, if they want it, it's theirs.

What might work, however, if you have a brand-name bike, is to use a bike cover with no logo or, even better, a crappy brand logo on it. That might reduce the 'moment of opportunity' type thefts. Even so, barely worth the trouble, IMHO.

As to the insurance coverage question, you'll just have to look around and actually get the quotes. There is a lot of variation out there by company, especially in motorcycles.

[Edited on October 21, 2008 at 9:07 AM. Reason : a]

10/21/2008 9:03:10 AM

is it possible to get just liability and theft insurance??

10/21/2008 9:26:27 AM

I can only speak for USAA, but yes.

10/21/2008 9:44:36 AM

^^^ That attitude works, IF you assume that 100% of thieves are professionals. Of course, that isn't true, so it's really just an excuse for laziness.

There are opportunistic thieves and basic theft deterrents will always help. I think this applies even more in apartment complexes, where there are often multiple bikes. The hardest one to steal is less likely to be stolen when there are 10 others with nothing on them at all.

The deterrent can help slow the thief down long enough for them to be noticed, it can deter them altogether, or it could even prevent them from taking the bike even if they try to get it.

Not all thieves have the tools to get through multiple types of locks and chains on them at all times.

I use a Kryptonite chain and EV4 Disk lock, a grip/lever lock, a blank/unmarked bike cover and I always engage the steering lock.

10/21/2008 9:59:20 AM

Hayosung!

hahah i may get a cover saying that for mine

10/21/2008 10:01:49 AM

^^dude, you NEVER have the cover on your bike

I ride by it allllll the damn time at your complex and it's always sittin there, all nice and shiny!

My ex-gf lives in your complex...and um...i've been visiting every now and then...

[Edited on October 21, 2008 at 10:02 AM. Reason : .]

10/21/2008 10:02:25 AM

Quote :

"I use a Kryptonite chain and EV4 Disk lock, a grip/lever lock, a blank/unmarked bike cover and I always engage the steering lock."

The only method that would even slow down an amateur is the chain wrapped through the frame, and around a tree/pole. That, I can understand. And I do it myself, most of the time, because I happened to own the locks and cables when I bought the bike. I would not go out and spend money on those things just for that.

What I'm saying is that the easiest way to steal a bike does not involve steering, and doesn't roll the wheels. You just pick it up, and walk away. Anything done solely to prevent the wheels from rolling, or steering, or using the controls, is pointless. Once they have your bike, they can take the time to work around those details.

Of course, my attitude is also partially determined by a) my crappy bike b) my insurance has theft coverage on the bike worth more than I paid for it and c) I have plenty of other means of transportation, though the bike is preferred.

10/21/2008 10:09:39 AM

One word..."Lowjack"

10/21/2008 10:11:34 AM

lowjack does NOT have coverage in raleigh. http://www.accutracking.com/ or build it yourself

10/21/2008 11:04:34 AM

LOJACK

10/21/2008 11:06:21 AM

^^well damn....you sure?



[Edited on October 21, 2008 at 11:13 AM. Reason : .]

10/21/2008 11:06:40 AM

that doesn't seem possible... i thought all police cars had low jack

10/21/2008 11:15:01 AM

burn notice taught me that you can break the steering lock with a good kick

after getting my bike, i realized that's pretty accurate

10/21/2008 11:16:26 AM

^ Someone kicking a motorcycle in front of the apartment complex is likely to gather attention. Again, the more things they have to get through, the less likely they are to try or succeed.

10/21/2008 11:42:30 AM

^ oh, without a doubt...i just didn't realize they were that easy to disengage (break) if you had a mind to do it

10/21/2008 11:44:15 AM

Anyone know who rides the blue (06?) gs500f with straight pipes? It parks outside Poe a lot.

10/21/2008 11:56:31 AM

or you can have a shitty looking bike and then no one even try to steal it, even if you leave the key in the ignition...

10/21/2008 12:23:59 PM

I worried about my '91 cb250 getting stolen, but then I realized that it is quite unlikely that a person would take said bike considering there are between 2 and 5 RRs around at any given time.

10/21/2008 12:44:05 PM

Quote :

"or you can have a shitty looking bike live in a cardboard box and then no one [will] even try to steal rob it, even if you leave the key in the ignition flap open..."

[Edited on October 21, 2008 at 1:04 PM. Reason : ]

10/21/2008 1:04:05 PM

Quote :

"Anyone know who rides the blue (06?) gs500f with straight pipes? It parks outside Poe a lot."

bahahhaaa gotta get that extra 3 hp out for a total of 50

10/21/2008 1:17:39 PM

^50?!?!


honda Hawks only have 55ish stock (50 seems high for that zuki engine)

10/21/2008 1:49:17 PM

47 is stock hp for a gs500 of almost any year.

10/21/2008 1:54:55 PM

Now that it is getting colder out I need a jacket that will actually keep the wind out when it is < 50 degrees. All I have gathered is that textile is the way to go but I figured I'd ask around here before I commit to a purchase.

10/21/2008 2:06:42 PM

What about pants... i would like some good winter riding pants that could cover work cloths..

10/21/2008 2:10:44 PM

^http://www.newenough.com

10/21/2008 4:54:52 PM

stupid n00b question - feel free to mock me

rode the rebel to class this morning...temp was around 38, and i couldn't get it to go much faster than about 35mph...it did, at one point, lurch and suddenly take off with the performance i have been used to, but after sitting at a light for a minute, it was back down to being slow

it being as cold as it is, should i have been using the choke to create a richer mix? being new to both motorcycles and something as simple as a choke, i did what i was shown - had the choke all the way to get it started, let it sit for 5 minutes, changed it to halfway, let it sit for 5 minutes, and then turn it all the way down and rode the bike

10/22/2008 9:42:31 AM

Ok, I have a serious question for you sons.

Do any of you remember this show, know the name of it or know what channel it was aired on?

message_topic.aspx?topic=545342

10/22/2008 10:07:08 AM

bah, i tried to edit, but missed the 30 minute deadline

upon further research, the choke on a rebel is not a "butterfly" air-control type...it's a gas enricher type, so "open" means gas on, "closed" means gas off...if that makes any difference?

10/22/2008 10:14:14 AM

^ While you're trying to figure that out, see if you can tell me what show that (^^) is.

It's where kids raced Honda XR80's, Honda Cubs (The dirtbike/pitbike) and these Six Wheeled vehicles on a dirt course. The six wheeled vehicle course had what they called a "bog" (Mud pit) that the kids went through. They would wear motocross gear and I always thought they were so fucking cool. IIRC it came on Nickelodeon but nobody can figure out what the show was called. It seems to have been removed from existence somehow. I've been searching for it on and off for a few days and can't find it anywhere, so help would be greatly appreciated.

[Edited on October 22, 2008 at 10:37 AM. Reason : ]

10/22/2008 10:37:16 AM

^ we couldn't get cable out where i lived growing up, so i never saw nickelodeon as a kid

also, this is from the '85 rebel's manual, so i'm pretty sure it holds true for the '86

Quote :

""Starting the Engine" Page 31 - 33 of the 1985 250 Owner's Manual: Normal Air temperature (50-95 degrees) 1. Pull the choke lever back all the way to fully open. 2. Start the engine leaving the throttle closed. 3. About 45 seconds after the engine starts, push the choke forward all the way to fully closed. 4. If idling is unstable, open the throttle slightly. High Air Temperature (95+ degrees) 1. Do NOT use the choke. 2. Start the engine leaving the throttle closed. Low Air Temperature (50 degrees or below) 1. Follow steps 1 thru 2 under "Normal Air Temperature." 2. Warm up the engine by opening and closing the throttle slightly. 3. Continue warming up until the engine runs smoothly and responds to the throttle when the choke lever is at fully closed. Restart A Warm Engine Follow the procedure for "High Air Temperature" CAUTION: Extended use of the choke may impair piston and cylinder wall lubrication. NOTE: Do not flood the engine by twisting the throttle repeatedly. The carburetor has an accelerator pump. Do not use starter for more than 5 seconds at a time. Wait 10 seconds before pressing again. Flooded Engine Turn the engine stop switch off and push choke lever forward to fully closed. Open the throttle fully and crank the engine for 5 seconds. Wait 10 seconds, then turn the engine stop switch ON and follow "High Air temperature" starting procedure."

so i'm thinking i'm not supposed to be riding with the choke in anything but the closed position...which means i might have a problem?

[Edited on October 22, 2008 at 10:53 AM. Reason : .]

10/22/2008 10:53:41 AM

jeebus...looks like i picked a heck of a bike to learn on...apparently, from reading online, these bikes are definitely finicky in their cold-start operation, especially with the "enrichener" choke...i'll take it out lunch in an hour or so, and see if it's running well (since it's above 50°F, it should be)...if that's the case, i'm simply going to need to learn to play with the choke and adjust the idle speed (maybe)

also, apparently a valid method of warming up the bike if you don't want to wait for 10 minutes, is to just start riding (gently) with the choke on full, and slowly work it down as it warms up

*shrug*

10/22/2008 12:12:04 PM

They found the show dude!! It was called Maximum Drive.

How many of you guys watched this shit? Btw, the kid that wins this race is ridin' nasty son, he can ride the hell out of an XR-80.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw0sYQjB6e4&feature=related

[Edited on October 22, 2008 at 1:58 PM. Reason : ]

10/22/2008 1:58:33 PM

Quote :

"so i'm thinking i'm not supposed to be riding with the choke in anything but the closed position"

Yeah, definitely not. Use the choke to start the bike, close the choke, feather the throttle until it will idle smoothly, let it idle for a few minutes and you should be good to go.

^ I remember that show, I think it was the reason I got my first dirtbike. I thought those Cubs were so badass.



[Edited on October 22, 2008 at 7:34 PM. Reason : ]

10/22/2008 7:28:07 PM

bah, it's still messing up

the gas was really low (i filled up with 2.2 gallons and the tank is 2.6) and so i also put in 1/4 can of seafoam...it was a pain in the ass to get it started while at work, and then, once it was going, it was doing fine...until about 2 miles down the road when it started to slow up again...by the time i was almost home (~6 miles), it was maxing out at 20-25mph...it was also feeling rough and jerky

what the hell, man...i am NOT having good luck with 2-wheeled hondas these days

anyone want me to bring it over for a quick look? i'll bring beer and/or money

10/22/2008 7:54:09 PM

You may be running on 1 cylinder, i konw my kat would run on 3 for about the first 10 minutes. Could be clogged jet or a bad spark plug (at least in my limited mechanical knoweldged)

Do this when its fucking up like this, run it fo ra while fucked up, and see if one cylinder is much hotter than the other (or the exhaust header). You should be able to tell if both are firing.

And dont check with your bare hand, like wear a glove (leather) or seomting.

[Edited on October 23, 2008 at 9:19 PM. Reason : dd]

10/23/2008 9:14:51 PM

I got a god damned ticket for 9 over son.

10/24/2008 10:14:50 AM

n00b question: do they sell something similar to spats, used to cover the part of your shoe where you shift?

i only ask because i wear decent leather shoes to work, and i'd just as soon buy something that takes the brunt of shifting instead of wearing the leather down, or changing shoes/boots

10/31/2008 11:34:42 AM

^Same here....i'm open to suggestions

10/31/2008 12:11:37 PM

^ i've found something called shubandit that looks like it'd fall off: http://www.shubandit.com/

and there's a patent on a leather thingy: http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/5855078/description.html

pah, i can probably make my own out of the scrap leather i have lying around

10/31/2008 12:19:22 PM

I saw something a while back that looked like a soft leatherish cover...kinda like a putter cover but for the shift lever.



Cant find it anywhere though...

10/31/2008 12:27:44 PM

make your own and they shalt be called "booties"

10/31/2008 1:18:37 PM

we're gonna be RiCH!!!!1

10/31/2008 1:20:56 PM

erryone and their cousin wear those on top of em airforcce ones at Myrtle bike week. sometimes the's wear a sock over the tip of the shoe

10/31/2008 5:29:52 PM

yeah, i just used an old sock over mine when i used to commute back and forth to durham for work on my bike and had to wear nice clothes. tape some sort of padding to the top of the sock if it's not thick enough. $free.

10/31/2008 5:39:37 PM

dad's birthday present to me is to take my SV to the shop and have them install the Racetech springs I ordered just before leaving, along with heavier fork oil, setting the triple clamp height, and servicing the brakes (hopefully just need a good bleed).

I can't wait to get back and try it out.

10/31/2008 5:51:24 PM

^yea, I wish more people understood that those ARE the mods that make a difference. The difference should be night and day, I sent both my front and rear off to RaceTech and it was by far the best thing I could have done.

[Edited on November 1, 2008 at 10:53 AM. Reason : 1]

11/1/2008 10:52:28 AM

this is getting frustrating as hell

last weekend, ryan took apart practically the entire bike, cleaned the carb, and performed a pretty extensive maintenance on the entire thing...the only thing that wasn't done is tighten the chain, because i need a new tensioner thingy (on order right now)

on the ride over to his place, and after the tune-up, it ran beautifully, so i'm thinking all's good

i went out this afternoon the first thing i noticed is that my gas tank IMPLODED...at least, i assume that's what happened...it now has a large, almost perfectly symmetrical depression in the top of the tank, and the gas cap was on tight...i realize NOW that perhaps the tank cap is supposed to hang loosely to allow air in...but no one told me this (why wouldn't i have it tightly on there like every other gas tank cap i've ever used?)

okay, so aside from the fact that i'm an idiot, i started it up (caught first time, immediately, and was ready to ride in just a minute or two, instead of the usual 10)...i take it out, and she's riding beautifully...quick, quieter (since the tune-up, it's waaaaaaaaaaay quieter), and responsive

that is, at least, until 2 miles down the road, where it started to do what it's been doing for so long...it's topping out at 25mph (unless i'm going downhill, in which case i can get to 40-45mph)...what the hell is causing this? i don't know what else to even look at it

any suggestions? it's not even really happening consistently...i tried to take it to work on friday, and it was slugging and unresponsive from the very beginning (instead of like it was today, where it was great at first, and only after a few miles stopped responding well)

damnation, if it's not one thing, it's another

11/9/2008 4:59:19 PM