Jump to content

greg_in_london

Supporting Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    714

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Everything posted by greg_in_london

  1. greg_in_london
    Trouble is that the catalogue is dated 2008, three years ago and the 120/90H18 TK16 Conti-Tour is no longer available - not on this side of the pond anyway. In any case, I still haven't found if they've agreed to replace the one that I had that had split, but that's partly my fault for not chasing it up.
  2. greg_in_london
    Maybe it's a bit different over here - bikers in the 60's wore different biker gear. A denim cut-off was more part of rock-n-roll and pictures on the back were more likely to be heavy metal based. If bikers wanted to have a badge on their leather jacket to show their motorbike club, it was nearly always a shoulder badge, round, about 5" diameter. Nobody laid down any rules except the people who made the badges - I suppose that was the size of their machines ! When backpatch clubs were formed, with a denim jacket, back-patch, top and bottom rocker etc, it was so clearly a different uniform (and in an American style) that anyone copying it was doing simply that and was told that they couldn't pretend to be Hells Angels or whatever. That didn't actually seem all that unreasonable because no-one would dress up in that way UNLESS they were making a statement. The exceptions would be people from Christian groups, who clearly WERE making a lifestyle statement, but one that hardly could cause confusion ! To be sure, some MC clubs tried to throw their weight around and tried to pressurise older MCC, MCRC, MCOC - 'straight clubs' to split up and sometimes they managed it and sometimes they didn't, but mostly the two worlds were completely separate. The distinctions have blurred quite a bit since though, with groups like HOG (admittedly derided as US-wannabees by many) who wear a backpatch with rockers, but there are a lot more of them than the HA and they're getting older and trying to be more respectable. If they run a night club they want your money, bike shop and they want your custom (pun intended. Why would I want to dress up as a Hells Angel though ? Much more likely to get pressure from the police, harder to be taken seriously at work, or to get business. It's bad enough having long hair and riding a motorbike ! If you want to associate with these people, remember that you are associating with violent people and you are an outsider. I'm not saying that they won't be good friends, but you will be walking a narrow line if any trouble breaks out. Yes, they can have some good parties, but watch your back and don't become the entertainment.
  3. greg_in_london
    So - some of it is South of London and we've had no snow for months...
  4. greg_in_london
    test wouldn't work for me - it just kept scanning through before I could scroll down to the multi-choice answers :-(
  5. greg_in_london
    Was raining here earlier, but should be better, of cold over the weekend. What do you mean late to wish you Happy St Patricks Day ? It might have been late here (2am today), but it was still the right day for you (8pm yesterday), seeing as you're all a bit behind the times ...
  6. greg_in_london
    Don't know about him, but I'm admitting nothing. If you're still up, happy St Patrick's Day.
  7. greg_in_london
    I used a soft rubber sleeve and cut the old pipe a little way down. It allows me to line it up and push the hose down. It seals better than it ever did before and is no trouble to re-fit. I'm sure that there are better ways, but this was easy to do when I had it apart and I've had no reason to change it since.
  8. greg_in_london
    When we have had this sort of thing in the UK, there was never any doubt that it was motorcyclists (or groups of motorcyclists) who were being targeted, not types of transportation - which it is when goods vehicles are tested. Years ago, when you could make money as a motorcycle courier, the police would give out completely false press reports to justify a 'clampdown' on riders. This REINFORCED the impression of law breaking bikers because they saw riders being stopped by the police (no smoke without fire etc.). To add insult to injury, you were given a form to present at a local police station. Nobody had anything to fear, except you were working in a time sensitive industry and could randomly lose 15-20 minutes, plus get a 45minute chore. What stopped it was organised action - getting on the radio - and a campaign to get everybody that presented documents at the station whose officers gave the form to - and handing them over one at a time. I use a motorway to get somewhere quickly and without delay - that means being told to stop is unwelcome. Does anybody really believe this is not about social profiling - or that it would not be perceived that way by the public ?
  9. greg_in_london
    I bought am AGM battery by moto-bloc or something similar from www.wemoto.com It seems to be holding up well, although I still need to do the earth connection in the starter motor as it is still cranking slowly.
  10. greg_in_london
    We've had no snow for months - the weather has improved and I'm getting irritated that I haven't gone for a ride yet.
  11. greg_in_london
    Just done the conversion to real temperatures - 66'C. That wouldn't melt much, but I'd want to be confident on the thermostat. That would be the plate warmer setting I suppose - my cooker isn't labelled that low. We cook the roast at 150 degrees - and no it doesn't take that long !
  12. greg_in_london
    If somebody has to start asking Why? we'll never get to the last word. I really should look up what a notary is. Maybe take some notes.
  13. greg_in_london
    Just noticed: Have you done this ? Wouldn't this melt the whole unit, if not some of the parts ? or is 150 degrees over there much cooler than here ?
  14. greg_in_london
    No option for custard Would I still be a role model with custard ? Or if sticky toffee pudding had been an option.
  15. greg_in_london
    Back to the carbs - they are not really that difficult to take apart or rebuild. From memory, float height is 19.5 mm above the nozzle casting, but check fuel level afterwards. Changing the float valve is a pita (well I couldn't do it) The Sirius diaphragms are a great price, although they may be lighter weight. I'm running them with no problems. Make sure you have long-nosed pliers to fiddle with the throttle cable - the worst part of the whole job until you get the knack. I would say that the most important parts to renew are the rubber bungs in the bottom of the jet block and the o-rings around the nozzle. Other parts can be re-used if serviceable. That brings the parts bill down to about £60 - $90, but what else you choose to do while you are in there depends on the balance between valuing the budget and your time if you have to dive in again in a year or two. Changing the petrol hose from the filter to the carbs is a good idea if you can buy quality stuff. The carbs themselves are complicated though - there are pictures in the (downloadable) manuals. A knowledge of what should be clear as well as solvent based cleaner and air line will make a world of a difference.
  16. greg_in_london
    At the side of the road we used to use an inner tube, but it is a PITA.
  17. greg_in_london
    The first gens cut out the headlight when starting, so this is not an issue for us. Then again, I wired mine so I could just replace the H4 bulb. And stupidly, wanting to do it cheaply and make it even cheaper, I bought a car set-up hoping to do two bikes. With only one relay, I at least have a spare 'bulb' and HT unit... I have hardly used it since the Summer though, so my 'test' is only 3,000 miles. So far so good though. You still haven't really explained the problem though - how/when is it not working. The upgrade is so good, I wouldn't want to see anybody put off.
  18. greg_in_london
    The action that actually led to the arrest was burning a couple of large red poppies. The symbolism of that was far worse than any of the banners, slogans or abuse. That might be difficult to explain, but that's the way it is.
  19. greg_in_london
    Did I read the read title right ? How many people only have two bikes ? I mainly use the Venture for camping and long Summer trips - with the sidecar I need a solo for London traffic during the day.
  20. greg_in_london
    Well I'm still hanging with the aim of getting the sneaky last word, so it's not just you three of you both.
  21. greg_in_london
    Guy over here was fined fifty quid for insulting behaviour on Remembrance Day last November. Not a very heavy fine, but at least it was a statement that some behaviour is unacceptable. There was a comment that such behaviour was bound to cause a breach of the peace - that you would expect an ordinary person to react in an unacceptable way - but I can't find who it came from - the magistrate or somebody else.
  22. greg_in_london
    Ballast ?? Once I got mine working I was able to forget about it. I had to mess with an arrangement to fool the Venture wiring system that my headlight had not blown. Is this what you mean by ballast, or the HT transformer box thingy ? I ask because I would have thought that you could have tested that it is producing the 30-40V with a multimeter. Is the intermittent fault that it does not work, or that it doesn't settle in either high or low position ?
  23. greg_in_london
    Another thing that could have the same effect (seriously this time) is that little actuator rod between the brass bush in the clutch lever and the plunger can be put in the other way round, but that can damage the seal and lead to a leak, which should be a giveaway. That means that the point where it starts to pressurise the system is right out from the bar. It's easy enough to check (just a M6 pivot bolt) and costs nothing.
  24. greg_in_london
    You need to replace the bubbles in the fluid line. A couple of small ones will do, available at any auto suppliers, just make sure that they don't give you any square ones - these can only be used with synthetic fluid.
  25. greg_in_london
    This is the kit I bought: [ame=http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/professional-10pc-hex-bit-socket-set-1-2-dr-ct2563-/370430315978?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item563f5e0dca]professional 10pc hex bit socket set 1/2" dr ct2563 on eBay (end time 08-Mar-11 13:20:20 GMT)[/ame] It was a little cheaper when I got it I think, but it has the important sizes. I twisted one when I leant hard on it, but for the fork plugs it is just fine.
×
×
  • Create New...