ASK THE OLD BLOKE ?
Welcome to the latest installment of our Questions page. This is a page where people can write in with questions, which I will try to answer, and will also allow other readers to offer their answers too. There's a lot of experience out there to draw on!How does this work? Well, what happens is you can send an email by clicking the "email" button at the bottom of the page, (the address, if you want to just cut-and-paste it into your email program, is as follows: theoldbloke_bikes@yahoo.com.au), and I will publish the question, and whatever answer I might have come up with, on the page here.If you see a question you can offer some help with, or even just an opinion, then send me an email and I will publish your reply too. WHICH WHEELS & WHY?
Russell wrote in with a question. He'd been talking to a friend and the subject turned to wheels. The friend asked him, "What are the advantages / disadvantages of spoked wheels and cast wheels?"The Old Bloke's Reply:
Briefly, my understanding of it is that cast wheels have the advantage of being lighter and stronger; therefore reducing unsprung weight. Reducing unsprung weight is of course a benefit to ride and handling. Their disadvantage is that they don't absorb shock well. If they strike something hard they are more prone to crack. Hence on off-road bikes they always run spoked wheels because they will absorb the impact of hitting rocks and jumping over things etc without the risk of breaking the wheels. Even the dual-purpose type bikes run spoked wheels, for the same reason; they are expected to encounter a few sharp hits on rocks and so on. Cast wheels also have advantages in style and appearance too, of course. They look good! (Although some retro-style bikes run spoked wheels for their more authentic old-bike look). Anyone have any other thoughts on this?Readers Replies:
Keith had another difference between spoked and cast wheels. “As far as the on-road rider is concerned the preference would be for cast wheels because it obviates the need for tubes which is a great blessing.” Yes, that is another difference, and one I neglected to mention. Of course serious off-road riders prefer tubes because they are easier to fix punctures, which are more likely when thumping over rocks and rough off-road stuff. (In theory anyway, although with the DIY plug type repairs available for tubeless this is not necessarily the case now).Con has a point to be mindful of with cast wheels. “I’ve read that cast wheels should be thrown away if the bike is involved in an accident, because as you said, they are prone to cracking, and those cracks can be hair-line cracks that aren’t visible. On spoked wheels they don’t get hair-line cracks so are okay to use if not obviously damaged.” Yes Con, I understand that is the case. If, for example, you are rear-ended by a car, or even run up a gutter etc, there is a likelihood of damage to the wheels that isn’t visible. The wheels would have to be X-rayed to determine if there is any damage; just looking at the wheels isn’t enough to ensure they are safe to use. Peter writes, “If you buy a BMW you get spoked wheels and tubeless tyres - those clever Bavarians figured out how to have the best of both worlds. All my BMW's have had spoked wheels as I prefer the look and like the idea of a bit of flex in the wheel rather than the crack/break scenario with cast wheels.” DANGEROUS ROAD CONDITIONS
Steve, who lives in a southern suburb of Sydney, wrote in to warn riders in the area of a dangerous road condition. He asked me to pass on the info to readers in that area (which I did – to the best of my knowledge of who lives where anyway), and also asked who he should report it to. “I saw some road conditions last night that I am concerned about. Heading east from Liverpool, where Heathcote Rd joins Princes Hwy, in the left turn lane they have removed some zig zag warning marks and ped'n crossing lines which were painted on the road. In doing so, they have scoured the surface quite deeply and it is very bumpy as you are turning left. It's effectively a series of channels or shallow trenches across the road for about 20 metres, at different angles. I consider it a danger to bikes, and would appreciate it if you let your blog readers know about it. And any idea which authority do I report it to, and how?” The Old Bloke’s Reply:
Sounds nasty! As I mentioned above, I sent an email out to people I knew who live in that area, or close enough to possibly be in the area. I would think that the RTA would be the people responsible, so they would be the ones to contact. Not sure who you'd ask for. Probably just call them, tell them of the problem and ask to be put through to someone who could assist. It would certainly be worth reporting though!Readers’ Replies:
Rod sent in a link to a mobile phone app that would be useful. “This iPhone/android ‘app’ may be useful in solving the danger problem. If the local council isn’t responsible for the road they should have a ‘duty of care’ in contacting the people who are." Click here for the link to the app.BEST PROTECTION?
Martin wrote in response to the article on Draggin Jeans. “What would be interesting is what other leg wear is available at around $400? Leather perhaps with built in protection, and how it compares with Draggins C-Evo in terms of safety and comfort - winter/summer maybe. Also, whether the company have tested alternative materials against their product and not just against competitors of jean types. Can we increase the non skin friction times with other alternatives? There are lots of other considerations to consider without spending thousands on racing gear. But are Draggins the best of what's available at the price? Now, my initial response was that they wouldn’t have tested them against other types of pants – like leathers etc – as these are really in a different market segment; so it’d be like comparing apples to oranges. But Martin makes the point that if his sole reason for buying riding pants is for protection, then all types of riding pants are in the same market. He sums this up: “My question then is if I am to pay $400 for protection to help prevent damage to my hips and knees from impact and have something which will help prevent skin loss, no matter what part of the pants comes into contact with the ground, then are the new Draggins the best way to spend my $400?” The Old Bloke’s Reply:
Firstly (after my initial response, which I indicated above), I think they are in different markets, as far as most people would be concerned. As Draggin Jeans say, their jeans are protective clothing for motorcyclists that can also be worn as street-wear. Leathers and special riding pants would not be worn as street-wear. However, I'm with you on this in the sense that the reason I bought my Draggin Jeans was for protection, not for fashion. Although my reason was also for comfort; leathers aren't comfortable wear usually. But it's a valid point. I did some checking and found leather pants from Rjays that had CE-approved armour for about $300. Alpinestars have racing-style leathers with armour at the hips, knees and shins for $450. So, as I suspected, if you go to leather riding pants then you’d get as good – or better – protection for the same money; or less. So for protection, we'd be better off spending the money on leather pants.GREY IMPORTS?
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Den wants to get back into bikes, having sold his last bike, a Yamaha FJ1200, some time ago. He’s been considering either the Suzuki V-Strom or Suzuki Bandit. But now he finds he might have to postpone the pruchase for a while and setlle for something a bit cheaper. “It may be some time before I can get the bike that I would like, so in the meantime I have been toying with the idea of getting a smaller one. I have read some reports on the Venox Kymco 250cc, one of the imported Honda 400 Shadow also the Yamaha XJR 400c (pictured left); all from the trader ads."I was just wondering if any of your readers knew anything about them? My last bike, the FJ1200, came from imported stock and it was a good bike; the only draw-back was when I tried to trade it in on a new Bandit up in Townsville some 8 years ago, they said it was only worth $6000, and would have been worth $7000 if it had been brought in the normal way.”The Old Bloke’s Reply:
I understand financial constraints only too well, Den. And better to get a cheaper bike to get back into riding than not get one at all! The V-Strom or Bandit can come later, in the meantime you can enjoy some fun riding while you're saving up for the bigger better machine!I don't know much about the Kymco. But I did find a road-test on one; although you said you'd read some reports about them. (Click here for the one I found). Personally I would be a bit wary. I've heard some worrying reports about some of the Chinese bikes. The build quality – even when they leave the factory and / or are assembled by the dealer – can leave a bit to be desired. But the road test is very favourable. And I have read some good reports too. So, it could be worth checking out.On the other hand, the imported machines can be a good buy. By a strange co-incidence, the current issue of Motorcycle Trader has an item in Spannerman’s column on grey imports. (Look on page 115, titled "Gossip Central"). It was an informative reply by Spannerman, and interesting to learn how they go about getting local compliance. The business mentioned there is International Motorcycle Importers, who advertise in every issue. They bring in grey imports and have them issued with compliance plates. They all have warranty, have been serviced and come with new tyres and brake-pads. Buying from somewhere like that is better than buying something privately; although probably more expensive. They are located in Victoria, but they do freight bikes Australia wide, so that makes it a viable proposition.The problem with bikes that aren't sold here (like the Honda 400 Shadow and Yamaha XJR400) is that you can run into trouble if you need parts, because local dealers probably won't have them; unless they are common with a local model. Having said that though, there's this thing called the internet that we are all supposed to shop with now, and that can get you parts that aren't available by the traditional walking-into-the-shop method. Another disadvantage, as you discovered with your last bike, is that paying less to buy it usually means you get less when you sell it. Swings and roundabouts I guess!If it was me, I'd be tending towards the Honda or Yamaha, just because they would be a better quality product, and more likely to give better service. But then you could also look at local models and see what is available. Buying privately is usually a lot cheaper, although you do have to be careful what you are buying. There's an article on my web-site called "Buying On Line" which might be of some assistance in this.
Readers' Replies:
Ivor reckoned the bikes at International Motorcycle Importers weren’t all that cheap. “I had a look at the bikes for sale on their web-site and they didn’t seem to be any cheaper than what you could buy locally. Although as I understand it they’re supposed to be mostly low-mileage jobs, and as you say, they’ve got a bit of new stuff on them, so I suppose that makes them better value. Maybe the real benefit is getting bikes that you can’t get locally, as your reader was thinking of doing. Although I think you’re safer with a model that has been sold locally. Parts are easier to get and mechanics would know how to service them etc.” Yes, Ivor, good point regarding the local knowledge and parts. As I think I mentioned, with the use of the internet sourcing parts from overseas is relatively easy – but still not as easy and quick as going to the local dealer. Patrick wondered about the background of these grey-imports. He writes, “Some of these bikes can be very very old, having sat in Japanese stockholding warehouses for yonks. A pressure wash, oil up the chain and cables, shove a couple of litres of cheapo oil in the sump, get the spray-gun out for 10 minutes, bung-on a set of budget rubber, polish the seat and out the door they go. Sorry, that’s the cynic in me, for a rare moment!” The age of the bike can be established, to a reasonable degree, but what model it is. But not knowing the background of the bike can be an issue. There is a down-side to low-mileage bikes, especially if they are a few years old. Sitting idle in a shed is not healthy for a bike, so there are potential problems there. Although, hopefully, they would show up within the warranty period and be sorted out. Still, I reckon we're probably better off buying local bikes.THE PERFECT ALL-ROUND JACKET?
Peter wrote to say that he is on a quest to find a waterproof jacket that is suitable for use all year round in the southern states.
He writes, “My two and half year old DriRider Summit Pro (which was a bit too hot in summer) now leaks like a sieve. I'm hoping that you or your readers will be able to enlighten me regarding how well mesh jackets with waterproof liners work in a decent downpour. Is the answer to have a good mesh jacket, and carry a fully waterproof over-jacket, or is there a decent product out there?” He says he has a mesh summer jacket but considers the level of crash protection is very poor; “And the big touring jackets are very hot in the tropics.” Tropics? Didn’t he say "southern states"? Well, yes he did. He lives in a southern state, but he’s off on another round-Australia trip in the near future and this prompted the question. He doesn’t want to take two jackets with him. The Old Bloke’s Reply:
Well, Peter, I think the perfect all-round jacket is probably like the perfect all-round bike – it doesn’t exist! I have two jackets, a thicker one for winter and a mesh one for summer. But, considering your forth-coming trip around Australia – and what happened last time (on his last trip around Australia he broke the frame on his Yamaha XJR and ended up buying another bike!) - I can understand your desire not to carry more than you have to. One problem with mesh jackets is that the liner is on the inside, so water gets inside the jacket before the liner gets to do its job of trying to keep the rider dry. The water gets into the pockets too, as I found out when my phone – which I had in a front pocket – got soaked one day. I have a light-weight rain jacket that I put on when it rains – with both jackets. My winter jacket didn’t make any great claims to be waterproof when I bought it and I don't like trusting it to keep the rain out, so I put the rain jacket on. This also keeps the jacket clean – dirty water from the road and other cars makes a bit of a mess of a jacket if you leave it exposed to that. The over-jacket is light enough to fold up and keep in the top-box, but does a good job of keeping the rain out. My current one is a Motodry. It’s very well made and water-proofed, weighs virtually nothing and takes up very little space when folded up.
My summer jacket is a DriRider DriMesh, and the protection is pretty good – including CE-approved armour and solid fabric (not mesh) at the likely impact points. The current version of this jacket (pictured at left) comes with a thermal liner too, so you have a choice of three configurations – no liner, the wind / rain liner, and a thermal liner. So it tries to be an all-weather jacket. As I mentioned, the problem with these jackets is that they let the cold and the water inside the jacket before the other liners do their job. I have found that putting a rain jacket on over these mesh jackets keeps the wind and rain out and allows the actual jacket to keep you warm and dry. In summer, if it turns a bit cold (which our variable weather is very wont to do!), I often use the rain-jacket as an exterior wind-liner to keep cold out; it’s warmer than zipping in the jacket’s own internal wind-liner. Similarly, it would be good to use in winter, where it would make the jacket warmer than just relying on the liners inside the jacket. So I think that's what I'd go with - the DriRider Drimesh and a light-weight rain jacket. P.S. I did a bit of research after I wrote the above and was reminded that they don't make the Dri-Mesh anymore. Well, they've changed the name anyway. It's now called the "Climate Control". There are a couple of different models of them, but basically they do the same thing as the Dri-Mesh I mentioned above. MCAS currently have them on special. I know they aren't in your state, but they do mail orders. Check the details and prices here.
Readers’ Replies:
Russell had similar advice to me. He wrote, “Dri-Rider mesh with 2 liners is one of the most versatile jackets but I prefer to use a rain jacket so the mesh does not get wet especially on the cooler days. Sometimes I find with the wet liner in on the warmer days the jacket gets very hot.” Yes, I find the rain over-jacket works well – for keeping you dry, but also keeping the jacket clean and dry. Rod had a couple of suggestions. “I have heard that the Rjays All Seasons Jacket is quite good. As luck would have it the current issue of Australian Road Rider has a feature on ‘Summer Clothing’. Two jackets I would look at are the Dririder Climate Control EXO and Climate Control Pro 2. Another jacket, which is longer in the body, is Motodry Airblade, which appears to be a bit longer. Like most things motorcycling, there are too many choices. I do agree with your concept of wearing the rain jacket over the protective jacket.”Paul wrote, “Nope, no such thing as a good all rounder! Tried em all and got a collection of jackets in the garage, one for summer, one for very cold & rainy winter, one for cool weather & one for cool denim look. But fashion police have warned me about double denim look with jeans! Summer one & denim one are not water proof so I carry rain over-jacket also!” Ivor had two answers. “In answer to your first question, if it was the southern states then you could probably get by with one jacket, provided you got one with lots of zip-open flaps etc, and of course, with a removable thermal liner. But if you’re going through Queensland and N.T. then you will definitely need a mesh one. So go with the mesh, provided it has a zip-in thermal liner, and the fold-up rain-jacket as The Old Bloke suggests.” Just a point on removable thermal liners. With my winter jacket, I never take the thermal liner out. When I did take it out it made me sweat like a pig! I felt a little bit cooler with it out, but I sweated a lot more. I thought it was just me, but then I spoke to a couple of other riders who found the same thing. I think it's got something to do with the type of material (plasticky type stuff) the jacket lining is made of.Pete wrote, "As the proud owner of a mesh jacket (Dri-Rider) they are good in the dry and hot weather but ditch the waterproof liner unless you like mobile saunas. My suggestion would be to go for the over jacket, but make sure it is not a close fit and is breathable." Yes, good point; when the liners get wet and then the hot summer sun comes out, it could get very steamy if you've got a wet plastic liner inside your jacket! Thank you to all those who replied; it's readers offering their advice like this that makes this section so worthwhile.IT’S THE VIBES, MAN!
John has a problem with his 2009 Yamaha XJR1300. He loves the bike, and has done some pretty serious touring on it, but he says that he is noticing some vibration. “My bike has recently developed an engine vibration that I was hoping you and your readers may have some advice on. The vibration comes in at 4,500rpm, most notably in 3rd and 5th gears. I've been to the place of purchase and was informed by their senior mechanic that it's a common problem with the model. “He said it’s caused during assembly when the engine is installed whilst the bike is upside down. He said that it’s easily rectified by loosening and then retightening the engine mounts. However, when I returned to collect the bike the Service Manager said that he and several of the staff test rode the bike and while they all experienced the vibration, they said its normal for the model, so I should learn to live with it. They retightened the engine mounts, but the vibration remains.” After that he contacted Yamaha Australia, who said they were both amused and surprised by the dealer’s explanation of the engine installation procedure (as they would be!), but also said that “Engine harmonics within the rev range described is characteristic with the XJR1300 and is not detrimental to the unit. Please note that this characteristic engine resonance is not a defect or fault.” They then suggested a couple of things like loose engine-mounting bolts and drive-chain adjustment which would make this characteristic worse. They also suggested that, “Labouring the motor (for example, 5th gear at 80km/h) may intensify the characteristic”. A couple more emails were exchanged, without any resolution to the problem. John writes, “I would be very interested to know whether there are any other XJR owners who have experienced the same issue and what, if any, advice they may have.” The Old Bloke’s Reply:
I thought the answer from the dealer was interesting!! The reply from the Yamaha rep was probably correct in what he was saying, but missed the point that it has recently developed this vibration. So I'll do what he did and talk about the actual vibration first. From my experience, what he was saying about "engine harmonics" (which is probably what it is, actually) being common at these revs is correct, and he would also be correct in saying that this is not detrimental to the bike. Mine has a slight vibration or harshness (engine-harmonic) at around 4,500rpm, which is noticeable only when cruising at these revs. It's not bad, but it's there enough to make me prefer to cruise just above or below these revs. Oddly enough, a previous Yamaha I had (unrelated mechanically to the XJR, apart from it being an air-cooled 4-cyl) had the same thing at the same revs. Must be an air-cooled Yamaha thing! I've just accepted it as a characteristic of the bike and “learnt to live with it”, or ride around it.I must say I was surprised at the Yamaha guy referring to the motor “labouring in 5th at 80kph”. As you'll know, the bike is quite happy at this speed in top. It'll run at 60kph in top without labouring!So, we could dismiss all this as being just a characteristic of this particular motor, as the Yamaha guy has done, apart from the fact that you say that it has recently developed this. I've had mine since it was almost new, and it had this harshness at those revs then and still does. (If anything, it might have diminished a little over this period). Things like loose mounting bolts, or chain out of adjustment / alignment etc are the sort of things that happen over time and could be the cause in your case. You mention that the dealer has re-tightened the engine mountings, so maybe you could check any other mounting bolts, including the exhaust, as well as the adjustment of the chain.Just one other thing, which is a bit left-of-field, but something you could check. When the rear tyre wears, it usually wears flat in the centre, giving the tyre a square-ish profile. When this happened on mine it resulted in the bars tending to wobble a bit if I eased my grip on them when decelerating; mostly from around 60 – 70kph. If you combine this type of wobble with the normal vibration the engine has at the revs you mention, it could give the impression that the vibration had got worse; or suddenly appeared if you hadn't previously noticed it. As I said, that's a bit left-of-field, but I thought I'd mention it anyway.Other than that, I'm not sure what else might be happening. However I will do some checking for you. A good resource (which I will try for you) is the XJR Owners Club, which is based in Britain. (www.yamahaxjrownersclub.com). I know we have at least a couple of other regular readers who own XJRs; and I know there are other people who have a good knowledge of bikes in general, so if you have any suggestions, please let us know.Readers' Replies:
I tried the XJR Owners Forum and got a few replies. AndyFad wrote, “I have an 07 model and it has always had the vibes at 4500 to 5500. But in saying that, it was more noticeable with the standard can, so tell him to ditch it and let it breath.”Skyscraper suggested having the fuel-injection system checked. “It could be worth having the throttle bodies balanced, as these, like carbs, do go out of balance over time.” That is a regular service item to do every 10,000km, actually, but could be worth checking. The usual symptom of the injection system needing balancing is the bike hunting at idle; not just when you shut the throttle, but if it continues to hunt while it’s idling. So if it isn’t doing that – and has been serviced as scheduled – then I’d reckon on it not being that. Ferg suggested, “Chain tension and lubrication makes a big difference. Needs to be spot on.” He also mentioned balancing of carbies on his ‘99 model. So another suggestion for the fuel-system balance. Bruce, a long-time XJR owner, wrote, “Absolutely bang on regarding vibes and worn tyres; and different brands of tyres as well, not all tyres are compatible with our old friend the XJR. One more thing, depending on what type of riding this fellow does, try changing (by only one tooth) the front, up one or, the rear, up one, sprockets. I’ve experienced the same (minor) problem before and this fixed it. Remember of course, that we all see these sorts of problems in varying degrees.” A couple of good points there, Bruce. Firstly the different brands of tyres – I hadn’t thought of that. And very true about people seeing the same “problem” (“characteristic”) in different ways. One man’s “vibration” can be another man’s “characteristic engine harmonics” – to quote the Yamaha guy! I feel much more comfortable about a noise or vibration etc if I know that it is okay and just a characteristic of the model. And I think John is now at least seeing this as not a major problem with the bike. One point about changing sprockets - which is a fairly common practice on the XJR, from what I read on their Owner's forum. On the later models - like yours, John - the speedo is driven from the gearbox, not from the front wheel. So changing the sprocket - which changes the gearing, of course - will affect the accuracy of the speedo. Lower the gearing and it will be over-registering, raise the gearing and it will be under-registering. So you would need to get it re-calibrated. I'm not sure if that can be done, but I assume an instrument specialist should be able to do it. Something to keep in mind. THE COST OF SERVICING
Peter (who some time ago told us about his Yamaha TDM850) asks, “Am I the only one out there with servicing problems? And I might add I nearly always do my own, but am stuck with the TDM.
He said that for a minor service he was quoted $240. He thought that was a bit expensive; particularly as the dealer he took it to was advertising services “from $140”. He said the dealer told him that the higher cost was due to the oil-filter being difficult to change. It is a cartridge type, not the spin-off-and-throw-away type. He adds, “Why Yamaha have to have these internal oil filters is beyond me. My Virago I had before this bike was the same. With that it was a bit fiddly due to crash bars but otherwise simple for me to do. “With this bike it’s very awkward to get to without the bike being up off the ground a fair way. I’d have to lay flat on the garage floor, which is not easy for me these days.” He added, “No-one can tell me that to ride motorbikes today is what it used to be for the average working man with little money. My pension is being stretched I can tell you!”The Old Bloke’s Reply:
We’ve addressed the issue of servicing before, but it’s always a relevant one, because we all have to do it, or more likely, pay for it to be done. The first thing to say, Peter, is that these days $240 is not a lot to pay for a minor service. With labour costs being around $90 an hour, plus the cost of oil ($50 or so for a good quality motorcycle oil), and say $15 for a filter, it wouldn’t take much to get to the $240 quoted. It doesn't make it any easier for us not too flush with money to pay though! And you're right, it’s not like the old days. Once upon a time, you bought 4 litres of oil for about $10 (just car oil, there were no special anti-friction oils back then), and maybe $5 for a filter; then an hour in the shed easily had the job done. The more fastidious amongst us attended to things like lubing the cables (I always had trouble getting those syringe things in between the inner and outer cables!) and oiling pivot-points etc. These days it’s different. For a start, oil is much more expensive. Mind you, even 30 years ago I was using a relatively expensive synthetic 2-stroke oil for my DT Yamaha, working on the principle that paying more for a better quality oil was a good investment in engine longevity. I still believe that. A wise mechanic once said, “The cheapest thing you’ll ever replace in your engine is the oil.” With regard to the filter, I have a Yamaha and it also has a cartridge-type filter. It too is a bit fiddly to change, requiring a small panel to be removed, the cover-plate of the filter taken off and a bleed-screw loosened. A previous Yamaha I owned had a spin-off type filter. It was easy, apart from having to buy a special tool to get at it. As Peter mentioned in his email (I edited it a bit) the TDM is basically a naked when it comes to engine maintenance, so it should be relatively cheap. Bikes with full fairings take a lot longer – and are therefore more expensive – to perform these routine service tasks. A different Peter, responding to a question a while ago about a reader’s woes at changing the battery in his Triumph Sprint, said that, "In achieving intended goals of performance and handling, the designs and engineering requirements don't always make for ease of maintenance." As he said, if people buy a Ferrari they don't complain about maintenance being difficult. But it’s more than that. Cars and bikes are getting much more complex today, and require specialist tools and knowledge to do a lot of routine type servicing. The days of the home-mechanic are, sadly, just about gone. And all that complexity adds to the service costs. As a consequence, checking out the cost of servicing has become an important issue to consider when choosing which bike to purchase. Still, there are things that you can do to reduce the costs. A friend of mine, who has a fully-faired bike, removes the fairing before taking the bike in for service; thereby saving the mechanic’s time and labour charges. He figures that securing the blinkers with zip-ties is a small inconvenience to pay for the saving he achieves in labour costs.Doing what you can yourself will always save you money. I’d reckon just about any owner would be capable of oiling the side-stand pivot, checking the chain adjustment, and even things like checking steering-head bearings and adjustment. (It’s not hard to do, and the owner’s manual will describe how to do it). Then there are things that the manufacturer might list in the service-schedule, but which really aren’t necessary. I don’t get those done and so I don’t get charged for unnecessary work. As I mentioned last time we looked at this question, I have never taken cars or bikes in for scheduled services and had everything done “as it says in the book”. The main reason is that these sort of scheduled services are usually very expensive. So when it comes to scheduled-services, I do what I can myself, then make a list of any other things that I consider should be done. I take the bike / car to a trusted mechanic and get them to do the items on my list. That way the vehicle gets what it needs and it doesn't cost an arm-and-a-leg to have the service done. Another point here is that the dealers usually charge a higher hourly-rate than independent repair-shops; so I go to an independent mechanic I know and trust.All of this probably doesn’t help you a lot, Peter, but it’s my thoughts on this issue of servicing. What do readers think?Readers' Replies:
Ivor takes the same approach to servicing that I do. He writes, “I’m with you, Old Bloke! When it comes to services, I do what I can myself and then get the bike shop to do whatever else I say needs doing. By doing that, I keep the service costs down compared to what they'd normally charge. I agree with your reader, the normal service charges are a bit of a rip-off! The trouble with just getting it serviced ‘by the book’ is that it will include items like checking the tyre-pressures, and checking brake-pad thickness, all things that you can easily do yourself. And they'll charge you for them.” He had another point that goes a bit further into the issue of items that don’t need doing. He says, “I've heard that manufacturers over-schedule things to cover themselves against people who ride their bikes very hard. That seems logical. If a bike gets thrashed then it’s going to wear out its oil (and probably other components) quicker than if it just gets toddled along by an old bloke. (Not suggesting you ‘toddle’, but you know what I mean). So if you ride gently you could probably extend oil-change intervals and certain other service items, like cam-belts / chains etc.” Funny you should say that Ivor! When I had my bike serviced recently, the mechanic (who is independent, has his own repair shop), suggested not doing a couple of items on my list because he considered they didn't need doing. (His approach to servicing is, “If it doesn’t need doing, don’t do it”). He made basically the same point as you; that these items get scheduled on the basis of covering a wide range of riding styles. Obviously if a bike gets ridden hard at constant high revs, it’s going to wear components more quickly than one ridden at more sedate speeds. That saved quite a lot of money on something that, in his opinion, didn’t need doing. You’re probably right about the oil-change intervals too, but I still like to change the oil at half the recommended distance. (In my case, 5,000km rather than 10,000km). I probably don’t need to, but I’ve just got this thing about oil – as I indicated in my reply above.SUZUKI C50?
Peter – who wrote in about the issue of servicing above – is considering selling the TDM and buying a Suzuki C50. As he mentioned above, his previous bike was a cruiser, and it’s a style of bike he likes. He has read a bit about the C50 and it all seems positive. So he’s wondering if there are any readers who own one or know much about them. The Old Bloke’s Reply:
That’s a bike I’ve been wanting to test-ride, Peter. I’ve mostly heard good reports about them too. A former riding friend used to have one of these (earlier version of anyway), and he was quite pleased with it – until it lunched it’s engine! From memory there was an oil-leak which suddenly left it with no oil. And engines don’t like that. I know we have a couple of regular readers who have some experience with Suzuki cruisers, so any suggestions? WHICH AUTO-TUNE?
Paul wrote in to ask about fitting an ECU Auto-tune module to his Harley. “I bought a XL1200c 2008 and want to fit an EFI tuner. Which one? Any idea? Screaming Eagle? Power Commander? Or Thundermax? The thundermax is what I'm thinking but don't know anyone in Vic who will fit it. What do you think?”The Old Bloke’s Reply:
I haven't had much experience with these, Paul, but going from what info I could find, my choice would be either the Thundermax or Power Commander. Both claim to be easy to fit and automatically adjust to suit what your engine is doing at any given time. The Thundermax particularly mentions automatically adjusting to provide optimum mixture after fitting an after-market exhaust or air-filter, which can be handy. (No pun intended!).I would think any decent bike-shop or mechanical centre would be able to fit them for you, so I'm surprised that you don't know anyone to do it. Have they said they can't do it? That seems strange. At most it would require welding a sensor into the exhaust, which isn't rocket-science for a decent mechanic. The rest of the installation you could probably do yourself - if the blurb is correct.I'll throw the question open to readers and see what people suggest.CROSSING DOUBLE LINES?
Ivor thought this would be a good one to put up as a question, to get people’s views on the subject. What inspired his question was an editorial by Cycle Torque editor, Chris Pickett. You can read the editorial here.Ivor writes, “Have you seen this editorial, Elwyn? I don’t want to get into the question of police-entrapment, that’s a whole different issue, but this article did prompt me to think about crossing double-lines. And I was wondering what readers’ opinions might be on this subject. In this particular instance, even if the alleged entrapment was true, and it’s a pretty low act if it is, the rider is still at fault, legally. I know a lot of riders overtake across double lines, but personally I avoid it, partly because it is illegal and I don’t want to run the risk of being booked, but also because it’s hard to draw the line (no joke intended) on when it is safe to do it and when it isn’t. What do you and your readers think?” The Old Bloke’s Reply:
I did see the article, Ivor. In fact I considered putting it on my Blog page but decided not to because the story can’t be verified. A couple of points first, before we get to the question. Firstly, the driver of the 4WD didn’t indicate for the rider to pass, he just pulled to the left, which the rider assumed was an invitation to pass. I think that was a fairly big assumption. (It’s a long way short of an arm out the window waving him around). Secondly, the article states that the booking resulted in a “loss of licence”; so I’m assuming the rider had previous bookings, as this one alone wouldn’t have resulted in a loss of licence. So he has broken the law a couple of times in the recent past to be in this position. That said, if this was a police “sting” then it is, as you say, a pretty low act. But, to your question of crossing double lines. I don’t do it. But many riders do, of course. I am frequently overtaken by bikes that cross unbroken lines – usually going past me and whatever vehicle I’m following. Sometimes their overtaking is quite safe (even if illegal and at illegal speed), but sometimes it is pushing the limits of safety. And sometimes the riders are just plain high-speed hoons. But even when it would be perfectly safe, I still won’t. (And I certainly wouldn’t have overtaken had I been in the situation where the rider in the story did). Many years ago, when I was just a young bloke, I was booked for overtaking across double-lines. My overtaking manouvre was perfectly safe – a fact not denied by the policeman who booked me – but I still got booked. A $20 on-the-spot fine. ($20 was a lot of money over 40 years ago!). But that isn’t the reason I don’t do it now. Like you, I don’t want to run the risk of being booked, although in many cases you can see there aren’t police around so that wouldn’t be the reason then. For me, the main reason is that it portrays a bad image of motorcycling. It is very openly and blatantly flaunting the law, and as such, presents an image of motorcyclists as people who hold no regard for the law, or other motorists. I much prefer to stay behind until a legal opportunity to overtake presents itself. The only time I have done it – and even then I’m wary – is, for example, when following a truck up a steep hill and we are just crawling along, and the truckie waves me past. Then I have, occasionally, accepted the invitation and given the truckie an appreciative wave. But as I said, I’m still wary. If I can’t see that it is safe I’m reluctant to take the truckie’s signal that it is. So that’s me. What about our readers? What do you think?
Readers' Replies:
Bill checked the web-site of the RTA (Now Roads and Maritime Services or whatever it is called) and reported that they don’t say that you are required to indicate when entering a roundabout,Con said, “I basically don’t do it either, except in situations like you described with the truck. If I’m stuck behind a truck, or one of those rotten tourists with a 40-foot caravan behind, and I can see it’s safe I’ll whip around. I don’t wait for the driver to wave me past, I think they expect you to pass if you can, even if there are double lines. But that’s the only time.”Steve had this to say. “Like you, I studiously avoid overtaking across unbroken lines. You have no defence if caught. It upsets motorists as well and tarnishes the image of all riders.” Having no defence if caught is a good point, and is probably the bottom-line to that editorial by Chris Pickett.Peter also agreed with my philosophy. He writes, “Maybe being now of a more mature age I think first and just don't act first. However, all the years I have ridden motorcycles I have never ever gone out of my way to break road rules. The overtaking across lines, especially when out in the country on narrow roads and twisties, really gets up my goat.” He went on to relate an incident he had experienced recently. “I was on my last 30Ks of a day out riding and a group of Harleys came from nowhere behind me. One minute there was no one in my mirrors the next a whole thundering crowd of Harley bikes. The leader had a pillion lady friend on behind and he made it quite clear I was a nuisance on the road in his way. Now I was doing a right hand turn, but this did not stop these riders. The first bike came right up alongside me whilst I was trying to turn. Next thing I was nearly knocked off my scoot by this thundering big Harley. The rest of the group then about 10 or more then overtook me doing the same thing. Now if this was not darn right rudeness and dangerous riding I do not know what is.” He added that he’d had similar experiences while on rides with “pocket-rockets” overtaking across double lines. Yes, I’ve had the same thing happen, Peter. Very rude and very silly, as you say. YOSHIMURA CAN?
Paul wrote in to ask if anyone had experience with Yoshimura exhausts. He wrote: “I have a 2011 Yamaha FZ8S Fazer, and I want to put a sports-pipe on my bike. I was thinking of going with the Yoshimura R-77D full carbon fiber. Has anybody got any comments on this slip-on?”The Old Bloke’s Reply:
I haven’t had much experience with after-market exhausts myself, except for one – not sports-type – I had fitted to a Yamaha 250 road-bike once, which didn’t make a lot of difference, except making it sound like a miniature Harley, which I quite enjoyed! But generally speaking, these sort of after-market cans don’t require any re-tuning and don’t cause any problems. They should improve general performance (as well as sounding better!), although I have heard of them introducing flat-spots or changing the characteristics of the engine’s performance. I tried to find some technical support from Yoshimura, to better answer your question, but their main wholesaler (still advertised and linked on their web-site) appears to have closed down. I did find a specialist exhaust supplier, Full Exhaust Shop, who I emailed. Their reply (which I’ve forwarded to you) didn't provide much that you probably hadn't read yourself, except that, as I expected, they said it isn't necessary to have the bike re-tuned. Although they said they would advise it, “As a matter of course.” Which is probably a good idea. “Not necessary, but advisable if best performance is to be gained from the unit”, would be the way I’d put it. So, over to our readers. Anyone have any advice on these?BETTER SHORTER?
Paul wrote in to ask if I or anyone else had experience with Pazzo levers. “I am thinking of buying a set of Pazzo levers for my 2011 Yamaha FZ8S. If anybody has any advice on these levers it would be greatly appreciated.”The Old Bloke’s Reply:
I haven't heard a lot about these, but I do recall hearing some good comments. I did a bit of browsing and the reviews all seem very positive. They seem to be well made too, from what I could see. Here is a review and some info about them on a bike forum, being fitted to an FZ6. The guy there makes the point that you generally don't need the levers to be as long as they are, and that's probably true. For example, I usually only use 2 fingers for braking, so they would fit very easily on these levers. I think that, because of the shape of the levers, when you operate them you are pulling more towards the end of the lever than you would with a normal lever, and this would tend to lighten the weight of the pull required. Yes, it is the same distance from the pivot-point, but I think it is the shape of the lever, and the fact that the pull is coming more towards its end that would result in this lighter feel. The rider writing the review mentioned the brake and clutch both felt lighter.Anyway, over to our readers; anyone have any comments on these? WHICH LINE?
Here’s an interesting one. Ivor wanted some clarification on a technical term. “I read a letter in the current issue of Australian Motorcycle News where the writer said that he was annoyed by people using the term “in-line” when referring to engines to mean the cylinders were in a line. He claimed that ‘in-line’ meant that the engine’s crankshaft was pointing the same way as the wheels; in other words it was ‘in-line’ with the chassis.” (So the photo of the across-the-frame 4 cylinder engine pictured below shouldn't be called an “in-line” 4 cylinder).
“The writer says you could have an “in-line V4”, if the crankshaft was in-line with the chassis. I have always thought that it referred to the configuration of cylinders, and I’ve never seen it used in the way the writer of the letter suggests. Is he right? Have we been reading it wrongly all these years?”The Old Bloke’s Reply:
I'd always thought of it as referring to the cylinders being in line too. So I did a bit of research to make sure we haven’t all been reading it wrongly. Answer? We haven’t. When an engine is described as “in-line” that refers to the cylinders being positioned in-line with each other. So, contrary to what the letter-writer claims, you can’t have an “in-line” V4 motor. Where he may have got confused is with aircraft engines, where apparently the definition is different. (Seems strange, but I read a couple of sources that confirmed this). In aviation an “in-line” engine is any engine where cylinders are placed one behind the other at the crankshaft end. So in aviation you can have an “in-line” V engine, or an “in-line” horizontally-opposed engine etc. This is getting close to the interpretation the letter-writer was using. But this is only in aviation; in cars and bikes the term “in-line” refers to the actual cylinders being in-line with each other. 