Motorcycles

[riverflow]

Throttle lock like above or a http://crampbuster.com/

 

[MarioImpemba]

Haha, I've seen those, but... does anyone actually use them? That's what I don't get, how do you guys not cramp up your hands? Is it because I have carny hands? I've yet to go on a ride longer than about 45 min because it just gets too annoyingly painful.

 

[TRINI]

I don't get cramp but my throttle hand used to go numb.

Once I changed my grips, the vibration was less prominent and my hand was fine.

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]



My throttle hand cramps up after 30 minutes. What's the secret to long rides?

Sounds like your gloves are too tight

 

[riverflow]

Sounds like you're gripping too tight. Last winter I got a lot of cramps because I was clenching my heated grips for dear life. Relax the hands

My hands still get a bit sore around the thumbs after riding for several hours, but that seems understandable to me. Moving my thumbs on top of the grips for a while solves that issue.

 

[otc]

Well, I have discovered what happens when my motorcycle runs out of gas (it stops).

Oddly, I was at mile 115 and the tank should be good for more like 150. Unfortunately, I had left the fuel knob in the wrong position, so no reserve tank for me. Not sure what happened. It has been running funny, so I may have just been burnign lots of excess gas. Or, with the switch in the prime position, it was able to slowly leak (the floats used to seal well...but I suppose they could have been leaking).

 

[TRINI]



Well, I have discovered what happens when my motorcycle runs out of gas (it stops).

Oddly, I was at mile 115 and the tank should be good for more like 150. Unfortunately, I had left the fuel knob in the wrong position, so no reserve tank for me. Not sure what happened. It has been running funny, so I may have just been burnign lots of excess gas. Or, with the switch in the prime position, it was able to slowly leak (the floats used to seal well...but I suppose they could have been leaking).

I had that happen to me on my final licencing exit course actually. The combination of constant stop-starting and not getting out of second gear meant that i ended up with a lot less fuel than my trip odometer indicated and when we got on the highway, I started sputtering and losing power.

Thankfully, all I needed to do was switch to reserve and get to a gas station but it would've sucked if it'd been something more serious.

Not having a fuel gauge ******* sucks.

 

[Cool The Kid]

I use my trip meter vigilantly. I have to... my bike gets **** gas mileage for what it is and the tank is relatively small. Coupled with my long commute, if I get 2 days of riding without the gas light coming on it's a miracle. I love love love the look of nakeds but I'm considering getting a faired bike next go round. Shame there are not too many faired middle weights... I could mess with something like a faired 750-800 triple with upright bars

 

[otc]

Yeah...usually don't have any trouble because I can flip to reserve. But since it was in prime (which uses the reserve inlet), once it started sputtering, I was dry. Ran for a bit further at full throttle (since it would suck from a jet further down in the bowl I am assuming), which got me to the exit from Lake Shore Drive. Walked it the rest of the way to the office (about a .6 miles).

Can't tell if it leaked fuel or if I just forgot to reset the trip odometer before riding a few miles on the tank (I know I have done this in the past, but, I was on vacation so my last fill was a *long* time ago and I can't remember...will have to check the book where I right down mileage).

99% sure it is just out of gas...hopefully I can get some gas at lunch and it will start right back up.

 

[otc]

One aquafina bottle full of gas and she's back up and running!

 

[TRINI]



One aquafina bottle full of gas and she's back up and running!

I was so paranoid about running out of gas on my trip, I'd fill up at every major stop. I got to the point where I could eyeball the tank and get within $1.00 of how much gas I needed to top it up.

I'd probably get one of those small stainless steel gas containers for future roadtrips.

 

[nootje]

She's alive!

Since the move into a new apartment that sucked up all cash and time this summer I had to postpone work on the suzuki.
Last month I finally was able to start working on it again, and also figured out what had eluded me in spring. The airbox had a crack in it that made it run (if it ran at all) very lean. Ripped out the airbox as an original part would cost a fortune and I want to convert it cafe style anyway. Fitted individual pods last weekend and 3 sizes larger main jets, turned out the mixture screws 4 times and she started on the first try. On a test run down the street she bucked and really didn't 'go' between 3 and 8k rpm. As the shop was closed already I had to postpone further steps until this weekend, fitted an even larger main jet (now 107,5, up from 97,5) and set the jet needle up one step higher. She now picks up better, but still hesitates at around 6k rpm, so ill move the needles to their highest point coming weekend.

aside from that long story though, she ran! celebrated with an 80 km drive to the next city and back, and didn't even care about a little rain. (the hesitation was temporarily solved with the choke)

 

[otc]

It never ends!
After filling up my empty tank yesterday, I also checked my carb diaphragm that has a tendency to slip. It had popped loose again, so I fixed it and the bike once again felt like it was bursting with energy.

Decide to ride it again today, pull around the first corner and *POP* the clutch cable snaps.

Wasn't looking forward to potential stop and go traffic without a clutch so I turned around, parked it, and took a Lyft to work

 

[TRINI]

Just wanted to recommend a nice little tool I picked up recently and used today to lube my chain: the Tirox Snap Jack.

http://townmoto.com/tirox-snap-jack-portable-jack

Worked like a charm.

 

[Cool The Kid]

Any recs on good tires for commuting? I ride about 40-120 miles a week depending on weather and I'm down past the wear bars.