New bike thread!

[Taipan]

It had a switch on the dash but i couldn't see what it was for? I was hoping it switched that bloody amber light off but it doesn't. Then I found out what it does do, it turns off the bloody loud indicator beeper that made me jump out of my skin when I put the indicator on! D:

Looks like Craig's Honda serviced the bike too as it has fresh oil and filter at least.

[weeksy]

That's brilliant. You been out ?

[Horse]

It had a switch on the dash but i couldn't see what it was for? I was hoping it switched that bloody amber light off but it doesn't.

The switch for the amber light will look like this

[Taipan]

That's brilliant. You been out ?

No not yet. Had a bit of a hangover this morning and then family stuff happened. Hope to get out on it tomorrow now...

[G.P]

That looks really, really clean. That's a lot of bike for very little money. YOu could commute on that until you retire!

[Skub]

That looks really, really clean. That's a lot of bike for very little money. YOu could commute on that until you retire!

It should last more than 12 months,surely?

[G.P]

That looks really, really clean. That's a lot of bike for very little money. YOu could commute on that until you retire!

It should last more than 12 months,surely?

I'll set 'em up, you knock 'em down

[Potter]

I'll have to try one of these clutchless bikes, I rode one ages ago and kept nearly crashing, but the concept sounds good.

[Taipan]

WTF have I done! That was my first thought! It changes up so early! I think I was in 4th by the time I got off my path! As i chugged up the hill I live on I was thinking this ain't for me! Rode a couple of miles down the road and thought it seemed very gutless but then reminded myself the F8R was almost twice the power and I shouldn't be comparing it.

I headed out towards Maldon on familiar roads and got used to the way it steered etc. I started to change down manually as I went into corners and that helped a lot.Then I remembered there is a Sport mode and flicked the switch. Game changer! Soooooo much better as it held onto gears longer and changed down earlier. The bike started to make more sense now. Strangely, I suddenly felt more at home with it and started to like the riding position.I stopped at Maldon but then decided to extend the ride. I realised this in itself was a good sign. I headed over to Burnham.

The roads weren't busy but it was like the tour de france with the amount of cyclists out and of course this backed the traffic up at times. Bike was very stable and balanced at walking pace, which was encouraging as I do a lot of that in London's traffic. With under 50bhp its never going to be quick, but in Sport mode its responsive enough to blat in and out of the typical gaps I'll get in London. The more I rode it, the more it made sense and I think it'll be very good at what i want from it.

Heading home from Burnham I went out onto to main A roads to see how it behaved there. Again nice and stable at 90-ish mph. Suspension is cheap and doesn't soak up bumps well and could be quite harsh, but it didn't weave after hitting a bump. Plenty of improvements out there if i did find it an issue down the line. More annoying was the really, really awful buffeting. It has a little deflector on top of the Puig screen and this needs adjusting and hopefully that will cure it, if not its new screen time. Heated grips worked well, but it could use hand guards or those bag things you can put on?

I went back onto urban roads and took another detour and a longer route home, because, well, I was really enjoying myself. Maldon and back is about 45 miles but I ended up doing about 70miles. Its been a long time since I've stayed out on a bike and just enjoyed a ride like that. Early days of course, but it does seem like it could be a good purchase for me and it'll do what I need it to do and do it well and also be a bike I like to just ride for pleasure too!

[the_priest]

Wilbers do a good basic shock for these. Mine cost around £250 delivered, bought via Ebay and a French firm that allowed me to send details of weights etc required for the spring. Made a big difference to the quality of ride. I of course had to change the fork oil to compensate for this and used a heavier weight and reduced airgap just a bit. Worked a treat and the bike was more supple.

A good purchase and yes, Sports mode makes all the difference!

[Taipan]

Broke down!! Came out of t
He bank turned the ignition on and then it went
Off again and now the bike is completely dead, no ignition light
S or anything! Good start innit!

[Supermofo]

Bugga

[Horse]

Broke down!! Came out of t
He bank turned the ignition on and then it went
Off again and now the bike is completely dead, no ignition light
S or anything! Good start innit!

Whole new twist on the 'when was the last time ... ' thread.

Not extracting the urine, but have you checked and rechecked everything obvious? Kill switch, any other cut-outs (as an auto, presumably it has extra interlocks, etc.

[KungFooBob]

Sounds like a main fuse.

[Taipan]

Sounds like a main fuse.

Think I heard it pop! Still waiting for recovery!

[Taipan]

As I was rolling it off the recovery truck, Postie turned up with my Akra!

Turns out it was a loose earth terminal. Battery screw was literally loose by about 1.5 turns?! Tightened it up and all is well. Of course I don't believe its fixed and wont until at least a 1000 miles later! Very strange how it was even starting and why didnt it flick in and out?

I have a box of spring washers and those grippy little star washer things but of course its hiding from me...

[Taipan]

Of course what knackered me was the previoius owner had replaced the battery hatch screws with stainless allen bolts, but there was no allen key in the toolkit. There is now...

[Skub]

It's a proper adventure bike.

[Taipan]

It’s only an Alta when you put the badge on!!

[Taipan]

Wilbers do a good basic shock for these. Mine cost around £250 delivered, bought via Ebay and a French firm that allowed me to send details of weights etc required for the spring. Made a big difference to the quality of ride. I of course had to change the fork oil to compensate for this and used a heavier weight and reduced airgap just a bit. Worked a treat and the bike was more supple.

A good purchase and yes, Sports mode makes all the difference!

Good advice there, thanks. I'll deffo look into that.