What was the worst bike you have ever owned

[Mr. Dazzle]

I think comparing a top of the range (in terms of what Triumph sold at the time) bike to an XJ600 is a bit disingenuous. For comparison to change the plugs on my 98 CBB600 I also have to remove the seat, tank and airbox. Ditto on the similar vintage Ducati. Not tried it on anything really new.

I can change the plugs on the Bonneville without even getting off the bike.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Changing the plugs on the 955 doesn't sound that much more work than on any inclined Yamaha 4 cylinder engine, they all really need you to take the radiator off to get to the plugs

My 1982 Z1000J I can change the plugs without taking the tank off, on LCs you don't even need a plug spanner, newer bikes are harder to work on, the same is true of cars

[Horse]

That's why old airhead R flat twin Beemers were designed considerately; let alone changing the plugs you could sit beside the bike and take the cover off to adjust the tappets.

[KungFooBob]

Flying brick for the win, I just have to remove the left hand fairing and the plastic cover over the plugs



BMW even put tangs on the plug caps so you can pull them off with pliers.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I've pulled the HT caps off and put them back on while riding the Bonnie I was trying to work out if the shit running was in one cylinder or both.

[DefTrap]

Monster 750. Lovely to look at, really lovely, but just a bit boring - couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding.

[The Spin Doctor]

Changing the plugs on the 955 doesn't sound that much more work than on any inclined Yamaha 4 cylinder engine, they all really need you to take the radiator off to get to the plugs

My 1982 Z1000J I can change the plugs without taking the tank off, on LCs you don't even need a plug spanner, newer bikes are harder to work on, the same is true of cars

I found I could get to the FZ's plugs by removing the top rad mounting bolts then rocking it forward. But I did need a Facom long reach plug spanner to get to them.

[The Spin Doctor]

It used to take me 45 mins to do a full service on the CX500.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Changing the plugs on the 955 doesn't sound that much more work than on any inclined Yamaha 4 cylinder engine, they all really need you to take the radiator off to get to the plugs

My 1982 Z1000J I can change the plugs without taking the tank off, on LCs you don't even need a plug spanner, newer bikes are harder to work on, the same is true of cars

I found I could get to the FZ's plugs by removing the top rad mounting bolts then rocking it forward. But I did need a Facom long reach plug spanner to get to them.

To be honest I've never actually tried, I bought a set of plugs when it was running a bit ropey, read that it involved taking the rad off, thought can't be arsed with that, gave it a good thrashing, which sorted out the poor running.

[The Spin Doctor]

Changing the plugs on the 955 doesn't sound that much more work than on any inclined Yamaha 4 cylinder engine, they all really need you to take the radiator off to get to the plugs

My 1982 Z1000J I can change the plugs without taking the tank off, on LCs you don't even need a plug spanner, newer bikes are harder to work on, the same is true of cars

I found I could get to the FZ's plugs by removing the top rad mounting bolts then rocking it forward. But I did need a Facom long reach plug spanner to get to them.

To be honest I've never actually tried, I bought a set of plugs when it was running a bit ropey, read that it involved taking the rad off, thought can't be arsed with that, gave it a good thrashing, which sorted out the poor running.

Definitely the best way to sort a bike out

[maccecht]

My second mkII TDM850. 1998 'S' reg with 24,500 miles on the clock that I bought in 2000 for £1,500. It had full service history, full Givi luggage, Scottoiler, alarm and looked in decent condition.

This being my second TDM850 I was well acquainted with the foibles of the wet weather mis-fire and the high fuel consumption. New emulsion tubes from Factory Pro sorted out the fuel consumption and some self-amalgamating tape around the plug caps/HT leads shold have sorted out the mis-fire but didn't. This fault alone left me stranded a number of times - once on a TRC weekender in Wales, once on the M8 just outside Edinburgh on my way home to London and once at Oxford services on my way to a TRC camping weekend. This was eventually traced to a loose connection on one of the ignition coils under the tank.

The lower mount for the shock sheared off at 30k miles. Replaced the shock with a Hagon but it never handled that well so I went to a track evening at Brands Hatch to try to learn in safe conditions. Bike bounced everywhere and I came home early. The following weekend Maceccht was changing my fork oil and springs and found there was no oil in the right hand leg at all (no hint of a leak either).

One of the exhaust valves burned out shortly after the shock mount incident.

The alarm packed in. The fuel pump (vacuum) packed in but not before dumping several litres of fuel over my friends new tarmac drive.

It wouldn't start in the cold despite having a fully charged or new battery. The choke didn't work.

Ironically, it was at its most reliable when the exhaust valve burned out. A neighbour of Maceccht's gave me £600 for it in 2014 when I was quite prepared to let it go for free. Of course, that wasn't the end of it, aforementioned neighbour never used the bike and in 2019 decided to sell it but it ended back in Maceccht's shed needing new brake calipers and carbs stripping/cleaned.

Never owned a pile of shite bike well maybe my BMW R45 but excluding that if we go to the biggest pile of shite you ever had in your workshop Beanies bike tops the list. 5 stars.
My neighbour Beanbag sold it to arranged a hit man but even after torture I refused to give Beancounter up. I have the scars. On the upside I havent seen it since "hurrah"

[Horse]

I'd been thinking that most of my bikes had just been meh, none particularly stuck out. But Beanie's TDM saga reminded me of my first KRT. The guy who serviced it said that all of the early Ks had problems, but mine seemed to get them all. 1994 was a particularly awful series where something failed every month, including:
- rear shock failed while I was on a 2 week MSF instructor training course. BeeDubya brought up a s/h one and changed it over on a MaccyD car park
- The shaft of the water pump impeller sheared. At an angle, which meant it kept spinning, be allowed it to move and drill a hole in the casing, pissing coolant out like an incontinent old dog. That was as I demonstrated at training exercise. AA recovery.
- Fresh air temperature sensor failed, told the ECU to go full fat on the petrol mix. In mid Wales, on a course. AA recovery.
It went on, something every month, for about 8 months.

[fil2]

Bmw s1000rr