New bike thread!

Discussions and updates on your new bike, your new build, your wishes, wants and desires
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Taipan
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Re: New bike thread!

Post by Taipan »

Took the long way home yesterday and went down some unmade roads and farm tracks. My clean bike is no longer clean lol. Michelin pilots are unsurprisingly shite on these surfaces. I nearly dropped it several times!! So I either need to stick to the roads or fit dual sport tyres!

Prior to getting dirty I was on back roads enjoying myself. I really need to get the front end sorted out as it compresses so easily it feels like the front is sliding?! It’s most disconcerting!!

So not a good green lamer and it’s no back road scratcher either, but, I really enjoy riding it and rarely take the shortest route home! :thumbup:

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Taipan
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Re: New bike thread!

Post by Taipan »

Today’s job. All upvc spacer?

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Re: New bike thread!

Post by mangocrazy »

Bit rubbish of K-Tech not to supply spacers, but poly tube should do fine as spacer material
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Re: New bike thread!

Post by Taipan »

I bought the springs off of eBay, so they didn't come with spacers. Bit of a pain of a job, literally as I have back problems, so I couldn't get the preload adjusters in, but the sag seems less than before and the stronger springs are in for now anyway. I think I'll get some PD valves and sort out the mudguard/fork bolts and drop the forks to Black Art Suspension to fit the lot. But, for now, another little job done. :thumbup:
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Re: New bike thread!

Post by v8-powered »

Taipan wrote: Sat Feb 27, 2021 3:11 pm I think I'll get some PD valves and sort out the mudguard/fork bolts and drop the forks to Black Art Suspension to fit the lot.
Do you know Mick @ Black Art then?
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Re: New bike thread!

Post by Taipan »

v8-powered wrote: Sat Feb 27, 2021 3:53 pm
Taipan wrote: Sat Feb 27, 2021 3:11 pm I think I'll get some PD valves and sort out the mudguard/fork bolts and drop the forks to Black Art Suspension to fit the lot.
Do you know Mick @ Black Art then?
No Mate. I;'d heard of them a couple of times before and then saw where they was when I was getting new tyres on my car across the road to them! Is he good then?
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Re: New bike thread!

Post by mangocrazy »

Only just started following this thread, but I have to say I had my opinion of the NC700/750X changed after following a husband and wife who had his'n hers NCs. Mrs Mango and myself had ridden the old VFR750 that we keep at the moneypit in France to a known biker's gathering spot in Saint-Pons-de-Thomières and sat down for a drink and a snack. An English couple (who it turns out, live in the next village to us) had clocked the bike on a UK plate and came over to chat to us.

The upshot was that they offered to show us some of their favourite local roads. This was clearly an offer that couldn't be refused so we agreed, finished our repas and followed them into the countryside. I was thinking that we'd be going on a sedate little bimble through some scenic bits of France. How wrong was I... The route was scenic all right but I had no time to admire the view, but was more concerned with trying to keep the two flying NC's in sight. I had to really hustle to stay with them, despite having a clear horsepower advantage, although they clearly had local knowledge. The roads were absolutely superb, twisty as f**k and beautifully surfaced and it was honestly one of the best biking afternoons I'd ever had. By the end of the day my tyres were scrubbed to the edge and I'd developed a new-found respect for the NC750X. His was the manual version, and hers was the DCT (which she really liked).
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Re: New bike thread!

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It's weird as I've had 2 before but didn''t really get on with them! The first one was a 750x DCT, which I couldn't ride with any comfort as I was waiting on a knee replacement, but I also think it may have been restricted as it felt so slow?! The other one was a 700 manual and it just felt wrong as they redline about 7k and again, it felt like there was something wrong with it. This one seems to have landed at the right time as its performance, or lack of it, doesn't bother me in the slightest. I'm just really enjoying riding a DCT motorbike!
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Re: New bike thread!

Post by v8-powered »

Taipan wrote: Sat Feb 27, 2021 4:53 pm
v8-powered wrote: Sat Feb 27, 2021 3:53 pm
Taipan wrote: Sat Feb 27, 2021 3:11 pm I think I'll get some PD valves and sort out the mudguard/fork bolts and drop the forks to Black Art Suspension to fit the lot.
Do you know Mick @ Black Art then?
No Mate. I;'d heard of them a couple of times before and then saw where they was when I was getting new tyres on my car across the road to them! Is he good then?
Yeah, Mick is a real decent guy.
Ex-racer who can still hustle a bike now, I track day'd a lot years back when he ran a modified TL1000. His servicing and suspension business has a decent following, he should look after you..
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Re: New bike thread!

Post by Taipan »

v8-powered wrote: Sun Feb 28, 2021 10:42 am
Taipan wrote: Sat Feb 27, 2021 4:53 pm
v8-powered wrote: Sat Feb 27, 2021 3:53 pm

Do you know Mick @ Black Art then?
No Mate. I;'d heard of them a couple of times before and then saw where they was when I was getting new tyres on my car across the road to them! Is he good then?
Yeah, Mick is a real decent guy.
Ex-racer who can still hustle a bike now, I track day'd a lot years back when he ran a modified TL1000. His servicing and suspension business has a decent following, he should look after you..
Good to know. As I say, I'd heard of them a few times, randomly, but never quite knew where they were until I was in Rawreth Tyres the other week and I saw them opposite. I looked them up and read their FB page and thought I might end up using them, so its good to get an actual endorsement. Cheers. :thumbup:
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Re: New bike thread!

Post by Taipan »

9.0 Springs are an improvement. Obviously, the damping is still off, but for a commuter, i could probably live with it as it is. I've got a birthday coming up soon and I gave the wife a list of thing I wanted and one thing on the list is a ebay link to PD valves. Should I get them I'll go ahead and get Black Art to rebuild the forks, but if I don't get them, hmmm not sure...
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Re: New bike thread!

Post by Taipan »

Found this connector on my bike. I don’t recognise the connector? Is it for a phone or sat nav?

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Re: New bike thread!

Post by the_priest »

Flux capacitor connection. Sad thing is that you have to push that beast to get to 88mph... does look like a GPS charging point though, but sure you don't get that lost.
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Re: New bike thread!

Post by KungFooBob »

It's a 'micro usb' older/cheaper android phones and TomTom Satnags use it.
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Re: New bike thread!

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Well I have the tutoro set up nicely, if a little too enthusiastic, but I wanted to really soak the chain. I put my cleaning brush on it last night and noted the chain tension varies ridiculously! So I guess i'll have to play around with the rear sprocket to sort that out! :roll: Might even just buy a OEM one?

You can reset the DCT on these and I sort of assumed the dealer would do that as a matter of course. I was wrong. I did it and its changed things quite dramatically. D mode is now worth using and pull away is less revvy and it bites quicker? Gear changes seem smoother and it'll change down with less throttle opening than before. Previously I'd hit the downshift button as its response to the throttle was pretty poor. Quite taken back by the difference is made to the ride, a ride I was okay with before, but am even happier with now!

Reflecting on the fork spring change, it's an improvement for sure, but the damping is still lacking. I'll deffo sort fork valves one way or another, but that can deffo wait until its proper springtime!
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Re: New bike thread!

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Something I learnt along time ago is chain tight spots is a misnomer. When the chain gets tight in its revolution, its because the rear sprocket is oscillating. I had this once before where it was enough to cause concern, but its something I've not normally worried about and chain adjustment has been fine when the adjustment allows for it.

On this bike the difference in chain tension when you rotate the wheel is alarming! So I have loosened off the sprocket nuts, turned the wheel until the chain slack is tightest, then tapped the rear sprocket towards the front. I couldn't really see it move, but I know have an even but over slack chain all round!

I expect many of you know about this, but thought i'd mention it in case you didn't. I can't see a make on the sprocket, but will check the s/history to see if its in there and named? I'll adjust it properly now and see how things are in a couple of mikes. Any movement and i'll fit a OEM one, but last time I did this, it sorted the problem permanently.

Speaking of adjusting the chain: Like most of us I never know what to ask for on birthdays or at Xmas, but one year my love of gadgets lead me to ask for a tru tension chain monkey. It grips the sprocket and shines a laser dot up the chain line so you can see if things are in line. Anyway, it was unwrapped and then found its way unused to the loft. I just found it up there and thought as I'm doing what I'm doing I'll give that a go. Not that i need it of course, been working on bikes for years and I certainly know how to align a rear wheel ffs! :? :lol:

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Re: New bike thread!

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Also ditched the SBS pads and fitted some organic compound ones. On my commute I just don't get enough heat into sintered pads to get the benefit of them.
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Re: New bike thread!

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Wash the bike you lazy whatsit!! Poor Weeksy is having nightmares!!!

Nice to see the toys are helping with the alignment and a useful tip on the chain tension issues. I'm on a shaftie now so that does me no good at all!
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Re: New bike thread!

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the_priest wrote: Tue Mar 16, 2021 6:33 pm Wash the bike you lazy whatsit!! Poor Weeksy is having nightmares!!!

Nice to see the toys are helping with the alignment and a useful tip on the chain tension issues. I'm on a shaftie now so that does me no good at all!
The plan was to wash it as the last three times I've been out on its been in monsoon like conditions, but I ran out of time today. :(
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Re: New bike thread!

Post by the_priest »

My NC700 was often in that state simply because I rode it daily in all weather. When I did clean it, it came up looking new. ACF50 helped a lot as you well know.

Enjoy the riding more than the cleaning.
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One who forgives an affront fosters friendship, but one who dwells on disputes will alienate a friend.