Yeah I second the grip glue. They are not indestructable, eventually they'll wear out. Ever tried removing a set of hot grips that are superglued on? New throttle tube time... Also pays to double check clutch / brake lever and throttle movement before gluing the grips in place (you obviously did this but for those who don't think of these things...).
Originally Posted by Spazman727 But wouldnt it still be best to brake with both at the same time? Even with a long wheelbase bike a lot of the weight will go on the front wheel. This question is slightly different to the last (about the order of the brakes, as opposed to should they both be used). My personal view is yes for the road. That's because the slower you are going the more time the rear brake can apply a stopping force (because it takes longer for weight to transfer onto the front wheel). If however you are travelling at racing track speed then no (in my personal opinion), because the weight gets transferred onto the front wheel so quick you are better off spending that attention on something else.
Originally Posted by p.dath Consider a bike with a long wheel base, or that is carrying saddle bags, a pillion, or some additional weight over the rear tyre. But wouldnt it still be best to brake with both at the same time? Even with a long wheelbase bike a lot of the weight will go on the front wheel.
Originally Posted by Spazman727 It seems strange to apply the front brake first then the rear. Since the weight transfers to the front wheel so fast, there would be little point inapplying the rear at all if most of the weight is already on the front. Or have i missed something? Consider a bike with a long wheel base, or that is carrying saddle bags, a pillion, or some additional weight over the rear tyre.
It seems strange to apply the front brake first then the rear. Since the weight transfers to the front wheel so fast, there would be little point inapplying the rear at all if most of the weight is already on the front. Or have i missed something?
Fab article , very informative and a great read. Excellent points on knowing what is the right Helmet to suit your riding.
Great write up I will use this tool to help me install my hot grips (not Oxford but a good brand anyway)
I have KBC , But looking at the Sharp Rating it only got a 2. I was off around the Coro loop the next day, so decided to invest in a 4-5 rated helmet. I wandered all over Hamilton bike shops, back and forward finally found an AGV at Waikato Yamaha, rated 4 , felt great , had it 6 months now, & love it, Quiet, Light, Resin. It got a bit of flash Rossi design on it, but keeps an ol bugger like me young.
Good article and well written. I have only recently become interested in the Sharp rating system since gaining a new sponsor 'CABERG helmets.' These all have 5 star ratings, even the 'flip top' helmet they have. I wear one on the track racing and find the fit to be great for my head shape. Previously I wore a Shoei XR1000 which I loved too. Incidentally, although a 'big brand,' the XR1000 helmet only got a 3 star SHARP rating which surprised me!
Great work, to be honest I didn't give much thought to the helmet at the time other than fit and cost, probably common to new riders. Your article is food for thought, Thanks!
A useful reference - thanks for the effort.
When you are moving forward, the effective wind (think summing of vectors of wind from vehicle speed and wind speed) is angled more from the front (in a direction that your bike is more aerodamically suited to handle). I have pondered this a few times going over the AHB, wondering if I should slow down, or speed up for better stability.
I had it done when the cutting was still with a blade and the rest with a laser. The day after when I woke up, HELL my eyes were sensitive to light. I swear I was sitting with my head under my duvet and I could still see the bright sunshine outside. The first few days I was long sighted. Apparently they over coorrect, and then as it heals, it goes a bit more shortsighted again and returns to (close to) perfect. I felt like a freaking eagle with my longsightedness. I could read licence plates hundreds of meters away! I loved it! I was almost a bt disappointed when it when back to normal... My whole world opened up from a relatively shorts sighted bubble to a real world. I do howevre, recommend to any students that they complete their studies before having this done. The long nights and much reading just stuffs with your sight again.
Great article! Blings in the post. I do wonder though, how many secondary or even primary injuries are caused by heavy helmets wrenching spinal columns and necks? Just going by my own commonsense, it seems to me that weight MUST play an important factor in rider safety. After all, hitting a pole/kerb at 80km/hr will cause quite abit of whiplash to the neck. Also, the Laser super skin seems to highlight differenttypes of injuries caused by a part of the helmet getting caught against whatever ithits, and the rotation caused by this friction apperas to be major contributor to brain damage (although I am not sure what the major causes of head injury are). It would be an interesting excercse to do some research on this. l
Very good reading and should bode well with some readers. While a heavy helmet I love my N103 Ncom.
Use grip glue Means the grips are removable.
I wonder if Oxford might have been better of to make the cut off voltage adjustable. Seems to effect people differently. Some get left with a bike that can't start, and others have them turn off at red lights.
I usually prefer the grips to be wired through the ignition but was advised not to bother this time. It doesn't seem a problem, if I stop at a red light the grips switch off. Which does seem to be over egging the pudding a bit???
Good stuff. Do several dry fittings. As in if you can't slide the grips on in < 2 seconds and put into position then the glue can bind and you get left with a half fitted grip. I needed to sand the inside of the grips and make my bars smooth (remove any existing residue) so the grips would slide on with a little resistance, but not be such as bastard. The SV650 throttle control had a lip on the inside that needed removing. Deft hand with a sharp craft knife made short and accurate work of that. Make sure you position the "Bulges" where the cables come out of the grips out of the way of the clutch and especially brake levers. Once the glue sets, you can't twist them into position! When fitting the grips with glue, twist them into position. a) it's easier and b) ensures the whole grip and bar gets coated in glue. I've fitted both sets with oxford supplied glue and no slipping.
Nice one...Will come in useful when doing mine