Questions you're too embarrassed to ask

[dhunt]

My first stupid question is (and this one comes from my missus'):

What do you do if you get a flat tyre?

p.s. Please feel free to chastise me for my newbie ignorance if it makes you feel big/ important

If it goes flat quickly, which isn't normally a problem on tubeless tyres, main thing to not do is brake with the flat tyre - can cause problems Just slow down slowly always fun on a flat front tyre.

[vifferman]

Ride to your tireshop and either ask for it to be plug-n-patched, or buy a new tire (on a sports bike you should do the latter).

Not true - my last puncture (VTR1000) was plugged, and was both safe and durable.

For most punctures, i've found they are slow enough to be able to pump up the next day, then ride to the bike shop. Although it depends really on what went thru the tire.

True, but once again, my last puncture was a very small nail, and the tyre went down during the day.

Finally, tires normally only start to pick up punctures when they are worn out or run too soft.

Not necessarily, as the softness of modern sports rubber means the tyres puncture fairly readily, no matter how old/new the tyre is. My last puncture was in a brand new tyre, and was rather unlucky in that it was a very small nail, right next to a tread block. A mm or two further over, and it wouldn't have caused a leak.

Most punctures are in rear tyres, and are caused when the front tyre flicks up a nail, screw, or piece of wire or metal, and the rear tyre runs it over just before it's flat on the road again. Front tyres usually puncture only when the same thing happens when the vehicle ahead flicks up some debris.

I've called the AA out for my bike, but not for a puncture - it was an electrical fault (R/R on the VFR750). I knew what it was, but needed a jump-start, as there wasn't enough juice in the battery to bump-start it.

[Biff]

I carry an emergency puncture repair kit on most planned trips. Similar this this one>> M&P . But you'll find them in any decent motorbike shop - or on the tinternet.

Basically if you get a puncture - as described by others already, you plug the hole using the included thingamejig, then you use a specialwidgetthingygun to re-inflate the tyre with a small disposable Co2 cannister. You then ride onto the nearest motormacycle repair shack and get an hexpert to look at your tyre, and replace if necessary.

The kit's quite small, so It'll probably fit under your seat & it saves getting stuck in the middle of nowhere, without cell phone coverage, down a dark country lane, very close to a high security psycho hospital that's just lost one of it's most dangerous 'patients. Not that I'm trying to scare you or anything.

[Drum]

Thanks for the advice so far people. I am now looking for my first bike and have my eye on a 1997 Kawasaki EL250. Price around 3 and a half K. Any thoughts on these bikes? Any well known problems? Any idea what a good price for one of this vintage would be? Thanks in advance.

[Motohaus]

good little bike tend to be hard to sell second hasnd due to styling get a zzr250 same motor easier to sell later also gpx 250 same motor they seem to were out camshafts and rockers around the eighty tou mark but other than than excellent
new rocker arms $108 need eight
new cams $443.00 need 2
rocker gasket$54.00
clutch cover gasket $24.00
but seconhd hand hoile lot $150.00
don,t let this put you off just pull rocker cover off to inspect before buying if ok buy because these are reliable and we handling bikes that hold ther resale value

[Hitcher]

Thanks for the advice so far people. I am now looking for my first bike and have my eye on a 1997 Kawasaki EL250. Price around 3 and a half K. Any thoughts on these bikes? Any well known problems? Any idea what a good price for one of this vintage would be? Thanks in advance.

Mrs H had one of these in our 250 era. A great bike. It made the Zeal work hard (although Mrs H is about half my weight) as it wasn't troubled by the same flat spot in its power band. A very willing donk and a nice low seat, great for shorter riders. Motorcycle City (remember them?) sold this with crap rubber and a stuffed chain. Mrs H did about 16,500km on hers in the nine months she had it and it never missed a beat -- even after going up the Hutt Motorway on its side...

Great fuel economy too, especially when compared with a Zeal.

[Drum]

Cheers H. I'll be riding the Hutt highway every day, so hope I dont meet the same fate, and thanks for the word of experience. To tell the truth I fell in love with the bike during the test ride last Friday and havnt slept properly since. Last time this happened was when I met the lovely Drum's missus. Never felt this way about machinery before. I note the earlier comment regarding styling, but I must be some sort of freak coz thats why I like it. Comments on the attached picture appreciated, but not taken to heart...........p.s. Nudity attached. Bike Nudity that is.

[Drum]

..........

[Hitcher]

Cheers H. I'll be riding the Hutt highway every day, so hope I dont meet the same fate, and thanks for the word of experience. To tell the truth I fell in love with the bike during the test ride last Friday and havnt slept properly since. Last time this happened was when I met the lovely Drum's missus. Never felt this way about machinery before. I note the earlier comment regarding styling, but I must be some sort of freak coz thats why I like it. Comments on the attached picture appreciated, but not taken to heart...........p.s. Nudity attached. Bike Nudity that is.

Mrs H had a spoked-wheel model. Cleaning the wheels was the thing she hated most about the Eliminator. That is why she is now anti-spokes.

[Ixion]

Mrs H had a spoked-wheel model. Cleaning the wheels was the thing she hated most about the Eliminator. That is why she is now anti-spokes.

As official spokesspoke of the United Brotherhood of Spokesfolks (headquarters Spokane , WA) I protest against this poke at the noble spoke !

[mstriumph]

oh c'MON - they look great but they are a PAIN to clean ...

As official spokesspoke of the United Brotherhood of Spokesfolks (headquarters Spokane , WA) I protest against this poke at the noble spoke !

[Motu]

oh c'MON - they look great but they are a PAIN to clean ...

Any cleaning that can't be done with a waterblaster doesn't get done by me.I've NEVER cleaned spokes,and never owned a bike with mags either.

[Hitcher]

As official spokesspoke of the United Brotherhood of Spokesfolks (headquarters Spokane , WA) I protest against this poke at the noble spoke !

Do you have an official spokesperson?

[Ixion]

Any cleaning that can't be done with a waterblaster doesn't get done by me.I've NEVER cleaned spokes,and never owned a bike with mags either.

Don't think I've ever given them more than a perfunctionary scrub over with the wash brush. It's a spoke for heavens sake.

[sunhuntin]

used to on my buddys bike, but read somewhere the more ya clean em the more they rust. now, with my pup, i rarely clean inbetween the spokes, let alone the spokes themselves. only time i cleaned between them was for yesterdays charity run. wanted her spotless.