Ridiculously placed vital bits

[Posh Tourer :P]

I'm wondering if anyone else has the same problem I have.....

After having another person cut in front of me on friday, I found myself yet again scrambling to find the horn button...... For some reason, BMW in their wisdom decided to put the horn button high up on the cluster, above the headlight switch (with flasher for overtaking). This makes it near impossible to reach in a hurry, and very easy to reach when trying to take the choke off without looking at it.... ie while concentrating on cornering or something.....

Anyone else found a similarly annoying issue with their bikes?? Especially in terms of instruments and controls, as we all have issues with the design of bikes - there is always something that is near impossible to get to on the rest of the bike... eg the gearbox output flange/driveshaft bolts on the beemer....

[k14]

My sparkplugs. You have about 1 inch of clearance between the cylinder head and the airbox. You can't fit your hand in there and I have to assembly all of the tricky bits of my socket set to get the spark plugs out. Not to mention it takes about 20 mins per spark plug, multily that by 4 cylinders and then the same time again to get it back in. You can probably guess that I haven't taken my spark plugs out much. Only taken the 2 outside ones once and that is all. Hopefully they can last for a little while to come. Ohh yeah and did I mention that each sparkplug for my bike costs $20 and that is for the standard run of the mill road one, the iridium ones are like $50 each.

[toads]

My sparkplugs. You have about 1 inch of clearance between the cylinder head and the airbox. You can't fit your hand in there and I have to assembly all of the tricky bits of my socket set to get the spark plugs out. Not to mention it takes about 20 mins per spark plug, multily that by 4 cylinders and then the same time again to get it back in. You can probably guess that I haven't taken my spark plugs out much. Only taken the 2 outside ones once and that is all. Hopefully they can last for a little while to come. Ohh yeah and did I mention that each sparkplug for my bike costs $20 and that is for the standard run of the mill road one, the iridium ones are like $50 each.

that is painful!

[toads]

My hubbies nv400 has 2 sparkplugs we haven't found a socket long or skinny enough to fit inside the housing to remove them yet, so we haven't had them out, no idea how we will manage when the time comes

[Two Smoker]

Hopefully they can last for a little while to come. Ohh yeah and did I mention that each sparkplug for my bike costs $20 and that is for the standard run of the mill road one, the iridium ones are like $50 each.

KK's NC24's spark plugs cost $75 each for run of the mill ones its because they have a smaller diameter thread

As for something that pisses me off about my bike is when doing stoppies my knee catches the kick start

[riffer]

I have a massive problem getting my spark plugs out too...

It will end up being an annual replacement job due to the hassle.

And my gearbox is a pain too. I just can't seem to engage seventh gear either.

[wkid_one]

I have looked and looked on my bikes and not yet found the anti-hi-side button...

[Marknz]

Having test-ridden a number of the later model Aprilia's, I can vouch for them having the horn and indicator button's in oppsoite places to the conventional set up. Never have been able to figure the logic in that arrangement.

[Big Dog]

The only vital bit I find inconveinient on my bikes and it is all bikes is the nuts. Pressed up against a tank is never going to be the best location when doing an emergency stop.

[Jackrat]

For spark plugs buy a proper plug socket that fits your size plug,chuck it in your socket set and you never have another problem.If you don't own a socket set,get one.

[wkid_one]

Having test-ridden a number of the later model Aprilia's, I can vouch for them having the horn and indicator button's in oppsoite places to the conventional set up. Never have been able to figure the logic in that arrangement.

Must be a Euro thing then?

[dangerous]

My sparkplugs. You have about 1 inch of clearance between the cylinder head and the airbox. You can't fit your hand in there and I have to assembly all of the tricky bits of my socket set to get the spark plugs out. Not to mention it takes about 20 mins per spark plug, multily that by 4 cylinders and then the same time again to get it back in. You can probably guess that I haven't taken my spark plugs out much

Well what you need then is a V2 Guzzi how easy is that? The only prob is should the bike fall over then the plug breaks off........ So I soon learnt to carry a spar plug and cap.
Ohh yeh and see below

My hubbies nv400 has 2 sparkplugs we haven't found a socket long or skinny enough to fit inside the housing to remove them yet, so we haven't had them out, no idea how we will manage when the time comes

Honda supply a special tool for this same as the CX500's so go to a wreakers or the local Honda dealer and get one, they have a rubber plug in them that grips the plug so as it does not fall off while lifting out.

[merv]

I'm wondering if anyone else has the same problem I have.....

After having another person cut in front of me on friday, I found myself yet again scrambling to find the horn button...... For some reason, BMW in their wisdom decided to put the horn button high up on the cluster, above the headlight switch (with flasher for overtaking). This makes it near impossible to reach in a hurry, and very easy to reach when trying to take the choke off without looking at it.... ie while concentrating on cornering or something.....

Yep, never seen a Beemer yet with sensible switchgear. Its not generally a problem with Jap bikes.

However, the Suzuki I got rid of was typical Suzuki I thought, a parts bin special. It was a DR250R dirt bike and stock it came fitted with a straight grease nipple for one of the rear suspension linkages that was stuck clean behind one of the frame tubes. I pulled a fair bit of the rear end out of it to get at it and fit a 45 degree nipple so I could at least get a grease gun on it. The other problem was the drain screw for the carb was stuck clean behind one of the oil feed lines to the engine. I wrote about this months back when we were talking about fuel because I said with the unleaded 96 octane these days if you leave a bike sitting around a while it seems to go off and you are best to drain the carb and fill it with fresh fuel before trying to start the bike.

All the Hondas I have owned have had everything where you would expect it and have been easy to work on. The new Yamaha I have just bought, so far seems to be up to the same standard as the Hondas except I don't like the fact it doesn't have snail cam adjusters for the rear axle and chain and the front sprocket is bolted on and locked with a tab washer and is not a quick fit type to make changing it easy. Bugger can't have everything.

[dangerous]

All the Hondas I have owned have had everything where you would expect it and have been easy to work on

Yep and I bet ya you love the single sided swing arm on the VFR too.... awesome as.
But you want to try and get to the grease nippels on the shaft drive on a late model Guzzi.

[toads]

Well what you need then is a V2 Guzzi how easy is that? The only prob is should the bike fall over then the plug breaks off........ So I soon learnt to carry a spar plug and cap.
Ohh yeh and see below



Honda supply a special tool for this same as the CX500's so go to a wreakers or the local Honda dealer and get one, they have a rubber plug in them that grips the plug so as it does not fall off while lifting out.

cheers thanks I will check it out, bloody stupid idea having inaccessable plugs mind you it does have 2 per cylinder, so I guess the engine would keep firing if one plug crapped out anyway