SCU Last night - food for thought

[Marmoot]

Mind you, KK, I've tried a couple of bikes OUT OF one dealer in North Shore which have some critical flaws such as: (1) had non-working speedo (isn't it compulsory?), (2) had bent front wheel, (3) spewing all the engine oil to the road just after 1km from the shop, and (4) the front brake DID NOT STOP THE BIKE AT ALL WHEN I PRESS IT.

You can't trust dealers for second-hand bike. You have to test it yourself.

[franco]

Originally posted by Marmoot
I suspect there is something wrong with the brake (since I have met similar problems with 250 bandits brake before). They are a bit on the weak side, and not to mention suspension problem.

Hey - can you elaborate on the brake/ suspension problems ? I'm really interested as I own and ride a 2000 model Suzuki GSF250 Bandit.

I've owned other 250's (a venerable '81 Honda CB250RS , and a '91 Suzuki Across ). I've also ridden some other bikes between them all. I guess of all of the 250's I have ridden, the Bandit's brakes seem to work pretty good, and suspension seems ok (for what it is).

PS. Going on about better learner rider training, the best $350 I ever spent in safety (after helmet, boots, gloves, jacket, etc) was on a http://www.stayupright.com.au training day at Manfield (Fielding). Even though I had the only 250cc on the course (alongside R1's, CBR600's, etc) - but boy was it worth it. My cornering and braking skills improved by 300%. Tackling the Rimatakas went from oooh scary to wee heee fun. It's a shame that this type of training is not more commonly available / accesible for all learner-riders.

[Kwaka-Kid]

far out marmoot - thats friggin crazy!

honestly think thats mental, and that the owner of the shop should then be up for like charges, i.e is there an Attempted manslaughter? :P hehee, coz if you ask me thats what it damn near is.  Secondly some good has come from the programme, i explaind it to my 2 mates who have just bought 2 bikes (the honda vs kawasaki post) one cbr250 one zxr250 both really nice - and they honestly (or one of them) thought that nearly all the braking should be done from the rear brake coming from dirt/farm bikes etc.  Scarey thought, but now he knows and his mate does and is practising using the fornt brake mostly - he is having one trouble and asked me for tips which i didnt really know what to say, he says he finds slow corners really difficult, and i think i know what he means, and i dunno but experience is i think what did it for me? and getting used to the bike and how far u can lean going slow? not sure - anybody got good advice?

[Racey Rider]

Originally posted by Kwaka-Kid
...he says he finds slow corners really difficult, and i think i know what he means, and i dunno but experience is i think what did it for me? and getting used to the bike and how far u can lean going slow? not sure - anybody got good advice?

If he leans far enough to cause falling off,

----- don't lean that far next time! -- Experience!!


And I see, with that ever-so-helpful bit of advise,,
I progress from "L-plate rider" to "Scooter boy"

That must make me a better rider on the track!!
Where's the "Party on" smiley face??

[SPman]

Originally posted by Marmoot
Mind you, KK, I've tried a couple of bikes OUT OF one dealer in North Shore which have some critical flaws 

Riding my new purchase home from one North Shore dealer, I heard this noise - a bit like stones being flicked against the guard, looked down - and the F**king front brake caliper was hanging by one bolt about to fall out! - 5 km from BP road!

Ferrying another bike home from the dealers, for a friend, bloody near ran up the arse of a truck on the bridge when I tried to use the brakes!

All the stopping power of a well used fly paper - I was very aware of it, but a newbie may have thought this was normal and very quickly have run into strife. (or cars...or trucks..)

To be fair, when we took the bike back to the dealer, they fitted a new master cylinder and braided lines free of charge (thank you Mike, at Red Baron) Stoppies the order of the day after that!

[Dave]

The serious crash unit guys would have said in their investigation if the brakes were defective.THE ROAD IS 50KM/H!!! where he crashed and he was speeding.Besides if he had left a 30m skid with the rear tyre and had been braking hard with the front i think the numbers would work out that he was going over 200km/h which ain't going to happen on a small bike on that road.

[bluninja]

Guys, just a question arising from the comments about defective bikes from dealers... don't people do a thorough visual inspection of the bike before getting on, and then check, lights, horn, indicators, brakes, suspension before setting off?

I was taught to do a 2 minute check before riding (don't always do it), and I normally check the brakes again on the road, within a 100 metres of setting off just in case they work, but aren't stopping as I expect. I even check the brakes on my race bake before putting it on the trailer.....last time the lever (defective new pattern that SLIM put on for me) snapped in my hand.

TTFN

[Dave]

thats why i like GP bikes, my bike gets a full strip an rebuild between races,including the engine.-and you'd be surprised at some of the things that wear out/fatigue during riding.

[Coldkiwi]

I remember the idea of doing a 2 minute check on the bike each time before riding... but there's no way I'm doign that when i commute on it every day and its my main form of transport. I'm alwasy running late as it is, bugger another 2 minutes down the tube each time!

My theory is that if it is checked and cleaned/maintaned reasonably in the weekend, there is no need to be paranoid about it each day. What sort of confidence would i have if I was worried about the brakes falling off because I hadn't checked the bolts for 24 hours? pretty stupid really

 

[bluninja]

CK, I know what you mean, but you probably do most checks on your bike without even knowing. They're so much part of your routine. Like you don't check for leaks of fluid, or flat tyres specifically, but you would notice leaks etc as you went to your bike. You'd also notice as you sat on the bike, if the suspension or ride height was really out......and if you are someone who still pulls the brake before engaging first, you would know there was nothing seriously wrong with the brake.

BTW it's only since living in NZ that I've got my own car and don't commute by bike....so I know how precious 2 minutes can seem.

TTFN

[Slim]

Originally posted by Dave
The serious crash unit guys would have said in their investigation if the brakes were defective.THE ROAD IS 50KM/H!!! where he crashed and he was speeding.

He was not speeding. That road was posted at 70km/h at the time of the accident, which was clearly shown in the TV programme several times.

It's probably been reduced to 50km/h as a result of this particular SCU investigation.

HTH

[Coldkiwi]

this is true blu... some prick was letting air (not all of it but some) out of my tyres during work a few weeks ago and I knew straight away because I know exactly what it should feel like.

on the real topic here...

I dunno if the guy was speeding or not... but skidding for around 70m has GOT to take some speed. maybe his spanky new tyres were just too new as well.. but that's still an awful long way to skid  and to be honest... at 70mkhr I just don't think the bike would have enough kinetic energy to do that even on new tyres.

the other part of the problem was that this guy probably wasn't applying the age old 'look where you want to go' rule. He probably freaked out at the truck and panicked (and focused) about hitting the wheels (small target as previously mentioned) and that's why he went into them instead of looking for an escape route and taking it.

[Slim]

Originally posted by Coldkiwi
I dunno if the guy was speeding or not... but skidding for around 70m has GOT to take some speed. maybe his spanky new tyres were just too new as well.. but that's still an awful long way to skid   and to be honest... at 70mkhr I just don't think the bike would have enough kinetic energy to do that even on new tyres.

The speed limit for that road was 70km/h.

The skid mark lenth was 29metres.

[bikerboy]

Stop picking on Coldkiwi. As an engineer he probably knows some special unit of measure called mkhr .

That or he needs some sleep real bad !

[Kwaka-Kid]

nice spotting CK, i rode my CB250RS for first time scince November last year, rode all the way to the gas station with 5 pounds in front and 10 pounds in rear... i had forgotten what it felt like and it felt alrite till i checked, put them up to anywhere around30ish(bah pushed pump in for few seconds and if i saw 30ish on dial i left be) and man did it feel twitchy! but yeh, shows how u can forget what a bike feels like, felt 50kg lighter! and nah, i havnt botherd to check the pbike over scince i crashed it properly, do it my way... wait and see.  It can cause lots of adreneline and excitement and at least you have an excuse to blame it on if u get all that excitement! :P  -oh i checked chain. and adjusted it.