Recent Posts

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Tech Talk / Re: 79 Suzuki Rm125 crank seal

« Last post by Tomas on Yesterday at 08:16:49 am »

Thank you fo reply.  Ordered Pro X seals and also find an oil seal that is 29x47x7double lipped.  That is just a milimeter thiner than OEM.  Will try Pro X first and have the rest as back up. Sould hold ok.  Later suzuki used just a regular oil seals.  Nothing fancy

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KTM / Re: Dark clouds hanging over Mattighofen

« Last post by pokey on December 08, 2024, 04:46:03 pm »

For reasons none of us could fathom last year one of the crew turned up for a ride on a brand spanking 1800 Boooolivarde. I asked if 1800 was the number to call for RACQ when it fell over.

 Kept up okay on easy roads but on the twisties he wanted to know why no one passed him, most said because there wasnt room as his knees stuck out too far and i said i liked the pretty sparks it made. Sold it 3 months later after the second rear tyre, perhaps changing his name in chats to KFC helped a bit.
 Reminded me of a time in the 70s when a mate bought his first bike and wanted to ride the forests with us and he had a shiney new Motosport. Didnt look very new after 5 hours chasing 2 strokes on wet clay forest trails and up steep skinny boulder and fallen tree strewn mountain goat tracks. It didnt need to carry extra fuel so not all bad though it did stink like an old BBQ.

I dont understand priorities for some. My son isnt interested in any of my  bikes at all though wanted my old yamaha powered celica cause it looked cool though didnt want it when i said he could have it unless i changed it to an auto. I bought him an Iphone instead.

No secret the motorcycle is the two wheeled tobacco of the modern age as the government would like to ban them though the taxes fines insurances licensing and registrations are too tasty to pass by so covertly they remove opportunities and increase costs to use them, a win win for the authorities and they fulfill electoral promises on safety policing the greenhouse effect and whatever else they want to crunch numbers for.

Its not all bad with a few good new bikes on offer however you do need to search as most dont afford an advertising budget. What we wont see in the future are bikes built for riders but controlled products. Asia wont give up its scooters though they will all be Electric more so than they are now, China has millions of them already. The mainstream bikes will be generic shared technology full of rider non switchable limited trackable assist sensors with brand specific shades of spokey dokes and hand grip streamers much like cars are now.

 Money will still buy you specialty vehicles capable of long distance all terrain for those with a spare $100G+ though motorsport will be gone as everything is the same and performance modifications illegal. Harley wont be selling bikes but will still sell you a jacket jeans badges helmets toaster ovens and a soy mocha latte though the trademarked potato potato sound will be partnered with instore Mcdonalds kiosks for a final sale of would you like fries with that? Many component manufacturers like Mahle have already diversified away from the traditional products as they seen it coming years ago. Bikes as we know them will be in history museums beside steam engines.

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KTM / Re: Dark clouds hanging over Mattighofen

« Last post by skypig on December 07, 2024, 01:37:40 pm »

Pokey, I agree. The world has changed.

Watch a car advertisement. It’s all about “colours that suit your lifestyle” and “connectivity”.
At the end of the advertisement, you would have no clue as to: power/number of cylinders/seating capacity/transmission options (but extremely unlikely that a manual option exists)/towing ability or even fuel type (petrol or diesel. Or range if it was electric.)

So, I would assume this indicates the priority for the average buyer.
Anecdotally, one of the younger pilots at work bought a brand new car. I asked him about it, and he didn’t appear to know if it was a 4 or 6 cylinder model. I was gob smacked.

In the 1969 Honda 750 owner’s manual: It contained instructions for adjusting the valve clearances. In the 2024 manual it doesn’t. But it does caution you against drinking the contents of the battery. Is this advancement, or indictment?

In the case of KTM, they seemed successful partially on their slogan “Ready to Race”. They might have been a bit more expensive, but had top quality components (Brembo, WP, Pankal for eg). Also quite innovative and often upgraded more frequently than the competition. Eg they upgraded the “too stiff” MX frames without waiting for the four year cycle.

I believe they started using Chinese cranks and other parts in some models. Failures started to affect their reputation poorly.

Buying Husky and Gas Gas seemed crazy - what advantages to competing with themselves just to be able to sell a red version and a white version?

The current situation is disappointing and sad, but almost predictable.

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KTM / Re: Dark clouds hanging over Mattighofen

« Last post by Wasp on December 07, 2024, 12:42:04 pm »

Brands have always pandered to a bit of bling, bathtub Triumph was an early one and then the Japanese trail bikes with chrome bits though they were sort of fit for purpose and now we have stupid bikes like Virago and anything called or looks like a Vulcan or bobber. The American chopper with Ape hangers and sissy bars im sure were designed to make a bike as unrideable as possible and billions believed they were cool though I do more than smile at the Japanese Bouzouki as that surely has to be a piss take at the USA macho empire.


$500 for a rear tire that last 3-5 thousand Km  (only used in the middle  )

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KTM / Re: Dark clouds hanging over Mattighofen

« Last post by pokey on December 06, 2024, 09:27:19 pm »

Indeed a sad state of affairs. Brands building bikes not for ability but for the lowest common denominator and thats style. A quick peruse through the for sales and the words "Turns heads" appears far to often for my liking. Am not nor ever been into poser bikes which brings me to the Muscle bikes. Triumph Rocket 3 Ducati Diavel and the BMW 1800. Absolutely useless for anything other than grabbing the paper and milk on a Sunday morning and turning heads after a soy almond latte mocha. Why one needs so many CC to do that .. I can see a dozen girls in a line all holding their little finger up whatever that means.

Brands have always pandered to a bit of bling, bathtub Triumph was an early one and then the Japanese trail bikes with chrome bits though they were sort of fit for purpose and now we have stupid bikes like Virago and anything called or looks like a Vulcan or bobber. The American chopper with Ape hangers and sissy bars im sure were designed to make a bike as unrideable as possible and billions believed they were cool though I do more than smile at the Japanese Bouzouki as that surely has to be a piss take at the USA macho empire.

One of the things I liked was riding with the mates on a Saturday. Friday afternoon it was service and maintenance for a hopeful early start in the forest for a full days ride with grubby smiles all round except on the faces of the girlfriends. Girls just didnt ride bikes then or rarely and if they did it was an SL100 and that was never going to work . Granted many girls now are great riders 2 I road ride with on occasion who dont receive nor give any favors from the crew in language or politeness. Marg VFR800 and her daughter Sarah Aprilia RSV Mille though they are a rare breed and use the bikes to the full.

It seems brands have taken note that women have started buying bikes and designed products for them and any new rider who wants to Turns heads and thats business. Demand then supply. The issue is core buyers have less product that is function over form. Now its got to look cool then lets see how it works and take credit.

"Move your ass" didnt go over well when an Ex wanted to learn how to ride but we know anything else is driving. Just checked out the big 4s websites and noted the obvious absence of off road products and thats where we gained the basic skills of moving your weight and feeling the brakes to get the bike where you want it. Had to show her a video of the  monkey on a sidecar before it clicked what had to happen.
The evolving world and who has expendable income and what they want has always and will always be the design of the commercial motorcycle even if it makes SFA sense to riders who dont need Traction control or ABS as it pays the bills and thanks to do gooder political groups its law.
 
As a result we have inexperienced riders relying on electronic aids to do the hard work and increasing insurance bills .... Sounds like MOTO GP where the bike receives map changes via GPS for every corner and the rider steers it and some times brakes. Took the big goose to work today. 2 cyl 2 Valve 1200 and It thumped and tempted me  for a sickie via the range where all the worries of the world vanish. The hills can wait till the morning and I can be sure there will be nothing that turns heads other than a great corner as the coffee shops are all within 5K of the dealers on the coast as Ducati retro scramblers  Indian FTR  have a tank not much larger than a Victa. Indeed a sad state of affairs but they look cool. To some.

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KTM / Re: Dark clouds hanging over Mattighofen

« Last post by Wasp on December 05, 2024, 01:36:03 pm »

Pokey , you are absolute right about the continents and their specific needs and taste. The thing that needs to be mention is each continents population and density. I know as a fact that Honda is using the surplus from the scooter sales to prop up the big bike market and of course the money pit> racing. Companies that purely rely on race bike sales could be in lots troubles from now on.So as long as Honda is prepared to forfeit a portion of the profit to build and develop big bikes , we can still enjoy them .On the other hand I must say why do you need a 2300cc cruiser A GSX1400 would do a much better job in my eyes. BMW is no offering 1800cc as well .......

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Tech Talk / Re: Are Yam DT1 head bolts/nuts available in alloy?

« Last post by sleepy on December 04, 2024, 11:05:58 am »

Be a relatively simple job if you have a lathe or I could work out a price for you if you only want a set.

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Tech Talk / Re: 79 Suzuki Rm125 crank seal

« Last post by sleepy on December 04, 2024, 11:02:52 am »

If my dimensions are correct the ignition side is 25x44x7 and according to CMSL is still available but the gearbox side is 29x47x8 is not available. I've just done a bit of a search at Bikes and Bits importers and they still list the gear side under part number 41.3-29002(Y) as available but the left side is not but a DT125/blaster seal at 25x44x8 is available under part No# 41.2-25331. These are Pro-X numbers. Bikes and bits are wholesale only so you will have trouble unless you have an account. Send me a PM if you want me to help.

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KTM / Re: Dark clouds hanging over Mattighofen

« Last post by PeterC on December 01, 2024, 05:39:06 pm »

That is a very well scripted piece. I happen to agree with your comments, which is unlike me. The winds of change are "blowing", picking a winner is a lottery. Bike manufacturers need to maintain their individuality to appel to me. I am considering re registering the H1 triple again

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CZ / Re: CZ 1973 front forks set up

« Last post by Husabergpete on December 01, 2024, 12:17:06 pm »

Thanks Tony. will use the mm measurement in the near future.

Pete