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Post by steve63 on Jun 8, 2023 12:52:04 GMT 1
Just checked for you. To my amazement small plates can fail an MOT but I think you'd have to get a tester having a very bad day for them to do that. I have never had a full size one and no MOT guy has ever questioned it. However it is illegal as we all realise but most of us do it anyway. Even having the wrong colour bolts is against the law. Ask me how I know... Alex Thanks for looking. Back in the day a few of the guys would put tiny little plates on their bikes then whine about being stopped all the time. I never understood what pleasure they got out of it myself. Our boss had a black screw in his number plate to change an 11 and make it look like a H. That's why they have a thing about screws and their colour/position. |
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Post by steve63 on Jun 8, 2023 13:05:12 GMT 1
Yeah, has to be a 9x7 for an MOT and technically BS (EU or whatever the feck) stamped with the details of where the plate was made But... I've always used an 8x6 that is a show plate so no BS markings or makers details The get out (other than the size) is that they can't prove the plate wasn't made before the new rules came in, only plates made after the rule 😉 And surely only a place where you wouldn't want to go anyway would fail an 8x6 Same kind of place that would fail you for headlight aim and make you bring it back for a retest instead of just adjusting it 🙄 Steve I had a think last night before watching the Supertwins TT and when I thought about it, the bike is 1992, who's to say that plate wasn't on it from new? I think I'll just send off for one off Ebay. This place I'm taking is is only 3 or 4 miles away by tiny country roads. I turned up on my RGV before it was registered. I used a number plate off another bike just to make it look ok at a glance. The guy asked if that was the reg just as I was taking the plate off. He didn't seem bothered. They had a stand in tester once when their regular man was on holiday and he failed it for the horn I think it was. It worked when I tried it at home. The owner had to talk him into letting me sort it our there and then rather than actually failing it and bringing it back. He also tried to say a 3 year old bike had a bent frame because the wheels were apparently out of line after he used a wooden straight edge on it. It had obviously never been down the road. I've never previously seen wheel alignment being checked ever. He would have been a high ranking officer in the SS if he had been born in Germany a few decades earlier. |
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Post by midlifecrisisrd on Jun 8, 2023 13:55:55 GMT 1
You will be fine I'm sure
Think if you did the straight edge on the majority of our bikes they would not be perfectly in line
I'm sure a mate who's a tester said a new BMW is 15mm out and it's built like that
He also said that it's not a fail, he can test ride it and if it rides fine it can pass
Steve
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Post by JonW on Jun 9, 2023 2:44:49 GMT 1
Thats one of the reasons why bikes have chains, it compensates for wheels out of alignment etc.
Id just stick a boring old big plate on this bike, keeps it easy... thats why i suggested halfords as its all easy n legal for the ride youre going to do.
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Post by midlifecrisisrd on Jun 9, 2023 13:03:18 GMT 1
Thats one of the reasons why bikes have chains, it compensates for wheels out of alignment etc. Id just stick a boring old big plate on this bike, keeps it easy... thats why i suggested halfords as its all easy n legal for the ride youre going to do. Ah, but it's a 125 4 stroke single An 8x6 over a 9x7 will give 3mph more top end 🤣 Steve |
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Post by JonW on Jun 9, 2023 13:41:37 GMT 1
Haha, it'll still do 55mph all day long... Thats about all the bikes on this trip will do isnt it?
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Post by steve63 on Jun 9, 2023 17:29:47 GMT 1
Haha, it'll still do 55mph all day long... Thats about all the bikes on this trip will do isnt it? I'm thinking somewhere around that. Mine is about as low tech as they come, one piston, two valves. Some have got four valve heads and some have two pistons even. Not sure if any have both! Here's my contingency plan, a spare engine 😉 You can tell Yamaha R&D have been busy on the SR125, the sprocket cover on this '99 engine is plastic, mine a '92 is ally.  |
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Post by midlifecrisisrd on Jun 9, 2023 18:37:26 GMT 1
I'd hope the 2 piston ones had 4 valves 🤣🤣🤣
Steve
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Post by steve63 on Jun 9, 2023 19:19:07 GMT 1
I'd hope the 2 piston ones had 4 valves 🤣🤣🤣 Steve In total, yes 😁. I've always described them per head unlike the car people who talk about totals like 16valve head. Only really makes sense with a 4 cylinder engine. Wasn't there a 5 cylinder Audi in the 90's with a 20 valve head? My R1 has a 20 valve head 😉. Anyway I'm hoping mine's going to 'Top Trump' them on the fuel consumption figures......yes sad I know 🫣 |
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Post by steve63 on Jun 11, 2023 20:49:12 GMT 1
You will be fine I'm sure Think if you did the straight edge on the majority of our bikes they would not be perfectly in line I'm sure a mate who's a tester said a new BMW is 15mm out and it's built like that He also said that it's not a fail, he can test ride it and if it rides fine it can pass Steve Wow 15mm! I heard a story about lots of bike frames being misaligned from the factory. I guess with steel frames at least they're built and welded in a jig maybe left to cool fully, maybe. Even built in a jig things still move when they are taken off the jig. |
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Post by steve63 on Jun 12, 2023 12:51:41 GMT 1
I can see a faint glow of light at the end of the tunnel. I rang our local motorists shop. he said he can knock me a legal numberplate up. Just pop in and it'll be 5 to 10 minutes wait. Went in on Saturday, "leave it with me and call back in an hour." I guess I should have expected it  . Anyway, number plate now fitted. It doesn't look too bad TBH. When I was bombing (relatively) around the garden the other night I'd forgotten that the rear sprocket nuts were just finger tight. I've ordered two tab washers from Fowlers but they were out of stock and that was about three weeks ago. So I decided to make some. I'll plate them in the next day or so. Ordered a headlight bulb, pilot light bulb and a speedo light bulb last night cost me a fortune from Fowlers but I wanted to get them quickly as MOT is booked for Saturday. I do have high beam but I don't suppose it would pass without dip. Also for plating is the rear brake arm. It's too big to fit the present tub so I have bought a much bigger tub but it means transferring all the electrolyte and setting up the anodes in a deeper tub just to do one item. All in all I have to say it's looking quite average now. I just need to see if it rides straight and the engine stays together (see contingency plan A above). Yep, that is a burn-out! Oh and I thought you'd like a picture of Rosie, she's very photogenic.    |
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Post by steve63 on Jun 14, 2023 19:05:01 GMT 1
I finished at 4 today so went to our local Honda dealer and described the headlight bulb to him. If I was more organised I could have taken the bulb to work and showed him it 🙄. Anyway he brought one out, I said, that's it and I bought two. I bought their entire stock of 20A glass fuses, three, as well. Popped the bulb in when I arrived home. Just need to paint or plate the back brake rod, fit it and make something to hold the battery in. The proper one never seems to show for sale and they are NLA. I would say it's almost job done.    |
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Post by donkeychomp on Jun 14, 2023 21:21:28 GMT 1
Woo! You'll be fighting them off with a stick. Especially with that jacket. Regarding the battery...could you knock up something from a thin strip of ally and bend it to shape, drill a couple of mounting holes and that should do it. Alex |
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Post by JonW on Jun 15, 2023 7:21:29 GMT 1
Thats quite the transformation and now much more ridable.
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Post by steve63 on Jun 15, 2023 12:56:49 GMT 1
Woo! You'll be fighting them off with a stick. Especially with that jacket. Regarding the battery...could you knock up something from a thin strip of ally and bend it to shape, drill a couple of mounting holes and that should do it. Alex I think that anything attracted to that bike (and I chose the word 'anything' carefully) would be the kind of person you'd want to avoid  . I've thought about it but not actually took the plunge and worn that jacket, other than to try it on and show the Mrs. yet. I may use it on Saturday for the MOT ride. I've been feeling not too well all week so spent most the evenings just watching telly and feeling sorry for myself. Last night I felt like I was over the worst and had a tiny burst of energy. I went in the garage and did almost exactly as you described  The original cover goes down to the bottom of the battery and clips in on the right, held in with a screw on the left. It's made of black plastic so it kinds of blends in. I made a plate out of 1mm, maybe 1.2mm aluminium and made it to cover the whole battery. You would have to have a keen eye to spot it but I worked out where the missing bolt I had goes. The front wheel spindle goes through one fork leg and screws into the other fork leg. At the other end there is a pinch bolt. last night It dawned on me when I noticed the hole. Just the rod to do now. Either paint or plate. I know if I take the easy option of painting it then it will probably stay that way. |
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Post by steve63 on Jun 15, 2023 13:02:47 GMT 1
Thats quite the transformation and now much more ridable. How ridable I probably wont know until Saturday morning. Not very is my suspicion! Before it had no brakes at all and the clutch cable was rusty so at lease everything works as it should now. I can't believe I've used the most overused, not to mention pointless, bike selling phrase ever! |
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Post by steve63 on Jun 15, 2023 20:40:42 GMT 1
I decided to go for the plating option. I had to set up a bigger tank just to get the brake rod in. In about 25/30 minutes it'll be done and ready for fitting.     Tab washers plated. Fit these and that's it. Fitting the brake rod to the brake pedal and fitting the washer and split pin without being able to remove the pedal was one of the most awkward jobs I've ever had to do  |
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Post by steve63 on Jun 16, 2023 16:40:21 GMT 1
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Post by donkeychomp on Jun 16, 2023 21:11:43 GMT 1
Did it pass?
Alex
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Post by steve63 on Jun 17, 2023 10:56:38 GMT 1
Yes mate. It's got a bit of an oil leak from the large round cover on the head I think. I need to investigate. |
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Post by steve63 on Jun 17, 2023 11:45:10 GMT 1
First riding impressions: Feels really odd, the mirrors feel really close and the seat feels so low it feels like it has a flat tyre but the tyres are fine and the shocks are on full pre-load. The engine overwhelms with the underwhelming amount of power. I don't remember even my Honda 70's feeling so flat. I did actual ride my 70 to work when I had a GSXR1100. Going into a corner in top the opening the throttle after there is a delay of a couple of seconds as if there is too much air but then it picks up. It's like I need to start opening the throttle before the apex to allow for it. Need to adjust my brain for riding it I think. The front brake is fine. Despite the back end being c**k eyed it goes in a straight line when I take my hands off the bars. The string test proved the wheels are in-line so it's just the rear end of the frame that skewed. The next jobs will be aimed at making it touring ready. I'm thinking about making a rack to fit the VFR Givi top box to it. Seems to make more sense than buying another box. I have soft luggage but I'd like to take a petrol can and hide it in the box.  |
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Post by donkeychomp on Jun 17, 2023 21:37:21 GMT 1
Great news! And look in the background...someone is so impressed they're taking a photo of it!
Alex
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Post by midlifecrisisrd on Jun 18, 2023 10:51:02 GMT 1
It is looking totally transformed 👏
Acceleration isn't the correct phrase
More like slowly gathers momentum 😆
Steve
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Post by arrdy350 on Jun 18, 2023 12:11:58 GMT 1
You have done a great job with all the bits and bobs done to it 👍
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Post by steve63 on Jun 18, 2023 19:26:44 GMT 1
Great news! And look in the background...someone is so impressed they're taking a photo of it! Alex If only that were so 😁. He's actually putting his helmet on. I looked behind about 7 or 8 miles before Seaways and saw a Kawasaki. He only passed me about half a mile before we got there which I thought was odd. He came over and chatted and told me he only picked up the bike, a ZX1000 that morning and was running in. That was that guy. I said to my lad I would have had less people looking at me if I'd turned up naked on a Penny Farthing 😁. Forgot to mention, I took the plunge and wore my tassel jacket. |
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Post by steve63 on Jun 18, 2023 19:32:16 GMT 1
You have done a great job with all the bits and bobs done to it 👍 Thanks. I never really intended to go so far but I just couldn't put some of the stuff back on as it was. It been a good learning process though for the LC rebuild, especially the electroplating. I'm keen to crack on with all the LC stuff now. |
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Post by steve63 on Jun 18, 2023 19:38:29 GMT 1
It is looking totally transformed 👏 Acceleration isn't the correct phrase More like slowly gathers momentum 😆 Steve You got it spot on there but surprisingly cars are still holding me up. I actually overtook my first car. They were doing about 45 in a 60 so I went for it 😁. |
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Post by steve63 on Jun 19, 2023 20:27:16 GMT 1
'Accessory' bar made and fitted tonight. My first accessory is a USB charging point. A wise man pointed out that it should be wired into a switched live. I'm hoping for some guidance 😁 My first instinct tells me that it can't drain the battery if nothing is plugged into it? I'm not intending to use it at a stand still.   |
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Post by midlifecrisisrd on Jun 19, 2023 20:52:10 GMT 1
On all Yams the brown wires are switched
Should be one coming back off the ignition switch
Steve
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Post by JonW on Jun 20, 2023 14:26:57 GMT 1
Switched means fused as well... temptation to wire direct to battery sans fuse is negated lol
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. I've thought about it but not actually took the plunge and worn that jacket, other than to try it on and show the Mrs. yet. I may use it on Saturday for the MOT ride.
