Moto-Brian

Pretty much what you'd expect I guess... -Vesrah built 1000 -Chasis by Tony -Motor refresh by Reuben at 35 Motorsports -Ohlins 30mm fork kit -TTX rear -EM Pro -Bazaaz TC -Graves Ti -Vortex everything -Armored bodywork (Soon to be prettied up by Attackpainter!) It does wheelies and stoppies, too.

nobody? They are these wheels... They aren't really a bronze, I guess...

You and your little weiner need to pipe down. Copy Cat Sinner should be your new name... Homo. I love you. Seriously.

Guys, what does it matter in terms of HP? That's the problem with our society's mindset and bikes. Bigger is better as they say, right? Nope... There is more than HP. If the bike can handle and can easily be upgraded and is dependable, that makes a difference. More HP is bogus. Sure, if you are having a big dick swinging contest (Sinner's out), sure. But in the end, there are bikes that excel and it has nothing to do with HP. The BMW is suffering from a parts issue and they will have issues due to outsourcing. There are also concerns over longevity and dependability with the bike. You can also look closely and see the lower budget pieces on the bike. Things like paint instead of powder coated surfaces, details in the bolts, the way they have certain things cast, etc. They out sourced a LOT of stuff to keep the costs down and to go right up against the Big 4 market. The BMW isn't looking at it's customer base - it is focused on the Big 4's market and thus, the price had to be where it is to compete. IF, I - F the Kaw can handle, it will be a better bike. I don't buy a single comment on HP until I see dyno figures. The BMW has lived up to the hype and it is a great bike for sure. But, a lot of guys running them and winning on them have a lot of money into them. Top change? The Sachs suspension. It is reminiscent of the old Honda days - F3s and CBR900RRs stuff... Really cheap. The suspension on the ZX10 is really good technology and quite possibly the best so far on a production (mass) bike outside Ohlins stuff on LE machines... Overall, HP means shit. You guys should know that...

WHat source? Until they start racing them, nobody is going to know. Trust me, magazine guys (outside maybe RRW) aren't going to find the chatter issues... Especially the guys that were at Mid-Ohio "testing" the RSVR and BMW... But that said, it is exciting to see what is coming. Like I had stated when the BMW came around - it will be a hero bike for a year and then the big 4 will send it backwards. This is the start and the 2012 GSXR1000 is the next hit. Yamaha will update around that time, also. Hero to zero in a 1-2 year timeline. However, as exciting as the new ZX10 is, it has been that way for years with Kawasaki. They always and will forever have a great power plant. But, the chasis is always leaving everyone feeling like shit. I hope I stand corrected, but until mid season when we see them raced and there are enough miles logged on street bikes, we all will never know and we rely on what the comic books tell us... In the end, BMW's days are numbered, but I think what they were able to do is awesome and hopefully, they become a 5th bike to consider amongst the in-lines. They certainly will replace Honda as an option and I think they willsit amongst the top 4 overall in some fashion as long as they stick with it.

Like I said... The thing is I understand that you are only working on a bike that isn't much money, but if you've torn this thing down already, why are you asking for info on here? The manual (hopefully, you are using an OEM service manual vs. a Chilton, etc) easily will show you what the tolerances are for the chain and how to measure. Tolerances are all clearly listed for you to review.If the chain needs replaced as it has timed out, it is most likely a situation where the bottom end needs a refresh. Pull the motor and do it right. Just my $.02...

It depends on the situation. If it is due to my error, it is easy to get over. Learn and move on... If it was due to someone else? I had a situation where I was crashed due to another rider and it took almost a year to get over it. I was like Top Gun where I would get too mental and give up too easily. It's just a matter of time, but it happens and you try and move on.

Oh, and why do you need to split the case for a new chain?

No offense, but this is why trained techs need to work on stuff. You going in with no knowledge and doing guess work could lead to some serious damage and result in destroying something that could have easily been fixed. All this work you are doing, my suggestion would be to get the top end refreshed and replace that piston while at it. If you are doing a new cam chain, do the tensioner and guides, also. Remember, if the chain is worn, everything it touches is probably worn, also. It's like a worn chain being replaced and you keep the old sprockets. You are only shortening the life of the new chain by using the old stuff it touches. The cam sprockets should be fine, but check them...

I cannot see that even under extreme street riding that you'd need something like Stomp Grip. The only reason it is used at the track is because you are coming from 150 plus down to double digit speeds under braking quickly lap after lap afetr lap... On a street machine, I can see it having some merit, but I have experienced this on a buddy's bike before. We both had ZX6Rs and I couldn't stay from sliding forward all the time. Reasoning? He was always cleaning his seat and used products like leather cleaner, etc on it. Made it look pretty for the ladies, but the result was a slippery seat that was sketchy at best. Are you cleaning your seat with ANYTHING? If so, don't.

Just as the title says. I have two sets and want to go with a color that would look better with black. These are off a race bike, so a few knicks. Straight and great otherwise. Just a wheel trade - no rotors, etc. Can do cash plus also if it is the right deal.

None have worked. It is anything I search for on Yahoo and Google. Bing and ASK are totally fine. Suggestions on this?

Great example here. If the threads were still around, that's fine. But, if their forums was to never be in the new section or in the home page area, you'd still have the opportunity to click on them and be entertained, right? Still there, just subtle and less focus on them.

Paul- I'm with you. I'm also (even though I love talking firearms and would love to buy more than I have) a little tired of the firearms stuff. My suggestion would be to take the political and firearms threads and still have them, but simply make it so they do not get shown on the home page where the newest threads and posts are shown. If I were a new member, I'd see a lot of firearms, politics, and introductions. Don't mind the introductions, but a lot of times, the two topics in question have been over 50% of the threads... My thoughts are that maybe we eliminate the home page with the newest threads and just have the forums shown when you go to the Home section of the site. Or, like I stated where the politics, firearms and even intros are left in the site's forums, but doesn't get shown on the home page... It is a motorcycling site like Paul mentioned and I agree with others that off-topic or political stuff is nature. However, having that be shown as even 30% or more on the homepage is kind of a bummer...

Oh, and I really dig Road Kings. If I were to get a cruiser it would be between a bike like the Warrior or a dresser style like the Road King. See? We can be friends. One of the best bikes I have ridden on a long haul...

First off, idiot, I didn't call fucking Oakley on anyone. You're an idiot... Obviously, you don't fall under attorney and hopefully, not a doctor as your intelligence is lacking... Second, I highly doubt you give all sportbike riders any credit at all. When I said demos, I was saying as in I did demo rides all three days and probably logged more miles than you do in a month. There were a shit pile of riders around the track and we had a good sample of folks to consider. In other words, within such a small area, there were more riders than you'll see anywhere else. Pretty decent time to evaluate... I didn't say all and I didn't lump them all in to the same grouping. Trust me, I know a ton of HD riders that are enthusiasts beyond most. Being at a shop for 6 plus years, I developed some great friends that are hard core HD riders. You know, not doctors that thought it would be cool to own one and be a part of a set image they perceive as really "neato"... You might not want to talk to a hard core HD rider and tell them you are a doctor and you thought you'd reward your years of hard work by getting into motorcycling and getting an HD... They MIGHT be a little harder on you than I am... Oh, and I like the "people being judgemental about people being judgemental" comment. What are you doing? Thanks. I judge people because I hate most people. It's no secret on here... You'll get used to it in short time.

Everytime I do a search on Google, I click on the link and get another search engine or an advertisement that has nothing to do with what I was looking for - it doesn't go to the site... Now, if I go to ASK.com and do the same thing, it is fine. Also, on the Google search, you will have a sub category or an indented link from the same site. I can click those and it goes to them... I use Ad-Aware and it isn't catching it. Any thoughts? Pain in the ass...

Corvette may be a hard lined QC factory, but like I said, with a few family members who have worked at Honda and Japanese related companies here in Ohio, they say they are certainly hard pushing people and hard headed. However, as a society, they are harder working people than we are. Look at their education system, look at their technology jobs and education relating to that. I hate to sound like we are a bunch of lazy people here in the US, but essentially, we have relied so much on unions and such that we are now working like we are owed something. Unions are the reason why the companies like Chevy have had issues. Double dipping, the amount of money being paid for labor, etc... The fact is that the Japanese want things to be exact. Yes, we may know what the technology is to keep it exact and maybe in certain factories it is, but overall, the common weak link is a human being and the Japanese feel they can get better quality out of Japanese workers...

I know even the standards for Gold Wing painted panels were a headache for Honda as they used a few suppliers and they would come back with mismatched panels... Essentially, they tried to build the lower end motorcycles with hopes to build more, but in the end, the amounts they paid for screw ups led them to want to send them back to Japan... This was before the recession really had any effect on OEMs...

Japan's tolerances and QC standards are or were not being reached by US employees... Terrible to say, but factory workers were not upholding the standards the Japanese companies wished for motorcycles. Plus, they NEVER built a single sportbike here as these are and always will be produced under strict guidelines in Japan...

That's the spirit!

Not sure what you are getting at with the "I've read your posts regarding HD's and their riders" but truth be told, it sounds as if I offended you somehow. I don't bash anything about what they ride. This is a public website and if comments are tough to handle, most likely they weren't enthusiasts anyways. There's no perfect bike or perfect company. However, the idea is pretty universal that HD riders are non waving folks and that sits as being a shame in my mind. When they go by and don't wave, I think they are assholes and exactly as I described. If they wave, it makes me feel like I passed a fellow rider and not an asshole as you describe. You guys are aweful touchy. Maybe you need a hug instead?

Huh? What, we need to discuss this on an HD site rather than here? There are plenty of HD riders on here by the looks of some signatures. Maybe they can start a new trend and get their fellow HD riders to think about the sharing of enthusiasm... By the way, does there need to be a point to a thread in the "Daily Ride"? I mean, if there has to be a point to every thread, guess what? A lot of threads need to be deleted...

Ok, look... I was in a dealership for 6 years. We had to separate the HD side from the metric side. I understand the whole essence of being an HD owner. I understand they are an American brand. I get it all... However, what I don't get is the fact that a majority of HD riders are douchebag, holier than thou riders that don't seem to give two shits to acknowledge fellow riders unless apparently on HDs. But, maybe I am looking at this wrong. Maybe it is because a large amount are doctors, white collar workers, business men, etc that buy an HD for the status that it suggests. Maybe they aren't riders and really don't understand anything about the fraternity of motorcycle riders... But, I am a betting man and have always felt that they aren't all doctors and pretending to be riders... I am almost certain that over 90% of these riders started life on a metric bike. They fell in love with motorcycles at an early age and it was due to the metric machines out there at the time they were growing up. Their enthusiasm and their love started out not with HD, but with a Japanese company... Now, I understand that sportbike guys get a bad rap from all the squids out there. I understand. But, HD riders don't have the polished image, either. I mean, come on... You guys aren't angels on wheels... I rode about 1100 miles in the last three days for work riding the RC8 to shops. Came across a LOT of riders in these last few beautiful days. Guess what? Maybe 4 HD riders waved back. I really only think it was three, but I am not sure. But, I saw a shit ton riding and passed a good number on freeways and 2 lane back roads. Get off the high horse and understand that your prized possession that is supposedly an American icon is over 80% Japanese components. Realize that we all came up through the system with a love for motorcycles and that we all mostly came from Japanese bikes when we started. Now, if you are a stuffy doctor or a white collared guy that has probably a handful of years riding motorcycles, I understand you don't know much of anything. I understand that you buy for an image and not for a passion. I get it. But, the rest of you guys - it ain't gonna ruin your bad ass image to wave back. It is the one thing that is really cool. You don't see fellow car owners wave at each other. Hell, you don't see common model owners wave at each other... For the most part, fellow bikers wave to each other and acknowledge being a fellow enthusiast. We did demo tours at Indy for the MotoGP and most riders waved back. The ones that didn't were few on the metric/euro bikes. Most that didn't were HD wannabe riders. At an event that had - YOU GUESSED IT - Metric bikes being raced. It baffles me that these guys and gals come to these events and yet have no thought that it doesn't really matter what brand you ride - we are all riders. We are all enthusiasts. Whether a first time rider or a veteran rider of many miles and many years. So, stop and think for a minute. I'll still consider you a tough guy, a hard core American steel, stallion rider. You can be whatever you want to be in everyone's eyes. But, when we pass each other, you're a fellow rider. I am simply saying "Hello friend." when I pass by.

Actually, if R&D slows down and the cycle of technology slows down, that means that demand is down and guess what? Less bikes produced (like currently) and therefore, the need for more money to offset the costs to run the companies. Low demand isn't going to reduce prices and make it easy on everyone to buy stuff. It'll go the opposite. As stated and supported by other posts, until the dollar gains some traction, it's going to be an uphill battle that isn't going to get easier any time soon. We may flatten out, but it ain't going to be anywhere like it was before any time soon. It's going to take years...