Welcome To Bikes And Travels...
...It's about bikes...and travels...mostly on bikes!
Winter is coming, apparently. Do we wrap up warm and head out or stay home safe from the cold and Covid? Only time will tell.
What's New?
Suzuki DL 250 V Strom Valve Clearance Check
Nigel's guide to servicing the tappets on Suzuki's 250 Adventure model suggests it's not too much trouble for the home mechanic
A Bolton Christmas Anti-Extravaganza
Christmas, a time to ride. Alas Ren's not feeling it but he does manage to make a half assed effort at least. So, erm, what's up with his home town?
Ireland And The Sunny South East - Xmas 2020
Nigel is making the most of an all to brief respite in the Covid restrictions by getting out and about in Ireland. Despite the icy weather it's surprising what you can squeeze into a few days out.
Coffee Liqueur In The Airbox
Obviously Ren knows Honda's CBF125 better than its creator, Honda. Here he investigates the complex issues of crankcase breathers and offers some bad advice.
Group Riding
Group riding with friends can be a lot of fun. And yet Ren's experiences suggest it can also be fraught with dangers and problems.
CB500X Evaporation Canister
Underneath the tank of the CB500X is already a cramped space. Now there's an Evap system too, whatever the hell that is.
How It All Started
Ren takes us back to the good old days when men were men and sheep were worried. The problem for the yoof in this sorry tale is he believed becoming a biker would turn in into the manly man he always wanted to be. I wonder how that worked out for him?
Reflections
Another watery day in Northern Ireland and still no rain on the horizon. Sharon contemplates the many and varied lives we get to live.
Electric Future
2030 huh? No more new fossil fuel powered cars. But as yet we'll still get fire-breathing petrol powered motorcycles. Great! Or, well, maybe, maybe not.
Dispatch Fun
With not much else going on in the world Ren reminisces about the good old days when 'e wer a lad.
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Suzuki DL 250 V Strom Valve Clearance Check
crofty said :-
Ren & Nigel, thanks for the explanation,
20/01/2021 08:17:13 UTC
Suzuki DL 250 V Strom Valve Clearance Check
Upt'North said :-
Nigel, I checked the valves on the ST at about 60,000 and they were fine, as far as the records show they have never needed adjustment only checking. I'm not bothering again.
Upt'North.
20/01/2021 07:03:25 UTC
Suzuki DL 250 V Strom Valve Clearance Check
nab301 said :-
@ crofty , that should have said evap system purge control solenoid . The solenoid purges the fuel vapours from the canister back to the airbox and you need to disconnect the electrical connector to allow the canister to swing out of the way.
@UPT I guess the BM gets away with longer oil change intervals because there's no gearbox internals or clutch (plates) to potentially contaminate the oil ? The Suzuki manual does suggest only changing the oil filter every other oil change... As for the valve clearances I'd imagine that was the first check and bike was runing and starting fine, I had a Bandit 600 and I'm ashamed to admit I never checked them in the 30 k kms of my ownership ( 12K kms is the recommended interval ( 7.5K miles)) . It started instantly , hot or cold , idled , hot or cold and ran fine! (that's my excuse)
Nigel
20/01/2021 05:23:58 UTC
Suzuki DL 250 V Strom Valve Clearance Check
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
crofty - see the link below. It's the solenoid that allows the trapped vapours in the evap canister back through the motor...
https://bikesandtravels.com/biker.aspx?ride=7377...
20/01/2021 05:20:40 UTC
Suzuki DL 250 V Strom Valve Clearance Check
crofty said :-
Thanks for the write up and pictures, good to know its not too difficult, I have got my eye on one as a second bike.
Just one thing I didn't understand what does "purge control solenoid connector block" mean ?
20/01/2021 05:00:55 UTC
Suzuki DL 250 V Strom Valve Clearance Check
Upt'North said :-
Oil changes?
Why not it's winter after all, got to talk about something.
I believe, but I haven't checked lately that the BeaST is subject to 8000 mile intervals. That's oil and filter. Checking the stamped up history it's never exceeded that mileage and routinely it's been done once a year. I do it in the Spring and at that time mileage has always been under 8000 per year, typically 6000.
When the semi synthetic is changed it is typically quite clean looking and does not require topping up through the year, the bike has now covered around 68,000 miles.
I am very surprised that oil change intervals are still as low as 3000, why?
To make the dealer money?
Necessary?
Do these engines work that much harder?
I know people say it's cheap insurance but so would be changing your tyres every 3000 miles just in case.
We want to know.
Upt'North.
19/01/2021 10:05:12 UTC
A Bolton Christmas Anti-Extravaganza
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I had a very large paper round on a mountain in Scotland. I was living in Blackburn at the time. Eeee times wur 'ard but we wur 'appy.
These tales of the old test do make me laugh. They come from halcyon days when you could leave your front door open (because no-one had anything worth stealing) and life was cheap (because life was miserable).
And yeah, if that Bonnie wasn't leaking Pedro...
19/01/2021 09:52:42 UTC
Suzuki DL 250 V Strom Valve Clearance Check
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I'd stick to the first 3 services at 3k miles simply to ensure the valvetrain has settled in and gotten comfy. After that, if there's little movement I'd leave it to roughly every 8 to 10k. Like Henrik says though, keep on top of them thar oil changes.
19/01/2021 09:46:46 UTC
Suzuki DL 250 V Strom Valve Clearance Check
Henrik said :-
Nice, I have done the first also on the Zuma,...
Dont remember the exact numbers on adjustments, but no problem,
5000 km sure seems overkill after the first check is done ,.. seems to me just a trick to rip off people
Also its rediculess ,.. You cant even finish a normal 2 weeks trip without the need for a service
Guess I will make it: 5000-15000-25000-35000 etc etc
But still change the oil and filter for every 5000 ,..
19/01/2021 01:06:31 UTC
Suzuki DL 250 V Strom Valve Clearance Check
Kerry said :-
Having completed the job would you now leave the next check and plug swop interval to 10k. Could the offical interval be conservative to cover unsympathetic owners?
Tony
18/01/2021 11:40:03 UTC
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nab301 said :-
@ Bogger , I might have asked this before ( maybe you're not the only old man on here ...) Is the ST headlamp really the best ever motorcycle headlamp design ?( Function over form ) Also does it have servo brakes ?
I love the R80 especially the monolever rear end.
Interesting comments about the F800 , I never rode the GS but took plenty of half day test rides on others in the range , the F800S and the F800R , but for some reason never actually purchased. What went wrong with yours?
Nigel
20/01/2021 05:51:15 UTC
Bill said :-
My old air head beemer being hustled along
19/01/2021 01:47:14 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I've witnessed a R100RT in action and those old Beemers can be hustled along quite swiftly. There's also a lot to be said regarding servicing them, with the pistons' easy access and in comparison to today's machines, simple mechanics. I've always had an appreciation of BMWs but the latest ones are following the uber-tech trends. I'd fancy a modern boxer twin, 400-500cc, preferably air cooled but liquid cooled would be acceptable (likely required for emissions), pushrods and keep the tech to the minimum (ABS, EFI).
19/01/2021 10:02:41 UTC
ROD said :-
I was talking to my son when I purchased an oil head two years ago, and made the comment that I always thought of boxers as an old mans bike.
My son replied, well you must be right. You have just bought one!
I think the R1150RT is probably the best bike I have ever owned, but it is towards the upper weight limit I can now manage with my advancing years.
18/01/2021 05:05:44 UTC
Upt'North said :-
I like the R80RT, misspent my youth on them (well thirty somethings) and they were a very forgiving little bike. It looks quite smart with its cut down screen.
Upt'North.
18/01/2021 04:19:24 UTC
Bogger said :-
I dissed BMW's for years. Slow, crap, dull, old mans bike etc etc.
However, the boxer twins are brilliant bits of kit. I bought a 1996 R1100rs on a bit of a whim. I'd had a bad experience with a brand new F800GS (that was a crap bike). The Boxer in comparison was a revelation. I got rid of that and now have these two beauties in the Bogger stable.
The R800 is turbine smooth and in real world riding it's as fast as most bikes. It's a real pleasure to ride.
Bogger....Who is now that old man, ish
18/01/2021 02:49:31 UTC
Ian Soady said :-
Old? That's just rolled out of the showroom... Pretty though. I've never been a BM fan although my brother in law is and my brother had an R90 for a few years and liked it. However he's now seen the light with an AJS Model 18.
As for old petrol never ever had any problems with it. Obviously old bikes like old juice.
18/01/2021 02:30:14 UTC
Bogger said :-
Here's the old Bee Emm.
Bogger
18/01/2021 12:21:31 UTC
Bogger said :-
I've resurrected the two Bee Ems from the back of the shed. Give em a good service they are now ready for the MOT at the end of the month. The R1200ST has not been started for nearly four years. I know that's really bad of me. But it started within five seconds even on the old fuel. I know, I know.
Bogger
18/01/2021 12:18:45 UTC
Borsuk said :-
When I need original RE parts worth more than £15 I get then sent to one of my minions and he brings them out to the boaty for me.
Unfortunately a complete bike is a bit over his weight limit.
18/01/2021 12:29:14 UTC
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