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Yamaha Jog (CE50, CG50, CY50)
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Jeff in KentuckyParticipant
The 3 types of bike stands that most people use, you only need one of the front 2 with a centerstand for the back tire, unless you get someone to sit on the passenger seat with the center stand down to hold the front wheel up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcAcksusoXk&feature=related
To save money, I use this type of car trolley jack below- the wheels on it make it easy to position under the front of the frame away from the kickstand to lift the front tire, or under the side of the swingarm away from the kickstand to lift the back tire since I have no center stand. I leave the kickstand down to support the bike- some heavier bikes may need a piece of wood to raise the kickstand higher, so the bike does not lean as much. I only lift the tire off the ground a half inch for chain and back rim maintenance, or to spin the front wheel for rim cleaning and rotor resurfacing. I raise the back tire maybe 2 inches off the ground for more room to change the engine oil, and after 8 oil changes have never had the bike start to fall. I taped a piece of wood to the lift point, so it does not damage the finish on the bike:
http://www.trolleyjack.us/node-15690151-B000H4I5VK-Powerbuilt_640181_Garage_2_Ton_Trolley_Jack.html
Jeff in KentuckyParticipantI had to mow parts of my lawn for the first time yesterday, with temps near 70 degrees F. I lived in upstate New York from 1960 to 1988, and I remember the stronger spring fever for bikes there. I ride 22 miles here at 40 degrees F- most winters I just go 3 weeks without riding, although this winter was worse, with two several week periods with no riding.
Jeff in KentuckyParticipantAnother option is to hang a come-along from the ceiling, and tie rope on both sides of the handlebar attachments, to winch up the front end just enough to get the front tire off the ground. This is also useful for changing the fork oil (handlebars removed and rope tied to the both sides of the triple tree), so the top fork caps do not fly off and maybe smack you in the face.
Jeff in KentuckyParticipantI forgot about the centerstand to raise the back tire off the ground- the last time I had a centerstand was in 1985. To raise the front tire off the ground, there is probably someplace under the front of the engine that is safe to jack- what I do is leave the kickstand down, and jack on the front on the side away from the sidestand, to form a triangle with the back tire, the sidestand, and the jack to hold up the front tire safely.
Jeff in KentuckyParticipantMy 2002 Honda Shadow 600cc is a newer (1988) copy of this bike. It has the same 95 mph top speed stock, the same 4 speed transmission, a V-twin engine, and both were very reliable and sold very well for their time. It is doubtful that mine will be worth as much 80 years later- maybe in Japan. In 1946, war veterans bought these used for a low price, to rebuild. Here is a short article with some photos:
Jeff in KentuckyParticipantIt looks great, I like the black color and the custom seat. For the brakes, I would take some fine sandpaper and hold it on both sides of the front rotors and the back rotor, one at a time while spinning the tire backwards with your other hand (jack under the front or back of the frame). This will resurface the rotors, similar to putting car rotors on a lathe. It is a rare older bike with 2 front rotors and 1 rear rotor, and solid aluminum alloy wheels for tubeless tires.
Jeff in KentuckyParticipantI spend some time at this forum and at a Kawasaki forum. The other forum has much newer software, making it easier to search for older posts, but this forum is small enough that the older software is not a problem for me.
I think the main problem now is that fewer people are buying their first motorcycle, because of the economy and because the popularity of motorcycling is on a downward curve, similar to the 1970s when Harley Davidson was bought by AMF then later sold to some of the Harley staff at a bargain price, and similar to the 1950s when Indian went bankrupt.
The post count at the other forum that I go to is also smaller than it used to be, maybe because of the above reasons, and maybe because more people are texting and tweeting and doing other things besides spending time at forums. Another possible problem is that as more people buy computers, more less educated people have computers, and they are easily offended by someone with a different opinion than theirs, and only spend time at a forum for people who think just like them, and do not want to be told that a 600cc sportbike is not safe for a beginner. Maybe more people are going to forums for one brand of bike or one philosophy, or more people are taking the MSF classes instead of spending a few hours at forums, although it would be best to do both, to get as wide a range of information and opinions as possible.
Jeff in KentuckyParticipantHere is a throttle kit for 600cc and 1000cc sportbikes, to adjust the amount the throttle turns for different tracks or different types of street riding:
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/5/83/21757/DPITEM/Street-Bike-Throttles-Motion-Pro-Revolver-Throttle-Kit.aspx?SiteID=SLI|Throttle%20Housing&WT.MC_ID=10010
Jeff in KentuckyParticipantThere are a few people that might buy a Motus to sit next to the $50,000 Corvette in their garage.
It did take a multi-millionaire to restart Triumph, and I think their motorcycles are very good, just more expensive than the $4,000 to $7,200 category that Japan sells bikes for, and they have none of their sportbikes winning races, but they are fine for the street and for non-race track days.
Harleys sell well in the US and have a high resale value, but I have decided I will not buy another one (I owned one of their 65cc Italian imports from 1971 to 1973) unless I win the lottery, or they come out with a much more high tech new model that is reasonably priced (probably when hogs fly).
The Harley Davidson XR-1200R flat-track style street bike is a step in the right direction, until I see the air-cooled motor that bakes you in the summer and a high price tag for the horsepower. I am buying a Kawasaki ZZR600 with 350 miles on it for $6,000 in two months from a guy at work- it seems like a better deal to me for 98 horsepower and liquid cooling, without the antique-type technology for a higher cost. It will not beat the newer 2009+ 600cc Ninja on a track, but I am not going to race it.
Even though Kawasaki no longer has any bikes in 800cc MotoGP, they have won recently for flat track and are in the top 5 now for some of the other race series:
http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/flat-track/2010/09/08/how-kawasaki-conquered-dirt-track
Jeff in KentuckyParticipantI think an American company (Motus) is trying to build a Corvette-engined sport tourer- half a Corvette engine is way too heavy for a sportbike. The plastic front fairing so far sort of resembles a Corvette front end.
This is from goingfaster.com, my favorite Harley bashing site:
“If I had been Harley, I would have gotten together with Chevrolet in order to design an ultra compact, multi-valve liquid cooled four cylinder. Think of it, Harley and Chevrolet building American sport bikes, standards, and cruisers. You want foreign technology, Milwaukee? Chevrolet bought out Lotus, that’s how they got thirty-two valves in their 350 cubic inch Corvette ZR-1!
If someone out there is reading this, and you have more money than you know what to do with (multi-millionaires or billionaires only, I’m afraid, because this is going to take a lot of money), and you are wanting to do something that other people around the world will remember your name for ages to come, here’s a simple solution.
You, or you and a group of investors, need to churn out the highest tech motorcycles that the world has ever seen. Motorcycles that the Japanese will work day and night to overcome. Motorcycles that are American designed and built. Powered by the highest technology engines that Americans can produce. You’ll get the best designers that money can buy, smart kids, who aren’t afraid to try radical designs and building techniques, who know how to compete with the rest of the world.
America could build V-4s and conquer the world motorcycle market. I’m not talking about taking a Harley and plugging a small block Chevy in either! We would start to build what Americans build best; hotrods and fast bikes. You’d see them on the global tracks, you’d have racers running from other corporations for a chance to ride on your team.
Real American motorcycles: modern, CAD designed stream lined dreams that would prowl the streets of the world, proclaiming that once again, America was the power to be reckoned with. They would be light, powerful, and since they would be mass produced, they would be affordable, as affordable as the Japanese imports. Those of us who crave a real American bike could walk into a Buell or Chevy dealership and take our choice of new American standards, cruisers, tourers, sport-tourers, and sport bikes. We could even have factory designed accessories! Racing leathers, helmets, decals, etc.
Money out the wazoo from patriotic young Americans who would have a motorcycle to be proud of! Do you realize how much money is involved in aftermarket paraphernalia? Well, I guess if you are Harley Davidson, you really do understand.
Until America builds real bikes, Americans will buy their real bikes from Japan and Italy and Germany.”The last Harley to win at Daytona was in 1969:
Jeff in KentuckyParticipantIt is all about the target market.
Some people want a heavy, longer motorcycle with a longer travel throttle, for going on long trips on the mostly straight interstates with more comfort, after they have learned how to ride on a smaller bike.
Some want a lighter, shorter motorcycle with a quicker throttle, better for fast cornering.
Some want a little scooter for around town.
Some will pay extra for made in the US, Italy, or Germany.
Jeff in KentuckyParticipantOur US and state and local governments tax fuel a lot less than many countries. Here are the highest and lowest gasoline prices around the world from 2008, the price locally for me in Kentucky now is about $3.49 a gallon:
http://www.promotionalcodes.org.uk/422/highest-and-lowest-gas-prices-in-world
Jeff in KentuckyParticipantAnd for a new huge dream sport touring bike if you are tired of looking at little bikes, half a Corvette engine, made in Detroit, about 150 horsepower at the back tire, and a great sound with aftermarket “racing use only” mufflers and a Moto-Guzzi look V-4 engine in a Ducati style frame. The price will probably be at or above a Goldwing, $23,000 plus (way too big for a beginner):
http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/news/motus-mst-daytona-ride-video
Jeff in KentuckyParticipanthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kWu8mvXDaE
Hopefully you never do this, sliding the back tire on a painted line then doing 3 highsides and destroying your bike:
Jeff in KentuckyParticipantI do not use the BelRay Superclean chain spray, because it requires more cleaning in between uses. I use the Dupont Teflon spray because it is cheap, keeps the chain and sprockets cleaner without me doing a lot of rubbing and wiping or soaking, and works well. I buy a smaller spray can of Maxima Chain Wax or Amsoil Metal Protectant to put in my luggage for longer trips with at least one motel stay.
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