[Rab]

I wear the budget-priced HJC CL-15 too. I got it for about $80 a year or two ago after having previously owned an AC-11 (HJC’s high-end helmet at the time).

Having researched the subject prior to my purchase, I believe that the CL-15 would protect my head in a crash as well as anything else on the market; at any price.

The only reasons I can see for buying a more expensive helmet would be:

(a) Improved comfort (maybe, although I’ve no complaints).
(b) Reduced wind noise (although I always wear ear plugs anyway).
(c) Better venting.
(d) Fancy designs (I couldn’t care less).
(e) Bragging rights (mine’s more expensive than yours).

If (e) means a lot to you, you can buy a set of Shoei stickers for your helmet for a few dollars I’m told.

There’s a Pinlock equipped visor and insert available for the CL-15 which stops visor fogging (100%).

[Rab]

The lady at the DMV probably didn’t know either. Ask your local Honda dealer or better yet, take the bike into the dealer’s service department and ask them to show you.

[Rab]

You should always be overly cautious when riding twisties that are unfamiliar to you as you just don’t know how tight that bend is unless you can clearly see all the way through it. Even then you can be caught by surprise by the camber or accumulated gravel etc. What if it’s a blind hairpin!?

The trick of course is to brake before the bends, not in them and make speed in the straights. If you find yourself going too fast through the corner, then you didn’t slow enough prior to entry based on how much of the corner you could see prior to entry.

You can still be caught by surprise if it’s a complex bend though, so if you are into it too fast, usually the best thing to do is to lean harder (by countersteering) if you’re on a non-cruiser type bike. The bike can probably lean a heck of a lot more than you’ve had the guts to try before. Look at motorcycle racing, those guys are almost horizontal going round bends fast.

If you’re on a cruiser (with limited ground clearance), then you shouldn’t be trying to ride fast in the twisties anyway as more leaning could cause hard parts to touch the road (not good).

Personally, having done it when I was a newbie, I don’t enjoy trying to ride fast in the twisties as I don’t enjoy scaring myself (and I did scare myself on more than a few occasions). No biggie, and I don’t feel any less masculine for it

I also generally choose to ride alone (or two-up), so am not subject to peer pressure, bravado or the herd mentality (which have been the undoing of so many motorcyclists).

There are a lot of stone-dead or wheelchair-bound “fast guys”.

As they say, “There are old pilots and there are bold pilots but there are no old bold pilots”.

The same applies to motorcyclists. Think seriously about that…

[Rab]

It has the same parallel twin cylinder engine as my last bike, a Triumph Bonneville, except that the pistons fire at 270 degrees for more of a vee-twin cruiser-type sound (the Bonnevilles are 360 degree firing).

Good quality, solid (and fairly heavy) bike with a two year warranty and Triumph dealerships may let you test ride.

I’d say a second bike though, not a first.

[Rab]

Spend some time looking back through this forum.

There’s a wealth of information in there…

[Rab]

“Problem though, I was trying to check the oil level and I don`t see anything at all (the bike is upright and has been warmed). The view screen is all black…am I doing something wrong or does it just mean that the engine oil is maxed out”

If it’s a used bike and the oil level viewing window is all black, I’m guessing that it’s full of oil but the oil may be dirty

Look at the window when the bike is on the sidestand. It should appear empty or at least less than full (assuming that the window is on the right-hand side of the engine).

Whatever, if it’s a used bike, get the oil and filter changed anyway unless you have service records to prove that it was changed at the most recent service interval. It is VERY important to ensure that there is enough oil in the bike as if there isn’t, the engine could seize and you could very likely be thrown to your death. Too much oil isn’t good either, but not so potentially dangerous.

BTW: you shouldn’t need to take anything off the bike to clean, lubricate or check the chain tension.

[Rab]

This is not gospel, it’s just what I do (I ride a minimum of 300 miles a week).

You should check the tires every riding day for nails, glass, cuts, bulges, etc. Check that the tire pressure is as it should be and that the tires have not worn beyond their acceptable limits. You should only measure tire pressures when the tires are cold (i.e. when the bike has not been ridden in the last few hours).

I only check my tires once a week as I have tubeless tires which are less prone to quick-deflation punctures than tubed tires and I also have “Ride-on TPS” in my tires.

Check the oil level every riding day (or before every ride). Check all your lights and brakes before every ride and after filling up with gas.

Clean and lubricate your chain every 300-600 miles (check your owner’s manual) and also lubricate after riding in the rain, or any time you can touch the edges of the chain plates (e.g. on the rear sprocket) and your finger isn’t “oily”. You might get away with cleaning every other time you lube it (depends on how dirty it is and how much you ride). When cleaning/lubing the chain, check the chain tension and adjust if necessary.

Keep the bike clean as far as possible for in the act of cleaning it, you might come across loose bolts, loose or broken spokes, etc.

Every now and again, specifically check that all bolts are tight (not by snicking them up a little tighter though, ‘coz eventually you’ll strip them doing that). Lube the cables occasionally, check hydraulic levels (clutch and brake if hydraulic) and brake pads (linings) now and then too.

That’s the routine stuff, other than that a bike needs serviced every 3000-6000 miles (depending on the bike); you should have this done by the dealer unless you’re confident of what you’re doing.

Read your bike’s handbook (owner’s manual) where this should all be outlined. Failing that, there are a few books on the market that go into it in a general way.

I suggest reading the “Complete Idiot’s Guide to Motorcycles” which is a great primer on all things motorcycyle and includes basic servicing. You can usually pick up earlier versions of this book really cheaply if you look around.

[Rab]

I’ve occasionally found myself wondering if I could squeeze between the other cars to filter to the front at traffic lights.

‘Works fine on the bike, but I’ve actually thought about doing it while driving the minivan!!

Fortunately, I’ve caught myself before actually trying it

[Rab]

Geez! Give it a rest you guys…

Haven’t smokers been browbeaten and stigmatized enough yet?

There are far more important things to get upset about in life…

Rab (a long time ex-smoker)

[Rab]

Doh… How about http://www.bikersfriend.com

[Rab]

http://hondanighthawks.net/

[Rab]

I agree with what you’re saying about faster downshifts and that it will probably become second nature with practice, but I don’t think that the Rossi video is an ideal example.

Valentino Rossi, apart from being one of the most skilled and accomplished racing motorcyclists in the world, also has the benefit of something that most newbie’s don’t, which could explain the smoothness of his downshifts and the lack of camera shake.

A Slipper Clutch

Rab (tongue firmly in cheek).

[Rab]

I too find it easier to achieve smooth downshifts using engine/gearbox speed matching as described by Zepp and eternal05 (“slow release”), rather than by throttle blipping which, in order to achieve a smooth downshift, requires that you let out the clutch at the precise moment in the blip’s decay when engine and gearbox speeds match.

Note that when Zepp says “roll on the throttle” (with the clutch held in), it’s usually a fairly slight roll-on (i.e. don’t “grab a handfull”). You’re trying to match engine revs (using the throttle) with the new speed of the gearbox (in the lower gear). If you do it well enough, when you let out the clutch (smoothly), the bike will neither speed-up nor slow down.

That said though, with enough practice, I’m sure that the blip technique soon becomes second nature, so whatever floats your boat…

[Rab]

Engine braking is fine, but you should also flash your brake light to indicate your deceleration to the cars behind you.

This is done by gently pulling the front brake lever in and out a few times; just enough to engage the brake light switch, but not enough to engage the brakes (unless of course you need or want to brake).

If you are already stopped at a traffic light, it’s also good practice to check your mirror and flash the brake lights (followed by a steady brake light) to attract the attention of the driver closing in on you from behind.

You can also buy accessory automatic brake light flashers (not legal in all states) and/or accessory light-bars which connect to your tail and brake light wiring and will flash when the brake light comes on. These are legal I believe, as your main brake light remains steady.

You can also use hand signals to indicate deceleration, but that gets old soon and isn’t always possible.

[Rab]

This might do it:

http://pdftown.com/Kawasaki-GPX250-Service-Manual.html

… or this:

http://www.vertor.com/torrents/432881/Ninja-250-Manual-pdf

You’ll get lots of info here:

http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Main_Page

… or you could try here:

http://www.repairmanualclub.com/motomanuals

This one (below) is probably more than you want at this time (repair manual) but it may be useful in future:

http://www.cyclepedia.com/kawasaki-ex250-ninja-250-online-service-guide/

[Author]

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