AndyW
Hero member
The
baby puke green?
Hi all
- Thread starter Paul LeClair
- Start date
henrywillms
Hero member
- Location
- Canada
Paul, I thought you were doing real well until you said you bought a boat. And you think British cars are high maintenance....
- Location
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Hi Henry
older 19 foot, fiberglass hull, closed bow, 350 cubic inch Chev V8 inboard. I have the Rochester Quadrajet carb on my workbench at the moment
about to snow here apparently, the bird bath was frozen over this morning, so waited until a little later in the morning to get a bike out, about 10 degrees Celsius, but sunny. I am still under instructions relating to medical stuff not to ride alone yet, so pressed my racer buddy Francesco into service again as chaperone, third weekend in a row. He is the only one I know who can keep up. He brought his BMW K1200 this time, he was flogging the wheels off it to keep my ZX14 in sight
Saw 260 + today, 
(closed course only of course). Likely one of the last rides of the season but we will see.... Photo below is same location from the previous two weekends. Spectacular ride, scenery, wildlife.I was going to take the RGS today but carb issues popped up, need to strip the carbs again and run them through the ultrasonic I guess. None of the bikes were happy being out of service for the the better part of two years while my medical saga has been playing out, thinking about it I was not very happy about it either
but thrilled with the outcome
Schuberth C4 Pro Carbon report - I really like it, great ventilation, fairly quiet, doesn't try to lift off my head at 260+, stable and comfy. The controls for the inner visor, exterior visor, and the opening front, all work much more nicely than the C3 Pro. The C4 Pro has a noticeably wider field of vision than the C3 as well, makes a big difference.
Paul LeClair
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I tried looking at the Schuberth helmets last year but they were few and far about in Oz at that time. Never even could try one on at all. There was a shop that opened close by early in the pandemic but it closed just as quick. I ended up with the equivalent Shoei, Neotec 2 and really like it. By far the best helmet I have owned.
Dellortoman
Hero member
- Location
- Tasmania, Australia
I reckon every new helmet I ever bought was the best helmet I've owned. The technology keeps improving so every new helmet is better than the last.
I felt like Giacomo Agostini when I bought an AGV open-faced "jet" style helmet 1968. It had webbing straps inside it rather than padding, but it was a step up from the pudding basin helmet that I inherited from my older brother from his car racing days a decade earlier.
Later that year (1968) the Bell Star full face helmet made it's debut on the market, so my AGV was "old hat" pretty quickly. It wasn't long before I bought a Shoei clone of the Bell Star, which I still have sitting on a shelf in my shed. I just tried it on for the first time in about 40 years. It's a really bad fit, way too loose and wobbly. I might as well have worn a bucket on my head, but I thought it was shit-hot back in the day.
breganzane
Hero member
- Location
- NSW Australia
Thanks for the follow up Paul, sounds great! Glad you were able to find a closed circuit so late in the season for your speed testing!
Vince, get in touch with the guy from held australia, he is the importer of Schuberth too. Basically an online retailer only, but has a place in Balmain or Rozelle and with the Held gear I was able to arrange to drop in and try various sizes and pick up what was in stock and mail order the rest. Should be able to try out the Shuei at his place, although it sounds like you're sorted for the moment now.
Cam, I have a Shoei head. But the last helmet I bought before the Modular Newtec 2 turned into a nightmare as it never got comfortable long-term. It was replaced by the next size up 6 months later, a $700 fuckup by me. These modular helmets are so much more comfy than the std buckets.
Dellortoman
Hero member
- Location
- Tasmania, Australia
Just to show how out of touch I am with helmet technology, I didn't know what a modular helmet was. I had to google it. I thought they were called flip-up or flip face.
I've never bought a modular type. My brother lost his two front teeth by literally biting the road in a crash. He was wearing an open face helmet, but I wonder if the same could happen with a flip-up helmet. I have reservations about the front not staying locked down if you do a face-plant into the road like he did. They obviously pass all the appropriate approval tests, but it still bothers me enough not to buy one.
I've never bought a modular type. My brother lost his two front teeth by literally biting the road in a crash. He was wearing an open face helmet, but I wonder if the same could happen with a flip-up helmet. I have reservations about the front not staying locked down if you do a face-plant into the road like he did. They obviously pass all the appropriate approval tests, but it still bothers me enough not to buy one.
lawrence
Hero member
- Location
- Idaho, USA
My Nolan has stainless steel hardware that secures the flip up face portion. I've never crash tested it, but it seems solid
enough for me. The convenience of that style helmet is so appealing that I almost never use my "full face" model.
enough for me. The convenience of that style helmet is so appealing that I almost never use my "full face" model.
- Location
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada
in Canada our online retailers have been giving the local dealers strong competition, now the local dealers price match the Canadian online retailers.
then strong competition for the Canadian online retailers has sprung up internationally, out of Holland. They ship worldwide, and market to Australia as well. https://www.chromeburner.com/au/en/
I have ordered a few things from ChromeBurner so far, the prices are significantly lower than the Canadian online retailers, shipping is free and reasonably quick. Just have to figure in customs and Canadian tax. Our local Canadian motorcycle dealers are so far refusing to price match ChromeBurner, I am told by the parts manager at my local big box motorcycle retailer that the ChromeBurner retail prices offered are in many cases lower than his Canadian wholesale cost.
check out the ChromeBurner pricing on Schuberth helmets. Cheapest anywhere, by hundreds of dollars. Tough to buy a helmet without trying it on for fit and sizing, though, for my Schuberth C4 Pro I purchased locally even though it was more money, as they helped fit the proper helmet size etc.
Steve B mentioned Held products. I have been really happy with the Held Titan motorcycle gloves I have been wearing for several years now. The local dealers to me have all quit carrying Held products, don't know why, so my next set of Held gloves will be coming from ChromeBurner.
While I am doing product reviews, recently when it was becoming clear I would be able to ride again, I went out and bought a set of German made Daytona Road Star GTX boots https://www.blackfootonline.ca/daytona-road-star-gtx-boots Another plug for buying local, the sizing was odd for my particular foot shape, had to try on several pairs to get exactly the right sizing. Great boots, I am retiring my armored and braced SIDI road race boots for race track use only now, the Daytona's are much easier to walk in, are waterproof, and much more comfortable than the SIDI road race boots. Highly recommended, although I suspect many of you have been wearing them for decades and I am late to this particular party. Beautifully made.
Snowing here to day, glad I got out yesterday on the ZX 14, nothing lets you know you are still alive more than cracking 260+. Was going to go for breaking 300+ again with the modified and derestricted ZX14 (verified by GPS it pulls 327 kph) but 260+ was enough within the space then available (disclaimer - closed course, not public roads)
The supercharged H2 SX SE is more electronically sophisticated than my modified 2008 ZX 14, and the H2's supercharger, coupled with the ECU reprogramming and open exhaust and free flowing air filter results in savage acceleration especially above 6,500 + rpm. The H2 feels shorter than the ZX 14 and has quicker handling, yet is still stable. However, the larger displacement of the ZX14 and the immense wave of power also from above 6,000 + rpm coupled with what feels like a longer wheelbase is different enough I don't feel the H2 has replaced the ZX14, they are different enough I am going to keep both. I have not done top speed testing on the lightly modified H2 SX SE yet, but the fellow who reprogrammed the H2 ECU for me and arranged the other mods has a video posted of his similar H2 SX SE hitting a GPS verified 205 mph.
Canadian Thanksgiving is today. For those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving, Happy Thanksgiving!! In this weird CoViid19 world we are only having a small celebration with immediate family this year. I am giving thanks for still being alive and being able to celebrate Thanksgiving at all, kind of puts things in sharp focus and perspective, actually brings a tear to my eye quite literally.
Paul LeClair
then strong competition for the Canadian online retailers has sprung up internationally, out of Holland. They ship worldwide, and market to Australia as well. https://www.chromeburner.com/au/en/
I have ordered a few things from ChromeBurner so far, the prices are significantly lower than the Canadian online retailers, shipping is free and reasonably quick. Just have to figure in customs and Canadian tax. Our local Canadian motorcycle dealers are so far refusing to price match ChromeBurner, I am told by the parts manager at my local big box motorcycle retailer that the ChromeBurner retail prices offered are in many cases lower than his Canadian wholesale cost.
check out the ChromeBurner pricing on Schuberth helmets. Cheapest anywhere, by hundreds of dollars. Tough to buy a helmet without trying it on for fit and sizing, though, for my Schuberth C4 Pro I purchased locally even though it was more money, as they helped fit the proper helmet size etc.
Steve B mentioned Held products. I have been really happy with the Held Titan motorcycle gloves I have been wearing for several years now. The local dealers to me have all quit carrying Held products, don't know why, so my next set of Held gloves will be coming from ChromeBurner.
While I am doing product reviews, recently when it was becoming clear I would be able to ride again, I went out and bought a set of German made Daytona Road Star GTX boots https://www.blackfootonline.ca/daytona-road-star-gtx-boots Another plug for buying local, the sizing was odd for my particular foot shape, had to try on several pairs to get exactly the right sizing. Great boots, I am retiring my armored and braced SIDI road race boots for race track use only now, the Daytona's are much easier to walk in, are waterproof, and much more comfortable than the SIDI road race boots. Highly recommended, although I suspect many of you have been wearing them for decades and I am late to this particular party. Beautifully made.
Snowing here to day, glad I got out yesterday on the ZX 14, nothing lets you know you are still alive more than cracking 260+. Was going to go for breaking 300+ again with the modified and derestricted ZX14 (verified by GPS it pulls 327 kph) but 260+ was enough within the space then available (disclaimer - closed course, not public roads)
The supercharged H2 SX SE is more electronically sophisticated than my modified 2008 ZX 14, and the H2's supercharger, coupled with the ECU reprogramming and open exhaust and free flowing air filter results in savage acceleration especially above 6,500 + rpm. The H2 feels shorter than the ZX 14 and has quicker handling, yet is still stable. However, the larger displacement of the ZX14 and the immense wave of power also from above 6,000 + rpm coupled with what feels like a longer wheelbase is different enough I don't feel the H2 has replaced the ZX14, they are different enough I am going to keep both. I have not done top speed testing on the lightly modified H2 SX SE yet, but the fellow who reprogrammed the H2 ECU for me and arranged the other mods has a video posted of his similar H2 SX SE hitting a GPS verified 205 mph.
Canadian Thanksgiving is today. For those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving, Happy Thanksgiving!! In this weird CoViid19 world we are only having a small celebration with immediate family this year. I am giving thanks for still being alive and being able to celebrate Thanksgiving at all, kind of puts things in sharp focus and perspective, actually brings a tear to my eye quite literally.
Paul LeClair
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1200ts
Hero member
- Location
- USA - Riverside CA
Paul,
As for your RGS carb issues, My RGS and all the rest of my Laverda's and any other bike with a carb I have (about 30) gets the carb drained within 15 minutes of getting home. I leave the float bowls off and the chokes open for 1/2 hour so all gas has evaporated. Doing this makes having to clean the carbs a very rare occurrence. Other than rubber O-rings needing to be replaced every few years the RGS carbs were last overhauled 20 years ago. Here in the USA, modern gas does bad things when it sits in the carb for more than a few weeks.
As for going over 200 MPH on a bike, I am too old or maybe my balls are not big enough for this kind of speed. Fastest bike I own is a modified BMW K1200RS which on a good day will do 160 MPH.
As for your RGS carb issues, My RGS and all the rest of my Laverda's and any other bike with a carb I have (about 30) gets the carb drained within 15 minutes of getting home. I leave the float bowls off and the chokes open for 1/2 hour so all gas has evaporated. Doing this makes having to clean the carbs a very rare occurrence. Other than rubber O-rings needing to be replaced every few years the RGS carbs were last overhauled 20 years ago. Here in the USA, modern gas does bad things when it sits in the carb for more than a few weeks.
As for going over 200 MPH on a bike, I am too old or maybe my balls are not big enough for this kind of speed. Fastest bike I own is a modified BMW K1200RS which on a good day will do 160 MPH.
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- Location
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada
your modified K1200 RS is a really quick bike. My racer buddy Francesco was caning the wheels off his K1200 to keep up with my modified ZX14, yesterday and did a really good job of keeping the ZX 14 in sight until the K1200 ran out of steam on the top end and my modified ZX14 kept on pulling away. Francesco is as competitive as I am, this evening he texted me a local for sale listing for a really clean low mileage ZX 14 he apparently is now thinking of adding to his stable....
never thought about pulling the float bowls on the carbed bikes to dry the fuel out of them, I may have to give that a try for upcoming winter storage. Not sure I would be comfortable doing that on a red hot engine right after a ride though. Also, sometimes when I take the float bowls off the Dellortto's on the Laverda triples with the carbs still on the bike the float hanger pin pops loose from one end, pain in the ass to get it back in with the carbs still on the bike. I have that issue with the RGS at the moment but the carbs are coming back off the bike anyway.
Paul LeClair
A bit before Covid hit I was away from the bikes a lot and hadn't started my Pantah in 6 months, what a Flippen nightmare that produced. One carb was ok, the other had a golf ball-sized lump of white crystalised crap in the bowl and solidly gummed up passages. Thankfully sorted by Martys Ultrasonic. So much work, easily avoided by draining the bloody bowls. But knowing beforehand of extended bike downtime is what you need to guess at.
The Sock
Hero member
- Location
- London, England
I, routinely, turn my fuel taps off a mile from home to reduce the fuel in the carbs and haven't had any problems, but mines not off the road for the whole winter.
If you slip elastic bands, crossed, under the float bowls on to the carb bodies (takes practice on the centre carb), you can remove the bottom drains only. Saves fighting with popped out bowl seals, too.
piranha-bro2
Hero member
- Location
- Melbourne
I often leave the little 250 ZZR for months without riding it but accessing the float bowls is very difficult, as in remove fairing lower. Basically not something I would ever do after a ride, but i would definitely like to at least drain the bowls if I could access the drain screw on the Keihins.
hooksey
Hero member
- Location
- Vic , Australia
piranha-bro2
Hero member
- Location
- Melbourne
I do actually use a fuel stabiliser in the Kwaka, Dave. Been sitting so long I forgot!! Seems to work too - long as the battery has enough juice it gets mobile and runs clean once it's warmed up for a minute.
Anyone know how that stuff works?
Anyone know how that stuff works?
Stabilizer and a bit of 2/S oil if I know it will sit for a month or more...You blokes are jokin aren’t ya..... just get yourselves some quality fuel stabiliser
ksoholm
Senior member
- Location
- Bellingham, WA, USA
Paul,
We don't know each other, but without your work on creating this forum ages ago and all your subsequent very informative posts, it's safe to say I wouldn't own my RGS. Thank you.
Godspeed man, your story is truly a great one.
Best,
Kristian Soholm
Bellingham
We don't know each other, but without your work on creating this forum ages ago and all your subsequent very informative posts, it's safe to say I wouldn't own my RGS. Thank you.
Godspeed man, your story is truly a great one.
Best,
Kristian Soholm
Bellingham