Out and About on your Laverda.No bull,Just photos

Vince said:
I have a great headlight, 130/90. A year ago I did the about 150ks heading into Walca on the Oxley at night after a big delay with a front tyre blowout at speed on the Freeway. It's not fun with that great headlight if it's pointing about 20 degrees high after fitting the new std length rear shocks, 15mm shorter than what I had. Add in very tight headlight bolts also inassessable in the fairing. My one saving grace was following Will in his car and trailer, saved me after the tyre blew and then up his arse at 120 ks plus in the pitch-dark Oxley Hwy. Close to sub-zero temperatures added extra fun as I couldn't pull up and add layers, I was slowly freezing. The first thing back home was a headlight adjustment. New visor Q or Helmet? The stupid little things that catch you out. BTW that front blowout was put down to a thousand-year-old rock-hard and sharp rubber rim protector rubbing a hole in the tube.
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I have already bought a new visor (not cheap either) after my last trip to Walkerville, returning in torrential rain and using the wiper on my other gloves. But I didn't want to fit it and have the same thing happen. I did some polishing of the old one using car cutting compound - improved it, but now it's back where it was last time. And if you're on a touring run and hit rain, then have to ride at night, you're stuffed until you can polish it again.

I don't recall any of my Shoeis having shit quality polycarb visor material - I used to clean them and they'd be back nice and clear. I'd say Kabuto have skimped on their choice of material. It really shouldn't fuk up so badly after one ride in the rain. I'm gonna post in Technical to ask if anyone has a good trick for fine polishing of visors.

There were times tonight when I felt like I was in a video game and going through a really dodgy part of the game where your vision is blurred and obscured - not fun. The twin LEDs are brilliant on low beam and aimed correctly, but the penetration on high is all wrong. Also in the fairing so nothing you can do. My Bosch H4 90/130s in my Volvo were stupendously good. Fitted a single of that same headlight to the SF when it was naked. With the ZXR twin round headlights I might have to look at fitting a 55/100 or 90/130 H4 halogen to one side. Not sure even the Kwaka ND alternator would cope with two of either of those.
 
My Shoei isn't brilliant now, especially at night, I think the issue is I used Mr Sheene to clean the bugs off but the problem so I hear is using paper towels. I always bring a supermarket paper towel roll but I was reading a while back they are too aggressive and what's worse is wiping round and round produces swurly scrates. I might have to invest in a microfiber cloth dampened in a sealed plastic container and a new visor, they are Approximately $130 so not cheap, even more with a new pin lock. At least my new Cataract lens in my right eye is flipping amazing, no glasses are now required. My last eye exam had me reading the chart catalogue number right off the chart bottom, better than 20 20 in the right eye, way less in the left even with its cataract done. It might improve slightly with glasses but I doubt it.
 
The problem for me is when actually riding in rain - if I don't wipe away filth thrown up by cars or simply wipe the myriad spots of water it really reduces my clarity of vision - kinda like driving a car in rain without wipers. if I can find a way to polish polycarbonate I'll get stuck into it.
 
sfcpiet said:
Blimey Quentin,

That sure is a grubby bike! :ROFLMAO:

I notice that's becoming your favourite photographic angle. Hope all is now well.

piet
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it really is nicely dirty now, Piet - blurry pic doesn't show. I badly need some kind of mudflap extension for wet riding.

As fo favourite angle, I actually prefer the other (right) side)! Just happened that light came from one side or I was on a particular side of the road.

Bike ran flawlessly for the whole 600km - the scary noise disappeared when i added a little more lateral play to the starter sprocket-freewheel. Also discovered the bike is at its smoothest at 130-140kph (GPS speed) at 4500-5000rpm. Mirrors are pretty clear but there's buzzing through the seat. 3500 is smooth but lumpy ... like I can feel every piston firing.

It was a very successful shakedown run - I took out motorcycle roadside assist before I left - I figure AUD$99 a year might prove to be good insurance. Never even thought about it in my earlier decades of Laverda ownership. Realising how difficult it is to push start this beast even with 3 pushers on a downhill bitumen slope was reason enough to have an escape clause!!
 
Haggis said:
A couple of hundred miles chucked at the SF, as part of the 'will it get to Breganze this time' decision making process... No decision yet, but anyway, a bloody nice day riding in the UK sunshine. Here we are at Ellesmere.
View attachment 90235
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There's no reason why a 750 shouldn't get you to Breganze and back.
You have a twin pull throttle cable I see.
Paul
 
Hi Paul. Yes, I have massive great long twin pull cables on the throttle at the moment. Child catchers. I've been experimenting with bar shapes for years now and have been reluctant to trim cables and wires until I settle on the best shape. I'm pretty sure I'm happy with the bars now, so a single pull plus splitter will be next on the ever-ongoing mods/improvements.
The 'kidney' clutch cover is ex-yours by the way.

I think I have a bit of piston blow-by. Oil is coming out all over the place.
 
Haggis said:
Hi Paul. Yes, I have massive great long twin pull cables on the throttle at the moment. Child catchers. I've been experimenting with bar shapes for years now and have been reluctant to trim cables and wires until I settle on the best shape. I'm pretty sure I'm happy with the bars now, so a single pull plus splitter will be next on the ever-ongoing mods/improvements.
The 'kidney' clutch cover is ex-yours by the way.

I think I have a bit of piston blow-by. Oil is coming out all over the place.
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I remember that sprocket cover.
I have one more, for a rainy day. I have two bikes with those, ,the S and the 650.
:)
Paul
 
piranha-bro2 said:
The problem for me is when actually riding in rain - if I don't wipe away filth thrown up by cars or simply wipe the myriad spots of water it really reduces my clarity of vision - kinda like driving a car in rain without wipers. if I can find a way to polish polycarbonate I'll get stuck into it.
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I spoke to someone about this after trying to polish a screen and he said you can polish acrylic (Pledge works well) but if it's polycarb forget it- it's too soft. Clean it with detergent and cold water only, never hot water, and air dry. I've been doing that for years now and my visors last for the life of the helmet. I also add a coat of anti-fog that I get from my optometrist, I don't know what it is but it's fine with any plastic and the coatings. I tried Rain-Off once and it stripped off the anti-scratch(?) coating after a couple of applications.
Have to say, the Argy screen is the best screen I've ever ridden behind, rain and spray is sent straight over your head, and if I need to clear the visor I just need to lift my head a little. Riding at night in the rain on unfamiliar roads can be daunting but now I can just hook in behind a NZ Post truck 😎
 
Andy said:
I spoke to someone about this after trying to polish a screen and he said you can polish acrylic (Pledge works well) but if it's polycarb forget it- it's too soft. Clean it with detergent and cold water only, never hot water, and air dry. I've been doing that for years now and my visors last for the life of the helmet. I also add a coat of anti-fog that I get from my optometrist, I don't know what it is but it's fine with any plastic and the coatings. I tried Rain-Off once and it stripped off the anti-scratch(?) coating after a couple of applications.
Have to say, the Argy screen is the best screen I've ever ridden behind, rain and spray is sent straight over your head, and if I need to clear the visor I just need to lift my head a little. Riding at night in the rain on unfamiliar roads can be daunting but now I can just hook in behind a NZ Post truck 😎
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I worked with a guy, nicknamed Biggus Diccus, that became an Aust Post truck driver.

At a truck stop I asked an Aust Post driver if they had a driver, Biggus Diccus. I don’t think he knew what I really asking, the conversation was short.
 
When I replaced the Ducati fairing screen on my 3c, the Hand Crafted Fiberglass bloke who made the screen spent a good 45 minutes polishing the scratches out on a Buffing wheel mounted on a pedestal grinder. They do great work, That's a fairing screen, not a helmet visor.
 
Reduction of harmful chemicals in materials, leads to reduced serviceable product life. UV attack and degradation is rampant on car plastic headlight systems. Plethora of information on this recovery, WWW, have "restored" many headlights so far, with varying success if you can call it that. Not sure this is pertinent as to our expensive screen protectors.
 
The visor is so ratshit now I can't lose, whatever i try on it - definitely use something on the new one and avoid using my glove windscreen wiper at all costs! Not sure how to ascertain whether it's acrylic or polycarb.
 
motoddrob said:
I never use paper towels to clean my visor, abrasive as fuck!! My visors last the life of my helmets.
Bugs I remove using my fingers while running water over the visor.
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Yes I learnt about paper towels the hard way...
Easy to soak off the bugs, just leave a wet cloth on it for a while. Same with screens.
 
I avoid dragging anything over the face of the visor.
Wet cloth laid on the visor is a good idea to soften the bugs.
Often see my mates use the paper towels at servos to clean their visors.
Dragging bugs across the visor will also scratch it.
Once brought a new AGV with visor that would scratch badly by running my finger nail across it.
 
motoddrob said:
I avoid dragging anything over the face of the visor.
Wet cloth laid on the visor is a good idea to soften the bugs.
Often see my mates use the paper towels at servos to clean their visors.
Dragging bugs across the visor will also scratch it.
Once brought a new AGV with visor that would scratch badly by running my finger nail across it.
Click to expand...
 
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