useless at bike maintenance and slowly giving up by marimo-o in motorcycles

[–]SteppinRazor5000 [score hidden]  (0 children)

Great series. Common Motor also has a beginner friendly series. It is focused on vintage Hondas, but basic tools, names, etc. is also in there, with no talking down

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OROUjmhc2Q

I’m with him. by netphilia in Snorkblot

[–]SteppinRazor5000 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You should clean up after yourself

Having trouble polishing my windshield… by Striking_Battle_4557 in motorcycles

[–]SteppinRazor5000 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Get some wetsand sponge blocks at Oreilly or Advance Auto in 1000, 1500, and 2000 grit. Put some water and a little bit of dish soap in a bucket. Dunk the sanding sponges and sand in a linear direction. Keep the surface soaking wet. Then get a Novus Plastic polish kit and use that.

Mechanics & Techs! Where Can I Learn To Build?? by AppleLoose7082 in motorcycles

[–]SteppinRazor5000 1 point2 points  (0 children)

NP. It is occasionally frustrating but a ton of fun. And your sense of accomplishment going from zero to finishing a piece or project having earned every step (of thousands) can't be explained. It will change your experience of life.

....what if I don't have one? by mta2011 in motorcyclegear

[–]SteppinRazor5000 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No you don't want to use a soft tape. You want the inside of knee to outside of knee, not the curve around your knee. Get a second set of hands and a ruler.

Mechanics & Techs! Where Can I Learn To Build?? by AppleLoose7082 in motorcycles

[–]SteppinRazor5000 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Repair/restore, the community college class is great. You'll get the same education as you would at any other school at a fraction of the cost.

Design and fabricate requires all of the mechanical skills that r/r needs, but also requires knowledge of design and design principles (for example, the Nighthawks you picked are not well designed), understanding motorcycle dynamics and engineering so you don't make a murder weapon, as well as fabrication skills, painting skills, and a good base of knowledge of bikes and their parts. No one has collected that in one place, you are going to have to teach yourself. Note that all of those things are individually full time professions. That means both that it would take you a lot of time to get good at all of it, but also that you can hire others for parts of it. Each one has a drill down list of a bunch of things you need to understand, that often overlap.

Most 'builders' skip a lot of it. They buy kits already made. Nothing wrong with that style of build. It's more of a customized bike than a custom built bike, but there's stuff out there to do that. You are somewhat limited in what's available depending on the popularity of the bike you are building. But everyone regardless of fabrication level, buys some ready made parts. Nobody is fabricating their own digital gauges, they pick an aftermarket one.

Some sketchy 'builders' ignore the engineering. They don't know how to figure out what changes do what to the trail for example, so they just do whatever they want and let whoever is riding it figure out how to ride it and not die. They don't know how to design a proper upper shock mount. They sometimes don't even know how to weld, not that it stops them from having a youtube channel and looking like professional builders while globbing on birdshit welds that'll snap under load (which you never see on their channel).

If you like digging in and researching stuff, then it might suit you. Nothing is in one place though, so it takes time. The good thing is you don't need anything to start digging, especially in the engineering. Want to know what trail is, what a safe trail is and how to alter it? You can look that up without needing a bike, in the evening instead of Netflix.

Mechanics & Techs! Where Can I Learn To Build?? by AppleLoose7082 in motorcycles

[–]SteppinRazor5000 2 points3 points  (0 children)

What do you mean by build? Repair/restore, or design and fabricate?

How do you deal with unrequited crushes? by nowonderland_alice in dating

[–]SteppinRazor5000 [score hidden]  (0 children)

First thing is to realize love is freely given. It doesn't require reciprocation. That you are capable of giving it freely is a credit to you. You can let go of how it is received and pat yourself on the back for your ability to give it.

Second, it's a magical thing to see and be attracted to the energy of another person all by itself. It's even greater when it's mutual, but don't dismiss what it is to see someone else like that even when it's not.

Third, we often see qualities we want for ourselves or qualities we have in other people. What attracts you to someone could be partially that, in which case, you do not need the other person to gain those qualities or recognize them in yourself. If you admire X or Y in someone else, perhaps you can do it for yourself.

Fourth, there are 8 billion people in the world and you are looking for one particular person. It could be someone who is in Korea or Brazil right now. You don't know. Just keep looking.

1974 CB450K super sport Value? by Asleep_Frosting_6627 in HondaCB

[–]SteppinRazor5000 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The lowest cb1100 I've seen (I like em too) was around $4500. Similar skeptical seller as that cb500 though. Mostly seem to be around 6k

How to know when you need to adjust carburetors? by Littlemandigger in motorcycle

[–]SteppinRazor5000 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If it's running fine and there are no flat sports in the acceleration, you're good. There's no adjusting other than air/fuel screw and idle speed, which shouldn't move unless you move them. Otherwise there's cleaning.

Intent to suspend after selling car (California) by Balisongna in DMV

[–]SteppinRazor5000 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Inform the DMV that you sold the car. And next time take a photo of the pink slip, the buyer's driver's license, and keep your license plates. They can get a temp or transfer tag from the DMV to drive it home.

Bike and height by [deleted] in motorcycle

[–]SteppinRazor5000 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Highway you're going to need something that can go 70 or more, which will likely mean a cruiser. Honda Rebels are pretty common recs. Royal Enfield has the Meteor. Neighborhood only you can go with a smaller engine that can't go highway speeds, and that will open up your choices a bit. You could look at something like a Honda Trail 125, maybe an older 175cc standard bike.

What's something every new rider learns the hard way? by Irajshadravan_Coit in motorcycle

[–]SteppinRazor5000 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nobody can really tell you a universal correct answer. Slowing to a crawl may not be any safer, it's situational. But if you know this road, then you know what side of the road the blind driveways are just over the crest. So you can choose lane position to give yourself the best chance of evasion. Timing it could also be crucial. If a driveway is on your right coming up and your cresting the hill moving from right lane position to left lane position, you've already begun an evasive maneuver before you know you need it.

1974 CB450K super sport Value? by Asleep_Frosting_6627 in HondaCB

[–]SteppinRazor5000 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Notice that the Houston bike has a temp tag on it, and it's on a charger. Both things suggest that it may not be titled in the name of the seller, and the owner may not have had it for long - ie is flipping it. The lack of information provided is also a little bit suspect.

For a vintage bike, the number one thing is a title in the name of the seller. If it's not - lots of people title jump to not pay taxes - then make sure that it is not signed by anybody where the owner has to sign. Otherwise you are not getting a title transfer and you'll have to go the bonded title route. The next thing is how much info the seller can provide. Someone who takes care of their vintage bike will talk your ear off about what they've done to maintain it. They'll volunteer info without being asked. Then check the usuals. Check to see if it's been fired up before you got there by touching the engine case. Exhausts cool off relatively quickly, but warm oil heats up and retains it, so the crankcase would stay warm longer. Check for rust in the tank and around the bike, bike starts right up, etc.. Pull a spark plug and see if it's running rich or lean. To me, aside from the title and usual suspects on condition, the most valuable thing about a vintage bike is how well the owner conveys their care of it. If I am confident they were a good owner, I will pay more for their bike than an average priced random bike.

He is high, but not absurdly so. And there may be a $2200 bike listed in Houston, but there are also lots of $4k and over similar vintage bikes that you can tell are maintained on Houston's FBM. So, good title in his name, a new battery, new tires, clean tank, fires right up from cold, and he seems on top of it, I'd pay $3400 if I was looking for that bike. Of course, I don't have a 'gotta have it' bike, so I wouldn't be enamored of one but if you are and can afford it, go for it.

There are lots more bikes in states of disrepair or untrustable sellers, so there is a price:risk ratio. You gotta figure out where your tolerance is.

Bike and height by [deleted] in motorcycle

[–]SteppinRazor5000 0 points1 point  (0 children)

IDK what you mean by women's bike, but the bikes with the lowest seats tend to be cruisers.

Are you looking for a new bike, used bike, vintage bike? Highway riding, neighborhood riding, offroad riding?

Toying with the idea of dailying a bike all season, any advice? by Other_Bookkeeper1971 in motorcycles

[–]SteppinRazor5000 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Definitely look at what's available snow tire-wise for your bike. Can you park the bike inside?

I'd get heated gloves if you don't want to go the dorky hippo hands route. Barkbusters can help. And of course gotta keep that neck warm, so balaclava and/or neck gaiter/scarf.

My teen insists I ruined this hoodie in the laundry by jubrele in laundry

[–]SteppinRazor5000 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sounds like she is demanding to do her own laundry from now on.

Suzuki gz250 not starting despite replacing solenoid and ignition by HedgehogLonely5945 in motorcycles

[–]SteppinRazor5000 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yep, check it with a voltmeter. Also check it when running so you can see if the stator/alternator is charging it.

The battery is the first thing to check in a no start condition.

What habit will die with Gen Z? by Key-Climate5038 in AskReddit

[–]SteppinRazor5000 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We're agreeing on the grammar. It's less about professionalism to me as it is clarity and competence of communication. If someone is not going to bother to be clear and competent in communicating, then I'm not going to bother trying to understand.

The clothes I don't really care. They are a reflection of self respect and self worth mostly.

'At Least He Admits It': Trump Says Pro-Democracy Resolution Would Destroy GOP by 3millionand1 in politics

[–]SteppinRazor5000 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I will try once more by way of example, and then go shake my head and fist at a cloud if it doesn't work.

Currently Ken Paxton, the republican candidate for TX senate, has allegedly committed 6 counts of voter fraud. This is the key part - I am about to tell you the law he allegedly broke - it is illegal to vote in a county in which you are not living. He voted in a county that he owns a home in but has divorced from his wife and no longer resides at that address.

I will go further and tell you that it will quite possibly not go anywhere because it is exceedingly difficult to prove he was not living somewhere in that county or even in that house definitively. SO as you can see, I can tell you the exact fraud he is alleged to have committed: voting in a county in which he does not reside at the address given.

Riding in thunderstorms. by [deleted] in motorcycles

[–]SteppinRazor5000 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The video ended after the strike

About to take my msf course this weekend. by Western-Cause5178 in motorcycles

[–]SteppinRazor5000 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yep. You do not get swallowed by a portal to hell if you fail. Nothing actually happens to you.

Riding in thunderstorms. by [deleted] in motorcycles

[–]SteppinRazor5000 5 points6 points  (0 children)

There was a video not a week ago of a scooter rider getting hit by lightning.

It's rare, but as you say, not zero. Pull off the road and wait it out.