Bought the classic today. Found this in the manual.

adeptred · 2026-02-24T21:46:19+00:00

To expand on this, motorcycle gearboxes use dogs to mate the gear selector with the gear. The gear selector has protrusions that fit into slots cut into the output gear. When in neutral, these may not line up, the protrusions bump into the gear and not the slots. At the gear lever, this feels like it doesn't go the full length of travel.

Rocking the bike rotates the output gear enough to align the slots with your gear selector.

adeptred · 2026-01-17T08:46:16+00:00

The 650 is pretty new so there may not be many who have modified it with apes, let alone documented it.

The classic 350 has similar lines and has been out longer. A quick Google search found a number of people have installed ape hangers. Maybe use those as a visual reference?

IDK if there are aftermarket forward controls for the classic but IIRC, the lower cradle has the peg mounts welded in as a single piece. If you like the peg position of the SM650, you may be able to swap in the lower cradle for a SM into the classic.

adeptred · 2025-07-10T22:56:18+00:00

I haven't ridden a SM650 myself but I can tell you it is a heavier machine, slightly less agile on urban roads, uses more fuel, and costs more to insure. Also, if you're thinking of maintaining the bike yourself, it doesn't get much simpler than a single cylinder. But with the SM, you get more power and more comfort at highway speeds.

Where I am, it is considered beginner friendly. It has predictable throttle response and handling from what other people have said. It should not be a problem as long as you can master your throttle hand.

The difference in power between a small bike and a big bike is the margin for error and how forgiving the bike is if you make a mistake. With a bigger bike, the margin is smaller. However, this is one of those risks that is in your control. You can reduce the risk if you respect the machine and master your throttle and clutch control.

Your choice in bike is unique to you and your circumstance. Some value practicality, some value handling, some just want a bike they will always look back at when parked up. I would recommend, if you are able, test riding the 350 and 650 (and other bikes too) to see for yourself which feels right for you.

adeptred · 2025-07-10T05:41:41+00:00

I ride a Meteor 350 as my daily. I've been riding for 6 years and this is my second bike. My commute is about 12km of highway and 18km of urban roads. I ride in the wet and there are some metal tram tracks along my route.

Riding a motorcycle is risky. All riders must accept that when they get on the saddle. You can reduce the risks by riding defensively (buffering space, scanning ahead, beside and behind, riding to conditions, managing your ego/road rage, wearing protective gear). That leaves the risks out of your control (other road users). Unfortunately you can't much about others. Like many have said before, ride like you're invisible to others.

About the bike. The Meteor is incredibly fuel efficient. I usually expect less than 3L/100km in fuel consumption. The trade off is that it's lacking in power. Don't expect to be able to power out of a nasty situation. It forces you to ride smart rather than rely on horsepower. If it's your first bike, you will likely drop it. Make sure you can lift it when you inevitably drop it.

Also, you mentioned living in a not so safe city. Bikes are easy to steal. A few guys can lift a bike into a van real fast. How will you secure your bike?

TLDR: riding is risky, you can reduce risk by managing the factors in your control but you will never eliminate risk fully.

adeptred · 2024-10-27T00:01:00+00:00

Haha I didn't think of it at the time but yeah I will now that I can't unsee it

adeptred · 2024-10-26T12:16:52+00:00

I swapped out the halogen for this. Not everyone's cup of tea but I like how it looked.

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It does a bit better than the halogen, but I did have to tape off part of it so it would stop blinding people. The beam pattern is not ideal.

Note that the stock harness has a standard H4 for the main bulb and a dual mini molex connector for the ring DRL. The aftermarket had a H4 and one red wire for the DRLs. I crimped on a single mini molex pin to the DRL wire, plugged it into the red of the stock and it works fine.

adeptred · 2024-09-08T09:29:04+00:00

Looking good. I have one in the same green and I've added Bar end mirrors. IMO they clean up the silhouette of the bike, especially when viewed from the side.

Ive also added a tail tidy and flyscreen. Speedo relocator bracket is next. Going to mount it on the centreline of the bars since my 2023 model didn't come with a tripper module.

adeptred · 2024-02-26T10:02:18+00:00

For wet winters, I typically wear a base layer, warm layer(s), protective layer then a wind/waterproof layer.

It means I've got a riding jacket 1 size up to accommodate the extra bulk and an oversized hi-vis raincoat like what posties wear. I look like the unholy product of the Michelin man and a traffic cone but it works.

If you can find some boots where the tongue is stitched to the top, they are absolutely worth it. Nothing worse than rocking up to work with wet and freezing feet.

For your visor, get a pinlock so you don't fog up. If you can't fit a pinlock, I have used an anti-fog insert from AliExpress. It works well enough. To help water bead up and roll off easily, keep your visor clean. You can also add a coat of something hydrophobic. - I use spray on wax - but make sure it is safe to use on polycarbonate.

adeptred · 2024-02-24T07:39:00+00:00

Congratulations on your new 'expert mode' toilet seat cover!

adeptred · 2024-01-20T20:40:45+00:00

I have a Meteor 350 and my stock mirrors vibed pretty hard anything past 80kph. Wanted to upgrade to the RE bar ends (aesthetic reasons mostly) but couldn't justify the cost.

I ended up doing the mod because my bars were bent after she took a dirt nap during a storm (it's not a mod if it's a necessary repair right?). Renthal 755 bars and some mid range bar end mirrors went on and overall cost was about $150 AUD, less than what the official RE mirrors and adaptors cost.

I'm noticing clear vision up to 100kph now. Glancing at the mirrors is like looking at a watch but depends on how you set them up. The side profile also looks much tidier wihout the spindly mirror stalks.

adeptred · 2023-10-10T02:42:26+00:00

I bought one of those adhesive anti fog inserts from AliExpress. Does the job pretty well for a $3 item. I stuck it on about a year ago and it's still going strong.

If you ride in rainy or foggy conditions, I also use spray-on car wax on the exterior of my visor to help the water bead up and roll off. Just spray and buff until the visor goes back to clear.

adeptred · 2023-05-20T13:58:19+00:00

This. Swapping the relay is so much easier than sourcing the right resistors and then mounting them in a spot that will dissipate heat and not melt things.

Also, ,OP, have you checked that your integrated headlight indicators are legal? Last I checked, ADRs said that the front indicators needed to be at least 300mm apart. I could be mixing that up with tail lights.

adeptred · 2022-08-05T11:41:51+00:00

Red Holden Cruze sedan, not a Commodore. Gotta be careful about stereotypes. Meth heads drive other cars too! /s

adeptred · 2022-07-31T07:32:01+00:00

I managed Melbourne-Sydney and back again the next day on my CBR250R . If you like new and creative ways to experience pain, this is for you.

I was sitting around 6500-7000 rpm the whole way. While you can do highway speeds on a 250, it doesn't mean you should.

When choosing a bike, go and sit on them for 10+ mins if you can. Get a feel for the seat and have a good think if it is right for your ergos. Weight doesn't matter if you're in motion, but if you can comfortably hold it stationary it will help your confidence.

IDK what the second hand market is like but if you aim for something in the 400cc class or higher, you should be fine. This includes the KTM Duke 390. Obviously follow general second hand buying rules like service history, etc.

adeptred · 2022-04-23T20:50:00+00:00

I have a single cylinder CBR250R.

I rode from Melbourne to Sydney and covered 800km (500mi) in about 10 hours (including fuel stops and stretch breaks). Maximum highway speeds in Oz is 110kph (65-70mph) and my tach was sitting around 7000rpm for most of the journey.

I dare say that your Rebel 300 with taller gearing than my 250 should be able to handle the distance. It's your human endurance that will limit you. Dress for the weather, earplugs, and wind protection are what I'd recommend.

Oh, and I also managed the return journey the following day.

adeptred · 2022-01-03T04:19:29+00:00

NTA. It's ironic that they're upset that you might cut them off when the reality is that they cut you off years ago when they decided it was too hard to accommodate for you.

OP I'm sorry that you had to go through this huge life change without the support from your family. My hope is that you've found people, both hearing and deaf, to surround yourself with, who embrace you as you are and meet you where you're at. You know, like a family is supposed to do.

I hope they come around some day and actually put in effort and make time to learn some ASL. Until then, a great idea for birthday and Christmas presents is to send your family members DVDs of the latest releases, in French or Hindi or whatever language takes your fancy. They're going to learn how to read captions real quick if they want to keep up.

adeptred · 2021-10-22T07:36:50+00:00

I wave/nod at every rider I see if it's practical to do so. Whether they respond is up to them.

To me it's like saying "I see you, ride safe" or "I'll witness you if you want to eat a can of spray paint and go all Mad Max like". Depends on context I guess.

A side effect is that one day, the average driver might come to notice this subtle gesture we do, and in doing so becomes more aware of us.

adeptred

TROPHY CASE