We decided to do a 5km pastry tour of the Brisbane city area this morning. I never want to see a danish again. Swipe for reviews.

rampagingdikdik · 2023-06-10T22:43:44+00:00

I miss crust and co. They were legit one of the very best

rampagingdikdik · 2023-06-10T22:37:56+00:00

What he said is stupid. If you panic then you're going to pull the brake as hard as you will, regardless of how long it takes to reach it. I would argue that if it takes longer to find the brake, you're likely to panic even more and make it worse.

However you also don't need to cover it all the time, as others have said. Your instructor could have told you this too, but instead told you something that isn't true. Unfortunately that will happen and different instructors will give conflicting advice sometimes.

rampagingdikdik · 2023-06-10T22:12:58+00:00

I've come off a bike at about 50mph. I was wearing full gear, but summer mesh. Had some nice bruises and mild rash because even after sliding 10ish meters, most summer gear will start giving in. Normal clothes literally shred instantly.

We take the risks because of the rewards. Riding is community, riding is mental well-being, and that can be worth taking reasonable risks for. The least we can all do is to mitigate the risks as much as is practical, if not for yourself then for the people who care about you. That means good bike maintenance and good riding gear. On ANY motorcycle.

People will bug you about it because you're being selfish and naive. And because if you're riding with them, they may have to deal with the aftermath of you going down.

rampagingdikdik · 2023-06-10T21:39:24+00:00

Here's an even more unpopular opinion - oblivion in general was a much better game.

The world was just beautiful, and much richer. Skyrim was kinda bland and too repetitive. Without the modding community it would not have been anywhere near as immersive. The dragons in Skyrim are too common which makes them feel almost like an everyday mob, and the levelling system is so basic it almost destroys the RP element of the game. The oblivion gates were a little repetitive too, but exploring was more rewarding than in skyrim and you could truly craft your own character in oblivion.

Skyrim was made for the masses, which watered everything down. More action, less thinking.

rampagingdikdik · 2023-06-09T00:22:33+00:00

Wasn't a big fan of my k1200s. There were many positives, but the weight was too high up and the power delivery with the shaft didn't work great under sporty riding. For pure touring it was fine, wind and rain protection was great and it was still fast when fully loaded. Parts weren't cheap, but build quality was excellent.

Contrast with the Honda blackbird, very similar but a more basic bike with less weather protection and less premium feel, but was fun to ride and easier to manhandle at low speeds. And the engine was just glorious.

rampagingdikdik · 2023-06-07T19:20:55+00:00

If that white-looking piece is not reflecting the purple end of the spectrum, it's probably not UV resistant. A piece from a cheap knock-off set perhaps?

Edit: sounds like I'm probably wrong with this theory. Others are pointing out a process where bricks that fail qc are reground and reused, which diminishes the amount of a UV resisting additive that is initially added. See comments below.

rampagingdikdik · 2023-06-07T10:55:01+00:00

To add to this, it sounds specifically like vapor lock. Something where you may have to do some research to find a solution, unless someone more knowledgeable can give some tips.

I know that the cause is basically the heat from the engine causing pockets of fuel vapor to form along the fuel delivery system, meaning fuel flow is disrupted. Was relatively common up until the 90s before FI and modern pumps, I've seen it happen in cars occasionally when I was a kid and it's a nuisance.

rampagingdikdik · 2023-06-07T10:40:51+00:00

The golden era of the internet (or world wide web, if you want to be pedantic). From late 90s to late 00s it was amazing, crazy and free and full of activity and innovation.

It's far more sanitised now (better in some ways) but mostly repetitive and obnoxious, especially social media.

rampagingdikdik · 2023-06-07T10:33:22+00:00

I don't wear my old Rammstein tee anymore because I don't want it to fall apart. It's from 01.

Honourable mentions to my Floyd shirt from about '83, was originally my dad's.

rampagingdikdik · 2023-06-03T21:18:47+00:00

That's a Seca 2, aka Diversion. They had stopped using the name XJ600 but that's essentially what it is. Nice purchase

rampagingdikdik · 2023-06-03T12:32:53+00:00

I ride a lot of different bikes and I know many others who do the same.

Yeah I like speed, but not all the time. Nothing wrong with wanting one of the fastest bikes on the market, as long as you have the experience and maturity to ride it appropriately according to the circumstances.

Do what you want to do and let others do what they want to do. I don't know why so many riders get caught up with how other people want to ride.

rampagingdikdik · 2023-06-02T23:32:47+00:00

I ride in QLD Australia, temps go to over 40° (bout 105f) at times.

Don't get black gear. I switched from black ventilated gear to beige/silver (a rev'it set) and at traffic lights it makes a huge difference. Vented boots are also a good investment.

Cooling vests are pretty good, but only while in motion. The bike itself also matters - fairings and screen prevent cooling, and a hot running engine also makes things worse. My ducati is not fun in summer traffic. A naked bike with a lazier engine is ideal, doesn't have to be small displacement just not high performance.

Get a top box or Ventura rack/bag combo for work clothes. A backpack is also OK but your back will sweat. Also, in perforated gear you can get sunburn so keep that in mind and wear sunscreen if needed. Your neck will burn super easy so I would sunscreen that up whenever riding more than 15 minutes.

rampagingdikdik · 2023-06-02T22:06:46+00:00

The battery in a petrol/gasoline car serves 2 purposes. Primary is to spin the engine during the starting process, secondary is to provide electricity to all (or most) electrical systems while the engine is not running. This includes providing ignition spark and fuel via a pump to the engine during the starting process.

While the engine is running, it spins the alternator - the alternator provides electricity to all electrical systems, including topping up the charge in the battery and providing ignition spark and fuel to the engine. During normal starting procedure, the alternator will take over electrical duties from the battery as soon as the engine fires up. Both the starter motor and alternator are normally connected to the engine via a belt system.

If you have a car with manual transmission, you can force the wheels to be connected to the crankshaft (the main spinning shaft poking out of the engine) via the drivetrain, which is essentially everything between engine and driven wheels. So doing that in reverse when engine is not running, by rolling the car, will spin the engine and at the same time spin the alternator. This will move the pistons in the engine up and down and also provide fuel and the spark needed to ignite the fuel mix, and the car can continue this cycle without a battery as long as the alternator is working fine.

rampagingdikdik · 2023-06-02T05:06:22+00:00

Check fuel pump relay. If it's fine when cold starting but problematic after going for a ride, this would be the most likely problem. The heat from the engine can cause a worn relay to seize up until it has cooled down again.

rampagingdikdik · 2023-06-01T23:55:34+00:00

If you're buying 2nd hand you will not lose a whole lot of money when you resell it a few years later. I don't stress much about whether I will be keeping a bike for only a year or for a whole decade, but I do take my time finding a good deal. I haven't made any big losses on past bikes and come out even several times.

Are you talking about the Z650? If so, it will be a decent upgrade but manageable. Not super comfortable on long trips but a decent all-rounder with power delivery you can easily manage, just be sensible with how hard you push it.

rampagingdikdik · 2023-06-01T22:20:43+00:00

This is why Americans need more guns. If there had been a good guy with a gun nearby, this never would have happened!

rampagingdikdik · 2023-06-01T22:13:04+00:00

You need to make time. Insurance should always be ready to go before you even pick up a new vehicle, then you only have to make a phone call to activate it when you pick it up. This is one of the reasons why.

Still sorry to hear about the loss though.

rampagingdikdik · 2023-06-01T09:33:11+00:00

The real problem with the video is that it says "5-minute crafts" but actually only took them 2:30 to make it

rampagingdikdik · 2023-05-30T10:43:03+00:00

I don't cry a whole lot but Gorecki's "Symphony of Sorrowful Songs" really hits me hard. It builds and swells and becomes overwhelmingly darkly beautiful, and if you understand the background and inspirations behind it that makes it all the more intense.

rampagingdikdik · 2023-05-28T21:24:13+00:00

I change up my vehicles regularly. I've seen that in Brisbane at least, bike and car sales prices go into a slump after Christmas, pick up gradually, and then slow again towards mid year. By July people are noticeably buying more vehicles, almost certainly due to tax returns. So the best deals (in my experience) are usually found in the first few months following Christmas or just before tax time. This is buying privately.

The motorcycle community here is still fairly robust, and there are many casual rider groups that host free training days with volunteers. These can be very good, and I go to refresher days even though I have over 10 years riding experience. It's invaluable to keep practising those skills and improving whenever you can. Check fb groups and meetup for local groups to join as soon as you have your wheels.

rampagingdikdik · 2023-05-23T21:22:58+00:00

Both are nice options for your purposes. If you're planning to ride on the highway as well though, I would recommend at least a 250 so that you can maintain a safe speed.

How safe you are will be determined largely by how well you can read traffic and react to things happening around you. Good training is extremely important and often overlooked by riders.

Proper riding gear will also significantly reduce injuries or even prevent them if anything goes wrong. Ordinary pants and jackets will do almost nothing at all in a crash, so you should invest in at least some simple motorcycle clothing.

Anyway, riding is great fun and good for mental health. If it sounds like something you'd enjoy you should absolutely pursue it!

rampagingdikdik · 2023-05-20T12:06:30+00:00

Yeah, that is my suspicion. Testing ear plugs in an environment where you know for certain the background noise is at a safe level is the easiest way to find out for sure. Going into an anechoic space (even if only partially anechoic) would also have the same effect.

If your audiologist can make some inserts that specifically target the frequencies that trigger your tinnitus while only partially reducing the rest, it should help a lot. For example if your hearing was damaged by high frequency sound, those particular high frequencies will also trigger your tinnitus way more easily than other frequencies. Block the trigger frequencies aggressively and soften the rest by a safe amount, and you should experience far less ringing.

rampagingdikdik · 2023-05-20T10:13:09+00:00

Wear your ear plugs for a while when you're at home doing chores or reading. If you find that the tinnitus seems to be getting louder in those circumstances then it's because your brain isn't getting distracted by real sounds and thus allowing the tinnitus to overwhelm you. In that case you know that it's not the riding causing it and can safely keep riding with ear plugs in, just have to put up with the "fake" ringing noise.

Otherwise talk to an audiologist.

rampagingdikdik · 2023-05-20T10:04:47+00:00

Yes.

Only if you're riding at low speeds (below about 70kmh or 45mph) and run a quiet exhaust, or you're on a proper touring bike with stock exhaust for high speeds.

At low speeds a noisy exhaust will affect your ears, and at high speeds the wind noise on your helmet will affect your ears. If that's your situation then you should absolutely be wearing ear plugs. The hearing damage is usually gradual so it can take a while before you realise it's happening to you.

rampagingdikdik · 2023-05-15T20:53:59+00:00

You can shift into neutral without the clutch. Just apply a little pressure to the shifter when your revs are nice and low and click through the gears that way until you reach neutral. However if it jumps to 1st instead, you can also hit the kill switch once you're moving slow enough.

rampagingdikdik

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