• Guest would you be interested in CUPRA or SEAT valve caps? let us know in the poll

  • Welcome to our new sponsor Lecatona, a brand dedicated to enhancing performance for VAG group sports cars, including SEAT, Audi, Volkswagen and Škoda. Specializing in High Pressure Fuel Pump (HPFP) upgrades.

What did replace my Valver?

Czechboy

Tarmac terrorist
Apr 14, 2005
1,607
0
Hampshire
The bike make me sad.....im not aloud to have one :cry:
Although I'm not allowed a bike apparently
I'm looking into bikes at some point too, but parents are dead set against it -

I know what you mean you lot, my mum is still VERY against the idea, pretty much every phone call still involves the "I don't mind motorbikes, but I don't want you riding one" topic :(

Mig,

They are great tyres, but as you say probably a bit hardcore for your requirements at the moment! They have quite a triangular profile, which is fine when you're pushing on, but for learning no use at all :(

When you tip the bike in to a corner at mild angles of lean, you'll be riding in between the "flats" of the this triangle, and it won't inspire you with confidence at all. Far better off on something with a rounder profile, a Pirelli Diablo (not the Corsa version) for example.

Well Pedro, you do seem to actually know your stuff when it comes to motorbikes, be prepared to get PM spammed a lot ;) I'm thinking something along the lines of BT-014 for my next rear tyre, but have plenty more reading up and asking questions to do before I do go for them.

Mig
 

Pedro

Guest
I know what you mean you lot, my mum is still VERY against the idea, pretty much every phone call still involves the "I don't mind motorbikes, but I don't want you riding one" topic :(

They get better with time, my old dear actually ended up coming to the track to watch once!! I couldn't believe it!


Well Pedro, you do seem to actually know your stuff when it comes to motorbikes, be prepared to get PM spammed a lot ;) I'm thinking something along the lines of BT-014 for my next rear tyre, but have plenty more reading up and asking questions to do before I do go for them.

Mig

lol, bikes have been a big part of my life for too long! Fire away on the pm's whenever, no problem at all!

I haven't used the BT-014 series personally, but did have a few sets of 012's on my thou, I think the carcass structure and profile are very simmilar, just the tread pattern and componuds differ.

I found them to be a pretty good tyre, the only thing I would say is that whilst they were very grippy, the actual feedback from them wasn't the best. When they did slide it was smooth and progessive, although tread wear was pretty rapid. That may have something to do with 165bhp at the rear wheel though :blink: :happy:

As said, on a 600 I found Pirelli to be the best compromise (and the Metzler equivelent where applicable, they are basically the same tyres with a slightly different tread pattern and a different name stamped on the side). Whilst learning you may even want to try a Dunlop, these have superb feedback but less outright grip. As your not going to be pushing the boundries of grip, feedback is most important in building your confidence on two wheels.

One thing I forgot to mention on my earlier post - I used to have to change the choke cable every year on my SRAD as it would seize, keep it well oiled as it's pain in the arse job!

Whatever you do fit some decent crash bungs, one item where skimping is just crazy - you can't beat R&G Racing ones ( http://www.rg-racing.com ). I think on yours you may need to cut a small hole in the left fairing panel to reveal the engine mounting bolt. They save so much damage, from a 1mph drop in the car park to 100mph+ down a race track.

Most of all, enjoy GSX-R ownership, although it's pretty difficult not to!
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Czechboy

Tarmac terrorist
Apr 14, 2005
1,607
0
Hampshire
Whatever you do fit some decent crash bungs, one item where skimping is just crazy - you can't beat R&G Racing ones ( http://www.rg-racing.com ). I think on yours you may need to cut a small hole in the left fairing panel to reveal the engine mounting bolt. They save so much damage, from a 1mph drop in the car park to 100mph+ down a race track.

Most of all, enjoy GSX-R ownership, although it's pretty difficult not to!

There are some crash bung istalled already but not R&G ones. What gets me worried is what I read up in some horror stories of cheap crash bungs causing more damage then preventing, so might upgrade to some R&G ones for Xmas.


least you made a good choice on the replacement:)

Cheers, I knew I had to stay with VAG, so it was either gonna be another Ibiza, mk3 golf or a mk4 polo. I couldn't find any good cheap Ibiza's, mk3's were going to be extremely slow if I got the 1.4 version so it had to be a polo


. Should have been by now but my house move fell through at the last minute :(

sorry mig ;)

Dan dan dan, thread hi-jacking away,lol :stick: :p
Sorry to hear about your house tho :(
 

chris285

leon mk1 fr tdi
Nov 26, 2004
1,849
0
lincoln, uk
Cheers, I knew I had to stay with VAG, so it was either gonna be another Ibiza, mk3 golf or a mk4 polo. I couldn't find any good cheap Ibiza's, mk3's were going to be extremely slow if I got the 1.4 version so it had to be a polo
i didn't think there was any difference between the mk2 1.4 and mk3 1.4 performance wise basically??
 

beezertart

**MAYHEM**
Sep 11, 2007
1,260
0
beyond the sun
Heehee,making me laugh reading these,all you testosterone filled race demons n half of you are saying "i'm not allowed a bike" stand up for your rights guys!!!

my son has one n he's 6;) not that he's been on it bloody wus!! well he did just get over a broken leg not that it's any excuse he's had it 2yrs xmas,gotta find somewhere suitable for him to learn how to ride it........but will i let him have one when he's 18.....probably not:banned:
 

Chrisdaman

1 gearbox dead, any more?
Mar 21, 2007
2,106
0
Kingston
www.flickr.com
i want a bike, thought about a 750cc Quad, you dont need a bike licence for one of them, and they're quick

polos looks sweet mate, put it on some weller steels, will look sick
 

Czechboy

Tarmac terrorist
Apr 14, 2005
1,607
0
Hampshire
I think im going to have to get a bike in the summer. But i cant have a "proper" one till im 21.
You can but it just has to be restricted (like mine). Means you still have the same handling, brakes and looks but just not the balls out speed (still quicker then a valver).


i didn't think there was any difference between the mk2 1.4 and mk3 1.4 performance wise basically??
no there isn't really, its just that the mk3 golf is heavier then the Ibiza


sorry for the hi-jack earlier mig :whistle:

I was only joking Dan, you should see some of my thread jacking specials :whistle:

i want a bike, thought about a 750cc Quad, you dont need a bike licence for one of them, and they're quick

polos looks sweet mate, put it on some weller steels, will look sick

Can't put it on Wellers because I'm not spending any more money on the polo. Maybe HIDs but that's it. Because if I started spending money on it, that would define the point of getting it in a first place (as a CHEAP run around)


As for anyone who is thinking of getting a bike, get a (sensible) mate to take you out on a back of one around some country roads and chances are you might get turned to the dark side of 2 wheels as well [B)]

Mig
 

Pedro

Guest
There are some crash bung istalled already but not R&G ones. What gets me worried is what I read up in some horror stories of cheap crash bungs causing more damage then preventing, so might upgrade to some R&G ones for Xmas.

Yeah, the biggest problems with the cheap ones tends to be the bolts used in them. The metal for the bolt has to be hard enough to withstand an impact without excessive bending, but malleable enough to deflect a little without just shearing off!

The cheap ones tend to do just that, the bolt shears off leaving you with no crash protection anyway, and then for added a measure a snapped bolt in your engine mounting point that will require a lot of work to remove & re-thread. :headhurt:

The other thing is the cheaper ones tend to be quite stubby, decent ones stick out further because the bolts can take the increased punishment.

I've never heard a bad word against R&G, I have been using them for 5 years odd now and the quality & service they provide is superb. If you look back at the picture I posted of me on my track K1 GSX-R, you can see some damage to the rear seat unit. This was from an off at Oulton a few weeks beforehand, left hand side of the bike went down at about 80mph. :whistle: The main fairing panel is as it was after the crash, no remedial work done at all! If you look carefully at the "U" of "Suzuki" you can see a small patch scuffed away. That was it, the bung saved the panel, frame, tank, bars & engine case from any damage at all! For an £80 part (well, that's for a pair so £40 I suppose) that's one investment I'm happy to make! :)

The only downside with crash bungs on track that you'll hear people say is that if the bike slides over the trackside kerb, the bung can catch and cause it to flip, damaging both sides instead of one. This is a possibility, but I'm happy to take the risk for the money saved during the average lowside! On the road they are essential, drop the bike in the garage off a paddock stand and they'll just land on them, leaving no other damage whatsover! :D

Anyway, I'm rambling on, can you tell I'm a fan?! :rolleyes:

One last though, have you checked the suspension settings? If the previous owner has got lost with preload, rebound & compression on both ends it could do nasty things to the handling, check it with the owners manual that it is all on factory settings and then work from there as you get more confident. If you are average size / weight the factory settings are pretty good!
 

Chrisdaman

1 gearbox dead, any more?
Mar 21, 2007
2,106
0
Kingston
www.flickr.com
As for anyone who is thinking of getting a bike, get a (sensible) mate to take you out on a back of one around some country roads and chances are you might get turned to the dark side of 2 wheels as well [B)]

Mig

i already have been mate, a mate of mine picked me up on his yamaha dragstar, i know it's a completely different kind of bike but i was converted lol
 

Grayboy

Full Member
Jan 31, 2005
970
0
Beckenham
As for anyone who is thinking of getting a bike, get a (sensible) mate to take you out on a back of one around some country roads and chances are you might get turned to the dark side of 2 wheels as well [B)]

Mig

There's nothing like blasting a bike down country roads in the summer it's such a mad buzz it's addictive but I'd also say to people go to a local meet and ask about injuries just get the flip side of the story, I used to blast about on bikes loads till last year when 2 mates nearly died (one's still has an external pin attached to his leg 13 months later) and 3 others were seriously injured over the summer all of which were very very experienced riders. The Bike scene is fantastic, full of colorful characters & so much friendlier than any other I've experienced.

Not trying to scare people but you do need to realise what can happen & also do as Mig has done and relaise getting straight on a 600 ain't going to be good for your health so restrict the power till you've done a couple of thousand miles & get used to it. I personally think everyone should do 6-12 months on a bike/moped before you can drive cars as it upps your road awareness tenfold!

I'm really debating on getting back on and getting one to ride into London to work as I can buy a decent bike for what my annual season ticket is.

Mig bet you've become far more aware & sypathetic to bikes now your on one??
 
I was going to get a 125 at seventeen, but got the Cupra instead.

Bikes have been kinda foced onto me as my dad used to race them before I was born, so I've grown up around them.

I'm thinking of doing my test next year before they make it harder, and getting a restricted 600 of some description.
 

Czechboy

Tarmac terrorist
Apr 14, 2005
1,607
0
Hampshire
Mig bet you've become far more aware & sypathetic to bikes now your on one??

I've never been checking blind spots in my car as much as I do now :yes:. But seriously, I recon everyone should go and do a full bike test, even if they don't plan on riding a motorbike afterwards. I do believe it makes you a better driver overall. I know biking isn't all smiles, especially when every bike forum has an RIP section :(, but you need to take life with a pinch of salt. I've got a full power ranger suit, back protector and a good Shoei helmet to help reduce the chances of me becoming a statistic.

:thumbup:

Mig
 

crezz

pedro motorsports
Jun 30, 2007
4,397
0
Woolacombe
glad to hear you have got all the gear to go with the bike. it does get messy if not. i got hit by a car and only had my protective jacket on and normal trousers and gashed my shin up nicely. broke both the bones in my arm to and crack my shin!
 
SEATCUPRA.NET Forum merchandise