View Full Version : first 24hrs of SV ownership...
picked up my bike yesterday morning and i'm currently loving... although i do think i've encounted half of the SV woes in the first 24hrs..
collect at 12.30pm, just in time to hit all of the twickenham rugby traffic.... kangeroo hop up the road for the first ten minutes.. the throttle and engine braking are tkaing a little getting used to.
potter around a little bit, do a couple of junctions on the M25, macdonalds and then home to try and fit my heated grips..
All was going well until i try and get the bar ends off... the buggers just wot budge.. i think i'll take it to a garage to see if they can get them off.
sunday morning... try and start the thing, with a various mix of choke in, choke out... half throttle etc until i've flatten the battery. so at least now i know where the battery is, and after reading the owners manual and half and hours battery charge it started first time when i didnt touch the throttle and just had the choke fully out.
a bit more pottering, toook my first pillion passenger down to hammersmith... off to the Ace for a cuppa...and to watch a few of the stunters down there.
finally thought i'd practise my slow speed control, emergency stops etc. took it to an industrial estate near me and managed to lock the front up on my first attempt.. i think its going to take a while to get the stain out of my leathers :)
eventually got them ok, although still not stopping as sharp as i could on my scooter.
loving it.
k
kwak zzr
13-11-05, 05:59 PM
practice practice practice! ride safe buddy!
..finally thought i'd practise my slow speed control, emergency stops etc. took it to an industrial estate near me and managed to lock the front up on my first attempt.. i think its going to take a while to get the stain out of my leathers :)
The secret of using hard front braking is getting your weight over the front*, squeezing gently for a fraction of a second until the tyre starts to bite into the tarmac and then squeeze progressively hard. Do this to maximum effect and you'll fly over the bars, so watch out ;).
* Which in an emergency situation is the opposite of what our brain is telling us to do, as we flinch and move our body slightly backwards making the front too light which causes the wheel to lock. As all things, it's down to practice.
.
..finally thought i'd practise my slow speed control, emergency stops etc. took it to an industrial estate near me and managed to lock the front up on my first attempt.. i think its going to take a while to get the stain out of my leathers :)
* Which in an emergency situation is the opposite of what our brain is telling us to do, as we flinch and move our body slightly backwards making the front too light which causes the wheel to lock. As all things, it's down to practice.
.
exactly what i did .i tihnk. just a little bit too hard on the brakes in the first second or so... very pleased with my reactions to let them back off when i locked the front.. i aim to keep trying them everyday. ish..
k
Yes glad you saved it ;).
.
kwak zzr
13-11-05, 07:06 PM
have you got some crash mushrooms on just incase of the odd drop.( touch wood it'll never happen tho ) :D
no not yet.... should really buy some. although i tend to feel they might give you a false sense of security?
anyone else agree disagree... or do you just forget they're on
k
kwak zzr
13-11-05, 10:53 PM
you forget they are there, best to have them there.
Carsick
13-11-05, 10:56 PM
I definitely don't feel more secure because of them, I'm just glad they're there when I survey the damage after an off.
you will probably find the next thing to get used to will be when you lean the bike over whilst cornering, if you hesitate for a second and close the throttle, the engine braking will completely mess up your line
It took me a while to get that sorted when I first started riding and I see newbies do it alot, after a while mind you will think your valentino rossi and the inevitable ' how do I get my knee down' post will arrive :)
Probably followed by ' how do i wheelie' , then at that point jon boy will get his pipe out and tell you about his 46 tooth front sprocket :lol:
Good luck mate, you'll soon be in the swing of things!
Cloggsy
13-11-05, 11:41 PM
then at that point jon boy will get his pipe out and tell you about his 46 tooth front sprocket :lol:
46 tooth front sprocket :shock: F%$k me :lol: :lol: :lol:
then at that point jon boy will get his pipe out and tell you about his 46 tooth front sprocket :lol:
46 tooth front sprocket :shock: F%$k me :lol: :lol: :lol:
Well, quite. :lol:
.
Jelster
14-11-05, 11:07 AM
K,
Not sure where you are in Uxbridge, but I'd suggest you do a couple of laps of the following circuit to get your confidence up.
Start by going along the Rockingham Rd, and take it all the way to the Crooked Billet on the A412 at Iver. At the roundabout, turn right and and take the road out to Fumer, passed Pinewood Studios. Follow it until you get to the end and turn right. (Watch the 2nd left hander passed the studios, it tightens up on you, so don't take it too quick).
Take the next left (Stoke Common Rd) and follow that to the A355. Turn left, and head towards Slough, turning left on the B416 at Farnham Royal. Follow this back until you reach the A412, turn left and you have fast dual carriageway all the way to the Crooked Billet again. Hang a right down the side of the Pub, followit to the end and turn left at the mini roundabout. Take this road through Iver, across another mini roundabout, and at the end, go straight over and back into Uxbridge.
That should take you about 30 minutes, it's got some decent local roads and mixes back lanes with a bit of dual carriageway. If you want me to take you for a couple of laps give me a shout.
Glad to see you're getting on with the bike.
.
I definitely don't feel more secure because of them, I'm just glad they're there when I survey the damage after an off. :winner:
havent had a drop for a while now but the only damage (by my own hands) is a slightly knackered lhs wing mirror. buy them, you won't regret it. the guy that I bought mine from said that most people go and buy some when they have already smashed a bit of expensive fairing
i'd take jelster up on his suggestion to go for a trundle round the local roads. i'd also get yourself booked on a bikesafe course, one of the best investments of £30 out there.
google bikesafe, its run from the ace. also do a search on the forum as there's loads of good feedback about it if you look.
Dave The Rave
14-11-05, 08:27 PM
I am incredibly jealous. I have just decided to wait with my DAS until the spring. I am hoping to get it done back home in Europe for less than £200 and then get myself a SV650. So at the moment I am just eyeing all bikes on my way to work (surely all bikers must feel I am a sort of a perv looking them up). I have already chosen my gear 100x over after reading every motorcycle magazine you can buy in UK. So reading about guys like you makes me really impatient. Keep it up pal, hope to see you on the road next year :wink:
The Basket
14-11-05, 09:22 PM
You managed to lock the front wheel? How on earth did you do that?
What SV is it?
I only wish the brakes were strong enough to lock the front wheel :wink:
You must have a grip like a vice then :D
K,
Not sure where you are in Uxbridge, but I'd suggest you do a couple of laps of the following circuit to get your confidence up.
That should take you about 30 minutes, it's got some decent local roads and mixes back lanes with a bit of dual carriageway. If you want me to take you for a couple of laps give me a shout.
Glad to see you're getting on with the bike.
.
that sounds great.... i might have to leave it a week or two as i dont want to use up all my biking brownie points with the missus in one go :)
are you going to soho on friday? i was going to pop along and will introduce myself.
anyway day two or SV ownership... and the bloody thing wouldnt start.. turned over for about 10 secs and then the battery was flat. - so i had to catch the train. got some jump leads at lunch and jumped it off my car (engine not running) started straight away.
so back to the dealer at the weekend for a new battery.
k
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