Questions questions...(funny noise,luggage, ferry)

[the_lone_wolf]

after spending the first weekend with my new bike i have a few questions for the collective knowledge of the org:

1. I have searched this issue but would like to hear of others with the same thing - occasionally, when the throttle is in any position other than closed, a noise something akin to hannibal lecter's "nice chianti" scene eminates from the front of the bike, right below my chin - with the circumstances i can only imagine it's the fuel injectors but people with curvy bikes seem to report similar noises and it seems to come and go... anyway - does anyone else's bike do this?

2. Encouraged by this last weekend, i want to take the bike to a festival (Middle Wallop if anyone's interested) but that entails two things:

a. a ferry crossing - how do you secure a bike on a boat? do the ferry companies supply straps or are you expected to DIY? anything else i haven't thought of?

b. luggage - i'm working on the principle that a set of panniers and the tent strapped over the top of them will be sufficient for my weekend away, even with my heavy packing - but can you attached the oxford sports panniers to the bike with the seat cowl in place or will i have to reattach the pillion seat? also, does anyone know a shop that'll ship me a pair by friday?

any other advice gratefully recieved

Originally Posted by the_lone_wolf

after spending the first weekend with my new bike i have a few questions for the collective knowledge of the org:

1. I have searched this issue but would like to hear of others with the same thing - occasionally, when the throttle is in any position other than closed, a noise something akin to hannibal lecter's "nice chianti" scene eminates from the front of the bike, right below my chin - with the circumstances i can only imagine it's the fuel injectors but people with curvy bikes seem to report similar noises and it seems to come and go... anyway - does anyone else's bike do this? ??

2. Encouraged by this last weekend, i want to take the bike to a festival (Middle Wallop if anyone's interested) but that entails two things:

a. a ferry crossing - how do you secure a bike on a boat? do the ferry companies supply straps or are you expected to DIY? anything else i haven't thought of? they do it

b. luggage - i'm working on the principle that a set of panniers and the tent strapped over the top of them will be sufficient for my weekend away, even with my heavy packing - but can you attached the oxford sports panniers to the bike with the seat cowl in place or will i have to reattach the pillion seat? also, does anyone know a shop that'll ship me a pair by friday? thats what i intend to do, make sure you protect the cowl with cloth or wonder-webb

any other advice gratefully recieved

HTH

[the_lone_wolf]

thanks hovis, last thing i want is to come back to the bike at the end of the crossing and find her horizontal, i'll be sticking something over the cowl to protect it

anyone else got an injected sv that thinks it's a cannibal doctor?

although i would phone & check about the ferry, as it may depend on the company?

From what Ive been reading recently its becoming more funny with ferries occasionaly. They all seem to provide straps but some seem to be wanting owners to do it. If you do have to put the strap over the seat and ratchet it down tight....its what they SHOULD do and hopefully will. If crew are unhelpful (unlikely) another biker will show you how. If theres no other bikers, the crew wont be pushed and no doubt will help.

Sometimes when they park you they wander off. Thats happened to me and I just waited a moment until they sorted whatever and came back to tie the bikes down. Best not wander off until you see it done. However from my experiences by the time you have sorted your stuff the bikes tied down and all is well.

Take a piece of cloth to go between the strap and the seat or leave a glove under the strap, just so it doesnt mark the seat.

Also leave in gear and then its a bit more secure. Ive seen someone lash the front brake on with a little tie as well but I think thats overkill.

I cant remember which firm but other day I was reading one lot didnt have enough straps so were tying down two bikes with one strap . Never seen that myself though. As yet I have not heard of ferries expecting you to provide your own straps.

But its most likely they will be helpful, do a decent job and all will be well.

[fizzwheel]

When we went to Ireland last year, the bikes were strapped down for us.

My tip would be to not leave your bike until its strapped down and your happy with it. On the return crossing the bloke doing the strapping down, roped Liz's SV down by running the rope around and over the fairing. Not good especially as it was blowing a gale and the crossing was rough as anything.

Like Dr Rich says, leave the bike in gear, I put a bungee round my side stand so that if the bike did go upright, the stand wouldnt flick up and then the bike fall over on its side. I'm paranoid so I zip tied the front brake lever to the bar as well. Better IMHO to be safe than sorry, but it was my first ferry crossing and the Irish Sea was rough and I was more than a little paranoid.

Also as he says, take a towel to put over the seat to stop the rope / strap rubbing it.

Make sure you put something under your tailpack / tank bag, it will scratch your plastics, the wanderweb stuff is good. Dont forget to use extra so that theres something between the straps / bungee's so that they dont rub on your bodywork either.

Personally I'd use the pillion seat, its a flatter base, for the straps that go over the top ( well it is on my GSXR ) and even with careful bungee'ing I've had mine move on heavy braking because I hadnt quite got it in the right place.

Take as little clothes etc as you can get away with, and have a trial run at mounting the luggage on the bike before you set off ( i.e a day or two before ) that way if you need extra bungee's etc you have time to get them. IMHO its a good idea to take extra bungee's anyway also a roll of gaffa tape might come in handy to, just in case.

Try and pack your paniers so the weights even distributed in both panniers otherwise its going to handle funny.

Can't help with the noise though.

I bought my old Gixer Thou in Belfast, which meant ferrying it over from Dublin. All I did was wedge the front of the bike into the wall, put a piece of carpet tile (taken with me in a pannier) over the seat with a ratchet strap (mine) over that and pulled it down tight. That was a rough crossing and the bike didn't move an inch.

On the Troon to Belfast whizzy-fast boat the crew rope the bike to a side rail that's on the left side after wrapping the rope round the rider's footrest hanger. On Channel ferries they pretty much leave it up to you to do, especially if it's a French boat - you're lucky if you can find a strap sometimes so I take my own..

[SoulKiss]

Originally Posted by the_lone_wolf

after spending the first weekend with my new bike i have a few questions for the collective knowledge of the org:

1. I have searched this issue but would like to hear of others with the same thing - occasionally, when the throttle is in any position other than closed, a noise something akin to hannibal lecter's "nice chianti" scene eminates from the front of the bike, right below my chin - with the circumstances i can only imagine it's the fuel injectors but people with curvy bikes seem to report similar noises and it seems to come and go... anyway - does anyone else's bike do this? Happens on mine, and to other people too - Ticking Noise in engine thread

2. Encouraged by this last weekend, i want to take the bike to a festival (Middle Wallop if anyone's interested) but that entails two things:

a. a ferry crossing - how do you secure a bike on a boat? do the ferry companies supply straps or are you expected to DIY? anything else i haven't thought of? Dont know, never done it, but seems to be covered before I jumped in

b. luggage - i'm working on the principle that a set of panniers and the tent strapped over the top of them will be sufficient for my weekend away, even with my heavy packing - but can you attached the oxford sports panniers to the bike with the seat cowl in place or will i have to reattach the pillion seat? also, does anyone know a shop that'll ship me a pair by friday? Oxford Humpback panniers are what I have, and I believe that the Oxford sport have a similar fastening system. This system is 3 straps that velcro together under the seat, although usually I find that the front or rear trap sits in front of or behind the seat, depending on whether taking pillion or not. I would put your seat on for this one - whenever I am going to be carrying anything I always put the seat on, too much chance of damaging the Seat Cowl.

any other advice gratefully recieved

Hope this helps

[the_lone_wolf]

thanks soulkiss, about the noise... i've read through 10s of pages of "noisy engine" threads, including the one you mention, but it's not really a tapping or ticking, it sounds more like a hose pipe on a bicycle pedal, or some kind of sprinkler system - the bike doesn't seem to be put off when it comes or goes, or it might be that i'm not listening some of the time - i'm off this evening for a trundle round the island so will keep my ears open for it then

[johnnyrod]

It's probably the airbox sucking. Prop the tank up and have a listen. If you want your ears to bleed, take the air filter out and do the same.