FOAK: Race cans and points

Bear wrote

<fx: Raises hand tentatively>

Read a review here

http://www.sportrider.com/bikes/146_0110_hayabusa/

about releasing the potential of the 12R. They reckon
powercommandering it smooths out the on/off throttle and gives more
power.

That'd suit me fine, as exiting roundabouts is a bit of a chore
without very careful application of the funhandle.

They do say is shags the fuel consumption though :-0

P.

 

Champ says...

Which is exactly why my 9R has had the Scorpion race can removed in
favour of the standard one.

 

Andy Bonwick says...

JP has stated that it counts as not wearing one.

 

ogden says...

My Insco were told about the hugger, Scottoiler and braided brake lines
just to be on the safe side. When I told them about the rack on the
Thunderace they asked if it was valued at over 100 quid before telling
me it wouldn't affect the premium. It pays to tell them about
everything, because the one thing you don't tell them about could be the
one they'll make noises about should the time come to claim.

 

ogden says...

Heh, I like that phrase.

Carole Nash always ask if the bike has been modified from standard.

 

Zymurgy says...

I'd have thought you'd need to be a bit careful with the throttle at all
times on a 12R anyway.

If this is a factor that really matters to you, then you bought the
wrong bike.

 

Bear says...

I was just having one of my "When I start to worry about how much I
spend on bikes, then I'll hang my helmet up" moments.

 

My Tiger drinks like the proverbial (low 30s) & I'm doing a little ride
to Istanbul & back on it next year - probably around 6k miles with
exploring round the Balkans. That's gonna hurt the wallet. Then a
couple of weeks after I get back I'm off on the MV for a 4k+ mile jaunt
round France & Italy. I think I need to find something to sell :-/

 

Bear says...

I had a bloke come in for an Arai RX7 Corsair when I was at Gericke. I
went through all the spiel about how it was the best money could buy
etc, and then got him to try one on. While I was doing all the sizing
checks I asked him to do the strap up so I could check it won't roll off
in an impact. He physically moved back from me with a shocked look on
his face. I asked him again and he said "I never do the strap up, it
always feels like it's choking me".

I tried my hardest to explain that the best helmet in the world is
useless without the strap done up, but he was having none of it. I then
told him he may as well buy a 60 quid piece of crap Takei polycarb, but
he insited that he wanted the best helmet on the shelf. So I sold him
it.

I once got a bollocking from my area sales manager because I refused to
sell a bloke a helmet that didn't fit, it was at least two sizes too
big. The same happened when a bloke came in to buy a lid for his
girlfriend, but she was at work. He wanted to buy her a size L, so his
mates could use it too. When she came in, I got her sized up and she
took an XS. The miserable tight **** made her buy her own lid, and he
bought a 60 quid cheapie for his mates.

 

Bear says...

Not many people have proper cause to.

 

Given the effort involved in getting my helmet off, I'm sure any
contact with enough force to pull it off would break my neck first.
Seriously.

I noticed on some of the MotoGP coverage this year that a lot of the
riders leave the strap very loose - as in a good couple of inches
between strap & chin.

 

Bear says...

If it has been well looked after and tucked away out of the sun then it
should be ok. It's UV that kills the fibreglass apparently. I have a
couple of really old helmets that I would feel OK about using, because I
have looked after them and boxed them up when not in use.

 

Salad Dodger wrote

That maid oi larf.


****.

 

Bear says...

See, you're the only one disagreeing with me there

 

I think it's the polystyrene compressing through normal use that also
gives helmets a finite lifespan. So it should be fine, as long it
hasn't been stored anywhere subject to solvent fumes.

 

Bear says...

You're confusing me now.

 

Bear says...

Use it, I would if it wasn't an FM.

 

Lozzo wrote

Yebbut how much UV does it take? This really is a question which
someone should answer definitively otherwise it is just so much urbane
miff.

I mean, frinstance, when I was commuting my yerrat would potentially be
exposed to SE England UV levels for anything up to a couple of hours
every day but mostly mornings and evenings and not at all in the winter.
How does this compare with a single sunny sunday afternoon chug to the
sea side for a burger and a piss every week.

I dunno how you get a collection of old helmets, when mine get retired
they go to the dump.

 

steve auvache says...

I don't really think there's a finite lifespan for them if they've been
tucked away out of the sun for long periods of time. There are thousands
of lids sitting in warehouses and in storerooms for years before they
are sold to punters. They're fine to use because they've not been
subjected to UV and nothing has compressed the polystyrene inner liners.
Something that's done maybe 20,000 miles over 3 years probably needs
binning. One that's done 5,000 miles over 7 years and been put away
carefully between rides may still be ok to use. Does that make sense?

I hate throwing good stuff out. I have junked all my old crappy lids, I
keep the quality ones. At the moment I have a few lids and not one of
them is over 3 years old, none have got to the stage where I'd retire
them yet. I refuse to throw my Simpson RX1 Bandit out purely because it
cost me 430 quid back in 1984, I never wear it though.

 

Lozzo wrote

There has to be but it is probably so long it is an irrelevance.

In itself yes but it does nothing to address the UV degradation thing.
We keep on coming up with the old UV does damage mantra but nobody seems
to be able to provide anything definitive on it.

I don't really give a shit either way tbh, because no matter how
carefully I treat my new lid it is unfit for use in a matter of days
generally and stays that way until I decide to buy a new one.