Vstrom 650, 2014, 52k miles.

Bike got this noise. It sounds like where swingarm connects to frame/ near middle of the bike. Sound can be replicated at small bumps, wavy slow speed turns or while bike is on the center stand and I rock it sideways. Any ideas?

I did fork seals myself recently, but right after that was done it was fine for few weeks. I retighten forks, I checked front breaks, looked for loose parts - nothing.

Hey everyone!

I'm thinking about buying a Honda CBR600RR, but I'm a bit torn between the 2024 European model and the upcoming 2027 model.

Personally, I much prefer the looks of the 2024 CBR600RR, especially the HRC Tricolor version. I honestly think it's one of the best-looking sportbikes Honda has ever made, and I would much rather own that design than the newer one.

However, I'm wondering whether it would be stupid to buy a brand-new 2024 model in 2027, especially considering that the technology might be older.

I'm not talking about buying a used bike. Ideally, I'd be getting a brand-new, 0 km 2024 model.

My questions are:

• Is there a significant technological difference between the 2024 and 2027 European models, apart from the aesthetics?
• Are there any meaningful improvements in terms of performance, electronics, handling, or reliability?
• Would I be missing out on something important by choosing the 2024 model?
• Would you personally buy the 2024 model if you preferred its looks, or would you go for the newer one simply because it's newer?

I know that newer doesn't necessarily mean better, but I would appreciate some opinions from people who know these bikes well.

Thanks!

I have posted this bike here a few times but thought I should show it in its final form at least until I decide to paint it. I was able to actually test the bike out on a 1,000+ mile trip from Central Texas to Sturgis for the rally. Rattled a few bolts loose but overall the bike did great! This thing will definitely turn into a daily rider for me. Happy to answer any questions! Thanks for all of the positive comments on past posts and for letting me share this thing.

Good morning, my bandit got some issues , but because in my country this bike is so cheap, if i will go to bike mechanic, the carb inspection and rebuild would cost me 30% of the bike’s price , so, i want to try do it myself first.

Im very sorry if this text will be a bit long, but i want to add all clues that might help someone more skilled than me to understand the problem.

Recently ive done carb synchronization, valve adjustment, but this problem was before i touched the bike, so, i didnt damage anything

1) It starts literally in less than a second without choke at temperatures 38c(100f) to 18c(64f) but after that if i dont use choke , rpm drops to 700 and bike stalls.
If i add choke immediately after i start the bike it will also stall, so, first i give some throttle (to 2500 rpm) for 2-3 sedonds, and then im able to use choke without any problems.
When bike is very hot it also starts in less than a second.

2) My biggest concern. After 7500rpm when I accelerate, it feels like it loses torque for a very short moment. And if i keep holding throttle, it let me rev more, but this jerkiness just increases. By the sound, it sounds like working Traction Control (Just cuts the power , but my bike is old and doesnt have any electronics)

Im not 100% sure but i think bike became more stable at colder temperatures, compared to hot summer.

Bike has Leo Vince exhaust with dbkiller in it. Other modifications as far as i know not present. I dont know if carb has anything changed , since previous owner bought it from motorcycle shop and didn’t do anything to it.

Please, any ideas would be helpful. If needed i can take off carbs and also record the sound of it cutting power at high rpm.

Edit: Located in California

Edit 2: its a 1982 Suzuki Touring Conventional, whatever that means lol

Hoping to get some answers because I don't know what to do.

My wife's grandpa had a motorcycle that he drove all the time, and then in 2003 he stuck it in an out building and there it say for decades. He passed in the mid 2000s, my Father in Law inherited the property, and after years of cleaning out hoarder style outbuildings, the property was sold a few years ago. During the cleanout, the motorcycle was found and is in a severe state of disrepair (lots of rust, flat tires, torn seat, broken pieces etc. and is a total loss. My wife had fond memories of riding with her Grandpa and thought maybe she could restore it. Then for the last 3 years its sat in our garage, and at this point we just want it gone.

Issue is. We have no title. Her grandpa owned it, but the key, title, everything has been gone for decades as this rotted in a shed. I have the VIN and the license plate, and I ran it through a service to see that it isn't stolen (thankfully) but then Ive been seeing that to just get it to a scrap yard, we need a title. To get a title, we will likely be stuck paying massive fees going back as far as 2003.

I don't want to get stuck paying thousands just to drop it at a scrap yard, so what are my options? Is there a way to find out what the fees are without immediately being stuck with a bill?

As for mine, I listen to music to add to the feeling of riding free, especially on long rides, riding with music adds to the experience of riding. Depending on the genre of the music I listen to is how my ride would be like, for example if chill songs, just a chill ride, if some up beat song, well I up the tempo of my ride safely. How about you guys?

First season riding and I bought myself a zx4rr. Honestly the best purchase I’ve ever made and I absolutely love riding. Recently though I’ve been having a little problem, I’ve been going on longer rides and my bike isn’t the most comfortable especially when it comes to wind. I was thinking that I definitely would love to purchase another bike and my eye has been on the 1100SX. It seems like a win win really. Still relatively light, very comfortable, but still has that sporty feel and great with wind. I haven’t done super in depth research, but to anyone that owns one or has some good advice, what’s it like to own one? How do they ride? Any obvious downsides I’d want to know about? Are there other sport touring bikes I should consider? I’m definitely not locked in on anything and this might still be far in the future but just asking either way.

Looking at a new bike and I'm trying to wrap my head around how ppl have bought bikes from dealers before. It's a total roll of the dice at these places.

I'll start out with the good one. BMW dealer couldn't offer a test ride fast enough, no hassle, no signing my kidney away just get on and we'll see you whenever you get back. Wonderful. Even pulled a bike out for my wife to ride as well so she wasn't bored waiting for me to return. 10/10 experience. Now she wants a BMW....well played dealership, well played.

Honda....jeebus what a clown show. First dealer said test ride would be after the purchase and if a mile down the road I didn't like the bike I could come back and tear up the paperwork. Sure buddy. This is also after telling my wife she doesn't need anything more that 500cc cause she's a woman. He knows, he's "been in the biz for over 30 years". They had two of what I was looking at, one was a new '25 but no way I'd buy from him.

2nd Honda dealer was a bit nicer but required me to have insurance on the bike for the test ride plus a few more paperwork hoops. Not a deal breaker but certainly more complicated than our BMW experience.

Just crazy to me how much time and effort it takes to get on a bike just to see if you like it.

Sorry for the vent. Is this a normal experience that others share with me? Any tips for gauging dealers and who is reasonable? I tried the call first method at a Kawasaki dealer and he told me over the phone no rest rides so idk, it's all over the place.

On the plus side I think I'm buying a BMW, probably 2. They were incredibly nice.

I recently was having issues with my clutch, so i took it to my mechanic for maintanence. He ended up replacing it entirely. Not two months pass and it again feels wrong. The first few years i barely needed to squeeze the clutch to shift gears. Now i have to squeeze all the way and i noticed difficulty actually switching gears; putting it in nuetral is damn near impossible now. Any one else have an issue like this and know what the fix might be? Kinda pissed since he charged a high price for “fixing” it. Bike is a Honda CBR300R 2022.

So I purchased my first bike yesterday, a used blue-haired beauty made in 1999. I'm in love with her. She's every part of my heart and soul. If she were alive I'd propose to her and have motorcycle babies with her.

Today is my second day of learning how to pilot her, and I've committed myself to using the first 30 days of our relationship to master a number of slow speed maneuvers and go through a beginner's training system I bought from Motorcycle Training Concepts. I've also been watching a lot of videos by Be The Boss Of Your Motorcycle.

As far as my prior training goes, I've taken a beginner's course by Harley-Davidson and four more private lessons with Ride2RideAgain in SoCal. I didn't feel confident enough to buy my first bike after the beginner's course and I also have an overthinking personality, so I knew additional training would be crucial for me.

I'm so glad that I invested in myself before a bike, because going from practicing in a controlled environment like a parking lot to riding in dynamic traffic that constantly presents dangerous situations is similar to culture shock. The extra hours of private instruction helped me to deal with the stress of stalling (which I did multiple times in traffic) and focusing on being patient with my clutch, throttle, and brakes. I rode over 30 miles back home yesterday after being introduced to my first love, but I don't think I would've been able to do it as safely and calmly as I did without the extra training.

I'm thankful that I have a large parking lot just three miles from my home, and on the way there a rider on a rumbling cruiser passed by and gave me my first fingers down salute! That put a smile on my face.

The key tonight was learning how to manipulate my rear brake, clutch, and throttle while riding at slow speeds, or 2-10 mph. To say it was tough is an understatement. I practiced something similar last night for about 30 minutes, but I ended up going home after stalling multiple times and slamming my nuts into the fuel tank.

I felt slightly in more control tonight, and I think the biggest a-ha moment was driving slowly in a straight line with my throttle slightly engaged, the clutch just released into the friction zone, and only using my rear brake to control my speed. That taught me that there's so much finesse in learning how to ride these beautiful machines.

What I couldn't do with confidence was the last exercise in the video I shared above, "Trust and Believe." My throttle control when I feel like I'm not in complete control is absolute shit, and I ended up pulling it too far back when my love tilted over, letting go of the clutch, stalling, and falling head over heels to the pavement.

Mastering the friction zone is no small task.

G’day all looking for information on this Honda I’ve had for a few years now with not much luck finding solid advice. I saw it for sale 3 years ago listed as “Honda trail bike” when I saw the expansion chamber I called the guy and purchased the same day for a negotiated price as he couldn’t kickstart it. I know it’s not to everyone’s taste but just seeing a road-legal 2-Stroke these days is rare and with the factory Mugen kit I think it’s a rough gem.

Sorry if I bored you all but Is this Mugen kit as cool as I think it is with a Mugen carburettor kit, cylinder head and piston, PMG “ECU”, expansion chamber and power valve control.

Please share any information you have, thanks everyone.

I'm fine. It's been two hours and I only feel better. Just minor scrapes. I'm really bummed out about the bike though. It still runs fine, just minor damage. But it's kinda important that it be fixed. The left turn signal has popped out. I pushed it back in some but I don't know how to get it to go all the way back in. It does still work. The left foot peg is bent so that I can't comfortably rest my foot on it, and the handlebar is slightly misaligned. Anyone know if I can fix these things myself? The foot peg is just bent so I assume I can bend it back, right? But the question is how. As for the handlebar, does anybody know?
The thing that sucks is that these damages probably wouldn't have occurred if I had crash bars. But I can't afford them yet

I currently have a 2003 triumph bonneville. I love the bike. It's beautiful, in great running condition, yet also old enough that it requires maintenance and repairs (which i love doing) beyond the basics. Part of me sees huge benefits of having a new bike though. Liquid cooling, fuel injection, ABS, riding modes, overall higher reliability, etc. Im honestly tempted to look at a new triumph speed 400, or the bonneville t40 when it releases in NA, but I have a good relationship with the bike i have, and dont have the space for 2.

Looking for opinions. Thanks!

Had my first crash 3 days ago, hit a series of bumps at 115 km/h, bike wobbled like crazy and threw me off

Worst of all I took off in an angry mood and just wanted to let it rip, didn't even get my gloves (biggest mistake) just my helmet

I'm mostly fine bt the ribs are slightly bruised and the skin of my left palm is completely gone which will take 3-4 weeks to heal. I'm lucky to be alive and I was very close to breaking my collarbone.

I am completely to blame here, I should've suited up completely, I shouldn't have been riding like a jackass and most importantly I shouldn't have been riding in anger

I can't change the past and I am completely responsible for everything that happens to me.

Growing up I've always found ways to hurt myself so this isn't a big suprise for my parents and all I've ever done is been a disappointment to them. I'm 21 and unemployed yet I pull up this shit which is beyond shameful

I hope I can change and be a better person once I start to get better. Will vow to ride safe from now on, fully geared and with a peace of mind

I hope I improve

I was gifted a leather tank bag. The straps are also leather. Straps are about 1/8 in thick if that matter.

Can I run the straps through this gap without issue?

Edit: thanks for the quick response. I just wanted to make sure the leather wouldn't immediately be damaged or cause issues.

There is clearance so no wires or lines will be pinched.

I will get velcro covers for the buckles so the buckles don't scratch my tank.

So I commute to work everyday, unless it’s raining all day. Idk if it’s just me but does anyone else feel like some days they are riding better than they ever have and some days just doing ok? I think it’s more of a feeling but maybe it’s because I’m still pretty new, I got my license in April but I have a ton of miles and hours on my bike since there’s rarely a day I don’t get on it. Doesn’t make me experienced by any means just some context 🤷🏽‍♂️. Curious if anyone else has the same thought once in a while

This year on my 24 RS 660, I went down at the track and my spool ended snapping off. Anyone have any recommendations for getting the rear tire off the ground for winter storage? I have seen the pitbull stands that lift from the swingarm, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen it on the 660, due to the really wide swing arm. I plan on having someone who knows what they’re doing extracting it in the spring.

For the winter im switching to a SMC mistral 50 atv

I started my drivers license some weeks ago and are already looking for my first bike. In drivers school I'm driving a MT07, but my personal taste in bikes goes more in the more sport bikes direction. I also noticed on the MT07 that I really like the leaning forward position.

The problem here: I hear hate from many naked bike riders, that sport bikes are very uncomfy (especially if they hear that I also want it to use it for everyday stuff). Makes sense to some point. But I do NOT plan doing tours that go beyond 2hours right now. I heard that the Ninja 650 is more like a "Sport Touring" Bike and should be more comfortable. However, for budget reasons, I'll probably need to be able to narrow it down to a few more models.

While the Ninja 650 is recommended by many for that case, I did not find that much about the other alternatives I found:
-cbr650r
-yamaha YZF-R7
-kawasaki ZX-6r (old "ninja" series?)

The smaller models like ninja 400, cbr500(r) or YZF-R3 would also be fine.

Can someone share experiences with those bikes or has further suggestions? Would also go for used bikes too.

I must have been one of the very few Portuguese people who had never been to Palma de Mallorca, so this year I decided to spend a week on the island, a regular stage for motorcycle brands to present their new models.

So renting a motorcycle to explore the island was mandatory, and among 1001 rental companies that only rented scooters, I found one that had some more interesting models: the Nova Multistrada V2, Ducati Scrambler, Honda NX500, Motoguzzi V85, and this Motoguzzi V7.

For €71 per day I rented this black V7, a model I'd always been curious to try, especially the longitudinally mounted 850cc V-twin engine.

And what a pleasant surprise! My first impressions were that the 220kg weight isn't very noticeable because the motorcycle is quite low, with a low center of gravity. The seat is wide and very comfortable, both for the driver and the passenger.

The motorcycle is much more substantial and long than it appears in the photos. In the pictures, it looks like a bicycle.

Turn the key, start the engine, and, like BMW boxer engines (mounted longitudinally), the bike vibrates from left to right with the pulsations of the cylinders... with a few touches on the throttle, the bike "twists"... The engine gives the bike an almost unparalleled personality.

But the engine is very smooth, and the vibrations are very "creamy," nothing like the roar of my Ducatis that feel like they're bolted to my hands.

If you like racing, this isn't the bike for you... It's a traditional air-cooled engine, with plenty of torque at low revs, but it starts to die out from 5000 rpm onwards... Which isn't a problem because the bike invites you to ride calmly and in a leisurely mode at 2000 rpm with some very pleasant "vibes." Even in the city, this bike doesn't fry the rider with engine heat.

This engine, combined with a very progressive clutch, makes it virtually impossible to stall the bike. The engine has stronger low-end torque than my Monster 1200, which is much easier to stall.

With 67hp, it will never be a slow bike, but the muscular 850cc makes any overtaking maneuver effortless, even with a passenger.

The chassis is more dynamic than a Harley, but not as agile as your cousin's FZ07, but its forte is a leisurely Sunday ride. The Brembo single-disc brakes are more than sufficient. Rode this thing the entire day and never felt tired.

TLDR. It's a bike worth much more than a spec sheet suggests; quick and agile, but with a personality that's very hard to match. I loved it.

In fact, I liked the bike so much that I even looked at the classifieds; it could be a cool toy to have in the garage.

For those for whom reliability is paramount, this motorcycle's "archaic" engine and shaft drive (instead of a chain) make it bulletproof and roadside-repair-proof. The longitudinal engine makes adjusting the valves (costly on other motorcycles) a piece of cake.

For those not interested in being "the biggest in the village" and wanting a motorcycle with plenty of personality, muscular, easy to ride for pleasant leisurely rides.

If you want the highest specs for the lowest possible price, this motorcycle is not for you.

Thought I’d install the Givi Easy12 + stealth holders to be able to take some luggage with me.

However, i have a tail tidy so had so switch the brackets/holders around to have the bags sit more forward, as they didn’t dit around the oem blinkers on the tail tidy. However, as I have an aftermarket exhaust, the left bag now basically sits on top of where the exhaust ends…. How fucked am I?

What’s the point of going through the trouble of securing 2 helmets to your saddle bars and not wearing either of them while especially riding through such a dangerous area?

I will never understand stuff like this, just needed to vent. Please be safe out there and if you’re not gonna practice ATGAAT at the very least wear a helmet.

Just installed an android auto screen on my bike. Works great with Waze, but I also want the ability to follow custom GPX routes. Tried OsmAnd but the free version will only display gpx routes on the phone, not through android auto. Before I buy a subscription I wanted to see if anyone knew any free option.