[Discussion] General Queries From Newbies

[darkhorse2009]

to me is very simple logic.

 

 

can afford easily then upgrade.

 

my definition of 'afford easily' is can full cash the bike and also able to maintain the bike in terms of petrol and peroidic maintainance and unexpected repairs...

 

no point burdening yourself with financial strain maintaining your ride.

defeats the purpose of enjoying your bike and your rides!

 

Thanks. I think that is a good way to gauge if i can afford. Too bad i am saving up for marriage cum honeymoon expense, new house and possibly baby coming along the way.

 

I guess i had to endure till maybe a few years down the road for my dream bike......

[darkhorse2009]

My wife prefer me to drive car.... as more practical....

 

But i think it is better to ride bike for 2 or less person and take cab if more than 2 people.

 

Should be cheaper that way compared to driving a red plate car and a bike together right ?

 

Per week including all expenses : Taxi fares plus bike = $200 - $300

 

Per week including all expenses : Red plate car plus bike = $300 - $500 ??

[VidaK]

Hi guys, as u may known i had my phantom for only 4 months. Very happy with my baby. But the itch to upgrade to 2A bike is always there. My heart want to upgrade but my brain say why spend the extra money on 2A bikes? not worth it.

 

So how? My heart and brain always fighting each other everyday......

 

set yourself targets. what would you like to have from now until let's say, 5 years later...

 

and remind yourself your targets when you somehow feel the itch

 

One day you will make a choice. Following your dreams requires sacrifice.

 

ouch but true...

[BlackDawn]

I am assuming here you got the $ but just that how long you are willing to pay for the bike. I think most of us can pay a 10-15K bike with 3-5 years installments. But is it worth it?

 

Example: If i spend 2K on a 2nd hand phantom from no bike previously, my happiness level increased like say 100%. If i spend 15K on a new Super 4 from phantom, my happiness level increase like 50%. It is like dimishing returns as i suppose the greatest increase of happiness is from getting a bike from no bike at all.

 

My point is : It is worth the upgrade with your $$$ ?

 

P.S : I spend 5K on a racing bicycle but now i kind of regret it. I could had just spend 2K on an average racing bicycle and still be very happy with it.

 

Thanks. I think that is a good way to gauge if i can afford. Too bad i am saving up for marriage cum honeymoon expense, new house and possibly baby coming along the way.

 

I guess i had to endure till maybe a few years down the road for my dream bike......

 

Based on your current situation and asking the question "It is worth the upgrade with your $$$ ?", you will always get the answer NO, so might as well give up your biking dreams and move on with life.

 

Nobody NEEDS a class 2A/2 bike in Singapore. You ride one because you want one, which brings me to the point on sacrifice.

[darkhorse2009]

Based on your current situation and asking the question "It is worth the upgrade with your $$$ ?", you will always get the answer NO, so might as well give up your biking dreams and move on with life.

 

Nobody NEEDS a class 2A/2 bike in Singapore. You ride one because you want one, which brings me to the point on sacrifice.

 

Noted, i agree with you. Unless i really have extra $ to burn, it doesnt make sense to upgrade to a 2a/2 bike. As my wife said, if i really have extra $, might as well buy a red-plate car.

[darkhorse2009]

Come to think of it, nobody needs a bike at all unless he is a despatch rider or something. Unless one buy an old 2nd hand, very low maintenance 2b bike, nothing beat the cost of taking public transport.

[Tycoon]

i also dno how to describe.

 

maybe can meet up then let u all test test or go to ah chong and let him test.

 

last time even if i wack gear 6 full throttle, engine also like not much power, engine no screaming. now if i wack gear 6, at 80km plus engine start to scream and also have more power.

 

is it because i drag 5th gear to 100km b4? coz last time when i just got then bike, i dno phantom got 6 gear then i drag 5th gear to 100km...

[BlackDawn]

Noted, i agree with you. Unless i really have extra $ to burn, it doesnt make sense to upgrade to a 2a/2 bike. As my wife said, if i really have extra $, might as well buy a red-plate car.

If you are looking only at the absolute amount of cash outlay (or monthly expenses), perhaps a red-plate car is attractive.

 

To me, value of a purchase far outweighs the price. Lets say you have additional cash, ask yourself if you NEED a OPC. Does it add value to your life (save time, convenience) etc. and is it a reasonable investment. There is no sense to me in burning the cash, just because "I have money to burn".

 

Come to think of it, nobody needs a bike at all unless he is a despatch rider or something. Unless one buy an old 2nd hand, very low maintenance 2b bike, nothing beat the cost of taking public transport.

Cost of taking public transport may no doubt be (fairly) economical, but balanced against the convenience of personal transport (car or bike alike), you may find that the value of a bike as transport may far outweigh any bus or MRT. Depending on the individual, throw in other variables like having to transfer MRT-Bus 3 times to get to work, things may get complicated. For others, the dangers of riding a bike is not acceptable at any cost, so they prefer to shell out for a car OR live with the crowded MRT.

 

Balance is always the key. $$ should never be the only consideration.

[Pandoras Kitten 3]

I have actually done a cost analysis - 125Z vs MRT from Woodlands to Toa Payoh (my workplace).

 

In terms of daily cost and speed, bike wins. I don't have walking & waiting time, and the Z is seriously fast cutting through traffic even veteran Malaysian riders cannot fight (Honda cub no power! ha ha)

 

But public transport won out in other areas, because redlining my Z twice a day for 20 mins meant maintenance costs coming in every few months, and overhauls every 2 years. In the long run, MRT was more economical, safer and less stressful.

 

My strategy thus was to avoid traffic jams if possible to maximise fuel savings / reduce wear and tear to and from work, and if I can't do that (oversleep, etc) then MRT it is.

 

On the issue of "needing" a new bike -

 

Despite the dangers of being run over by stupid road users, I always end up preferring the bike. The public transport system in Singapore is not bad at all compared to "some other" countries, but nothing beats having a personal taxi without the $10-20 cab fare. $1-2 of petrol will get you where you need to be instead.

 

I've had ridden my 125Z literally to death, until I can feel chassis flex under hard maneuvering, shocks "moaning" during cornering, etc, that I decided to sell it back to the shop after 6 years.

 

In its place is a fully overhauled, re-chromed and re-built Phantom that will last me for the next decade. While the Z has far more performance than the heavy TA200, this will be a bike that needs me to take good care of if I want it to last. There are a lot of sentimental reasons for choosing a Phantom, but let's say theres no better way to grow up through my twenties than with 2 good motorcycles

[Tycoon]

i went to planet motor. he test ride my bike, say it is okay just that my bike not much power. why i also dno. changed air filter then go le

 

now i got 1 more problem, when moving off(at gear 1) sometimes my engine will die. if i restart my engine in gear 1 without going to neutral and move off the engine will die again. sometime my engine might even die at neutral gear. how come arh?

[VidaK]

i went to planet motor. he test ride my bike, say it is okay just that my bike not much power. why i also dno. changed air filter then go le

 

now i got 1 more problem, when moving off(at gear 1) sometimes my engine will die. if i restart my engine in gear 1 without going to neutral and move off the engine will die again. sometime my engine might even die at neutral gear. how come arh?

 

maybe the idling is too low...? anyway ah chong likes to adjust bikes to idle very low to save some fuel... so you might want to increase the idling

[Pandoras Kitten 3]

Has anyone ever run a Phantom on a dyno?

 

I'm looking for peak torque and horsepower @ x RPM - can't find on the net.

[aguillon]

Hi Guys

 

Quick question from a Phantom new owner (actually will only own mine in a few days) to all the seasoned PKs out there.

 

We all know the Phantom has a small built-in toolbox (remove right cover and it's there - provided previous owners have not removed/lost tools). Now, I am sure you guys carry a few extra tools and spares.

 

So:

 

What additional tools/toolkits and spares do you carry for

 

1- When in Singapore

2- When touring outside Singapore

 

Also, do you carry spare oil/lube/fluid as well?

 

Just the basics will do. I was thinking a multi-allen bicycle tool of sorts plus a leatherman-like tool at the very least. Maybe a spare clutch / brake cable?

 

Thanks in advance for your wisdom and apologies if this has been asked before - did forum search and didnt quite find what I was looking for.

[Pandoras Kitten 3]

It might be that Phantom is not exactly a tuner bike, so dyno run results on the net pretty much don't exist.

 

However... Looi's Motor has a bike dyno..

http://www.streetdirectory.com/classifieds/singapore/automotive/car_repair_and_maintenance/loois_motor_bike_maintenance_store

 

This is a CAR dyno shop but gives a price estimate of $75 for "at least" 2 runs.

http://www.singaporecarsforum.com/carforum/showthread.php?t=6069

 

Until I get mad enough to tune a Phantom of all things, I can possibly extrapolate some figures from other small-bore, non-race 4 strokes, just to get a rough idea of what to expect of my TA200.

 

After 5 mins poking the internet, I found a 150cc Honda mill with similar compression to the Phantom

 

ENGINE

Type: Air cooled, 4 - stroke single cylinder OHC

Displacement: 149.2 c.c

Maximum Power : 10.6 KW ( 14.3 bhp) @ 8500 rpm

Maximum Torque : 12.80 N-m @ 6500 rpm

Bore x Stroke: 57.3 x 57.8 mm

Compression Ratio : 9.1 :1

Idle speed: 1400 rpm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bajaj_Pulsar#Specifications

Pulsar 150 - 14hp

Pulsar 200 - 18hp

 

Now the scaling up from 150 to 200 cc - The 150cc Bajaj Pulsar produces similar HP to the 150cc Honda, while the scaled up 200cc mill produces a gain of 4 HP so there's an estimate of our dear Phantom engine - 18hp. No doubt the technology between manufacturers differ but as you can see the end characteristics of such statistics as horsepower can remain surprisingly similar despite the marketing involved

 

Physics can also be a harsh mistress towards supposedly revolutionary technology - for instance the Pulsar's twin spark system doesn't give much of a power boost, if any. That's because the twin spark system doesn't give any benefit at all in the RPM range of normal roadgoing engines... I expect Japanese-designed engines are superior despite the lack of marketing hype.

 

I managed to find a dyno chart for a RXZ a long time ago that gave me a good idea of where the sweet spot was for my old 125cc 2 stroke mill. So off to hunt again for a small bore 4 stroke chart..

 

Here's a Honda CRF150 dirt bike chart:

http://www.twobros.com/Cust_Service/Dyno_Charts/dyno_2007_honda_crf150r.pdf

 

CRF150 engine stats

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_CRF150F#Specifications

 

These are of course more aggressively tuned and newer 4 stroke engines but from this example chart I can expect steady power delivery all across the RPM range. Chart does not show actual RPM but max torque and power possibly produced at 70% of max rpm.

Edited March 14, 2010 by Pandora's Kitten :3

[Guest B_E_N]

I've been super-observant regarding Phantoms on the road (there are many!). It's quite straightforward to tell a healthy bike from an ill-maintained one. The former has a powerful sound (or, silken tofu smooth for TA150) and the not so good bikes produce wierd noises like machinery out of alignment.

 

Phantoms are definitely not racing machines and their motors by logical deduction would be tuned for maximum low-end torque. Riding one like your 125Z (whack for 6 years still no complaints) is not advisable.

 

haha, i am doing that with my phantom.. lol

its serve me so well, both ta200 and ta150

 

I am assuming here you got the $ but just that how long you are willing to pay for the bike. I think most of us can pay a 10-15K bike with 3-5 years installments. But is it worth it?

 

Example: If i spend 2K on a 2nd hand phantom from no bike previously, my happiness level increased like say 100%. If i spend 15K on a new Super 4 from phantom, my happiness level increase like 50%. It is like dimishing returns as i suppose the greatest increase of happiness is from getting a bike from no bike at all.

 

My point is : It is worth the upgrade with your $$$ ?

 

P.S : I spend 5K on a racing bicycle but now i kind of regret it. I could had just spend 2K on an average racing bicycle and still be very happy with it.

 

downgrade lo, ta150 is a good good bike.. hehe

den like me, buy bike 600SGD but spend 2k on it, my happiness lvl is 200%

hahaha, eh jus jk.. dun be like me, u might regret...

 

if u wan have comfort and meanwhile some speed once awhile, u can consider ta150.. very cheap bike, cheap maintainence.. but FC abit bad la.. haha

[Guest B_E_N]

Hi Guys

 

Quick question from a Phantom new owner (actually will only own mine in a few days) to all the seasoned PKs out there.

 

We all know the Phantom has a small built-in toolbox (remove right cover and it's there - provided previous owners have not removed/lost tools). Now, I am sure you guys carry a few extra tools and spares.

 

So:

 

What additional tools/toolkits and spares do you carry for

 

1- When in Singapore

2- When touring outside Singapore

 

Also, do you carry spare oil/lube/fluid as well?

 

Just the basics will do. I was thinking a multi-allen bicycle tool of sorts plus a leatherman-like tool at the very least. Maybe a spare clutch / brake cable?

 

Thanks in advance for your wisdom and apologies if this has been asked before - did forum search and didnt quite find what I was looking for.

 

haha for me my bike have 90% of the tools that require to dismander a bike to naked with frame only

[darkhorse2009]

Hi. How to know when to change oil filter and spark plugs? Now my bike is going ok but prefer to save $ and change them only if i had to.

[VidaK]

Has anyone ever run a Phantom on a dyno?

 

I'm looking for peak torque and horsepower @ x RPM - can't find on the net.

 

all the bikes you have quoted as examples have a higher tuning than phantom 200...

 

although I have not tested this, but I believe that phantom 200's max rear wheel output is about 11-12 hp

 

this is from a comparison with another one of my bikes which had 11 hp

 

Hi Guys

 

Quick question from a Phantom new owner (actually will only own mine in a few days) to all the seasoned PKs out there.

 

We all know the Phantom has a small built-in toolbox (remove right cover and it's there - provided previous owners have not removed/lost tools). Now, I am sure you guys carry a few extra tools and spares.

 

So:

 

What additional tools/toolkits and spares do you carry for

 

1- When in Singapore

2- When touring outside Singapore

 

Also, do you carry spare oil/lube/fluid as well?

 

Just the basics will do. I was thinking a multi-allen bicycle tool of sorts plus a leatherman-like tool at the very least. Maybe a spare clutch / brake cable?

 

Thanks in advance for your wisdom and apologies if this has been asked before - did forum search and didnt quite find what I was looking for.

 

since I have 3 boxes, my left sidebox is dedicated to maintenance items... so I carry the same items be it riding in singapore or outside of it!

 

I carry:

 

chain lube

diy bike jack

allen keys

pliers

scissors

mounting tape

black tape

spare bulbs for every different type of bulb

spare screws, nuts, and bolts

spark plugs

clutch and throttle cables

screwdrivers

cable ties

 

I dun carry engine oil as they can be found in petrol kiosks everywhere

 

Hi. How to know when to change oil filter and spark plugs? Now my bike is going ok but prefer to save $ and change them only if i had to.

 

oil filter need not be changed as it doesn't exist

 

basic spark plugs last 25000km... so... yea...

[weian]

spark plugs last for so long?? i change it every 5k!

[darkhorse2009]

Aiyah ... I meant air filter lar... How do i know when to change?

 

Also, i got a bit of black oil leaking from my gearbox. Need to worry?

[aguillon]

VidaK, thanks very much for your answers, most helpful. You certainly carry a lot! I hope you happen to be nearby if I ever break down!

Since I don't have side boxes I certainly wouldn't carry as much, but very good info all the same.

 

Care to tell us more about your diy jack? (pic maybe?) Also, do you jack the bike up at exhaust mount? Obviously very useful as it enables you to lube / clean your chain quickly and do your own EO changes, among others.

[Pandoras Kitten 3]

Aiyah ... I meant air filter lar...

 

Good practise to open up the right side cover to check the air filter & clean it regularly. Be sure it's completely dry when replaced.

 

If it has holes or tears, replace it. Dust in engine = bad for long term reliability.

[jtzx]

spark plugs last for so long?? i change it every 5k!

 

i change every 2 oil change.. can last very long. But it's better to change it every noe and then.

 

Aiyah ... I meant air filter lar... How do i know when to change?

 

Also, i got a bit of black oil leaking from my gearbox. Need to worry?

 

looks like your gasket blow le.. time to change your gasket... engine oil leaking i think.

 

Good practise to open up the right side cover to check the air filter & clean it regularly. Be sure it's completely dry when replaced.

 

If it has holes or tears, replace it. Dust in engine = bad for long term reliability.

 

yeah... open up to check once in a blue moon be good =D

[lycan]

When should i replace my front folk oil?

 

Ah chong told me that if it is not leaking then dont need to change.

 

I feel that it is a bit soft though..

 

my bike just turn 3 years old and i dont think it has been changed as i only took over from my uncle nearly 1 year ago..

 

and

 

when i pushing my bike backwards. some screeching sound came out from the front brake.. when going forward there is not sound.. sound like the brake pad rubbing against the brake disc.. brake dust?

 

is it normal?

 

I find that i need to press my front brake harder than usual.. is it because of the brake fluid or is it the brake pump?

 

any inputs?

Edited March 15, 2010 by lycan

[aguillon]

I was asking earlier about jacks for the Phantom (since a main stand is not possible).

 

Have you guys ever seen this product? Looks pretty neat

 

Tommy Jack

 

Wonder if it would fit on a Phantom. If it does, it's pretty small and rather easy to use (and not outrageously expensive).