<Info> Used Bike Sale Section FAQ on Bike Purchases

[Kushinagar]

Dear Members,

 

This section is provided for the interest of all our forumers by assisting them to post their sale in a focus section in SingaporeBikes.com.

 

Forumer posting a sale of their bike, kindly used the following guideline;-

• Date of registration:
  
• Colour:
  
• Condition:
  
• Mileage:
  
• Owners:
  
• COE:
  
• Road Tax :
  
• Price:
  
• Accessories :
  
• Pics :
  
• Under Hire-purchase: Yes / No
  
• Buyer / Seller bear cost of transfer
  

Some advices we like emphasis are as follows;-

• Refrain from posting unconstructive comment
  
• Practise basic courtesy and respect for the threadstarter's sale
  
• Agreement are between the seller & buyer, SingaporeBikes.com will not interfere. However, moderator(s) will step in when neccessary
  
• Commercial Sale thread is not allowed
  

P/S : We would also like to seek forumer assistance by reporting any duplicate sale thread for us to act on it. Thanks.

[Kushinagar]

Originally posted by aidiero@March 17, 2007 12:40 am

hey i think u can create a section about how do u go about buying from private sellers,where to get reloan n all the necessary stuff..cos i always see ppl post the same question again n again..i tink more ppl r just clueless as i am about buying privately..

Here some reference that already existed here in SBF.

 

Guide to buying 2nd hand motorcycles

 

Exactly steps to sell bike

 

Bike evaluation form

 

Kinds of Motor Insurance

 

How to buy a sports bike

 

Buying/Retaining/Taking over Number Plate

 

Newbie's Guide To Bikes, Everything a noob rider should know

 

Engine Facts, 17 engine facts every owner should know

 

Engine etiquette

[slutgarden]

still cant view those links due to change in format. sigh.

 

please do something about at this would be the most important link in garage sales.

[ragnaphobia]

i would like to contribute to the community by "re-uping" all the previously lost guides that is very useful for newbies, like me, when they wanna purchase a bike etc. i manage to recover all the lost forum threads and i'll compile everything here is this thread. i just hope this thread can get stickied.

 

 

Things i have posted below are:

 

• Guide to buying 2nd hand motorcycles
  
• Bike evaluation form
  
• Kinds of Motor Insurance
  
• How to buy a sports bike
  
• Buying/Retaining/Taking over Number Plate
  
• Engine Facts by BoBoKik

[ragnaphobia]

Guide to buying 2nd hand motorcycles

by fugiethief on 25th of Jan 2004.

 

When buying a 2nd hand motorcycle, you've often found yourself succumbing to whatever to seller is trying to con you into. Famous lines like "This bike veli good, can run one, no ploblem..." and "donch worry, this one engine do oready, some more no accident before.." Well, I've managed to compile a guide on what to look out for when buying that machine... It really helped me when I purchased my 2nd hand 1994 Suzuki GSF400 Bandit and I hope it'll help you too...

 

PRINT THIS OUT AND TAKE IT WITH YOU WHEN YOU BUY A BIKE........

 

Look at it!

Don't just start the engine and take it round the block. Start examining the front end and work your way through to the tail light. Note every single fault you see on a piece of paper (so you don't forget) and also note its likely cost.

 

Looking at the bike first will also allow the engine to cool slightly, if the seller has warmed it up before you arrived, and engines should always be started from cold just to see if they do start easily!

 

1) Front tyre:

Should have plenty of tread. Look for cuts and gashes. Budget S$40 - 150 for a replacement (according to model)

 

2) Brakes:

Check thickness of disc pads by squinting down the caliper. Budget S$20 a set for replacements (ie: S$40 for a double disc front end).

Drum brakes - see if the adjuster at the brake end has been fully wound in. If so, the linings are close to the limit. Again, budget S$20 a set for new linings.

 

3) Forks:

Squint at them sideways to make sure they are straight and parallel. If not, the bike has been in a crash, and the frame may be bent as well.

 

Look for any oil leaks from the seals and signs of pitting on the fork stanchions (the polished bits) themselves. People sometimes replace the seals but leave the pitting and the pits will wear out new seals in days. Budget S$10 per seal (if you do the work yourself) and S$70 for full servicing per stanchion.

 

4) Head race bearings:

If the bike has a centre stand get someone to push down the back of the bike to lift the front wheel off the ground. If not, pull the bike towards you on the side stand to lift the front wheel. Turn the bars gently. If you feel a notch, or worse still, several, the head races are shot and need replacement. New races will cost about S$30 (again, depends on bike model) and mean stripping down the front end to fit them. A dealer will charge about S$100 for the whole job.

 

5) Lock stops:

These are the lugs welded to the steering head that stop the bars turning before they bash into the tank. If the bike has been dropped or crashed, they will be bent or otherwise damaged. This is a danger sign!

 

6) Bar ends, mirrors, lever ends:

Look for scrape marks as a sign that the bike's been down the road. These are easy and cheap to replace, so don't take an absence of scrapes as a sign that the bike's never been dropped.

 

7) Bodywork:

If it's non-standard, be suspicious: it might have had a respray after a crash. In any case, non-standard paint generally knocks down the resale value of a bike.

 

8) Frame:

On alloy beam frames look for any signs of deformation where the rails bend towards the headstock. Alloy is softer than steel and much harder to fix. Any signs of damage - walk away

 

9) Rear suspension:

Grab the rear tyre and try and move it from side to side. Play here means wear in the rear suspension bearings. This can be easy or difficult to fix, depending on how complex the rear end is and whether the bearings will be all seized and rusted into place. Assume the worst.

 

Bounce on the seat. A dry creaking noise from the suspension indicates worn and seized linkages. This can cost up to S$150 to fix. The rear end should also bounce once, returning to its former position. If it boings up and down two or three times, or just sags, the rear shock(s) is/are worn out. This will cost at least S$250 and maybe as much as S$800 to replace with a decent aftermarket unit on a big bike. Twin-shock bikes are cheaper, but still allow S$150 - 200.

 

10) Rear tyre:

Should have plenty of tread. Look for cuts and gashes. Budget S$40-S$150 for a replacement, according to size of bike!

 

11) Rear brakes:

Check and budget as per front

 

12) Rear wheel bearings:

Grab top and bottom of rear wheel and try to move it from side to side. If it does rock slightly, the rear wheel bearings are shot. Easy job, but still budget S$20 for replacements

 

13) Chain & sprockets:

Look at the wear indicators (if fitted) and the chain adjuster marks (if not). If the rear wheel is pulled far back on the adjusters, the chain is worn out.

 

See if you can pull a link off the rear sprocket. if you can, it's shot.

A dry slack rusty chain will also cast doubt over how the rest of the bike has been looked after.

Look for wear and hooking on the sprocket teeth. A new chain will cost S$70-80 for a big bike. A chain and sprocket set will cost over S$200! More if you intend to use gold-chain.

 

14) Engine:

Before starting, look for any signs of oil leaks and the presence of gasket cement (usually red, sometimes clear/white). If you see gasket goo oozing from joints, walk away. The engine has been rebuilt by a careless motodiam. The Japanese don't use the stuff except on crankcase joints and sometimes on camshaft end caps, after all. Even then, they use it very sparingly. Someone who's slapping the stuff around like cement is too tight to buy proper gaskets, and too careless to worry. Gasket goo is good stuff, but excess goo can get sucked into the lube system and filter and block them, and wreck the engine. It just isn't worth the risk.

It should start instantly. If it churns away on the starter for ages before firing, or if the starter rattles and clunks, just walk away. Again, it's not worth the risk.

 

Let the engine warm up properly. There should be no rattles. Rattles from the top end indicate camshaft or camchain wear. This can be expensive to fix.

 

Rattles or rumbles from the bottom end of the engine indicate crankshaft or main bearing wear. This can be very expensive to fix. Walk away.

 

When test riding, rev the engine hard in as many gears as you can, then shut the throttle off, go down hard on the over-run, and whack the throttle open again. If it's going to jump out of gear, this is when it will do it.

 

Also, as you whack it open after going down on the over-run, look behind you for smoke. This action forces oil into the bores. A little puff of smoke is normal. A cloud isn't, and means the rings and/or valve guide seals are worn.

 

See if it steers properly hands-off. Beware wobbles! If it shows a reluctance to turn in one direction and a tendency to dive into another, the frame is probably bent from an accident. (only to be attempted by an experienced rider)

 

Try the brakes, hard, several times. Make sure you aren't being tailgated when you do this....

When you get back, listen again to the engine. It should sound quieter and sweeter than it did when it was started from cold.

 

15) Electrics:

Check every single function. If you have a multimeter, put it across the battery terminals and measure. It should read about 12.5v and rise to maybe 14.5v as the revs rise. If it doesn't, or if it shoots up past 20v, the regulator/rectifier is fried and maybe the alternator with it. Cost: maybe S$100 for a reg/rec and S$50 for a rewound alternator.

 

If you haven't a multimeter, turn the lights on and see if they brighten when the engine is revved. It won't tell you if the reg/rec is fritzed, but it will tell you the alternator is working.

 

16) Paperwork:

The registration document or logbook is vital. It tells you everything you need to know. It should bear the bike's registration number, the engine number, the frame number, the colour. Check all of these. Be very suspicious if there's a discrepancy. Engine and/or frame numbers not tallying mean it's almost certainly stolen. On no account believe the "I'm selling it for a mate" or "I haven't got around to changing the logbook" stories. This may not matter to you, but it will probably mean that he's working on a profit margin and will not be amenable to offers. The logbook also carries the name and address of the last owner and the date the bike last changed hands. The newer log card version only carries the name and address of the current owner. If this was very recently, be suspicious. Why is the seller getting rid of it so fast? hhhmmmm...

 

ON NO ACCOUNT BUY A BIKE WITHOUT A LOGBOOK/LOGCARD. DO NOT ACCEPT PHOTOCOPIES.

 

If someone says he does his own maintenance, ask him what the valve clearances should be or what grade of oil he uses - competent mechanics know these details. Ask if he has a manual. If not, how does he do the work? If so, oily thumbprints on the relevant pages are a good sign (but oily thumbprints on pages detailing, for example, gearbox rebuilds, may not be!)

 

17) Haggling:

Tot up the cost of every single worn or damaged component you have noticed, using the guide above. Compare the resultant figure to the cost of an equivalent bike in a dealer's price. Point out that the dealer will sell the bike with decent tyres, brakes, etc, plus a warranty. You want to aim for a price that's 20% less than what the dealer is asking, when all is said and done. If a lot of work needs to be done, make that 30%, to cover the hassle factor. If the seller can't see the logic of your arguments, walk away. You might as well buy from a another dealer.

 

18) Accessories:

Some add to the value of the bike: most don't. Almost every BMW ever sold comes with panniers/box - they're worth less if they aren't. A Harley that's got the usual desirable mods done - carb, pipe, brakes etc. - will fetch more than one that doesn't. To a lesser degree this applies to some Italian bikes as well. Apart from these exceptions, extra money spent on tuning, go-faster, handle-better, look-neater, weigh-less mods will not add one penny to the value. They may even detract from it. On some Japanese bikes (Yamaha FJ1200, 900 Diversion, Honda VFR750, Honda Africa Twin 750) a decent luggage kit may add S$150 - 300 to the value.

 

To sum up, you can spend five thousand dollars on gold-plating a Hayabusa or an R1, but you won't sell it for five thousand more than an unplated one. Get it?

 

19) If humanly possible, take someone with you when you buy:

A sceptical mate will not be blinded by the shiny paint and the "I-wannit-now" syndrome, and may save you a fortune. Enough said.

 

20) Finally ......

Make sure you read through every paper you sign and don't forget to check and see that there's some form of black and white guarantee on the bike (for at least a month). Changing ownership of a bike can be done directly at the LTA with both parties present (or get hold of either one's IC) and insurance transfer can also be done at the insurance office itself. Some people go through bike shops which charge a ridiculous amount! So be warned...

 

So I hope this guide will help you as much as it helped me in purchasing that machine you've been eyeing for some time.. Remember, this is just a GUIDE and you should gather as much information as possible about your desired make/model before handing over that cash...

 

Cheers!

Fugie®

[ragnaphobia]

Bike evaluation form

by telemark on 25th of Jan 2004.

 

Just something that I have put together from the initial list posted.

I hope that is of some help

 

Bike Evaluation Form:

 

Bike model: Bike age: Bike COE:

Bike mileage: Bike rego: Bikes owner:

Asking price: Offer price: Accepted price:

 

Sign: seller: Sign Buyer:

 

Evaluation:

Front and rear tyre .

o Poor Tread? YES / NO

(Up to $300 for a set of tyres)

 

Brakes

o Disks in bad condition? YES / NO

o Pads are worn? ($40 each) YES / NO

 

Forks

o Bent at all both from the front and side? YES / NO

o leaks ($70) YES / NO

o No nicks on stanchions YES / NO

 

Head race bearings

(Lift front wheel and turn the bars side to side to feel for any nick/notches)

(Replacement Race $30 - 100.)

o Movement? YES / NO

 

Stop locks on steering.

o Damaged? YES / NO

 

Bodywork.

o Condition: Good / Moderate / Otherwise

o Re-sprayed? YES / NO

 

Frame:

o Cracks abrasions? YES / NO

 

Rear suspension

(Grab wheel and move side to side while in the air.)

o Movement? YES / NO

Bounce seat:

o Creaking noise or too bouncy? YES / NO

($250 min)

 

Rear wheel bearing:

(Grab top and bottom and move from side to side $20 to fix)

o Movement? YES / NO

 

 

Chain and sprocket: ($200 if needed to be replaced)

o Worn chain? YES / NO

o Tyre right back? YES / NO

o Cog worn? YES / NO

 

Engine:

o oil signs? YES / NO

o gasket goo? YES / NO

o starts first time? YES / NO

o rattles at the top of the engine ( cam shaft cam chain) expensive)? YES / NO

o Rattles at bottom. ( crank shaft too expensive!!!!)? YES / NO

o sounds rough.? YES / NO

 

Ride test:

o Rev sticks? YES / NO

o Slips gear? YES / NO

o Reluctance to turn? YES / NO

o Veers to one side when in a straight line? YES / NO

o Brakes are soft or spongy? YES / NO

o Bike is noisier then when started? YES / NO

o Problems with the electrics? YES / NO

(Indicators, switches, brake lights, head lights, starter)

o Produces more then 12-14 volts from the battery? YES / NO

(Problem with the rectifier/ alternator ($100)

 

Log book:

o Log book missing? YES / NO

 

 

All the answers should be No! If there is a yes then it needs to be addressed with the buyer.

 

This is not a full and comprehensive list. It has been put together with full reference to The article: Tips on buying 2nd Hand bikes by Fugiethief. ( very good reading!!)

 

Best of luck with your bike hunting I hope you get what you want!

[ragnaphobia]

Kinds of Motor Insurance

by 2_wheeler on 25th of Jan 2004.

 

Every user of a motor vehicle in Singapore must have in force an insurance policy which provides him or her with indemnity for legal liabilities arising out of death of bodily injuries in connection with the use of motor vehicle on the road. It is illegal to drive or be in charge of a vehicle on a public road without a Motor Insurance policy.

 

The law which governs compulsory Third Party Insurance for death and bodily injuries is the Motor Vehicles (Third Party risk and Compensation) Act 1980. the insurance as required under this Act must provide indemnity for:

 

a. death or bodily injuries of a third party up to an unlimited amount; and

b. rider's legal liability towards their pillion.

 

In accordance with the Act, a policy must be taken up with an approved insurer in Singapore and a Certificate of Insurance must be obtained from the insurance, otherwise the insurance policy purchased shall be of no effect.

 

There are three types of insurance covers available in the market.

 

a. Third party only (also know as 3rd party for motordiam)

This cover provides indemnity for:

1. death or bodily injuries to third parties and/or bodily injuries only to third parties and/or pillion.

2. damage to third party's property.

 

b. Third party, fire & theft (also know as 2nd party for motordiam)

This cover provides indemnity for:

1. death or bodily injuries to third parties and/or bodily injuries only to third parties and/or pillion.

2. damage to third party's property.

3. loss of or damage to the insured's vehicle due to fire or theft.

 

c. Comprehensive (also know as 1st party for motordiam)

This cover provides indemnity for:

1. death or bodily injuries to third parties and/or bodily injuries only to third parties and/or pillion.

2. damage to third party's property.

3. loss of or damage to the insured's vehicle due to fire or theft.

4. accidental and malicious damage to the insured vehicle.

[ragnaphobia]

How to buy a sports bike

by henRRy on 11th of Feb 2004.

 

 

WHEN looking at a sports bike consider ALL the ways you'll be using it. Take into consideration comfort, fuel range and general practicality as well as performance. It's no good having a bike which is brilliant down your favourite twisty road if it gives you terminal wrist ache getting there.

 

Check it out for size and riding position, and make sure you're not too cramped. Wear your wet weather gear, and make sure you can still bend your knees and stretch your arms enough. Find out the fuel range - if you're going to be using the bike for a regular journey on which you have to refuel each way, you'll soon get fed up.

 

Can you afford or get the insurance? Gauge how much you'll be paying for tyres - these costs can be very large.

 

Now you can think about the performance! 900/1000cc sports bikes are amazingly fast but expensive to run - 600s are almost as quick and cheaper on fuel, tyres, insurance and to buy. Will you really be able to make use of the extra performance, bearing in mind tough speeding laws, the roads you ride and your own skill level?

 

Read up about engine performance. Peaky motors produce more power at high revs, but are usually fastest only on a track - more torque or midrange power makes a quicker road bike, especially with a less experienced rider.

 

The same goes for sharp handling: quick steering bikes are fastest on a track but can be a handful on the road, where more stable machines are regularly quicker and easier.

 

THIS guide is only intended as an GENERAL SPORTS BIKE overview

 

More to come

[ragnaphobia]

Buying/Retaining/Taking over Number Plate

by MPeX on 22nd of Mar 2004.

 

I recently went to hell and back just to take over a number plate. Bike shop will say 1 thing, 1800-CALL-LTA will say another thing, LTA HQ will say yet another story.

 

So here's the EXACT procedure to buy/retain/take over a number plate. Hope it helps interested parties, whether you wanna sell or buy a number plate.

 

 

Seller's number plate : FA 8888 (example)

Buyer : applies for NEW BIKE ONLY

 

1) Buyer must buy insurance to cover the seller's bike (seller's own insurance no need to cancel).

 

2) Go to LTA to transfer seller's FA 8888 to buyer's name. Bike transfer fee applies. Both parties required to be present.

 

3) Buyer will inter-exchange his new bike plate and the FA 8888, and this is usually handled by buyer's bike shop (coz the logcard for his new bike will be held by the shop). Buyer will need to hand the FA 8888 logcard over to bike shop BEFORE his new bike is registered. Seller will have to surrender his road tax disc to the shop also.

 

4) After that is done, buyer will transfer bike back to seller at LTA. Again, transfer fees apply and both parties are required to be present.

 

5) Buyer can now cancel the insurance for FA 8888 and get his refund.

 

6) Seller will need to buy a new number plate for his bike, showing the new licence plate number.

 

 

Costs involved :

 

1) Bike Transfer fee (seller to buyer)

2) Number plate retention $100

3) Insurance to cover the seller's bike (may be cancelled and refunded after everything over)

4) Bike Transfer Fee (buyer back to seller)

5) Bike shop service charges ($30-50)

6) New number plate for seller (ard $15 for front and back)

 

How the costs (transfer fees, number retantion fee, service charges etc) are to be split will be an agreement between the 2 parties.

 

Hope this posting helps any would be number plate buyers and sellers. http://web.archive.org/web/20040831180113/http://www.singaporebikes.com/forum/html/emoticons/icon-thumbsup.gif

[ragnaphobia]

Engine Facts by BoBoKik

 

1. Do I need to warm my engine up before working it hard?

Definitely. Engines are designed to operate at a given temperature and damage can result if they're made to work hard from cold.

 

2. So should I start my bike and go for a cuppa while it warms up, or just ride off gently?

Open to debate. Some prefer to leave the bike idling for a miunte or so before riding away. The idea is that letting the engine idle places minimum stress on the cold, poorly lubricated components and gives oil a chance to circulate and protect them.

 

The other school of thought is that it's best to ride away gently as soon as you start the bike, to burn off any excess fuel, as leaving unburnt petrol in the bores could cause damage. All engines need more fuel in the mixure to start (bikes with carburettors had a choke to achieve this, fuel injected bikes take care of it themselves). However, petrol is a very effective de-greaser and if any is left unburnt in the cylinder it can wash the oil from the bores, leaving the pistons scraping along them. This is only an issue at start up, when the engine is running rich. When it's warm (or the choke's off) you should have the perfect amount of juice.

 

3. Sometimes I give my engine a real shoeing, but does this do it any harm?

Provided the bike's in good condition and correctly maintained, no. Making an engine work hard can actually do it good. The pistons are sealed onto the bores by the piston rings. These sit in grooves on the piston and are not complete circles, they're open at one end, meaning they can expand.

 

To seal the rings to the bore, some of the pressure from combustion gets into the groove behind the rings, and forces them out, onto the cylinder walls. If the engine is not used hard, deposits can clog this groove, preventingthe ring from expanding. When that happens, compression in the cylinder drops, making it inefficient and less powerful. But if there are any weak spots on your engine, a caning will expose them very quickly.

 

4. What happends if I don't warm the engine up?

You can accelerate wear by running a cold engine. When you start your bike, it takes a few seconds for the oil to circulate. Until then the components are relying on the residual oil that has 'stuck' to them for protection. Engines and oils are designed for this, but only under low or no-load conditions. The oil reaches the top of the engine last, so the camshaft bearings, cams and tappets are protected by only this residual oil at first.

 

The other thing to consider is the expansion factor. Metal expands as it gets hotter and the clearances and tolerances within the engine are all designed to be right when it's warm. For instance, the gears on the primary drive (the cogs that take the power from the crank and transmit it to the clutch) will be tight up against each other when the engine is cold. As it warms and the crank cases expand, the gears move very slightly apart and the correct clearance is established.

 

5. What's the differenc between torque and power?

The best way to put it is that torque is the size of the bangs and power is the number of bangs per minute. More technically, power is a measure of work done, torque is a turning moment (that of the con-rod on the crank).

 

6. Why does my engine have a 'sweet spot'? It's at much lower rpm than peak power.

What you're feeling is peak torque. It feels good because that's where the engine is at its most efficient. It all comes down to volumetric efficiency.

 

Highest volumetric efficiency occurs when the cylinder is taking in the maximum amount of the fuel mixutre possible. The reason peak volumetric efficiency occurs at a single point in the rev range is down to the size of the inlet tract, the inertia of air in it and the phasing of the inlet valve opening.

 

Pressure waves bounc up and down the exhaust pipe and the idea is to hava a low pressure area right behind the exaust valve as it opens, 'sucking' the burnt gases out quickly and creating a lower pressure in the cylinder, helping to draw more fresh charge in.

 

All of these factors come together at a certain rpm and that's where peak torque is. So when people talk about 'tuning' an engine, it's a good word, in the same way that you might 'tune' a set of organ pipes so the frequencies produce the right note. It's all the same idea.

 

7. How exactly does oil protect my engine?

Basically it prevents metal-to-metal contact in the moving parts of the engine. It also helps with the cooling, and, with the help of the filter, removes debris. It's under most stress in the palin bearings. There are few rollers or ball bearings - most bearings within the engine are plain. The 'big end' bearings that connect the con-rod to the crank are good example of plain bearings.

 

In a plain bearing, pressurised oil is used to keep the rotating surfaces apart. The high pressure needed are created by the motion of the components. The crankshaft drags a 'wedge' of oil under itself as it spins, creating extremely high pressure. Think of a car aquaplaning. The water it hits is under no pressure, but the wedge effect of the wheel hitting it creates enough pressure to lift the car off the road.

 

The pressure is much higher than the oil pump puts out - enough in the big-end to stop the con-rod hitting the crank under combustion. the clearance between the bearing surfaces is critical. If they wear and the gap is too big, the wedge won't work and metal-to-metal contact can happen, hence (in the case of the big-end) the knocking noise.

 

8. I'm changing my oil this weekend. Should I go for the most expensive stuff I can find?

You could, and it wouldn't do any harm, but you could be wasting money. Correctly identifying which oil to use in your bike is the most important thing.

 

Oils are rated by the American Petroleum Institute (API), an independent body that tests oils to given standards and grades them. The grades is S for spark ignition engine (petrol to you and me) and another letter. The further towards Z you go, the better the oil is. For instance, a Suzuki GSX-R600 needs SG oil. Remember that , regardless of how much it costs, Tesco SG oil has passed the same tests as Castrol SG oil.

 

However, the API doesn't differentiate between car and bike oils. Bikes oils are tested by the Japanese Automotive Standards Organisation (JASO) but, annoyingly, most bike manuals specify the oil by its API rating for your bike, but make sure it has a JASO rating on the tin. Car oils will have no JASO rating at all.

 

Finally, check with dealer/owners' club to see if your bike has any strange tendencies. BMW boxers, for example, are happy only on mineral oil

 

9. Can I top my bike up with car oil?

God no. Car oils are no good in bikes, where the oil has to lubricate the gearbox as well as the engine and the shearing action of the teeth literally tears car oils apart. Also car oil's friction inhibitors will play havoc with the wet clutch in your bike.

 

10. My dad recons slipping the clutch on the move is a bad thing. Is he talking rubbish?

He's right. Slipping the clutch will wear it out more quickly. Perhaps more importantly, because bikes use the same oil to lubricate the engine and gearbox, you will contaminate this oil with all teh debris that's wearing off the clutch plates. This is one of the main reasons that race teams use dry clutches, which are outside the gearbox.

 

11. When I miss a gear, find a false neutral and then hoof it back in with a horrendous crunch, am I doing any harm?

Maybe a little, but just the occasional miss shouldn't do too much damage. Some gears in teh box are permanently locked to the shaft but others are free to rotate, then locked to the shaft with cogs when they're needed. Cogs have castlellated sections on the side to match holes on the gears, moved along shafts by forks and the action of your toe. False neutrals are the cogs missing the holes, the sickening crunch is the cogs crashing back into the holes. There's no real way round it, but keep the clutch pulled in, take your time and always go up the box, rather than down.

 

12. Do clutchless changes damage the box?

Not if they're done properly. Balance the throttle so the engine is neither accelerating nor decelerating. With no load on the gearbox the cogs can disengage and engage easily. But if you don't back off, you're just wrenching them apart and crashing them back togather.

 

13. When I'm riding I hear loads of rattles, knocks and noises that worry me. Am I paranoid?

Probably. A knackered engine will be very obvious, even to the untrained ear. If you're thinking 'is it there or isn't it?' it porbably isn't.

 

For instance, fuel injectors click as they open and close, which can sound like tappet noise. Some emissions systems such as Suzuki's PAIR valve will make odd noises. But if it's something major, like a big end knocking, you'll know about it.

 

14. How many miles will a bike engine do?

Up to 200,000 miles is not uncommon from a number of models, though the camchain in normally changed between 40,000 and 100,000 miles, which is a fairly big job.

 

15. Bike engins are complicated and jobs like checking the valve clearances are time-consuming. When my bike's gone into the dealer, how can I can tell if work's been done?

There's no real way of telling. The only sure ways are to either use a garage you trust implicitly or stand and watch the mechanic. You can mark components that would have to come apart to get to the valves. Or you could measure the clearances yourself, but adjusting valve clearances on modern bikes is tricky as it involves removing camshafts, measurement, calculation and re-assembly.

 

16. What will happen if the valve clearances aren't adjusted correctly?

Ducatis aside, valves are opened by rotating cams and closed by springs. If the gap between the cam and the valve is too big, the valve will open later and close sooner than it should. This will affect power and efficiency. The top of the engine will also rattle. However, this won't do any real damage. It's far worse when the gap is too small. The valve can't close fully, so the compression within the cylinder will be low. In extreme cases, the piston will bang into the inlet valve, or an exhaust valve will 'burn out' as it needs to shed its heat to the valve seat.

 

17. What does different colour exhaust smoke tell me about the state of my engine?

White smoke is steam/water vapour. When the engine is cold you'll get this, loads of it on a cold day. Don't worry about it. Black smoke shows and over-rich fuel mixture. Suspect an incorrect carburettor set-up, blocked air filter or a choke stuck on. It's unlikely on fuel-injected bike.

 

Blue smokes is oil smoke. If it happens on start-up then clears, it's probably worn valve stem seals. If it happens all the time, it's worn rings or bores. Or you're on a two-stroke.

 

Bikes - Feb 04

[Echo]

thanks for compiling these useful info together

[ragnaphobia]

no problem man. i compiled it because while i was showering i thought of a method to retrieve all these previously "lost" files on SBF. i just hope it get stickied. oh maybe i go pm a moderator now.

[rakowa]

thx alot newbie here learn alot from here

[eedwinn]

Oh I finally found this useful thread! The title don't really match with the information. Can the mods do something about it?

 

It's really useful to all the newbies like me. Thanks!

[allthelees]

Thanks for sharing the useful advice!

 

Kudos to you!

[Taungoo]

Thanks bro, your info helps alot for newcomers like me.

[EJW]

Thanks bro, your info helps alot for newcomers like me too. =)

[rammsky]

Thanks man for saving the lost guides! Appreciate it a lot.

[deckard]

good info for people who want to buy 2nd hand bike.

[matjaz]

Here some reference that already existed here in SBF.

 

Guide to buying 2nd hand motorcycles

 

Exactly steps to sell bike

 

Bike evaluation form

 

Kinds of Motor Insurance

 

How to buy a sports bike

 

Buying/Retaining/Taking over Number Plate

 

Newbie's Guide To Bikes, Everything a noob rider should know

 

Engine Facts, 17 engine facts every owner should know

 

Engine etiquette

 

 

Hello,

is it just my computer or the above links do not work?

If it is just me, please let me know. I'll try from a different computer.

 

Thanks.

[surfbug]

The link doesn't work :'(

[pengz09]

I would like to ask, if i buy bike from bike shop do i need to leave my IC with them?

[holdurhead]

hi mod, can answer 1qns of mine

 

i am selling my bike soon. according to the LTA requirements. need to have buyer and seller insurance for the bike. need to have buyer vehicle parking certificate also.

 

does it mean the buyer has to get season parking first?

 

and, in this case. should i go to the insurance company to cancel my insurance and add the buyer in the insurance then go to LTA and do the transfer? or do i have to produce both buyer and seller VALID insurance at the lta?

 

so example. in this case.

 

i will have to meet the seller at Ntuc insurance, add him as sub rider or rider? then he has to go apply for his season parking. then we go to LTA and do a change of ownership. then we go back to the insurance company and cancel my insurance. something like that?

 

i cant find any links that show us how to do a transfer of ownership. hopefully my Qns will prompt those whom are knowledgable in such things to do a simple write up on how to do a proper transfer of ownership. but if theres such a link pls forgive me and send me the link. thanks so much!

 

sorry for asking so much. 1st time doin transaction so very worried that something might go wrong..

[Apalajii]

can i know if the seller haven finish paying his installment at his motodiam, wad is the way to change ownership of the bike without paying a penalty? thanks..

[devilgods]

Wow really thank for ur guide! i rlly learn a lot! (: