F4i

shp4man · June 29, 2015, 04:46:56 PM

Quote from: MX793 on June 29, 2015, 04:13:40 PM
I've had bikes stick in gear or between gear (or in neutral) every so often.

Engaging first gear on a Harley elicits a sound akin to a microwave oven striking pavement after being hurled out of a 3rd story window.

Payback for the " rice rocket sounds like an industrial sewing machine " remark?

MX793 · June 29, 2015, 06:43:24 PM

Quote from: shp4man on June 29, 2015, 04:46:56 PM
Payback for the " rice rocket sounds like an industrial sewing machine " remark?

No, just an observation from H-D's I've ridden. If nothing else, the mechanical cacophony lends the bikes some character.

Cookie Monster · June 30, 2015, 02:05:37 PM

I bought some more rice for the F4i.

Gotta-Qik-C7 · June 30, 2015, 02:48:39 PM

Pics........

Cookie Monster · June 30, 2015, 02:56:45 PM

Quote from: Gotta-Qik-G8 on June 30, 2015, 02:48:39 PM
Pics........

Sure, in like two weeks after the stuff is delivered and I get around to installing it.

Speed_Racer · June 30, 2015, 04:25:50 PM

Quote from: thecarnut on June 30, 2015, 02:56:45 PM
Sure, in like two weeks after the stuff is delivered and I get around to installing it.

How long does it take to install some stickers?

Also, no video of your F4i in action?

Cookie Monster · June 30, 2015, 05:32:17 PM

Quote from: Speed_Racer on June 30, 2015, 04:25:50 PM
How long does it take to install some stickers?

Also, no video of your F4i in action?

Pfft I'm not putting stickers on my beautiful fairings.

There's a video of a group ride I went on and I'm in it for a couple seconds.

giant_mtb · June 30, 2015, 09:04:30 PM

Quote from: thecarnut on June 29, 2015, 02:40:36 PM
I'm going to look for some newer OEM LED tail lights actually. Don't want to get integrated if it's not as safe and if I'm going to get ticketed all the time.

Also, after I rode to work today, I came to a stop in gear, and was about to reverse into my parking spot, except I couldn't shift gears at all. The shifter wouldn't change gears and I couldn't get into neutral. I had to roll the bike a couple inches and then when I tried again it worked normally and I could find neutral.

Is that normal? I read that it's normal for bikes to clunk into first gear, but I've never had this happen to me before.

I once snapped the shifter off on a cheap Chinese four wheeler when that happened. Damn thing wouldn't go into gear and I didn't know about the roll trick. Had to limp it all the way home in 2nd.

Raza · July 01, 2015, 07:36:36 PM

Good looking bike, even if it is a but Japanese.

Should have gotten a Speed Triple.

Cookie Monster · July 02, 2015, 09:37:27 AM

Quote from: Raza on July 01, 2015, 07:36:36 PM
Good looking bike, even if it is a but Japanese.

Should have gotten a Speed Triple.

The only Speed Triple anywhere close to my budget was ~$700 more, had 3x the mileage and had an unknown maintenance history. I just rolled over 9k miles on the way to work today.

Also, is it normal for the 1-2 shift to be "firmer" or have more kickback through the shifter than the other gears? I don't know if I'm being paranoid or not but just want to be safe as I'm piling on the miles on this bike.

Gotta-Qik-C7 · July 02, 2015, 10:22:58 AM

Quote from: thecarnut on July 02, 2015, 09:37:27 AM
I don't know if I'm being paranoid or not but just want to be safe as I'm piling on the miles on this bike.

@ Piling on the miles! I know a guy with a 954 with 75K on it! You'll be ok!!!

MX793 · July 02, 2015, 10:37:55 AM

1-2 takes you through neutral, so it's usually higher shift effort than other gears.

Cookie Monster · July 02, 2015, 10:58:09 AM

Quote from: Gotta-Qik-G8 on July 02, 2015, 10:22:58 AM
@ Piling on the miles! I know a guy with a 954 with 75K on it! You'll be ok!!!

I'm on track to putting 18-20k per year and it's my only commuter... I'd like it to be reliable.

12,000 RPM · July 02, 2015, 11:17:08 AM

There are 200K mile F4is..... u will be skraight homie.... just make sure to keep up with maintenance

Gotta-Qik-C7 · July 02, 2015, 11:23:43 AM

Quote from: thecarnut on July 02, 2015, 10:58:09 AM
I'm on track to putting 18-20k per year and it's my only commuter... I'd like it to be reliable.

like Sporty said. With regular upkeep you'll be fine!

Cookie Monster · July 02, 2015, 11:28:55 AM

I think that one F4i is over 300k now. Original motor and original clutch at least at 240k miles. He did have to do some tranny work, but that was with over 100k on it already.

I'm just paranoid lol.

Raza · July 02, 2015, 12:10:49 PM

Quote from: thecarnut on July 02, 2015, 09:37:27 AM

The only Speed Triple anywhere close to my budget was ~$700 more, had 3x the mileage and had an unknown maintenance history. I just rolled over 9k miles on the way to work today.

Also, is it normal for the 1-2 shift to be "firmer" or have more kickback through the shifter than the other gears? I don't know if I'm being paranoid or not but just want to be safe as I'm piling on the miles on this bike.

I don't know about bikes, but several cars I've driven have been like that.

Cookie Monster · July 03, 2015, 05:27:38 PM

First of the incoming rice!

Also got resistors for the front flushmount LEDs which are coming on Monday.

Hopefully I don't get pulled over but it's just a fix-it ticket and this is 100% plug and play.

Cookie Monster · July 07, 2015, 09:05:43 AM

Bought an almost new, barely used Pitbull stand! Cost me $110 but it's very nice and super sturdy. No more having to push the bike down the street to oil my chain.

That was a pain in the butt to do every weekend.

MX793 · July 07, 2015, 11:00:14 AM

Do you have swingarm spools now or did you find a stand that hooks onto the swingarm itself?

Cookie Monster · July 07, 2015, 11:43:14 AM

Quote from: MX793 on July 07, 2015, 11:00:14 AM
Do you have swingarm spools now or did you find a stand that hooks onto the swingarm itself?

I bought the stand that has both spool stands and pads so I'm just using the pad side for now. It seems sturdy.

If I ever buy a bike with spools in the future this stand will work for that too so I guess I'm all set.

Cookie Monster · July 07, 2015, 11:48:49 AM

Oh, I also bought some Rok straps to strap my backpack to my seat. It's kind of uncomfortable though because I end up sitting on the very top of the backpack. Plus I'm nervous that one of the many straps on the backpack will fall into the tire/chain/brake and cause a crash or something.

I've already ordered a Kriega US-30. I think that will work better and it has a shoulder strap to use as an off-the-bike bag as well.

Plus it's waterproof. I rode home in the rain on Thursday (light rain) and I was nervous I was going to fry my laptop.

MX793 · July 07, 2015, 12:46:50 PM

I've been eyeing up a Kriega US20 to supplement my panniers for my upcoming trip. Not sure if I need the extra space. I'll have to do a trial pack to see if I can fit a week's worth of stuff in the panniers.

Cookie Monster · July 07, 2015, 01:37:52 PM

Yeah I was having a hard time visualizing the size of each pack but I carry a lot of stuff, especially on gym days, so I decided it's worth getting the big one.

I just hope it's not uncomfortable like it is when I strap the backpack to the seat.

MX793 · July 07, 2015, 04:11:10 PM

30L is about what a decent sized backpack or small-to-medium duffle holds.

Cookie Monster · July 07, 2015, 10:45:19 PM

Well, after strapping my backpack to the seat of the bike, my back feels SO much better. Holy crap.

Can't wait to get the Kriega (hopefully Thursday) so I can have something bigger that fits on the bike better and is sturdier than my current backpack.

Cookie Monster · July 09, 2015, 09:43:42 AM

So I got the US-30 yesterday and put it on. It's pretty nice, well built and the strap system is way more convenient than the Rok straps I was using before. I couldn't find a great place to put two of the straps on the subframe so this weekend I'll have to take the rear fairing off (again) and find a better place to strap it, but other than that it's nice.

The main complaint I have is that it's not great as a backpack. More storage pockets would have been nice. On this pack there is only the main compartment and one zippered compartment. I put some food in the zippered compartment with my disc brake lock and the food got squished.

MX793 · July 09, 2015, 10:03:41 AM

The Kriega is a dry pack. It, like all of them, compromises easy accessibility for the sake of waterproofing.

Cookie Monster · July 09, 2015, 12:13:26 PM

Quote from: MX793 on July 09, 2015, 10:03:41 AM
The Kriega is a dry pack. It, like all of them, compromises easy accessibility for the sake of waterproofing.

Some non-waterproof side pockets to put stuff like food, my watch, etc would have been great.

Either way, I'm happy with it. It fits nicely on the bike, has a ton of room in the main compartment, and doesn't have ginormous, ugly straps hanging around when the pack is off the bike. They even provided little clips so your strap ends don't go flying about while riding.

There's a rally put on by the local forum in September. It's ~1000 miles over three days. I'm tempted to do it, especially since this pack will fit 2 days worth of clothes, shoes, etc easily.

Cookie Monster · July 10, 2015, 04:38:12 PM

Dammit, scratched a mirror today lane splitting. I was trying to creep through traffic in SF and had to get passed a tight spot with a big rig on one side and a van on the other and had less than an inch of clearance between the two. I barely nicked the trailer of the big rig.

Oh well. Body work isn't in great shape anyways. It's a commuter bike.

F4i

giant_mtb