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superfist

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Everything posted by superfist

  1. I actually recently switched from a Shoei RF1200 to the RPHA 11 Pro and I love it. The biggest difference I noticed was that the RPHA 11 Pro is a good bit lighter. Not quite as noticeable in the hand, but definitely on the head and neck while wearing it. The Shoei feels a little front heavy when swapping back and forth with direct comparison. The noise levels are comparable, but I also switched from an FJ-09 to an S1000RR at a similar time as replacing the helmet. The viewport is plenty large and I don't notice much of a difference in wind noise when I engage the cruise control and sit up (it stays quiet). The wind force pushing against the helmet is also similar and I don't notice any pulling when I check my blind spots like I did with a much older HJC helmet of the IS lineup. The ear pockets also fit the Sena headset speakers much better and there's no direct contact with my ears like the in the RF1200. I've not ridden with the GT Air, so I can't compare directly. Also, for me, the Arai and the Bell helmets did not fit my head at all. I really wanted the Bell Star MIPS to fit, but it's just the wrong shape for me. The RPHA 11 Pro came with a clear visor, tinted visor and pinlock insert! I've been commuting daily since September and between the pinlock and the various vents, I never worry about it fogging. The only thing about the RPHA 11 Pro is that the visor detents are a little weak. I can ride with it cracked a hair or open, but anywhere in between and the wind resistance will push it shut as soon as I get going. I don't mind because it's usually about at a speed where I'd reach up and shut it anyhow.
  2. Hrm... Beaks removed. I'm not convinced it's an improvement, but I'm not sure it looks much worse either. Just looks a little goofy.
  3. Yes! I was surprised that the fairings on the new bike are easier to get off and easier to work with than the FJ-09! I always thought "if the FJ-09 with half fairings is this bad, then those full fairing sport bikes must be nightmares!" I don't miss the multi-panel puzzle Yamaha built into the FJ-09.
  4. @daboo and @betony : So true about bikes with less horsepower. (I was also looking at getting the GS-911 wireless when I get close to the 6k service interval). Raw horsepower is for the straights. I went on a group ride in the mountains today with a group of mixed riders. They were on a Ninja 300, 2x FZ-07's an MT-10, a Ninja 650, CBR600RR and a CBR500. The fastest rider? Yeah, it was the guy on the Ninja 300 who also happens to run a lot of track days. I've ridden with them before and I'm middle of pack on the FJ-09 and I actually expected to be quite a bit slower on the S1000RR (and I was, at the beginning of the day). I put it in Rain mode this morning on the way up to north Georgia because of wet roads, and I completely forgot about it. Rain mode only gives about 60% power at full throttle (more with the "coding plug" installed that I JUST read about... and the coding plug IS installed. It lets me select "Race" and "Slick" modes...). So THAT'S what the red capped bit plugged in under the seat is. In any case, I didn't feel that I ever needed more power. The "chilling and taking it easy today" vibe of the entire group got quietly set to the side after lunch when the roads dried and the sun was out. See exhibit below with Left and Right "Max" lean angle indicator. We had just a little bit of fun. Yes, there's a "Current lean angle" that's top middle and a "Current Braking Force" that shows up next to the bar that you can see for "Max Braking Force." These guys aren't much for heavy brakes or heavy gas, which I appreciate.
  5. Awesome. I'm not worried about street mileage for track tires since I have the tools to mount and balance them myself, I can swap them for track weekends. I hear good things about the Q3+ and that they're pretty much the standard if you don't run tire warmers.
  6. I love that quote. The sentiment reminds me that everything is relative to each of our own experiences and so I try to temper some of the natural bias that comes with the excitement and enjoyment of a new shiny. I suppose a roasted left leg is just going to be a BMW rite of passage. What did you think about the F800 GT? I once test rode an F800, but I think it was the ST, back when I was shopping and purchased the FJ-09. It felt perfectly engineered to meet its stated purpose and usage, nothing more or less. To me at the time, it felt boring. But it gave the impression of being perfectly reliable and predictable rather than quirky or exciting.
  7. I was also eyeballing some of these trackdays, but I'm not able to get to any this fall =( I'd also like to get some more seat time on the bike and get some new tires, since the current tires have the 34th and 39th week of 2014 in the DOT code. So the budget is going to go to tires. No signs of cracking, age or dry rot... but I can't bring myself to trust them much. I'm considering Road 5's or Pilot Power RS for commuting and all-weather daily work and Q3+ or a fresh set of the Metzler Racetec K3 to swap on for track days next year. I really like sharp and quick tip-ins for sport riding vs progressive leaning. Any suggestions for track days? Thank you! The FJ is a wonderful "do it all" bike and perfect if you can have only one motorcycle. We all know the perfect number of motorcycles is n+1!
  8. These bikes are completely different animals, and that should not be a surprise to anyone. I've ridden and owned many motorcycles and none of them were supersport/superbikes. For perspective, I started riding when I was 15 years old in South Carolina on a 1972 Yamaha U7E that was a gift from my grandfather after I found it in a shed. The tired old "If you can get it running, you can have it" story. Jump to 2016 when I picked up a Triumph Street Triple in July. I blame this amazingly fun motorcycle for starting my sporty itch. It wasn't to be a long relationship though. Only 31 days into ownership, a 2007 Buick Century zagged instead of zigged and rammed my rear shock with his front bumper. Yes, the maneuver necessitated crushing the rear wheel completely and hitting the underside of the subframe hard enough to break it completely. This also gave me an unpleasantly short flying lesson. November 2016, I got the all clear from the docs. Physical therapy was complete, no complications and full recovery. Hallelujah! I was shopping and looking at another street triple, triumph tiger or maybe a supersport. Then I saw an ad for a leftover new 2015 FJ-09 for 6,995! Holy sheet! I rushed down, test rode it and fell in love with the CP3 engine and I had fun. Lots and lots of fun over the last few years. Over the nearly 3 years though, that sport bike itch began to creep back in. Memories of the light flickable handling of the Street Triple and a desire for a more aggressive riding position itched in the back of my mind. I began modifying the FJ-09. First, I dragged the feelers so I removed them, and also the centerstand for good measure. I installed a Higdonian cage, but it too dragged. I still had 1/2 to 3/4 inches of chicken strips so I knew there was room to play. Rearsets incoming! Now I was able to get to the edge of the tire, but this is where the suspension starts to push back, no matter how well set up you have the settings dialed in. The constant line corrections and mild but predictable wallowing were desperately whispering to my wallet, bank account and anyone who would listen that it needed replacement. So, it came down to a choice. Spend the money on a new suspension which would have me go all-in and get an ECU flash and exhaust with it. I had plans for this route that included relocation of the ignition and buying the front headlight and windshield assembly bracket and modifying it to drop about an inch or two. This would lower the dash and allow the bar risers with the FZ-09 stock risers to go fully down and forward to a near clip-on position. I would have had to modify the upper fairings a little and had plans for cutting and fiberglassing this project into a YZF-R9. Or.... Buy a motorcycle that's designed to do what I'm chasing in the first place. I looked at the 600cc sport bikes, but with 40ish ft lbs of torque, I eventually dismissed them because I had gotten so used to the instant delivery of the CP3. I was a little sad because I love their high revving scream, but these bikes also don't have the go-go gadget wizardry of their 1000cc counterparts for a couple thousand more. I was looking at the R1, ZX-10, GSX-R1000 and CBR1000RR. These were the "cheap" liter bikes and the euro bikes weren't even on my radar because of price. For me, a "Dream Bike" would be a motorcycle that ticks all the boxes and is also attainable. Attainable doesn't just mean that I could technically own it. It had to be affordable and within my wife-approved budget. Months of shopping and watching dealer inventories brought it down to finding a '15 R1, ZX-10 with ABS or 17+ CBR/GSXR. These year limitations were due to requiring ABS for daily all-weather commuting. That's when I saw it. A BMW S1000RR in a dealer inventory for a hair over 12k. A 2015 with only 1240 miles on it. I looked up the VIN and it was the premium edition with "Other Equipment" listed as SA DTC, SA SCHALTASSISTANT PRO, FAHRMODI PRO, RACEPAKET, Heated Handlebar Grips & Cruise Control. So, it has all the bells and whistles except electronic suspension, which I wanted to avoid anyhow. Red flags! What's wrong with it that it's priced so low, when 10k mile equivalents are at other dealers for 14-15k? Before ever contacting the dealer, I wandered down to find it in their show room, sit on it and inspect it. It looked pristine, like it had been sitting on a showroom floor for the past 4 years. Original tires with chicken strips so wide that chik-fil-a would be intimidated. I contacted the local BMW dealer and gave them the VIN to check. It was unpacked in Michigan, assembled and had it's first service performed there along with a warranty replacement of the shift sensor. No outstanding recalls, major repairs or warrany items were listed in their network. For those that don't know, every time a BMW is brought to the dealership and they hook up the diagnostic unit, all of the information gets uploaded to BMW HQ in Germany and shared across the dealer network. I decided to jump on the deal before someone else did and dropped a $300 deposit over the phone. Thursday September 19th and with some minor haggling (knowing it was very fairly priced) saw them give me a very fair offer for the FJ-09. It had 23,940 miles on it and the 24k service was due. They gave me an allowance since I had literally JUST installed a pair of Michelin Road 5 tires with a couple hundred miles on them. Hooray!!! I bought the BMW. My very first ride was from the northwest side of Atlanta to the Northeast side of Atlanta during rush hour, bumper to bumper, 5mph, stop & go traffic in Atlanta heat. Miserable. First Impressions and First week of Ownership The very first thing I noticed was that the throttle was so smooth and linear. The dealer put it in Rain Mode, but I wasn't having it. Sport mode was just as smooth, linear and easy to modulate. It was reminiscent of the Triumph Street Triple, except it just gave me more power out of the twist. It's the S1000RR equivalent of "Standard" mode on the FJ. There's "Slick" and "User" also available, but those are both track oriented, so I'll leave them alone for now. Everything about this motorcycle is so smooth and easy. It's like going on a date with that really cute lady that you wonder "how could she possibly be single?" You start to get to know her, conversation is easy and smooth. Everything is as nice and comfortable as you could imagine. Then there's a long clear exit ramp and a twist of the throttle later an epiphany slaps you across the face. This girl is hiding her crazy behind easy going comfort. Give her a little prod and she goes straight to bat-shit crazy faster than Moto GP video pass can file a Youtube take-down notice. The laughter ringing through your helmet tells you that you LIKE this brand of crazy. It's a little scary and definitely to be respected. If ever I'm not wary of the capability of this machine, it will be time to end the relationship. Riding Ergonomics: Aggressive. The seat is canted forward and slides you into the tank. The leg positioning is perfect for me at 5'10 with a 30" inseam. It's not quite as racy as an R6, Daytona 675 or R1. It's similar to the ZX-10 with a slightly farther forward reach to the bars. I personally felt the ZX-10 a little too close, which made tucking chest against the tank awkward. A couple hundred miles commuting and soreness of a new riding position is dissipating as my muscles get used to it. My back feels better, since I can't/don't have as much tendency to slouch. I have not been on a long ride, but will do a couple hundred miles tomorrow in the mountains. There is room to move around and adjust seating position / location. Similar to the FJ, I'll be moving around a lot to maintain comfort over long distances. Commuting Comfort: It's fine for commuting if traffic is moving. In slow traffic and the fans kick on, it gets hot. The frame and seat get warm from heat soak, which I think will be a nice feature in the winter. In the summer, you just sit and wish you could get moving again. Tuck your pants into your left boot if you're going to spend a lot of time sitting still or stopped in traffic. When those fans kick in, you get uncomfortably hot air hitting your left shin on the foot peg. It's almost painfully hot if your pant cuff rides up and it hits bare skin. It takes 20+ minutes sitting in traffic for this to happen. I'm waiting on my new plates so I can use the HoV lanes again and not have to worry about being stopped or under 10mph for long. I want lane splitting to be legal now more than ever. Electronics: I haven't been through all of the settings, but they're all easy to work with. ABS on or off? Just press the button. Traction control on/off? Just press the button. Cruise control? Just press the button. Heated Grips? Just press the button once or twice for low/hi. Self cancelling signal timing can be adjusted in the menu. Rider aids can be adjusted in the menu as well. The downside to "just press the button"? Lots of buttons. It's going to take me a while to know where everything is without having to look. Some are intuitive, like the high beam. Left pointer finger switch is like a trigger. Pull it to flash high beams or flick it out to engage high beams. In a couple hundred miles, I haven't had any of the rider aid electronics intervene in any way and probably won't on the street. There's plenty of information too. I turned on the lean angle indicator which displays the maximum Right/Left lean angle since starting the motorcycle. The braking indicator displays in M/S^2 of braking force and is similar to the lean angle indicator in that it shows a bar for maximum achieved. I haven't been looking at the dash, but I think there's a second bar for current braking force. Eyes up though. I'll play with it over the weekend. Suspension: My first impression was "why is it so soft?" because of the amount of brake dive on the front brake. The answer? Because everything was turned all the way down/loose. Compression, Rebound and Preload front, were dialed to 1 and rear was more of the same. So, I went through the manual and set static sag, then set rider sag with some assistance in measuring from a zip tie on the front and help from my wife for the rear. Standard from the factory for 85kg rider is "4" on the front and "4" on the rear. I set it to 5's all around (out of 10) given I'm about 20lbs heavier. Rider sag is at 12.5mm front and 15mm rear (manual states 10-15mm range). No need to count clicks for rebound/compression, everything is marked 1-10 on dials. It's super easy to set and adjust. The suspension handles bumps and road imperfections just fine once the suspension is set up. You feel more of the minor stuff, but it's not as pronounced as the FJ. Bumps and things that were jarring on the FJ are still jarring on the S1000RR, which is to be expected. Overall, it feels smoother. I've not ridden quickly yet, but I noticed turns that felt "fast" on the FJ-09, I'm completing on the BMW and it feels normal, almost sedate. You definitely get a lot more front end feel. The quick turn in and agility of the S1000RR really made me appreciate how good the FJ-09 was on twisty roads in comparison. The Ninja 1000 felt heavy and resistant to turn or change direction in comparison to both the FJ and the BMW. Ridability: It's so easy to ride, as long as you can tolerate the sporty riding position. It's as gentle and tame as YOU want it to be. The smooth throttle makes it easier to ride in heavy traffic than the FJ-09 ever was with stock fueling. No injector cuts, no jerkiness, and smooth low end torque makes it feel like a motorcycle anyone could ride in any conditions. It gets hot in traffic as stated earlier, but the FJ-09 was also guilty of blasting my feet with hot air if I had to place my foot on the ground. The FJ-09 seat, frame and fuel tank didn't heat soak. I don't mind it though, as the contact points don't get uncomfortably hot, just warm. The up and down quick shifter is a joy to use. It's so good. Seriously, at almost any RPM, I haven't gotten it to even hiccup. Dropping from 6th at 20 mph because you're coming to stop at a traffic light and forgot to downshift sooner? No prob. Cruising at steady throttle at 50mph? Up or down as you'd like without having to adjust throttle. It just works. The tradeoff is a slightly squishy feeling that takes some getting used to. I liked the FJ-09 shifter where there was a solid click to a hard stop, then release. The quickshifter on the BMW is more like it's on a spring and shifts when the spring is pulled. When you're in first, you can squish the shifter downward and it just doesn't do anything, while on the FJ it would be a hard stop if you were already in first so there wasn't a need to look at the dash for gear indicator. It's perfectly capable of shifting normally if you just enjoy clutching (which is a light and easy pull, about the same as the FJ). This motorcycle is also deceptively easy to ride fast. What feels like comfortable corner speeds on clover ramps and sweeping turns are where the FJ-09 felt like I was riding quickly or sporty. The S1000RR just handles 30 degrees of lean the same way it handles cruising at 70mph on the highway. No drama, no effort involved. This is a bit scary in it's own way. The FJ-09 at the same speed at least felt like your were riding fast and took some conscious effort to perform. Maintenance: The fairings and body panels are easy to remove for maintenance. They all use the same size torx+ bits. The frustrating part is that there isn't any periodic maintenance schedule available. The owners manual just states to take it to the dealer annually or every 6k miles, whichever comes first. Trying to find torque values? Nope. Common torque values are difficult to find. Service manuals are available in DVD format online for as little as $40, but if you want a paper book, it can be difficult to obtain. My local dealer is willing to order me a factory service manual for $130, shipped from Germany and it's a gray area whether they're supposed to make those available to the public. Dealer scan tool is required to reset the service interval lights as well, but there are multiple scan-tool offerings online from a maintenance light reset too for about $100 or a complete $399 tool that will give you full access to everything in the ECU. Actual physical maintenance is fairly easy to do once you remove the fairings. It took me about 10 minutes to get he right side fairing off on my first try, without instructions or reference. I replaced the stock horn with the Denali Sound bomb Mini that I removed from the FJ-09 before trading it in, so there's my first modification. The factory provided tool-kit is basic, but has everything needed to remove fairings, adjust suspension and get to anything that would need periodic maintenance. Under the passenger seat was just enough room for my flat repair kit with the stock tool kit. That includes mini air compressor, air compressor line, puncture repair tools and cable for power to the pump. It connects to the battery tender line that the bike already had installed. Which is good, because mine went with the FJ-09. My Verdict: If you skipped to this, I don't blame you. The 2015 BMW S1000RR is a premium motorcycle and really shouldn't be compared to an FJ-09. The FJ-09 is more comfortable and very capable on its own, but it's a bit like comparing a sporty 4 door sedan to an actual race car that's been made street legal. Because that's exactly what the S1000RR is. I appreciate the FJ09, because it's a great everyday motorcycle that can do sporty things while the S1000RR is a sport motorcycle that can do everyday things. It was the right move for me, right now, and I'll enjoy it while I'm physically able to. Edit & quick Update on January 2nd 2020: From 1240 to 3680 miles - I'm still in love. My early impressions turned out to stand the test of a few thousand miles. I'm perfectly comfortable with the overall ergonomics now, even on longer rides. Oddly, after 300-400 mile day rides, my knees feel better on the BMW than the FJ. The seat is harder so my butt is a little more sore and I'll look for something this spring to help with long rides. I'm generally more comfortable on the BMW already than I was on the FJ, even after years of ownership. Winter and rain commuting is much nicer than it ever was on the FJ-09. The difference is MUCH more than I ever expected. I attribute the difference on the BMW to the fairing design that allows wind to go over and around my hands, torso and legs while the engine is busy pushing heat into the frame, tank and seat which helps keep me warm in the winter. Not only do I stay warmer, I stay much dryer in the rain too. The BMW heated grips don't get nearly as hot, but they don't need to. My hands stay comfortably warm, even while riding at 35 degrees where on the FJ I'd have hot palms and frozen knuckles. My thighs don't freeze the way they did on the FJ, because they're not out in the wind when I pull my knees into the tank. The noticeable/measurable difference is that discomfort temps dropped by about 10-15 degrees while wearing the same gear. On the FJ, I was putting on the over pants with thermal liners at about 50-55 degrees with a base layer and jeans. I can ride down to about 40-45 in armored riding jeans on the BMW, where on the FJ I would have the over pants and thermal liners on by about 50-55 degrees F. I can ride to work on the BMW down to 30 and still arrive comfortably warm where I was just starting to get chilly on the FJ. It's about a 30-45 minute commute, so there's a much wider tolerable riding range than if I was trying to ride 250 miles. I expect the discomfort temperature range difference will hold when it's down into the teens and twenties, which will be in January/February. I guess the only other thing that stands out to me is that I NEVER think about riding modes anymore. The BMW has been in "Race" mode for months, no matter the weather or conditions. It keeps the front wheel down (gently!) and keeps the rear wheel from spinning up without any noticeable change except the TC light flashing to tell me some magic is being worked somewhere in the bike.
  9. I think it's a little bit Yamaha and a lot bit CP3. The euro brands seem to have really nice fueling (My old Triumph Street Triple, The Triumph Tiger 800 I test rode multiple times was so smooth it was boring and anemic, and now the BMW S1000RR). My friends Ninja 1000 is smooth, but CAN be jerky. Suzuki GSX-S1000 s & f also felt smooth to me, but had reports of abrupt throttling in early reviews. Like others have said, if you develop the muscle memory to be smooth with the CP3 engine, then everything else will feel buttery smooth in comparison. I think Yamaha has the most abrupt roll-off injector cut though, and that contributes to the poor feel of the fueling because a roll off and quick roll back on will feel very jerky.
  10. I would absolutely love to. A track day was on my list of things to do THIS year, but timing and weekends didn't work out. It is absolutely on the list for next year. @texscottyd It would be awesome to meet more folks from the forum. Maybe we should get a planning thread set up in the regional forum, yeah? I'd love to meet more folks from the forums. I have a friend who would also like to go for his first track day next year.
  11. @roadrash83 - I'm sorry you had to let go of a motorcycle you loved, but I'm glad you're still able to enjoy riding! It's absolutely amazing. I can really appreciate the stock smooth linear throttle and fueling. It's an easy bike to ride in a sedate street friendly manner, but... boy does it go from zero to bat-shit crazy in a heartbeat!
  12. Last night I took the FJ apart and returned it to stock trim. Today I took it to the shop and got an upgraded exhaust, ecu and suspension. So the FJ-09 went into the shop, and this is what came back out... The past few years have been awesome and this has been the best motorcycle owners forum I've been a part of. Thank you all and thank you mods 😃 So after chasing the 2015 FJ-09 for years, trying to turn it into something it's not with rear-sets, bar lowering, etc... The wife gave me a birthday present in the form of permission to put what I had been saving for suspension and exhaust + trade-in for a 2015 S1000RR with only 1200 miles. I now have cruise control! Oh, and contrary to popular belief... The signals on BMW vehicles DO work and function! ***Shhhhh.... I'll still be lurking...
  13. You're absolutely right because I don't get this happening in the far left/right lanes. I do generally ride in the far left and right lanes. The incidents occur in the transitions to exits and to/from the HoV lane. Because the entrance/exit to the HoV (carpool/commuter) lanes are every two miles, I generally get out of the HoV lane and change lanes about every 1/4 to 1/2 mile to assess each lane as I go. This year i've been more aggressive about crossing the lanes and don't see as many incidents. When I get on/off the highway, I also need to cross all the lanes on the 3 lane busy roadway to/from the interstate. Again, I've been more aggressive about getting all the way over quickly and have less incidents. I find the more aggressively I ride, within normal traffic patterns, the less incidents I see. This year, the two incidents so far were both people crossing the double solid white line into the commuter lane and my lane position to the far left has allowed me to swerve around them without issue and without much input. Thanks for the advice, it's solid for anyone reading this.
  14. I just used the steel stick ons from Harbor Freight. I've never seen the clip on style weights on my wheels, so I just continued using what was available. I had to clean the wheel really well to get them to stick. Also just a side note: I tried Windex this time around because a lot of videos showed it being used. I changed tires for years in an automotive shop and Windex doesn't compare to bead lube or bead wax. I'll be getting some bead lube or wax for the next change. On Topic: Yesterday I broke in the new tires with 350 miles and much of it in the mountains and leaned over. I got to ride with a friend who rides a Ninja 1000 who also had brand new tires. We swapped bikes for a bit and I loved the smoothness and feel of the 1000 engine, but while the bike felt smooth and planted, it also felt heavy.
  15. I got the tools along with the tires (Michelin Road 5) and I did the front and rear tires last night! $40 Harbor Freight balancing stand worked nicely. Going for a long ride today and it's also the first time in 23k miles that I'll have new tires on front and rear at the same time.
  16. When I first got the FJ, I'd be in 'B' mode in the really tight mountain sections because the throttle was smoother. Then I decided I just needed to get used to standard mode and eventually my right wrist smoothed it out. I moved to 'A' mode full time about a year ago, even in heavy traffic and I've smoothed out the jerky response. It's so ingrained in muscle memory that I was in traffic the other day and had left it in standard mode. When I twisted the throttle I leaned forward, the engine felt like it bogged down and then popped in at a little more throttle application but it was really just the way standard tries to smooth the map on initial turn. So it's 'A' mode full time now at the cost of tensed up/soreness on/after long rides of my right wrist/shoulder. I'm looking forward to a re-flash. My wife gave me a green light on an exhaust and flash in the next month or two. I'll do it when I take it apart for the 24k mile service =) I'm hoping for B-mode smoothness with A-mode power and acceleration.
  17. The videos look like it's a very small amount of run-out, so I don't think it's the rotors. If the calipers are operating properly, then that small amount of run-out should push the pads back a hair and not drag. I'm not sure where you are, but I have a run-out gauge if you're somewhere in the Georgia area. Check the caliper lines and caliper operation, if the lines got pulled, twisted or otherwise damaged, it could impede the return flow of fluid causing the calipers to hang and stick a bit. Easiest way is to put the calipers back on, spin the wheel and apply pressure to the wheel while the brakes are being held. Let go of the lever and see if the wheel immediately releases. You'll want to check the operation both cold and hot. Take it for a ride, heat up the front brakes with some long slow stops and check the release again. As the brakes heat up, it could be building pressure in the calipers and engaging the brakes. Check the rear caliper (hot and cold) as well as the rear brake lever adjustment. I recently changed my foot pegs for some sportier rear sets and the adjustment was slightly out. about four miles down the road, it felt like the motorcycle was losing power. I had to let the rear brake cool, adjust the rear brake lever and switch with the tools I had in a parking lot and that took care of it. When I got home, I removed the pads and they hadn't glazed, but if they glaze you can just scrape them over some concrete, clean them off and reinstall. I'm thinking it's possible the weight of your foot on the rear brake when you hit the ditch could have very mildly bent something so that the rear brake might be binding when it gets hot. Sorry for the internet guessing, lol. Just giving you some other things to check that are possible.
  18. Yeah, my daily commuting is about 30-35 miles per day in traffic that's often 5-15mph with stretches of busy 45mph. Though, when It's possible for me to treat a metered onramp like a drag tree or cruise at 90mph for the 90 miles up to the mountains, I do. Admittedly, aggressive riding is only about 1/3 of my overall mileage. I keep traction control turned off because I got tired of it intervening and playing pogo sticks with my front forks. My opportunities to be a hooligan are far less frequent than either I, or the CP3 engine, would like =(
  19. How do you like the T31? I'm always on the lookout for cheaper tires that perform. Do you also get good life out of them? I got about 15k miles out of the Road 5 front and about 10k out of the rear. The wear has been smooth and even with no flat spots and the rear maintains a nice round profile, despite daily commuting on the highway. If I can find another tire that will do that and fast mountain riding for cheaper, I'll jump on board.
  20. In case anyone is out looking for a deal, I just ordered a pair of tires from Revzilla for the FJ-09 at 37% discount for the front and 38% on the rear tire. Cycle Gear is also having a sale, but Revzilla is priced far enough lower that Cycle Gear won't match. ($147 front and $189 rear at Revzilla). I took a quick glance and the prices Revzilla is selling seem to be the same as Amazon and other outlets. It's weird that Cycle Gear under the same parent company as Revzilla, has a price match policy and just tells you to order from Revzilla. I've been running the Road 5's pair and they've been awesome but pricey. I was going to try the Dunlop Roadsmart 3 this time because of the lower price, but the sale makes the prices very similar. I've no reason to try something else because I've been happy with the Road 5's, except that price tag.
  21. Putting 'GT' in the title would help if you need a quick answer. People like me often click on threads in the "recent" section off to the right of the forum on a PC, and there's no indication it's in the GT section unless I go looking through the header. In either case, it would register my view, but it's not something I'd be able to help with, unless I could find the answer online.
  22. I use the Ram Mount X-Grip. I like that I can loosen it up and remove the phone holder part while leaving the ball mount on the handlebars for when I'm not using it. Also, I use that rubber bit to hold the corners of my phone every time. I just don't trust the X-Grip on its own, though I've never had an issue.
  23. ^This They actually have two different "Bike Weeks" that bring in lots of sketchy people. Myrtle beach gets a lot of party folks as it is, but both Bike Week and Black Bike Week bring in lots of noise and various issues. The most common issues I've seen for both are noise (every straight piped motorcycle shows up to these) mixed with lots of drinking sprinkled with vandalism/hooligans/bad decisions. I used to go during the various car event weeks too and they bring some the same issues. If there were an easy way for them to specifically target the tuner/performance/muscle car enthusiast crowd, they would do that too. On a side note... parking decks really do make the best burnout concert halls. Uhm... I saw a video on the internet. yeah. That's how I know.
  24. I had the same issue with the Motodynamic lights up front. On the FJ-09, it's not the location, but the brightness of the lights and the on/off contrast. You can barely tell they're blinking. I rewired the running lights LED wire to the signal wire, so I don't have running lights. But the change in drivers knowing what was going on was immediate. There's no question to the "Is it flashing?" and with ALL of the LED lights flashing, it's brighter. I still intend to replace with Proton 500's at some point, but it's lower on the priority list now.
  25. Well, I got an answer from Michelin customer service and the answer is that the lines are cosmetic and don't indicate anything at all. I still prefer to refer to it as a fun gauge.
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