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Send your questions to: BUYING & 48 GARAGE [email protected] THIS WEEK NEW BIKES FEATURES GARAGE SELLING SPORT March 16 2016 49

BMW S1000RR Heading off road? Q Leave the panniers or Aprilia RSV4? at home I’m moving up to a 1000cc superbike from my 2011 Suzuki GSX-R600. I’m partial to the odd trackday, and Your legal questions ANY QUESTION the bikes I have in mind are either a used BMW S1000RR or Aprilia RSV4. What would you recommend? Q I hit a pedestrian, Leigh Bishop, email but how do I stop Answered by Michael Neeves, MCN him from taking a If you are stepping up from the step too far? ✓ GSX-R600, the BMW makes sense ANSWERED for several reasons. It’s a four- Last October I hit a pedestrian at If we don’t know the answer, we’ll find the person who does cylinder like your 600 so it won’t be a crossing. I was doing 25-30mph so much of a culture shock. It may but misjudged the lights. I was too feel even more familiar because close to stop safely as they went when BMW were first developing amber, and they turned to red as I The steel-frame their new engine the test mule was went through them. This lad stepped CBR600 is a classic, Purchasing an unregistered bike like a Suzuki GSX-R1000 K5 chassis. If out as soon as the light turned red, but it’s not immune an FZ8 should prove trouble free your budget allows go for a 2012-on looking the opposite way to the from reg-rec S1000RR. That’s the smoother Mark traffic. I clipped him but stayed on. problems Can storage II with better electronics and plusher I asked him how he was and he said Q suspension. he was fine, just bruised and shaken. damage an The Aprilia is jewel-like, as tiny The police found we were both to unregistered bike? as a 400 and an absolute weapon, blame, me for not stopping and him especially on track. Again, go for a for stepping out without checking it I got a really good price on an later model, as buyers of the early was safe. However my insurer tells unregistered 2013 Yamaha FZ8 for ones could choose their electronics TRAVEL & TOURING me he is now claiming for whiplash this year’s March registration day, and package and may have foregone and soft tissue damage. I can’t help it struck me that although I am the some elements on grounds of cost. but feel he is making up the injuries – first registered owner, the bike has he really did look fine and some time sat around in various storage facilities How do I crash proof has passed. Is there something I can and motorcycle showrooms for two Q do to stop the claim? years. If a bike is left for this length of my bike for a big trip? Max Evans, email time, does it cause any deterioration? I haven’t noticed any issues except By Nick Plumb, former Dakar vulnerable radiator. I recommend enough, so as soon as you get a ‘Request that he is corrosion on a front disc, now subject racer and now Touratech UK MD full plastic wraparound little bit of water on them your feet to a warranty claim. Do parts such Here are my top protection handguards; they move around will slip straight off. Check how examined by an as tyres, suspension and fluids components. First up are panniers, and bend a bit, and have no solid much a replacement headlight is independent deteriorate over time? if you’re off-roading then leave bar going through them, so they for your bike; the cost of a guard Frank Collins, Worthing them at home, if you’re on road provide protection in an impact and will quickly seem like a really good medical expert’ then they’ll act as crash bars. save your levers but won’t catch idea. It only takes one stone to flick Answered by Chris Dabbs, MCN A lower seat makes a huge your hand. Most adventure bikes up and crack it. On the road the It seems your insurer has Unlike the brake discs, the rest of difference in confidence and lets come with a detachable rubber stand isn’t a problem but riding A received a letter of claim OWNING & RIDING the metal components are painted Honda’s Varadero is a trusty beast you paddle your bike out of mud. insert on the pegs. Take these off, on a soft track you’ll need a wider from this man’s lawyers or plated so they should be fine as but it doesn’t like a soggy wiring loom Bars for an adventure bike are and check the footprint is wide footprint so the stand doesn’t which presumably states the storage environment won’t have a must. Fairing bars bolt onto enough for your boot. Standard sink in, especially for big, heavy that you ran him over as he was Why is my battery’s been damp. The suspension and brake Q Why is my those bars and also protect the teeth are generally not sharp adventure bikes. correctly proceeding across the Q fluids will also still be good. However, Varadero pedestrian crossing. Suggest to charge draining away? it is possible that the tyres may have your insurer that they obtain the become flat-spotted if the wheels tricky to start? police report which you state The fairly old battery on my 1996 quicker, going from 12.43V to regulator-rectifier. If a diode has milliamps draw test, pulling fuses haven’t been rotated regularly. apportions blame between you. Honda CBR600F went flat, so I 12.17V in seven hours. The bike gone it creates a short that allows while it’s hooked up and looking The PDI should have made sure the My 2009 Honda Varadero XL1000 Make a request to your insurers replaced it. I used the bike just doesn’t have an alarm, so what some charge to trickle through for reading changes. Once you’ve fuel system hasn’t been contaminated has become difficult to start if left So how significant are the that he gets examined by an once before parking it up for two could be the cause? and partially charge the alternator narrowed it down you can start by stale fuel, though that is less of a out in the wet, or after it’s had a good benefits of reducing inertial independent expert. With whiplash weeks, but then the new battery Des Ellard, email windings. The catalysts for all pulling connector blocks apart problem with a fuel injection system. If wash and rinse. I can tell when it is TECH WATCH torque? The real benefit of and soft tissue injuries medical was flat. I’ve checked the voltage this are usually a poor earth with ready for a cascade of Verdigris. the battery had been ‘activated’ when it not going to start as I can’t hear the What’s so an engine which cancels out experts often have to rely on what drop with the battery off the bike Answered by Scott Bullett, Doble associated corrosion in block The long-term solution is to was in storage, that could be an issue, fuel pump prime the system. Q some or all of its inertial torque is they are told by the claimant, and it went from 12.47V to 12.34V Motorcycles connectors or the loom. change the regulator-rectifier’s and a good rule of thumb is that an oil Jon Beacham, email special in throttle control for the rider. If it although a contemporaneous visit over 48 hours. When refitted to This problem affects many bikes If you know how to use a earth to go directly to the battery and filter change should happen if the isn’t cancelled out, inertial torque by the man to A&E or his GP is likely the bike the voltage dropped much and the culprit is probably the multimeter you can perform a with some chunky, fresh wiring. bike has been stood for over a year. Answered by Chris Dabbs, MCN about Yamaha’s increases with increasing rpm to be enough for him to be believed. Other than that you should be fine. The coils, HT leads and plug caps crossplane triple? following a square law, which makes If he did actually sustain injuries on the Varadero are susceptible to it difficult for the rider to control as his claim will likely succeed, but getting damp, so give them a good Strictly speaking, a triple can’t be its effect is constantly varying with it will be reduced significantly by Which no-frills locks will clean and waterproof the joints with ‘crossplane’ because the name the change in rpm. By cancelling virtue of his share of the blame. Q silicone sealant. There could also be comes from the cross shape of the or minimising its effect, the linear keep my commuter bike safe? an issue with the HISS immobiliser. crank when viewed end on. A triple combustion torque becomes much I’ve just bought a cheap bike for the Oxford mini-shackle lock Try cranking the engine for 15 with 120-degree crank spacing is more dominant. The disadvantage MT engine has a crossplane philosophy Andrew a commute. It’s doubtful anyone at £19.99. Mammoth produce seconds while keeping an eye on the more of a ‘Y’ shape than an ‘X’ shape. is that you trade inertial torque Campbell would want to nick it, but I think the £9.99 Original and also the FI light. If it starts to flash that will In fact it’s just like the 120-degree cancellation for balance – which limit, this will stay the case unless Solicitor and author I should get a cheap disc lock. £15.99 Blast. be a code for a fuel injection fault. If spacing of the tuning forks in requires a balance shaft, adding you’re talking of the nth degree of of the MCN Law What are my options? Whatever you use, invest there’s no flash it’s going to be the Yamaha’s logo. But what the triple cost, weight and friction (lost bhp) to throttle control. column for the last Sam Brant, Camberley in a minder cable. They’re security system. The HISS unit can’t does do is exploit the inertial torque counteract this. Yamaha’s R1 wasn’t the first bike five years only a couple of quid and be repaired, but the fault is often at cancellation effect as achieved by Engine balance rather than with a crossplane crank. Some 40 Andrew Campbell, Bikelawyer. Answered by Keith Roissetter, give a really useful reminder the connector into the loom which is the crossplane in a four. precise control of torque output years ago, Helmut Fath employed it Visit www.bikelawyer.co.uk or Infinity Motorcycles that can save a lot of money, under a panel on the right. If that is The benefits Yamaha claim about has always been considered more in his ‘home built’ four-cylinder URS email [email protected] or The Roxter disc lock (which is and more importantly a lot clean and it’s still misbehaving the ‘clean torque’ is inherent to triples important, as comfort is high up the of the 1960s for his sidecar world call 01446 794169 an Oxford Titan in disguise) is of embarrassment. And yes, HISS unit needs replacing. A new with 120-degree crank spacing – and list of priorities. And with the rise championship exploits. That engine available for £12.99 and seems that is the voice of humbling Roxter Oxford mini- Mammoth Original Mammoth Blast unit is £130.26 and can be fitted by a they’re as true of the Triumph Street of traction control mitigating the had lots of other new tech before its very good for the money, as does experience you hear. from £12.99 shackle from £19.99 from £9.99 from £15.99 proficient home mechanic. Triple as they are the MT-09. effects of fine torque control at the time too, but that’s another story. Motorcycle Accident Solicitors