On 18 May 2023 17:52:12 GMT, "sweller" <sweller@mztech.fsnet.co.uk>
wrote:

>Champ wrote:
>
>> The fundamental thing with old bikes is you can't get good tyres in
>> the original sizes, and (certainly for a bike like the CBX) the
>> original width was way too narrow anyway.

>Yes, you can. Bridgestone BT45s are nice and are available in old
>sizes.

I've just looked, and according to this
file:///C:/Users/neal/AppData/Local/Temp/MicrosoftEdgeDownloads/425464fd-3e45-4545-a564-02758a39ec9d/Battlax%20BT-45.pdf
they don't offer any 19 inch tyres. The CBX originally had a 19"
front (3.50-19, modern size would be 100/90). The rear was a 4.25-18
(120/90-18), which they also don't offer, although you could use a
4.00-18, I spose

>Problem with putting wider tyres on is they slow the steering down and
>you have to lean them more.
>
>I put a wider than standard rear on the Guzzi once and I really
>struggled with it (130 instead of 120)

Yes. Which is why the last sentence in my post was:
"But to change the wheels, you'll probably have to change a
bunch of other stuff, and then..."
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old

On Friday, May 19, 2023 at 5:04:38 AM UTC-4, ogden wrote:
> Ben Blaney wrote:
> > Stephen Packer wrote:
> > > It's a good looking bike... but if the CBX is in limited supply these
> > > days (which I assume it is) don't you feel duty bound to maintain
> > > it as close to original as possible?
> >
> > I love the styling of old bikes and old cars. But it's got to be said that newer stuff handles better, stops better, etc. So a "resto-mod" makes perfect sense to me.
> All bikes of that era were utterly hideous, and clearly the only part of that bike worth keeping is the engine, so I see no problem with junking literally everything else in favour of modern parts.
>
> Totally agree about the headlight though. Gopping. At least it hasn't got half a laptop where the dash should be.

Mate you're nearly 50. This "I'm so down with the kids and only like modern stuff" isn't becoming.

On 19/05/2023 12:28, Ben Blaney wrote:
> On Friday, May 19, 2023 at 5:04:38 AM UTC-4, ogden wrote:
>> Ben Blaney wrote:
>>> Stephen Packer wrote:
>>>> It's a good looking bike... but if the CBX is in limited supply these
>>>> days (which I assume it is) don't you feel duty bound to maintain
>>>> it as close to original as possible?
>>>
>>> I love the styling of old bikes and old cars. But it's got to be said that newer stuff handles better, stops better, etc. So a "resto-mod" makes perfect sense to me.
>> All bikes of that era were utterly hideous, and clearly the only part of that bike worth keeping is the engine, so I see no problem with junking literally everything else in favour of modern parts.
>>
>> Totally agree about the headlight though. Gopping. At least it hasn't got half a laptop where the dash should be.
>
> Mate you're nearly 50. This "I'm so down with the kids and only like modern stuff" isn't becoming.
>
Down with the kids?

Hmmm.I'd better shut-up about styling, my first proper 'bike was a rigid
Matchless G3 with girder forks - in its original khaki drab.

I liked it, and apart from a lot of Brushing Belco, black mainly, with
aluminium (not Belco) rims and a bit of Belco red, that mod served for
twice round the clock - and a bit - and if everything hadn't started
wearing out all at once, I might have still been riding it. The 1939 MSS
that followed - well, I wish I had that still, too. That one remained
with its original paint, mudguards, saddle, the lot.

ut then I'm a lad of 83: what do I know?

--
Rusty Hinge
To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.

Ben Blaney wrote:
> ogden wrote:
> > All bikes of that era were utterly hideous, and clearly the only part of that bike worth keeping is the engine, so I see no problem with junking literally everything else in favour of modern parts.
> > Totally agree about the headlight though. Gopping. At least it hasn't got half a laptop where the dash should be.
>
> Mate you're nearly 50. This "I'm so down with the kids and only like modern stuff" isn't becoming.

If by modern you mean post about 1993, the shoe fits.

RustyHinge wrote:
> I'm a lad of 83: what do I know?

I had you down as well over 40.

On 19/05/2023 19:24, ogden wrote:
> RustyHinge wrote:

>> I'm a lad of 83: what do I know?
>
> I had you down as well over 40.
>
In a 30 limit, mayhap?

--
Rusty Hinge
To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.

On 18/05/2023 18:52, sweller wrote:
> Champ wrote:
>
>> The fundamental thing with old bikes is you can't get good tyres in
>> the original sizes, and (certainly for a bike like the CBX) the
>> original width was way too narrow anyway.
>
> Yes, you can. Bridgestone BT45s are nice and are available in old
> sizes.
>
> Problem with putting wider tyres on is they slow the steering down and
> you have to lean them more.
>
> I put a wider than standard rear on the Guzzi once and I really
> struggled with it (130 instead of 120) - I don't fully get the physics*
> but it became more of a handful.

I think (don't quote me on this) that this would be because as you lean
over, the contact patch moves round the tyre, changing the offset of the
contact patch to the centreline of the bike, and the more the offset for
a given angle of contact patch to centre of gravity (which is the real
lean angle, as opposed to the angle of the centreline to the road
surface), the more effort it takes to get it there.

When I first got my T595, the rear seemed to me not to want to lean very
quickly compared to the front. I put a narrower tyre on it (the same
size as used on the Sprint ST & RS) and that improved it greatly. Note,
I am by no means a riding god and I was surprised that I could feel the
effect.

On 5/18/2023 8:09 AM, Ben Blaney wrote:
> On Thursday, May 18, 2023 at 10:59:23 AM UTC-4, sweller wrote:
>
>> and the headlamp is hideous.
>
> Agree: gopping. "modern, innit".

What the hell is it all about? Does it do weird stuff? Shine strange
light in different directions?

--
The erstwhile Thomas
FJR1300, R1200GS & ST1100 (in memoriam)

ogden wrote:

> > I love the styling of old bikes and old cars. But it's got to be
> > said that newer stuff handles better, stops better, etc. So a
> > "resto-mod" makes perfect sense to me.
>
> All bikes of that era were utterly hideous,

I think it was mostly Hondas and their square tank "Superdream"
styling.

A mate of mine had a CB900F, general view was it still looked like a
250 Superdream.

I had a Suzuki GS550E at the time - that looked pretty good in black
with gold pinstriping - if you squinted it sort of resembled the JPS
livery [1].

[1] I also had a CB750F, handpainted in yellow. That looked, and was,
fucking awful.

--
Simon

Champ wrote:

> > Yes, you can. Bridgestone BT45s are nice and are available in old
> > sizes.
>
> I've just looked, and according to this
>
file:///C:/Users/neal/AppData/Local/Temp/MicrosoftEdgeDownloads/425464fd-3e45-4545-a564-02758a39ec9d/Battlax%20BT-45.pdf

Why can't I access your computer?

> they don't offer any 19 inch tyres. The CBX originally had a 19"
> front (3.50-19, modern size would be 100/90). The rear was a 4.25-18
> (120/90-18), which they also don't offer, although you could use a
> 4.00-18, I spose

I see that Bridgestone don't have 100/90-19 but Michelin do - I think
anything, and I suspect even the classic style tyre, offer compounds
light years away from what was availbale in the 70s/80s.

My pet observation [1] in what's significantly changed for the better
(unrecognisibly so) since I first starting riding bikes in 1985, is the
tyre and clothing technology.

[1] My favourite joke:
Q. What's my pet hate?
A. Having a pencil poked up its arse.

--
Simon

On 20 May 2023 05:53:33 GMT, "sweller" <sweller@mztech.fsnet.co.uk>
wrote:

>Champ wrote:
>
>> > Yes, you can. Bridgestone BT45s are nice and are available in old
>> > sizes.
>>
>> I've just looked, and according to this
>>
>file:///C:/Users/neal/AppData/Local/Temp/MicrosoftEdgeDownloads/425464fd-3e45-4545-a564-02758a39ec9d/Battlax%20BT-45.pdf
>
>Why can't I access your computer?

Why is he apparently using MS Edge?

--
Ace
http://www.chaletbeauroc.com/

On 20 May 2023 05:41:26 GMT, "sweller" <sweller@mztech.fsnet.co.uk>
wrote:

>ogden wrote:
>
>> > I love the styling of old bikes and old cars. But it's got to be
>> > said that newer stuff handles better, stops better, etc. So a
>> > "resto-mod" makes perfect sense to me.
>>
>> All bikes of that era were utterly hideous,
>
>I think it was mostly Hondas and their square tank "Superdream"
>styling.

AKA "Honda Eurostyle" which was actually used as a brand name for
various accessories for w ahile.
--
Ace
http://www.chaletbeauroc.com/

On Saturday, 20 May 2023 at 06:55:01 UTC+1, sweller wrote:

> [1] My favourite joke:
> Q. What's my pet hate?
> A. Having a pencil poked up its arse.

Some pets, apparently, don't hate that. Is yours a fussy eater also?

On 20/05/2023 06:41, sweller wrote:
> ogden wrote:
>
>>> I love the styling of old bikes and old cars. But it's got to be
>>> said that newer stuff handles better, stops better, etc. So a
>>> "resto-mod" makes perfect sense to me.
>>
>> All bikes of that era were utterly hideous,
>
> I think it was mostly Hondas and their square tank "Superdream"
> styling.
>
> A mate of mine had a CB900F, general view was it still looked like a
> 250 Superdream.
>
> I had a Suzuki GS550E at the time - that looked pretty good in black
> with gold pinstriping - if you squinted it sort of resembled the JPS
> livery [1].

<squints out window at GS550T>

Yes, ISWYM - never noticed that.

Chris D
--
The Deuchars BBB#40 COFF#14
Yamaha XV750SE & Suzuki GS550t
http://www.Deuchars.org.uk

On Sat, 20 May 2023 00:02:18 +0100, Mike Fleming <mike@tauzero.co.uk>
wrote:

>On 18/05/2023 18:52, sweller wrote:
>> Champ wrote:
>>
>>> The fundamental thing with old bikes is you can't get good tyres in
>>> the original sizes, and (certainly for a bike like the CBX) the
>>> original width was way too narrow anyway.
>>
>> Yes, you can. Bridgestone BT45s are nice and are available in old
>> sizes.
>>
>> Problem with putting wider tyres on is they slow the steering down and
>> you have to lean them more.
>>
>> I put a wider than standard rear on the Guzzi once and I really
>> struggled with it (130 instead of 120) - I don't fully get the physics*
>> but it became more of a handful.
>
>I think (don't quote me on this) that this would be because as you lean
>over, the contact patch moves round the tyre, changing the offset of the
>contact patch to the centreline of the bike, and the more the offset for
>a given angle of contact patch to centre of gravity (which is the real
>lean angle, as opposed to the angle of the centreline to the road
>surface), the more effort it takes to get it there.

That's always been my understanding, plus the contact patches add
camber forces that want to steer the wheel into the turn, though I'm
not sure whether that's good (helps the turn) or bad (tries to sit the
bike up). Also, braking while leaned over is much more likely to sit
the bike up if the front's wide - the braking drag in the offset
contact patch wants to turn the front wheel into the turn.

I have found that higher profile rear tyres make a big difference. I
put 180/55s onto a Tuono and it made a huge difference. 190/55 onto
the 10R (it takes 190/50 as standard) less so, but in my head at least
it helps.

--

-Pip

On 20 May 2023 05:53:33 GMT, "sweller" <sweller@mztech.fsnet.co.uk>
wrote:

>Champ wrote:

>> I've just looked, and according to this
>>
>file:///C:/Users/neal/AppData/Local/Temp/MicrosoftEdgeDownloads/425464fd-3e45-4545-a564-02758a39ec9d/Battlax%20BT-45.pdf

>Why can't I access your computer?

Doh. FFS. Senility is definitely advancing
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old

On Sat, 20 May 2023 03:40:16 -0700 (PDT), Stephen Packer
<stephen.packer@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Saturday, 20 May 2023 at 06:55:01 UTC+1, sweller wrote:
>
>> [1] My favourite joke:
>> Q. What's my pet hate?
>> A. Having a pencil poked up its arse.

>Some pets, apparently, don't hate that.

The word "apparently" is doing a lot of work here

--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old

On Sat, 20 May 2023 12:09:55 +0200, Ace <Ace@ch.com> wrote:

>Why is he apparently using MS Edge?

I quite like Edge, actually
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old