Top products from r/motorcycle

Here are some of my personal supplies and tool recommendations.

An anti-corrosive spray, doesn’t hurt paint but I’d be careful about yours anyway.
www.amazon.com/dp/B000P1C8UO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_5v0NDb496VPF6

A good tire pressure gauge. www.amazon.com/dp/B01J8DLGU2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_dy0NDb58BP0WX

A basic multimeter. www.amazon.com/dp/B01ISAMUA6/ref=cm_sw_r_em_tai_c_VZPFDbGK9FQ5V

A great battery tender, a lifetime purchase. www.amazon.com/dp/B000CITKCE/ref=cm_sw_r_em_tai_c_ACFQCb40H0E0K

A very good spray on bike cleaner. www.amazon.com/dp/B0036GK83Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_XB0NDbJZZC76W

A good explanation about testing your battery and charging system, goes well with the multimeter and tender.

https://www.louis.eu/rund-ums-motorrad/schraubertipps/elektronik

These screwdrivers or ones like it are a must. www.amazon.com/dp/B00A7WAHTU/ref=cm_sw_r_em_api_i_c_kBB7AbGCN238A

A winter storage checklist, very detailed, and can probably pare it down a little but...

http://www.clarity.net/~adam/winter-storage.html

The best (IMO) winter gas treatment. www.amazon.com/dp/B001CAW2DK/ref=cm_sw_r_em_tai_c_ryNKDb9RRE8KF

One of many easy to use lift, works for both front or rear, may have a model for a smaller bike, this is for my Yamaha Raider www.amazon.com/dp/B016Z01QYW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_UH0NDbVMTEC9K

A great totally enclosed cover, find the size for your bike. I attach the battery tender, the cord comes out where the zipper meets.
www.amazon.com/dp/B001I7XYZW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_sJ0NDbTJAPEEB

For maintenance questions, a great sub is r/Fixxit.

That’s all I can think of at the moment, welcome to the Club and Happy Trails!

You have it correct. Change those things for 12v and add the stator for charging at lower RPMS. You can get by without it if you take off your battery after every ride to let it charge on a tender.

You can get that negative space if you want. You will need to remove the airbox (which removes the place to hold the battery) and replace it with a filter of your choice (I am using a cone K&N of the right diameter to fit my carb. It has it's own rubber mount that fits to the carb then you fix it there with a hose-clamp). Then I added one of these : https://www.amazon.com/Uni-Filter-UP-103-Clamp-Breather/dp/B000OO0XLS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492453036&sr=8-1&keywords=Uni+Filter+UP-103+1%2F2%22+Clamp-On+Breather

to the crankcase breather. The stock one is not a filter but instead a rubber hose that connects to the airbox. So on the stock setup you have Carb -> Airbox and Airbox -> to crank case. You remove the hose and put the little filter on and affix it with the hose clamp that comes with it.

After that you just need to find a new place for your battery. Since you want to have that empty space you can't put it there so that pretty much leaves one option : hide it within the seat or directly underneath it.

I don't know what kind of seat you want but if you end up getting a fibreglass bubble seat like this : http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MzIzWDUwMA==/z/NJcAAOxyUrZSs-25/$_3.JPG?set_id=2 you can hide it in the hump.

Otherwise you just lay it on it's side and have it attached to the bottom of your seat pan. Most of the time people buy aluminum flashing (very thin sheets) and cut+fold the metal into a little box/pan thing for the battery.

Doing this does require you to modify the existing wiring but it's simple you're simply extending the wires for the battery so they can reach the new location and you hide all those wires by tucking them underneath the seat pan.

You have options I think you can make it work :)

I'm still working on my project but I just put on both the K&N filter and the little uni filter on the crankcase and it's starting up and idling fine. I actually couldn't get it to idle with the stock airbox but it does with my new setup so that's a bonus :) But I will probably still need to tune the carb with a new jetting. Please understand that if you change your airbox and do like I have done you might need to re-jet your carb. It's not very expensive to do that though and there is a service off of ebay and amazon that is very good for that. Here's a quick video I uploaded hope you can view it : https://streamable.com/uuyc9

Note: I replaced the OEM muffler with a dunstall replica from Ebay which has no interior baffling or fibreglass packing. Sounds beastly for a single cyl but I will be putting in either a baffle or some fibreglass packing to reduce the Db level as it is very loud and you won't impress no one sounding like a bat out of hell on a 125cc :P

http://www.repairmanual.com/product/used-1978-1982-honda-cx500-factory-service-manual-u6141505/

Also try ebay for a Haynes manual, Clymer makes one, but I prefer the Haynes, if it's available...

Here you go: https://www.amazon.com/Honda-V-twins-Haynes-Repair-Manuals/dp/1850101574

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=Honda-V-twins-Haynes-Repair-Manual+CX+GL+500&LH_BIN=1&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.X1978-1986+Honda+CX500+GL500+CX+GL+500+650+Silverwing+HAYNES+REPAIR+MANUAL.TRS0&_nkw=1978-1986+Honda+CX500+GL500+CX+GL+500+650+Silverwing+HAYNES+REPAIR+MANUAL&_sacat=0

Seriously, if you go to the library, they can order it in if it's not on the shelf... and you can read all about it. I like having my own.

Good luck. That other rider is right, the forums are great.

(1977 stock naked Goldwing Gl1000)

I have been through a lot of gear and came back full circle to my original budget gear. The biggest boon from paying more is boots, hands down. I have riding suits, two piece high end gear, and everything in between. This gear is flexible and goes over my business formal attire. I carry my dress shoes. This gear is inexpensive to replace, sturdy, and incredibly flexible. The below is my final set list:

Helmet: https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/hjc-cl-17-helmet

Jacket: https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/joe-rocket-velocity-mesh-jacket

Vest (winter, heated, usually comes with wiring): https://www.ebay.com/itm/Widder-Lectric-Heat-Vest-Motorcycle-Heated-Electric-USA-Made-VEST-Fits-SIZE-44/323977252981?hash=item4b6e8c9075:g:YWAAAOSwtjBdygxf

Pant: https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/alpinestars-wake-air-pants

Glove (summer): https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/cortech-dx-3-gloves

Glove (winter, heated, make sure it comes with glove wiring that attached to vest): https://www.ebay.com/itm/Widder-Lectric-Heat-Thinsulate-Gloves-Medium-Very-Good-Condition/193197841767?hash=item2cfb7d1d67:g:bCYAAOSwEFhdxD65

Boot: https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/alpinestars-air-plus-v2-xcr-gore-tex-boots

Neck (winter): https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/alpinestars-tech-neck-warmer

Rain Jacket: https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/frogg-toggs-road-toad-rain-jacket

Rain pant (for fisherman, not the moto one so you don't get a wet crotch): https://www.amazon.com/Frogg-Toggs-Pro-Advantage-Bib/dp/B07G51L5NZ/ref=pd_sbs_200_t_0/132-3940543-5959211?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07G51L5NZ&pd_rd_r=f9169fec-6648-4740-893c-801db1f7133a&pd_rd_w=wLZoe&pd_rd_wg=vAsv2&pf_rd_p=5cfcfe89-300f-47d2-b1ad-a4e27203a02a&pf_rd_r=5JZZZ8FQMAT7ZWXXB9WS&refRID=5JZZZ8FQMAT7ZWXXB9WS

​

I ride from 105 degrees down to the 26 degrees we have had this week for my commute. I keep all this gear in my saddlebag so I can adapt to any riding condition. You sweat when it is hot and you can sweat when it is cold. I turn the heated gear to maybe 25%. This is probably the most versatile gear set up you will see recommended. All of the gear is high quality for value. I use it every day rain or shine.

Total cost? $1000

​

You will see a lot of statements like "what is your life worth" and "buy once, cry once" and "buy the best you can afford."


All that will do is leave you with less money. Go with flexible, inexpensive gear with good safety ratings. You will learn what you like and don't like after living with it for two years. Then when it wears out switch to something that satisfies those desires. My Shoei helmets are not that much better than my HJCs (and I still wear my HJCs). Hell, my Bilt Raptor was 90 dollars and it is just as comfortable as my Shoei, but louder.

​

You don't have to spend a lot of money to be safe. You need to spend just enough money to get gear that you will wear as often as possible.

Well looks like you got alot of good advice and help here, I'll just add some further reading you can do from the comfort of the couch:
Kieth Code: Twist of the wrist
Although it looks like a racing handbook its also a motorcycle skills book. Enjoy!

A lot of those service manuals you can find online for free, if you can't find it, I would ask here for help, just let me/us know what year, make, model and size bike you have and I'm sure we can dig something up.

As for tools;

A lot of people recommend rivet style masterlink chain for bikes bigger than 500cc. Clip chains are super easy to install but rivet chains are considered more safe, thus why they are used on with bigger bikes that have more force. If you want to rivet your own chains, it's a pain in the ass, but I recommend this tool. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WJ3LPU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I bought a different one and it broke from the force the first time I tried to use it.

Next, I bought these two:
Front stand
https://www.ebay.com/i/271431688516?chn=ps

Rear stand
https://www.walmart.com/ip/700LB-Motorcycle-Front-Rear-Wheel-Swingarm-Lifting-Stand-with-Wheels-Red/651901433?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=529&adid=22222222227096045591&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=215292218804&wl4=pla-346492733506&wl5=9028784&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=112354406&wl11=online&wl12=651901433&wl13=&veh=sem

With some of my bikes the rear one doesn't fit because the mufflers are in the way of the swing arm, and you need to remove them, again a pain in the ass. I don't think the brand of rear stand you buy will matter, you'll probably run into the problem with any rear stand. As for the front one, some times the front stand gets in the way of taking the wheel off. So I also bought:

Triple Tree front stand
https://www.ebay.com/p/DMP-Front-Paddock-Stand-for-Sportbikes-Gsx-r-CBR-ZX-R1-R6/1355877061?iid=372246273928&chn=ps

I don't think this is the exact model triple tree stand I bought. The one I bought was a little too cheap, and the metal bent a bit under that weight of the bike. It still works fine, but it needs some help from a few bricks to prop the wheel up while I slide the axle back in. If you don't want to risk it, it might be worth dropping extra money on a better stand.

If you don't want to buy both types of front stands I would definitely go with the triple tree stand since the regular front stand wont let you remove tries from some bikes.

The holes that the triple tree uses, under the headlight, are different sizes for every bike. The bike I had didn't fit any of the pins that came with the stand so I got this:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DMP-HEAD-LIFT-10-PC-PIN-SET-200-1120-/361276306735?hash=item541dbef52f

With that pretty much every bike will work with my triple tree stand.

You'll also want this if you are chaining tires.

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/xtra-seal-4-way-valve-tool-w-core-15-6045/28200661-p?c3ch=PLA&c3nid=28200661-P&adtype=pla&gclid=CjwKCAjw8r_XBRBkEiwAjWGLlCwQi54Gf4P_hgOpNJRDYkWkbxAadfkAYTWYdLR_mu_tlhfQBjU3LhoCh8IQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

And this

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-Bead-Breaker-Tool-Tire-Changer-Changing-Stand-Portable-New-in-Box-/361952497708

There are a tone of makeshift DIYs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dtvTcv8BJk It's not that simple. xD I tried this almost the exact same way and the tier bead didn't break even jumping with my whole body weight coming down on it. Those things are on that really damn tight and it's not as easy as the video looks. Do yourself a favor and buy the tool if you plan on changing ties. Also the tool I bought, the rod that the wheel rests on was too big to fit the axle hole on my bike tire. I went to the hardware store and picked up a metal rod, a bit smaller, that had rivets to screw nuts onto and it worked fine.

Also, I wasted time with super cheap air pumps. Don't waste your time with the $10 ones that plug into your cars lighter port. I got, the goodyear i8000.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Goodyear-i8000-120-Volt-Direct-Drive-Tire-Inflator/132561490710?epid=2254351792&hash=item1edd47d316:g:1AQAAOSwsO1avQsU

When I got it, I think it was a bit cheaper. I can't seem to find the exact seller I got it from any more. But for that price it's still worth considering, but you might find a comparable brand for less, just don't get anything that looks like this.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/12v-Car-Motorcycle-Motor-Bike-Compact-Mini-Tyre-Air-Compressor-Inflator-Pump/323225758713?epid=28005354906&hash=item4b41c1abf9:g:64cAAOSwbsRa4T~Q

Oh, and you'll want a trickle charger. Which one you get doesn't really matter, as long as it is 12v, it'd fine. I've never heard or seen of a motorcycle battery that wasn't 12v. I'm sure someone has a custom thing for the hell of it, but nothing you'd run into.

http://www.sears.com/diehard-battery-charger-maintainer/p-02871219000P?sid=IDx01192011x202447539&gclid=CjwKCAjw8r_XBRBkEiwAjWGLlPJL236xKHFc6FyPnrdb0Ufia9UeYCt_-Cam91ByCqatTZiwbNNnpxoCHbYQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CJSTu6Ot9doCFVE5TwodXKQLxA

The main lessons I learned were:

Get a higher quality air pump

Get a bead breaker

If you don't want to buy 2 front stands, spend a little extra on a triple tree

And get the higher quality rivet tool (it wasn't even more expensive than the first one I got).

This probably accounts for the most amount of money you'll even need to spend on maintenance. If you think about over the course of your life, it's really not that much. Most of these tools will last a lifetime. And you don't need to buy them all at once, if you don't want to change ties yet, don't worry about the tools for that, the exception is probably the trickle charger and the air pump. You never know when you'll need it on a cold morning and your bike wont start (then again, I ride even in the winter). And with the air pump that's just something you should be checking on/refilling every few weeks (I'm a lazy hypocrite).

I hope this helps. If you have any questions, let me know. :)

First, (and I'm probably old and crusty enough that my advice will sound like it - I learned to shoot on film back when...) don't worry about the editing. Learn to use your camera. Learn what the controls are and how they affect the image you take. Learn to compose an image well, and how to get what you want in the image to come out that way. THEN you can learn / worry about editing. Way too many people think that the magic of "good" photography is in Photoshop or Lightroom, when really it's in knowing how to use your tools (i.e. the camera). I've shot for automotive and motorsports stuff for a good while now, and while I'm ok, there are guys out there who can out-shoot me with a potato phone camera because they really know what they're doing.

​

Get yourself a copy of Understanding Exposure, by Bryan Peterson and learn what he has to teach. Once you learn how to use the camera and how to compose a good photograph you'll be taking awesome shots of your bike.

A Slime 12v Air Compressor or Stop-N-Go Tire Plugging kit (or both together) make a great gift for motorcyclists, as well as motorcycle-specific jumper cables or a jump starting battery.

https://www.amazon.com/Motorcycle-Basics-Techbook-Haynes-Manuals/dp/185960515X not sure if that would help but seems like it gives a basic rundown of common engines. Looks like something you might be looking for at least for now

> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XX1HCH4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_kV03Ab0738CEH

Wow! this looks perfect! I'm gonna look more into this. Thanks!

Get a RAM ball to replace one of your yoke screws

Motorcycle M8 Bolt Handlebar Clamp Mounting 2.5 cm Ball https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005J43I56/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_qSIkDb3P1GVTY

Then a standard RAM arm

RAM Mounts UNPKD RAM DOUBLE SOCKET ARM, 1" BALL, RAM-B-201U (1 BALL) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000UGZTQO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_JTIkDb1RH70QX

Then a case (plenty to choose from)

Universal Waterproof/Weather Proof GPS SatNav Case with RAM 1inch Ball Fitting for RAM Mounts (SKU 6525) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003CG2KAM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_UWIkDb0W253MZ

I had this setup on my Honda Deauville, works great.

Read proficient motorcycling, it gives real world examples of what to watch out for an I recommend it to anyone who goes out on the street on 2 wheels. I still re-read it every year and make notes of which situations happened to me. I think I'm close to 90% by now

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Proficient-Motorcycling-Hough/dp/1889540536

I've run many, many patched tires. Learn to use the cat-turd plugs. You can get them at walmart or amazon. These things should be hard to put in and they will NOT come out. It helps (becomes possible) if you remove the valve core (and thus all the air) before trying to push the plug in from the outside. Use the rubber cement as lubricant, if it dries, you're not going to be able to push the plug in. The advantage is you do not have to remove the tire. I run them down to the belt after that, but never over 100mph (assuming it was a proper Z rated tire).

Ah i see. I found something like that here, however I'm not sure it'd fit a laptop:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XX1HCH4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_kV03Ab0738CEH

Tools for removing ends from the plugs
https://www.amazon.com/Adduswin-Terminals-Electrical-Connector-Extractor/dp/B07TYKN5WQ/ref=asc_df_B07TYKN5WQ/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=366306749487&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2043846301060438657&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9012313&hvtargid=aud-801381245258:pla-856605100957&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=75066162654&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=366306749487&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2043846301060438657&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9012313&hvtargid=aud-801381245258:pla-856605100957

As for videos, youtube has them galore.... lots of videos of how to remove the ends from the plugs, making new wires and attaching the ends.. it all depends on the connector type.... just take your time.. it's not difficult, just tedious....

Get yourself a Deltran battery tender

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0123-Junior-Charger/dp/B000CITK8S

Folks on the internet really swear by Proficient Motorcycling. I'm sure someone who has read it will chime in here to confirm. I haven't read it yet because it is on freaking backorder at amazon, but your library might have it.

> so I am back to the same problem again a day after getting a new battery. It may be the charging system them
awww.amazon.com/dp/B01ISAMUA6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_VZPFDbGK9FQ5V