What drives you the most nuts?

[rdmcguy]

Thought I might do an informal questionnaire on what
item neglected makes you most nuts?
For me it has to be fork seals.
I'll never understand how anyone can let that slimy nasty s**t weep down the legs and contaminate everything below.The handling issues are bad enough
not to mention the brakes.
tie a rag around the legs or drain the remainder .
that stuff is a gigantic pita to get off
Thanks for letting me vent

[Schming]

Non- chlorinated brake cleaner for the pads works well, and solution of dish detergent and water for the rest.

What's driving me nuts, for now, is the rim leak on the rear of my XJ 750 'cause I just don't want to take time to fix it.

[Radioguylogs]

Irresponsible

Vent-tube-off-the-battery should be up there near the top!

[Schming]

Vent-tube-off-the-battery should be up there near the top!

No vent tubes on my AGM's

[DGXSER]

Since I buy the old neglected bikes my list could be quite long.

Lack of keeping up with general maintenance, how many brake disc need to crack before you change pads?

Drain the gas before you store it forever....maybe add some oil or fog the tank?

And in general, don't let your bike turn into a rusty crusty thing!! Just a little wax and chrome polish every year or two please!

[ViperRon]

For this particular bike it has to be rust in the tank and/or trash in the gas. You have cleaned the carbs to pristine condition and have everything perfect, its been running great for months and then wham you come out and its started puddling on you again. First the crud got your pit cocks and then the thin film got to the needles. Filters help but not a total cure all.

Just pick your station careful, never but never fill when a delivery truck is there, and as DGXSER said drain and fog before you store. The true cause I believe is the ethanol added to gas and the film and moisture it creates just makes everything stick.

The mental effect is simulair to your dog, man's best friend, leaving you a lake on your hardwood floor or hiking his leg on your boss when he visits.

[James England]

What drives me nuts is how anyone can let a superb piece of engineering, well-made, expensive and lovely, degenerate into some of the wrecks I've bought and had no choice but to break for parts.

What drives me even more nuts is videos I saw on YouTube of complete idiots abusing bikes, riding on the handlebars, crashing them (to cheers from their moronic mates), standing on the seats at high speed and doing all sorts of daft things on them, usually resulting in the bike being destroyed. Why do they do it?? It's a uniquely US phenomenon, by the way. It never happens here in the UK. I've never, ever seen it. And don't want to!

End of rant. You did ask

[IanDMacDonald]

Not necessarily this bike, but on other's it would be the chain. On our's is probably rust formation. I really hate seeing rusty bolts on the handlebars area.

[wingnut]

Wobbly Tach needles. Drives me nuts PITA to fix and a new one is made out of unabtainuiam or priced so high I have to sell the bike to afford it.

[trbig]

Why do they do it?? It's a uniquely US phenomenon, by the way. It never happens here in the UK. I've never, ever seen it. And don't want to!

Ummm.. OK. Just keep the blinders on then. If you've never seen it it doesn't exist. Don't dare go to youtube and type in "UK Stunt riders" and get many thousands of videos.

Yup.. The U.S. has got the patent on stupid bike riders..

[TomB]

Oh-no! I dared! ....my eyes, they burn argh
Click

Aren't they enjoying their bikes as they want, isn't us using our bikes by putting miles on them wearing them out just the same as these lads, only they choose to wear them out at a much faster rate than us.

I've owned some of my bikes for 35+ years, to the video lads that's just weird.

Live and let live.

And folk who let good bikes rust? good I say, means cheap bikes for me, if they were all spotless show bikes I could never afford an XS, let alone four of em, and I enjoy the resto job. I think todays throw-away society is great, theres a lot of good stuff to be had for next to nothing.

[LoHo]

The thing that makes me nuts is looking at every basket case XS as an orphan looking for a loving home, rather than as a pile of parts that will eventually wind up costing 10x the purchase price to make it useful.

There is a local '80 Special that is missing only carbs, airbox, and side covers that seems to be whispering my name..."you don't have a special yet...the List will hook you up with the carbs and airbox...wouldn't I look great next to the 80G?"

I don't need another project bike.
I don't need another project bike.
I don't need another project bike.
I don't need another project bike.

[ViperRon]

I understand your point of view James but we do have a shortage of parts here and the guys who drive like this with the lack of skill and comon sense really do help with doner parts. There are many people on the list for hearts kidneys etc etc. I know its tuff to think we loose a bike with them but think of all the worthwile people that get saved by these riders.

[fredintoon]

Thought I might do an informal questionnaire on what
item neglected makes you most nuts?
For me it has to be fork seals. - - -

Hi Joe,
for neglected things, yeah, weeping fork seals are up there but folks swanning around on bald tires is just as bad.
But what really makes me nuts is that I can't find a tubeless car tire narrow enough to fit inside my swingarm.
That and being financially locked into living where there's 5 months of snow every year.

[XS1100 Newbie]

You ask what drives us nuts, and didn't say on the bikes. Well what drives me nut, is girls with tight butts. LOL No really i would say the carbs for me are the worst.