Lasr year I made the god-awful mistake of moving right near the center of London. Unfortunately I now only live 10 minutes door-to-door from my office.
At first thought that might seem like a good thing, but then contemplate that’s only just enough time to get your tyres warm, enough juice in your battery to reboot the bike and (most importantly) not enough time riding! Rather obviously that makes me ravenous for any excuse for longer journeys. A bit like a crack-whore for…well…crack.
My friends now even think I’m social and that I like them. How do I break it to them that it’s not about them as much as an excuse to ride the bike?
Do you like close enough to walk to work? Sounds like the bike might appreciate being taken on longer runs rather than lots of short ones! (When I did it, it would leave creamy oil inside the engine)
Thank you for your letter. I’d suggest that you move into a local hotel for week, one that is only walking distance from work. After a week of you being an absolute misery guts at work, by not being able to have the exuberance of riding in to set up your day, they will notice the difference in your behaviour at work. This may also serve to encourage your colleagues to also buy motorcycles, and if they do, you would have more riding buddies for the weekend. This in turn could develop into improved relationships at work.
When I did it, it would leave creamy oil inside the engine
Junglizt1210
Suds, caused by water ingress into the engine internals. The oil and water then emulsify due to vaporising water and condensation being absorbed by the oils corrosion inhibitors. An easy fix, assuming the suds are not being caused by a coolant leak, replace the contaminated engine oil and filter with a full engine oil flush between draining and re-filling.
LDN I know what you mean, I live just 8 miles from work and ride in every morning and it sets me up for the day, its only just long enough but during the summer I leave early and just ride around on the way to work … every now and then I have to get a bus and im really miserable all day
Thanks Deidres’, I knew you’d come through. After mentioning walking (or even THE DREADED BUS JOURNEY :O ) I’ve quickly come to the realisation short runs are better than no runs. Y’know what they say, no runs, no fun(s?).
Also already consulted The Doctor Kevsta; he recommended riding-induced piles
In future, I would recommend thinking through your decisions and perhaps making a list with positives and negatives.
Anyway, what’s done is done, and we should look at the predicament in which you now find yourself. You are still riding your bike, which is a good thing and a small fix is better than no fix at all.
Why not join some LB ride outs? Alternatively, you could take up dogging and sample some sugar from some of the UKs finest woodlands and picnic spots.
As for the runs, it’s not really advisable on the bike. Imodium might help you out there. If it doesn’t, then short runs are definitely preferred.
Why not join some LB ride outs? Alternatively, you could take up dogging and sample some sugar from some of the UKs finest woodlands and picnic spots
LB Agony Aunt
was also thinking they surely aren't mutually exclusive
When I did it, it would leave creamy oil inside the engine
Junglizt1210
Suds, caused by water ingress into the engine internals. The oil and water then emulsify due to vaporising water and condensation being absorbed by the oils corrosion inhibitors. An easy fix, assuming the suds are not being caused by a coolant leak, replace the contaminated engine oil and filter with a full engine oil flush between draining and re-filling.
National Treasure
It's air cooled. No idea how moisture got in. Have since flushed it out with several full oil changes, popped the casing off to clean the centrifugal oil filter too and cleaned out the cream whilst I was at it - not seen the problem come back in the last year thankfully :)
When I did it, it would leave creamy oil inside the engine
Junglizt1210
Suds, caused by water ingress into the engine internals. The oil and water then emulsify due to vaporising water and condensation being absorbed by the oils corrosion inhibitors. An easy fix, assuming the suds are not being caused by a coolant leak, replace the contaminated engine oil and filter with a full engine oil flush between draining and re-filling.
National Treasure
It's air cooled. No idea how moisture got in. Have since flushed it out with several full oil changes, popped the casing off to clean the centrifugal oil filter too and cleaned out the cream whilst I was at it - not seen the problem come back in the last year thankfully :)
Junglizt1210
Sometimes is the design of the engine. The Varadero 125 had this problem, condensation from the air box could drip straight into the crank case. As long as the bike was used for a longish journey the water simply boiled off, short journeys it would just build up.
Back in the day of vertically split cranks and open crankcase breathers it wasn’t a problem. To meet modern emission controls all engines now have closed crankcase breathers that typically vent back into the engine via the air intake chamber, that and riding in the rain when the incoming air has a greater moisture content is how water enters the engine. This water doesn’t boil off, modern engine oils have corrosion inhibitors which absorb the condensation. These corrosion inhibitors can only absorb so much and when fully saturated you get the creamy appearance that can range from a greyish black through light brown to a milky white if left long enough. Black oil is good oil assuming it hasn’t over stayed its welcome
I’m still around poppets. Duty called elsewhere, and there were some dramas that needed my attention. I’m now back and ready to wave my magic healing wand.
