belfastguzzi

It'll soon be like that favourite old spade that you'd never want to change, that's had 6 replacement handles and 4 new blades.

Well, I'm pretty sure that you won't be satisfied unless you get to use a special tool. So I found this: It is an enclosed electromechanical device that delivers discrete impacts to dislodge dry material from the sides of hoppers, bins, and bunkers. It runs on 110 volts ac and includes a controller. The operator can set the intensity of a strike from 1 to 25 lbs.-ft., as well as set duration and operating intervals. It is timed to give three raps per second. I believe that it could be adapted for your purpose.

Hey hold on! I only wanted to see your contortions with the brake caliper – not that other stuff!! Phew!

The 'secret' probably is that it needs to be tapped out from behind, rather than pulled out from the 'front'. It's really too difficult to pull it out with pliers. Unless you're a dentist. It may help to depress the 'spring' at the same time. I can't remember if that is necessary or not. I doubt it, but it could help.

Ok, but just because I post this, doesn't mean that I still don't want to see the video. It sounds like the pin just needs some persuassion. It's possibly stuck with dirt and maybe a bit of corrossion, though I think that you are probably just being 'too careful'. Try tapping everything with a hammer to break the pin free. Well, not everything: tap the pin and the metal lugs of the pads and the caliper body. Give it a good wash and brush. If it's still stuck, carefully apply some solvent / penetrating fluid / lubricant whatever comes to hand. Tap again. Pry carefully against the brake pad lugs with a screwdriver to get some movement. Get a bigger hammer. Use a piece of steel rod, a blunt 4" or 6" nail, or something like that, to target your delicate but increasingly desperate hammer blows. You could try shooting it out?

Oh Bill, how embarrassing! I don't think that an answer should be given until you have posted a video of youself struggling manfully with the devilish device, using every implement and utensil available in Garage Maholo and in your kitchen drawers.

I looked at the Permatex website. Grief: what-a-lotta-sticky stuff!

But there's no such thing. Only typical Tennistas.

have you got a footpump that you could bring with you?

Desperate to see that you have more expensive V.11 trouble John. Here, cheer yourself up and listen to the bikes on the radio. Big J, Guzzirider... if you want to listen to Saturday's UGP roadraces, you can get it through the BBC Radio Player HERE. It'll probably be available until Friday/Saturday. On the Saturday Sportsound page, click on 'listen again'. Knock it forwards to about 5mins for some introductory talk. The main Superbike race is at 12 minutes and after that, knock it on to 1 hour 15 for the Supersport 600, which sounds even more thrilling than the Superbike. The final Superbike is after 2 hours. If you've got the time, I think you'll enjoy it. Whets the appetite for the moving pictures next Monday.

Well you could buy Ghostrider's bike. Wasn't it for sale a short while ago, maybe still is – as he has decided to be a bit more careful and responsible and mindful of mortality?

Their hangers could be a better solution for Guzzi's Ti cans than the lash-up that MG supply with the Ti kit. ? A bit pricey though.

It could very well be a split valve stem (rather than a faulty valve). If you search the forum you will find that this has caused slow leaks for a number of people here. It's not clear if all V.11s wheels were produced with rubbish valve stem metal or if different materials were used at different times or for different countries. If you don't have stainless steel valves then change to them for a long-term fix. I had this problem on a Ducati, which uses the same light-weight valve stems that inevitably split and leak. The V.11 suffered a more dramatic failure when the nut (same light material) that secures the valve to the rim split. The rear tyre lost pressure as air leaked past the valve and then it dramatically lost air, shape, steerability etc when the valve dropped from the rim into the tyre. Be careful about just fitting a new inner valve, if the problem actually is that you need to get 'proper steel' valve stems.

Wot, no big hammer, like wot I had to use on the V.11 Quat? Go on, bash it one. You know you want to.

I should have said, 'internet'. You could have heard the radio there. Local radio probably doesn't go that far on tv? And guy Martin did get a fourth. Anyhow, hope you got your cat-flap fixed.

I think that any sort of sealant will do. I've used various, including 30 year old (or thereabouts) Golden Hermitite, which I would use again. Last time that I had the cover off it was by the roadside, so I put it back together without any sealant at all. It's still like that and has been ok. Try a smear of blue instant gasket. Or Permatex Hylomar HPF – whatever that is.

See it for yourself – update on tv time: it's on Bank Holiday Monday at 10.20pm. Porter had an on-board camera so should be stunning views of Martin. Some explanation for disappearance of Hutchinson and fading McGuinness. Seems Hutch had a stone in the radiator and lost the water and McG had a slow back puncture. A stone at 150 / 175 or so? aow! ahem...Performance Bikes you and your big pistons! PS, just thinking, you can probably get Radio Ulster on your digital tv, can you? It's nearly over now: the last Supersport 600 is on, again cracking at 4 and 5 abreast. Sounds the most spectacular of the day, with loads of lead changes. – OK, Guy Martin has just got it. That's a hat-trick today. You could catch the last Superbike race. Maybe Guy will get a fourth?

Hope you made it after all, Ballacraine. The racing sounds fabulous on the radio. Furious and three-abreast up to 170, 180, 190mph round the roads. Raymond Porter has really come on in the past while, previously nearly giving it all up after a bad crash. Sounded like a great and a super-hard front place run between him and Guy Martin for the big Superbike win, with Martin taking it. Guy Martin became the fastest road racer in the world in this race, at over 130mph lap, so hope you saw it.

If it's just clunky, it's not the spring. If your spring broke it will simply be stuck in gear and the change won't work at all. Check the various adjustments. External ones first. What about your oil?

There are a number of reports of this trouble and quite a few are 2002 bikes. There are also lots of photos on opening the transmission cover etc. Try FAQ.

Tonights news showed the Silverstone circuit race between a plane, David Coulthard in a F1 car and young Johnny Rea on his Honda Superbike. The plane won it – just. All were within a second of each other. It's a bit 'so what?' though. It's a bit Red Bull.

Nod BBC1 around about 11pm or so. I'll try to tape it – but may not be at home myself. Robert won and did fastest lap at 110.84mph. He's an old boy of 45 now. Michael was second. Don't know where William came in. It wasn't third: probably not there at all, maybe just on the big bike. Raymond Porter is still going well and getting better. His best Superbike performance, finishing second. Guy Martin and Hutchinson are the other high-flyers. EDIT It's not in Radio Times. They definitely said 'Monday' on the tv. RT could be wrong, or it may be the following Monday. PS it's dry and sort of sunny at the moment (Saturday), so that's good.

There are only two people who know as many bikey bits as that. Her – and Ratchethack. Hold on. Has Ratchet ever said that s/he is a man? Is that... could it be... ???

Well the rain is bucketing down. I guess that Ballacraine may give it a miss. Looks pretty much the same for tomorrow. It's such a pity when that you got these conditions when you had the opportunity to attend the Ireland's oldest and the world's fastest roadrace. If you go, let us know what you thought. At least a 130mph lap was achieved yesterday in the better weather. John McGuinness was the first to crack it in practise. Guy Martin (and his Yamaha) won the Dundrod 150 Superbike race with a fastest lap of 130.44mph. Ian Hutchinson, who had a stomach bug and was physically sick, amazingly managed to lap at 130.53mph which made him the fastest rider, not only in the history of Dundrod but also in the British Isles for this figure beats anything achieved on any other road circuit. BTW Highlights should be on TV on Monday. Those of you in the know, know where to look. The Mid Antrim was shown last Monday and was quite spectacular. Moto GP back on Sunday. Jolly good.