Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: HolyCount on 24 June 2009, 20:37:26

Title: REALLY stoopid bikie questions
Post by: HolyCount on 24 June 2009, 20:37:26
I have only ever ridden little automatic bikes (twist the grip and fall off type things!), but have lately, due to my mid-life crisis urges, had a hankering for a trike. I already have the shaven head and goatee, along with an impressive pot-belly.

Anyway, there are basically two choices; bike based or car based.

The car based ones are no problem, drive on a car licence and pedals like a car  ::)  The bike ones have a motorbike front end, engine and controls.

First Q (not too stoopid):

For road tax reasons I would like to keep the trike under 450kg ..... how do I guessimate the weight (would it be on the V5) ?

Second Q (feel really stoopid):

How DO you change gear on a bike?  I know you de-clutch on the handlebars and tip the little gear lever jobbie by your right (?) foot. But do you press down each time to go up a gear and lift it to change down??

Title: Re: REALLY stoopid bikie questions
Post by: omegadti on 24 June 2009, 20:41:31
it's a long time since I rode a bike but the basics of gear changing vary with the bike  - some are 1 up 3 down, some are 1 down 3 up - but you either toe the gear change up or press it down to change gear.   Some old bikes had the change on the left, others had it on the right - bit like old fashioned indicator stalks!
Title: Re: REALLY stoopid bikie questions
Post by: albitz on 24 June 2009, 21:06:53
gearchange with left foot,when in neutral push down for 1st gear then fror 2nd -6th just keep moving up,very easy,only need the clutch to move off and change down,not for changing up. :y
As for the weight of a trike,no idea im afraid,but a bike engined trike will be a lot lighter and probably a lot more powerful than a car engined version. ;)
Title: Re: REALLY stoopid bikie questions
Post by: Welung666 on 24 June 2009, 21:14:11
A disabled friend has a bike derived trike (made from a turbo Hiyabusa) and it goes like stink. It weighs in at around 700kg but as he's disabled it has a grip shift gearchange. Standard bikes are left hand clutch, left foot gears and brakes are on the right hand/foot, front/rear respectively. Very easy to get used to especially on a trike as you've not got to worry about balancing :P
Title: Re: REALLY stoopid bikie questions
Post by: albitz on 24 June 2009, 21:24:12
Quote
A disabled friend has a bike derived trike (made from a turbo Hiyabusa) and it goes like stink. It weighs in at around 700kg but as he's disabled it has a grip shift gearchange. Standard bikes are left hand clutch, left foot gears and brakes are on the right hand/foot, front/rear respectively. Very easy to get used to especially on a trike as you've not got to worry about balancing :P
Scary fast  8-).....The standard engines very between 170-190 bhp,depending on year. :)
Title: Re: REALLY stoopid bikie questions
Post by: Welung666 on 24 June 2009, 21:28:59
Quote
Quote
A disabled friend has a bike derived trike (made from a turbo Hiyabusa) and it goes like stink. It weighs in at around 700kg but as he's disabled it has a grip shift gearchange. Standard bikes are left hand clutch, left foot gears and brakes are on the right hand/foot, front/rear respectively. Very easy to get used to especially on a trike as you've not got to worry about balancing :P
Scary fast  8-).....The standard engines very between 170-190 bhp,depending on year. :)

He had a standard busa, thats how he ended up disabled but he's a complete bike nut. He'd already got the Mr Turbo kit before a bus pulled out on him, thats why he had the trike built. Mid 400's bhp now, the nose lifts at a ton with a generous fist ;D
Title: Re: REALLY stoopid bikie questions
Post by: albitz on 24 June 2009, 22:16:40
fuuuunnnnn 8-) 8-) 8-) :)
Title: Re: REALLY stoopid bikie questions
Post by: Vamps on 24 June 2009, 22:34:04
Quote
A disabled friend has a bike derived trike (made from a turbo Hiyabusa) and it goes like stink. It weighs in at around 700kg but as he's disabled it has a grip shift gearchange. Standard bikes are left hand clutch, left foot gears and brakes are on the right hand/foot, front/rear respectively. Very easy to get used to especially on a trike as you've not got to worry about balancing :P

But real bikes had right foot gears and left foot brakes, with left hand clutch and right hand brake, and none of those indicator things.......... :D :D :D
Title: Re: REALLY stoopid bikie questions
Post by: albitz on 24 June 2009, 22:48:43
........and crash helmets were made from leather,and geoff duke was winning the TT. :D ;D
Title: Re: REALLY stoopid bikie questions
Post by: Vamps on 24 June 2009, 22:57:40
Quote
........and crash helmets were made from leather,and geoff duke was winning the TT. :D ;D

I wasn't going quite that far back, just to my youth.... :D :D :P :P
Title: Re: REALLY stoopid bikie questions
Post by: feeutfo on 24 June 2009, 23:48:43
oh dear, as soon as some old bugger starts talking about his bikes i have to walk in the other direction.... "i had a 19** bsa tiger norton cub boneville.... pile of crap..... Oh ffs....
Title: Re: REALLY stoopid bikie questions
Post by: Vamps on 25 June 2009, 00:13:43
Quote
oh dear, as soon as some old bugger starts talking about his bikes i have to walk in the other direction.... "i had a 19** bsa tiger norton cub boneville.... pile of crap..... Oh ffs....

But that is how it was, and how peeps will be talking about omega's in 20 years time. And I am not that old >:( it is all relative, think about what is a classic car, some people think a Fiesta is a classic ::)
Title: Re: REALLY stoopid bikie questions
Post by: Pitchfork on 25 June 2009, 13:18:54
Vellocette Venom!!!
Nothing more needs saying :)
Title: Re: REALLY stoopid bikie questions
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 25 June 2009, 13:46:19
Quote
Quote
oh dear, as soon as some old bugger starts talking about his bikes i have to walk in the other direction.... "i had a 19** bsa tiger norton cub boneville.... pile of crap..... Oh ffs....

But that is how it was, and how peeps will be talking about omega's in 20 years time. And I am not that old >:( it is all relative, think about what is a classic car, some people think a Fiesta is a classic ::)

Well the Mk1's are over 30 years old now!! :o :o ;D ;D ;)

........and I think the Senator is a classic already! 8-) 8-) :D :D ;)
Title: Re: REALLY stoopid bikie questions
Post by: Chris_H on 25 June 2009, 14:06:07
My first bike was a BSA Barracuda and the shift was on the right except when it fell off.  It rode really well in top gear with a bit of clutch-slippage to get going.
Title: Re: REALLY stoopid bikie questions
Post by: kris on 26 June 2009, 09:03:27
if you're after a trike then theres no better place to look than here  http://www.boom-trikes.co.uk/products.html

theres a dealer/showroom just down the road from me. really beautiful machines.   8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)
Title: Re: REALLY stoopid bikie questions
Post by: HolyCount on 26 June 2009, 18:03:48
Quote
if you're after a trike then theres no better place to look than here  http://www.boom-trikes.co.uk/products.html

theres a dealer/showroom just down the road from me. really beautiful machines.   8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)

Really nice -- but would cost me both my kidneys  :-?
Title: Re: REALLY stoopid bikie questions
Post by: mc9 on 26 June 2009, 22:29:13
I don't understand trikes.... All the disadvantages of a car and a bike combined. Never mind, enjoy. The nicest trike I ever saw had a Z1300 engine and audio system playing pirate radio. It was controlled by a  microcontroller that automatically started the engine and ran it for a short time before stopping and repeating. Brilliant.

My first bike was an NSU Quickly moped. First legal bike Norton 99.

Next bike: Tuono, Husqvarna 610, Super Duke, or something......

mc9
Title: Re: REALLY stoopid bikie questions
Post by: HolyCount on 27 June 2009, 08:52:27
Quote
I don't understand trikes.... All the disadvantages of a car and a bike combined. Never mind, enjoy. The nicest trike I ever saw had a Z1300 engine and audio system playing pirate radio. It was controlled by a  microcontroller that automatically started the engine and ran it for a short time before stopping and repeating. Brilliant.

My first bike was an NSU Quickly moped. First legal bike Norton 99.

Next bike: Tuono, Husqvarna 610, Super Duke, or something......

mc9

Many of the advantages of a bike but harder (though not impossible) to fall off  ::)