I too have done similar, had a hole in my front tube, knew local dealer guy would be at event. I needed a spare anyways so I would buy a patch kit later to fix the tube with a hole in it. Purchase tube all happy as a clam. Install tube, pump it up. Find out I pinched it, go over to dealer guy and after he finishes laughing I purchase a patch kit. Redo the entire process, but a little slower so I don't pinch it again. Now I have 2 tubes with patches.
Alrighty I was able to see one of these in the metal at the MOTA Windsor Club event.
I will try to make this an enjoyable read.
The owner of said Ossa actually was looking for me specifically to check out the bike. I am still surprised when people seek me out for any reason. My reputation of being a cheap B*****D preceded me because he knew already that I was not interested in purchasing one. (or any other new bike for that matter)But he knew I was interested in the construction of the bike from a purely "how does this work" viewpoint. Basically a long winded way to say "The owner of this Ossa is a nice guy". Now on to the bike.
Just looking at it the machine looks good. The aesthetics in person are very nice. As far as how the cast aluminum pieces are attached to the CR-MO tubing, I am 99% sure it is some type of uber strong epoxy/glue type stuff. I did not know this next bit until looking at the bike. The headstock and the fuel tank are one cast aluminum piece. So I will assume that the walls of the fuel tank are fairly thick and sturdy, much like my head. The cast frame pieces have a bumpy texture, but I thought it gave them some character.
I had asked about the air filter, we are always worried about the cleanliness of the air filter. OK we are supposed to be anyways. The owner (OK I am bad with names and have an even worse memory, sorry) ahem I start again, The owner said that the filter does not get as dirty as quickly with it being located in the upper part of the frame, although he did say that it takes a bit of a system to remove the filter. There are a couple sensors and what nots in there that need to be disconnected and reconnected.
And then I take the bike for a ride. I decided it would be a good idea if I did NOT really thrash this bike and beat on it like my bike. I made this decision for 2 reasons. 1. It's not mine and 2. I did not look forward to telling Mrs. Zippy that I now need to spend much $$$ fixing somebody else's bike. Speaking with the owner, with the Ossa being fuel injected it is possible hook Mr. fancy laptop to the bike and change the ignition map. This gives options from smooth to fire breathing monster. Kickstarting reminded me a bit of the GasGas, seemed like a shortish swing with that little snap at the end of the kick. Now remember I took it easy on the bike so I don't know what it will do in the higher rev range, I also had to remind myself that this bike was set up for the owner, levers, suspension etc.. It putted around very well, balanced extremely easy, and I did go over a small stump. Engine responded as it should to get over the stump. The shift lever also reminded me of the GasGas, These are not good or bad things just a point of reference. Suspension seamed to do the business. I am at a bit of a disadvantage for evaluating suspension, I am riding a 2000 Sherco with the original suspension, I think the shock and forks are getting a bit wore out. Every new bike I try the rear end does not sink any where near as much as mine does when I get on it, and I have my spring wound almost to the top. Riding position seemed natural, I think I would rally enjoy riding one of these machines if I had one of my own and I could set up the personal controls specifically to me and I then I could really thrash the hell out of it.
Thank you for letting me take your new Ossa for a test ride. I think this bike could do well.
If you read this entire post to get to this sentence then I did my job of making this interesting. If I did not make it interesting, then lie to me and say it was.
all the resistor does it make it so the electricity in the plug does not interfere with your radio. Your reception may be a bit off for your favorite riding music station.
I started to put up something the other day, till the puter crashed, yet for example, the main landing gear ali axles have been epoxy bonded to the tube gear legs on my Cessna since '76 without issue. They do have a security through bolt, but never seen one fail at the junction.
God only knows what they are using on these, but hopefully it holds for its intended purpose. Still yet sure someone finds a way to break something here, yet maybe the tube rather than the joint. Time will tell.
Well if it is the same type of stuff that is on the Cessna I would bet the tube would fail first.
Regarding the frame construction; this isn't entirely new. Go and look at Benelli's more recent road bikes. They use exactly the same approach. Whilst the stresses are different; I think I'd be a lot more concerned about frame integrity on a 170+ mph superbike than on a trials bike!
Graham
OK, it's not a new approach, but what is that approach that actually holds the cast aluminum to the CR-MO tubing?
'Also any concern of damage to the lower portion of the fuel tank with having the skid plate mounted to it? Could be quite a bit of stress on the lower part of fuel tank with the skid plate being bashed and bending around a bit'
All the ones going round the Scottish this year seemed ok, plenty of bashplate bashing going on there.
So the fuel tank is beefy enough to handle the stresses. Good to know.
I think the Ossa looks to be very innovative and cool. But I have a question about the frame. I have done some research and am unable to find the answer. Frame: CR-MO steel tube profile with pipe and bottom made of cast aluminium So how are these cast aluminum pieces attached to the CR-MO steel tubes? I can't see any bolts. Am i blind, daft or just missing something?
Also any concern of damage to the lower portion of the fuel tank with having the skid plate mounted to it? Could be quite a bit of stress on the lower part of fuel tank with the skid plate being bashed and bending around a bit.
In theory nothing on the engine case side should have been touched if only the water pump seals were change. As the seals are in the clutch cover. But I assume you already know that. I am basically agreeing with you.
Maybe more work was done to it than the water pump seals. Bad bearing on the kickstart shaft, causing it to sit a little askew? And then the sprocket does not fully disengage?? Just grasping at straws.
thanks to the info i found on here i have got myself a 2007 290, very pleased with it.
the only problem i have got is that since the water pump seal was replaced the kickstart sounds like it is still slightly engaged all of the time. if i just to say touch the kickstart pushing it towards the front of the bike the noise goes away. any ideas what could cause this? or how to fix it thanks
something wrong with the kickstart return spring? I broke one of these once also.
Check the side angle of your wrist at the bars. I discovered that if my bars are too wide (just 3/4 of an inch) that my wrists were put at an odd angle and would hurt. With my bars at the correct width my wrist is kept 90 degrees to the grips.(hand and forearm should be a relative straight line) The wider the bars the farther out your arms go and the more you have to "point" your hands toward the center of the bars to keep your hands holding the grips. But if your bars are too narrow then your wrist will go the opposite direction. Hope this makes sense.
Here in the US we do have some extremely dangerous curbs. There is little known about the severe dangers of "Curb Falls", but it is stories like this one that really help to get exposure of the issue out there. Maybe in time we can reduce the danger of some of our curbs but until that day comes, I for one am thankful for the Marines that on occasion can be stationed at these dangerous curbs doing 2 services for the American people, collecting Toys for Tots (a wonderful program) and protection from dangerous curbs. Now if that individual would have heeded the warning from the Marines about the curb, he would have been in much better health when the Police arrived to find out why he thought he could leave the store with merchandise he did not pay for.
In the UK there is a fuel duty that is applied to all Hydrocarbon fuels, including unleaded petrol, diesel, LPG, bio diesel, bio ethanol and other fuels that are used in cars.
The rate of the fuel duty is usually set during the budget, and consist of an additional tax that is applied to the petrol before it is sold. This fuel duty is applied before VAT, so whenever the fuel duty rate is raised, additional VAT is placed on top of it.
In the March 2011 budget the government announced that it was reducing the fuel duty by 1p per litre, instead of increasing it by an estimated 4p (inflation +1p). To fund this reduction they have increased the tax of oil companies from 20% to 32% in order to create a 'fair fuel stabiliser'. Time will tell what this mean exactly, but with the oil companies paying more tax, will the price of petrol just go even higher???
Type of Fuel Total cost at pump Fuel duty VAT %tax
Taxes/gallon of unleaded is 12% (shown in a nice graphical representation of a gas pump on the right side of screen)
We in the US are not responsible for another government's huge taxation of fuel.
So if the total unleaded price in the US increase say 33% higher than 1 year ago (which they are)this means Oil Company receives a much larger profit than they will when total unleaded price increases by 33% in the UK. This is part of why we complain because this makes it appear as though the Oil Companies are spewing rhetoric that the US unleaded is sooo much cheaper than the rest of the world and that we need to be "brought more in line" with the rest of the world, but basically they are just jacking up profits quickly.
Again Just my opinions based on information I could find.
When the mechanical gods are against you
in Anything goes
Posted
I too have done similar, had a hole in my front tube, knew local dealer guy would be at event. I needed a spare anyways so I would buy a patch kit later to fix the tube with a hole in it. Purchase tube all happy as a clam. Install tube, pump it up. Find out I pinched it, go over to dealer guy and after he finishes laughing I purchase a patch kit. Redo the entire process, but a little slower so I don't pinch it again. Now I have 2 tubes with patches.