Freddie it seems the Bargain Place to buy a Motorcycle is The Superbike Factory Outlets They Claim to sell at 30%. Below Market Rate I have Heard good and Bad That if you buy a Bike you can't hear it Running before you Buy the Bike Have you been. To a Superbike Factory Outlet ?
I'm a Pennsylvanian, and love most motorcycles. At 76 I am riding a 2016 Sportster Roadster and a 2022 Moto Guzzi v7 850 Special! I've had many brands and I am fond of BMW boxers, HD Sportsters, Suzuki's , BSA's , and Norton's! And now Guzzi!
My 2000 gen1 SV650 had been stood outside for three years when I bought it, I had to buy a clean second hand fuel tank , (the original had corroded inside) and then I removed the carbs stripped and cleaned all the dried up fuel residue out using vinegar and an assortment of small brushes, and needles to clear the jets , and compressed air . After servicing the rest of the bike it's ran without any problems since. There's nothing wrong with carburated bikes ,I've had loads of them over fifty two years of my biking life, only recently acquiring fuel injection bikes with my 2014 Vstrom (from new) and an Enfield Interceptor which I traded for a new Classic 350, the only benefit of fuel injection bikes is you don't have to use a choke starting from cold , just hit the button and let it idle while you put your gear on ! Interesting topic cheers Freddie 🍻
Agree completely that carburettor based bikes can be used as daily transport. I have ridden bikes for 34 years and until I bought my Scram last year, none of my bikes have been fuel injected. For quite a few years I travelled in excess of 20, 000 miles per year, with few issues and none related to the carbs.
I just passed my motorcycle test here in the US a few days ago (it was scarily easy-I still don't really know what I'm doing), and I've been bingeing the podcast episodes and the main channel episodes for a couple weeks. You do great work! Thanks for all the content. EDIT: Oh, and in case you're wondering what motorcycles were provided for us to learn and test on, there were 4 Yamaha XT250s, 2 Royal Enfield Meteor 350s, a Yamaha TW200, and a Suzuki VanVan.
I agree, it's almost stupidly easy to pass the MSF course. Never rode a Motorcycle in my life before the class and was able to pass it. Even with that class I feel like I don't know anything either.
Love "Tuesdays at Dobbs'" chats. The topic of any given Tuesday may or may not relate to me, but I love the cozy talk of anything to do with motorcycles.
There is an external alternator retrofit repair for goldwing charging systems. Also there are companies that will rebuild your entire carburetor block on an exchange basis. Great bikes once you solve these simple issues.
Ex Police vehicles can be clocked by unscrupulous sellers after they've been purchased at auction.This is because there's no publicly available MOT history to look up so a prospective purchaser has no idea how many miles the vehicle has covered.
I had a set of carbs from a bike that had sat in a barn for over 20 years, they were totally ceased, the float bowls were full of solidified petrol and corrosion, after getting them ultrasonically cleaned and rebuilt, I put them on the bike and they ran faultlessly. I also bought another bike that hadn't run for 18 years, but was stored properly, carbs drained, etc, put clean oil and fuel in the bike and it started and run properly, might need a balance before going on the road though. So I'd say carbs are ok if continually used or stored properly so they don't gum up. Although I'm not a complete luddite, I do have a fuel injected bike which I run on E5 and never had injector problems, I believe Esso actually doesn't use Ethanol in their E5 fuel, might worth looking into to.
Hey Freddie, great vlogs, as always. One thing on ex police vehicles, is this! As an ex copper, I can remember high performance cars and bikes alike, going out on shouts, from cold to full revs. They are abused and driven hard. It’s a job requirement. So while they are fully serviced they do get a much, much harder like than normal motors. Not to mention a lot of repairs after full contact. Buyers beware. As a foot note, remember speaking to a , police mechanic. Who told a story of a hyabusa being tested as a police bike. In he’s words, “it was always break and not up to the job!”.
People with a carburettored bike need to understand ghem and have the confidence to incrementally take them apart to clean and service them….as probably a good 50-50% of older motorcyclists can, I would imagine. There’s nothing to be frightened about; simple engineering - just use good fuel (I also use a Lucas stabiliser) and don’t leave it too long in the tank.
I highly doubt 50% of riders can service their carburettors. It's not necessary if the bike is ridden regularly. Millions of single cylinder carburettored bikes and scooters are used as daily transport all around the world. For the common ones, it's cheap and easy to buy a whole new carburettor and bolt it on. Personally I recently paid a specialist workshop to set up the carbs on my 1963 Honda because I wanted it to be done once and not fiddle with the carbs myself all year. Since then I have had to drain the float bowls once, but no other maintenance.
Greetings Freddie, re my XL1000 Varadero, you kindly mentioned me and my Varadero in a recent previous Tuesday slot while talking about the pros-cons of owing older bikes. A quick reminder for those looking to buy a Vara......common fault No2 , carefully check the exhaust manifold, the joints fail. Honda no longer make/supply replacements and custom fabrications sets owners back several hundred. But don't be put off. It's a cracking good mile eater and ultra reliable. Cheers, Mark
I've owned a number of bikes over the last 30 years. Some bought new, some a few years old. I have never paid a penny for any servicing, doing it all myself. Never had a breakdown and never had a carb problem.
As an old git I’d say carburettors are simple and I use them all the time. Modern fuel makes carbs more tricky, but I can fix them with a few simple tools, electronic fuel injection in magical ‘till it packs up when I have no chance of fixing it. Fifty year old carbs can be made to work easily if not always perfectly after a hundred thousand miles - a whole lot better than silent beside the road!
100% true. Totally agree. Hipsters prefer EFI because their ideas of working on their bikes is polishing them and maybe fitting aftermarket mirrors. Anything requiring actual real skills is always going to be beyond them. I remember my on/off girlfriend leaving her Puch Maxi at my parents place one very cold winter - because she couldn’t start it. I had zero experience of two strokes, and only days before I’d just written off my third Honda, a gorgeous CB250G5 in Candy Orange, in an accident that nearly killed me. So I sat on the freezing concrete garage floor and stripped the carb, unblocked the jets and cured an air leak. Then, despite still having a broken hip and pelvis, I grabbed my helmet, fended off my Mum’s understandably angry objections, and rode that little bugger eight miles through deep snow and ice to its owner’s house. She wasn’t grateful, we split up, and I have no idea how I got home, but that memory defines being a REAL biker in my humble opinion. I was 17. It was the late ‘70s. Hipsters hadn’t even been invented yet. And much more importantly, the EU and WEF hadn’t started lying about and falsely demonising one of the key cornerstones of life on Earth, and basing parasitic legislation on fake claims. Peace
Hi Freddie, great Tuesday at Tobs as usual. Varadero. I had a 1999 model, car version, for 13 years, went all over uk and Europe on didn't miss a beat. 70,000 miles when I sold it. To my shame in all that time I never changed the plugs or replaced the airfilter, just oil and oil filter every 6 months. All day comfort 200 mile tank range. Great bike. Jay.
Mechanics are not mechanics anymore. They are component swappers, and have no real experience fixing or repearing cars or motorcycles. It's sad, but true. Yes, they are able to check and adjust your valves, but that's about it. I have a 23 years old Kawasaki Vulcan 800 with 80k on it 55k mine... Never missed a beat. I allways fill it up with E5 and make sure to drain the carb when i store it over winter. But I do that with my 2018 Road King as well. Carbs are actually very simple, and if you get a good manual, everybody should be able to clean and set them up right. Vacuum gagues are cheap and easy to come by for synchronizing and most japanese brands use standard carbs wich makes rebuild kits easy to obtain. I have been riding mopeds and motorcycles since 1976, and the Road King is my first injected bike. I have never experienced problems that left me stranded because of my carbs, ever.
Great stream Freddie. I own 5 bikes all have carbs and i have never had a problem with anyof them . The trick is to run them dry when you get home . Turn the fuel off then let the bike run until it stops .Simple .Modern fuel does not stand well so drain the carbs .
Always entertaining, I’m thankful for this young man, Freddie Dobbs…. Very interesting slants on modern motorcycling, demands and desires. When I was a 20-year-old, I did over 46,000 miles on my BSA, 650 thunderbolt, admittedly I had a DeviMead conversion to really improve its reliability on the crankshaft more details if you require ….. carburettor never touched…. For normal machine, 47 break….. my BMW,R 80/7 another carburettors motorcycle never had to touch them and over 40,000 miles….. I still have this, and I am preparing it to put it back on the road….. simplicity, any time over complex, electrics, and fuel management systems with injectors…. Okay many of the vehicles of yesterday will not meet emissions regulations….. although your vehicle can be tested and many are being recognised as euro compliant…. Anyway, that’s another big story .
The E5 v E10 debate has been going on a long time within the classic car market Freddie. Basically E10 fuel starts 'going off' after around a month and this is what damages carbs. E5 Super Unleaded however, has a tank life of around 12 months before it starts to 'go off'. If you add a squirt of Redex, this will extend it's life further. Adding a fuel stabiliser can extend it's life up to 3 years. As a rule of thumb, if your bike is not going to be used for a month fill it with E5 Super Unleaded, to be safe.
On the topic of used police bikes at auction. I worked at an independent dealer with a contract to our local police station. If a police bike got a puncture we fitted a new tyre. If the exhaust sounded odd we replaced the whole system. If the clutch started slipping, we replaced the whole clutch - basket - all the plates - springs - bearings and threw in a cable and lever for good measure! They were serviced methodically because we were told (instructed) to. Under no circumstances were they to have issues when on patrol or high speed persuits. We were paid by government cheque and no questions asked! (My boss took 2 foreign holidays a year lol)
23 yr old Ducati ST4 916, I've never touched the fueling apart from a slight weakening of mixture trim pot in the ecu to change from 98 to95 octane and it runs even better.std filter and silencers 😊
Freddie Re: Harley is king in the US. One in 5 motorcycle sales in the US is a Harley (21% Market Share in 2022). The next closest is Honda with 17.5% market share, then Kawasaki with 12.8%, Yamaha at 11.3%, Suzuki at 5%, then BMW, Indian, Ducati, Triumph and Moto Guzzi to round out the top ten.
Hi from Darwin.. I've just been working on my bike..on the electrics of which I have no idea what I'm doing..i absolutely love the way you have a go.. and the way you go about it...
Freddie carbs have been around since the dawn of combustion engines and were continually in use on bikes and cars for the next 80+ years without anyone complaining about reliability. Yes I will admit that they are not quite as efficient as modern fuel injection but they are serviceable and generally reliable if looked after. Injection is reliable but as with all electronic systems they are not easily serviceable and can be extremely expensive to repair when they do go wrong.
I would have to disagree regarding carburettored bikes. Up until July this year (2023) I was running a Honda VTR firestorm, which was fitted with a pair of 48mm carbs,the problems that I encountered in trying to balance said carburettors were beyond the joke,so much so that I sold it and bought a fuel injected GSXR 1000 K2,a fantastic bike which runs as smooth as the Honda was rough,I wouldn't even consider owning another carburettored bike!.
Regarding £4k trade in difference… It would have been correct to say that if 2 competing Triumph dealers (or 2 RE dealers) were offering deals which were identical in all other respects and the only difference being the trade-in price leading to a £4k difference. It’s the net amount you’re giving the dealer that’s relevant. Dealers used to refer to this as the “price to swap”. My suspicion is that, in this case, a Triumph dealer could readily sell the BMW to his customer base whereas a RE dealer would likely dispose of it to the trade.
Freddie in the 70's we bikers use to put our best bikes away in winter and buy a rat bike to keep riding over winter. i still do this My Triumph Truxton R is away for winter and my Cheap Mash 500 with it's cheaper road tax will take me to work and rides on nice winter days. Just wondered is this still a thing or do people just use there cars .
Freddie, the worst bike I ever had was a FI Transalp 700, every other week I was getting a fault code, and several times it lost power , which is not good on a Bulgarian road, the code was for the throttle position censor, which is not available, it can only be bought as a complete throttle body assembly, I bought a second hand throttle body, it worked fine for a week, then the fault code was back, I now run a 99 zx9r, and I clean and balance the carbs before winter storage.
In my early days all the bikes and then cars I rode/drove had carbs and they were very reliable when fed clean fuel and not left standing for long periods of time. When I worked on EFI in the 90's I was in my element, plugging in the diagnostic and reading between the lines. The code could come up for the air mass meter and that pointed you in the direction of the fault. Sometimes it was a wire adrift in the connector rather than the unit being defunct, but with the amount of sensors and wiring/connectors involved it seemed a very involved and busy way to deliver fuel which could prove very expensive if the repair approach was not thorough. As a technician I know EFI works better than a carb with maximising fuel efficiency but when riding/driving for the enjoyment the carburettors are still well up for the job.
I know I have been on here after the hassle of my carbed yamaha bt1100. I don’t have a problem with carbs at all. Until the E10 fuel arrived. There are some tests of e10 fuel on utube showing the effects in particular on the seals. Lots on here too about small machinery failing on this new fuel. My daughter has a 30yr old suzuki car and I have just replaced the injectors for £90. I like the smoothness of carbs generally not glitchy from to lean fuel. I justt got fed up with stripping the carbs every 3 months. That bike had no petcock just a vacuum of engine compression. So winterising it was a pure pain. The main problem was the 13 yr old rubber snorkels had cracked and the slow running jet was permanently blocked. I even rejetted it with a larger jet. But got fed up. I think the rubber seal are going to be a major issue in every fuelled engine. The governments make the most preposterous decisions regarding our transportation. My v Strom 650 says e10 on the tank but I am using e5 with an occasional 1/2 gallon of very high octane fuel purchased from an airfield a tip given to me by a friend. Since I have used it on my mowers they run incredibly. I used sea foam on my yamaha but 1100 but didn’t unclog the slow running jet. Shame because when throttle open and on fast running jet was a lovely bike but coming down to low revs was a bucking bronco that I felt unsafe on. I agree with the electronic issues with fuel injection but the actual injectors aren’t hard to replace depending on engine configuration. On the older Hondas I had the carbs were very easy access on back of engine very simple to remove and if you’ve stripped one carb they are pretty much the same. My local bike shop who repaired my carbs once was a race mechanic with a rolling road. I gave it to him in case I wasn’t doing it right as i am a diyer. Ran beautifully for a few weeks and back to lumpy slow running. He fitted the larger jet and set it up. I winterise my bikes and there’s the rub I suppose. I had a honda vfr800 fuel injected 1999 for 21 yrs and left over winter and never ever had an issue in 21 yrs
All this talk about carburettor to fuel injection. I work in a very well-known most museum and the biggest problem now is a modern day fuel not actually the vehicle the modern day fuel eat fuel lines and dissolves lead in solder. It keeps me in a job though but the biggest problem is a lot of people don’t use their motorcycles or classic cars every day that is the biggest killer they’d like to be used. Only having a bike for nice sunny days is probably the worst thing for a modern day or old motorcycle or car or whatever, so if you want them to survive and run properly use them for what they meant for don use them as a toy for weekends mostly riding motorcycles don’t like driving cars if I can help it. Michael
Freddie I almost bought a bike of a chap who was on his death bed.. But when I got there early he was wheeling a wheel barrow full of concrete to the foundation of his new garage /shed where he intended to repair yep MOTORCYCLES !!!!! So on questioning the ill health bit of the advert to be fair to hime he was honest at that point he said "THAT ONE ALWAYS WORKS" As you can imagine I asked him if he wanted a hand with the wheelbarow as I got back in my car swearing and cusssssing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do not trust no man or woman "SADLY" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it is becoming more and more apparent that there are very few REAL motorcycle mechanics left. What the Trade schools are producing now are humble "part-exchangers" who without a Data connection, are unable to diagnose, let alone repair or modify to suit, even simple mechanical issues.
As someone living in Texas since 00', the thing about Harleys, in my humble opinion, are that they are very region specific in the US, in some parts like the South and the Midwest they are "Kings" but in the inner cities and the smaller-road older East Coast area they can be a rare sight. It depends on where you are, Harleys are common in some part and absolute outliers in others. The young vs old topic is a different argument in it self, but location does affect it. young ppl are more willing to give Harleys a chance in the Midwest vs young ppl around the east coast or inner cities imho. America as seen in the eyes of bikers around the world, imo, is of the romantic Midwest & the South and not really about the East coast. People on the east coast are kind of living in a different world much more like yours Freddie, its older, smaller, and wetter like England ironically. When bikers talk about America, they are probably talking about the South and Midwest 💯 not the east coast or any inner city locked area like NYC, Boston, etc Finally, I put everything down to a difference in culture here in the US. Old or young, if you live in the Midwest/south or even rural America you are living in "southern/western culture" more or less vs city folks are living the cosmopolitan "city life" that Harleys just inherently don't exist in. It is a tale of two cultures here in America; has been for a while; north vs south, red vs blue, city vs country, new vs old, choppers vs super sports, and Harleys vs every other bike. It all depends on who you ask and what life they live by.
Hi Freddie, I had 2 varadero 2007 and 2010 both brand new underrated bikes did over 30000 miles on each of them but both had the censor problem, this is no word of a lie the second one started playing up at 13000 miles censor replaced then at 26000 miles, same again but honda would not accept there was a problem and do a recall, and i have never touched a honda again.
Hi Freddy greetings from Cornwall we are getting the Honda PCX 125cc the new updated 2023 version be nice to see some scooters on the channel I know you've done a review of the Honda super cub we are also getting that next year
I would like to provide some context regarding the popularity of Harley Davidson motorcycles in the US. Overall, motorcycle sales in the US since 2000 reached a HWM of 1,149M units in 2006 followed by steady decline over the next 15 years. However, sales have increased slightly the past three years, reaching almost 600K units in 2022 (still a far cry from ‘06). Harley Davidson represents the largest share at 21%; however that is down from 31%. This is followed by Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, BMW, Indian, Ducati, Triumph and Moro Guzzi. It should be noted that both Indian and Triumph sales are in the rise. I agree that it’s up to younger riders to continue to drive US sales. Anecdotally, here in New England where I live, I would say conservatively that 8/10 bikes I see on the road are Harley’s followed by a variety of sport bike brands. If I come across another Triumph, BMW (I bought a ‘23 T120 Chrome Edition this year) or other modern classic it’s a rare occasion. I have nothing against Harley Davidson, ride what you like. But, they are expensive, unreliable and are a handful in the twisty’s. Other than that…😅. The bottom line is get out there and ride!
Really enjoying your tuesday broadcasts, I look at bikes on Facebook, and yes, it does make you wonder if they are legit. Some really low prices on it.
BTW Freddie . Theres a gold wing going up for auction at the Birmingham classic car show . Price guide £2000 -4000 in great condition . Love the vid of the of the gold wing getting scrapped. lol
Carburetors don’t leave you on the side of the road without first giving you lots and lots of warning. Personally, I’ve never had a bit of trouble with one that I maintain myself.
The problem with carb bikes is definitely the fuel, even with injection too depending on the model, I don't get the milage on my Motot Guzzi V7 with the E10 like I do with the E5. I have to wonder why this was really intorduced as it is destroying older bikes and cars, or is this the purpose of it? Great video and some interesting discussions as always
As a novice carburetted bikes are a pain. I started on a suzuki gz 125 and had a myriad of issues. I spent more time trying to work on it than ride it. If I didnt truly love biking, that would have been my last straw.
It's all well and good saying your bike is "worth so much more" but the fact is it's only worth what it will sell for. The market is very fickle at the minute. I was looking at selling my 2023 Gen 3 Hayabusa and yet a number of outlets weren't at all interested.
All regular gas in USA is E 10. Never had a problem running modern or vintage bikes running on regular gas. Ride your bike so gas doesn't last long enough to go bad.
YES. Mechanics should be able to work on both carb and injection bikes. If not they are fitters not mechanics. There are plenty of good mechanics out there, if tgey refuse to repair then they are fitters ( don't repair fit a new part )
Think the trouble with older bikes and finding mechanics is that they can be more trouble than it’s worth. Bolts seize, bolts snap off, parts are obsolete, if it’s your own bike you are working on it’s bad enough. If it’s someone else’s yet your time is money that’s not a good place to be. Teach yourself or buy newer bikes.
Most old carbed bikes issues are worn carbs, a new well set up carb should be totally reliable. New genuine carbs from the Japanese manufacturers are under £200 each.
Facebook marketplace is fine in Portugal. It seems to be in Thailand, too, although I'd only buy from an expat on the latter. I'd rather have fuel injection. Better mpg for one thing. I can't imagine a police bike being clocked. It's a nonsense. Well-maintained bikes. Nick J
Freddie, recent subscriber. What an intelligent, well structured and entertaining podcast. Good effort mate. I ride a 1998 BMW F650 that I’ve owned for the last 12 years, and I’ve been riding for 50 years.
Hi Freddie I currently ride a Suzuki Gsx 650 f ,my first bike and I used it for my test too . plenty of power,but top heavy as many folks will tell you. I have looked very closely at the Honda Varedero 1000 as looking to upgrade,or the Kawasaki Versys 1000 but the Honda represent better value for my money . Torn between the two. Paul in Ireland.
I always buy bikes from new. I trade in my bikes after 2 or 3 years and get the benefit of a warranty, recovery and tax paid. I kept my last bike for 4 years, CB650R. Only because I really liked it. MoTs are a pain and there are no worries of waiting for parts that are never going to turn up because the companies couldn't give a damn about your further custom. Triumph, the hipsters choice, are certainly one of the worst. But others a bad too.
I have a 98 sprint with carbs it has worked perfectly well it has 49 thousand miles on it. Ive never had a injected bike always carbs im what you call a budget biker.
Freddie, carbs and points are simple and easy to work with if you grew up with them or are willing to educate yourself on how to look after them, With bikes used regularly the prospect of fuel fouling is not really and issue as the flow of fuel through the jets and passageways prevents the build up of varnish etc. Balancing the carbs is the only (relatively) regular maintenance and again is not difficult. Fuel injected bikes however need high pressure fuel pumps and you will almost certainly find that issues with these bikes are fuel pump rather than injector related and are not always cheap or easy to fix. As with most things you pay your money and take your choice. I currently run a fuel injected Buell and a carbed Yamaha and both have proven to be 100% reliable despite being far from daily drivers. I do however only use the 5% Ethanol fuel now that 0% is not available any longer and try to not leave them too long between rides but a break of 2 months is not unusual. Ethanol in fuel can be a problem whichever type of bike you have and I would recommend a fuel stabiliser if you are parking up over the winter or alternatively a complete draining of the fuel system. On a standard carbed bike overhauling the carbs is within the capabilities of most home mechanics using readily available kits and available manuals or documentation, however, once you deviate from standard such as fitting pod filters or alternative exhaust pipes you are likely to need a specialist to rejet and reset the carbs for best running. Having said that, a change on an injected bike with probably require a remap again usually requiring a specialists input. Having grown up with carbs, moved to injected models during my biking career I cannot say hand on heart either is better than the other and I for one would happily ride and own either type.. Regards Paul
Hi Freddie, for next week's podcast how about hanging 'that' jacket (you know the one I mean) on the coat hooks on the interrogation room door and see what comments you get.... Just a thought 😂
I'm 74, American and I have never cared for HD (although I do like the Pan America and think the Low Rider ST might be alright). BUT I do understand the positive feelings that fellow Americans have over riding big cruisers. Unlike the UK and most of Europe, the US and Canada have tremendously open spaces with wide lanes of highways crisscrossing enormously large areas of land. The best way to cover all that area comfortably is with either a large cruiser or a large touring bike such as Honda's Goldwing. In all the bikes in the last almost 60 years of riding, most of my bikes have been standard, sports or sport tourers (such as my Yamaha FJR 1300). I did have one large tourer many years ago... a Yamaha Venture Royale with the V4 engine... not the newer V twin piece of shite they sell now. At my age and less athletic abilities, I have been looking at smaller, lighter motorcycles. I live in a small community with a Moto Guzzi dealer and, as much as I like the Mandello 100, I've been thinking about the new V7. Lower seat and easier to lift if I drop it. Ah well, senior citizenry is not for the faint of heart!
Not sure what the fuss over Facebook Marketplace is, I've just bought a 1981 C17 Globemaster, one careful owner, for a bargain price, just waiting for the seller to deliver it.
Hi Freddie I am a Harley rider , although I have another bike. I’ve ridden Harleys since my late 20’s . I must say they are over priced and offer less performance than many other models. They are well built and since the Evo motor are very reliable. However brand loyalty and brand hatred seem very odd to me , is it a question of the personal insecurity of the commenter. They seem to have to believe their bike is the best model and anyone else’s choice is wrong. Regarding fuel injection vs carburettors. Yes carbs need occasional maintenance but they are mechanical and normally easily fixed. Fuel injection may be more reliable in general but they require electronic sensors, pumps and engine management items which can fail and are probably unrepairable and more expensive.
I never understand why people trade in stuff? Seems like a good way to leave money on the table, and it's not just bikes, everything. Trade in never makes sense as there is a middle man that needs to take their cut. Why not just do the work yourself and get the most out of your sale?
Wow, I've lived in and traveled much of the US my whole life and if Harley isn't king then I don't know what would be. I've bought the majority of everything I own off of Facebook or craigslist. It's a great source of goods. So again, BS. The bought and sold and the majority of people are not scammers and the scams you do see, or sellers you don't want to interact with, are usually quite obvious.
On the debate of carved vs fuel injected, I run here in Utah 2 fuel injected engines and 3 carbureted engines 1950-1996 Chevrolet pickups. I like the self tuning nature of fuel injection, I also like the tune abilities of a carburetor. It really depends on the skills of the mechanic, did they specialize in electronically controlled fuel injection or are they part of the dying breed of carburetor gurus? My bikes are a 2023 RE interceptor 650, and I just picked up a 1983 Yamaha xj900. I like the satisfaction from putting a vehicle back on the road again that was considered not worth the investment.
Ive had Triumph garages refusing to work on my daytona because it was considered too old and a classic bike....a 2006 daytona 955i. In fairness, they did recommend taking the bike to named independent mechanics....who then try to quote me 1000s for undertaking normal regular servicing as according to the Triumph Owners Manual. I then get gaslighted by being told that I shouldnt have bought the bike without knowing the risks of having such an "old" machine. Its a bike Ive had since 2008. Basically, don't buy Triumph if you think you'll get a good service for life in exchange for your customer loyalty; unless you want an overpriced sausage factory produced machine and don't mind upgrading every 2-3 years.
Freddy , Carbs v fuel injection Some people with Royal Enfield bike's are converting there bike's from fuel injection to carbs, look at Hitchcock's catalogue for conversion kits, Regards Roy Bowden from Bridgwater Somerset.
Re Police Bikes ( in my case cars ) being clocked. Agreed! The police do not clock cars they are sending to auctions but most police vehicles are owned by leasing companies. They may go through an auction and then sold to a third party but, that third party will probably “click” that vehicle. Take my example a Discovery L4 with under4 K miles and it was on it 3rd engine! But still showed less than 90k miles. No way! One through the auctions they can have as many miles on the clock as you want. A good friend of mine tells a story of selling second hands cars and being asked “ how many miles does it have?” And the answer being “how many do you want?” Only on ex police cars that are auctioned this is possible. It’s a loophole that the government has conveniently overlooked.
This is eye opening, and explains how it’s done!! Could you just check if there’s a typo in this section as I didn’t quite understand this but: “a Discovery L4 with under4 K miles and it was on it 3rd engine! But still showed less than 90k miles”. Thank you for sharing🙌🏻
Sorry. Predictive text! The Disco 4 had less than 100k miles on the clock when I bought it from a dealer who bought it at a closed auction direct from the police. There was very little paperwork with it except some that said it had, had, 2 engine replacements. No mileage details from the police. I sold it after a few months for £5k less than I paid for it.
When fuel injection systems get to 30-40 years old they too will become unreliable. They may well also become unmaintainable as spare parts will be difficult to obtain. It also suspect that there will be few people who will be prepared to rebuild fuel injectors at an affordable price. The real killer of “newer” bikes will be the failure of their ECU’s. These will be as scarce as hen’s teeth so even if the injection system is working fine, the engine will be scrap. Carburettor models though will be maintainable for years to come (see Allen Millyard’s rebuilds).
For the guy who said Harley-Davidson is dead in America is wrong, let America people show us motorcycle rallies that are all other brands put together as big as Harley-Davidson rallies, they will never find one
You need to be someone who tinkers with bikes if you you want to live with a carb bike. If you're doing your own maintenance then if you do break down then usually you can get you bike running again at the side of the road as long as you've got a few tools and the odd part. Most people know with old bikes to stay away from e10 aswell
Hi Freddie. As an American, I disliked Harley in my youth because the bikes generally sucked (80s-2000s). Heavy, slow, NOT dependable. Now that I’m older and slower, and Harley has completely changed to a dependable ride, I do like them, enjoy riding them, but would NOT buy one. For young riders, they just can’t afford them. For older riders, they maybe can afford them, but their cost vs. performance is hard to swallow. I like to say when a Harley goes by, “Hey! There goes a Doctor or Dentist. . .maybe a CEO!!”. . . I also have been known to say “there goes a $20,000 paint job.” They are beautiful, but cost makes them not a ride for the masses like they used to be.
I follow some American TH-camrs...cars and MC...It seems to me that the mechanics have become high on themselves....Here in Spain there are mechanics who fix most things and at quite reasonable prices.
Freddie it seems the Bargain Place to buy a Motorcycle is The Superbike Factory Outlets
They Claim to sell at 30%. Below Market
Rate I have Heard good and Bad
That if you buy a Bike you can't hear it
Running before you Buy the Bike
Have you been. To a Superbike Factory Outlet ?
I’ve heard that when they are good they are good and when they are bad they are REALLY bad 😂
Very interesting topic. I’ll pin this comment and see what the feedback’s like. I’ve never been, but I really must👌🏻
We talked about this in a previous podcast ! It’s such a good place to look for a bike! Try completely motorbikes as well
I believe that you can't run the bikes or test ride either at super bike factory 🤔
What you have to take note of is their £250 admin fee. For the bixe I've looked at it has normally brought the price upto the same as anywhere else.
I'm a Pennsylvanian, and love most motorcycles. At 76 I am riding a 2016 Sportster Roadster and a 2022 Moto Guzzi v7 850 Special! I've had many brands and I am fond of BMW boxers, HD Sportsters, Suzuki's , BSA's , and Norton's! And now Guzzi!
My 2000 gen1 SV650 had been stood outside for three years when I bought it, I had to buy a clean second hand fuel tank , (the original had corroded inside) and then I removed the carbs stripped and cleaned all the dried up fuel residue out using vinegar and an assortment of small brushes, and needles to clear the jets , and compressed air .
After servicing the rest of the bike it's ran without any problems since.
There's nothing wrong with carburated bikes ,I've had loads of them over fifty two years of my biking life, only recently acquiring fuel injection bikes with my 2014 Vstrom (from new) and an Enfield Interceptor which I traded for a new Classic 350, the only benefit of fuel injection bikes is you don't have to use a choke starting from cold , just hit the button and let it idle while you put your gear on !
Interesting topic cheers Freddie 🍻
I enjoy cooking breakfast on Tuesday mornings and eating while I watch this solo podcast talking motorcycles. Thank you Freddie
Agree completely that carburettor based bikes can be used as daily transport. I have ridden bikes for 34 years and until I bought my Scram last year, none of my bikes have been fuel injected. For quite a few years I travelled in excess of 20, 000 miles per year, with few issues and none related to the carbs.
In Europe? It seems like an amazing place to ride.
I just passed my motorcycle test here in the US a few days ago (it was scarily easy-I still don't really know what I'm doing), and I've been bingeing the podcast episodes and the main channel episodes for a couple weeks. You do great work! Thanks for all the content. EDIT: Oh, and in case you're wondering what motorcycles were provided for us to learn and test on, there were 4 Yamaha XT250s, 2 Royal Enfield Meteor 350s, a Yamaha TW200, and a Suzuki VanVan.
I agree, it's almost stupidly easy to pass the MSF course. Never rode a Motorcycle in my life before the class and was able to pass it. Even with that class I feel like I don't know anything either.
Love "Tuesdays at Dobbs'" chats. The topic of any given Tuesday may or may not relate to me, but I love the cozy talk of anything to do with motorcycles.
There is an external alternator retrofit repair for goldwing charging systems. Also there are companies that will rebuild your entire carburetor block on an exchange basis. Great bikes once you solve these simple issues.
Ex Police vehicles can be clocked by unscrupulous sellers after they've been purchased at auction.This is because there's no publicly available MOT history to look up so a prospective purchaser has no idea how many miles the vehicle has covered.
I had a set of carbs from a bike that had sat in a barn for over 20 years, they were totally ceased, the float bowls were full of solidified petrol and corrosion, after getting them ultrasonically cleaned and rebuilt, I put them on the bike and they ran faultlessly. I also bought another bike that hadn't run for 18 years, but was stored properly, carbs drained, etc, put clean oil and fuel in the bike and it started and run properly, might need a balance before going on the road though. So I'd say carbs are ok if continually used or stored properly so they don't gum up. Although I'm not a complete luddite, I do have a fuel injected bike which I run on E5 and never had injector problems, I believe Esso actually doesn't use Ethanol in their E5 fuel, might worth looking into to.
Hey Freddie, great vlogs, as always. One thing on ex police vehicles, is this! As an ex copper, I can remember high performance cars and bikes alike, going out on shouts, from cold to full revs. They are abused and driven hard. It’s a job requirement. So while they are fully serviced they do get a much, much harder like than normal motors. Not to mention a lot of repairs after full contact. Buyers beware.
As a foot note, remember speaking to a , police mechanic. Who told a story of a hyabusa being tested as a police bike. In he’s words, “it was always break and not up to the job!”.
People with a carburettored bike need to understand ghem and have the confidence to incrementally take them apart to clean and service them….as probably a good 50-50% of older motorcyclists can, I would imagine. There’s nothing to be frightened about; simple engineering - just use good fuel (I also use a Lucas stabiliser) and don’t leave it too long in the tank.
Flat side, carbs had a cv carb on a harley bloody vacuum 😳 but simple to fiddle 🎻
I highly doubt 50% of riders can service their carburettors. It's not necessary if the bike is ridden regularly.
Millions of single cylinder carburettored bikes and scooters are used as daily transport all around the world. For the common ones, it's cheap and easy to buy a whole new carburettor and bolt it on.
Personally I recently paid a specialist workshop to set up the carbs on my 1963 Honda because I wanted it to be done once and not fiddle with the carbs myself all year. Since then I have had to drain the float bowls once, but no other maintenance.
Greetings Freddie, re my XL1000 Varadero, you kindly mentioned me and my Varadero in a recent previous Tuesday slot while talking about the pros-cons of owing older bikes. A quick reminder for those looking to buy a Vara......common fault No2 , carefully check the exhaust manifold, the joints fail. Honda no longer make/supply replacements and custom fabrications sets owners back several hundred. But don't be put off. It's a cracking good mile eater and ultra reliable. Cheers, Mark
I've owned a number of bikes over the last 30 years. Some bought new, some a few years old. I have never paid a penny for any servicing, doing it all myself. Never had a breakdown and never had a carb problem.
As an old git I’d say carburettors are simple and I use them all the time. Modern fuel makes carbs more tricky, but I can fix them with a few simple tools, electronic fuel injection in magical ‘till it packs up when I have no chance of fixing it. Fifty year old carbs can be made to work easily if not always perfectly after a hundred thousand miles - a whole lot better than silent beside the road!
100% true. Totally agree. Hipsters prefer EFI because their ideas of working on their bikes is polishing them and maybe fitting aftermarket mirrors. Anything requiring actual real skills is always going to be beyond them.
I remember my on/off girlfriend leaving her Puch Maxi at my parents place one very cold winter - because she couldn’t start it. I had zero experience of two strokes, and only days before I’d just written off my third Honda, a gorgeous CB250G5 in Candy Orange, in an accident that nearly killed me.
So I sat on the freezing concrete garage floor and stripped the carb, unblocked the jets and cured an air leak. Then, despite still having a broken hip and pelvis, I grabbed my helmet, fended off my Mum’s understandably angry objections, and rode that little bugger eight miles through deep snow and ice to its owner’s house.
She wasn’t grateful, we split up, and I have no idea how I got home, but that memory defines being a REAL biker in my humble opinion. I was 17. It was the late ‘70s. Hipsters hadn’t even been invented yet. And much more importantly, the EU and WEF hadn’t started lying about and falsely demonising one of the key cornerstones of life on Earth, and basing parasitic legislation on fake claims.
Peace
Hi Freddie, great Tuesday at Tobs as usual. Varadero. I had a 1999 model, car version, for 13 years, went all over uk and Europe on didn't miss a beat. 70,000 miles when I sold it. To my shame in all that time I never changed the plugs or replaced the airfilter, just oil and oil filter every 6 months.
All day comfort 200 mile tank range. Great bike.
Jay.
Mechanics are not mechanics anymore. They are component swappers, and have no real experience fixing or repearing cars or motorcycles. It's sad, but true. Yes, they are able to check and adjust your valves, but that's about it. I have a 23 years old Kawasaki Vulcan 800 with 80k on it 55k mine... Never missed a beat. I allways fill it up with E5 and make sure to drain the carb when i store it over winter. But I do that with my 2018 Road King as well.
Carbs are actually very simple, and if you get a good manual, everybody should be able to clean and set them up right. Vacuum gagues are cheap and easy to come by for synchronizing and most japanese brands use standard carbs wich makes rebuild kits easy to obtain.
I have been riding mopeds and motorcycles since 1976, and the Road King is my first injected bike. I have never experienced problems that left me stranded because of my carbs, ever.
Great stream Freddie. I own 5 bikes all have carbs and i have never had a problem with anyof them . The trick is to run them dry when you get home . Turn the fuel off then let the bike run until it stops .Simple .Modern fuel does not stand well so drain the carbs .
Still using original carburetor on my 25 years old. Just had it rebuilt 1ST time . Daily rider.
Always entertaining, I’m thankful for this young man, Freddie Dobbs…. Very interesting slants on modern motorcycling, demands and desires.
When I was a 20-year-old, I did over 46,000 miles on my BSA, 650 thunderbolt, admittedly I had a DeviMead conversion to really improve its reliability on the crankshaft more details if you require ….. carburettor never touched…. For normal machine, 47 break….. my BMW,R 80/7 another carburettors motorcycle never had to touch them and over 40,000 miles….. I still have this, and I am preparing it to put it back on the road….. simplicity, any time over complex, electrics, and fuel management systems with injectors…. Okay many of the vehicles of yesterday will not meet emissions regulations….. although your vehicle can be tested and many are being recognised as euro compliant….
Anyway, that’s another big story .
The E5 v E10 debate has been going on a long time within the classic car market Freddie. Basically E10 fuel starts 'going off' after around a month and this is what damages carbs. E5 Super Unleaded however, has a tank life of around 12 months before it starts to 'go off'. If you add a squirt of Redex, this will extend it's life further. Adding a fuel stabiliser can extend it's life up to 3 years. As a rule of thumb, if your bike is not going to be used for a month fill it with E5 Super Unleaded, to be safe.
On the topic of used police bikes at auction. I worked at an independent dealer with a contract to our local police station. If a police bike got a puncture we fitted a new tyre. If the exhaust sounded odd we replaced the whole system. If the clutch started slipping, we replaced the whole clutch - basket - all the plates - springs - bearings and threw in a cable and lever for good measure! They were serviced methodically because we were told (instructed) to. Under no circumstances were they to have issues when on patrol or high speed persuits. We were paid by government cheque and no questions asked! (My boss took 2 foreign holidays a year lol)
23 yr old Ducati ST4 916, I've never touched the fueling apart from a slight weakening of mixture trim pot in the ecu to change from 98 to95 octane and it runs even better.std filter and silencers 😊
Freddie Re: Harley is king in the US. One in 5 motorcycle sales in the US is a Harley (21% Market Share in 2022). The next closest is Honda with 17.5% market share, then Kawasaki with 12.8%, Yamaha at 11.3%, Suzuki at 5%, then BMW, Indian, Ducati, Triumph and Moto Guzzi to round out the top ten.
Most older bikes and cars have incompatible seals and materials with E10 fuel. This means E10 basically dissolves them.
Hi from Darwin.. I've just been working on my bike..on the electrics of which I have no idea what I'm doing..i absolutely love the way you have a go.. and the way you go about it...
Freddie carbs have been around since the dawn of combustion engines and were continually in use on bikes and cars for the next 80+ years without anyone complaining about reliability. Yes I will admit that they are not quite as efficient as modern fuel injection but they are serviceable and generally reliable if looked after. Injection is reliable but as with all electronic systems they are not easily serviceable and can be extremely expensive to repair when they do go wrong.
I would have to disagree regarding carburettored bikes. Up until July this year (2023) I was running a Honda VTR firestorm, which was fitted with a pair of 48mm carbs,the problems that I encountered in trying to balance said carburettors were beyond the joke,so much so that I sold it and bought a fuel injected GSXR 1000 K2,a fantastic bike which runs as smooth as the Honda was rough,I wouldn't even consider owning another carburettored bike!.
In winter carbs ice up meaning your bike won't run until they de-ice ie warm up.
Iso propanol ,
Bought my Speed Triple from FB marketplace. Best value ever. Running like a dream after 4 yrs. heckled everyone before purchase.
Regarding £4k trade in difference…
It would have been correct to say that if 2 competing Triumph dealers (or 2 RE dealers) were offering deals which were identical in all other respects and the only difference being the trade-in price leading to a £4k difference.
It’s the net amount you’re giving the dealer that’s relevant. Dealers used to refer to this as the “price to swap”.
My suspicion is that, in this case, a Triumph dealer could readily sell the BMW to his customer base whereas a RE dealer would likely dispose of it to the trade.
Freddie in the 70's we bikers use to put our best bikes away in winter and buy a rat bike to keep riding over winter. i still do this My Triumph Truxton R is away for winter and my Cheap Mash 500 with it's cheaper road tax will take me to work and rides on nice winter days. Just wondered is this still a thing or do people just use there cars .
Freddie, the worst bike I ever had was a FI Transalp 700, every other week I was getting a fault code, and several times it lost power , which is not good on a Bulgarian road, the code was for the throttle position censor, which is not available, it can only be bought as a complete throttle body assembly, I bought a second hand throttle body, it worked fine for a week, then the fault code was back, I now run a 99 zx9r, and I clean and balance the carbs before winter storage.
In my early days all the bikes and then cars I rode/drove had carbs and they were very reliable when fed clean fuel and not left standing for long periods of time. When I worked on EFI in the 90's I was in my element, plugging in the diagnostic and reading between the lines. The code could come up for the air mass meter and that pointed you in the direction of the fault. Sometimes it was a wire adrift in the connector rather than the unit being defunct, but with the amount of sensors and wiring/connectors involved it seemed a very involved and busy way to deliver fuel which could prove very expensive if the repair approach was not thorough. As a technician I know EFI works better than a carb with maximising fuel efficiency but when riding/driving for the enjoyment the carburettors are still well up for the job.
I know I have been on here after the hassle of my carbed yamaha bt1100. I don’t have a problem with carbs at all. Until the E10 fuel arrived. There are some tests of e10 fuel on utube showing the effects in particular on the seals. Lots on here too about small machinery failing on this new fuel. My daughter has a 30yr old suzuki car and I have just replaced the injectors for £90. I like the smoothness of carbs generally not glitchy from to lean fuel. I justt got fed up with stripping the carbs every 3 months. That bike had no petcock just a vacuum of engine compression. So winterising it was a pure pain. The main problem was the 13 yr old rubber snorkels had cracked and the slow running jet was permanently blocked. I even rejetted it with a larger jet. But got fed up. I think the rubber seal are going to be a major issue in every fuelled engine. The governments make the most preposterous decisions regarding our transportation. My v Strom 650 says e10 on the tank but I am using e5 with an occasional 1/2 gallon of very high octane fuel purchased from an airfield a tip given to me by a friend. Since I have used it on my mowers they run incredibly. I used sea foam on my yamaha but 1100 but didn’t unclog the slow running jet. Shame because when throttle open and on fast running jet was a lovely bike but coming down to low revs was a bucking bronco that I felt unsafe on. I agree with the electronic issues with fuel injection but the actual injectors aren’t hard to replace depending on engine configuration. On the older Hondas I had the carbs were very easy access on back of engine very simple to remove and if you’ve stripped one carb they are pretty much the same. My local bike shop who repaired my carbs once was a race mechanic with a rolling road. I gave it to him in case I wasn’t doing it right as i am a diyer. Ran beautifully for a few weeks and back to lumpy slow running. He fitted the larger jet and set it up. I winterise my bikes and there’s the rub I suppose. I had a honda vfr800 fuel injected 1999 for 21 yrs and left over winter and never ever had an issue in 21 yrs
All this talk about carburettor to fuel injection. I work in a very well-known most museum and the biggest problem now is a modern day fuel not actually the vehicle the modern day fuel eat fuel lines and dissolves lead in solder. It keeps me in a job though but the biggest problem is a lot of people don’t use their motorcycles or classic cars every day that is the biggest killer they’d like to be used. Only having a bike for nice sunny days is probably the worst thing for a modern day or old motorcycle or car or whatever, so if you want them to survive and run properly use them for what they meant for don use them as a toy for weekends mostly riding motorcycles don’t like driving cars if I can help it.
Michael
I have sold two bikes on facebook and also purchased my RE 350 classic not had a problem as long as your careful and do some checks
I have a 1999 883 Sportster for 25 years and 400,000 miles on the original engine. Paid $7,000 for the bike, money well spent.
I still use my 1961 AJS 350 obviously an old AMAL carburettor is fitted, no problems with starting in all whether's.
Freddie I almost bought a bike of a chap who was on his death bed.. But when I got there early he was wheeling a wheel barrow full of concrete to the foundation of his new garage /shed where he intended to repair yep MOTORCYCLES !!!!! So on questioning the ill health bit of the advert to be fair to hime he was honest at that point he said "THAT ONE ALWAYS WORKS" As you can imagine I asked him if he wanted a hand with the wheelbarow as I got back in my car swearing and cusssssing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do not trust no man or woman "SADLY" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The XL1000 is super heavy, especially the injection model.
it is becoming more and more apparent that there are very few REAL motorcycle mechanics left. What the Trade schools are producing now are humble "part-exchangers" who without a Data connection, are unable to diagnose, let alone repair or modify to suit, even simple mechanical issues.
As someone living in Texas since 00', the thing about Harleys, in my humble opinion, are that they are very region specific in the US, in some parts like the South and the Midwest they are "Kings" but in the inner cities and the smaller-road older East Coast area they can be a rare sight. It depends on where you are, Harleys are common in some part and absolute outliers in others. The young vs old topic is a different argument in it self, but location does affect it. young ppl are more willing to give Harleys a chance in the Midwest vs young ppl around the east coast or inner cities imho.
America as seen in the eyes of bikers around the world, imo, is of the romantic Midwest & the South and not really about the East coast. People on the east coast are kind of living in a different world much more like yours Freddie, its older, smaller, and wetter like England ironically. When bikers talk about America, they are probably talking about the South and Midwest 💯 not the east coast or any inner city locked area like NYC, Boston, etc
Finally, I put everything down to a difference in culture here in the US. Old or young, if you live in the Midwest/south or even rural America you are living in "southern/western culture" more or less vs city folks are living the cosmopolitan "city life" that Harleys just inherently don't exist in. It is a tale of two cultures here in America; has been for a while; north vs south, red vs blue, city vs country, new vs old, choppers vs super sports, and Harleys vs every other bike. It all depends on who you ask and what life they live by.
Very interesting.
If you use a fuel additive claiming to ‘clean’ your engine, you’ll need to change the fuel filters shortly afterwards.
Hi Freddie, I had 2 varadero 2007 and 2010 both brand new underrated bikes did over 30000 miles on each of them but both had the censor problem, this is no word of a lie the second one started playing up at 13000 miles censor replaced then at 26000 miles, same again but honda would not accept there was a problem and do a recall, and i have never touched a honda again.
Hi Freddy greetings from Cornwall we are getting the Honda PCX 125cc the new updated 2023 version be nice to see some scooters on the channel I know you've done a review of the Honda super cub we are also getting that next year
Concur, Fred did some scoots in thailand
@@volt8684 Manny thanks indeed I'll have a look
I would like to provide some context regarding the popularity of Harley Davidson motorcycles in the US. Overall, motorcycle sales in the US since 2000 reached a HWM of 1,149M units in 2006 followed by steady decline over the next 15 years. However, sales have increased slightly the past three years, reaching almost 600K units in 2022 (still a far cry from ‘06). Harley Davidson represents the largest share at 21%; however that is down from 31%. This is followed by Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, BMW, Indian, Ducati, Triumph and Moro Guzzi. It should be noted that both Indian and Triumph sales are in the rise. I agree that it’s up to younger riders to continue to drive US sales. Anecdotally, here in New England where I live, I would say conservatively that 8/10 bikes I see on the road are Harley’s followed by a variety of sport bike brands. If I come across another Triumph, BMW (I bought a ‘23 T120 Chrome Edition this year) or other modern classic it’s a rare occasion. I have nothing against Harley Davidson, ride what you like. But, they are expensive, unreliable and are a handful in the twisty’s. Other than that…😅. The bottom line is get out there and ride!
Really enjoying your tuesday broadcasts, I look at bikes on Facebook, and yes, it does make you wonder if they are legit. Some really low prices on it.
BTW Freddie . Theres a gold wing going up for auction at the Birmingham classic car show . Price guide £2000 -4000 in great condition . Love the vid of the of the gold wing getting scrapped. lol
Carburetors don’t leave you on the side of the road without first giving you lots and lots of warning. Personally, I’ve never had a bit of trouble with one that I maintain myself.
I’ve got two bandit 600 ,one I put iso propanol in winter I’ve never had to use choke on it ever .it’s done 84 k ,
Another great post Freddie, look forward to the next one
The problem with carb bikes is definitely the fuel, even with injection too depending on the model, I don't get the milage on my Motot Guzzi V7 with the E10 like I do with the E5. I have to wonder why this was really intorduced as it is destroying older bikes and cars, or is this the purpose of it? Great video and some interesting discussions as always
By E10 and E5, I'm assuming that's the Ethanol content in the fuel? If so, then its all about the environmental politics.
"The market dictates the knowledge you're taught" - Freddie Dobbs
(or lack thereof eh Fred!)
As a novice carburetted bikes are a pain. I started on a suzuki gz 125 and had a myriad of issues. I spent more time trying to work on it than ride it. If I didnt truly love biking, that would have been my last straw.
It's all well and good saying your bike is "worth so much more" but the fact is it's only worth what it will sell for.
The market is very fickle at the minute. I was looking at selling my 2023 Gen 3 Hayabusa and yet a number of outlets weren't at all interested.
It's true that the police don't clock their bikes. The lease companies disposing of the bike one the police have finished with it however........
All regular gas in USA is E 10. Never had a problem running modern or vintage bikes running on regular gas. Ride your bike so gas doesn't last long enough to go bad.
YES. Mechanics should be able to work on both carb and injection bikes.
If not they are fitters not mechanics. There are plenty of good mechanics out there, if tgey refuse to repair then they are fitters ( don't repair fit a new part )
Very enjoyable episode 😊
I ve just rewatched this and I can’t stop think about that trade in😮😮😮😮😮😮😮. I thought £6k for 7 yr old bike ok but incredible got £10k well played
Think the trouble with older bikes and finding mechanics is that they can be more trouble than it’s worth. Bolts seize, bolts snap off, parts are obsolete, if it’s your own bike you are working on it’s bad enough. If it’s someone else’s yet your time is money that’s not a good place to be. Teach yourself or buy newer bikes.
Most old carbed bikes issues are worn carbs, a new well set up carb should be totally reliable.
New genuine carbs from the Japanese manufacturers are under £200 each.
Wanted a '78 GL1000 since, well since 1978. Never did & now too big & heavy for olde me to deal with. Shame....
Facebook marketplace is fine in Portugal. It seems to be in Thailand, too, although I'd only buy from an expat on the latter. I'd rather have fuel injection. Better mpg for one thing. I can't imagine a police bike being clocked. It's a nonsense. Well-maintained bikes. Nick J
Freddie, recent subscriber. What an intelligent, well structured and entertaining podcast. Good effort mate. I ride a 1998 BMW F650 that I’ve owned for the last 12 years, and I’ve been riding for 50 years.
75000 on a 98 transalp,carbs never touched...shitty fuel now
Hi Freddie I currently ride a Suzuki Gsx 650 f ,my first bike and I used it for my test too . plenty of power,but top heavy as many folks will tell you. I have looked very closely at the Honda Varedero 1000 as looking to upgrade,or the Kawasaki Versys 1000 but the Honda represent better value for my money . Torn between the two.
Paul in Ireland.
I always buy bikes from new. I trade in my bikes after 2 or 3 years and get the benefit of a warranty, recovery and tax paid. I kept my last bike for 4 years, CB650R. Only because I really liked it. MoTs are a pain and there are no worries of waiting for parts that are never going to turn up because the companies couldn't give a damn about your further custom. Triumph, the hipsters choice, are certainly one of the worst. But others a bad too.
I have a 98 sprint with carbs it has worked perfectly well it has 49 thousand miles on it. Ive never had a injected bike always carbs im what you call a budget biker.
Freddie, carbs and points are simple and easy to work with if you grew up with them or are willing to educate yourself on how to look after them, With bikes used regularly the prospect of fuel fouling is not really and issue as the flow of fuel through the jets and passageways prevents the build up of varnish etc. Balancing the carbs is the only (relatively) regular maintenance and again is not difficult.
Fuel injected bikes however need high pressure fuel pumps and you will almost certainly find that issues with these bikes are fuel pump rather than injector related and are not always cheap or easy to fix. As with most things you pay your money and take your choice.
I currently run a fuel injected Buell and a carbed Yamaha and both have proven to be 100% reliable despite being far from daily drivers. I do however only use the 5% Ethanol fuel now that 0% is not available any longer and try to not leave them too long between rides but a break of 2 months is not unusual.
Ethanol in fuel can be a problem whichever type of bike you have and I would recommend a fuel stabiliser if you are parking up over the winter or alternatively a complete draining of the fuel system.
On a standard carbed bike overhauling the carbs is within the capabilities of most home mechanics using readily available kits and available manuals or documentation, however, once you deviate from standard such as fitting pod filters or alternative exhaust pipes you are likely to need a specialist to rejet and reset the carbs for best running. Having said that, a change on an injected bike with probably require a remap again usually requiring a specialists input.
Having grown up with carbs, moved to injected models during my biking career I cannot say hand on heart either is better than the other and I for one would happily ride and own either type..
Regards
Paul
archoil every 5000 mls.used it for years on my 98 transporter.runs smooth at over 200.000 mls
Hi Freddie, for next week's podcast how about hanging 'that' jacket (you know the one I mean) on the coat hooks on the interrogation room door and see what comments you get.... Just a thought 😂
Freddie, do not listen to Monica. We need more of you working on the Bonnie. It never fails to bring a smile to my face.
I'm 74, American and I have never cared for HD (although I do like the Pan America and think the Low Rider ST might be alright). BUT I do understand the positive feelings that fellow Americans have over riding big cruisers. Unlike the UK and most of Europe, the US and Canada have tremendously open spaces with wide lanes of highways crisscrossing enormously large areas of land. The best way to cover all that area comfortably is with either a large cruiser or a large touring bike such as Honda's Goldwing. In all the bikes in the last almost 60 years of riding, most of my bikes have been standard, sports or sport tourers (such as my Yamaha FJR 1300). I did have one large tourer many years ago... a Yamaha Venture Royale with the V4 engine... not the newer V twin piece of shite they sell now. At my age and less athletic abilities, I have been looking at smaller, lighter motorcycles. I live in a small community with a Moto Guzzi dealer and, as much as I like the Mandello 100, I've been thinking about the new V7. Lower seat and easier to lift if I drop it. Ah well, senior citizenry is not for the faint of heart!
Not sure what the fuss over Facebook Marketplace is, I've just bought a 1981 C17 Globemaster, one careful owner, for a bargain price, just waiting for the seller to deliver it.
Seafoam was invented for boats being put up for winter storage,
Hi Freddie I am a Harley rider , although I have another bike. I’ve ridden Harleys since my late 20’s . I must say they are over priced and offer less performance than many other models. They are well built and since the Evo motor are very reliable. However brand loyalty and brand hatred seem very odd to me , is it a question of the personal insecurity of the commenter. They seem to have to believe their bike is the best model and anyone else’s choice is wrong.
Regarding fuel injection vs carburettors. Yes carbs need occasional maintenance but they are mechanical and normally easily fixed. Fuel injection may be more reliable in general but they require electronic sensors, pumps and engine management items which can fail and are probably unrepairable and more expensive.
I never understand why people trade in stuff? Seems like a good way to leave money on the table, and it's not just bikes, everything. Trade in never makes sense as there is a middle man that needs to take their cut.
Why not just do the work yourself and get the most out of your sale?
Wow, I've lived in and traveled much of the US my whole life and if Harley isn't king then I don't know what would be.
I've bought the majority of everything I own off of Facebook or craigslist. It's a great source of goods. So again, BS.
The bought and sold and the majority of people are not scammers and the scams you do see, or sellers you don't want to interact with, are usually quite obvious.
On the debate of carved vs fuel injected, I run here in Utah 2 fuel injected engines and 3 carbureted engines 1950-1996 Chevrolet pickups. I like the self tuning nature of fuel injection, I also like the tune abilities of a carburetor. It really depends on the skills of the mechanic, did they specialize in electronically controlled fuel injection or are they part of the dying breed of carburetor gurus? My bikes are a 2023 RE interceptor 650, and I just picked up a 1983 Yamaha xj900. I like the satisfaction from putting a vehicle back on the road again that was considered not worth the investment.
The police pan had an uprated altenator of 45 amps to cope with the demand of all of the equipment .
I always run carburetted bike and shall continue to do so. You try fixing an injection system st the side of the road lol.
People with Fuel Injection don’t break down on the side of the road like a carb will
Ive had Triumph garages refusing to work on my daytona because it was considered too old and a classic bike....a 2006 daytona 955i. In fairness, they did recommend taking the bike to named independent mechanics....who then try to quote me 1000s for undertaking normal regular servicing as according to the Triumph Owners Manual. I then get gaslighted by being told that I shouldnt have bought the bike without knowing the risks of having such an "old" machine.
Its a bike Ive had since 2008.
Basically, don't buy Triumph if you think you'll get a good service for life in exchange for your customer loyalty; unless you want an overpriced sausage factory produced machine and don't mind upgrading every 2-3 years.
Freddy ,
Carbs v fuel injection
Some people with Royal Enfield bike's are converting there bike's from fuel injection to carbs, look at Hitchcock's catalogue for conversion kits,
Regards Roy Bowden from Bridgwater Somerset.
Re Police Bikes ( in my case cars ) being clocked. Agreed! The police do not clock cars they are sending to auctions but most police vehicles are owned by leasing companies. They may go through an auction and then sold to a third party but, that third party will probably “click” that vehicle. Take my example a Discovery L4 with under4 K miles and it was on it 3rd engine! But still showed less than 90k miles. No way! One through the auctions they can have as many miles on the clock as you want. A good friend of mine tells a story of selling second hands cars and being asked “ how many miles does it have?” And the answer being “how many do you want?”
Only on ex police cars that are auctioned this is possible. It’s a loophole that the government has conveniently overlooked.
This is eye opening, and explains how it’s done!!
Could you just check if there’s a typo in this section as I didn’t quite understand this but:
“a Discovery L4 with under4 K miles and it was on it 3rd engine! But still showed less than 90k miles”.
Thank you for sharing🙌🏻
Sorry. Predictive text! The Disco 4 had less than 100k miles on the clock when I bought it from a dealer who bought it at a closed auction direct from the police. There was very little paperwork with it except some that said it had, had, 2 engine replacements. No mileage details from the police.
I sold it after a few months for £5k less than I paid for it.
I don’t understand how you can be called a mechanic or any kind of engineer if you can not service carbs
Mechanics of today only know how to plug in a OBD reader to check a fault code and replace the broken or damaged sensor.😢😢😢
I thought you people call it "the knackers yard." hahaha
I been riding 51 year I've old triumph new triumph kawasaki had 8 sportster and streetbob I live near to baffle house in Wales and the beacons
When fuel injection systems get to 30-40 years old they too will become unreliable. They may well also become unmaintainable as spare parts will be difficult to obtain. It also suspect that there will be few people who will be prepared to rebuild fuel injectors at an affordable price. The real killer of “newer” bikes will be the failure of their ECU’s. These will be as scarce as hen’s teeth so even if the injection system is working fine, the engine will be scrap. Carburettor models though will be maintainable for years to come (see Allen Millyard’s rebuilds).
Prices gone down 🚽🧻💩
Classily put Eddie!😆
Harley Davidson tri glide was a joy to ride down to ride to the wall
Fuel injection is expensive and makes the bike run hot due to emissions controls.
Sorry, I sold a bandit 1250bandit no problem 😊
For the guy who said Harley-Davidson is dead in America is wrong, let America people show us motorcycle rallies that are all other brands put together as big as Harley-Davidson rallies, they will never find one
Lovely vedio 🥂
You need to be someone who tinkers with bikes if you you want to live with a carb bike. If you're doing your own maintenance then if you do break down then usually you can get you bike running again at the side of the road as long as you've got a few tools and the odd part. Most people know with old bikes to stay away from e10 aswell
Hi Freddie. As an American, I disliked Harley in my youth because the bikes generally sucked (80s-2000s). Heavy, slow, NOT dependable. Now that I’m older and slower, and Harley has completely changed to a dependable ride, I do like them, enjoy riding them, but would NOT buy one. For young riders, they just can’t afford them. For older riders, they maybe can afford them, but their cost vs. performance is hard to swallow. I like to say when a Harley goes by, “Hey! There goes a Doctor or Dentist. . .maybe a CEO!!”. . . I also have been known to say “there goes a $20,000 paint job.” They are beautiful, but cost makes them not a ride for the masses like they used to be.
I follow some American TH-camrs...cars and MC...It seems to me that the mechanics have become high on themselves....Here in Spain there are mechanics who fix most things and at quite reasonable prices.
In the UK we call the harleyfurgisons 😊