New Caliper Kit For Late Yamaha FJR1300 2006 – 2020
TRK is one of the first manufacturers to release an upgrade kit for the later models of the Yamaha FJR1300. A front twin caliper kit and a rear caliper kit are now available. Stainless steel brake pistons not only provide a substantial improvement over stock pistons, but also offer massive savings over OE pistons which, up until now, were the only option.
Stainless Steel Brake Pistons
Piston Fluid Seal
Piston Dust Seal
Shaft Boots
Stainless Steel Bleed Nipples
Bleed Nipple Covers
Copper Washers
Lifetime Guarantee On All Stainless Steel Pistons TRK are the one of the first to offer a lifetime guarantee on the stainless steel piston range, against corrosion, pitting and the elements……MORE
Fitting: Yamaha FJR 1300 A/AE/AS 2006 – 2020 Replacing OE part numbers 3P6-W0057-00 3P6-W0057-10 3P6-W0057-20 and 1D7-W0057-00
GERMANY AND SOME OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT THE DEMISE OF THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE
Dutch Engineer Gijs Schalkx methane motorcycle
As you probably know the EU is bringing in a combustion engine ban from 2035 in an attempt to keep emissions down to meet targets designed to combat global warming. Many countries have already signed up and are committed to the ban including: Denmark, the UK, Sweden, Iceland, Ireland and the Netherlands. But there are some dissenting voices and they’re getting louder, Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary are now allied against the EU’s ban.
The above countries want combustion engine cars to carry on after 2035, even if this is in a carbon neutral way, believing that it’s the emissions which are the problem, not the combustion engine itself. They see the solution as finding an alternative to carbon rather than banning the principle of combustion engines. Toyota is one firm which believes that there are other alternatives to combustion engines and it is not simply electric vehicles alone which offer a solution.
Germany is another country which sees alternatives. When talking about this issue, German transport minister Volker Wissing said: “A ban on the combustion engine, when it can run in a climate-neutral way, seems a wrong approach for us.” The countries which oppose the ban want an exemption after the cut off date of 2035 for ICE cars which are able to run on carbon-neutral fuels. There are a lot of alternatives to petrol or electric cars in the pipeline, as companies race to get ahead of the ban – historically some of the other fuels which have been developed, or are in development, are hydrogen and hydrogen cells, there is even a compressed air and a solar powered car, the Lightyear one.
Companies like JCB in the UK are working on converting their diesel engines to hydrogen combustion engines. In effect they will still be heavy duty combustion engines but the fuel burned will not be petrol. The bottom line is that the countries which are rebelling would like a less cut and dried solution and moderation of the ban to allow some other carbon neutral options, other than just electric cars. Germany believes that existing vehicles should not automatically be made obsolete, but a way should be found to keep them on the road just converted to use other less harmful fuels. Here’s an idea we wrote about a couple of years ago, a swamp gas methane powered motorcycle – think it could catch on?
So the EU and the US want the sale of new combustion engines banned after 2035 but the opposition is growing which might lead to a political stalemate and problems between nations over the issue – we shall see. How do you feel about this issue? Let us know…
A BLOOD TEST FOR TIREDNESS IS BEING DEVELOPED, AIMED AT KEEPING THE ROADS SAFER
You tired? Nah!
There’s a new test coming out in the next couple of years – in the form of a blood test – which will show if drivers or riders are too tired to pay proper attention to the road and are in fact too sleepy to operate their vehicle safely. There are many risk factors on the road, drink drivers, drivers using their mobile phones and now tired drivers is being factored in as a red flag for other motorists and motorcyclists.
The new blood test, pioneered in Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, will reveal how long the person being tested has been awake for. It is apparently 99% accurate in showing when people have been awake for more than 24 hours. The way it works is interesting, there are apparently five bio markers in the blood which can be tracked and used to see how tired the person being tested actually is. The Monash University research was done in 2021 on real drivers doing tests after different levels of sleep. Drivers who had only had three hours sleep were shown to be up to 10 times more likely to be in a crash, than those who had had eight hours sleep.
Go Back To Bed, Sleepy Head Drivers driving while very tired, is already acknowledged to be a serious cause of road crashes and research has shown that someone being awake for up to 17 hours before driving, can be as impaired in their concentration and reactions, as someone with a 50mg/100ml blood alcohol level!
Exhaustion is cited by police research as being a factor in 2% of serious vehicle crashes, but so far there hasn’t been an accurate test for tired driving so it has been difficult to exactly pin point the effect of tiredness on drivers, so they could be worse than they appear to date. Two road safety organisations, RoSPA and Brake, are convinced that driving while tired could be a contributory factor in maybe as much as 20% of accidents. It would appear that driving on less than five hours sleep could be as dangerous as being over the drink drive limit.
This doesn’t look as though it is going to mean the beginning of randomised road side tiredness testing anytime soon – more likely a post incident blood test should be available in around two years and a pre-emptive test will have to wait around five years.
Sounds Useful? The Chair of the BMF, Jim Freeman sounds broadly in favour, saying: “This sounds useful. We always recommend taking breaks and not riding too long, bikes have been compared to flying light aircraft and helos in terms of the levels of awareness and mental demands made, it’s an active thing to do. Modern cars, with driver aids, on the other hand positively encourage drivers to go to sleep, so this is something whose time may have come. ”
All this apart however, it is not without its problems to introduce mass driver fatigue testing. Firstly laws would have to be brought in to legislate on unacceptable levels of exhaustion and a way found for people to check their tiredness against the proposed limit. It is also potentially difficult to create a negative public atmosphere against tired drivers, when most people will have driven tired at some point in their lives, due to circumstances which may not always be under their control like having a baby or toddler, being a carer, having sleep problems, working a night shift etc, the list is long.
Deep Sleep We’d all prefer to have had a wonderful eight hours peaceful sleep but are not always able to achieve this, however much we might want it. Sadly, being tired is not currently grounds for a day off work, so driving or riding when tired is sometimes an inevitability. Bringing this testing in would also lead to further large scale adjustments in working patterns for example employers might have to ensure that no one felt obliged to drive, ride or operate machinery on the way to, or at work, when they were too tired.
There are many concerns out there on the road, when surveyed, riders and drivers cited drink-driving, use of mobile phones not just to talk to someone, but to check social media, and tiredness while driving, as all being on the list of factors which could lead to accidents.
Thoughts? How do you feel about this idea? Are you in favour as you will feel safer on the road, or does it seem too problematical to enforce on a daily basis? Have you ever ridden your bike or driven a car when you were tired and if so, was it a necessity? We’d be really interested in what you think on this one, as it is travelling along on its way to us soon…
An ergonomic design constructed from steel which is strong and durable, with a black weatherproof finish. Provides a secure and stable mounting point for a motorcycle top box or luggage. Installs on most motorcycles, without requiring extensive modifications or specialised tools.
Fitments cover some of the most popular 125cc scooters and motorcycles on the market.
New from Slinky Glide, these fork kits provide you with all the bits you need for your model, depending on the work you want to carry out.
Fork Seal Kit
Containing two dust seals and two oil seals
Fork Bush Kit
Containing two fork slides and two fork guides (inner and outer bushes)
Fork Repair Kit
Containing two dust seals, two oil seals, two fork slides, two fork guides, and two retaining clips.
All parts are made to original equipment specifications, and the bushes are coated with the correct amount of thickness of teflon for a straightforward fit.
You’ll find these kits listed to each bike at wemoto.com
Ever been caught out by a snapped cable while on the road before? Were you prepared for it? You will be now with this handy new repair kit from Slinky Glide.
Retailing at just £5.60, this kit is suitable for repair of most clutch and throttle cables.
Containing:
1 x 160cm stainless steel bowden inner cable with soldered nipples, 1.2mm diameter
1 x 160cm stainless steel bowden inner cable with soldered nipples, 2.00mm diameter
With the arrival of five new cables, Wemoto now lists Slinky Glide cables for over 8,000 models.
From 1970s classic to modern day machines, Slinky Glide has the cable for you. Made to OE standards, they offer precise fit and reliability for a realistic price.
New to Wemoto is a line of products from Tank Cure, for reconditioning motorcycle fuel tanks.
Whether your tank is rusty, dirty or leaking, Tank Cure has the product for you. And with 18 years of experience, you can be rest-assured you’ll be using not only an effective brand but a reliable one too.
Removes old flakey paint or sealant before new sealant is applied. This is also great for anyone who is wishing to change the shape of their fuel tank through welding and needs to remove old sealant beforehand.
Perfect for sealing tanks which have just been re-chromed, or to treat small pinholes or leaks inside the tank. This sealant will also help to protect the tank against further rust.
The entire Tank Cure range is designed to treat your fuel tank the professional way. Each product comes with a full set of instructions.
A common problem for bikes that have damping rod forks is that they are often very easy to bottom out and sometimes their damping can be a bit harsh. If this sounds like you, then read on, because we’ve got the perfect solution to this at Wemoto: PD Fork Valves.
Lifetime Guarantee On All Stainless Steel Pistons
New to Wemoto is a line of products from Tank Cure, for reconditioning motorcycle fuel tanks.
The Wemoto Weblog 