Flying for Real..

[Effoh]

DB,

Have you tried http://www.blackcircles.com/bikes Got two tyres off them for my car recently and was really impressed.

[Vc Ten]

Hiya mate
Had exactly the same happen to me the other week on hobbyking having 2 failed transactions but payments gone from paypal fired off a ticket and got the money refunded along with a slightly terse email reply that I should log in before making any purchases
£50 is a bit of a bummer for tyre changing I always used to whip the wheels off the bike and just take them down to the tyre shop but the zzr is too much trouble, OK I've no centre stand or padock stand to make it easy, so last time took the bike down and they took the rear wheel off, changed the tyre and balance foc Will do the same when the fronts ready for replacement

[DaveB]

Hmm.. that's odd. I didn't get a terse email thank goodness. Perhaps they're used to it happening and realise that their customers aren't all dummies

Thanks for that link Colin. Prices for tyres are pretty much the same as I can get from M&P.. I didn't check postage. Their bike tyres are only available mail order so you still have to find some bugger to fit them and that's the bit I'm having trouble with They're good prices though and I'll keep them in mind

I have a paddock stand and an ABBA stand (it's on the ABBA after it hit the deck the second time!!) so getting the rear out isn't a problem but I don't have a front stand so to keep the forks off the deck, I'd have to take the fairing lowers off and put something under the block. This is all too much trouble.. I don't pull things apart anymore. Changing the oil is a trauma so you can imagine how I felt at the prospect of having to take the yoke off to change the clip-on That said.. with what Chase Motor Cycles are asking (£249+£50 fitting/balancing).. I can get the tyres from M&P, buy a front stand, pay the £50 and still be in pocket. They're robbin' b'stards

ATB
Dave

[DaveB]

Sorted!

I happened to see a chap on a Beemer from a CBT school, with 2 learners in tow while I was on a 20min wait on Sat so I thought I'd ask him where he got his tyres from. He turned to show me the name on his Hi-Vis.. Shireoak Motorcycles. Now.. I'd seen these advertising online while searching on Friday so I'd heard of them but wasn't sure. How is a CBT place doing bike stuff too? Well.. I've just popped up there (it's only about 3miles from where I live) and it's a nice friendly place. The chappie took my details.. I showed him what I wanted.. he offered one or two alternatives (depending on if I want sticky or not so long lasting or longer lasting and good all-round performance).. I settled on the Pilot Road. He said I can do a set fitted for £225. Job done The tyres are a little more expensive than M&P (which I expected) but fitting is cheaper and I'm happy with £225. I'm booked in for lunchtime on Thur so I'll ride the bike up there.. they'll do the business and I'll ride back home with a new set of paws The guv'nor rides a Triumph so that also works for me

ATB
Dave

[Vc Ten]

Glad you're sorted mate
Think the rear cost me about £150 fitted. Been on about 2 years and still like new would help If I had a test on it
Waiting for the lipo to be delivered for the viper from UK warehouse, yes the ordering system worked OK for once just the ESC to get. On backorder from UK just may order from HK although the low profile servo for the nose wheel steering took fortnight to arrive

[DaveB]

A fortnight! That really was a slow boat from China

The tyres on the Daytona are still the original Bridgestones.. not bad considering it's an 07 plate. I'd have gone for Bridgestone again but IMHO.. they've been going downhill for a while now. I went from the original fit tyres on my ZX9R to the 'then' new BT010 and they were stunning.. probably the best tyres I've ever had. When it came time to replace them, the BT010 had gone out of fashion and had been superseded by the BT012 which I didn't care for. Come time to change them again and once more, Bridgestone had moved on and the replacement was now the BT016 (I think.. seem to remember the 015 being a Honda fit). Didn't care for these at all. The 955i had Bridgestones on as original fitment and they were pony too. OK, they weren't new when I got the bike but I couldn't see the point in continuing to buy tyres I wasn't happy with.

Oh.. I've seen one refund by HK to my plastic but as yet, not a second. Hope I don't have to go chasing!

ATB
Dave

[Vc Ten]

Spose I should give an update on the real flying scene
Gone over to the dark side

Its a HK 450 pro belt drive, a copy of the popular Align trex 450
Build was fairly straightforward although as per normal with hobbyking stuff instructions were lacking. General advice was to pull the Align manual of their web site
Used some bits ( the esc and gyro) of the old icarus heli which has not flown since parts became unavailable.
Setup was fine and managed to get it into a bit of a hover, trouble was the tail rotor was catching the ground/grass, eventually stripping the main gear on the autorotation. Now the eagle eyed may spot a potential reason for this on the piccie. Yes I put the tail on aeroplane style Will swap it round when the new gear arrives.
On the fixed wing front Ive had the chippy out and the cap The cap suffered a broken prop the other day. Came in a bit short and clipped the edge of the strip No other damage but on stripping the cowl to clean the oily residue, "sh**for short, the firewall is starting to suffer with the fuel. Probably difficult to strengthen as the glue wont stick to it. Will have to see how it goes on.
The Viper is finished. But not run yet. I ordered the wrong bullets for the lipo connections, and I need to set up the stabliser in the chippy first, to see how it reacts when the flaps are applied
Had the cub out on Saturday Wind was a bit strong but managed to get a few flights in, practising touch and goes
ATB
Dale

[DaveB]

An easy mistake to make...



I still want a Heli but they're just too expensive. Also.. I've yet to receive the second refund from HK and they're having no more of my money until that happens

Nice lookin' model

ATB
Dave

[DaveG]

Nice heli Dale
I've got an Align 450, although it's an early model and hasn't got the carbon chassis. Haven't flown it in yonks though. Need to get a new lipo as mine is shot.

[J0hn]

Waaay too techie for me!

My brother bought me a 'learner' R/C 'aircraft' for my birthday this year. I was never really interested in that kind of thing - my other 3 hobbies are expensive enough as it is - but now I've got it, I'll have to give it a try. I don't expect it to last long as I don't know the first thing about flying them. I built a 1/32 control-line balsa B-25 a few years back, but that's the closest to R/C I've ever come.

It's supposed to go up to 300ft and the steering/climb etc is all controlled with engine power (it's a twin) rather than control surfaces. Mind you, the wing area isn't that big, so I think it's going to come down with a thump.