[Raist]

Hi all,

I recently purchased a '98 XVS650, which I think is a classic, it's currently rather bobbed, so it's hard to tell. I haven't had a chance to give it a good look over as it's dark out and transport took most of the day.. Figured this would be a handy place to check in on from time to time.

Regards,

 

[Keith Post]

Welcome to the forum Raist. Love to see some pics of your bobbed 650, they're great bikes. Lots of 650 owners here. Ride safely!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[WeiseGuy]

Welcome! I just got a 2007 V-Star 650 around a week ago and am new here as well!

 

[Raist]

So, because this forum software, or my phones software, isn't playing nice, there will be no pic until I get home.
Also having to retype this.
The bike won't stay in its current form as we have stringent rules governing how much we're allowed to enjoy our bike for at least the first 3 years. Further reading on this is as simple as Google: "Vicroads lams restrictions" there you will find the hoops we are forced to jump through.
Regards,

 

[lesblank]

Welcome from Houston, Texas. Ride often and safe.

 

[KCW]

fill out a form and tell the government you are not really enjoying your bike hardly at all, and you need a 3 year extension.

over here we have the inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (which includes getting our motors running, and getting out on the highway to look for adventure and whatever...)

I read through most of the link, I think I could live with that for 3 years. A lot of great bikes on the list.

its not really clear what they mean by the manufacturers 'form' being altered? Is it mostly the HP to weight ratio, or are you not allowed to modify the bike at all?!

If the bike has to weigh 500 lbs for a 650 cc engine, can you just put a couple bottles of water in the saddle bags to get the ratio back to the required limit?

Im also curious how much they enforce this? Over here a 17 year old kid can walk into a motorcycle dealership with no licence and no permit, buy a MC, get plates on it, and buy a 200HP racing bike. Its not unusual for some kid to take off and hit the first phone pole or guard rail on the first curve he comes to, at 160mph, because he "knows how to ride a bicycle..."

Its also very common here for people to ride their MC for years with just a permit (with no licensed wingman) or with no license at all.

 

[Raist]

It's fairly tight over here, basically, if it's cosmetic and can be reversed, it's generally ok. Anything "performance" is a no no. Even non stock pipes are on the list of no until you're on your unrestricted license. Which means the Vance and Hines shorts have to go along with the spike air intake, which for a while I wouldn't mind, if it didn't sound like a sewing machine stock.

 

[KCW]

thats kinda funny, in the US its illegal to take the stock mufflers/cat converters off any bike that has them, but 75% of the bikes on the road have aftermarket exhaust.

When I was a kid we use to blow up balloons and tie them to the forks on our bicycles, so they rubbed against the spokes. If you put 2 on the bike it sounded like a Harley until they broke (also like a Harley). When I see some hard core biker with straight pipes, I always think of the children with balloons on their bicycles.

 

[Raist]

Emissions: the removal/upgrade of an exhaust is a bit of a grey area.. the green side doesn't like it (much like Cali?) where, most of the boys in blue will turn a blind eye unless you're rattling the plates off the shelves 3 streets away.. we have a noise limit of 98db i think, most of the exhausts on the market are WELL above that... but it's usually overlooked unless you're asking to be pulled over. Cat removal is a big no-no with regards to the EPA, but again, if you're not asking to be pulled up and have it on when inspection time comes around, you'll generally OK.

Licensing wise, our 'Learner' stage, is a strict 15 months, no extensions. In that time, you must complete a "check ride" which confirms you still have the skill learned from the training received when obtaining your learners permit, then you must complete your license assessment, no less than 3 months after the issue date of your learners permit and at least 1 month AFTER you have completed the 'check ride' but within the 15 months. After all that, depending on your age and licence factors, they determine what license type you get: Probationary, Restricted etc... they still have various restrictions for the following 3 years, but it depends what restrictions you're given..
TLDR:
- Obtain learner permit (valid for 15 months.
- Complete 'Check Ride' competency test some time after gaining your permit.
- Complete your License Test.
- Get some form of License..

And now for the bike........................

She's a little rough, but it's only been in my care for ~24 hours.

 

[KCW]

I dont think MC inspection garages here force you to put your stock mufflers back on every year to get the bike inspected - I think they just ignore it, even though its 'required' to keep the CAT if the bike was made with one.

Cars are the opposite, its very obvious if your CAT is missing from your car, and just about no one will let you slide if you take it off.

How is your MC rider survival rate for young riders?

In the US its terrible. Where I live we lose about 10 young adults every summer, mostly on high performance sports bikes, and a couple older riders that get cut off at intersections. There is NO requirement for training or a parking lot learning course before we let a kid get on a MC, and many kids do not understand countersteering and literally crash on the first fast sweeping turn or curve they come to, turning the handlebars as hard as they can, the wrong way.

To get a MC permit you just have to take a multiple choice quiz with about 20 questions, and the answer to 10 of the questions is always "slow down".

 

[Raist]

http://www.tac.vic.gov.au/road-safety/statistics/summaries/motorcycle-crash-data
I'm not a stats man, but this sounds about right.
As for being able to ride, we're now required to complete a 2 day course which essentially spoon feeds you everything you need to know to start the solo learning: basic bike physics, placement of controls and how they work, basic road craft, and to balance yourself.
There's then more courses you can elect to do later.

 

[NorthernRider]

Where I live there are no motorcycle inspections (safety or emissions). Neighboring provinces do have safety checks though so I expect it's coming. Cars here do an annual safety but again, no emissions. When I got my MC license 30 plus years ago I wrote a 20 question multiple choice test, did a figure eight and weaved through some pylons and I had my license in about an hour. Today you have to take a weekend MSF course, and when you pass that you're on probation for a year. They have a 550cc limit for your probationary period but if you bring in a larger bike and show them you can control it, they'll give an exception (within reason).