UK Bike Forum / UK Bike Forum / Riding Gear / Polarised shades and GSX-R? / Latest Posts

RE: Polarised shades and GSX-R?

endemoniada_88 — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 01:16:55 GMT

Zero-cost option would be nicer, though. If you're right about the lights, ignition switch would be a pretty good culprit.

Nothing worse than grinding to a halt in the middle of a main road, particularly just after a lengthy session of overtaking/filtering past cagers: they invariably take an unholy glee in sailing past ten minutes later while you're struggling with an inadequate toolkit by the side of the road...

Reminds me of when I owned a Skoda Estelle, a rather charmless thing in powder blue and rust colours. Blew it up on the M25 slip road one day (radiator hoses went). So there I am on the hard shoulder, fiddling under the bonnet in clouds of acrid steam while hundreds of cars zoom past. Some minutes later, one put his hazards on and slowed down to a crawl approaching me...got alongside, whereupon the passenger stuck his head out, shouted "Serves you right!" and they buggered off at speed. I did actually have to laugh...!

RE: Polarised shades and GSX-R?

Black Dog — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:17:05 GMT

Coils! Thaks for the info. Plan A was to strip the bloody thing down this weekend until every inch of every wire was exposed, and check the whole lot. It's obviously a minor problem, but major if it stops the bike in the middle of the A40 in rush hour! I was also suspecting the ignition switch. I can't replicate it, but I am convinced that I have seen the neutral and ign lights OUT when I have had the ign ON and the bike misfiring. I always go for the zero-cost option first, but coils and HT leads are next on the list after your wise words.

RE: Polarised shades and GSX-R?

endemoniada_88 — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:32:11 GMT

I've also experienced the phantom e-mails: I have an idea that they've been tests sent out to all users, then recalled by the admin. But it could be something spookier...

Nice to hear you're still about, rebelman, hope everything's good with you and the family.

It has been one of those months all round, so it would appear! I was hoping June might improve things, but no such luck. Still, at least I've got one working bike so all's not lost (fwiw BD, every time I've had a misfiring Yamaha it's been coils).

I think it's fairly clear UKBikerBoy has a large selection of manufacturer's spec sheets and access to a copy-and-paste function, personally. Although that may just be a nasty suspicious mind at work.

RE: Polarised shades and GSX-R?

Black Dog — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 11:38:05 GMT

Nobody loves me! I have no messages in my inbox, not even phantom ones! Mrs BD has had a lot of complications and her progress is very slow at the moment. I won't bore you all with the details, but the last three months have been a bit of a struggle. And I have now been put on a three-day week by my lovely employers. Anyway, onwards and upwards. If I didn't ride a bike twice a day, I'd go mental. The XT has a persistent electrical fault which causes a mystery misfire every few days, and therefore makes my 13-mile commute into a game of Russian Roulette. And the Pan threw its dummy out of the pram big-style when the alternator gave up the fight. Luckily, I have managed to keep at least one on the road during all of this, and therefore I have my regular injection of fun.

RE: Polarised shades and GSX-R?

rebelman — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 10:50:30 GMT

Hey you lot, I am still around and reading the posts! Sorry for the lack of contribution though.

I too have two new e-mails in my inbox that it would appear are not actually there? Me thinks that the powers that are looking after the site are not doing a very good job Hmmmm. Needs someone with a little expierience? (Come back Hoov, all is forgiven. (I don't think)) You would think someone would make sure these things were working? Hope all is well with everyone and that Mrs. BD is recoverin with good speed.

RE: Polarised shades and GSX-R?

bbstrikesagain — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:06:21 GMT

Hmmm, it's not clear whether BikerBoy has ever swung a leg over any of those machines, or just read the manufacturer's blurb. Useful? Hmmm.

I now have two messages according to the ukbike member log-in, and according to my email notifications, but when I click My Messages (2) the box that pops up says Inbox (0) ansd there's nothing new in there... Can't help thinking these might be trying to advise me of the latest greatest prize competition, but alas I'm left in the dark.

RE: Polarised shades and GSX-R?

endemoniada_88 — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 22:22:25 GMT

It seems to have brought a ringer - everything in the reviews section appears to have been written by "UKBikerBoy" - who's got to be either a staff alias or very desperate to win some body armour...! Or, possibly, someone who owns an unfeasibly vast array of bikes.

I keep meaning to write up the rest of my bikes, and possibly another blog article, but it's finding the time to do it properly...

Awesome prize, though, that trip. Certainly sounded like you enjoyed it!

RE: Polarised shades and GSX-R?

bbstrikesagain — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:32:21 GMT

I bagged that Almeria trip just before the "credit crunch" started to bite. I still can believe I won such a fab prize, I look back at the pictures in wonderment, and all for a few hours rattling my keyboard.

Last month I thought there were a few more decent reviews than normal, perhaps inspired by that Ducati jacket. Maybe things are looking up, I wonder what June will bring?

RE: Polarised shades and GSX-R?

endemoniada_88 — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 23:43:50 GMT

How true. It's just that, sadly, I don't own any Gixxers at the moment! Not that I'm complaining, as the RF/TDM combination gives me plenty of variety and big grins on the road.

Loved my K1, I have to say - probably the best all-round bike I've ever owned. It was only a long drawn-out period of absence while the exup servo was being fixed that had me convinced I should swap it for the newer 600. Mistake, in hindsight - the 6 was a lot of fun, but really just too small and cramped for comfort. Big engines and spacious bikes, that's really what I like.

Have to agree: even on the earlier models, there wasn't much wrong with them. Certainly on the road, I'd've been hard-pushed to use more performance than came as stock.

I had read your blog entries previously (- just hadn't made the connection!) - and found them entirely entertaining. Unfortunately, like so much else on this site, there doesn't appear to be much will from the owner's to promote or encourage any new material...

Cheers.

RE: Polarised shades and GSX-R?

bbstrikesagain — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:06:35 GMT

Endo,

What do I think about the K7/K8? The best gixxer thou is the one you own.

My K8's white and silver, with white reflective wheel stripes. I like that - it gets seen, so I can hide away in boring / grown-up / old fart black leather or Gortex. Faster than a K5/6, better road manners, the dogs *******s really. I've toyed with unleashing the beast within, de-cat, pipes, gearing, TRE (total misnomer that one, but anyway you know - fooling it into opening those secondary butterflies a bit wider in the first three gears, while fuelling for an absent 4th/5th gear ram effect hmm..), tail tidy, all that stuff. In the end I just ride it and smile - quite a lot - 8500 smiles so far. The number plate doesn't blow off at 170mph, so who needs a tail tidy, or more power (a longer straight might be nice though)? Those great big black titanium cans keep the pillion's feet well away from the back wheel, so why mess?

I fancy I'll try out a K9 properly soon, but I doubt I'll buy one. A better track bike probably, but I don't do so much of that. Nasty silver paint on those pastic under-tank filler strips will be gone in a couple of months, cable clutch feels lumpy and grumpy. Nah, I love my K8.

For more on how I felt 5000 miles ago, and a by way of an introduction, maybe you already saw these:

http://www.ukbike.com/UserReviews.aspx?ID=-1666882

http://ukbikecom.blogspot.com/2008/11/almeria-circuit-trackday-report-part.html

http://ukbikecom.blogspot.com/2008/11/almeria-circuit-trackday-report-part_19.html

Cheers, BB.

RE: Polarised shades and GSX-R?

endemoniada_88 — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:56:29 GMT

Fair enough - under those circumstances I probably wouldn't go down the visor replacement route!

Got to say, I'd never really considered the subject before - perhaps I've been lucky never to have run into any problems. Especially since I spent ages sorting out frames that were comfortable under a lid but never gave it a thought whether the lens spec might be an issue...

Off-topic's not a problem (- we have been known to indulge in that from time to time!). There's an "introduce yourself" thread lurking somewhere around if you fancy...well, introducing yourself.

What do you reckon to the K7/8 by the way? I was quite tempted by Powerbronze's ex-demo one recently but had to resist in the end. Should I be regretting that?

RE: Polarised shades and GSX-R?

bbstrikesagain — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:27:27 GMT

Supreme beings, thanks.

Endo, the RSR-2 has an F1 style 3mm polycarbonate visor, a near indestructible sheet wrapped in one axes only and held in five places. After being hit in the right pec' and near winded by a 1??mph sparrow, on the way to work (me or the sparrow?), it seemed the only way to go. The stress in the sheet might be what gives it the polarised tints, or could it be the very successful anti-fog coating on the inside, or maybe the not too durable anti-scratch on the outside.

Yes, it's a circular polariser, but that's just a linear polariser with a quarter waver rotation plate sandwiched behind it. The polarising effect is exactly the same, but the rotation spins it all up again to stop it confusing beam splitters and auto focus sensors. Turn one round, so the quarter wave plate now faces the source and you see bugger all polarisation effect, because the polarised reflected light is jumbled up before it hits the polariser.... Off topic? Off forum!

BlackDog, Last time I had a pair of polaroids the Philips radio in my scoob was invisible, actually so were most things they scratched so easily. Lost them, sold the scoob, bought a better one, scoob that is, and then another - oops, off topic again! Anyway, I liked the look of the rimless design, as well as the lens spec, but no-one has any in stock anywhere except online. Maybe I'd be better off with simple graduated or simple photochromic lenses, widening the choice. The £3 Dunlops from Soccer World don't cut it (the £300 RoadSmarts do though - atopical degression #3).

Damn, I've been thinking about shades for a couple of days and that's it, summers had it, the waterproof textiles are coming out again!

RE: Polarised shades and GSX-R?

Black Dog — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:55:13 GMT

There used to be the same problem wearing polarising shades in a car with toughened glass. All kinds of weird patterns which you learned to ignore after about 5 minutes. LCD/LED displays can be strange, though. I used to drive a Renault regularly (thank you Friday-Ad) and my polaroid shades used to make the radio/clock display disappear completely. Everything else was fine, but the display went black. I think the only solution is to try the exact combination (or just buy the shades cos they are cool and take the risk).

RE: Polarised shades and GSX-R?

endemoniada_88 — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:50:07 GMT

That may be an effect of the polariser - not necessarily replicated by glasses - depending on whether it's circular or linear. Sunglasses are generally vertically-polarised but camera lenses can vary.

Depending on how much you like the shades, it might be an alternative to replace the visor - I always use plain clear with a Hyperoptiks anti-fog/glare guard fitted, which - again - works fine with my prescription reactolites. Not a particularly cheap option, though.

There again, I've only ever owned one Shark and from memory the visor was quite heavily curved in both planes: it's possible that's enough to throw up some weird albedo effects. In which case, definitely unlucky! But I reckon it'd be worth trying a pair - in my experience most reputable shops will let you try them with your helmet on.

RE: Polarised shades and GSX-R?

bbstrikesagain — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:34:14 GMT

Thanks for that. I think you're right. I tried a photographic polariser, and I think the LCD polariser has the correct orientation - well done Suzuki

However, tipped off by someone else I tried looking through my visor (with said polariser). It's a Shark RSR-2 visor, 3mm thick with anti-scratch and anti-fog coatings. Great visor, but a polariser creates all sorts of weird colour tints depending where you look, so I guess it's going to be non-polarised shades for me

RE: Polarised shades and GSX-R?

endemoniada_88 — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 22:35:45 GMT

Welcome, chap.

It shouldn't be a problem. I've been riding for many years with polarised reactolite lenses in my specs, never had trouble with the instruments. Never had a K7 Gixxer, I must admit, but I owned a K1 1000 and a K6 600 and they were both fine for reading the LCDs. Same goes for Honda and Yamaha consoles, so I reckon you'll be alright.

Polarised shades and GSX-R?

bbstrikesagain — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 12:40:23 GMT

Has anyone experience of a GSX-R1000 K7/K8 instruments and Polaroid / polarised sunglasses? Can you read the LCD?

I'm tempted by a pair of Sunwise (Freefall/Rush/Windrush) shades with grey Chromafusion lenses - their rimless design looks good for peripheral vision, and polarised photochromatic lenses sound ideal...

...but not if I can't see the speedo