Vstrom neurotics

[dravnx]

I read and participate in Stromtroopers, the Vstrom forum. I'm amazed at the amount of neurotic bike owners that post. Their concern with the minutia of bike ownership confounds me. Everything from the typical oil, air filter, air pressure, logging fuel mileage, etc.
The stuff they install to fix non-problems. Zerk fitting to lube swing arms, fork braces, speed bleeders, on and on.
Is this typical of other model specific forums?

 

[Map8]

I read and participate in Stromtroopers, the Vstrom forum. I'm amazed at the amount of neurotic bike owners that post. Their concern with the minutia of bike ownership confounds me. Everything from the typical oil, air filter, air pressure, logging fuel mileage, etc.
The stuff they install to fix non-problems. Zerk fitting to lube swing arms, fork braces, speed bleeders, on and on.
Is this typical of other model specific forums?

Yes.

 

[ST Guy]

Yep.

 

[rodr]

I was on there quite a bit when I had a DL650. Mostly though to give and receive practical info. I found it very useful if you ignore the OCD nonsense.

 

[scootergmc]

I read and participate in Stromtroopers, the Vstrom forum. I'm amazed at the amount of neurotic bike owners that post. Their concern with the minutia of bike ownership confounds me. Everything from the typical oil, air filter, air pressure, logging fuel mileage, etc.
The stuff they install to fix non-problems. Zerk fitting to lube swing arms, fork braces, speed bleeders, on and on.
Is this typical of other model specific forums?

Yes.


I've been on countless bike specific forums over the years and there's no difference between them. XXXXXX specific bike starts as the best factory bike ever built, but they could've done so much more at the factory, and by the time the internet is done with them every bike is an A group hillclimb goat thumping motoGP ironbutt champion.

 

[KrustyKruser]

I install zerk fittings into swing arms. Seems like a functional mod to me. But yeah same goes on with other sites. Like when I was on pirate 4X4 it got pretty bad and then left the site with all the pedantic stuff constantly going on.

 

[gixxerjeff]

Check out a Volvo forum.
You'll want to gouge your eyes out with a spoon.

 

[berth]

Its their mechanism of participating. "Everyone else is zerking their disk brakes, I should too!"

 

[two wheel tramp]

Check out a Volvo forum.
You'll want to gouge your eyes out with a spoon.

So... should I not join a VW TDI forum? :laughing

 

[dravnx]

I've been reading forums for a long time. Cars, boats, motorcycles, airplanes and it seems the Vstrom forum has more then the normal amount of neurotics.

 

[moto-rama]

Back when the Internet was still a pollywog, I was subscribed to the Superhawk Mailing List. ( an entertaining and informative group)

In the course of just a couple of years, there was enough re-engineering and modification information shared, collated and digested and re-digested to make an Entirely New Model

"The Superhawk You Wish It Was" which, if you had the time and about 2500 a great bike. Of course, you could've gotten an RC51, and some Helibars and ended up in the same neighborhood.

:afm199

 

[N4teTheGreat]

Seems to be? When I got my DRZ (used, with a bit of patina) I was reading through the list of things I MUST DO on Thumper Talk lest I die horribly in the middle of nowhere.

From what I can tell the reported issues and incidence rate of them is probably more of a correlation to the number of bikes out there than anything else. That or the bikes that had failure were poorly maintained of ridden really hard.

One such issue with the countershaft sprocket nut coming loose and causing the coutnershaft seal to fail, everyone will tell you red loctite is the fix...

I had to remove my sprocket because the seal was leaking (don't let a loose strap from your saddle bags get caught in the chain, and if you do, don't fail to notice it and keep riding until you melt said strap and ooze molten plastic under the seal, but I digress.

Pulling the sprocket took meant flattening a washer that slide over the splined shaft and was bent against the flats of the nut and then using a breaker bar to get things loose. reinstallaition was the reverse and yeah, I should check it when I'm cleaning the bike or doing an oil change, but I highly doubt that thing is coming loose.

 

[kuksul08]

The VStrom attracts a very peculiar segment of the population. Guys that love a good value, practicality, and efficiency.

So you start with an affordably priced, reliable, decently well performing platform. Why not improve its longevity and reduce maintenance by installing some zerk fittings? Sure! Some auxiliary lights and flashing brake lights would be a nice touch for added safety at night, and some heated grips for inclement weather. Top it off with some adjustable handlebar risers to put them in the most perfectly ergonomic position, and a 3 foot tall windscreen with 3 lips on it for superior airflow. Now that the bike is set up for serious mileage, I should keep track of how much money I'm saving by tracking fuel mileage and oil consumption!

I will say - fork braces and speed bleeders are fricken awesome. I have both of them on my VStrom. Don't forget gold valves!

 

[Exintern]

The VStrom attracts a very peculiar segment of the population. Guys that love a good value, practicality, and efficiency.

So you start with an affordably priced, reliable, decently well performing platform. Why not improve its longevity and reduce maintenance by installing some zerk fittings? Sure! Some auxiliary lights and flashing brake lights would be a nice touch for added safety at night, and some heated grips for inclement weather. Top it off with some adjustable handlebar risers to put them in the most perfectly ergonomic position, and a 3 foot tall windscreen with 3 lips on it for superior airflow. Now that the bike is set up for serious mileage, I should keep track of how much money I'm saving by tracking fuel mileage and oil consumption!

I will say - fork braces and speed bleeders are fricken awesome. I have both of them on my VStrom. Don't forget gold valves!

:rofl nailed it.

 

[VicTim]

Indian motorcycle forum is interesting to say the least. Everything from improving performance on a brand new 20k motorcycle to the tiniest detail on some little add on. I guess some people have a bit too much time on their hands and a bit too much money in the bank (or too much credit).

 

[usedtobefast]

Well, they don't have to talk about issues problems recalls updated fuel maps, etc.

So if you don't have to post about "bike dies when I come up to a stop light" threads, or "bike at the dealer and they can't figure out what is wrong" threads then you do the "what is the best auto chain oiler" threads.

I am surprised how they bring up stuff ... bike isn't smooth? Huh? Or throttle response a bit twitchy? What?

I have both a 2018 V-Strom 1000 and a 2017 650 and they are the smoothest, easiest to ride, spot on fueling bikes I've ever ridden.

But not much to have a forum about ... tires, oil changes, ride ... ahhh, thats about it.

 

[gixxerjeff]

So... should I not join a VW TDI forum? :laughing

Yep. Pretty much the same thing. :laughing

 

[vaara]

This is based on a sample size of one (bike whose model's forums I've ever frequented), but V-Strommers are some of the most fanatical farklers out there.

And not just in the U.S.; for a while I participated in a Dutch V-Strom forum, and they were the same way. I was almost always the member with the least-farkled bike - because when one belongs to such forums, it is de rigueur to list all of one's farkles in one's signature, even if that means the signature ends up being 50 lines long.

My current Wee has the following:

Clip-on wind deflector thingie for top of windshield
Grip Puppies®
Givi topcase

And that is literally it.

I seriously doubt whether anyone has a less-farkled Wee than I do!

 

[Exintern]

My current Wee has the following:

Clip-on wind deflector thingie for top of windshield
Grip Puppies®
Givi topcase

And that is literally it.

I seriously doubt whether anyone has a less-farkled Wee than I do!

My Wee doesn't have less, but we're at least tied:
Grip Puppies
Denali DM2 aux lights
Suzuki top and side cases

 

[dravnx]

Well, they don't have to talk about issues problems recalls updated fuel maps, etc.

So if you don't have to post about "bike dies when I come up to a stop light" threads, or "bike at the dealer and they can't figure out what is wrong" threads then you do the "what is the best auto chain oiler" threads.

I am surprised how they bring up stuff ... bike isn't smooth? Huh? Or throttle response a bit twitchy? What?

I have both a 2018 V-Strom 1000 and a 2017 650 and they are the smoothest, easiest to ride, spot on fueling bikes I've ever ridden.

But not much to have a forum about ... tires, oil changes, ride ... ahhh, thats about it.

My 2017 DL650 has the twitchiest throttle of any bike I've ever ridden. It like an on/off switch. I've gotten used to it but I sure would like to fix it. My wrist is calibrated for rolling on the throttle but rolling off the throttle sometimes catches me off guard. I've searched and Googled and never really found a fix.
It cracks me up how many inmates tout the benefits of the fork brace. "It finally feels planted" and the famous "my fork brace now tames crosswinds" I've had mine on and off of 2 Vstroms and never really felt a difference.