Celebrating Positives (offset of the Gripes Thread)

[nomadpete]

I really haven't anything against particular brands of bike (or car). Except maybe those Russian things from 1970.

 

I simply stated my personal experience, and that of a trusted friend. As such I didn’t welcome being called BS by a fellow forumite.

 

Going out for a regular ride has been a liberating experience, whatever the machine. I can't gripe about that.

 

 

Edited August 10 by nomadpete

[Jerry_Atrick]

My riding instructor back in Aus, who was previously a mechanical engineer had a saying about Harleys: "Yesterday's technology and tomorrow's prices".

 

I am not into those sort of cruisers so can't comment.. I checked Bikesales.com.au, and there were three Virago 1100s dated '96 and '97 and about $5k - $6k.. Not too bad for a worhtless bike, but paled into insignificance compared to about $15K = $20K for the same year Harleys that at least looked similar. How much of that is brand value v qualoty bike? I have no idea.

 

But I would still love a Goldwing...  I think their market is slightly different to Harleys.. I don't have tattoos 😉

 

I have only had Japanese bikes, and I love them. Even the cheap Kawasaki er-6f I had took a hell of a lot of abuse befire it finally decided it was going to cost me more than what a better bike was worth to fix up.

 

Unfortunately, VFR750s fall foul of the ULEZ emmisssions, which means it will cost me £12.50/day top ride it in London (Same as an old FJ55 spewing all of those emissions). Otherwise, I would get one as they were simply bullet proof. Back in Aus, I may get one. 

 

Edited August 10 by Jerry_Atrick

[Jerry_Atrick]

Back to celebrating positives. Yesterday was a humid hazy day. Today was slightly hazy, but dry, and got to 29 degrees. Yesterday, took the lad into town and had a wander.. He has a new phone, and, @red750, it takes great shots. Had lunch with him and mozeyed on back home, walking the dog; worked on my next project (sold the web site prototype for about $500 - was not much whe you consider I put in over 300 hours on it - but it's a hobby). 

 

This morning, while spraying the weeds (which was well overdue), the daughter rocked up from an overnight house party. She's not a big drinker at all, but has come up with a clever solution to avoid the peer pressure of driniking.. She takes lots of cans of beer to the party.. opens them, and takes a swig (one at a time), and "forgets where she left them" (hidden). So, while everyone else was asleep, we nipped oout for a quick breakfast.. Back at home, took the K9 for a 6 mile walk (he did about 16).. 

 

Do I want to go to work tomorrow - even working from home? Nope.. (hopefully more on that soon). 

[facthunter]

Sorry Pete, But I get sick of people (who don't ride them) Piling on Harleys. A have had more Yamaha's  than modern Harleys and my daughter (Smallish) has a 535 yam. Virago which I service very thoroughly. It has a weird fuel system requiring fuel pumps to work and too  much trail on the forks and needs another gear and gets pretty warm.  Chrome is ordinary..

  I wouldn't see the Harley as a good police bike. Maybe OK for Parades.  What are Police bikes good for these days??.

 Ride what you enjoy, not what your mates would be impressed by and something you can afford and get parts for. IF you don't fix it yourself, you are at the Mercy of whoever does do it. The wiring harness gives trouble on a lot of Bikes after a few years especially around the steering column. Insulation breaks and the wires harden.. Most bikes have the seat much too high for short People..Get the Miles up and get rid of them rather than work on them. .I still have the ONLY Harley that I bought new.  Nev

[spacesailor]

I must ask , why my daughter likes her ' Harley Davison '  .

Then , as others have said , she enjoys fixing mechanical things .

( I don't even know what model it is ) .

Her hubby has gone to the darkside ( Japanese ) . LoL .

spacesailor

PS. : I used to ride but couldn't stand those ' hard-hats '

Then , daughter & son-in-law got me to have a ride afer 50 years.

[facthunter]

There's  NOT a lot of things you have to do really. The tappets are hydraulic. Oil and filter very easy to change. Gearbox oil is separate. Most important thing is have it all very hot when you adjust the Primary chain as otherwise it can end up too tight when it does get hot.  Steering  Head, swing arm and wheel bearings are ALL Tapered rollers and don't pressure wash any Motorbike.  Nev

[red750]

Six months or more ago, I lost one of my hearing aids. The other was only really any good for listening to the TV on bluetooth. The aids were issued in Feb 2023, and free government aids for pensioners are only available every five years. In my last hearing test, I was told they couldn't do much withthese aids, and I would have to rely on lipreading to suppliment the hearing aids. I've had to ask people to repeat themselves 3 or 4 times.

 

Today, I decided to visit another audiologist. I explained that I had a neew set of hearing aids in 2023 and was not elligible for another set till 2028, and I had a hearing test last November. However they had been advertising free hearing tests and I wondered if their aids were any better than the ones I had.

 

They  gave me a full test, and tried some top of the line aids which were great, but cost $9,000.

There are 5 levels of aids, top level $9,000, second level $7,000, 3rd level $5,000. The bottom two levels are the ones issued free to pensioners. 

 

They said if I completed a stat declaration that I had lost a hearing aid, they could replace it free of charge under a government replacement scheme. I completed the form, got it witnessed at a chemist shop in the shopping centre, and they issued me with a replacement on the spot.

Unit cost $0.00, annual maintenance charge $0.00.

 

Without Bluetooth, I had to listen to the TV with volume at 78. With this replacement aid I can hear it at 36. I can now hear my daughter clearly first time, minimal repeating. No need for lip reading. An absolute positive. Can't wait to see how it goes at the Shed. I might be able to hear what is said at the lunch table. Have to take it out when the machines are running.

[facthunter]

So that was a good deal? WE don't do so bad. (Compared to MOST places). Hear Hear. It's pretty high tech stuff.  Nev

[spacesailor]

Those $9,000 ones are really good in a crowd as the AI finds the voice even behind you !.

I didn't get them , but had a " remote " to adjust the volue. To a level that works wherever I am . The TV can get turned down to single digits when I turn-up my remote hearing aids .

spacesailor

[Marty_d]

Yeah I need to decide which level to get. I don't think it'll be the $9k ones.

[red750]

They could put me on a payment plan at $160 per fortnight.

[onetrack]

I deal with Audika, they're part of the Oticon group, who make hearing aids, so Audika specialise in selling Oticon hearing aids. Oticon are Danish and make every component of their hearing aids.

I've used Oticon hearing aids since 2004, and I've gone through about 4 sets in 21 years.

 

I use the "in-the-ear" hearing aids, because I find working around machines, the "behind the ear" style are a PIA and fall off, or get knocked off all the time. I had trouble with the earlier models, they had a fragile "shell" (the plastic body) that would break easily when dropped - so I was often without a hearing aid while they manufactured a new shell (the shells have to be made from an internal ear impression, so they fit snugly).

 

Even worse - every time repairs are needed, they can only be done on the East Coast, so the hearing aid had to be sent East and then wait for repair, then sent back again. Nothing has changed in 21 years, the process is still the same, and I find that very annoying.

 

The last lot I acquired in 2019 and I paid $1600 over and above the "standard" hearing aid cost, to get a superior version. They're not too bad, but my hearing loss is severe, so nothing can make it up to good hearing ever again.

These hearing aids fell apart (the shells fractured) last December, and I was annoyed at having to send them off just before Christmas to get them repaired. What with the holiday period and repair time, I knew it would be mid-January before I saw them again. They gave me a set of loan "behind-the-ear" hearing aids - and they were bloody useless!

 

Mid-January came and went, and I inquired where my hearing aids were? A bit of panic ensued, and the girl rang the Eastern States repairer to find out what was going on - and they replied they had no knowledge of them!! But the girl insisted that they had a record of them being sent, so the mob in the East must have lost them somewhere?

 

It was a couple of days before I got more news - yes, they'd found my hearing aids, they'd been misplaced as soon as they arrived, and nothing had been done to them! That made me even unhappier.

 

Then, the following day, I got a call from the local business, saying the repairers had examined my aids, and they were unrepairable, and they would have to make completely new ones!!

That then entailed another trip to Audika to take new ear impressions. To say I was pissed off, was the understatement of the year. I was getting thoroughly sick of Audika.

 

So I waited another 10 days, and got a call that my new hearing aids were ready to be picked up. I went there and had them fitted and tuned, and was then amazed to be told that the new replacement hearing aids were free under warranty, as the old hearing aids had a 5 year full warranty, and the warranty was still in force when they buggered up!

 

So that was particularly good news. These new hearing aids now have a new design computer chip in them, that is specifically designed for hearing aids. Previously, they used off-the-shelf chips that didn't have all the design features that the new chips have. They're reasonably good, but I still have times when I have to ask people to repeat themselves.

 

I was under the impression, the top-of-the-wozza hearing aids were more about increased miniaturisation, rather than having major increased abilities. I was told if you keep shrinking the hearing aids, you can't get the same abilities in the smaller aids, as you can get in the larger versions, as they simply run out of room to install components.

[red750]

The one I got today was an Amplifon.The audiologist, Adam, said I had less than 40% hearing in my left ear and less than 50% in my right ear. It was the right ear aid that was replaced. I'm sitting here listening to the TV. clear but a little like an echo chamber, with the TV volume on 35. Adam said the brain takes about a week to adjust to the change in sound and I have a followup appointment next Tuesday to check all is OK. I asked about the iPhone airpods which now have hearing aid approval by the gov't body, used in conjunction with a newer model iPhone. Adam said he had heard people talking about them, so got some to check them out (He showed them to me). He said they are only good if you have over 60% hearing. They are about $300 plus the phone cost. He also said a cochlear implant would not work with my level of hearing.

 

 

 

 

[octave]

38 minutes ago, red750 said:

I asked about the iPhone airpods which now have hearing aid approval by the gov't body

Here is an interesting opinion from Adam Savage (Mythbusters), who has significant hearing loss. 

 

 

[spacesailor]

SO , Strait from the top tester .

they work ,

Will they work on anyone or even on any-phone he didn't say & I don't know .

spacesailor

 

PS. : I have never had an iPhone 

 

Edited August 12 by spacesailor

[octave]

The Apple air pods are for mild to moderate hearing loss. They work best when paired with an Apple iPhone although I believe they will work with Android but more of a pain to setup I believe.

[Jerry_Atrick]

I don't suffer hearing loss, but I use air pods for listening to music, pod casts and the like. They are the better model of air pods I got for a small fee when buying the daughter her student discounted apple stuff. Their noise reduction is first class and their sound reproduction is as good as I have ever heard. And I use them with a cheapie Samsung android. . 

[facthunter]

The ones I have are made to fit MY ears by taking a CAST of the ear canal. It also changes over time so I'm getting new ones at the Moment It's done to your existing units at pretty minimum cost. Vickers Machine Guns ruined my ears when I was about 21 and finished off by Noisy radios (HF) and engines of Planes and tractors. Nev