Fender1515

And the satisfaction of knowing it's a proper job.! The last time I took my bike to the bike shop, it came back with a Heli coil in the one of the front callipers, that wasn't there when it went in! Umm!!!

There should be a "T" shirt for that, I would be wearing one !!

Hi Larry, I like you , am at the other side of the Corporate work world, although I still do work, but for our selves. I have been falling of two wheel things since I was 11 YO. I have been fortunate to have ridden around most EU countries, and some how always seem to get back! I am planning a trip in 2025, which might well be my European swan song. Very much in the planning stage but I am thinking of arriving in France, traveling down to Northern Spain and riding through the Picos range, Northern Italy, Tuscany, Over the Alps back into France, fill up with fuel, and head on homewards. I have ridden most of this route on different trips, apart from Picos bit. I need to get a few things lined up before I can make this happen, but wanted to share the thinking with you. I am a reasonably progressive rider, however, some of the learnings from 20 years in the IAM seems to have worked. Have fun

Whilst I agree with Simon, up eer, we have a massive problem with bike theft, thieves smash disk with hammer or cut off with portable grinder, I am only trying to point out, whilst disk locks are a deterrent, I use two when I am on my travels, they are fallible. I hope you and your bike stay safe.

I have just spent, two whole days 9am to 6pm on Saturday and 9am to 4:30pm Sunday on an webinar, it was great value, leaned a load of new stuff, one guy delivered the whole of the two day content, massive respect to him. Outcomes: 1: Brain is fried 2: My partner hates me 3: My butt feels worse than two days solid on the bike 4: My partner hates me 5; I have to unpack the learnings over the next couple of days and create an accountable action list 6: My partner hates me Conclusion: It was totally worth it PS: I think I may cooking tonight or staving

Apologise, me gain, but I felt the need to post the following exert posted this morning from one of the presses leading finical advisers!, . The Bank of England is facing increasing difficulties in striking a balance between inflation control and economic stability, with the first adjustment anticipated as early as February 2024. I have often had doubts these folks have a clue what world normal folks live in, clearly they cant get to grips with basic math, 2024 + 1= 2025, and these folks assume the role of predicating and advising the great unwashed, ME, on global financial strategy, Probably earns top end 6 digit salary, possibly adviser to the treasury committee, keep the faith, they will prevail! Corse they will, never in doubt, REALLY!

Mornin all, It is tad tad breezy up eer this morning, and those very helpful people at the MET, not the ones who drive around with flashy things going off, have advised me of wind speeds 50 to 70 MPH, so I was thinking, if I was dumb enough, and I probably was/am to take the bike out, and I had a tail wind of 60 MPH, would that be an acceptable defence for doing 60 mph in a 30 mph zone, as in "It was an act of God, force of nature, ". Coz, if I was on an icy road sliding down a hill, at 60 MPH could I be charged with speeding, or just locked up for being insane, again! I do wonder what goes on between my ears some times!!!

As I said, ref 4: Unless there is a clear intent, covers it for me, but what ever works for you, works for you.

I tend to use a number of criteria in deciding if I am going to allow a test ride. 1: The communications that led to the buyer wanting to test ride 2: The impressions I get when met face to face, Q, what's the top speed stuff is a flat NO test ride 3: If they offer/ or not, to make a payment before test ride 4: How and Who they came with, a person on their own arriving in a car is not going to be buying and taking the bike home, unless they have a very big boot, so unless there is a clear follow intent, eyes only ! 5: What have they found out, know, about this model 6: Serious questions from the buyer or not about the bike history, maintenance, type of use stuff. 7: How desperate I am to sell it!!!!

Some interesting parallels in our bike worlds Rob, I have had the ABS bi-passed on my K1200s, so many problems reported on the forum, i chose to get rid before it decided to, way to many fast twisties uo eer, not comfortable the soles of my boots would hold out! I also had a ST1050s, i have owned quite a Triumphs back in the day, and learned to love the quirky stuff, not so with the ST, build quality was very poor, mono shock rusting inside 4 months, even with the dealer Jack Lillie in the ring with me, Triumph fought tooth and nail to avoid warranty replacement, we did win in the end, took what felt like 8 rounds! Also, arguably one of the most uncomfortable seat my butt has ever experienced, enough said. I kinda know most of the quirky stuff on my K1200, and we get on well enough, a tad heavy to push round, but, I do love that raw grunt it kicks out, very planted and predictable on the bendy bits. Have fun

I am guessing you have had a poke about with a telescopic magnet, they have saved me a few times!

OK, it's German, but, two months under the covers, 18 years young, and with my best efforts at flattening the battery, started on the button, lights, fan, electrics, brakes (may need a proper strip and refurb) all works, Tiz an appy day

A bit off the flight path of this thread, just picking up from Simons comment, one of the UK's leading Guzzi parts suppliers is 300 metres from were i live, happy to make the introductions if that's of help to any folks.

I think this topic is very subjective, as disclosed, I have a BMW M/Bike, loud and proud about that. As a result, I am a member of the K1200/1300 owners forum. My experience is that the forum members share a lot of really useful spanering mechanical knowledge and experiences, and that has resulted in me having the knowledge to DIY fix stuff, which otherwise would have needed a trip to the wallet emptying place. So for me, all good. Up until 2023 I has owned a canal boat, for 7 years, which I absolutely loved, you meet a really diverse group of characters on the canal network, the canals are mainly great social levellers, of course you get the entitled folks with an attitude ( unlike my-self!!), certainly more positive than negative experiences, and I made a whole bunch of great pals. There is a canal world forum, which I joined, because I didn't know stuff, diesel engines I can work out, 12V /24V boat electrickery, charging systems, distribution circuits, solar, Lithium battery systems, is a black art. The forum have some very knowledgeable members, who will literally go the extra mile to help folks sort out a problem, but the forum, is a minefield of attitudes, folks will turn a thread on issues with freshwater pumps into a toxic shouty debate on Brexit, the government, which ever flavour, and it gets very personal, so here's Tting, I have met some of these adversarial personalities on the canals, and in the main, nice enough folks, one guy in particular, who is known for posting inflammatory personal comments, I have met on several occasions and we inviably end up in a pub, sharing war stories and talking bollocks as you do. On one occasion I asked him directly, why he posts such crap, his reply was, it gets me noticed, people will respond and engage, would we be sitting here having a drink together if I didn't, maybe, maybe not. Not my way of thinking, but he has a point!

Like your thinking, but not much crutch room, looks like Female suit, but I am not judgemental, what ever works for you! So ~I guess you may be thinking of Ferry from Oban to South Uist, around 6 hrs from memory, the whole of Uist top to tail is less than 40 miles, again from memory I think most roads are 30, 50 mph, ang single carriageway, me, I would want to track off to the beaches and fishing ports, so a couple of days. Local Ferry over to Harris/Lewis, less than 30 miles T2T, but great place to meander + 1.5 to 2 days days including ferry time. I am not sure if your up for a stomp over Rum, I would, amazing castle, manor house built by a industrialist from Manchester, he was barking mad, had a boat, that he held parties on, some guests pissed him off and he scuppered the boat , I could spend at least two days around Sky, again, I would be walking the Cuillin's, Red range Blacks where a tad challenging, exploring the Lock's another couple of days. Depending on your itinerary, 5,8 days. Would be great trip, PS work out fuel stops, not many Moto service station on route. PPS they do like their wee drams

Hi Raff, I spent 18 months working in the Outer Hebs on the radar installations, Uists, St Kilda, many magical islands, walked over Harris, Lewis, Rum, and a few more. My only note of caution, the midges, they are seriously bad through the summer months, great place to explore, be prepared for the little winged devils. Feel free to PM me if you want to check anything out, happy to help.

OK, I vote for ME as Nob of the day, why? So a couple of weeks ago, i did the winterizing stuff on the bike, it's feral and lives outside. Battery cover off, didn't lose any of the screws into the engine this time, result, plugged in and rand out extension cable, attached battery conditioner, covers back on, job's a gooden. It's been a tad chilly last couple of days in Yorkshire, so yesterday, out to start up bike and simmer, disconnect battery charger, not really paying much attention to the screen, it was cold! only it wouldn't, LED battery low indicator flashing, REALLY, reattached charger, nout charge, after some in depth diagnostics, discovered, brains of Britain eer, hadn't switched the 13amp socket to live. If I had another brain cell, it would be lonely. Have a nice day!

Happy Christmas and wishing us all a healthy, fun and safe 2025,

Can you try running stationary, leave at tick over until it reaches norm temp and fans comes on, if it still runs ok, wind it up till it reaches red temp and keep i there for a min or two and see if it still runs OK. Apologise to your neighbours after!

SO the little lady is still busy with work this year, being the thoughtful, caring bloke that I am, also to get some points on the board for next years asks, offered to do a chunk of the Christmas shopping, So we made a list, together, apart from the essential food stuff, I commented I didn't realise we had invited the whole of the village for Christmas dinner, new blender, coz the old one wont last another year, coffee bean grinder, because we don't have one! A load of spices, that based on my 100 years of Christmas experiences have nothing to do with Christmas, I managed to keep the beast in the cage. At the end of the list making exercise, I suggested, for the benefit of our relationship, we revise the list to essentials, I have a very short shopping fuse, she smiled and responded with, your not getting your 2025 bike pass with out some pain, suck it up! How do they always know!

Does the engine have the same symptoms if you run it stationary?

Wishing you and yours, your brother and your Dad well, does you Dad look forward to Christmas, it can be a pick you up, or ....

A few years ago a pal of mine had a problem with the amount of travel on front break lever, this was after stripping down the callipers, replacing seals, fitting steel break hoses. We went through the compete bleed process, again, no real improvement. Another pal uses his CBR1000rr for track days, so we asked him for advice, which was, air can get trapped behind the pistons, also in the banjo, solution, push the pistons all the way back into the bores which will dislodge any air pockets. Tie the break lever back hard back to the bar, and secure, cable tie works well, leave it overnight, air rises. He left it for a few days, and it was way better. We did both actions at the same time, so I couldn't say which sorted the problem.

Just thinking out side the box, I believe Korea consider dogs nuts to be a delicacy, although never tried em myself, could this be an opportunity for an Entrepreneur export business, maybe address the UK's balance of payments on import export issues. Wonder how one does the market research on this, any ideas?

The argument of old British V the Jap invasion of the 70's is an interesting one, made even move pertinent after the recent passing of a biker pal that was a close friend for many many years and one of a group of five of us, all into our bikes during this time. The three of the remaining group met up at the funeral, at the wake, we shared so many memories from "back in the day". Many of them, based on trips we had done, bonkers stuff, deciding on a Thursday night to ride to France on the weekend, but a lot of the laughs where around working on the bikes Friday night in Marks fathers garage, rebuilding clutches, carbs, front or rear brakes, sos we had half a chance of getting there and back. OK so BritBikes broke down, we knew that, fixing them was all part of the vibe. Would we have had the same vibe if we all had JAP bikes, maybe, but the tech was relatively basic on the Brits we could and did work it out, mostly. Would I take one on now as a daily ride, hell no, but "back in the day"!!!