megaross

The DID chain I got for my tiger was 2 links too long but is the correct one for the bike. Had all manner of stuff that didn't fit bikes and cars over the years - sometimes modifiable, sometimes not. Even buying OEM/ quality makers is no guarantee, my tiger is in a weird year (one of the first bikes off the line) that the clutch cable needs to be shorter than triumph provides. OEM stretched out of limits in under a year, venhill I had to get it shortened, and that one snapped 6 months in (they fixed it but still). I've had genuine brake discs warp in 12 months too. I'm guessing triumph used any old shit left from the 955i on the early bikes. Which if you read about the kind of thing triumph did back in the black and white days is very "them" I vaguely recall reluctance to change their frame tooling to release a new T100 with suspension so they designed a sprung hub to soak up bumps and reused all the other tooling. Nice.

Morning camshafts, what's driving you?

I failed mod 2 first time (for a really annoying reason, indicator...) all the best people do. Back on the horse sunshine.

Morning wanksocks, what's the daily crust?

But think how good it'll be once you have spent a million pounds on it. Logic

Friday coffee and a catch up with an old mate, Saturday got a date, Sunday ride

I made a documentary about my feet during lockdown to be fair. I mean I was living alone in a 1 bed coach house at the time so what do you expect - me to retain the little sanity I once possessed? Pah! Hogwash and balderdash! You mithering rapscallion

Check the plug and coils and the relays for water ingress. And the CVT belt as has been said.

Probably just chain lube mate. Last time I changed my front sprocket it was like someone had packed it with old shitty grease and oil.

You've never played chairy socky before?

6' tall I'd recommend checking the ergonomics on https://cycle-ergo.com/ All of those are possible valid choices but my concern is being they're quite sports focused you might not be the most comfortable

Honestly bigger bikes are not only easier to ride but if you have the right mentality they're safer. A 125 you're riding at it's limit much of the time, you've got skinny tyres, small brakes and less grunt to move out of danger. At dual carriageway speeds you'll struggle to get more than 60, especially with your build and then you're into the realms of the bike feeling very unstable under you. "Full fat" bikes are much smoother aind more stable, bigger brakes, better tyres, better suspension. You'll be much comfier in terms of the frame. The power increase you will feel but because of longer gearing it's not like it'll tear your head off - it's simply there when needed. It's normal to be intimidated by the unknown - I was scared to get on the big bikes. But actually the big bikes are a much better thing to build time in the saddle if you're not of the sort that will ride it stupidly, easier to ride and more reassuring with the added stability and safety margins.

Honestly not too hard to do yourself, most bikes you're best off getting into the fettling sooner than later. I tend to find if you keep on top of the little jobs the bike won't ever let you down and it'll be a lot more pleasurable to own and ride.

£3k would easily bag you a VN800 or VN1500 Either would be an excellent first cruiser. Trouble with wanting an auto is basically only the sensible commuter hondas have them, bikes are generally manual - you'll find that snicking through gears is part of the fun when riding for pleasure. Also I'd recommend riding other bikes, I always thought I wanted a sensible lazy bike to start. Turns out I really like sports tourers, I'd love a sports bike if I wasn't 6'6" - you really can't tell until you start riding.

Pick up an old 90's/ early 2000's Japanese 600. They're dirt cheap (£1000-1500), impossible to kill, you'll be able to learn basic essentials like small maintenance jobs (Bikes need more fettling than cars by nature). Plus they're good fun and if it gets dropped or goes sailing into a ditch you'll be gutted but not as gutted as you would've been if you spent loads whilst developing skills as a biker. Plus you'll sell for what you paid when you come to upgrade. Only doing CBT? Same era Jap 125, same thing. It's that good era at the peak of mechanical systems, before electrical issues start to become the main problem with vehicles. I guarantee nothing will go wrong that any self respecting bloke, lady or non binary cheesegrater in a shed can't fix with basic tools and a haynes manual.

Shitty fuel or clogged air filter are top contenders, possibly sludgy oil. Could be something else like a vacuum leak or throttle not opening fully but I'd service it first. Tbh any vehicle I buy I fully service first thing.

Tbh you can usually apply a bit of common sense to torque unless you're into tight tolerance stuff - engines and things. Something like a rear axle nut? Gutentight Brake caliper? Give it a nip up Head bearings? Usually tighten up like a motherfucker to seat, loosen then about a 1/4 to 1/2 turn - you can feel when they're right. My advice, list the essential jobs and tackle in priority order. Crossing off as you go.

Got it through it's MOT, failed on the number plate bulb. Easy fix. Except triumph designed it so it's a dickhead to change with a non captive nut hidden behind the undertray, totally inaccessible without some dismantling. Anyway I managed to bend the undertray back, get a socket on the nut with a bit of locking flex head magic, get it undone and then drill out and rivnut it (and change the bulb obviously). That done it sailed through. Which is good because I'm super hung over after a wedding reception last night and really really suffered for that pass.

1. The more relaxed on the bike that you are, the more in control of it you will be. That was the hardest thing I had to overcome when I was learning, being I'm quite an anxious person. Relax your muscles, breathe. 2. 50 on a small bike can feel intimidating, unlike a big bike that'll feel stable at pretty much an speed you're likely to do, but you will get used to it. Remember to plan, don't be afraid to get up to speed - it's dangerous to go slow when merging. If you need to stop because there's not a gap? That's fine, just patiently wait for one then merge. You'll get used to that speed, it's an odd sensation when you've been doing nsl speeds and then enter a 30. Like everything in slow motion.

You bet your last rolo I'm checking on Christmas day, you never know, maybe father Christmas is on the forum. Probably just find some beard hair (mine hopefully) and broken dreams though. Then I'll go have a drink and some fried sausage meat for breakfast because it's Christmas - the one time of year fried sausage meat is acceptable in the morning.

That's a bit tasty. Beautiful bikes, what were they like to ride?

I want a laverda now, well, I say now. I've always quite fancied one ever since I saw a Jota 1000 in a museum. I'm the opposite of born again, I'm a young spritely chap wishing I got to ride some of that sweet 70's and 80's metal. No sign of falling out of riding. Unfortunately my mortgage costs about as much as Greece's national debt and I'm a single income household. So the chance of a few grand kicking about to buy a classic within the next few years is like hoping I'll wake up with a six pack and a 12 inch willy

Seconded on this. I swear by layers over dedicated summer, winter, rain gear. Spend your dough on bikes, petrol, bacon sarnies and wining and dining beautiful women. (Though the first three often rule out the fourth) Bikes my only transport, even when I used to commute and I've had the dedicated goretex suit - they're just impractical swapping layers, they look crap, they often need replacing when the waterproofing is a few years old. Been on leather jacket, bike trousers, goretex booties and varying gloves for years since. Hot? Switch to summer gloves and slightly unzip leather jacket. Cold? Put a jumper, thick socks, undergloves and winter gloves on Raining? Add the goretex waterproofs my mate got me when he was in the RAF stores, they're designed to be put on over boots and take no room in the topbox. Best thing about those is they get wet but dry out in half an hour. Gear never dries so fast. When those start to leak? £30 from the surplus to renew my waterproofing.

Job for today. Take the crank cover off and replace the pinched gasket I discovered yesterday so it doesn't hose the engine and exhaust with oil. Worst thing is had I not been lazy and just bought some more gasket paper instead of buying pre cut oem jobbys I'd have saved about £30 by now. And tbh given gasket paper is usually a bit meatier I probably wouldn't have pinched it so easily. If I have to take that f**king cover off again I'm throwing myself in the bin. (I couldn't do that to the bike.)

Morning dudes. Glad the pissing rain has stopped, I need to take off the crank cover for the 5 millionth time and unfuck the fresh gasket I'm guessing I pinched when I was rushing Saturday morning. Or slather on RTV and pray I don't need to have it off afuckinggain. Got a series of pointless meetings with timewasting bast*rds this morning first. Think they call them project managers, *****. Sack em all and hire more techies. Winter makes me grumpy.