What did you do to your bike today?

[S-Westerly]

Rode it to Portsmouth to collect new endcan in biblical rain. Foolishly allowed TomTom to recommend a "fastest" route but avoiding motorways. I can only assume my GPS has a virus, I found myself on roads with grass growing up the middle FFS. How can that be fastest? Took me over 2 hours to do 90 miles. Not helped by aforesaid rain which made these 'roads' more like streams. Also my rear tyre having made over 8000 miles is probably due a change. At least the gear worked as I arrived dry. Just psyching myself up for the return journey.

[Stu]

Rode it to Portsmouth to collect new endcan in biblical rain. Foolishly allowed TomTom to recommend a "fastest" route but avoiding motorways. I can only assume my GPS has a virus, I found myself on roads with grass growing up the middle FFS. How can that be fastest? Took me over 2 hours to do 90 miles. Not helped by aforesaid rain which made these 'roads' more like streams. Also my rear tyre having made over 8000 miles is probably due a change. At least the gear worked as I arrived dry. Just psyching myself up for the return journey.

 

Did you also choose a twisty route too? As this causes it to use roads with bends in too

[S-Westerly]

I did. At times I thought it was taking me the exact opposite of where I wanted. The return will be without TomTom's insane recommendations.

[Stu]

[mention]S-Westerly[/mention] it sounds as though its working as it should

Avoiding motorways but going fastest route with twisties

Turn the twisty roads bit off

[JRH]

[mention]S-Westerly[/mention] Problem with the fastest route is that SatNav allocates the NSL to all roads regardless of their suitability. So your narrow road with grass down the middle maybe a 60mph road and is calculated as such.

I’ve had that happen to me with Garmin.

[husoi]

Well...

Wasn't really directly to the bike and wasn't today.

But I don't think this deserves it's own forum.

Made a vacuum pump from an old pump I had getting spider web and I was just killing some time

First disassembled the pump, removed the top of the compressor bit (the 2 long screws), removed the hose and pressure gauge.

Using the super glue and baking soda process I've added a small copper pipe.

Then attached the transparent hose, the one used for bleeding the brakes.

Put it all together again.

And Voilá a vacuum pump under £15

Just need to get a vacuum gauge for £3 on ebay to complete the setup.

Pump from Home bargains or some cheap place alike

attachment of copper pipe to pump inlet with super glue and baking soda

another view of the intake pipe

Pump back together and ready for action.

[raesewell]

How much vacuum does it pull?

[husoi]

How much vacuum does it pull?

 

I was surprised with the strength of that little thing. It takes it's time for a larger volume but it is strong.

Once I get the gauge I'll post a pic.

I can tell that is far stronger than a good vacuum cleaner on strength but obviously far less flow.

[S-Westerly]

@S-Westerly Problem with the fastest route is that SatNav allocates the NSL to all roads regardless of their suitability. So your narrow road with grass down the middle maybe a 60mph road and is calculated as such.

I’ve had that happen to me with Garmin.

 

Thanks for the info. As you say these narrow lanes are all NSL although no sane person would proceed at that speed. Twisty is now off and I'll see how it it next time out. The return journey was on normal roads but horrible. More biblical rain with the occasional bit of hail to add excitement. At least I've got the MIVV home and once the weather improves I'll fit it.

[Mawsley]

Had its first service on Monday. Took three hours, of which half of that was spent sitting on the floor of the car park getting increasingly uncomfortable and thirsty...and attacked by ants. Not my favourite biking memory. Three hours for an oil and filter change? Nah.

[Guest]

Had its first service on Monday. Took three hours, of which half of that was spent sitting on the floor of the car park getting increasingly uncomfortable and thirsty...and attacked by ants. Not my favourite biking memory. Three hours for an oil and filter change? Nah.

 

You know what they say Dave.......buy Jap or get f@cked up the ass!

[Mawsley]

You know what they say Dave.......buy Jap or get f@cked up the ass!

Which is what drove my purchasing decision.

[Guest]

You know what they say Dave.......buy Jap or get f@cked up the ass!

Which is what drove my purchasing decision.

[Marino]

@S-Westerly Problem with the fastest route is that SatNav allocates the NSL to all roads regardless of their suitability. So your narrow road with grass down the middle maybe a 60mph road and is calculated as such.

I’ve had that happen to me with Garmin.

 

Thanks for the info. As you say these narrow lanes are all NSL although no sane person would proceed at that speed. Twisty is now off and I'll see how it it next time out. The return journey was on normal roads but horrible. More biblical rain with the occasional bit of hail to add excitement. At least I've got the MIVV home and once the weather improves I'll fit it.

 

It will work now I did it same when I got my rider 550

[S-Westerly]

Mine is the 550 also. Hopefully it is cured from its more insane ideas.

[linuxrob]

Yesterday, weather wonderful so tyres etc checked (newish Road 5's at 36 F and 42 R) and off out on Bandit. Got to Helmsley via Sutton bank and planed a trip to Hutton le hole or poss Whitby. just outside Helmsley Bloody Chippings, almost forgot about these little buggers. So tried to go to Stokesley ,Bloody chippings just outside Helmsley again. Bugger - back to Thirsk and home the scenic route.

Helmsley quite busy, loos open and Icecream shop open too. Had paste and tea from Thomas the baker and chatted a lot - keeping 2M apart.

rob b

[fastbob]

Got the prayer mat out and spent the evening in Harley Davidson worship and contemplation .

[skyrider]

Got the prayer mat out and spent the evening in Harley Davidson worship and contemplation .

good to see that Bob is keeping an eye on things

[Stu]

Got the prayer mat out and spent the evening in Harley Davidson worship and contemplation .

good to see that Bob is keeping an eye on things

 

He is making sure that the magic carpet doesn't fly off

[dynax]

Adjusted the chain slack on Xena and tightened up a loose bar end weight, tried the universal suction holder for my sat nav

All set for a ride out later this evening, going to try and see if the sat nav can get me to Lady Bower, got some new earphones for it so all good to go, will be leaving home around 8 tonight i don't know which route i will be taking, going to leave it in the hands of the sat nav, so if anyone is in the vicinity now might be a good time to think twice and stay in

[S-Westerly]

Fitted new end can to my exhaust system. Looks way better IMO.

Before

After

 

Sounds pretty much the same, increases by 0.5 dB which wasn't the point.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

Fitted new end can to my exhaust system. Looks way better IMO. IMG_20200623_140656161.jpgIMG_20200623_144302522.jpg

Sounds pretty much the same, increases by 0.5 dB which wasn't the point.

 

Wow, that does look better.

[Mawsley]

Working on making the bike ‘trip ready’.

Wired up the tank bag and fixed the hub. Fitted on a Givi Monokey adapter plate, then fixed the soft luggage plate on top of it. Cut up some foam and cable tied them to the rack so the wife won’t moan about the sharp metallic jabs in her spine. Finally popped on one of those extended side stand feet.

 

[S-Westerly]

Fitted new end can to my exhaust system. Looks way better IMO. IMG_20200623_140656161.jpgIMG_20200623_144302522.jpg

Sounds pretty much the same, increases by 0.5 dB which wasn't the point.

 

Wow, that does look better.

 

Thanks. I always felt the stock exhaust let down the bike, its just so ugly and cheap looking. Couldn't bring myself to pay the to me ludicrous cost of an Akropovic exhaust and the MIVV was reasonable at sub £400 particularly in lockdown when I wasn't spending much anyway. At least that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

[Stu]

Remade this bracket that I made to mount my sat nav on

 

 

The metal was a bit thin and caused the sat nav to bounce around on bumpy roads!

So I remade it out of 10mm square bar so it's a bit more substantial! Need to take it for a ride now!