What did you do to your bike today?

[smallfrowne]

On 11/05/2023 at 12:54, Grumpy Old Git said:

Not for me at the moment - No room in t'garage and t'missus would have a fit!

 

Well I'm very sorry but you are going to have to stump up the extra 200 nicker and make some room!...

 

 

Ok, not seen is previously about 15 seconds more of pressing the starter button and turning the petrol cock on. But that was all. Can't remember the last time I used it, but gov.uk says mot expired 29th Oct 2016. Which seems a long time ago. I do have history of accidentally using bikes with no MOT but that's a rough enough estimate for me.

 

On 09/05/2023 at 18:09, fastbob said:

Whack a brown seat and some clip ons on it and advertise it in Beard Oil weekly and you should get £3,500 for it easily ..

 

Now then, can I just wrap the seat in brown tarp? And likewise a bit of bandage round the exhaust.... £1800?

 

In actuality my dad came round this afternoon with his neighbour, an habitual tinkerer and biker. I've given it away for £400 and a bit of guttering. Well, I need to deliver it as well at some point. That's that then.

 

[spg notes, "Some speakers do not pronounce the 'h' at the beginning of habitual and use 'an' instead of 'a' before it. And I am from rovrum so there. What is an h?]

[Richard]

Started the pair of them up. First time they have seen the light of day for seven weeks. I still can’t ride them but they ran for 15 minutes 

 

[Bungleaio]

New bike day for me. I took it back to where it was made even though it only left there on Thursday 

 

 

[Ian Frog]

11 hours ago, Bungleaio said:

New bike day for me. I took it back to where it was made even though it only left there on Thursday 

 

 

I`ve got the GT Pro and gotta say I really like it about 2 k miles into it now and looking forward to Spain and France later in the year.

Cheers

Ian

[Bungleaio]

4 hours ago, Ian Frog said:

I`ve got the GT Pro and gotta say I really like it about 2 k miles into it now and looking forward to Spain and France later in the year.

Cheers

Ian

It was a close call between this and the Multistrada V4S, the head overruled the heart though as the compromise of cost and fuel range on the multi were just too big to ignore.

 

The Tiger is far from a poor 2nd choice though. I've been out on it this morning and it's a lovely thing to ride.

[Gerontious]

Can there be anything more mind numbing than cleaning wheels?

 

It used to be easy when the lesbians lived down the road, DEMONS when armed with a toothbrush that pair... but sadly they have moved on. (sigh)

 

 

[fastbob]

An interesting day , rode down the Weedon in Northamptonshire for a Harley Day at one of those themed cafe type places . Excellent turnout with about a hundred Harleys including my old Sportster . Good to see it being appreciated . 

Rode over to Stratford upon Avon , saw some tanks and a bike called a Langan which is a 250 2 stroke V twin and one of only a hundred built . 

[veracocha]

Completed a Bikesafe day with West Mercia Police (Bridgenorth). 14 of us on the course so all their police riders were occupied with us so anyone local needn't have worried about getting caught speeding

 

Very informative and having only been riding for four months I was the least experienced in attendance. It showed, I just don't ride at the speeds of the others and a few times the group had to wait for me. I rode my own ride which is what I hear so often so I only wanted to be safe and that's what the lead told me. It's spurred me on to consider further training with a group so I'll see what's about in my area. Have to say the whole event was very well presented on the day. 

[Pie man]

Another 100 miles done, another 100 to go, then I can get the 1st service out of the way. I need to purchase one of those clip on windshield clip on thingy's before any tour 

 

 

 

[Pie man]

8 minutes ago, veracocha said:

Completed a Bikesafe day with West Mercia Police (Bridgenorth). 14 of us on the course so all their police riders were occupied with us so anyone local needn't have worried about getting caught speeding

 

Very informative and having only been riding for four months I was the least experienced in attendance. It showed, I just don't ride at the speeds of the others and a few times the group had to wait for me. I rode my own ride which is what I hear so often so I only wanted to be safe and that's what the lead told me. It's spurred me on to consider further training with a group so I'll see what's about in my area. Have to say the whole event was very well presented on the day. 

I like to do the bikesafe course every couple of years, sort of brings me back in line and better to listen to their advice, from the horses mouth so to say, rather than a key board champion. 

[Bianco2564]

I want to add a rad cooling fan to the RGV, when doing the ride ins at Rugby and Daventry bike shows the temp creeps up quite quick. There isn't a massive amount of room, I've bought a fan from a Honda 125 off ebay hoping its small enough to fit in the space below the top hose on the LH side.

Did the wiring today, added a relay direct to the battery and rocker switch picking up a feed from the horn.

Fitted new mirrors.

[MikeHorton]

11 hours ago, veracocha said:

Completed a Bikesafe day with West Mercia Police (Bridgenorth). 14 of us on the course so all their police riders were occupied with us so anyone local needn't have worried about getting caught speeding

 

Very informative and having only been riding for four months I was the least experienced in attendance. It showed, I just don't ride at the speeds of the others and a few times the group had to wait for me. I rode my own ride which is what I hear so often so I only wanted to be safe and that's what the lead told me. It's spurred me on to consider further training with a group so I'll see what's about in my area. Have to say the whole event was very well presented on the day. 

There's an IAM group in Wolverhampton. Worth a shot, sounds like a good day was had 

[Bianco2564]

The Honda fan arrived today and its just the right size.

Had to shorten the top hose a little and slid that on further.

Found a strip of stainless plate from a previous job and bolted it up, its all reasonable secure, just need a bit of foam to space the plate away from the rad and a bit of foil tape to seal up the slight overhang. Connected up the wiring with some tempoarary bullet terminals and of course the acid test of "does it work"

[bonio]

Hooned over to Cambridge on the pretext of working in the office. Glorious ride home surrounded by barleyfields glowing in May sunshine.

[bonio]

On 13/05/2023 at 21:38, Bungleaio said:

New bike day for me. I took it back to where it was made even though it only left there on Thursday 

 

 

Wassat you got? The 900XR? And have you really parted company with the GS?

Congratulations, by the way. 

[Bungleaio]

19 hours ago, bonio said:

Wassat you got? The 900XR? And have you really parted company with the GS?

Congratulations, by the way. 

It's the 1200 gt Explorer, GS went in February with the plan of getting the new model GS when it's announced but the plan went out the window when I tried the tiger.

 

I also tried the multistrader v4s which was fantastic but I couldn't justify the cost and the fuel range was too much of a compromise/inconvenience when touring. 

[Ian Frog]

3 hours ago, Bungleaio said:

It's the 1200 gt Explorer, GS went in February with the plan of getting the new model GS when it's announced but the plan went out the window when I tried the tiger.

 

I also tried the multistrader v4s which was fantastic but I couldn't justify the cost and the fuel range was too much of a compromise/inconvenience when touring. 

Perfectly understand your thought process which is probably why I bought a GT Pro and some ferry tickets lol.

Cheers

Ian

[bonio]

@Bungleaio Very nice. Didn't know the Tiger could stand up that well against a GS. I'll bear that in mind...

Next time you go shopping make sure to invite me along as your spotter.   

[Bungleaio]

I'm hoping for it to be a while until I buy a new bike but it works be great to have a spotter. 

 

The tiger is lovely to ride and has enough power for me, I need to get it all run in but I think it will be a very worthy successor to the GS. 

Edited May 18, 2023 by Bungleaio

[Gerontious]

5 hours ago, Bungleaio said:

I'm hoping for it to be a while until I buy a new bike but it works be great to have a spotter. 

 

The tiger is lovely to ride and has enough power for me, I need to get it all run in but I think it will be a very worthy successor to the GS. 

 

have you taken the seat off yet?

I did that last night... in the dark. exciting stuff. I needed the little torch under it.  Taking the seat off is for me a very rare event, one to be relished. in fact... just typing this made me want to relive the moment. And I just had to do it again. twice in less than 12 hours. such a thrill.

 

This is a long standing in-joke in our little group of happy travellers. what say you @bonio have you had it off yet?

Edited May 18, 2023 by Gerontious

[Steve_M]

Renewed the insurance on the SV650 and I’ve booked it in for a service and MoT. The guy I’ve booked it in with is fully booked until mid-June so I’m down to one useable bike for a month. 
 

Next is to book the GS in to have the bloody awful satnav removed and a new mount and wiring fitted for my ancient but reliable Garmin 350LM.

 

Oh, and I’m about to bimble off on a circular ride taking in Kielder.

[Gerontious]

In a fit of enthusiasm Ive cleaned (brush and paraffin) the chain and oiled it. (brush and gear oil)

bikes lived outside for 4 1/2 years. not a spot of rust or any stiff links on the chain. which is quite good I think. Chain still the right tension. no appreciable wear on the sprockets after 16000 miles. quite pleased with that.

16K service in just under 3 weeks. Im booked into the kidney transplant centre for the week before to help pay for it. needs must.

Edited May 18, 2023 by Gerontious

[Bungleaio]

5 hours ago, Gerontious said:

 

have you taken the seat off yet?

I did that last night... in the dark. exciting stuff. I needed the little torch under it.  Taking the seat off is for me a very rare event, one to be relished. in fact... just typing this made me want to relive the moment. And I just had to do it again. twice in less than 12 hours. such a thrill.

 

This is a long standing in-joke in our little group of happy travellers. what say you @bonio have you had it off yet?

I have indeed had the seat off but it was just to adjust the height rather for maintenance reasons.
 

The key only releases the pillion seat which then reveals a leaver to release the main seat. There’s also the complications of the wiring as both seats are heated. It is a quite exciting process. 

[Steve_M]

4 hours ago, Steve_M said:

Renewed the insurance on the SV650 and I’ve booked it in for a service and MoT. The guy I’ve booked it in with is fully booked until mid-June so I’m down to one useable bike for a month. 
 

Next is to book the GS in to have the bloody awful satnav removed and a new mount and wiring fitted for my ancient but reliable Garmin 350LM.

 

Oh, and I’m about to bimble off on a circular ride taking in Kielder.

Bimble images in no particular order.

 

1) The Route. The Hadrians Wall Road is a bit tedious but stilll better than using the A69, and the views are excellent (look out for Sycamore Gap)

2) I have so many photos of my bike with this sign I don’t know why I bother taking more.

3) See the detour to point 7 (Langholm Moor). I did that to get a shot of the Scottish Borders sign. The views are amazing, though getting your back wheel stuck in the mud isn’t

4) One of the few straight roads I enjoy.

5) Elf Kirk view point (Waypoint 4). Practicing my light off road skills. The bike’s traction control hated it so I switched to Enduro mode for the first time ever.

 

Edited May 18, 2023 by Steve_M

[Bianco2564]

Finished the RGV fan today, changed the stainless plate for carbon and moved the fan inwards a bit for clearance to the fairing.

Replaced the bullet connectors for a plug.

Pretty pleased with the outcome, all done for around £15. Bought the fan off ebay, found the nuts, bolts,switch, relay and wiring in the garage. Bit of carbon was scrap from work and got the plug from Halfords.

It's first real test will be on Sunday for the Rugby bike show ride in.