More bike related stuff

[blackal]

Well today was a first I did the 40th year Wirral Egg run, which is a bike run from New Brighton on the top of the Wirral to Clatterbridge hospital. There are three charities
Clare house kids hospice
Blood bikes and Air ambulance

So I joined 3000 plus bikes for a 11 am start. After watching folk holding bikes at the rev limiter I realised it was time to wait a while!

I set off at appx 11:30 and was still stuck in a 6 wide bike log jam . You can only be over taken , under taken, boxed in so many times. So after about 3/4 mile of the 15 mile route I bailed! . It was so nice ride with a clear road ahead without quads and absolute nutters doing wheeleys!

I avoid those things like the plague - just like the Steve Hislop Memorial Run each year in August, setting off from Hawick.

Think there were 2 crashes before it even set off, last time it was run.

[I a n]

Well today was a first I did the 40th year Wirral Egg run, which is a bike run from New Brighton on the top of the Wirral to Clatterbridge hospital. There are three charities
Clare house kids hospice
Blood bikes and Air ambulance

So I joined 3000 plus bikes for a 11 am start. After watching folk holding bikes at the rev limiter I realised it was time to wait a while!

I set off at appx 11:30 and was still stuck in a 6 wide bike log jam . You can only be over taken , under taken, boxed in so many times. So after about 3/4 mile of the 15 mile route I bailed! . It was so nice ride with a clear road ahead without quads and absolute nutters doing wheeleys!

This is my perception of the DGR ... I might be wrong ?
I know many (including Tony) enjoy this - just not my cup of tea TBH.

[Fish]

Can anyone recommend a decent tool breaker/riveting tool?

Sealey's seem to be the main one, but I just don't like the company.

[gorrie]

This is my perception of the DGR ... I might be wrong ?
I know many (including Tony) enjoy this - just not my cup of tea TBH.

DGR is quite sedate.. granted I’ve only done a couple.. but never seen anyone pop a wheelie or redlining etc. the ones I’ve been on were very civilised.

[blackal]

Can anyone recommend a decent tool breaker/riveting tool?

Sealey's seem to be the main one, but I just don't like the company.

I have the Bluespot one (I suspect it and the Sealey are different packages of the same thing) £20 or less.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Spot-T...s%2C801&sr=8-1

Not sure how much effort is needed to flare a solid end rivet, but works fine on the hollow ends that you tend to see now.

For chain removal I just use a thin cutting disc to slice the side plates of the rivet-link - there's nothing to save there.

There are some good youtubes on changing chains - buy yourself a cheap plastic vernier too.

[samswatch]

Ready to go - I bloody love this bike. (The garden needs some money spent on it, though, which is being planned as we speak!)

That red paintwork and with Kawasaki posted earlier looks great.

Have you got used to the taller seat height?

[spareparts]

Had the best riding day of the year this past weekend, blatting around Suffolk and Essex with a good mate. Stopped through Finchingfield on the way home. Couldn’t have had a more enjoyable day’s riding.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think this was the last ride for me on the R. The ride was fantastic and it was a good opportunity to compare it back-to-back with a GS because I switched bikes a few times with my mate's GS on the day's riding. I came away realising that the GS can do 95% what the R does, but the R only does 70% what the GS does. And importantly, with my plans to do more off-roading later this year, I have just sold the R to get back on my 4th GS. Would have been nice to keep both in the garage as the R is really just a very mature sports bike imho, but it would be a bit silly as both have the same basic drivetrain.

[blackal]

I think this was the last ride for me on the R. The ride was fantastic and it was a good opportunity to compare it back-to-back with a GS because I switched bikes a few times with my mate's GS on the day's riding. I came away realising that the GS can do 95% what the R does, but the R only does 70% what the GS does. And importantly, with my plans to do more off-roading later this year, I have just sold the R to get back on my 4th GS. Would have been nice to keep both in the garage as the R is really just a very mature sports bike imho, but it would be a bit silly as both have the same basic drivetrain.

Very well elucidated. That is pretty much my impression wrt those bikes.

[learningtofly]

That red paintwork and with Kawasaki posted earlier looks great.

Have you got used to the taller seat height?

Thanks, and yes have. I’m using the standard seat on the lower of the two settings (I think it’s about a 2cm difference) and aside from watching out for negative cambers when I stop I don’t think about the seat height at all.

[chris2982]

Well it's arrived!!

Spencer had to be the first one that was allowed to sit on it.


Sent from my Nokia 8.3 5G using Tapatalk

[Bluetinfloor]

For the first time in about 15 years I have found myself without a road bike ready to head out as the better spring weather approaches.

So...looking to spend about £5K for some summer fun and my out and out sports bike days are now behind me, sold a Fireblade at the end of last year as I found the riding position had become uncomfortable after 20 minutes or so

Looked at a good few bikes, but the Tuono ticked all the boxes best - its a bit bonkers, but pleased with it. Managed to get a good one, 2010 and 15K miles with service history.

[blackal]

Looked at a good few bikes, but the Tuono ticked all the boxes best - its a bit bonkers, but pleased with it. Managed to get a good one, 2010 and 15K miles with service history.

A Man's bike!

[bigweb]

Picked the worst day ever to get my bike out of the garage and take it for a service.

Weather here was awful. Wind was brutal and it was my first time on it in nearly 5 months I think.

Anyway I'm picking it back up later and they called me to say I needed a new rear tyre as it was low.

I was running a Pilot road sport 4 and had only had it on for 12 months and 2k miles. Seems a bit extreme that doesn't it?

They have put a Road sport 5 on to replace it. Hopefully I get longer than 2k out of that!

[lewie]

Looked at a good few bikes, but the Tuono ticked all the boxes best - its a bit bonkers, but pleased with it. Managed to get a good one, 2010 and 15K miles with service history.

Nice, my mate px’s his last year for a Hayabusa

[Stanford]

Looked at a good few bikes, but the Tuono ticked all the boxes best - its a bit bonkers, but pleased with it. Managed to get a good one, 2010 and 15K miles with service history.

Tuonos are superb, old and new

[Gyp]

Picked the worst day ever to get my bike out of the garage and take it for a service.

Weather here was awful. Wind was brutal and it was my first time on it in nearly 5 months I think.

Anyway I'm picking it back up later and they called me to say I needed a new rear tyre as it was low.

I was running a Pilot road sport 4 and had only had it on for 12 months and 2k miles. Seems a bit extreme that doesn't it?

They have put a Road sport 5 on to replace it. Hopefully I get longer than 2k out of that!

My Triumph is booked in for MOT next Thursday so expect blizzards.

Depending on what the bike is, 2k miles is one of appalling/not bad/pretty good. My 'busa (160bhp) and R80 (50bhp) both used to get 2k or less from a rear, it looks like I'm getting about 10,000 out of the rear on my Street Scrambler

I do know though that some bike shops tend to take the view with tyres of "is there enough tread to last to the next service?" even if it's well above the wear indicators

[higham5]

Picked the worst day ever to get my bike out of the garage and take it for a service.

Weather here was awful. Wind was brutal and it was my first time on it in nearly 5 months I think.

Anyway I'm picking it back up later and they called me to say I needed a new rear tyre as it was low.

I was running a Pilot road sport 4 and had only had it on for 12 months and 2k miles. Seems a bit extreme that doesn't it?

They have put a Road sport 5 on to replace it. Hopefully I get longer than 2k out of that!

Ive been cycling on the Wirral today I can confirm the weather was biblical, wind rain and just for added training hail :)

[downer]

Yup. I was up and down the M6 on the FJR1300. It was not nice.

[vRSG60]

Have you seen the price of tyres these days!!!
Roadtec 01s £243 last year £308 now for GSA

[bigweb]

Ive been cycling on the Wirral today I can confirm the weather was biblical, wind rain and just for added training hail :)

Was ruthless on the dock road in Liverpool today too.

Sent from my SM-F926B using Tapatalk

[pugster]

Picked the worst day ever to get my bike out of the garage and take it for a service.

Weather here was awful. Wind was brutal and it was my first time on it in nearly 5 months I think.

Anyway I'm picking it back up later and they called me to say I needed a new rear tyre as it was low.

I was running a Pilot road sport 4 and had only had it on for 12 months and 2k miles. Seems a bit extreme that doesn't it?

They have put a Road sport 5 on to replace it. Hopefully I get longer than 2k out of that!

what bike was this on and what are you doing with it :) , i got 7k out of the PR4's i had on my speed triple.

[bigweb]

what bike was this on and what are you doing with it :) , i got 7k out of the PR4's i had on my speed triple.

It's an MT09, I'm not even a good enough rider to have acted like a hooligan enough to destroy a tyre in 2k either I don't think

Sent from my SM-F926B using Tapatalk

[pugster]

It's an MT09, I'm not even a good enough rider to have acted like a hooligan enough to destroy a tyre in 2k either I don't think

Sent from my SM-F926B using Tapatalk

the new road 6 (they have scrapped the 'pilot' prefix) are supposed to be cracking tyres , on the flip side the s22's that came on my mt10 are made of blancmange i think and i'll be lucky to get 2.5k out of them.

[Gyp]

It's an MT09, I'm not even a good enough rider to have acted like a hooligan enough to destroy a tyre in 2k either I don't think

Was it the first tyre?

I've read that tyre manufacturers supply oem tyres with less tread than the retail versions at the request of bike manufacturers as a) they can do so cheaper as there's less rubber and b) they are quieter for the homologation noise tests.

That might account for it, but more likely it was just the bike shop being "over cautious" and "ensuring rider safety"

[bigweb]

Was it the first tyre?

I've read that tyre manufacturers supply oem tyres with less tread than the retail versions at the request of bike manufacturers as a) they can do so cheaper as there's less rubber and b) they are quieter for the homologation noise tests.

That might account for it, but more likely it was just the bike shop being "over cautious" and "ensuring rider safety"

No it was a new tyre when I bought it used 12 months ago.

I do think the garage were being a little over cautious as I'm normally quite onto tyres and things.

I suppose I did run it in there and said sort it for the summer.

My friend has those S22s on his XSR900
They look great on the bike. Not sure if they are any good or not.

I hated the way the PS4s looked on the bike.

Sent from my SM-F926B using Tapatalk

[higham5]

Was it the first tyre?

I've read that tyre manufacturers supply oem tyres with less tread than the retail versions at the request of bike manufacturers as a) they can do so cheaper as there's less rubber and b) they are quieter for the homologation noise tests.

That might account for it, but more likely it was just the bike shop being "over cautious" and "ensuring rider safety"

Agreed , probably also helps them with weight as often a new years model is described as 7.5 of so kgs than outgoing model. The rubber is the densest part of the tyre. Heres what Goodyear say

https://www.goodyear.com/en-US/learn...lacement-tires

[learningtofly]

Agreed , probably also helps them with weight as often a new years model is described as 7.5 of so kgs than outgoing model. The rubber is the densest part of the tyre. Heres what Goodyear say

https://www.goodyear.com/en-US/learn...lacement-tires

Yes, but they don't go into the detail that Ian weas referring to above, Steve. IMO, it's bloody disgraceful.

[pugster]

No it was a new tyre when I bought it used 12 months ago.

I do think the garage were being a little over cautious as I'm normally quite onto tyres and things.

I suppose I did run it in there and said sort it for the summer.

My friend has those S22s on his XSR900
They look great on the bike. Not sure if they are any good or not.

I hated the way the PS4s looked on the bike.

Sent from my SM-F926B using Tapatalk

if you are touring or just want long life with some 'sports' characteristics the road 4/5/6 are great tyres , if you are just ragging it around the a roads on a weekend and want something a bit more sticky the s22 or m7/9 rr are great tyres.

* the sports tourer tyres (road 4/5/6 ) will out perform 99% of road riders (myself inc)

[bigweb]

if you are touring or just want long life with some 'sports' characteristics the road 4/5/6 are great tyres , if you are just ragging it around the a roads on a weekend and want something a bit more sticky the s22 or m7/9 rr are great tyres.

* the sports tourer tyres (road 4/5/6 ) will out perform 99% of road riders (myself inc)

I have no doubt the tyre is far better than I am

Sent from my SM-F926B using Tapatalk

[Enoch]

Just got back from my first review… looking good so far. Need to keep up with the physio which is painful but necessary, to increase the range of movement..

[Saint-Just]

Painful no doubt but it looks like he did a good job.

[cinnabull]

Hey Enoch good news . So you out of hospital now or still in there? Either way, keep positive and you’ll soon be back in the saddle .

Stuart


Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

[learningtofly]

Come on, @hhhh... I'm waiting for some photos!

[oldoakknives]

Just got back from my first review… looking good so far. Need to keep up with the physio which is painful but necessary, to increase the range of movement..

Good to know it's going well. Soon be up and about hopefully.

[Enoch]

Hey Enoch good news . So you out of hospital now or still in there? Either way, keep positive and you’ll soon be back in the saddle .

Stuart


Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

Hi Stuart. Been home for the past 3 weeks👍

[Gyp]

Yes, but they don't go into the detail that Ian weas referring to above, Steve. IMO, it's bloody disgraceful.

Here you go!

https://youtu.be/Tv97i_-V7hA

[higham5]

Well Im minded to sell my XL 250 1972 , Im leaning towards a KTM 390 duke , lighter weight than my GS and a bit of modern fun. I have enough period bikes

Ill do a SC addition soon or will be persuaded to take a Moonwatch in a trade :)

[spareparts]

Looked at a good few bikes, but the Tuono ticked all the boxes best - its a bit bonkers, but pleased with it. Managed to get a good one, 2010 and 15K miles with service history.

Excellent! Enjoy!
My old Factory in the ‘Dream Black’ colour scheme. One bike I really miss and have often thought of getting again. Wheels in Peterborough just sold a minter about one week ago, and I was very tempted.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[higham5]

Just got back from my first review… looking good so far. Need to keep up with the physio which is painful but necessary, to increase the range of movement..

All the best Andrew I was in Woods this Tuesday, looking for your “Ex bikes” . Wishing you the best recovery and the opportunity to swing a leg over the new bike this summer.

[higham5]

Excellent! Enjoy!
My old Factory in the ‘Dream Black’ colour scheme. One bike I really miss and have often thought of getting again. Wheels in Peterborough just sold a minter about one week ago, and I was very tempted.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That Aprillia exemplifies word “ Moody”

[spareparts]

I think this was the last ride for me on the R. The ride was fantastic and it was a good opportunity to compare it back-to-back with a GS because I switched bikes a few times with my mate's GS on the day's riding. I came away realising that the GS can do 95% what the R does, but the R only does 70% what the GS does. And importantly, with my plans to do more off-roading later this year, I have just sold the R to get back on my 4th GS. Would have been nice to keep both in the garage as the R is really just a very mature sports bike imho, but it would be a bit silly as both have the same basic drivetrain.

So the R went today and got replaced with a slightly customised Bumblebee… a 40y GS. Replaced some of the silver parts for black versions. Took the long way home over some of Suffolk and Essex’s finest B-roads… I just love the GS. Such an effortless bike to ride at pace or slowly over twisting or broken roads we have in England. Still the fastest and most comfortable bike over ground I’ve had the pleasure of owning amongst many. It covers ground so brilliantly, although we are not talking track.





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Cavham]

Come on, @hhhh... I'm waiting for some photos!

Did you go the Harley route hhh

[hhhh]

I did….



Picked this Sport Glide up yesterday, although it’s going back to be de-chromed as soon as all the black bits are in.
Wont get time to do anything on it until tomorrow so will take some better photos then.

[oldoakknives]

I did….



Picked this Sport Glide up yesterday, although it’s going back to be de-chromed as soon as all the black bits are in.
Wont get time to do anything on it until tomorrow so will take some better photos then.

Very nice. Very jealous.

[downer]

So the R went today and got replaced with a slightly customised Bumblebee… a 40y GS. Replaced some of the silver parts for black versions. Took the long way home over some of Suffolk and Essex’s finest B-roads… I just love the GS. Such an effortless bike to ride at pace or slowly over twisting or broken roads we have in England. Still the fastest and most comfortable bike over ground I’ve had the pleasure of owning amongst many. It covers ground so brilliantly, although we are not talking track.





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Very nice. I must admit I'm a fan of the 40yr colours, especially with the blacked out parts and the black seat rather than the rather garish yellow rallye seat. One of these is on my short list if the Tiger 1200 GT Explorer demo doesn't suit me.

[spareparts]

Very nice. I must admit I'm a fan of the 40yr colours, especially with the blacked out parts and the black seat rather than the rather garish yellow rallye seat. One of these is on my short list if the Tiger 1200 GT Explorer demo doesn't suit me.

Cheers. Cleaned it up and took a better pic in the sun. I was debating going for the Triple Black edition, but gold wheels were a must as the black ones go manky after a while. Figured the 40y Bumblebee was a better canvas to start with given it has an all black frame to begin with, whereas the TB has a grey frame. Anyways, really happy with how it’s turned out. Just need to put on the headlight guard. Oh and I must admit to something I scoffed at when I first heard it: but the heated seats are fantastic!





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dave+63]

Two lovely off road motorcycles; one to do a bit of off road riding and the other to conquer the world!

[learningtofly]

Very nice couple of hours down at the Ace Cafe today. It was busy, with some lovely bikes on display.

[andy tims]

New bike ordered today.

The CCM is sold as is the GSX-S 1000 and next Saturday I pick up a brand new S1000R Sport in Hockenheim Silver (primer grey).
I had a test ride today and was very impressed. I had one of the original S1000R’s in 2014 when they were first out, but the new bike is much improved. The TFT screen is great, the quick shifter is a joy to use up or down the box, the handling is sharp and nimble, it goes like stink and the brakes are fantastic.
I’m getting the low seat, which will help me get the bike on and off the stand a bit easier.
Can’t wait to get it and get the running in done.
I was in a rush, so completely forgot to get any pictures.

I haven’t kept the GSR-S 1000 very long. It’s not a bad bike at all for the money, but the BMW is so much sharper, faster, is a bit lighter, handles better, certainly stops better and just feels like a much more premium product, as it should given the price differential.

[oliverte]

Last weekend I picked up a completely unnecessary purchase that I couldn't resist - BMW R850GS

This is my first time riding an old GS and it gives the impression of being a total tank, I'm getting to love the telelever suspension and plan to use it dabbling on some green lanes.

Replying to post above, I showed my 850GS to my mate who has the new S1KR. They are fabulous bikes, ballistic and agile. Quickshifter and blipper provide a new level of rider enjoyment. But for me, so little passion in the engine vs an old boxer. Way too fast for the road and quite an aggressive riding position with a hard seat.

Sent from my SM-G996B using Tapatalk