(small) Bike Things You've Done Today

I went the one earlier at Stafford this year, think I posted some pics in this thread.

 

26th April

 

Didn't know where to post this .

 

Went and sat on the new V2 multistrada. Then on the yam tracer 7 . Can't see what the extra seven odd grand gets you apart from 40bhp? Hmm...

 

Might get the shitter 996 booked for service with belts

 

Fanny, that’s what.

 

A hot Fanny?

 

And you can put a price on that.

In my experience, it’s generally a lot more than 4 large.

 

Yesterday.

Spent hours with my mechanic trying to sort the clutch out on my Gas Gas. It started slipping badly about a month ago as the water pump failed and pissed coolant into the clutch, with predictable results. Previous to it starting to slip, it had also been binding when cold, which meant that I had to ensure the front wheel was up against a wall or a tree before clicking it into gear or else it would leap forward or wheelie.

Between us, we'd changed almost every part in the system, yet it was still playing up, but finally through a combination of experimenting with pack heights using steels of different thicknesses, preloading some of the springs with washers, 3 oil changes and sacrificing a goat to the demon Baal, we eventually got it to work perfectly.

You do have to hand it to the Spaniards because if you think there’s a knack to getting old Ducati clutches right, this was on a whole other level. Another charming Iberian quirk of these bikes is that they don’t always come with the correct parts as it seems the assembly workers had a habit of just fitting whatever was lying around the factory. In the case of my bike, it has a totally different rear brake caliper and ignition system and both of them have needed replacing, which significantly complicated matters.

I also fitted it with a bash plate from a CCM404, which was just the job, though with no captive nuts to bolt into, stainless steel cable ties came to the rescue.

 

Have you considered renting?

 

Indeed, but I’ve heard the domestic duties slip significantly under this arrangement.

 

Had the strangest off today when riding the Gas Gas around the local boonies when the peak of my helmet got snagged by a bush and it yanked me backwards off the bike. I now have a bit of whiplash - who do I sue?

 

Greta?

 

Tbf, much like she is prone to doing, I’m grossly exaggerating in order to seek attention as I didn’t really come off as such. My head did get yanked backwards and I did sort of half slide off the side of the bike, but I was only riding at a fast walking pace and me and the bike basically just got wedged in the bush. Neck is now liberally smeared in Tiger Balm.

Given that this was the first time riding off road after my recent big off where I binned someone else’s bike and partially dislocated my shoulder, it doesn’t exactly augur well for the future.

 

Booked a test ride on a Yamaha....

 

Christmas has come early...picked this lot up from my painter (who is a proper magician).

 

I can cheekily add ATR carbon tail, carbon front mudguard and 1 tank up for sale. Sorry, but Europe only. (DM me if interested)

 

Took the 748 for its mot passed
Didn't know BMW made a 300cc bike looked pretty good

 

Yes thats true. You don't have to do any!

 

Now it's old, has it become a Sag Sag?