What have you done with your V-Strom today?

[Upt North]

Paul,
I take it you haven't shoved that 1 1/4" waste pipe in the exhaust.
That's nasty.

[Barbel Mick]

Washed it. It gets very dusty sat in the garage!! Yes I know I could have rode it instead but I'd only got a couple of hours spare & I had to wash the car. 

[graingerblaze]

I didn’t realise that later 650’s lost almost all the space under the seat! My old gen 1 can fit the Suzuki tool kit, an Oxford Pro tool kit, first aid bag, tyre compressor and all my paper documents. I guess having no electronics, not even ABS helps with space 

[Barbel Mick]

The gen 2 is pretty much the same graingerblaze. Tool kit, compressor, paperwork & a few extra bits. The first aid kit is in the crash bar bags.   

[graingerblaze]

So on that basis, with each generation getting more electronics and Suzuki housing it ever more under the seat, does the latest 800DE even have a toolkit anymore… or just a sticker saying ‘Take to your nearest dealer for everything’. 

[Rixington43]

It has room for your credit card and some ice cubes to keep it cool 😉

[Joe Rocket]

Just a question BM. Are you encouraged to carry a First Aid Kit still? I was always of the opinion that you could do more harm than good if not trained or qualified. In fact I was surprised that FAKs were expected to be carried by road users here in France.

Far be it for me to say that you or others are not competent or not sufficiently versed in good accident awareness or initial care. What is the general advice for being the first at the scene or what you should or shouldn't do? (Don't answer it's just an open question.)

On my part I must say that both me and my wife attended a course on my this subject only last year. It covered risk at the scene, warning of others arriving, the best initial help for the injured and obvious injuries but most of all CPR and using a defibrillator.

(Yes I know that just carrying a FAK is so minimal but I'm sure it has a good purpose and often.)

It's a serious subject at any level, of course.

[graingerblaze]

I personally carry a first aid kit and always have. Years ago when I was a mountain guide and lived in Switzerland, we had extensive training on how to deal with traumatic injuries. Patching skiers who fall off a mountain is similar to a bike accident.

Now office & factory based, I still attend first aid training courses every year to keep updated. Granted all I see is the odd bumped head, but I still think everyone should have some level of training. I hope to never need the first aid kit, but I feel better knowing I have it should I witness anything.

[The Doctor 46]

I am a qualified first aid instructor (or was) and was a medic for three of my years in the army then a firefighter for 34 years and first responder for the ambulance service. I do carry a first aid kit in my crash bar bag along with a reflective vest but I don't think there is much in a first aid kit that will save life, they will just give some help to those with very minor injuries.

A first aid course is more important than a first aid kit and what you learn could help your loved ones at home as well as maybe some stranger who is knocked off or crashes his bike. They are easy, nothing complicated and the more questions and answers, then practice on the course the more confident you will get to actually use those skills if needed.

Don't be put off by what you might have heard about people being sued for rendering wrong first aid. It has happened but I don't think there has ever been a case of someone in this country being found guilty.  Just my 2p worth.

[purplebikeunicorn]

I agree with The Doctor, IMO a first aid kit is probably of more use to you (especially if on a long trip!), and so still useful to carry if you wish.

A first aid course, especially one with a bigger "trauma" focus (or maybe going on a Biker Down course) will teach you and let you practice the life saving stuff. Simple procedures, but have been proven to save lives, and you will remember them in the heat of the moment.

Lots of areas run the Biker Down courses, just search in Google for your area and "Biker Down".

[graingerblaze]

Yes agreed, first aid kit will only help with a small cut or small burn. I will look up the biker down courses, would be good to try a different first aid course. Thanks 

[Barbel Mick]

Joe, although I did various first aid courses in my time at work, they were all many years ago & my knowledge of the subject now is to dial 999 if it's more than a cut finger!
The first aid kit I carry has some plasters in it, a couple of bandages (that might be OK if the cut is more than a plaster can cope with) plus the obligatory 'triangle bandage' of course. The most useful bits are the safety pins that have come in useful a few times.
However, I would not shy away from some sort of help if I thought someone needed it and no one else with better knowledge was available.

[mr_diver]

that evap canister will go straight in the bin if I buy one!

and the pair system and the ABS pump. 

[purplebikeunicorn]

Bloody bike, I've now got a "Look, I'm coming, I'm braking" warning when I try to slow down... courtesy of the squealy front brake. Tried a few times braking from 60 to 20 to see if it was just a bit of corrosion that needed some persuasion to come out but that didn't work either...

Calipers off, plenty of meat left on the pads (but appear to be no-name, certainly don't look anything like the EBC brake pads I fitted to my last bike and my dads bike and are definitely totally organic). Was a very small very shiny piece of (possibly metal) dug into one side of the one pad. The discs are within spec (1/5th of life remaining at 4.6mm/5mm), and there aren't any grooves or severe pitting.

Reassembled everything after scuffing up the pads a bit and brushing off the crap, and giving the discs a good clean... sounds good at walking pace, out again Thursday so shall see if it's fixed! If it's not, I'll get a decent set of EBC pads and give everything the once over. Slight bit of corrosion to the pistons and pins but nothing horrendous.

[Barbel Mick]

Got out for a ride......Monyash for a coffee & just to prove it's not all Full English fry ups for me, I do consider my health sometimes, so today I treated myself to something vegetarian. Carrot cake.  One of my five a day sorted. 
We were heading to Tagg Lane Dairy for an Ice Cream, in the tropical Derbyshire weather, when Deb got a call to say her mum had fallen (all OK though) so we headed straight back.
Quite a few bikes on the road & the same at the cafe.

[endintears]

Glad Debs mum is OK.

Looking good, looks like the breakfast (etc) testing season has officially started.
Look forward  to a meet up sometime 👍

Oh and bye the way, valve service done yet?

[Barbel Mick]

Thanks Neil. She's 100 in June but she's a tough old bird! 
Definitely need a few dates but for us it'll be a few weeks yet, Easter school holidays means the Grandkids will be here, on & off, then we're away the week after.
Taking it in two weeks to have the valves done. 

[Upt North]

Fitted stuff.
New rear pads and a piston clean up, plus replace pin plug with hex head.
Puig extender and EP Sat Nav mount.
We're getting there, don't know where exactly, but there.
I'd read plenty about the rear pads being a pain with the eggsost being int' way, actually not too bad.
Upt.

[The Doctor 46]

Good job, well done, all the extra bit's you will need. Then, the lot's of bits that make it more, yours and then, the sparkly bit's. 
 

[The Doctor 46]

Not today but yesterday, I washed and polished the plastic, tank front, seat sides and back, including light. I took the top half of my screen off, washed it, properly and  stuck on a decal "34". The rest of the bike is covered in mud. I went to a pressure washer before the polish with a sponge, brushes and Muck Off in a spray but is was out of order. I went to another and there was a large 4X4 parked on it with nobody there? So, the bike needs cleaning properly but I'm going to wait until the mud has dried  out on the track o the house   , dirty bike just getting to the road.

Anyway, I look forward to giving it a good clean all over, change the oil and filter I always change the filter, mad
  Change the front brake pads  Then smothering it in ACF50. Just waiting for a bit of