Author Topic: What have you done with your V-Strom today? (Read 1398198 times)

wurzel · « **Reply #8820 on:** February 20, 2019, 07:45:56 »

Thr tree didn't really seem to have any impact,though when I got home I noticed it was not there for some reason..

Thankfully the saws were..

tallpaul · « **Reply #8821 on:** February 20, 2019, 07:47:17 »

I think Wurzel just reversed into the tree and knocked it over, thereby saving fuel and not polluting the environment. Or it was trying to run away...

Barbel Mick · « **Reply #8822 on:** February 20, 2019, 22:11:08 »

Had to go to a funeral today, the weather was looking good so went on the 'bike. 80 mile round trip and the first opportunity to test the new steering head bearings.
Did I notice any difference? No, I don't think so!!

Old ones seemed to be OK though, I just changed to tapered rollers for preventative maintenance reasons.

Despite a bit of rain last night the roads still had that 'salty' look to them so gave her a rinse and blow dry before she went back in the garage.

Great to be out. Roll on spring.

porter · « **Reply #8823 on:** February 22, 2019, 17:06:55 »

Finally got the bike all back together again. Done a valve check, all on the minimum clearance now (25k) but still in spec.
All bearings greased up, all OK but I did do them all 3 years ago at 6k.
Front fork oil changed and springs (wilbers) and lighter spring in the Wilbers 640 rear shock. We'll see how they do.
New chain and sprockets too. All ready for another season.

pb · « **Reply #8824 on:** February 23, 2019, 15:35:17 »

Went for a quick ride to Newtown to look for new boots, didn't find any but had a good breakfast in Wetherspoons and then rode the new Newtown bypass which is fully open, what a difference that will make to the town and for journey times involving that part of the A489/A483. Travelling down the bypass at 70mph the bike was showing 17c (17c in Wales!!!!) spring has come early

Doug McLaren · « **Reply #8825 on:** February 23, 2019, 18:35:56 »

At the beginning of winter I sprayed Waxoyl over the bike to protect it from the ravages of road salt and apart from giving it a hose down every now and then I haven't cleaned it properly. Today I set to with some degreaser and cleaned all the accumulated muck off to reveal a shiny bike underneath.

old git · « **Reply #8826 on:** February 24, 2019, 08:54:18 »

With the imminent arrival of the new BMW and with the V-STROM's tyres past their best I thought now was as good a time as any to change them before the shed gets too cluttered. I thought I'd try some Pirelli Angels for a change. I used them on my FJR and what can I say other than they are round and black and work much the same as any other tyre. Tyre Leader were doing a good price on the GT version so that's what I bought. I've had a replacement chain and sprockets sitting around for a few months and while I may have got another few thousand miles from the original I decided to change - want to spend the summer riding as opposed to working on bikes. Having read about the grief people have when loosening the engine sprocket nut I was expecting a lot of grief. Armed with the 800mm breaker bar and the promise of the loan of an impact gun as a fall back I was pleasantly surprised. The nut came off very easily with only a standard length 1/2" ratchet 😀. The whole chain and tyre changing exercise went surprisingly easily. It never ceases to amaze me how good a bike feels with new tyres. I ran the Pirellis at 36 & 42 psi but think that with the stiffer (allegedly) wall of the GT tyres I could drop the pressure a bit.

Stonec0ld · « **Reply #8827 on:** February 24, 2019, 13:00:25 »

Took it out for a wonderful early morning ride in the Peaks. Then treated it to a clean, 1st time using vulcanet wipes and I'm very impressed.

hotbulb · « **Reply #8828 on:** February 24, 2019, 16:42:23 »

Ride over to the Bristol Classic Bike show at Shepton Mallet. A bit foggy first thing, but soon brightened up. Got quite hot riding home - can't often say that in February ! Plenty of interesting bikes at the show: I've a soft spot for Douglases and Panthers 😊

MartinW · « **Reply #8829 on:** February 24, 2019, 17:52:22 »

I should have been out riding it, but I decided that after my problems finding Neutral last week that I should try to fix that instead.

I dismantled half the left hand side of the bike to get to the PD Oiler that I intricately buried up behind some panels a few years ago. I knew this was leaking somewhere as it had been leaving small puddles on the garage floor. I had painted the chain with a brush a month or so ago to make sure I still had some lubricant on it but suspected that the Oiler was the cause of my neutral troubles.

Oiler out, panel cleaned out that had pools of oil on the inside (the oiler was leaking). Cleaned all around the inner parts of the swingarm around the front sprocket and the underside of the rear panels and the inside of the rear footpegs. Chain and both sprockets cleaned with paraffin and chain guard and sprocket cover all cleaned.

I've gone back to Wurths Dry chain Lube from a spray can and that is now going to live in the Tool Tube.

Chain tension looks OK.

Didn't get to ride it, but no problems selecting Neutral, First and Second on my drive with both a hot and cold Engine. Hopefully I'm fixed now.

Despite me exceeding my normal level of mechanical talent, the most amazing thing was I did the whole lot outside, in February, in a T-Shirt, for three whole hours.

SimStrom · « **Reply #8830 on:** February 24, 2019, 18:17:39 »

Gave it a good thrashing around the Trough of Bowland

It'll be sorn'd at the end of the week until next winter, I'll do some maintenance on it over the summer.

MartinW · « **Reply #8831 on:** February 24, 2019, 18:19:05 »

You're supposed to ride it in the Summer and SORN in the winter

SimStrom · « **Reply #8832 on:** February 24, 2019, 18:26:16 »

It's my winter bike

MartinW · « **Reply #8833 on:** February 24, 2019, 18:28:53 »

I didn't think of that

tallpaul · « **Reply #8834 on:** February 24, 2019, 19:21:51 »

MartinW · « **Reply #8835 on:** February 25, 2019, 15:35:35 »

Went for a ride on my newly cleaned and oiler free chain. Great day for it seeing as it is still winter, but really warm and nobody around. Only about 90 minutes and 60 miles of deserted country lanes, but great fun.

Gassoon · « **Reply #8836 on:** February 25, 2019, 18:00:09 »

15 degrees in the shade here, and I got out too. Not much time, but 40 miles tootle about county Durham. Including no place.
Going to make more time tomorrow. Need to factor in time it takes to give the bike a cursory wash, too - esp spokes

Fat Rat · « **Reply #8837 on:** February 25, 2019, 19:18:45 »

Anyone would think you were ashamed of the daft beak, Dave

MartinW · « **Reply #8838 on:** February 25, 2019, 19:26:30 »

The beak is hidden behind the mirrors

paulja · « **Reply #8839 on:** February 26, 2019, 17:31:56 »

Cleaned, then adjusted the chain.
Check front\ rear brakes... changed pads on front and ensured all the pistons moved freely.
Then went for a 2 hour ride to bed the new pads in.