What have you done with your V-Strom today?

[nigel s]

Going round various boat yards I see a big rise in the number of " live aboards". What with the price of houses these days. I briefly did it myself.
A bit like the " van life " movement.
The smart ones buy a boat , live on it ,and then do it up , buy another etc. Not a bad plan if you have the skills.
On a yard near me I know one bloke  who started with a £20,000 30 foot Broads cruiser and has now worked up to a 45 foot alloy sea going boat he is near finished.
He is in his thirties and says by the time he is in his forties will have a £250,000 boat. I don't disbelieve him, he is a focussed man.

[MilozFolly]

Did my first ever chain and sprocket swap.   JT rear, up a tooth on the cushioned front and a nice gold DID.  Used Hunter's motorcycles in Newcastle just because they were the first ones to answer the phone when I started calling people to see if they'd let me have the larger front as it wasn't an option on the website(s).  Good people.  Yes - I know it could be cleaner

[nigel s]

MilozFolly,
 As it is your first ( oh er missus ) , keep an eye on the chain tension , they wear quite quickly from new while bedding in ( all normal) and need sooner than usual adjustments.. then settle down




Dull....drizzle....cold....MEH

Dry(ish) road ...MEH...
Ride up to Kings Lynn to get Xmas pressie ideas....MEH...

Got Sis that new yellow Ferrari she was always ogling ( always a contrarian that one) and Mother some gold plated diamond encrusted secataurs for trimming her plants.

 


Shh......They read this sometimes


Happy Christmas............................................................. What?, too soon? ................................


Ho Hum

[NeilM]

Rode down the M5 to Cullompton for yet another AGM... this one for a club I am VC of... cold, well 9 degrees and damp.

Two hours of dull meeting in the cold and then back home over the Balckdown Hills to Taunton.

Swoopy fast roads and autumnal trees...still cold-ish, but you can ignore that when the ride is fun and pretty.

Got within a few miles of Weston-s-Mare and the fuel gauge said I was very low, pump and bar flashy flashing.

17.4 litres at Sainsbury's said I wasn't that low. 

Now the bike really, really needs cleaning.... again.

[Barbel Mick]

Met up with Ianmc, of this parish, for a ride into Derbyshire today.
We (Deb & myself) couldn't get out until 12.00, but that meant it was the warmest part of the day! 
We rode up to The Cow Shed, Beltonville Farm, Miller's Dale, where we treated ourselves to large cobs filled with sausage or bacon & in my case sausage with a portion of black pudding.
We then headed for The Old Smithy in Beeley (not Monyash  ) but got caught in a traffic queue on a narrow lane that looked impassable so a quick diversion & the long way home.
Just under 100 miles & although I wore my heated jacket I didn't need to turn it on. 
Photo to prove it happened.      

[Barbel Mick]

Washed it after it got dirty on Tuesday.
The sun was shining when I had finished, so took it out for a ride to dry it off. It's dirty again now. 

[nigel s]

 Cold , but dry roads so out exploring.
Found an abandoned church, all a bit spooky.
Had to park on a track just up from the church as the road was so narrow.
I then planned to visit Krazy Horse on Asmith61s recommendation and the Sat Nav said the dirt track was a road , and I should go down it.
So I did
Road 6s are no good in mud, I would  have been quicker on the gasgas.
Krazy Horse was just as Asmith61 said , some very classy bikes and nice people.
Coming out of the shop a V Strom 650 turns up.
We chat and it is PTSM from this parish.
He had come in with his wife on her MT07 to warm up in the (very good) cafe in the shop.
My first encounter with another forum  member in the wild, made my day.
Must clean my bike though, his put mine to shame
200 miles done by the time I got home with the temp dropping sharply.
I refuse to think of ....SALT.... but not long now methinks.

Ho Hum

[nigel s]

Opps, if that is Pstm and I have got the letters wrong....sorry.

Google came up with some info on the church,

https://www.klmagazine.co.uk/articles/bircham-tofts

[mrp192]

I’ve been for a 120mile trip around North Norfolk with a couple of mates today. Taking advantage of what is likely to be the last chance to ride this year without getting my bike covered in salt.
The roads were completely dry, heated gloves on low and a lovely coffee and scone at the Deepdale Cafe up on the coast made for a great day.

[Asmith61]

nigel s   Glad you got to go to Krazy horse I thought it might be right up your street. Some beautiful bikes they have there.

Love the pictures of the abandoned church 👍
Always nice to meet up with another forum member 👍

[nigel s]

Shame and the salt on the way meant it was time to .......WASH.......pfft.....the 650 and reapply a good dose of ACF 50/GT85.
Not bad for 2 winters and 33,000 miles.
The rear caliper was serviced a couple of weeks ago with new pads,  today the shock came out and the linkages greased. I took a  front caliper  off  to check ( I knew the pads were low so already had them) but still have a week or two left in them, so put it back on and  they will get a service when the pads are done.  All ready for winters worst.

I needed some Scottoil and had used the last of the ACF50... so the obvious thing to do was ride the 75 miles to Orwells in Ipswich to get some more
I parked near this BMW electric bike......yes ......that is "pretty " side I took the pic from...ugghhhhh.
Got my ACF 50/scottoil and the parts bloke said we have a deal on the ACF 50  at the mo, you get a free tin of........GT85.
Result

Ho Hum

[Upt North]

BMW? Hideous, nuff said.
The linkage grease, I've been thinking my 2017 has probably never been done, any pointers?
I'm thinking a piece of wood under the wheel to hold it still.
Just undo everything else and apply recommended grease.
Is that about It.
Upt.

[nigel s]

As you say a block to keep it all aligned.
The bolts will be TIGHT so a good ratchet with an extension on the handle is useful ,not a lot of swing room.
The top shock bolt is awkward to get to, but really can be left, they never give a problem, but it is nice to get the shock out to give it a once over.
If you have a std center stand the mounting plates will have to come off to get to the fwd linkage bolt.
I used an Abba stand,  but crack the bolts you can reach first on the center stand and then tie the side stand fwd to something so it doesn't collapse using an axle stand on the other side maybe.
I last did it at 10,000 miles when the suspension was changed and at 33,000 the grease was still there, but how long the Suzuki OE grease will last, don't know? Mine looked OK at 10,000.

[Upt North]

Ta me duck, good tip about the std centre stand. I'll try to get my head around that, maybe a couple of jacks under the foot pegs would suffice. No rush, winter will be here a while yet.
Upt.

[Rusty Nuts]

The electric beemer's designer must have had one of those "ink at one end, pencil at the other" rubbers on his desk when he dreamed the seat up.

[Upt North]

Fitted these, didn't know they were a thing until 2112 mentioned them for his TA. Thanks 2112.
I searched on a well known Internet Auction Site and these were for sale used at a really good price, although the description of what they'd fit was a little vague. But they fit.
Offer made and they arrived yesterday.
I like. Very well made and the adjustability is very nice. These set slightly lower  and slightly more forward. They didn't want to come apart but they did.
If it was anyone on here selling them, ta me duck.
Upt.

[Gillie76]

Hello upt, they look really good. Are they SW  Motech?

[Upt North]

Yes they are.
I wasn't sure what they did, but with a bang and a wallop they came apart to reveal their ingenuity.
The foot area is enormous compared to oem and by going a little forward and down they've made a big difference to relaxing the seating position even more than the previous alterations.
Upt.

[nigel s]

Talking of ugly bikes.... while in Orwells  Saturday I had a look at the new KTM 990 Duke.....the front end is full on Predator v Alien now.................Phew.   

Ho Hum

[Brockett]