What have you done with your bike today?

[Steve T]

Rode into the hills with some company . . .





Steve T

 

[Dark-Strom]

Popped out with the lad to meet a few friends, who arrived on 125's from the 80's.
5 bike shops visited in Maidstone and much banter later, we took the scenic route home via Headcorn.
A good day 

[Asmith61]

Sounds like a great run out Dave 👍 I didn’t know there were 5 bike shops in Maidstone ? 🤣

[kwackboy]

Gave my CB500 some love ...

So busy looking after other people's bikes I Barely have the time to look after my own.. 

[mr_diver]

SORN'd the GSX1400 and took the battery out.
Battery is now in the house on a charger for 24 hours, after which point it'll get a charge every week or so.

Fork seals need replacing so that's a nice winter job, I may just take the forks round to Jen's cousin and let him do the seals and bushes and a full service come spring.

[Asmith61]

Not today but yesterday.
Went out for 3 hours yesterday around some of the lovely Essex villages to finish running the Harley in 😀
I have been using Road mode for the Running in period, but after an hour I switched to sport mode and OMG what a difference this engine just keeps revving it really bloody goes.
And with this new S&S exhaust with the baffle out it sounds bloody great and it really pops & bangs when you shut the throttle.
I had a real smile on my face again 😀
Thanks to this bike I am getting my confidence back and I cannot wait to get home from work to ride it 🤣🤣

[Asmith61]

The bar risers arrived yesterday.
So fitted them this morning nice simple job, and all the cables were long enough so that’s a result 👍

[Upt North]

Mr Smith, glad to hear you're enjoying yourself.
Just looked at your pics and noticed the gap at the front of the clamps. Is that normal, I was always told to tighten the front clamp bolts first then the rear.
Not to torque them up but tighten them all down and then torque the front first.
I can't remember that when using this procedure that there was any gap on the front on any bike. But I don't always wear my glasses.
Obviously I will be checking mine now but there's zero chance of riding Upt'North.
Upt.

[mr_diver]

Picked up a new grinder in Lidl the other day so now I had the tools to shave down the exhaust baffles for the front end of the cans that I bought months ago.

I half suspected they would be too big when purchased but knew I had a grinder to cut them down to size... grinder promptly burned out before metal touched grinding disk.  hence the new grinder.

Took the bike for a little 20 mile spin, may pop them back out and make a few of the holes a little larger.
You could definitely feel the back presure compared to stright through cans.

Overall the end result was as desired, drop a few db's without losing too much tone.

[Asmith61]

Upt North  funny you should say that 🤔
I noticed that when I posted the pictures and I did not notice while I was fitting them, I tightened them up as I normally tighten things Diagonally?
I did them up as tight as I thought they should be ?
But I never torqued them down ?

[nigel s]

If you tighten the front or back to touching first the grip will be stronger but not important.
The most important thing is to tighten them so they can turn in the event of a spill and no more.

[Brockett]

If the bolts are tightened diagonally there is a danger that the top clamp will be deformed. I always do this :-
Tighten the front to specific torque - this closes the gap at the front. Then tighten the back to specific torque. This leaves a gap at the back.  Maybe wander around a bike shop looking at new bikes and check how they look.

[Asmith61]

Thank you for your comments I will redo them today and tighten the front first 👍

[2112]

My tiger has two different sized bolts (thanks Triumph...) holding the handlebar clamps in place and there is meant to be a gap of about 2mm at the front. Two different torque settings too and you always torque the larger (rear) bolt first.

[Asmith61]

Ohh 😮
Well I have just been out in the Garage to redo them I even had my big boy socket set out 🤣
I Tightened as much as I could using my big pry bar, but the stainless bolts the Chinese supplied with the bar risers are not up to much in fact one started to round off 
I will have to find some top quality ones to replace them

[2112]

Today I had a rather bracing ride out with tempretures hovering around the 9c mark. We had a run past Sycamore Gap but it was a bit chaotic with a vast number of people milling about. We ended up doing about 100 miles and it stayed dry.

[Asmith61]

I fitted another ground anchor today.
 As I was using the Oxford RotorForce I fitted years ago with the chain trailing across the floor (and that was a trip hazard and I couldn’t afford to fall again )

Also I would like your opinions on when to get my bike its first service ?
The first service is 1000 miles, I have currently done 900 miles.
Just wondered whether to get the service done before I park it up for the winter or leave it until March/April then get it done ?
I would Appreciate your thoughts/opinions.

[UK_Vstrom650]

Ground anchor looks good 

I'd leave it until March if you're parking it up, start the new riding season with fresh oil etc, but I know others on here have previously suggested parking it up with fresh oil would be their preference with the bike not sitting with used oil for a few months and ready to go.
Probably more important to look after the battery with a smart charger.

[Asmith61]

UK_Vstrom650 thank you 😊
It will be left on an Oxford optimiser ( like my other bikes) when parked up over winter.
As the bike has a plastic petrol tank I will leave it full over that period but I don’t think I will add a stabiliser ?

[UK_Vstrom650]

I've never added fuel stabiliser, but I've never stored a bike with E10 in it either. I'd be tempted to fill the tank with super-unleaded if it's going to be sitting for a while.
I'd also Acf50 the bike too (my next job but I'll be riding through winter again )