Who's been out this year?

[Stevie4scoops]

Good stuff!

I bet Gloucestershire's a useful bit warmer than here much of the year, but I can't imagine January in any part of the UK is considered a prime bikin' time. Bikes make us do the daftest things tho.

Thanks. I'm a wimp and use heated clothes

 

[Beemerboff]

Careful with these lighter springs till you get used to them - I managed a 360 spin on a slippery garage fourcourt first time I was out after fitting then to the G/S.
And it was the forecourt of Garege Motorcycles garage and bikers cafe in Strathalybn, so I had an audience of hundreds----------.
You will probably find fuel consumption goes up a little too, and you might find yourself kangarooing along bumpy and undulating
tracks - BMW didnt fit stiff springs by accident!
Cool change is in this morning, G/S with almost $2000- worth of new electrics is saddled up and waiting, jut got to find the cold/wet weather gear and I'm off.
It has Dunlops too , D604's, cheap an as good as any tyre I have had on it and I have had just about everything.
Only come in 21/18' sizes though, so dont suit most!

 

[Tinytim]

Went out between Xmas and New Year up to Hartside Cafe up near Penrith. 1.5 degrees but highly enjoyable!


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Was the cafe open then Steve ? Always thought it was shut this time of year.

 

[markjackson]

I was allowed out yesterday too, to buy my lovely new Keis heated jacket and sunday dinner (A traditional Chicken & Mushroom Rogan Josh with Bombay potatoes, Garlic Nan and brown rice, since you asked) but didn't have too long, so decided to travel through time rather than along distance.

First stop; York, where a timeless river Ouse flows past my Red Boat, carries barges to the front of 19th century warehouses on the queen's quay and then runs beneath the lovely Victorian Skeldergate Bridge.

Then to an earlier example of urban architecture, over the inner 'Bar' through the city walls of what The Roman occupiers used to call Eboracum. Behind this building is a big slot in the masonry that houses the drawbridge and behind that is a 'Killing corridor' where the besieged city defenders could pour arrows, rocks, sewage and other nasties onto to those that tried to get in (like the 'roundhead' soldiers in Cromwell's army in the siege).

After a cheeky peek through another hole in the walls of what The Saxon's knew as Eaforwich…

I showed her the 'new' stone Clifford's Tower, which replaced the earlier wooden version that stood in Norman Everwic.

[


Finally, we arrived at our destination, Infinity motorcycles, where they happened (in the window) to have a rather unusual replica helmet.

This was in the style of those worn by the 10th Century Viking invaders that settled across what they called 'Jorvik' and from where they ruled Northumbria and very nearly the whole of England.

After all that, me and my little Airhead didn't feel quite so old!

 

[flytoolow]

Is that a standard Painted Tank ? That looks great!

[

 

[markjackson]

I think it's standard ST. She looks best (when using that tank) with the matching ST side panels and black seat.

I've (today, thanks to ebay.de) got a nice Alpine white G/S tank so my G/S side panels and front mudguard can go to the painter and then she has two sets of clothes.

 

[fayeslane]

This morning. Heated gear not required

 

[Nutty]

This morning. Heated gear not required

Git!

 

[markjackson]

This morning. Heated gear not required

She looks just lovely.



But we're not really jealous; us northern-hemispherists will get our revenge throughout the Great British Summer! *




*2 days in August and a curiously random red-hot afternoon in mid October.

 

[fayeslane]

Sounds nice just don't be away for those 2 days Some parts of Oz copping 47C at the moment, I wonder what oil they are using in their airheads?

 

[Beemerboff]

Castrol Edge 10/60, tick over set up to 1500 revs, and the deepest factory sump on a extension piece, so over 3 1/2 liters capacity.

Thicker oil doesnt seem to help the pressure as much as it stabilizes it - when the thinner stuff heats up it must slosh around in the sump too much and in the rough / tight twisties you get the pressure jumping around
But the G/S motor has done 440,000 km on the original crank.and main bearings.
PO had his mechanic replace the big end shells every 20,000 km, havent done it myself in 180,000 km but the push rod rubbers need replacing so when I do them I will probably slip in a set of shells too.

 

[markjackson]

Castrol Edge 10/60, tick over set up to 1500 revs, and the deepest factory sump on a extension piece, so over 3 1/2 liters capacity.

Thicker oil doesnt seem to help the pressure as much as it stabilizes it - when the thinner stuff heats up it must slosh around in the sump too much and in the rough / tight twisties you get the pressure jumping around
But the G/S motor has done 440,000 km on the original crank.and main bearings.
PO had his mechanic replace the big end shells every 20,000 km, havent done it myself in 180,000 km but the push rod rubbers need replacing so when I do them I will probably slip in a set of shells too.

And how does the rider cope at 47 degrees centigrade?

Granted the same approach would probably work; an extended capacity to take lots of good quality viscous fluid (Guiness?) and some new (Beef chilli Taco) shells would surely help.

 

[Beemerboff]

Lots of cold fluid helps, I freeze 2 x 2 litre bottles of water and stop around every 60 km to drink at least half of one.

Wind chill helps a little too, but it peaks at around 24 degrees F at 60 mph and doesnt increase much after that.
Still need ATGATT- Oz has lots of nasty insects, still have a red lump on my neck where a little scorpion like critter which fell out of a tree stung me, two days before Xmas.

There is no problem with the bike across the river plains at 100kph/4000 RPM , 70 PSI pressure and 90c oil temp steady as a rock.
But climbing back home into the hills at 80 kph through the twisties in 4 th the temp goes up and the pressure down.

The low rev problem is that the OEM oil sender is not particularly accurate and comes on somewhere between 3 and 7 PSI, but the dual sender for my VDO pressure gauge comes on at 15 PSI, so at tickover on really hot days and extra hot oil the light sometimes flickers.
Not a problem for most of the year and I could probably get a T piece and a few adapters and use the OEM sender if I could be bothered.
We have our own stout in South Australia, brewed and bottle matured by Coopers, a old family brewer and producers of excellent light and dark ales, stouts and ever a passable lager. Full strength , 7% ish too, so not really advisable when you are riding, especially for an elderly gentleman like myself - under doctors orders I am restricted to drinking their Extra Light Lager, which is so weak at doesnt qualify as a alcoholic beverage!
The Castrol Edge seems to be OK - with some oils if you fill the sump to the top mark the top 5 mm or so is quickly blown out of the breather. The 20/60 Edge isnt - I accidentally overfilled the sump by a mm or two 2000 km back and it is still there, so it cant be frothing of foaming or splashing around like some of the others. It was also half price in Autobarn so I grabbed a couple..

 

[fayeslane]

And how does the rider cope at 47 degrees centigrade?

You just don't do it, common sense should prevail. We have pubs for days like that At those temps the tar melts and makes handling interesting
In summer a lot of us use a 2-3 litre Camelback to keep hydrated.
I was joking about the oil.

 

[Beemerboff]

Faslane , if I didnt go out on days over 40C I woulnt get out much for 3 months of the year here in SA.
I have a Camnelback but I wear a full size Knox back protector so there isnt much room for it, and it doesnt keep the water cold enough, or hold enough for me, I need at least 1 litre an hour.
And when you get to my age a break every hour or so is welcome anyway.for whatever reason.
Sorry if I upset you by trying to talk sense about oil - I will try to stick to puerile imbecile juvenile nonsense next time, as facts and common sense seem to upset so many on most motorcycle forums---------------------------------.

 

[markjackson]

Serious question…

At those kinds of temperatures does the suspension feel any different; softer and bouncier?

 

[Banditsteve]

Was the cafe open then Steve ? Always thought it was shut this time of year.

I think it stays open pretty much all year round Tinytim. To be honest, I don't go up there an awful lot, but it is beautiful up there in the sunshine!
Put it on your bucket list mate!
Well worth a trip!


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[fayeslane]

Serious question…

At those kinds of temperatures does the suspension feel any different; softer and bouncier?

I haven't knowingly ridden in those temps but have on plenty of over 40 C days. Can't say I noticed any difference in suspension performance, soft tar gives some interesting effects as mentioned before. But the focus is more on "Fuck it's hot"

 

[Voyager]

Riding around Southern Turkey in 2010 (pre the current troubles) in 45C temperatures . . it was the gearbox that I noticed as it felt and sounded like a bag of nails. It was fine when back in UK temps. The motor and suspension were fine (apart from grotty fuel, but a can of injector cleaner sorted that when back in Northern Greece).

Yup - it was an 1150 GSA Oilhead!

Bob.

 

[Beemerboff]

I follow the dirt bike guys and use full synth HVI suspension fluid, Maxima 5 wt , and being synth it is naturally multi grade so it stays in shape not too bad.
On a Mono PD it is hard to get things that close that you notice a small change, remember there is about 25 KG difference in weight between a full and empty tank and that doesnt change much.
But my Paralever GS has HPN inserts and a the stock Ohlins on the rear matches them perfectly, and you can feel the difference between a full and empty tank, hot an cold suspension fluid and a newly serviced shock and forks and one where both are due for a fluid change / regas.
nd of course a load of gear on the back.
But just about everything is adjustable on the move and a few clicks of adjustment as soon as you hit the dirt is part of the trip.