Made the most of the good weather and got out and about Monday this week before the “ Summer” began, ie the cold and drizzle of today. Out and about in Bucks and Hertfordshire, a mix of quick roads and bimble lanes. I found out how little riding I have done and was getting a bit tired towards the end of the first day....A quick photo stop at Ashridge House. Then through more country lanes down to Aldbury. The old village stocks are still there. A lovely little village often used in films owing to its olde looks. Further along the road is the old Playboy mansion “Stocks” which has a bit of a chequered past. It was a college for the Playboy bunny girls.....not sure what they had to learn? The swimming pool at the old house was also used for the Oasis Album cover to “ Be here now” the one with the Rolls Royce in the swimming pool . A very nice area.
I’ve had the street triple for its first mot today passed no problems but on the way there the horn wouldn’t fecking work,I stopped and gave it a tap and all was well.
Last evening rain still hangs in the atmosphere. The Bonnie seems strangely at ease. Random puddles dot the street. Dawn rises on this damp day. Sun light reluctantly descends. Meek reflections. A ride to destiny and God's will The old tyres slipping on the wet. The factory burns on, awash in opportunity. I enter alone.
Ive been out and about riding hard through corners here is Queensland Australia. I put a new pair of YSS Piggy Back shocks on about a weeks ago. They have threaded Preload adjustment via a castle nut and thread affair and they also have rebound and compression damping adjustment. Ive been trying to dial them in for a week and have finally cracked it and the ride, ooohhh the ride is just bliss now. I started from scratch and set the unloaded sag at the top of the shock when you pull the seat up. This is so much more important than anything else or so I found out from trial and error. I also found that they work a lot better when you finally realise you have to adjust the fork preload in conjunction the rear adjustments because the affect each other greatly. The idea is to have free sag or slack at the top of the shock and if you dont you will get catapulted off the seat on heavy bumps no matter what else you adjust but when you get it right these shocks are good. The idea is to get the bike so it sits level from front to back and not pitched forward as a lot of people think it should be. On the level there. The Bonny is so much faster, precise shorefooted and stable through corners I was taken by suprise. I kept testing them on a road I know well and I found I had to speed up to get the same feeling as I was getting with the stock shocks. Really it is significantly faster through corners and especially rough corners where before the stock shocks would cause the rear wheel to hop out sideways a bit none of that happens now. Im a bit worried about how fast I am going through these corners now as Ive never been through them that fast before. Ohhhh the ride
I have read in a few places that using fuel additives on these new Bonnevilles can ruin the Catalytic converter if you still have one fitted. Probably a blessing in disguise I guess really.
At the annual service (1st) asked to have front tyre change included in service but was told both had to be changed as they did not change single tyres. Decided to find alternative solution by ordering replacement online and take wheel to a tyre centre. Paid €20 for the change and smiled on the way home.
I used to get my dealership to change tyres for me when it was in for a service until I sat and worked out how much I was being charged, these days I find it a lot cheaper to buy my tyres online and get the local bike shop to fit them.
Today I made a aluminium snap jack for my 1200 scrambler, I made one for my first street triple for oiling the chain at home and touring in 2009 and it’s still going strong but it’s too short for the scrambler.
I can’t get hold of aluminium angle or better still aluminium channel,it’s taken me ages to get hold of this bit.
Started looking for some Avons for my Triumph......reckon @Duckadiledundee has something to do with this https://uk.triumph.com/new?gclid=Cj...ImQT4u2Fl8BHVsru77BnIPYeGVucxlQEaAvShEALw_wcB https://www.avon.uk.com