So, what have I been doing with my Street Cup over the last week or so? Getting it ready for the 2025 DGR, this year I'll be doing the Chester Ride. Those of you who read my post on page 1013 of "What have you been doing with your triumph today?" will recall I found a tiny nail in the middle of my fairly new Avon Road Rider 2 rear tyre after a charity ride, which was the cause of a slow puncture. I have to intersperse two wheeled tasks with a busy work life. First was to clean the bike last week (boring) and then remove the wheel and take it to F and B Motorcycle Tyres in Wheelock to repair the puncture (about a 45 minute drive away which turned into 1hr because of road closures). Steve is an absolute gent, the nail see below was an absolute pain to get out. Only 2mm wide, it had gone in at an angle just deep enough to create a small leak, but not deep enough to come through the carcass. He couldn't push it in because of the angle and so had to grind just enough of the inside of the carcass away to get the tips of his pliers on the nail and push it back just enough to tug the nail out the way it went in. ~30 mins start to finish. "How do you want paying?", "cash please." "How much?" "Ten pounds please." "You're joking?!" "No. You brought me just the wheel, that saved me a load of work." I'd already decided that he'd do all my tyre work after he sourced my Avons at a very reasonable price, this just confirmed it. Anyway had to wait a day or so to refit the wheel and clean and readjust the chain. What an infuriating faf! Street Cups can't take a centre stand, the mounting holes are there but the silencers are too wide. But I have a Triumph T100/120 one that I fit for this task. Then crawling my decrepit ancient body around the floor, getting greasy scraped knuckles, to get the chain clean tensioned correctly and the wheel aligned. Several hours later (my laser monkey alignment tool batteries died) and I had to go and buy more. Job done. Now the bike is ready for the DGR. Given all that hard dirty work, I'm going to blatantly plug my DGR giving page and hope that some of you wonderful souls will find it in your hearts to sponsor me. I know from experience how vital the charities DGR supports are. Here's the link:- https://gfolk.me/PaulWithington440108 Enjoy the ride . (I will) PS if anyone else is doing the DGR we could use this page to show photos and share experiences.
Won't be doing the ride, working in fact, but at least now my conscience is clear. Have a great day mate
Heading to Portland, OR for my first DGR. Weather is going to be a challenge as I ride from Bend to Portland. Planning to head over the Cascade Range on Saturday in almost certain rain and possible snow on in the mountain passes with almost any of the routes I choose. "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!". https://gfolk.me/MarkSpencer625825
Just finished cleaning etc for the DGR at Poole to Bournemouth. 1000 bikes on again this year so could be a bite slow at times but its well organised so hope the weather is good.
Have a good one, take care over the mountains. You have a fine looking steed for the event but are you going to keep your finery fine enroute?
I am loading up tonight. Thinking at least 4 layers to get over Hood or Santiam. I will check the routes tomorrow morning and pick the route least likely for snow. Sunday tweeds in a dry bag. Spring in the Cascades!!! Sounds like a damn fine adventure for a good cause.
