What Have You Being Doing With Your Non-triumph Today?

A nifty 50 out on the Ducati today; the roads were horrible but it was still very enjoyable...as was the haggis scotch egg I had at my destination .

As you can see, I parked with the red bikes, there were a couple of others there but I found my tribe . The 125 was ridden by a lady rider as well, who was lovely and we had a nice chat, so I wasn't the odd one out for a change.

 

Our Sunday ride group headed south today to a breakfast joint called Jerry Bob's. It's a lovely route to get there--it goes through the Pasqua Yaqui Indian Reservation to the south and east of Tucson. We haven't done this ride in forever and I'm not sure why not. It's a beautiful twisty two-lane road with very little traffic from when we get out of Tucson until we ride into the town of Sahuarita where Jerry Bob's is. I really should make a list of Sunday ride routes/venues so we don't always show up at the gas station and stand there looking at each other dumbfounded when I ask, "Where shall we ride today?" We did this as an out and back other than one riding buddy who opted to take Interstate 19 back home.



As some of you know, Steve traded his 2021 Harley Road Glide for a 2025 Harley Road King. He's so happy with this bike--he's like a little kid with a new bicycle! He put new Rinehart mufflers on it this past week (which sound wonderful) and will get a windshield to use on our motorcycle trips.



Our two touring bikes all ready for this morning's ride. Our starting temperature at 9:00am was 52ºF.





Back home in the driveway after a really lovely morning on the bikes and hanging out with good friends. Life is good.



It warmed up considerably between the start of the ride and our return. Good thing I dressed in layers because I shed a couple of them before the return trip and was glad I did. I just retrieved my Street Glide from our local H-D dealership yesterday where it just had a 20K service. I've had this bike exactly two years on Valentine's Day!



81 miles on the day Steve's bike is at 243 miles so he's halfway through the 500-mile break in period.

 

77f..... we're not a bit jealous on this side of the pond it' 17 degrees centigrade or 55 in old money here as we're having a bit a a short "warm" snap, but is due to drop back down to 11 c in a couple of days, after what seems like months of wet and cold weather often in single didgets. Anyhoo, 1st March is almost upon us

 

Still waiting for it to stop raining this year! The Beemer is booked into the stealers for it's 1yr service on 10th March, looking likely to be it's first ride of the year and I'll probably be spending more time cleaning the shite off it when I get back home than the techie spends servicing it.

 

Been sorting out the bikes over the winter, upgrading the GSX-S1000 GT to more what I want for touring, changing the suspension and oil change/service on the track Street Triple.
Got 4 days on track in Spain booked for May, one tour to France booked for June and one for September.
And somewhere in amongst that I have a go for a hip replacement op!

 

I was in Kernow over the weekend and can confirm it rained

 

Here's today's and my latest addition.
Don't worry, nothing sold, Triumph or otherwise

 

Interesting buy - look forward to hearing how you get on, they've been getting good reviews.

 

Finally got the 99 Honda Shadow VT600 registered and blow me down if it did not start to snow while we waited to sort insurance out. Yesterday was fine ans sunny even reached 13 degrees C today 2 degrees luckily the snow did not amount to much but decided against riding the bike home so it's back at the dealers until the weather improves.





The roof that is visible is the inspection and testing shed this is in the ancient city of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria which was the capital in the 1400's I think it was. So it's all fully legal for the road here now only took 3 1/2 hours to get it all done mow just need to drier and hopefully warmer weather to get it home.

Also finally managed to get appointment with the surgeon it took my GP making it on the phone for me but it's not until near the end of March ...............dammit had tried several times over the last couple of weeks to make it at the hospital desk with no luck at all was hoping to get it close to the start of the month as it usually starts warming up here in March.

Plezier

 

I test rode one of the first ones using trade plates last year.
Basically a Cf moto worked on ktm 790 motor.
Kove 450 wheels and suspension, slightly modified, which I obviously already have on the other one.
20 litre fuel capacity.
Excellent mid range torque.
NOT a pillion bike if that is important?
Around 180 kgs puts it way ahead of T7's, Aprilia tuaregs etc.

Test ridden this morning and currently showing 466 miles

 

I hope your hip replacement op goes smoothly, @tcbandituk!

 

Last Sunday being the 1st of March, I taxed the new bike.
Aiming for a convoluted run through the lanes to anywhere.



Eventually I arrived at Masham





And the bike garnered quite a bit of interest. Weight seems the predominant aspect and at 180 ish kilos wet and 95 bhp it stands out from all the others; the Chinese seem to have done their homework here.

The Mitas Enduro Trail tyres, initially bought for the 450, work well on this bike.

A quick phone call, and a mate is out on his new to him Ducati, we arrange to meet in the middle at Pateley Bridge.


For these sort of roads this is just great, nice seating position, comfy seat, mid range torque for the odd wheelies

We meet up and have a blast through as many smaller lanes as possible to end up at the Cow & Calf rocks, Ilkley. There's a small cafe there so a quick pot of tea and home in daylight.



130 miles round trip and the bike is bedding in nicely.

 

That looks like a fabulous day out @Eldon and new bike; the light weight of it would definitely be a plus point for me for low speed and moving it about, being of the short variety of person.

 

Seat height certainly isn't low at 890mm but the weight makes it quite manageable. Pushing it about the drive, garage etc, say in comparison to my st900, is noticeably easier.

Loving it so far

 

Today well had to drain oil from the VT600 after making a rookie mistake and leaving the fuel tap turned on not used to doing this now after the Trophy and it's vacuum tap. Then gave it a quick wash and polish so not much really.

Plezier

 

You are very fortunate to realise that mistake as the diluted oils lubricating properties are very much compromised.
A similar thing can happen to diesels where the injector leaks. Not only does this do similar in the sump below, but bore wash, engine running, significantly increases wear.

Another one I've seen is waterpump seal failure. The coolant now adds to the oil, plus obviously the cooling capacity of the system is compromised. Water and oil don't mix, so they just sit in layers with some parts now permanently sitting in coolant

A RISING sump oil level always warrants urgent investigation.

 

Today has been spent looking at the problem turns out the fuel tap is not shutting off fully it's basically knackered bought a new one online off Ebay uk as they had a good price and fast shipping though it's going to take 2-3 weeks to get here £34 all in customs paid bet I get hit with that again and VAT once it arrives. The filter broke off and part of it is rattling around inside the tank,

Got the carb off and the jets have verdigris on the, well did have soaked them in white vinegar and it's cleaned them up well.



It was blocking some of the holes.



This is the crud that came out.



Much cleaner somehow I think these maybe aftermarket jets as they are quite rough on the exterior





Not what I would expect from Honda or the Japanese.

Am cleaning up the carb body now the float valve needs replacing as it has a ring worn around the tip.

Plezier

 

@Plezier good job, ensure all passages are blown through with carb cleaner and an airline.

Note; brake cleaner and carb cleaner are not the same thing. There is an additional important chemical (can't recall the name) which is why it is usually more expensive.

Ensure to check the float height is correct on rebuild.