Reply With QuoteThank you! Mad morning at work.Originally Posted by Cavham
The next question is….do I really need three bikes?
Hi Plake sent you a pm, but the bike was perfect, no issues passed MOT with no advisory’s
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Thank you! Mad morning at work.
The next question is….do I really need three bikes?
Yes, I have three….and if my wife finds out that is not normal I am in trouble
Im at 3 , four months ago 4 and 18 months ago 7! There is a theme here!. Before anyone asks on a nice day I would sometimes take four out for a spin, one after the other!
Last edited by higham5; 7th August 2021 at 19:25.
I keep getting drawn to the bmw adventure bikes the G650 - anyone got a 310?
After years of finding excuses to go to continental Europe instead of fighting midges in Scotland, i finally capitulated and toured Jockland with my Scottish mate. How misguided I was in thinking it could not compare to the flowing roads of Spain or challenges of the Alps. Found some of my top 2 or 3 roads and areas for riding ever. And for the seafood lovers, Scotland is great. I still miss the Pintxos though…
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A couple more!
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Yes, it is rather good up there, isn`t it (plenty of weather for you to enjoy..)?
Last edited by E_2_Right-Force; 8th August 2021 at 12:53.
It is such a lottery! It rained going up, rained coming back, but thankfully it stayed dry with an especially spectacular day when we did Applecross > Shieldaig.
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Couple of weeks ago I shipped my bike to Iceland to ride up the Volcano. This was not a good start to the trip.
If you any riders don’t carry a repair kit I recommend the Dynaplug system. This was removed, plugged and ready to go in a couple of minutes.
seeing the volcano erupt again it was time to pack up and ride south.
And here’s my fine figure, honestly I was wearing lots of layers !
No, My head isn’t made of post it notes.
The lava was hot and had a crust, I was warned by a local not to walk on it as the crust can give way and you get cremated. So after walking on it a little bit my boots are slightly melted, but we did get some good photos.
As soon as you get off the CalMac to Islay there is a very important decision to be made.
Do you go left, or do you right...?
.......right of course - to Mecca!
Couple of weeks ago I shipped my bike to Iceland to ride up the Volcano. This was not a good start to the trip.
If you any riders don’t carry a repair kit I recommend the Dynaplug system. This was removed, plugged and ready to go in a couple of minutes.
seeing the volcano erupt again it was time to pack up and ride south.
And here’s my fine figure, honestly I was wearing lots of layers !
No, My head isn’t made of post it notes.
The lava was hot and had a crust, I was warned by a local not to walk on it as the crust can give way and you get cremated. So after walking on it a little bit my boots are slightly melted, but we did get some good photos.
Joe did you ride with Tim this time? I think he is still up there?
Steve
Very special Andy. Nice to see something different after pages and pages of adventure bikes!Here she is on the drive
Only had time for a quick blast in light drizzle this evening, but it's great fun.
I was sad to see the RR go though. Brilliant bike, very fast, comfortable for a superbike and utterly reliable. Someone's going to get a great bike.
Now that would make a great video short.
Tim arranged to ship two groups:
Group one was the off road lightweight bikes - they had plenty of issues, injuries, broken bikes, etc.
Group two was the large bikes touring but also a group of tricked out KTM500s join.
I broke away to do the F roads, goat tracks and super fast lovely new tarmac roads as the KTMs and riders could ride tracks I and my GSA couldn’t.
5th year in Iceland so fancied some hotels and fine food this time.
Decided to repeat this trip today on the Multistrada - by way of comparison.Had a lovely morning out on my oversized, completely unnecessary "Adventure" bike. About 150 miles in total - a good mix of fast A roads, smaller B roads, single track lanes and a paved mountain pass. Rode up to Oswestry, then via the small roads to Lake Vyrnwy and finally over the mountain down to the A470.
Loving the bike so far.
which one did you prefer?
That's a question I will ponder over the next year or so. Still in the honeymoon period with the Ducati but it does everything the GS does and has an added dose of "engaging ride". On the other hand, the GS is possibly more comfortable although I spent a solid 5 hours on the Multi today with no complaints.
My heart would take the Duke everytime.
Sad I maybe but GS is like Rolex to me,yes I know its good but no thank you.
Joe I saw Tim was back today as he lives a couple of doors down from my MIL . I am so envious of your trip , never mind the previous 4. I have visited Iceland twice, both times on business and no time to really drink in the true spirit and saga’s of the place. Well done for riding in an area 99.9% of bikers will never see.
Steve
A couple of track day highlights vids if you’re interested.
https://youtu.be/RhtyTnC13pY
https://youtu.be/eL9MhBXQAAQ
Snetterton was great, but you can easily see that more power would be useful.
Mallory not so great. My expensive Nitron race shock leaked all its oil out (again) at the end of the day at Snetterton so for Mallory I was on the original 2008 Suzuki shock. The bike was just not planted especially round the long, fast Gerard’s which dented my confidence. I also nearly high sided at 30 seconds in to the video. It looks minor, but the camera is at the front. I held on to the bars, but feet and arse were well off the bike. Felt anything but minor and when the (light) rain came early afternoon I packed up early and went home.
Sunday was spent getting the OEM shock out in readiness to fit hopefully a new Nitron, taking the callipers off to get them refurbed, changing oil and filter on the Gixxer which won’t now get used until next year and putting a smaller number plate on and fitting the Roadlok from the BMW on the CCM.
It was nice for about an hour yesterday evening but I was too knackered to go for a ride and it’s raining this evening so I’m yet to have a decent ride on the CCM.
Last edited by andy tims; 9th August 2021 at 20:38.
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
Flippin heck more powerful you where overtaking everyone,isnt the 750 the purists choice?
Ah I see it now,pin it and dont brake,easy for me to say
Last edited by bwest76; 9th August 2021 at 20:46.
That’s some fast riding. Presume you were in the fast group?
I’d have shat myself after that wobble and probably not have gone for the overtake lol.
I was overtaking most people at Snetterton, but loads of them were then just going back past me on the straights. The 750 handles really well with a working rear Nitron shock, but at fast circuits like Snetterton, the power deficit compared with a modern 1000 really hurts.
Yes. Fast at Snetterton, and fast initially at Mallory but then I asked to be moved to Inters.
I didn’t have time to shit myself, it all happened so fast. Couldn’t believe I still made the overtake.
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
Are you sure you didn't go for a Tenere?My head is being turned by the Tiger Sport, a far more powerful and somewhat better looking sibling than the 900 range. In fact, it would fit the bill so well that I think it would make a very decent one bike solution.
Looks like I'll be making a call this morning... spec'd up with the Arrow end can, a centre stand and heated grips it take the price to just over £12k. A low seat isn't included in the configurator, but I know somebody who has the lowering kit and the low seat on his, so I know that both are possible.
https://youtu.be/eDxBGc9TD4c
A fun and sun vid for a grey day.
Well I took part in an Enhanced Rider Training course a few days ago and have a (hopefully) final assessment on Thursday morning.
Got out for a couple of hours today to get some practice in.
Was a lovely day and if I didn't have to get back to the real world I could have happily just kept going.
Chris.
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Replace tyres based solely on age?
I've been riding my wife's ER6F a bit - someone has to keep it ticking over while she gets her test sorted - and there's 'something' I don't like about the handling. It's hard to say what it is but I'd expect to have more cornering confidence on this bike than on my Scrambler but I don't. I don't think it's just not being used to the bike either as I've done nearly 1000 miles on it since May.
This has got me thinking about the tyres. They look OK - plenty of tread and not noticeably squared off - and the pressures are right but I wondered if age might be the problem.
General lack of flexibility (particularly at the end of a 100 mile ride) and not having my reading glasses on means I just shoved my phone camera at something that I think looks like date codes:
Does it look to you like the rear is 6 years old and the front 7 years old? Would you change them solely on this basis?
(To be honest I've pretty much decided I'm going to put new tyres on anyway if/when Mrs MCH passes her test)
And if it's not the tyres, it's the suspension and:
- I've adjusted the rear pre-load
- There's nothing to adjust on the front
- Mrs MCH is lighter than me and will no doubt ride differently
- This is unlikely to be here 'forever' bike so maybe not worth investing in any expensive suspension changes...
Hmm... sorry for rambling - I'm really just putting my thinking into words.
change them,I was giving the same advice to someone last night.
Old ish tyres loads of tread,he said it didnt feel safe.
its like milk if you think its off and keep sniffing the bottle to check its off.
I think they are plant and mould codes, not date stamps but if you think the tyres are going off, you should probably change them.
It sounds like the suspension is not adjustable so there isn’t much else you can do. Preload only affects ride height provided the shocks aren’t topping out so that won’t affect the handling very much, how easily it turns in is about the only thing and even that will be a small effect. Modifying it is the next stage but if you can’t put your finger on what needs doing it could be an expensive rabbit hole to go down.
Sign up to bikespeed uk, they often have tyre sales from about £130 a pair. It’s not worth running a bike with tyres that don’t feel right.
I'll have another look maybe tomorrow. I did think it was odd that they were both week '09' but different years. I guess there's a 1/52 chance of that happening.
I do think I may have mentally changed them already anyway. Now what to change them for...
(they are Battlax BT023 at the moment)
I’d check the frame as well. If wheels are misaligned it can feel weird and it is dangerous.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
Quite excited to have a test ride on an F900XR booked in for Friday, and it’ll be with a low seat fitted. It’s beginning to feel like a genuine only-bike solution, and I’ll report back afterwards. Shame it’s not a shaft drive, as it would be even more tempting.
I use those tyres,again as I said to somone last night I never think about them they give full confidence in all conditions.
just change the tyres and be done with it.
Those don’t look like date codes. Normally the date code is inside an oval type stamp. Well, it’s more of a rounded off rectangle I guess.
Listen to David!
Right bike, wrong time for me (by at least twenty months).
Tony the F900XR engine is derived from the 800 cc twin I have in my F700GS and my previous F650GS albeit breathed on for substantially more power and torque
Chain wise I would have no issues, on both my bikes I fitted a DID X Ring GOLD “ bling bling” . After appx 300 miles I adjusted it once and then in 16,000 miles I recon I adjusted it 2/ 3 times tops!
The F900XR has black wheels like my 700 so any grease thrown off the chain is virtually un noticeable. Certainly different on bare alloy or chrome.
One thing I would suggest is ensure your test ride covers some good dual carriageway or motorway, as some people I have spoken to find the twin lacking in speed / response at those speeds. Given your last two bikes are 1200’s this may be an issue.
If you are planning on touring sit it at 70/80 for a fair while and get to feel the position/ air flow/ any vibration etc. A back road scratch on any bike , always feels fun, but its the long term sitting position that can make or break a decision.
Just my two p’s
Steve
It is indeed, this is my 4th or 5th over the years so time for a change, might get the new V4 one day but till then I have an itch for a KTM that needs scratching lol
Thats bad news as my Council Tax will be going up, as the revenue from the Scammera vans will dry up ! I just waiting to see how the telemetry will be incorporated into my 1977 stroker :)
Thanks for that, Steve - all very useful. I’m picking it up from a dealership just off the A1/M, so I’ll make sure I get a good few miles in at Mway cruising speed as well as taking it on some back roads. I’d also like to check how it feels filtering in traffic as I tend to do a fair bit of that.
This iteration of the engine is 888cc from memory, and the torque figures look reasonable even if they peak a bit higher up the band than I’m used to. I suspect that may be more of an issue than outright power, but we’ll see.
Yes that’s right Tony , they upgraded the twin throughout the recent F750/850GS’. It a solid engine designed by Rotax and built in China ( or certainly my two were). They have a reputation for covering big miles with no fuss. One lad ( Micky) on UKGSER put 138,000 miles on his in only 5 years.
Ride that, then ride the S1000XR. I bet you’ll love the more powerful bike. The engine is epic. My brother who’s 5’5” and has only been riding 2 years absolutely loves his. Low frame and low seat available which is what he has.
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
I’m sure you won’t mind me being honest Tony, but I can’t see what’s drawing you to this one.
I know it’s a while back and they have moved on but I took out the F800R when my F800GS was in for a service. I was expecting to be wowed by the more ‘sporty’ version but to be honest I just found it to be an uncomfortable and dull characterless bike. I’m sure it’s been improved upon but I still couldn’t see it being a preferred choice over the others you’ve been considering.
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Had a driveway service on the Spitfire yesterday - brilliant and cheap. The technician lowered it as much as he could - 16mm. Made a big difference. Seat height now just about the same as my old S1000RR, but of course it’s a much lighter bike.
Sneaked a 45 minute ride in yesterday lunch time and was out tonight to the Loomies bike night which was rammed. The CCM got loads of attention - I even had people asking if they could take photos.
I’ve now done 100 miles and I’m really bonding with this bike already. It’s just so much fun at 50 to 70 mph. Properly smile inducing.
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
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