If it's only as a get-you-home, then this one from Richa is OK. It's genuinely waterproof, though I don't think it would realistically stand up to everyday use.
https://www.infinitymotorcycles.com/...hoCIDYQAvD_BwE
I've got 1 and 2 piece waterproofs.
The 2 piece is easier to pack, and it it pack up far smaller.
Also more convenient just to use the jacket if you're off the bike and caught in a shower.
I bought German made Held. Jacket & pants. Brilliant stuff.
https://www.fc-moto.de/epages/fcm.sf...xoC3_QQAvD_BwE
https://www.fc-moto.de/en/Held-Rainblock-Base
Pugster one piece waterproofs are a pain to get on and off. My lad had one which he wore over a very slim 32” chest leather jacket and suit trousers for an office job commute.
I liked the idea and bought one. Could I get it over my BMW jkt with armour at the elbows and shoulders?. I looked like a moth emerging from a chrysalis :) . Because you are already “ in the legs” the top is so tight to manoeuvre.
Oh did I mention they also leaked in at the crotch
If you are like my lad , great go ahead we had Sidi all in one , bought of Ebay for £30/40.
My suggestion would be go to a proper surplus army and navy stores. My pal recently picked up some blue ( Royal Navy issue) Gore tex pants for £13/ 15 from memory. They also do Gore Tex military jkts for about £25 or less. You can roll them up , and stow them easily.
Not super fashionable, but bombproof in terms of weather protection.
thx for the suggestions - it looks like a rethink as im 6'1 and around 17 stone :P , i'll take a look at some 2 piece suits and the local army/navy surplus.
I am glad they did not, that’s the last thing i need is I must have one.
Martylaa, no idea why the bolt went, they say that not seen this before.
And today my new van (to me) I bought 2 weeks ago now has engine light on and been told not to drive it until they look at it. At least that is under warranty as well.
What will break down next 😧
Current state of the bike. I think it's just the GB Racing Covers & the Tank Bag since my last update.
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
Perfect bike weather today apart from the low temp, I should have taken it out for a 100 mile blast. It’s only got 300 miles on so far due to crap weather and my working away, but I stupidly agreed to go the the coffee shop with the missus instead.
Wounded…
It’s just sitting there looking luvely and bored…
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Sorry to hear that Tony, wishing you a speedy recovery.
Looking in the bright side, if you don’t ride it this year, the chances are you may keep this one a little longer than usual!
Tony , as the seed you founded this 2.75 million views thread there will be a fair few on here rooting for you. The roads are still salty and shitty and quite frankly your American Iron would dissolve in front of your eyes :) . The bike will be waiting when you are aready, in many ways it will be a positive force to recover quicker.
Steve
Spot on…. As someone that over the last few years has been through Cancer, Heart failure and a bike accident, getting back out there with your mates is one of the things that kept me going.
Tony… you have to keep fighting and you have to keep believing. You have plenty of support on here, my advice is to use it👍👍
Does anyone have real world experience of the 2023 KTM 790 Duke?
Thinking of trying something different, and these seem excellent value for money. Any thoughts or advice appreciated.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
Nick compared to some of the huge cruisers I have seen pass through you hands that looks like a do it all bike. 50 mile brisk coffee run on a sunny Sunday, or fill the panniers and set off to the Alps :)
Steve
Ps the Shoei Neotec I bought from you back in 2O16/17 is about to be changed;)
Last edited by higham5; 25th February 2023 at 08:39.
2016 Shoei Neotec you say? Cracking helmet but I'm thinking of replacing it now, what are you going for, another Shoei?
That's rather a mix of bikes - surprised you've not got a Grom and a KTM1290 Adventure in there as well ;-)
The Road King is nice. Don't make my mistake and buy a Road King Special.
Why dismiss the Guzzi though? I'm keen to have a look at one.
Getting togged up to go ride a Norton Commando 961 in a mo. I so hope that it warms up a bit.
Yes I think another Shoei as I have a Shoei shaped head. I tried Arai & Agv at the time and they were not comfortable. The flip up visor spoils you for around town / slow speed/ filling up for petrol. So I know its boring , but it will probably be a Neotec 2 to replace my old one.
Ps mines White like yours, which matches my white and red GS….
Last edited by higham5; 25th February 2023 at 10:30.
The Special is lowered so you end up with 2.1" of rear suspension travel compared with the standard RK's 4.6"
The result is a much firmer and less compliant ride that's fine on a California boulevard but not much use on less than perfect tarmac. In my short period of ownership I found the constant bottoming of the rear end (solo without luggage) even on motorways did my back/bum no favours at all
Last edited by Metalic Mud; 25th February 2023 at 11:15.
Road Kings are superb. Did a weekend in Wales a few years back on them with a mate. Everywhere we parked them up, they drew a crowd. Every bend we decked the footboards and it was a challenge to grind them down by end of the weekend lol.
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The recommissioning has begun.
The bike was restored in 2016 but had only been ridden a total of 10 miles after the work was completed, which judging by the rear tyre is probably an overestimation.
The wheels are off, the tank and seat is off, carbs, exhaust, footrests and various bits and pieces are off. I'm waiting for the oil tank to drain which takes forever as it drains via the oil pump feed line but the oil is lovely and golden and the filter clean as a whistle (unsurprisingly). Ignore the black oil in the bowl, that was what came out of the Honda when I serviced it! A nice feature of the Rapide and Black Shadow is the three stands, one rear stand that allows removal of the rear wheel and two prop stands, one either side. The neat trick is if you get a front puncture you undo the mag cover, remove a bolt and the two propstands are pulled downwards by a spring and lock into place as a front stand so the front wheel can be removed and you can repair your puncture at the roadside.
Not too much farther to go, I'm going to strip the clutch and primary drive to check everything, Vincent twins have an odd servo clutch arrangement which needs to be correctly set up and bone dry to operate properly, a common tweak is to convert it to a multiplate wet clutch which I may do depending on how it performs when ridden. I've also got to strip the timing chest and check everything is correctly set up with regards to oil galleries and crankcase breather timing. I'm not sure the previous restorer was that familiar with vincents as there are a few oddities such as the brake light switch being fitted on the wrong side which prevents removal of the rear wheel. Once you spot a few things like this it's always best to check everything.
One job I will be doing is to fit a slightly longer kickstart shaft, with the standard set up the kickstart misses the exhaust by a couple of mm which is too close for comfort for me, so I've ordered a 6mm longer shaft and a new pair of bushes to eliminate any play. Another job is to fit the iconic Black Shadow 5" Smiths chronometric speedometer simply because I love the look. I'll be cleaning, refitting and adjusting everything as it goes back together but I'm a little surprised at how gummed up the carburettors and especially the fuel taps are (can't turn the levers currently) but it's what happens when fuel isn't drained before storing.
E5 never mind E10 fuel caused my rubber ( supposedly ethanol proof) fuel line to turn from flexible rubber to completely rigid hard pipe in two years. If the carbs are gummed up make sure a previously installed tank liner isn’t degrading.
For the above reasons I drop all the fuel out of the tank and run the carbs dry before putting them away for winter.
My pal who has numerous 50 & 60’s classics runs them on Aspen before storing.
Good choice on the longer kickstart shaft, a big groove on those pipes would be a real moment of misery.
Steve
Last edited by higham5; 25th February 2023 at 17:42.
Ride out to have a nose at some bikes. Was a chilly one.
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[QUOTE=Thewatchbloke;6165920]The recommissioning has begun.
Not wanting to belittle the original thread, but surely this recommissioning warrants a thread of it`s own?
Took the rear wheel over to my nearest bike tyre place today to have a tyre I'd bought fitted. Kicked myself when I got home to find they'd fitted the tyre the wrong way round so I ended up wasting an extra hour and a half to go back & get it swapped round. Very frustrating. They were very apologetic & will give me a special discount next time I visit.
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
I recommend the Marc Marquez documentary series All In (Amazon Prime) to those of you that follow Moto GP.
It's a good watch & has cemented my respect for the guy. Not sure I'll ever really call myself a fan, but I hope he does well this year & gives the Ducati army a hard time.
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
Commando test completed
The chassis and suspension are excellent. The gearbox is good but could do with a neutral; they assured me there was one in there but I struggled to find it.
Apart from the riding position not quite suiting, the biggest blocker for me is the engine. I like a motor with character, but there's character and there's CHARACTER. That, combined with cacophonous racket coming from the SVA approved exhaust system (I'm not going to call it a silencer) would be the deal breaker.
The lad rode the R80RT for the first time though and I think he enjoyed it. Following him riding it with the enthusiasm of a 20-something reminded me that it can corner hard if required to do so. Unfortunately it seems to have developed a misfire at higher revs so I suspect it might be time for plugs/leads/coil.
The styling of the Norton is as right as it can ever be - a real masterpiece!
But - I think there are serious questions on the reliability, that would make me think twice.