Where have you been out today? (Update: HCCS pics)

[Mac_Black]

It's been a good while since I properly posted on BCF, a hell of a lot has been going on and I really just haven't had the time or energy, point being...
I miss it a bit so hows about a bit of bike chat for a change?

My mate Tom came over to mine last night, as I was shortening my clutch cable and otherwise fixing niggles on the CD.
Tom has just (Thursday) finished an engine swap on his old school hard-tail bobber.
He got the bob on the road earlier this year, he was running a '74 Iron head, which we removed a few weeks back.
He's just swapped that for a sportster evo 883cc, suitable for the high mileage trips he expects to undertake.
He was quite eager to get out and give the new motor a good run so asked me to join him on a trip into wales,
Being that I am totally skint he was even kind enough to lend me petrol monies so we decided that's what we'd do today.

We were out this morning by 9:45pm, a little bit later than planned but my bike (as ever) required preride tinkering,
The weather was overcast early this morning but I had good faith that we would not see rain.
We thundered (literally) through Malvern and up to British Camp where we met BeatNck, LeeR and our mate Andy,
Cups of Tea and Rock cakes were had, and there many wasps to ruin our quaint little moment (and terrorize Lee).

Me and Tom then split off and headed back through Ledbury and to Hereford where we stopped by his,
Then we headed to Sarnesfield for one last call before our journey.
We were supposed to be going to Crossgates, Llandrindod wales but somehow managed to take a massive detour..
:arrow:From Sarnesfield we headed through Kington, then down the A44 until we encountered a police blockade due to an accident,
We then took A481 where I left Tom (poor sod) for dead and made the most of the twisties..
I stopped at a roundabout just before Llanelwedd and Tom caught up some 2 minutes later ,
Buith was just around the corner.. We took a wrong turn and ended up on the A438,
Awesome twisties up through valleys/ hills/ possibly mountains until Tom realised we were heading west, completely the wrong direction..
I was content just riding We turned back and went through Buith again, this time taking the A483 which took us nicely to Crossgates.

Not far out of Crossgates we pulled over and decided to swap bikes.
Tom had allot of fun on the CD (ofcourse ) and I was quite excited to give the Chop a go.
Now I've ridden this once before, the day we took the Ironhead out, only in a carpark and to be honest I didn't get on with it.
My impressions were; Gearshift on the right, rear brake on the left: wrong.
The gearshift had a hell of a lot of play in it before it did anything at all.
An already extreme ground clearance was made hell to manage due to the mounts for the foot pegs,
turning on this was not a nice experience in small circles.
Brakes= For show.

Firstly, we both agreed (as much as Tom did love the Ironhead) that the Evo lump compliments the frame and overall look of the bike very nicely.
One of the first things that I noticed of the motor was that the foot pegs are mounted to the engine, thus higher,
more comfortable and confidence inspiring in the corners.
I sat down and primed the throttle (not sure even if that was necessary but it was with the Ironhead) and turned the key..
Straight away I noticed that it felt allot more solid, idling beautifully without any need for throttle, which IS a big difference.
I put it into first and yet again, marvelous, it actually felt like a real gearbox, not a tractor... Beauts.

We rode each other's machines for the rest of the route until Brampton Bryan, Bucknell... so just shy of 20 miles in all.
I really, really enjoyed the experience, Tom warned me beforehand of the obvious lack of clearance,
So I over cautiously stepped a bit wide through the first tight corner but after that I started to get the hang of things..
Opening it up is a pleasure, you know the power is there all of the time but the delivery is a lot more relaxed than anything I'v ever ridden, just grunt I guess.

The swap was stopped short just at Brampton as just a mile up the rode I realised that the front brake lever had gone missing
(hardly noticed the difference anyway, the brakes are still not up to much but you essentially need the front to bring the beast to a stop).
I had a few hairy corners as a result and then on the last (and tightest/ slowest) corner some twat oncoming scored a full shot of jetwash right in my face... I almost died
Tom eventually realised I wasn't behind him (My CD is louder at full chat) and after missing me the first time back he pulled up and I let him know the bad news.
He apologised for not letting me know (apparantly the pinion was loose anyhow ) and then I said I'd jump back on the CD and go find it.
I returned shortly thereafter with just the lever, the pinion and the plunger were nowhere to be seen.

So from there on back to Hereford we just cruised, pretty much 40mph the whole way, but it was nice to just bimble for a change.
We eventually got back to Tom's where we just chilled for a bit before I had one last and very spirited ride back home,
In which I discovered that the CD can pretty much take any corner at top speed,
Apart from approaching behind the occasional car I didn't let off the throttle the whole way...
Until I ran out of petrol just a few miles out of Malvern I was already on reserve so I left it a minute and just hoped that the fumes would get me a bit further.
They did! Joy, I managed to get another mile up the road and just into Malvern,
I had to push the bike uphill for about 1/4 of a mile but after that it was all downhill, all the way home...
Oh well a bit of exercise doesn't hurt and I had nowhere better to be.

So the day's been pretty awesome by all accounts really.
I haven't racked up any serious road mileage in quite a while now so this has been a nice return...
I estimate 200 odd miles in all, Wales is just full of great roads (or mountains and hills as one local aptly put it).
The weather was a real treat, perfect for biking evidenced by the hordes of bikers we saw today, I easily saw 100+ on the roads.
I got a taste of what riding a hardtail is really like and it felt bad, in a good way I'm definitely going to make plans on that front.
There was a good mix of pace as well, fair play to Tom, he gave it a good shot at trying to chase me through the twisties
and I was just as happy to ride at a cruising speed otherwise.

So, how did you spend your Sunday? Please share.

[Flip]

Shagged the missus.

Ate tea.

Drank 4 cans.

Going to bed in a minute as I'm up at 4:30.

Slow day.

EDIT: Ate a bowl of super noodles & chain smoked.

[Face.]

[DrDonnyBrago]

I went to IKEA with the gf.


My lounge now has pink stuff in it.

My garage is now full of old furniture.

It cost me a fortune.

[pinkyfloyd]

[virus]

fuckin nowere cause ive been in all morning arguing with the missus, now she's gone she wont find me at home when she gets back because im getting out of town for a bit whilst its sunny.

cheers for the invite aswell knobber



Cheers
John
____________________
own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.

[Dazbo666]

Cardiff to Swansea/Llansamlet in-laws via A-roads, trying to avoid as much motorway as possible, then up to A465 towards Merthyr, drop down to Caerphilly to visit O/H's cousin, then home.

Some DIY in the garage, before a couple of cold cans at home.
Then a "personal massage" from the OH, before an early night cos I had to be in work before 7am this morning


I'm sure this forum is starting to approach information overload about members personal lives
____________________
1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[Dr. DaveJPS]

chilled out,
went for a ride on the Norton Squires->b1222 and nearly got knocked off by running too hot into a corner running wide and nearly getting collected by a dynorod van. cleaned my pipes i tell 'ee.
Really need to sort the valve guides as had clouds of white smoke from right hand cylinder

got home and chilled out
____________________
"intelligent inattention is preferable to unintelligent tinkering"
www.davejps.com

[kawashima]

[Stelmer]

Like most good days, I was working.

[wr125x2011]

Went to hempsted motorcycle festavle, then went out with my brother him on his gs1200 me on my yamaha wr125x, to ross on wye, abergavenny, did some good roads over brecon beacons, then some other good roads on the way to Powys, then headed to leominster, then back to bromyard along the A44.

[Mac_Black]

[stonesie]

I was out and about most of the afternoon on the CG holding traffic up on hills Rotherham, Sheffield then out to Hoyland, then back home to give the old girl a wash and polish.

Today I'm off work again and have just got back from a tour of local bike breakers in the cage, good fun chav baiting in a car badged as a 1.6 that's packing a 2.8 and LSD (the CG is not capable of such heroics) and returned with a rather manky but otherwise good seat that actually fits the bike

About to get busy with the cleaning stuff to make it look good, then off for a test ride

[Stowelly]

horsham to box hill to ace cafe and back again, all on the 125

[Dr. DaveJPS]

[Scythe]

Mate's just got his 400 taxed so went out with him. Went down to Holmes Chapel, through Jodrell Bank to Macclesfield, down the cat and fiddle and home. Good 70 miles.
____________________
2009 Yamaha YBR125 -> 2000 SV650S -> 2005 Kawasaki ZX6R 636

[vmax12]

went for a 40 mile ride through nottingham on me rxs100, got no nods no respect no nothing off other riders on bigger bikes....whats your problem boys to you all.....if i was on my vmax id get plenty nods...i nod to everyone on which ever bike, its called respect. think alot of riders have forgot what its all about!!! how dare you.... again cheers

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

Nice little writeup

And all bikes are cool so it's a win win.


Pat
____________________
Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[pinkyfloyd]

[Face.]

[Mac_Black]

[virus]

You can deny it all you want Liam, but ive converted you to the ways of the rat.



besides, It looks almost clean in that picture compared to usual.


Cheers
John
____________________
own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

^^^Yep .
I saw the cargo net on the tank and thought..A-ha... Rat bike.
Shame, cos i had high hopes for the Benly project
____________________
Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[Face.]

[ms51ves3]

I missed this thread. On Sunday I went out on my TZR for the first time since I got the ER. First of all I realised how small the thing is, then how crap it was to ride, until I got to Holme Moss and realised why I love it so much.