Featured 2018 Speed Triple Rs – Ownership Thread

It's time to get back on track with my ownership thread. It's not that I'm not interested in everyone's SC Project cans but this thread was intended to catalogue life with my Speed Triple RS and feature the modifications and accessories that work out well...or not so well.

I've not done much in a while, but I have just fitted a Quad Lock handlebar mount to go with their iPhone case – and it's excellent! If you're not familiar with them, take a look here (and the 10% discount code is QL89228 ).

The phone case is robust and the mount design doesn't make it unduly bulky:



The bracket offers plenty of options to get it just right and there are three inserts to cope with different handlebar widths. You can omit the 'extended arm' part and mount directly to the bracket, or use the arm which has click positions to mount in any orientation. I bought an optional red tab, because it HAS to match the colour scheme



The phone locks in position with a simple push and twist – and the red tab is pressed while twisting to release it (one hand operation). You can mount the phone in either portrait or landscape. Google Maps with voice through my Sena now works brilliantly...and the phone is at hand for using the Shell app when filling up.



A little expensive maybe, but simple, effective and very low profile. Highly recommended

 

I have an Optimate lead hidden behind the left side cowl - which accepts an Optimate USB adapter in which to plug the Lightning cable for my phone. The adapter and most of the cabling stays neatly out of sight.

I'm thinking of trying the TomTom app - I have a TomTom car sat nav and use the MyDrive website for planning routes (which works really well over their cloud service). Google just seems to do what it wants, rather than what I want

 

Yes it is permanently live...but obviously I take the phone with me as soon as the ignition is switched off...and once home, I remove the USB adapter too (which probably draws a little current).

As an alternative, I might run an USB extension cable from the factory socket under the seat cowl (which is switched). Or...investigate the spare accessory connector, rumoured to be somewhere behind the right side cowl (used for heated grips I think?).

I managed to tame Google Maps a bit by setting up the route with extra stops to take me where I want. I send the 'shared URL' with my phone and it opens with the Google Maps app. Seems to work well.

I'm also using the Ordnance Survey app which is brilliant around the lanes of Essex - and the maps can be stored offline too. It's not designed to give turn-by-turn directions, but it gives current location and aids exploring...like this:

 

Today was a bit of an adventure - I left sunny/rainy/sunny/rainy Essex at 11:00 am for a trip to Cheltenham.

On the M25/A41 it rained harder than I've ever experienced before on a bike (it's because I wore leathers), but I made good progress through the almost stationary traffic (smug). The rain stopped and by Aylesbury I'd dried out and made it across town to the faster and twistier A road to Thame and Oxford.

Then, while riding on the very smooth tarmac of the part re-surfaced road, there was a massive pop and crunch. The bike initially felt OK, but with the van behind me flashing his headlights, I came to a controlled stop about 100m later.

Game over. A blade-like slit in the tread that was too much for my repair kit to plug - and a similar shaped chunk out of my carbon rear hugger. I'm no idea what I hit. Loads of people stopped to offer help while I waited for the AA - including a lady that offered help and then returned 10 minutes later with a chilled bottle of cold water, because she said I looked like I needed it. What an amazing act of kindness!

I used the AA app to summon assistance (just a few clicks and it sends the vehicle details and current position) and they arrived within 30 minutes, quickly agreeing that a repair wasn't possible. I have Relay, so thinking that they would need to send a recovery truck, I was amazed to see that the van carries an entire folding-out-trailer-gizmo that's hidden behind the tailgate (wheels and all). Amazing...and home 90 minutes later

The Supercorsa was surprisingly hot, soft and pliable when I first inspected it - I know they are supposed to do that, but it's no wonder that they pick up sharp objects (this is the third time). I'm inclined to replace like for like because it needs to match the front...but it's got me wondering.

All ends well I guess - and a feeling of "it could have been worse" that offsets the abandoned day and cost of a tyre. At least I saved the petrol on the way home

 

Thanks Pete - I'm so impressed at the speed of the AA's 'extraction'. Looks like you were well prepared though...that's a sleeping bag on the back...right?