Featured What you been doing with your TRIUMPH today??

53 Baza.

 

Very nice. Could do with a seat like that on my Ducati. Ever since I’ve had it, riding solo, the slightest bump and it bounced me out of the seat. Have never touched the rear preload. So with my new Striple came a “C” spanner so thought I would soften the preload a couple of turns. An improvement so I took another two turns off of it, even better. The other benefit is that I can now very nearly flat foot it. So another two turns are coming off. For 22 years I have been tippy toeing it. Feel a right pillock.

 

@steve lovatt

Wonderful photos, Steve! That bakery looks inviting. Have you been in it and sampled the offerings? Also, I tried to see what brand your tail bag is. It looks like a nice one and maybe just the thing for my Speed Triple. What is it and how do you like it??

 

Road trip
Got caught by a bit of the rain seen over the mountain
lasted just a few mins, and I was dry after riding just a bit more
Awesome riding weather

 

I always tell people, personalising a bike to suit you whether it be suspension or hand span etc. is essential for maximum enjoyment.
Ok, so it may have taken 22 years, but you got there in the end

 

It's amazing what a little adjusting can do.

 

Sadly not Sandi, which is unusual for me!
The tail bag is from a range called QBags, (the tail bag 3), which I originally bought for the Tiger, but it suits the ST better.

 

So, took the wife out on the "new" bike today. After the initial "ooh I don't want to go too far as I don't know this bike blah blah blah", she got on

I was thinking how best to write this up and decided bullet points might be best but it may be a bit disjointed;

* noticeably easier for her to get on the Street Twin (ST) compard to the 765RS (RS). Tired knees and high seat RS meant we often utilised a kerb to lower the overall climb on but with the ST there's no need.
* the more throbby ride of the ST seemed to put a smile on her face and she even said she had a bum massage on the way . Her hand on the grab rail, however, didn't appreciate the vibes the same so I may look at how I could place some aesthetically pleasing foam around the curved tube. Any ideas welcomed?
* two up slugging gears on the ST is a relatively new experience for me hence the interest in buying one. Swapping 10,000 rpm for 2,000 brings a whole new riding technique and just ticks the box nicely for something different.
* the rear shockers ST aren't up to two up spirited country lanes (see later comment as this was found to be incorrect)



* the ST brakes were more than adequate despite not being the later Brembo upgrade but I have recently fitted new aftermarket brake pads.
* comfort was good for both rider and pillion although wind was more noticeable on the ST.
* a lack of a rev counter ST did not prove detrimental as the power signs off early and you need to be slugging a gear rather than whizzing it.


It was decided a run out to Pateley Bridge to Wildings tea room would be a nice objective.





Whilst sat looking at the menu, and deciding what to have, we could hear lots of horns honking so I nipped outside to see what was going on.

How apt, a tractor run for others, besides us



A nice gentle ride over the moors using a maximum of country lanes took us back into Ripon before a more direct route home.

Around 90 miles of enjoyable riding, country lanes mostly, and the wife said she liked it so that has to be a good result

 

Once back home and in the workshop I had a quick half hour pitstop and coffee, including a change of pillion.

My youngest was itching to go out for a ride, so a quick tune of the suspension and lets see what happens.
The rear shocks, as was, were both under sprung and under damped. Out with a C spanner and add 10mm onto the existing preload so around 20mm of thread now showing.
I couldn't find any damper adjusters on these so pressure checked the cartridges..... ummm maybe that's the issue. Using a mountain bike (MTB) fork pump ( special connector for minimal pressure loss on disconnection plus small volume strokes) the needle moved but nothing meaningful.
A quick trawl of the net and no specifications found so added 40 psi per side.
Anyone know the ( presumably) TEC shocks cartridge pressure ranges?

New pillion and I set off, it was instantly noticeable that the guess adjustments were a step in the right direction. Wallowing and hinged frames on sweepers were significantly reduced, although one set of jumps on a country lane had the centre stand touch down twice
A ride around the local lanes added a further 40 miles or so to todays total and ended at a rather empty Squires for pop and pasties

 

Beautiful scenery and photo, Armando!!

 

Good to hear that you are both enjoying the bike. My bike group had an evening run out to Pateley Bridge a few weeks ago. Is that the cafe by the river?







The firemen were off to the chip shop

 

@steve lovatt yep that's the one.

 

Right time to upset a few people sorry.
MOT time today straight through as expected. Why expected you ask well I only go out if the weather is good and the wife hasn't something else planned, which nearly always coincides with the day I was going to go out. This has resulted in and again I apologise my last 3 years millage has been 826 - 632 and last year 462 miles for a grand total of 1,920 miles in 3 years

 

Ride in the rain or get a divorce

 

I don’t know who else to ask but I have a 2014 Bonnie and I understand that the chain needs to be clean quite often. Any suggestions on how to get it up on what kind of stand? I tried to get a Center stand but it doesn’t fit is there something someone can suggest to me that I can go purchase

 

In your defence your location is not exactly conducive to racking up the miles. I have been in a very similar situation when I lived on one of the Channel Islands. How many miles is a circuit of the island?

 

Some bloody lovely roads, though, even if it might get a bit repetitive! I fancy spending a day or two riding there, in fact.

 

Hi you have a couple of choices. You can use a bike lift or a paddock stand both will do the job at lifting the back wheel for maintenance. Google will provide lots of choice for either option.

 

Yes, spent many a boyhood summer holiday in the Sandown/Shanklin area. Lovely island. The Channel Island I spent my time on had a maximum speed limit once out in the country of 35mph

 

Just come back from Jersey, it has a blanket national speed limit of 40mph, mind you, do about 6 miles and you've ridden from one side of the island to the other.....