Featured What you been doing with your TRIUMPH today??

I know what you mean about the weather crispey. Picked the Tiger up on Thursday and went straight on to a meeting then met up with a mate - didn't ride home until around 8.15 pm and it was freezing - but I can confirm that the Tiger's headlights are somewhat more effective than the candle which used to be attached to the front of the Bonnie. Managed to get out Friday and Sunday and will be off again in about an hour - now where is that Michelin man suit?

 

Nothing wrong with a blue bike!

 

Went for my first proper ride on the Bonnie yesterday as football was cancelled. Got a good 100 miles under my belt through the Essex and Hertfordshire twisties...ended up at Stansted Airport some how.

The bike held up well, enough power to put a smile on my face but not too much to let me do something silly. Got a lot of approving looks at the lights, which was nice!

It was bloody freezing though, and I should've wrapped up warmer!!

Two things I want to keep an eye on:

1. Tank slapping is the wrong word, but at motorway speed, the bike is prone to a wobble if I move about on the seat, not experienced that before. Tyre pressures are all OK, felt like it had a high centre of gravity which was surprising.

2. The wind buffeting at 60+ was surprisingly strong, especially as I've got a pretty high screen on it already. I've got a double bubble screen on the CBR and I don't have that problem - most probably because I'm tucked in. But on the Bonnie, my head takes a serious bashing at motorway speeds...

Overall, she was so easy to ride and control, and she feels very planted in the bends, she's just happy to glide round.

Cleaning her afterwards was less fun....feeling has only just returned to my fingers!!

 

Hi Yaya, the wind buffeting is predominantly caused by the distance between a relatively upright screen and your body.

If you think about the screen/body distance on the CBR plus the angle of the screen you'll notice a significant difference. As an experiment remove the screen from the Bonny and go for a 60+mph ride and you'll see what I mean - the air is much smoother and quieter.

Yes you'll have some weight of wind on you, but it is soooooooh much quieter that the trade-off is worth it.

Give it a go, it only takes a few seconds to take off the screen and if you don't find it an improvement, then put it back on ?

 

Mine came with a screen, had the same thing as you, buffeting trying to take my head off!
took it off, more more problem.
I think they call mine a summer screen, not the big tall one or fly screen, in between size.

 

Yea that's what mine is, the summer screen. Will take it off an give it a try.

If the buffeting is that bad, what's it for?!?!

 

Splatting flies, wasps and bee's to show you've been going fast!
You can leave the brackets on under the clocks by the top fork yolk in place, so only a 5 minute job to do.

 

It's for extra profit!

With an upright screen and an upright rid ing position you are almost guaranteed getting turbulent air which causes noisy air.

 

Like this?

 

Can't avoid it on a Bonneville - you just get used to it!

 

Been out on mine for the 1st time since changing sprocket from 17 to 19 tooth.
Transformed it!

 

Good to hear it's worked out well for you mate.

 

True....my first bike was blue...A Francis Barnet Falcon 197cc... 45 mph flat out!Then a Blue RS Sprint & a 400/4 in mint condition, but then along come a red vfr 800, then a red thruxton...lover of my credit card!.
Red is best tho IMO

 

My tiger800 had horrendous wind noise above 60. 3 screens later I still havnt found a suitable one that cuts it down, I've just got used to it now.
They say that madstad screens are good but look big on most bikes they fit imo

 

Hi Steve, weds looks like rain, you any good for thurs or fri if it does?

ive got the tall screen on mine, (haven't tried it with the normal screen)with my seat in the lower position I get more turbulence round me head than in the higher seat position, took wifey out on it the other day and she says it was pretty blustery on the back. No wind jokes please! You know who you are!!

 

I consider myself suitably admonished Sceptic. I hang my head in shame.

 

Yeah, Thursday or Friday would still suit me. (Friday looks slightly better at the moment)

 

You've tied me hands too tight !!!!

 

Relocated ignition switch this morning. Put it on left hand side. Went ok, just got enough loom not to be too tight! Phew, I was worried for a mo, might look at slighter shorter headlight brackets to put a lot of slack in there.

 

Done a wire extension on mine for rhs...most makers say that no wiring alterations are necessary, but imo if it's going on the right then it's tighter than a g-string.. the chord, not the knicker variety.