Featured What you been doing with your TRIUMPH today??

Where's the friggin sunshine? and dry roads? hurry up summer!!!

 

Working on the Trident yesterday front forks installed and front wheel back on so just got to put the new exhaust system on and finish a bit of tidying up as well as getting the wheels powdercoated and its all ready to go :biggrin:

 

Weather permitting, I'm taking my Speed in to Race Lab in Wimborne tomorrow for a suspensions set up. I'm trusting it will be worth the modest expense. Did find the other day that on the bumpy back roads I was in constant fear for my head stock bearings and my arse was rarely in contact with the saddle.
Will report back on the results.

 

Was just going to check the tyre pressure's when I noticed some furry bit's,my own fault for putting it away dirty.
So spent the next 2 hours cleaning.Looks a bit better but will need to strip some bit's off for a proper job.I must admit I'm a bit disappointed with the finish on the Speed,it's only done 10,000 miles but there are a couple of stone chip's on the engine cases and some of the fasteners are looking a bit the worse for wear.
Will be going for a ride tomorrow.

 

Had my suspension set up done on the Speed at Race Lab today. Glad I did. Its a new bike altogether now. The bouncing and jarring and the skittishness at the back end has gone and the bike feels planted, grippy and confidence inspiring without going soggy. The bike was bought with 500 miles on the clock and so I assume with Triumph's factory settings unaltered. The preload settings weren't bad, it turns out. The real problem was a big mismatch in damping between the front and back. With that corrected all the harshness and wayward feel it had before has been transformed. Although preload was OK Paul, the techie, reckoned he could improve the steering for my weight so he altered the settings to change the bikes "attitude" as he said. He raised it a few mm at the back and lowered it the same at the front increasing the forward bias. The difference is tremendous. Before it felt ponderous. It needed positive pressure on the bars to make it change direction. Now its much more responsive without being twitchy. I find I'm steering intuitively with my feet and knees without having to think about it. Its like the bike has shrunk in size and lost several pounds in weight.
To be honest I was very disappointed with the handling when I first rode the bike but now its become the bike I'd imagined it would be. What a difference a few mm here and half a turn there makes when you know what you're doing. Some will say £99 is a lot for an hour's work and it can be done cheaper at track days; but in fact it was nearer two hours and there are no tracks near me. Money well spent. Very happy and a big thumbs up to Paul and Race Lab. :upyeah:

 

Changed the exhaust on the Trident today and had a go at starting her up with the original silencers off. :biggrin:

Made a great noise.

 

First proper ride of the year, great run to Aberdovey

 

Sun shining today, finished at 4.30, then home, changed, Bonnie started and warmed up, I'm off out at 5... finished up at Girvan, 20mls south, sun just going down beside Ailsa Craig :smile:

 

Sounds cool Steve J!

 

Went out for 6 hours yesterday (including a leisurely lunch), my Bonnie, a '79 Ducati 750SS and a Deauville. Out on the Corniche des Cevennes to Florac, then turned south to go via Mt Aigoual but had to turn back when confronted with this:



Still 7 km to get to the top so we decided it would only get worse and descended via a tiny road with half metre verges and a sheer drop in places. Great ride though, and good to blow the cobwebs off.

Any Bonnie riders changed their bars for flat bars? How's the riding position?

 

Lol cool photo.... Nice place to have a lie down.... :tongue:

 

http://thetriumphforum.co.uk/forum/f40/proper-fehling-hard-luggage-rails-my-america-1686/

 

Sunday went to Loomies place was totally packed out (and will try and post a photo when my PC decides to work properly )

Monday worked on the bike, swore at the exhaust as it is being a right little to fit and did some tidying up in the garage.

Tuesday took the Trident wheels to Goldmans in Bordon for powder coating, not cheap but I know they will do a proper job so it is worth it, and will pick them up on Monday :smile:

Cheers all

Steve

 

Cloudy and overcast today, but couldn't resist.... took her out for a couple of hours, turning, twisting, revving, chillin..... :smile:

 

Picked up my Tiger Explorer yesterday. The only available slot for it's first service is Tuesday at 14:30. That means I've got to cover 600 miles in 3 days. Tough life, isn't it. :wink:

 

I know what you mean. I'm trying to finish my running in so I can ride properly and I don't like the Metzler tyres the bike came with so I'm trying to wear them out. I don't know.. Sometimes its just work, work, work..

 

What bike is that? I was told by the dealer not to bother running in, as such, just don't thrash it and don't labour the motor. I quite like the Metzlers, although I only go out when it's dry so I've no idea what they're like in the wet!

 

What's wrong with the Metzlers?

 

Speed Triple. Only basic running in with rev restrictions but its breaks your stride. It'll be nice when I can listen to those cans wail without having to back off.

I find them a little nervous on shiny surfaces and very slow to warm up, particularly on the edge of the rubber where it matters most. They're not awful but I'm sure I can do better. Haven't tried them in the wet - this one is a fair weather bike - but what I've heard from others who do is not encouraging. Going to give Michelin PR3s a try.

 

Put EBC sintered front pads on the Daytona today seems to help, but while I was getting the Daytona out I was distracted by my daughters and ended up putting a big gouge in the fairing, due to her getting in the way..... Bloody Kids!!

Still got issues with fitting the new exhaust to the Trident, think they have given me the wrong link pipe as it just doesn't seem right.

Picking up the wheels from the Powdercoaters tomorrow so at least something is going right.

Gimlet, what type of Metzeler tyres have you got as if they are Z8's they are a far better tyre than the PR3, Haven't come across a Michelin that I trust yet.

And it's usually Bridgestone's that take half an hour to warm up.

Cheers

Steve