Featured What you been doing with your TRIUMPH today??

Absolutely @Sandi T . There is no way I would have taken the Thruxton on the tracks and lanes that we rode with the clip-ons on the bike. It has transformed what I can do with the bike and I love it

 

Hope everything goes well and you're back on two wheels soon.

 

Hello Sandi, good work re “tyres”, here are a couple more, Aluminium is pronounced “Al you min ee um” not “Al oom in um”, Solder is pronounced “Sol der” not “sar der”, we’re allowing you lot to use our language so for pity’s sake put some effort into it

 

Thanks Mate, me too ✋️

 

@Sandi T , you say it as you like..

 

Mrs W is normally always out on the bike with me but she's encouraging me to grab any opportunity to get out solo, just a 50 miler this morning whilst she did the lidl shop, bless her. I would upload a photo but it keeps telling me the file is too big?! So here's one from January in the same spot

 

Enjoyable ride out this morning with my IAM Observer, through Denshaw, Delph, Uppermill and Marsden.

 

I had an absolutely brilliant day with West Mercia Police on their Bike Safe workshop at Defford. It started with a horrible ride there in thick fog, but the day rapidly improved after that! I was slightly worried as I have so little experience but I needn't have been, it was great and I got a huge amount out of it.

Overall my riding was good for my experience level and I made real improvements in cornering and road positioning - getting away from the "DVSA method" that you learn for your bike test and learning how fluid road positioning should be rather than the "set" positions taught for your test and how much easier and fluid cornering is when set up correctly. I had nothing that was of concern to my observer luckily and he said that my bike control, steering and use of speed was good. My main points to work on were changing gear less often (which made a real difference), reading the road further ahead and wider surrounds more for better progress through bends and smooth progress in terms of straight - lining roundabouts and bends, using the opposite side of the road etc when safe to do so. I rode home a much more thinking and fluid rider than I had ridden there - clearly still massive amounts to learn as I gain experience, but this was a day where things just "clicked" in my head and I feel like it was a big stride forward.

Great goody bag too - there was also a Creme Egg in there, seeing as it's Easter weekend .

 

Well done you.. sounds like you got loads out of the day.

 

I really did, so pleased I went.

 

Lack of spark today in the Tiger, bummer. Checked connections etc in the engine running part of the wiring cause oil light, hooter, brake lights were working.
Thought it was the micro unit playing up as I tried a spare and sparks erupted but then stopped again. At least it's not that, phew (£££££) but it may be the plug in connectors that come with the unit. I'll be farting around with it tomorrow as well but getting closer to cure.
Off to the custom thing in the morrow so it'll have to be the standard green T140 as that needs a ride too.

 

A new lease of Mr. Thruxton's life! So glad you kept that bike and are so happy with it now.

 

What an awesome wife Mrs.Pat is to encourage you to get out solo, @PatW! I've met so many guys who "used to ride" but say that now their wives "won't let them". And she not only rides with you but understands how good it is for you to also get out for solo therapy rides. Beautiful photo, BTW. What a good looking bike.

 

What a terrific experience, @Mrs Visor! It sounds like it was really well conducted with helpful, specific feedback that immediately improved your riding skills, knowledge base, and confidence. Awesome! Thanks for your report, too. And who doesn't love a goody bag, particularly one with a Creme Egg inside.

 

It was one of the best thought - out and well run courses that I have experienced, so much packed into one day. Even more impressive that the cops were giving up part of their Bank Holiday weekend to do it voluntarily and showing such passion for it.

 

Hi Wessa, I do keep thinking of swapping my Thruxton to high bars, let’s face it clip ons we’re designed for the track, which conversion kit did you use, was it LSL?

 

Hi @Mark9 I used the ABM bar conversion kit. It included the top yoke, bars (for heated grips), the bar end mirror kit and the extended clutch cable. The total including shipping was £495 from BikeMart (who are based in Cornwall), which I understand is a little more expensive that the LSL kit. Funny thing is I bumped into a guy with the LSL bars on his Thruxton yesterday and for me having seen both kits on the bikes I preferred the ABM kit on mine.

Here is the web site for BikeMart.
https://www.bikermart.co.uk/Triumph-Thruxton-1200R-2016~-ABM-Superbike-Fat-Bar-Handlebar-Kit

 

I managed to go on a little ride yesterday, had a busy day, so happy with any small ride I can get. Hopefully I will get to squeeze in a ride today as well, with the whole Easter thing and all.

 

Thanks Wessa, my Thruxton is the non Ohlins model, I don’t think ABM do a kit for it, I’m in two minds whether to go for the LSL cos I do have other bikes with high bars that I can use for longer rides, it’s just that I’m sure the Thruxton will handle better in general with high bars fitted, decisions decisions!