Featured What you been doing with your TRIUMPH today??

I gave my Speed Triple RS some lovin' yesterday. I'm having routine maintenance done on an annual basis rather than by mileage since I use Speedy as an around town (and up and down Mt. Lemmon!) bike and don't rack up miles. So off I went to my local dealership--AZ--KKT (Arizona Kawasaki-KTM-Triumph) to have my maintenance done.



And...much more exciting...I got new tires! Thanks to all of you who reviewed and recommended Michelin Road 5's and that's exactly what I got. I also sprung for a new battery since I was still using the original stock battery which was nearly four years old.

I hadn't been having any issues with my bike at all other than something weird that happened recently. I got home from a ride a couple of weeks ago and noticed that my rear fender "hugger" was literally laying on my rear tire! Upon closer inspection I saw that three of the four screws holding it in place were completely gone and the 4th was on it's way to vibrating out. Fortunately the hugger had no damage--and it didn't wind up in a ditch someplace!


After dropping my bike off back by the service area, I walked around to the front door only to see obvious signs of vandalism. Bruce, my salesman buddy at AZ-KKT, said that someone broke the glass in the door and two of the windows the night before. And our local Cycle Gear store was also hit and a bunch of helmets and jackets were stolen. To add insult to injury, Cycle Gear had just moved into a much nicer and larger building. From security camera footage, it sounded like it was the same thief and there was footage of someone on a white Ninja. Hopefully they'll catch the culprits.



I hadn't been to the dealership for a few months--maybe a new record for me--so it was great to see the guys and the bikes. They were a bit down on Triumph stock but had tons of KTM's and a hefty assortment of Kawasakis. I thought this ad board was an interesting bit of marketing.




When I was parking my bike by the service door, one of the mechanics rode around and into the service garage from the front on a white Speed Triple RS just like mine! I think it's the first time I've seen another bike just like mine anywhere in Tucson. I met the owner who had also brought his bike in for routine maintenance. We chatted briefly and he is just as happy with his bike as I am with mine. He switched to his Speed Triple RS from a Moto Guzzi adventure bike.


My bike, waiting for me and all happy with a new battery, new shoes, and a clean bill of health! We're ready for another year of fun in the sun.






On my ride home I looked at my screen and noticed the temperature reading said 33º! I immediately realized two things--my settings had been changed to Celsius during my service and that I really didn't know what the conversion was. At any rate, I was riding home from the dealership at about 2:30pm and it was hot!

 

33 Celsius is hot - as Steve and I experienced in Spain! You're going to love those road 5's... and they're durable - after 7.500 miles my front tyre is nearly done, rear still fine.

 

Thanks for the thumbs up on the Road 5's, Wim. I rode my Speed Triple today on our Sunday ride and loved them! They feel significantly different (and better) to me than did the stock Pirelli's. Glad to know they'll last me awhile, too!

I did a quick check on the temperature conversation. Looks like I was riding home in temps just over 90ºF. After riding in temperatures well over 100ºF this past summer, 90ºF didn't seem too terribly bad. I guess it's all relative. Plus my ride home was only 5 miles. That certainly helps!

 

My rear tyre after 7500 miles - markers still well within specs, and ridden, well, not conservatively...

 

That was my experience in Cheshire as well. Highly recommended. An absolute bargain. I’m still thinking things through and improving with every ride as result of that course.

 

Thanks @Sandi T, my Dad is in hospital, but on the mend now, so it was nice to have some fun with that worry

 

I’m glad to read that your dad is on the mend, @Dartplayer. It seems that so many of my friends have elderly parents with health issues these days. I hope and pray he keeps improving!

 

Yep I agree a very good day’s learning on the BikeSafe day that I did.

 

Not done anything with bike today, but been doing clothing maintenance for the change of season.

I replaced a broken press stud on leather jacket and cleaned it up before hanging it up inside house together with jeans, won’t been needing them again until next spring.

For winter I wear waxed cotton gear and the trousers still had a worn in mud colour despite earlier cleaning, so I resorted to to drastic measures, namely scrubbing with washing up liquid, then putting them in the washing machine. They still had a brown hue after that, so I repeated the process, and now after a fresh wax they’re looking black again. Until after tomorrow’s ride that is…

 

I did mine at Defford on Easter weekend this year, I agree that it was a great day with the observed ride on some lovely roads .

 

My seasonal jealousy has returned @Sandi T .

 

Booked my 2021 Street Triple R in for its first annual 6000m service at Bulldog Triumph not used them before but bike was bought there with its original owner.Seemed ok on phone didn't realise how busy or short staffed they are? as the earliest i could get in was the 19th November.I do have Destination Triumph slightly closer but not entirely happy when visiting them in the past.

 

Commute for me today, nice ride there and back - just about made it back whilst it was still light this evening.....makes it feel like summer is truly gone .

 

I had the same feeling this afternoon Mrs V, after a ride out on the SS. I had Summer gloves on and my fingers were just approaching the numb threshold on the way home. The temps are set to plummet on Friday apparently. Oh joy. Short days, sh*te weather, soaring energy/fuel prices, financial turmoil, nuclear armageddon, hosepipe ban, climate change, just give me some rope.................
..................................but then I've always got the bikes!

 

Yep, thank goodness for our bikes and the moto-therapy they give us!

 

@Dartplayer, just checking in to say that I hope your dad continues to get well and that he's out of the hospital.

 

Thanks Sandi, stable but still in care

 

Well not today or yesterday.
But get ready for a good laugh... Although it was far from funny as it occurred.

On Saturday last the 25th. I rode to Kalgoorlie with my Cousin Alistair (Ali) we got as far as 6 or so km east of Southern Cross.. and number three cyl (RHS) spat out the spark plug .

To say Ali was Peeved off is understating the situation .
Before the ride he asked questions of me about 'roadside assist' and did I have it. No was my answer.

We got the plug back in (loose but in) and rode back to Southern Cross.
Where we spent an hour getting help from several fellow travellers !! An hour or so later we headed off to Kalgoorlie in the dark of night.
Got there about nine pm. Had our weekend in town , no riding , plenty of walking .
Headed home Monday... Planned a sto in Kellerberrin a good friend lives there , he was the head mechanic at JCS about 20 yr ago.

Well here comes the bit where a laugh is in order ...
Got 500/800 metres from Derrick's (mech) and the Triumph Adventurer spat number 3 again, this time it vanished ....
So a new plug free of charge and a borrowed plug spanner .

Ali has done another 1,000km he's in Geraldton WA now .

This experience explained why I have travelled for 40yrs all across Australia without 'roadside assist' I carry a few tools and So Does quite a few "fellow travellers" help is only an ASK AWAY !!
To say Ali was was Impressed with the fellowship and assistance that was freely given is saying a lot
Ali has experienced Biker's mutually supporting each other in England He's never seen helping Hands like this before....


Cheers capt

 

I'm guessing that the sheer size of Australia means you could be waiting several hours, possibly even days for "roadside assist", hence travellers preparing for DIY assistance where possible. Obviously there's the potential for breakdowns where recovery is the only options but a few tools and basic spares can certainly get you out of the sh*te!
I carry a few tools, a spare plug, some cable ties, torch etc on the dirt bike as my roadside assistance policy is just that, road only and not some dirt track in the middle of open moorland!

 

Commute again for me today, pretty wet roads this morning and the odd rain shower to keep me refreshed . There was a big diesel spill coming out of a filling station that continued for about 15 miles so I am guessing a HGV must have had more than just the usual over - full problem. Anyway, it’s the hilly, twisty section to my commute which I usually really enjoy. Today I just found it a bit anxiety - inducing with the road a rainbow and the constant smell of diesel . The steepest hills were the worst, especially where there were some temporary lights on a steep downhill section, think the slope and the time spent waiting had provided optimum conditions for tank emptying .

Dry roads and a great ride back this afternoon though .