Featured What you been doing with your TRIUMPH today??

Another nice day out today for Helmut and I - I took the Street Triple again and he took his Multistrada. We ventured across the border to Wales - first stop was Baffle Haus to have a coffee and meet a friend:

Then we went across to the Owl's Nest in Llandovery for a bite to eat where we bumped into another friend who was up to some off - road stuff and home via Builth Wells.

The roads weren't too busy at all for a bank holiday and anything slow was overtaken in fairly short order (likely the clouds, showers and far - from - tropical temperature had something to do with it!!) so we had lots of fun on the lovely Welsh roads.

 

Trip out to Sleap (pronounced Slape) airfield on a grey and showery bank holiday Monday with mate Colin on his new BSA Goldstar. {report now heavily edited and typos corrected thank you @Mrs Visor.}

To be honest I'd have given up due to the weather (I just want some sun!), but I've ridden the bike so little this year, I just had to get out on it.



Sleap airfield was the destination of choice on Colin's and another friend's recommendation from a trip they'd made last Thursday (which was sunny but I wasn't free).

The airfield was established in 1943 as an advanced training base for RAF pilots and also had some bombers based there.

The café is in the old control tower, so the view of the runway was great for what little activity it had; probably due to the low heavy cloud.

But we did watch an American radial engined two seater taking someone on what looked like a flying experience take off, very cool. It looked to me to be WW2 vintage, I'm sure there's a plane nut somewhere amongst us who can identify the plane (see below).



The all day breakfast (for Colin) and in my case a second breakfast of Eggs Royale and a cappuccino, followed by a hot chocolate and a chocolate brownie, was scrummy and very reasonably priced. I'd had my normal muesli and strong coffee breakfast before we set off, (well you've got to keep the energy up)

As well as being the base for an aeroclub where (if you've got the money) you can learn to fly, it also serves as a kind of flying equivalent of a roadside café and fuel stop; so some of the customers were pilots, their passengers and students, as well as sight-seeing families and some bikers. A model flying club is also based there and we could see some very skilled pilots putting their models through their aerobatic paces on the other side of the runways. And there is a museum to the former life of the airfield, but that was unfortunately closed today.

My Beeline had taken us down smaller A and B roads to the east of the A49, the route south from my home that I'd have taken, but was happy to avoid it being August Bank Holiday. But most of the roads on the route were twisty with double centre white lines, so overtaking was next to impossible and we were often stuck in queues of cars and campers doing 40 in 60 limits due to elderly day trippers.

Return route was sweeping further East via Market Drayton to explore the A and B roads around there and the same thing happened.

So having observed the dubious standards of driving out there today I'm left with the following conundrum: Which is worse, following dawdling, unpredictable campers and Nissan Qashqais (and other small SUVs) at less than the speed limit, or ride at the speed limit (+10%) and have impatient Audis and Beemers tailgate you and then only choose to overtake on the way in to bends?

Just to rub salt into the wound it wasn't just cars! On the final few traffic free miles to the airfield, I'm up to speed enjoying putting into practice what I learned on my police Bike Safe course and taking the perfect entry into a sharpish left hander, only to have to get out of the way of an oncoming BMW GS on my side of the road, well I guess I hadn't been there yesterday, so why should I have been there today? At least the training had me in the right position to both see it coming and get out of the way.

Hopefully my ride to Blackburn on Friday for my annual service and MOT will be dry and incident free.

Overall though, lessons learned and good to be out.

 

Hopefully an "s" is missing...otherwise I'll be giving the place a swerve .

 

Took the back wheel off my Speed Triple due to another puncture. Needs a new tyre this time as it's already been plugged once. Usually screws are the culprit but this time it was a barely detectable sliver of stone embedded in the tyre.

 

Maybe about 50% worn so plenty of tread left. At least it got me home before going flat.

 

A trip out with the wife on the Street Twin today. Typical conversation.... I don't want to go too far etc ....
First stop Birkin tearoom for a bit of breakfast.



From there we headed towards Stamford Bridge through the back lanes and despite being overtaken by a 765 R at Elvington, we then got overtaken by the same bike at Helmsley gate some 10 miles further on .... anyone on here, hi vis bib, white and red 17 plate bike?

A few lanes later and we passed a blackboard.



So, a quick spin around and lets have a coffee.



I fancied a view across the moors, so using minor roads we headed for Rosedale Abbey.





Onwards to home in time for the last bit of sun plus a GnT in the garden

 

Not today but yesterday I went up to Cumbria and rode up the Hartside Pass, just east of Penrith.
A good ride up and views from the top at 1900’ elevation were pretty good on a day like yesterday. There used to be a very good cafe up there years ago; I’m not exactly sure but think it burned down.
Now just a large parking area, although there was a mobile coffee van yesterday.


From there I went down the other side to Alston and took the road over the moors and Teesdale down to Barnard Castle.
Can’t recall where, maybe the MCN but I’d read this road was one of the must-do roads in the UK. And yeah it was stunning, don’t expect perfect racetrack smooth surfaces and you’ve got to be aware of the odd sheep in the road but this high moorland road was brilliant. Also surprisingly quiet, I’ll be doing it again!!



After Barnard Castle I headed down to Devil’s Bridge, Kirkby Lonsdale. There’s a snack van here and very popular with bikers. Handy to plan a stop if you’re in the area.
Then a loop through Dent, over to Hawes and back down via the Ribblehead viaduct.
Pen y Ghent (one of the Yorkshire 3 Peaks) in the background behind my bike.


Whernside , another of the Yorkshire 3 Peaks is behind the Ribblehead viaduct.

Sorry but no pictures of the other one Ingleborough.

Then it was down to Bentham and south through Bowland, narrow high moorland roads but relatively less visited due to its proximity to the popular Yorkshire Dales, but absolutely stunning countryside.
No stopping for photos on that bit cos it’d been a long day and I wanted to crack on and get home!

 

Took the Nightstorm out for a run with Mrs Visor on her Street Triple, she had to stay fairly local but my plan once she turned for home was to do a quick 60-100 mile route to give the Nightstorm a bit of a run out. Unfortunately on leg 2 of our local trip the ABS light came on, had a quick check and can't see anything obvious but decided not to go any further so back home and very few miles achieved

 

finally got my Carbon Fibre front mudguard fitted to my liking. Originally for the early model Tiger, I've modded it to fit my 2019 Tiger Sport.



Also fitted a SW Motech gear shift lever

 

Hope that check engine light doesn’t indicate anything too terribly troublesome, @Helmut Visor.

 

No pictures I'm afraid, but I went out for a long trip on the Street triple around the North Yorkshire moors yesterday. Thornton Le Dale, Goathland, Guisborough, Great Ayton, Stokesley, Helmsley, Malton. The purple heather on the moors is starting to fade now, but in the warm sunshine it was still nice to see. The bikes ambient temp. thermometer was indicating 22 degrees C on the highest points of Blakey ridge and it was 25 down in valleys. Some of you may recall I smashed my shoulder up pretty badly early in Spring. I was out riding for 4 hours, but it wasn't my shoulder causing problems. After 3 of the 4 hours it was my derriere. Still I don't think 3 hours in the saddle was too bad and a credit to the seat on the Triumph. Its not as plush as my Guzzi, but then the Guzzi has no pretentions to being a sporty bike.

 

Got the bike booked in with Freddy Trott tomorrow (I know, technically not today ), for the full monty pre-winter prep, including:

✅citrus pre-wash
✅Snowfoam safe wash (remove any contaminates)
✅fully blow dried
✅XCP or ACF50 misted over engine, suspension etc
✅extra XCP applied to banjo bolts and any other I know needs extra
✅2 stage machine polish to remove any imperfections (yes new bikes have many)
✅prep all bodywork
✅apply either Ultimaxx Signature pro the Signature Quartz ceramic (5 year) ceramic
✅optional air brush application of ceramic making sure to get full coverage
✅apply titanium gel chain lube
✅before/after video supplied

Aside from the fact that Freddy has to be one of the best bike detailers in the business, I've always liked the way the chain is treated (it comes back with a kind of white wax on it, which lasts for ages without picking up a load of road detritus). I may hunt it down and give it a go myself, although I have a fair bit of Maxima Chain Wax to get through yet, and it's one of the most highly rated lubes/waxes out there.

 

Well, apparently I get a before and after video so I'll post that. Trouble is, the bike is still pretty new and has only seen dry miles, so it won't be as much of a contrast as it would be with an old & dirty machine!

 

I had the afternoon off work today, much needed as I worked last weekend and am working this weekend. Went out for about 85 miles on the Street Triple on my definition of a hoon - to @andyc1 it would likely have been very steady, I didn't even destroy the rear tyre in the process .

Commuted on the Blade yesterday so it was the Striple's turn....plus the Blade gets HOT .

 

Wowzer, @learningtofly! The first three items on that pre-winter prep list sound like something I'd get at my next hair appointment. Maybe even better! All that and your narrative about Freddy make me wish we had a Freddy here in southern Arizona. But we wouldn't need him for a pre-winter prep, I guess, just a good ol' detailing. I'm with @Dawsy, before and after pics, please! Even if there's not much difference, I like to see photos of that black beauty of yours.

 

Su han an early finish from work today, so off to the Fish Inn for a beer n burger

 

LOLZ. I’m sure Freddy would do your hair for you if you asked nicely, @Sandi T

Do you even see rust on bikes over there?

 

We don't see a speck of rust on the bikes here in southern Arizona, but I'm sure my nephews in Minnesota have seen plenty of bikes with lots of rust. One of the positives of living in the desert.

 

I bought some new boots, well two pair actually, his n hers, for use on my Street Twin. Really comfy and dead easy on/off plus they have a proper tread for walking about unlike my 765 paddock boots (dangerously smooth soles on wet grass).



Obviously, one problem solved another one created

With the new boots being bulkier, the gearchange just didn't feel right, have you gathered yet that I'm a little fussy about the bike fitting and being just right.... OCD

The ST gearlever isn't on a linkage and I wanted it to come up 5mm and ideally 5mm further out ummmm

Old lever end.



Now that looks a little chunky and if it had a diet then my 5mm desire could be realised

A quick mock up for a test ride, fuel pipe and spare bolt, proved dimensions good.

Fired up the lathe, whilst making a friend some model fairground ride parts , and abracadabra. A nice straight knurl to add finish without scuffing my new boots.

What do you think?

 

I've had my 2010 bonneville se for 3 years August so decided that it was time for new oil, filters, and plugs.
Now before anyone has a fit I've done less than 2500 in that time.
Anyway on removing the plugs I found they were quite white, I had to go to the triumph dealer for a new crush washer and mentioned the plugs to them. I was asked if it had after mart exhaust its got Norman Hyde's fitted and the guy said that was the problem so I asked as it's an efi and I can't do it could they adjust it. He said the only option was to put the original exhaust back on as it can't be adjusted.
Is that right or have I just been fobbed off.