Scary first ride!!

[Mad Dave]

Just ridden my bike the 6 miles to the garage. First ride since my 'off' last September. Very scary. I felt completely naked - and I wasnt, honest! The bike didn't feel quite right and I felt every bump in the road - i'm used to a nice smooth car where you don't feel anything! That thicker fork oil obviously had an effect. I also felt like I really wanted to climb forward on the bike, like I was sat too far back - but ive always felt that so I guess it must be OK! LOL. I think i'll get some flat bars once its back on the road - I rode Iguana's bike with a pair fitted and it felt much better.

I managed one overtake (by jove that was quick!) and I also outdragged a nice new BMW, which was fun. Couldn't really give it any beans as, well, there's no guarantee I put it together properly! LOL

I've asked the mechanic chappy to take it for a really good ride and check it all out. He's also MOTing it and fitting a new front tyre.

Can't wait - should get it back in a few days.



Dave

[Incorrigible]

And FFS keep it in one piece this time

and keep an eye on the track day threads

[Mad Dave]

LOL. You have a way with words, Ben.

[YarisSi]

How did you break it in the first place?
Is this the bike you fixed and did all the DIY on a while back?
Si

[Mad Dave]

Its the bike that I bought from a fellow PHer, fixed it up to its former glory, and then threw down the road (I overtook a lady who was looking dead ahead and not indicating, when she suddenly swung right into an entrance, knocking me off).

Damage was all cosmetic aside from a bent forkleg.

Ive had a call from the garage to say that the forks are far too stiff, possibly due to my putting in thicker than standard fork oil (as advised by a friend). They're trying to locate the problem and will call me back. Sadly this means I won't get the bike back tonight!

[Mad Dave]

This bike:



Actually it looks better than that now - all the chrome is polished, the missing trim has been replaced, and it has a big dent in the exhaust....ok, maybe the last one isn't an improvement

[YarisSi]

That is a nice looking bike. Is that your first bike?
Been thinking about learning. I might do my CBT in the summer as I already have a driving licence and then I might hire bike (I know L plate with 125cc) or moped and give it a wee go see what it is like. Then eventually do a test.
Just remember there is a motorX place near me (kent/brandshatch) so I might be able to have a go/get into that. Bit worried I might hurt myself :-(
The dent probably makes it sound better ;-)

[Mad Dave]

Yeah its my first road bike, i've got an old off roader too but i only had a couple of hours riding time on that.

Do DAS mate - riding a 125 is nothing like riding a real bike - I feel far safer on my 600 than I did on a little 125 with no power.

I should get my Bandit back tomorrow hopefully, they're changing the fork oil for the standard weight stuff.

[mechsympathy]

Mad Dave said:

Its the bike that I bought from a fellow PHer

Glad it's (nearly) back on the road (And you're in one piece)

[Mad Dave]

Hi mate

Still delays - apparently the spindle was bent (new one now on order) and the fork oil levels were drastically different - which is VERY odd as I measured the quantities very carefully. Anyway, it's all being sorted and hopefully i'll get it back tomorrow or Saturday.

Can't wait!

PS Hows the Caterham?

[mechsympathy]

Mad Dave said:

PS Hows the Caterham?

Feeling a bit underused lately, but generally ferkin marvellous

[iguana]

Dave if you did indeed use 15/40 as you said in yr previous thread, then you used an engine oil in the forks rather than a specific fork oil which is a single grade i.e 10w or 15w etc, might explain odd handling.

Mr Haynes says fork oil level 97mm UK & 96mm US bikes (yours an import i think? so dunno which spec?)

With oil level measured fron top of tube with spring removed & leg fully compressed.

Mad Dave said:

Woohoo! I put slightly thicker than standard fork oil in (15w40) and they're nice and firm now.

[Mad Dave]

Mech> I think it would take severe ice to stop me using a Caterham if I owned one! During the summer the bike was pretty much my daily driver - in one 10 day period I put 7 miles on the car!

Alex> My mistake, I put 15w in. Its now being changed for 10w. My bike is a parallel import so should be UK spec I guess - but 1mm won't make any difference i'm sure.

[jvaughan]

Dave .. Ive not used the TVR for the last 8 months .. last time it saw the open road, was the Top Gear "Hot Metal" Photoshoot in october.

[Mad Dave]

Jeez - you guys must have far too busy lives

[DennisTheMenace]

Dave i think i have some stabilisers and a roll cage for a bandit in the shed should you need them ,

Try not to wrap it round anything and will catch up soon for a blast on HMS thunderace (going a smidge better now ive sorted the EXUP cables)

And im thinking about 1 tooth less on the front sprocket Wheelies here i come

[Mad Dave]

Sounds good mate, hope to see you soon! Garage are buggering about a bit - hopefully work will be finished tomorrow, unless the mechanic's wife goes into labour - in which case i'll have to wait a week apparently

Now, about those stabilisers.....

[Mad Dave]

Well, I picked up the bike on Saturday. Sadly had to take it back as the yokes were twisted still (they hadnt noticed) and on closer inspection I noticed that the bars are quite bent, and the tacho was bent downwards! Tacho is now bent back up, but i'll have to get some new bars - flat bars I think.

Anyway, I put 70 miles on the bike over the weekend and enjoyed every one of them. I had a mate on the back for about 25miles, and when he got off he said " me, I gotta get me one of them!". He absolutely loved it and wants to get his DAS asap. He's going to hop on the back tomorrow and join me down to Poole Quay for bike night (assuming its started again yet?).

Only problem with the bike is that it falls really nicely into right hand turns, but doesnt seem to turn left quite so easily. I think most of this is down to the bars being bent, but i'll see how it is when I get the new bars.

Things still to fix:

bolt missing from exhaust (dunno where that went!)

new caliper mounting bolts - one snapped during reassembly so the mech' fitted new bolts - but they're not Suzuki ones

new bars

new front brake lever (its bent)

new screen (old one broke and its bloody windy without it!)



As gary glitter once said - ITS GOOD TO BE BACK!

Dave

[DennisTheMenace]

Bike night starts around end of April may time IIRC

[Mad Dave]

Just checked the Poole tourist board website - its every tuesday between 1st April and some time in September.