It shouldn't be stressful

[guest7]

I don't know why it is, but despite having trooped off to the Dragon Rally at least 15 times I still get stressed with all the packing and prep.

This year's extra grief is a bike that was bought last Sunday, only got sorted this afternoon, still isn't taxed and hasn't been ridden far at all yet. It looks like its shakedown run will be the trek up to Rhayader tomorrow evening.

Ho hum... I'm off to the garage to oil the (sticky) throttle cables.

GC

[guest7]

Well, they weren't sticky as such. The 'pull' cable is fine (and now nicely oiled), but the other cable was snapped and the stickiness was the remaining short rusty length from the throttle being dragged through the outer.

What do you guys reckon? take the chance and trust to the remaining cable? All the bike has to do is 450 miles this weekend.

GC

[Furry John]

HI GC,

Is the throttle snapping shut with some force?, the return cable is to ensure that the throttle does shut properly, if your throttle is hanging at all (be honest), then you stand the chance of the throttle sticking open and having to deal with that on an unknown bike with a heavy load, your call.

John

[guest7]

Before I oiled the good cable I would have been reticent for just that reason. However, it's free now and the throttle does return. I think I will see if Trickie Dickie can make up a new cable in the morning and if not I will risk it (with a finger hovering over the kill switch  )

GC

[Ian]

For what its worth, when I built the "Hybrid" the only throttle I could find at the time was a single cable (pull only). It has done well over 3000 miles now without a hitch, but it was new when I put it on tho....just a bit of food for thought.

[guest7]

I think I just have to risk it. Time is running out.

There are other worries (the bike is untested as such), but it seems OK and I reckon my best option is to make sure I have my recovery number handy and my van empty and fuelled in case I have to get back here and swap vehicles. There's an inevitable feeling about this, that I will go to the 50th Dragon on four wheels 

The good thing is that most of my travelling will be done on the day before the rally so if I have trouble I will have to time to be recovered home and get back up there.

Or, just maybe, I will have a trouble-free ride (yeah right!). I don't know what I'm worrying about, I'm on a 14,000 mile jap bike, my mate Tim is coming on his Indian.

See all you Dragoneers in the Dolwen garage café tomorrow morning 

GC

[Mark]

I think I just have to risk it. Time is running out.

See all you Dragoneers in the Dolwen garage café tomorrow morning 

GC

Don'y worry GC, all will be grand.

Hope to catch up with y'all at the caff.

Mark

[Richard]

I think I know what you mean.  Steffan very kindly came over this morning to help me swap over some instruments for the ones that were vandalised and when we tried to fire the MZ up discovered that the throttle was completely stuck.

He has lent me a new carb, fitted it and the instruments are now on so lets see what else can go wrong twixt here and the campsite.  Wouldn't be the Dragon if it weren't for the last minute drama.

Oh, and I need a new indicator relay as the old one was mysteriously full of water.

Richard

[Steffan]

As St Julian of Norwich put it, no doubt when prepping her motorcycle for rally: All will be well and all manner of things will be well....

Steffan

[Furry John]

As St Julian of Norwich put it, no doubt when prepping her motorcycle for rally: All will be well and all manner of things will be well....

Steffan

 As for St Julian of Cardiff, he would say about the aforesaid throttle, stop bl**dy worrying about it, get on and ride it, see you there!!

Furry

[Richard]

So I tried fitting the new handlebar muffs, and the front brake seized on.  At least it wasn't the throttle.

Now stripping the caliper.

Richard

[squirrelciv]

The XT still has a fueling issue which I'm pretty sure I know how to cure. Trouble is I'm also pretty sure I'm capable of completely c0cking it up too so I'm resisting the urge to delve till I get back... This is going to bite my ar5e isn't it(?)

[Richard]

Yes.  Whatever you do.

Battery charging.  All else in the lap of the gods.

Richard

[Andy M]

It used to terrify me. Couldn't leave home with any defect. I now own three running bikes, the youngest 7 years old, all with minor issues. The fact I'll be heading out tomorrow with a throttle that doesn't close on it's own (BMW **** design + heated grips) still bugs me but I'm getting better.

Andy

[trophydave]

So I tried fitting the new handlebar muffs,

I am going to risk going muffless,so it will be my fault when it's freezing cold and pouring with rain all weekend.