Wekend debrief

[guest7]

Well, nothing too bikey but I did get the ER5 sidecar outfit out for its final gallop before it goes on to Ebay. I rode over to a local classic bike show and spent a couple of hours looking at bikes, eating nasty burgers and bumping into lots of people I half know.

I voted for Furry John's Thruxton as my visitor choice, mostly because it's gorgeous and it does get ridden.

I only managed to get the bike out because I'd spent Saturday sorting out the garage. I did a shed clearance recently and had dumped the entire contents in my garage to sort into three piles:
Goodies to keep - power tools, hand tools, etc.
Things to sell - duplicate tools, appliances, old railway literature (bingo! railway buffs are stupid with their money)
Things to throw away - more tat than you can imagine

The nice thing about having all the stuff there was that I was able to tell my brother to come over and pick out whatever he needed to make up a spare tool set to carry in his camper van. He picked out some good screwdrivers, pliers and a nice, boxed Draper Expert 3/8 socket set.

I had to do some tip runs and actualy failed to return with anything from the tip. I normally find something interesting to take away with me 
Last time I unearthed a large gents Raleigh cycle frame, which is exactly what I need for a retro cycle project I'm working on. For those pedal-buffs amongst you it has:
Campagnolo early 80s fluted seat post
Nicely shaped alloy 'bar stem
'North Road' handlebars
Brooks B17 saddle
Brand new Brooks saddle bag (swapped for an hour and a half work at a bike shop - result!)
Shimano 8 speed internal gear rear hub
Campagnolo 'Record' crankset

As for powered bikes, I will be taking delivery of the XBR outfit once the ER has been sold. It looks like it needs a fair amount of work and a spare engine slotted into place, but it will sit in a garage full of XBR spares so I'm not too worried. Although... I think the frame will need a good prod to test its soundness, all XBRs are now old enough to make their frame strength suspect, especially the front downtube.

Toodlepip
GC

[themoudie]

Things to sell - ......., old railway literature (bingo! railway buffs are stupid with their money)
Things to throw away - more tat than you can imagine

Toodlepip
GC

Aye GC,

You are aware that many collectors/ hoarders are very picky, if it is not in 'mint' condition. Books, in general and or railway ephemera can be disappointing on the old Fleabay. Could rapidly go the way of philately! Largely recycle and 'cry',  if it cost you anything to purchase!

As for my Dawes 'Horizon' hanging from the rafters, it has a Suntor 5 speed on the wheel and the Solida double crankset. Any tips on maintanence and 'set-up'? Plus a pair of straight handlebars, rather than the 'drops' on it at present. Anything in particular?

Reducing the cowp, does bring mental satisfaction!  I am doing some more at present.

Good health, Bill.

[SteveC#222]

Brooks B17 saddle

GC

Ahhh the B17, one of Britain's finest instruments of torture....I once went for a 200 mile tour on my shiney new ( un broken in) B17......I was walking like John Wayne when I got back...sitting on the edge of a red hot brick would have been more comfortable!

I have Viscount Aerospace in the garage .

[tj63]

Got some bikey stuff done:

Fetched replacements for the scraped bits of my G650GS, then fitted them.  Touched up the paint in other places, and swapped other bits around to hide them!

Yesterday went to the National Motorcycle Museum for the annual meeting of the Fazer 1000 club.  Took number 1 son with me.  Pretty decent ride but a bit nippy!


Trevor

[Steve Lake]

went in garage... looked at bike... looked at weather (fair)... passed bike... to garden tool area... spent the whole weekend sorting out the garden... the way things are at present... i might get out on the bike in october

mind you... did have fun with a chipper machine, which made short work (well all day) of the rubbich from 6  trees i felld over the last month. (it also deafened me)
pip pip

[guest18]

Brooks B17 saddle

GC

Ahhh the B17, one of Britain's finest instruments of torture....I once went for a 200 mile tour on my shiney new ( un broken in) B17......I was walking like John Wayne when I got back...sitting on the edge of a red hot brick would have been more comfortable!

I have Viscount Aerospace in the garage .

Wouldn't have anything else on my tourer! it's the most (only?) comfortable saddle I've ever used 

[SteveC#222]

Brooks B17 saddle

GC

Ahhh the B17, one of Britain's finest instruments of torture....I once went for a 200 mile tour on my shiney new ( un broken in) B17......I was walking like John Wayne when I got back...sitting on the edge of a red hot brick would have been more comfortable!

I have Viscount Aerospace in the garage .

Wouldn't have anything else on my tourer! it's the most (only?) comfortable saddle I've ever used 

Oh yes, when they are nicely worn in they are wonderful, but brand new... .......

[Steffan]

Saturday involved getting back from France in the morning and then there was some work to be done for Sunday.

Mr Marshall popped in as he was working and we discussed Pegasus Bridge etc.

 Sunday was a lazy start first slot was 11.00 and last one at 14.00 to which I took the freshly taxed Skorpion. That was a bit of an eye opener having spent the winter on a 150 mostly. Post 15.00 I spent fiddling with said 150 to see where the electrical fault lay.

By the way are fuses universal or is there such a thing are six volt fuses?

Evening was a family affair.

Steffan

[Mark]

By the way are fuses universal or is there such a thing are six volt fuses?

Steffan

They are amp rated nowt to do with volts.

[Steve Lake]

mark is of course right.... take no notice of the volt rating on a fuse... just the amps ot milliamps

[mini-thumper]

Fetched replacements for the scraped bits of my G650GS, then fitted them.  Touched up the paint in other places, and swapped other bits around to hide them!

Have I missed something Trevor? Don't tell me you've dropped the new bike; do tell or point me to the full write-up. I assume at least one of your fingers escaped unscathed?

Boyd

[tj63]

Ian650 already asked me about this, and yes, I did fall off the new bike  .  Here's the "full write-up":

I was out with a bunch of riders from Rainbow BMW (where I bought the G650GS), out in the wilds of Staffordshire somewhere near Leek.  I approached the top of a very steep hill then suddenly realised that I needed to give way. I stopped, the bike stalled and because of the extreme camber of the road I couldn't get a foot down, so off I toppled, with the bike pinning me down by the right foot.

As you know I always wear the proper gear, so the boots did their thing and stopped serious injury.  I got away with a sprained ankle (which is still not right 2 weeks later) and a bruised hip.  I just tightened the boot up as much as possible and rode home the 35 miles non-stop.

The bike got off quite lightly as well, mainly thanks to the engine bars and luggage racks which I've put on it. They saved loads of bodywork damage.  So the replacement bits were a bar-end, spacer and hand guard.  Touched up the footrest, brake lever and luggage rack fittings.  The front mudguard got scraped, and that's still to be sorted out. 

It's a horrible feeling falling off, even at a standstill.  Plus having 30+ other bikers knowing you've done it doesn't help.  Anyway, both me and the bike are near enough fit again so onwards and upwards eh?


Trevor

[mini-thumper]

Trevor
We've all been there and usually with a crowd. Glad it's not too serious and/or expensive.

Cheers
Boyd

[tj63]

Cheers Boyd

It just grates a bit when you drop the only new bike you've ever had, when its only 5 months old. 


Trevor

[Furry John]

I voted for Furry John's Thruxton as my visitor choice, mostly because it's gorgeous and it does get ridden.

Thanks OnePot,

The Manxman picked up a rosette and Mol's MAC picked up another, I fear 21,000 miles + in the last few years has removed the Thruxton from the "Show" class to the "Used", a distinct improvement.
I think though as our oldest local bike show Llanishen should be supported, so my bikes get to be entered yearly, this year was particularly good, a lot of very good entries, some from far away and all of a high standard. The other Cardiff show tends to be too "one track" for me and as such not so interesting.

Furry