What I Did With My Bike Today

[solomon]

Thanks. Caught the white helmet but, but didn’t clearly hear the rest. Solomon needs to slow down (kidding), troublesome seniors!

Oi. Any slower, I won't have a pulse. And when's the last time someone mistook you for a youth?!!

Here’s the translation:

Have you got two seconds? We had lots of motorbikes driving around dangerously in white helmets, with two people on them. And we thought you were them. There’s a helicopter in the sky. Are you okay to pull over?

I think the question at the end was rhetorical?

My son was on the back, so we were two white helmets. I was overtaking everything, so going relatively fast compared to the cars. Never know who’s looking!

He later explained they were youths with balaclavas (wot, over or under the white helmets?), wanted to stop them before it got too dangerous. As he was explaining this, helicopter told him they had gone into the park to my left.

 

[sikatri]

Oi. Any slower, I won't have a pulse. And when's the last time someone mistook you for a youth?!!

Here’s the translation:

Have you got two seconds? We had lots of motorbikes driving around dangerously in white helmets, with two people on them. And we thought you were them. There’s a helicopter in the sky. Are you okay to pull over?

I think the question at the end was rhetorical?

My son was on the back, so we were two white helmets. I was overtaking everything, so going relatively fast compared to the cars. Never know who’s looking!

He later explained they were youths with balaclavas (wot, over or under the white helmets?), wanted to stop them before it got too dangerous. As he was explaining this, helicopter told him they had gone into the park to my left.

Been awhile since I was mistaken for a youth! LoL! Congrats, you’ve been complemented by the cops! Did you blush?! LoL.

 

[Vector]

Attempted to install dresser bars on the Miss's Speedmaster, I surrendered. Who designs these things?

 

[sikatri]

Attempted to install dresser bars on the Miss's Speedmaster, I surrendered. Who designs these things?

Who’s the manufacturer?

 

[Vector]

Who’s the manufacturer?

Triumph. Tank must be pulled not a big deal, but you must somehow get an open end wrench down through the fame to get the inner nut, I tried for over an hour.

 

[solomon]

Triumph. Tank must be pulled not a big deal, but you must somehow get an open end wrench down through the fame to get the inner nut, I tried for over an hour.

Cut off the return on the crow's foot?

 

[CarlS]

Triumph. Tank must be pulled not a big deal, but you must somehow get an open end wrench down through the fame to get the inner nut, I tried for over an hour.

I have read others complaining about this.

 

[Vector]

I have read others complaining about this.

Local shops service department was of no help. Service manager told me to refer to the instructions, duh!

 

[CarlS]

Local shops service department was of no help. Service manager told me to refer to the instructions, duh!

The answers I've found involved making a tool by grinding a wrench to make it thinner.

 

[sikatri]

The answers I've found involved making a tool by grinding a wrench to make it thinner.

It would help to have a picture of the area. Making tools is sometimes just necessary.

 

[Vector]

The answers I've found involved making a tool by grinding a wrench to make it thinner.

Ugh, bad design

 

[sikatri]

Ugh, bad design

Perhaps, but companies have been known to require special tools for various service jobs, on some cars it’s pretty typical. I suppose it’s also a way to discourage people from servicing their own. I’ve had to buy special tools on some of my cars. I have a few specialized motorcycle tools for the Triumph. Sacrificing a few wrenches is not too extreme. I made one tool out of a paint scraper, cut and grind to use as a tool that inserted into a slot. Don’t even remember which vehicle anymore, but it still gets used occasionally.

 

[CarlS]

It would help to have a picture of the area. Making tools is sometimes just necessary.

I don't have any pictures; I just read about it. I don't have a Speedmaster.

 

[shanered6]

Ugh, bad design

Its not bad design ! .... manufacturers dont was us working on our own bikes , its far more profitable to have to go to a dealer

 

[CarlS]

Its not bad design ! .... manufacturers dont was us working on our own bikes , its far more profitable to have to go to a dealer

Spot on!

 

[solomon]

Tbf to Triumph, it's not a nut needing access unless fitting engine bars? The bike might look messy if everything was "easily accessible"?

Even 50 year old Triumphs need the odd spanner grinding moment, e.g., cylinder nuts at base. And the odd special tool, e.g., clutch puller.

 

[sikatri]

Tbf to Triumph, it's not a nut needing access unless fitting engine bars? The bike might look messy if everything was "easily accessible"?

Even 50 year old Triumphs need the odd spanner grinding moment, e.g., cylinder nuts at base. And the odd special tool, e.g., clutch puller.

Special tools are just inevitable when working on anything especially machines that have been designed to tight specifications. Human ergonomics make it reasonable to keep motorcycles in a certain size setting a preferred frame dimension and if engines are required to be larger or some other added devices then design is going to get interesting. I know many love water cooled motorcycles, but adding a water cooler definitely made design more complicated on motorcycles. It’s a lot of stuff to pack on essentially the same size frame or near it. Sure, even the old machines needed special tools, new ones perhaps a bit more. If not tools, then special procedures like disassembly of half the vehicle to do a maintenance procedure. I have a 2009 MINI I need to replace an AC compressor for, it’ll require removing significant part of the front end to remove the compressor. Simply not enough space. Still, it is what it is and the reward is always getting a machine back on the road. LoL.

 

[brooke]

Changed the oil this week and for 10 k’s of riding it seemed very clean despite a hot run before draining . Took the rear wheel off and into Larry along with the a Dunlop for him to spoon on then back home to reinstall it . The new tiger just doesn’t work with my lift as the 800 did so had to do it all with the side stand down and the floor jack under the rear shock . Worked fine for disassemble but tedious reassemble with things not perpendicular to the floor . Had to go back to Larry’s for MV inspection anyway so threw the front tire on the back and headed in .
So now I’m back to Trail Missions and ready for a year with no maintenance ‍ I hope . The original Michelins we’re almost 11k’s and had some wear left, the front looking better than the rear . Not a bad tire in retrospect but had vibration issues during break in , ok on a muddy trail then turned into a decent street tire later as they faced their demise .
Just getting ready for the tropical storm now , see ya

 

[solomon]

Used shoe polish to give my tailbag a shine and protection. Didn't use leather conditioner because don't want to soften it. It's a ladies handbag, excellent too. Fit a clutch cable, long heavy chain, and toolbag inside.

And the toolbag on seat is a makeup bag. Also excellent; soft, small pockets for small things. Fairly sure I won't have that matching-dress moment if bump into another classic-bike rider.

A drizzly day.

 

[solomon]

Polishing the tailbag was the final confirmation to me I'd not be going out to work today.

So, while the polish was out, polished my English bench-made boots for only the second time. Very stiff, hard going wearing them in, so don't wear them often. May as well look smart for the upcoming dog walk, and they are waterproof in long, wet grass.