The Bikeshite Thread

[Rustybullethole]

On 01/04/2025 at 09:19, andy18s said:

It's an 87-88 Xt600 Tenere 1vk, basically a Swiss market 1vj.

Currently sat in a barn in not so sunny Bulgaria..

Mate with am 88 has got shot now. Think they're all on 2000's models now. One has the older aircooled lump though most the later 660 water boilers. 

[Rustybullethole]

On 01/04/2025 at 07:28, Stinkwheel said:

It would, I've posted it up enough times (let alone any previous times it may have been seen here and other places for different reasons)

I also marvelled at the caravan shelter, i'm guessing it needs a little help being watertight?

Keeps the water out this one. Shelter is because it's nestled in the woods. Idea was to protect it from falling branches. 

[mat_the_cat]

12 hours ago, Stinkwheel said:

Glad you are enjoying it so far, It really does ride like a bike half its age and mileage

I'm absolutely loving it! Obviously helps to have decent weather, but still... I just don't remember it being quite this much fun

Part of the reason for thinking about a bike again is that me and a mate (the one you met) always used to go touring together, sometimes with his Dad too. He's been diagnosed with terminal cancer, so we're planning one last trip before it's too late. An embarassingly old photo of us below (I'm the one on the right)!

[5speedracer]

Tom Adamson's in Elgin for the TRK's first 600 mile service so obviously forgot to take any photos.Just an oil and filter change and plug into diagnostics to check for codes I'm told.

Hmmm, within 100 metres this bike feels different, more responsive and torquier lower in the rev range. I suspect a running-in restriction of some kind in the ECU?

Interestingly he had in one of the new Morbidelli T1002VX V-twin adventure bikes. Similar styling to the TRK but using a double cradle frame rather than the tube frame on mine. 89bhp and 89Nm so it should be an overtaking monster. Two versions from £8.5k on the road including aluminium panniers and topbox. It was in a line of bikes so couldn't get a seat or a feel for it's weight, beast of a looking engine though.

[Cavcraft]

Today was I think my longest ride ever, 118 miles. Went through Whitchurch, Shrewsbury, Minsterley, Marton and Chirbury to Montgomery, then Forden, Welshpool and back home down the A483/A5 via The Groves in Chester for a brew and a catch up with some scooter and bike friends.

It was colder than I thought, even with a thermal vest, a t-shirt, a hoodie and a coat. Stopped near Welshpool to put an extra hoodie on over my coat.

A beautiful day though, and the roads from Shrewsbury to Montgomery were made for biking.  I'm really impressed with the little BM, it handled brilliantly, has a great riding position and was just effortless to pilot, plus it's ace on fuel. Managed a few overtakes and although hitting a pot hole that would have exploded the Lambretta into a million pieces, it shrugged it off like it wasn't there.

I'll be doing this route again, it was a last minute 'see where I feel like' job that turned out to be a fantastic ride.

[Rustybullethole]

I need some specs. Read that as Bummer cycles. 

Looks a nice day for it today. 

[doug]

My first bike run this year as well.  No as warm as I thought! In the shade the temperature must have dropped 10 degrees. Picture taken when I stopped to thaw my hands out.

[UltraWomble]

So. 

One bike policy renews in a couple of weeks. Price £113 (FC) 

Looked at multibike policies because another bike incoming. 

Price for 2....

So

Looked at a dedicated second policy for new bike and.... £67 FC

What the actual fuck? 

Cheapest multibike was £440

[MT606]

first ride out yesterday since I pranged her in sept last year and rebuilt the front forks.... all seems fine, shame other road users want to not stay on their own side of the road......

[loserone]

Two bike crashes in Weardale today, plus one on Hartside.  

 

Not in the least bit surprised, I had to hit the gutter to avoid the head of some twat getting his knee down round a blind bend.  Later I was overtaken (with three more cars in front of me), as I started to slow in anticipation of the closed road due to the air ambulance attending one of the crashes.  Rider can't have been looking very far ahead in their planning.  Dawdling tourists are annoying but nothing like the Muppets who come out on the first sunny Sunday of the year.

 

I guess the temptation to overtake everything must be strong when half the vehicles on the road are sports bikes. I have absolutely zero inclination to fast bikes as a result.

[MT606]

ditto, where where the crashes in weardale, enroute to stanhope/alston? 

[hairnet]

not been out on a weekend near any tourist hotspots for at least 20 years for that reason

and im no fair weather biker

[Cavcraft]

Watched a horrific video clip yesterday of some absolute tosspot doing over a ton on some windy road in the UK somewhere. He eventually eased off as he overtook a couple of cars and got behind some slow bikers. His mate came thundering through between him and the furthest car and ploughed straight into the back of one of the slow riders.

These dickheads should be banned for years and be made to stay on nothing bigger than a 125 afterwards.

 

Luckily yesterday I encountered very few Power Rangers, in fact I think any I saw were going the other way on the bypass. 

[Stinkwheel]

9 hours ago, loserone said:

Two bike crashes in Weardale today, plus one on Hartside.  

 

Not in the least bit surprised, I had to hit the gutter to avoid the head of some twat getting his knee down round a blind bend.  Later I was overtaken (with three more cars in front of me), as I started to slow in anticipation of the closed road due to the air ambulance attending one of the crashes.  Rider can't have been looking very far ahead in their planning.  Dawdling tourists are annoying but nothing like the Muppets who come out on the first sunny Sunday of the year.

 

I guess the temptation to overtake everything must be strong when half the vehicles on the road are sports bikes. I have absolutely zero inclination to fast bikes as a result.

It is a bit dumb. Back in time 25 years we used to see it all the time 'All the gear, no idea and very little self preservation and worse little thought for others caught up in their antics.

Now I'm not moaning about biker or riders going quickly, I am definitely moaning about the 'first warm day switch brain off' riders.

And as for aiming for the big tourist hotspots to ride like fools, thats just dumb.

There wasnt an answer for it 25 years ago, i doubt there is one now.

[loserone]

9 hours ago, MT606 said:

crashes in weardale

The double curve just west of Stanhope after the farm on the left, and the mad mile by the quarry.

[New POD]

9 minutes ago, Stinkwheel said:

It is a bit dumb. Back in time 25 years we used to see it all the time 'All the gear, no idea and very little self preservation and worse little thought for others caught up in their antics.

Now I'm not moaning about biker or riders going quickly, I am definitely moaning about the 'first warm day switch brain off' riders.

And as for aiming for the big tourist hotspots to ride like fools, thats just dumb.

There wasnt an answer for it 25 years ago, i doubt there is one now.

I used to live in a village on the A65 near Settle.  What I can confirm is that there are some nutters out of the asylum.  

Mind you I could take some of the bends faster in my 1.4AXD because local knowledge. Occassionally you'd come around a corner to see a biker rubbing his arse and trying to push his bike out of a ditch.  

[Stinkwheel]

3 minutes ago, New POD said:

I used to live in a village on the A65 near Settle.  What I can confirm is that there are some nutters out of the asylum.  

Mind you I could take some of the bends faster in my 1.4AXD because local knowledge. Occassionally you'd come around a corner to see a biker rubbing his arse and trying to push his bike out of a ditch.  

Not sure if to react with laugh or sad, I think its OK to laugh at these idiots, sad that everyone else has to get caught up in the bufoonery.

We all make mistakes, we are human, hopefully feeling bad about these mistakes and aiming not to repeat them would be a good start.

[New POD]

37 minutes ago, Stinkwheel said:

Not sure if to react with laugh or sad, I think its OK to laugh at these idiots, sad that everyone else has to get caught up in the bufoonery.

We all make mistakes, we are human, hopefully feeling bad about these mistakes and aiming not to repeat them would be a good start.

The issue is that for every few that end up having a trip in an ambulance, there's another one who doesn't make it.  And if you think about it, what's the difference between rubbing your arse (which is funny) and dying (which obviously isn't) 

Usually a tree or another road vehicle. 

Pure luck. 

[Stinkwheel]

Does anyone ever sit on e-bay of say, a sunday evening and think, that looks cheap for what it is and fairly useable. I'll stick a silly bid on and see how it ends in an hour or so, well looks like I have to go and fetch this at the weekend

 

WCPGW with buying sight unseen trade In's off e-bay? 🤣🫤

[UltraWomble]

1 minute ago, Stinkwheel said:

 

WCPGW with buying sight unseen trade In's off e-bay? 🤣🫤

Ive done that - in fairness its not a bad little bike what I picked up

[Stinkwheel]

1 hour ago, UltraWomble said:

Ive done that - in fairness its not a bad little bike what I picked up

Glad it worked out. I'm keeping fingers firmly crossed, obviously there will be updates as and when i go get it

[hairnet]

5 hours ago, Stinkwheel said:

Does anyone ever sit on e-bay of say, a sunday evening and think, that looks cheap for what it is and fairly useable. I'll stick a silly bid on and see how it ends in an hour or so, well looks like I have to go and fetch this at the weekend

 

 

WCPGW with buying sight unseen trade In's off e-bay? 🤣🫤

crazy melon farmer

 

[hairnet]

man shitty are at home 12.30 sat

man flu are not at home on the sunday

[Stinkwheel]

3 minutes ago, hairnet said:

man shitty are at home 12.30 sat

man flu are not at home on the sunday

I'm hoping to be collected and gone by 11 sat. Two chances

[andyberg]

Today is a good day. Got the GT185 running spot on, needed a new condenser, so took it for a shakedown run. Ignore my wife’s Panda behind, I went to her tea room for a coffee😁

Now to spend my next days off cleaning and polishing ready for the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride in May. 

[Hawkeyethenoo]

Right boy. I want one hundred lines in your best handwriting by the morning - I MUST STOP BUYING MOTORCYCLES !

New one collected the day. 1972 CB500 FOUR K1 'cafe racer' thing! as yet unregistered with doovla having been imported with the correct paperwork present and vehicle dating certificate from the hallowed Honda Club UK chaps and chapettes.  Fingers crossed it'll be MOT and road tax exempt, which is fine. Something to tinker with and ride on any given Sunday! x2 ear plugs required with that straight pipe exhaust me thinks! My wife likes it and boy can she ride! You betcha! 🥰

I'm a bike-a-holic, sorry not sorry. 👍

[Rustybullethole]

28 minutes ago, Hawkeyethenoo said:

Right boy. I want one hundred lines in your best handwriting by the morning - I MUST STOP BUYING MOTORCYCLES !

New one collected the day. 1972 CB500 FOUR K1 'cafe racer' thing! as yet unregistered with doovla having been imported with the correct paperwork present and vehicle dating certificate from the hallowed Honda Club UK chaps and chapettes.  Fingers crossed it'll be MOT and road tax exempt, which is fine. Something to tinker with and ride on any given Sunday! x2 ear plugs required with that straight pipe exhaust me thinks! My wife likes it and boy can she ride! You betcha! 🥰

I'm a bike-a-holic, sorry not sorry. 👍

More pics please.

This was sitting in a closed down dealership in Cirencester.

Clean as a whistle. 

Edited April 11 by Rustybullethole

[Sham]

The correct number of motorcycles to own is the number of motorcycles you currently own, plus one.

[Hawkeyethenoo]

33 minutes ago, Rustybullethole said:

More pics please.

This was sitting in a closed down dealership in Cirencester.

Clean as a whistle. 

Will do. I had a 1980 CB250RS about ten years ago. Great wee bike, loaned it to a pal thereafter and he rode the wheels off it, only stopped riding it when second gear started acting up on it jumping out of gear, sadly. Too many 2nd gear wheelies back in the day! 🤣

Just went out and thumbed the starter, it sprang into life and really really wanted to start - just add petrol cause, HONDA! lol

Edit: and because it's Built not Bought, fnar, the next time I turn the key nothing could well happen and probably might! 

[mat_the_cat]

On 07/04/2025 at 10:41, Stinkwheel said:

Does anyone ever sit on e-bay of say, a sunday evening and think, that looks cheap for what it is and fairly useable. I'll stick a silly bid on and see how it ends in an hour or so, well looks like I have to go and fetch this at the weekend

 

WCPGW with buying sight unseen trade In's off e-bay? 🤣🫤

My mate's had his for nearly 20 years now (a bit like Trigger's broom...about to fit its 3rd engine at 80k miles) so he certainly rates them! Photo from the Dragon Rally in 2010ish.