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bigtwinthing wrote:was it a "Grifter" the smaller one! thats ringing some bells.

the smaller version of the chopper was called a budgie, the grifter was an entirely different bike, with the gear change as part of the handle bar grip, i rode a friends grifter, bot i could never get on with the gear change.

bigtwinthing wrote:was it a "Grifter" the smaller one! thats ringing some bells.

Chipper IIRC...I had a Grifter...Like the Storms CCt & R/R it had its inherent faults...The saddle would split...

There was a Tomahawk too.
Big Bro had a Chopper and I got the Tomahawk one Xmas.
If you thought there was a problem with the Chopper at speed you should have tried the Tomahawk. Damn thing had me over the handlebars a few times trying to keep up with Big Bro

Got some paddock stands for the new toy

MacV2 wrote:

bigtwinthing wrote:was it a "Grifter" the smaller one! thats ringing some bells.

Chipper IIRC...I had a Grifter...Like the Storms CCt & R/R it had its inherent faults...The saddle would split...

you were a fast arsed kid i bet

Briefly considered removing the battery for winter

Enterd the MacCave & put Nue red on the Optimate.

Later the same day...Went into the MacCave took Nue red off the Optimate, moved Nue forward, moved Dresden forward & moved Bloo forward all to get access to the tools boxes...

Steve Vanstub had braved the cold to pop over for a visit, bring cake & books.

The need for tools was to change his screen as he had managed to break the one I'd sold him after his tree interface incident...He'd dropped his bike at the kerbside...Doh...Anyhoo we put another screen I had on, bit rough DB but with scratches & cracks ex- Custard Crumble, FOC as I'd prized it away from Franks hairy grasp. Put tools away, had tea ate cake...Forgot to reconect Optimate...

Some time later Andy from next door, the latest Stormer on the block, wanted to see if his newly aquired BlooStorm would actualy fit through the side door of his Cave...

So back to the MacCave, move Nue Red out, move Dresden out, wheeled Bloo out...He wheeled it round & it fits...So Bloo is it's new home & I have room in the MacCave for another bike...hahaha

Put Nue Red & Dresden back in the cave...reconected the Optimate this time & locked the door for the final time...

WHAT!??? - Whaddya mean, ''locked the door for the final time''?

It's only the first week of December, and there's still gonna be the odd sunny dry day? Is that you hibernating and 4-wheeling it until March? Surely not.

(and I really should stop calling you Shirley)

TheGingerBeardMan wrote:WHAT!??? - Whaddya mean, ''locked the door for the final time''?

It's only the first week of December, and there's still gonna be the odd sunny dry day? Is that you hibernating and 4-wheeling it until March? Surely not.

(and I really should stop calling you Shirley)

Final time for today !

Depending on me shoulder I hope to be out & about some time soon, trouble is it hurt to push them about so I dont think it would be that comfortable to ride & probably not a good idea anyway.

OF COURSE! - THAT'S why! - I'm sorry, I forgot all about your achy bits and certifti-kate of unfitness to ride.

Well, I went out on me storm for a blat round the back roads. Temperatures are just hovering on the minus (time o' year for it, so no point moaning why it's so cold!)

Anyhoo - BEFORE i could ride, I had to deal with that wood screw in me back tyre. Put the bike onto the Abba Stand, ran the bike through the gears to spin the wheel at breakneck speed (ensuring a good coating inside of Goop), switched off, and proceeded to un-screw the screw to see what length we're dealing with.

Got it out 1/2 an inch and there was still no play in the screw. Backed it out another few turns and then the goop appeared. Bugger - that means it's right through the carcass, and must be an inch long (or more).

Sod it. My original plan was to leave it in. And that's what I did. I screwed it back in again, but left the head out 2 threads so I could hold it with the pliers as I hack-sawed the screw head off.

Then, out with the Dremel, and ground the screw ''pin'' sticky-out-bit smooth, and about a 1/2 mm below the rubber.

Took tyre pressure, and 42.4 psi.

I'm gonna run with the theory that if I took the screw out completely, it would leave too big a hole for the goop to seal. With the shank left in, the Goop has travelled up the thread, and should (again, in theory) keep things held and slow the air escape until I can afford a new set of rubber hooves. If it was a nail that could slide or shoot out (smooth shank) then that would have been a different story - but with the thread being gripped, I'm keeping me fingers crossed that it'll hold tight in the rubber.

Yes, a lot will maybe be shouting at me saying: ''at least plug the bloody thing with a repair kit''. The tyres not got that much tread left, and to me, isn't worth plugging.

So - What to do, but to take advantage of the dry road and head out for a whirl.

What's the worst that can happen? The back end disintegrates and I end up in a hedge? Or dead in a box? MEH - Minor details!

Stopped a few times to see if the old Green stuff was leaking out where the screw is - nothing. Quick pressure test - 44.6psi - all is good so far.

Anyhoo - as the mind does, I forgot all about it, and just rode the bike, hitting legal speeds (albeit motorway speeds on de back roads), and got home in one piece.

Washed the bike down, applied more ACF-50 everywhere (you'd have thought the bike was on fire after I started it back up - the plumes of white smoke and the stink too as the ACF burns off). Lubed the chain and put it away for the night.

Having Firestorms, im sure we appreciate a nice set of carbs on here?


I had my 500 carbs stripped, inspected & ultrasonically cleaned and popped the bike back together today, shes running much, much better.

Before

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After

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Look just as nice in-situ.


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went out to check the big girl and give it a clean. ended up filling the tank up and having a great blast

Friday I fitted the captive rear wheel spacers... Much easier to get the wheel back in
Then removed the fairing so I can fit the black headlight centre section at some point
Then removed the cans to get them ready to rubdown and re lacquer
Then removed the headers to take the. To work to have the feck off big dent removed..


Today I went and did a track day on a 160cc mini bike, cracking fun round an outdoor kart track surrounded by similarly mounted nutters. Did manage one quick off as I was getting the tyres up to temperature, but the bikes are built do crash and it would only have been about 10mph in a hairpin and already had my knee down before the slide, so no damage done to me .... and then managed to set my best lap times in that session

AMCQ46 wrote:Friday I fitted the captive rear wheel spacers... Much easier to get the wheel back in
Then removed the fairing so I can fit the black headlight centre section at some point
Then removed the cans to get them ready to rubdown and re lacquer
Then removed the headers to take the. To work to have the feck off big dent removed..


Today I went and did a track day on a 160cc mini bike, cracking fun round an outdoor kart track surrounded by similarly mounted nutters. Did manage one quick off as I was getting the tyres up to temperature, but the bikes are built do crash and it would only have been about 10mph in a hairpin and already had my knee down before the slide, so no damage done to me .... and then managed to set my best lap times in that session

Ha, ha - sounds quality that Al

this was the Bike


they look like a 1/2 size Supermoto but you ride them like a race bike [ie knee down rather than leg out]

this is an article about the race series

http://www.morebikes.co.uk/10870/superm ... -involved/