what have you done to your "bike" today

[sirch345]

Poor thing looks exhausted.

Chris.

[Twinpotter]

Hello there. Sorry it has been a while. About when my old Storm was nicked in 2018, I think.
Pleasantly surprised to see that the familiar names and characters are still here. Kudos to yous.

So what I have done to my 'bike' today? I gave it a wipedown before I go for a spin. Does that count?

Allow me if you will to catch up for the past 5 years then...

Shortly after that loss, was very fortunate to find a mint silver 97 with a mere 17k on it at Preston M/C and underpriced as it was, brought it there and then. Didn't like testing it in the rain when it was delivered but it did feel brand chiffin new and it pulled like a train! It has loads of nice extras on it too. Took me a while to go through it and see what was what. It was so new I think it only took basic services over the years on what looked like a very clean MOT history. Some bolts had never been shifted. The tyres were a little aged (Michelin Pilot Road 2s, don't like them) but I have stuck with those until worn down/unrideable.

In 2019, I fitted some lovely-sounding (and highly recommended) SP Engineering pipes. The larger bore gives a lovely bottom end sound. And I went through the bike with a fine-toothed comb. Had to drill out a ridiculously overtight (and very dry) generator cap, fit manual CCT's and go back in to the rear shock linkages and grease those up. And all those other little things we fix/replace to keep 'em tip-top.

Then it was sat for a while in 2021/22 (18 months that I was fixing up the new house - with a garage!) and I made the mistake of leaving that rubbish ethanol fuel in it. So half my annual summer leave in 2022 was spent cleaning the tank (POR 15 kit), carbs, everything. Even the petcock diaphragm was perished. As I expect with many here, just the expensive juice goes in now.

Not much in the way of riding then until 2023 when I tried to get some Avon Storm 3 tyres (which I thought were superb and long-lasting) but they were like rocking horse doo-doo to find at the time. So I have Avon Spirit ST's. I find them superb at it seems that Avon have gone one step up with these. Our wee crue of 7 got out a few times last year and even managed a ride-out the week before at Christmas.

Looks like the rain has passed so I'll be kitting up to get out there. Before I do, I wish yous all well and as always I'll be keeping a keen eye out for yous on the road.

All the best.

Bob Duffy

[fabiostar]

Glad to see/hear you are back storming again

[fabiostar]

Today i looked at mine, started it, looked some more and walked away, i really need to take the fairing of it and as its mot time again i have to take my dash of as the digi speedo gets me ballache at the test centre, throw on a set of standard clocks just for the day that i have and change it back after mot time .. but not today

[sirch345]

Hello there. Sorry it has been a while. About when my old Storm was nicked in 2018, I think.
Pleasantly surprised to see that the familiar names and characters are still here. Kudos to yous.

So what I have done to my 'bike' today? I gave it a wipedown before I go for a spin. Does that count?

Allow me if you will to catch up for the past 5 years then...

Shortly after that loss, was very fortunate to find a mint silver 97 with a mere 17k on it at Preston M/C and underpriced as it was, brought it there and then. Didn't like testing it in the rain when it was delivered but it did feel brand chiffin new and it pulled like a train! It has loads of nice extras on it too. Took me a while to go through it and see what was what. It was so new I think it only took basic services over the years on what looked like a very clean MOT history. Some bolts had never been shifted. The tyres were a little aged (Michelin Pilot Road 2s, don't like them) but I have stuck with those until worn down/unrideable.

In 2019, I fitted some lovely-sounding (and highly recommended) SP Engineering pipes. The larger bore gives a lovely bottom end sound. And I went through the bike with a fine-toothed comb. Had to drill out a ridiculously overtight (and very dry) generator cap, fit manual CCT's and go back in to the rear shock linkages and grease those up. And all those other little things we fix/replace to keep 'em tip-top.

Then it was sat for a while in 2021/22 (18 months that I was fixing up the new house - with a garage!) and I made the mistake of leaving that rubbish ethanol fuel in it. So half my annual summer leave in 2022 was spent cleaning the tank (POR 15 kit), carbs, everything. Even the petcock diaphragm was perished. As I expect with many here, just the expensive juice goes in now.

Not much in the way of riding then until 2023 when I tried to get some Avon Storm 3 tyres (which I thought were superb and long-lasting) but they were like rocking horse doo-doo to find at the time. So I have Avon Spirit ST's. I find them superb at it seems that Avon have gone one step up with these. Our wee crue of 7 got out a few times last year and even managed a ride-out the week before at Christmas.

Looks like the rain has passed so I'll be kitting up to get out there. Before I do, I wish yous all well and as always I'll be keeping a keen eye out for yous on the road.

All the best.

Bob Duffy

Hello there Twinpotter (Bob), Good to hear from you again

An interesting read that.

I'm glad you were fortunate enough to find a cracking replacement Firestorm after yours had been stolen, sort of justice Even better now you have a garage of your own to keep it in

Yes, I stick with the Super Unleaded (E5) although Honda say our bikes are suitable to use the standard Unleaded E10 petrol, probably not to leave in the bike like that going by the issues it caused your bike.

Cheers,

Chris.

[MacV2]

Well yesterday TBH... Prepped Hamburg or Rothberg ? for MOT today booked in for 12o/c...

[MacV2]

Passed. No issues.

As for the ride...

Well it now has a shite turning circle with the Blade forks...

It pulls very nicely seems to be set up very well engine wise.

Handling wise I felt it was a bit heavy on the front end, doesn't seem to turn in very quickly.

The throttle has a load of free play, the adjuster is right on its limit at the bar end so that's tank off etc to get at the adjuster.

I will need to strip fairings off at some point to find the side light connector as its not plugged in...

The big plate fitted, 9x7 for MOT, covers the seat lock as it has an aftermarket undertray that needs sorting.

It has no chain guard at the mo & currently no hugger...Frank has a few in stock. Not sure he has a CG as I recently sold one To Mr McQ...

The worst bit of todays first ride... It has some foot peg lowering doodahs on it... So the gear foot leaver is miles out of place. I hade to take me foot off the peg to change gear... On the brake side when putting me foot back on the peg I kept missing the peg & putting me foot on top of the foot peg doo dah. So they will be coming off.

The bar grips are pants & will be getting swapped...

[tony.mon]

Blade forks reduce the fork limits, and also the turning circle.
It takes a bit of getting used to.
I used to allow the bike to drop into the inside of a turn (at slower speeds) then pick it up again by adding throttle.
Balance the two and it looks easy.

However- Storms are known to stall (especially when cold) when a carb backfire occurs. You need to be quick down with the inside foot to prevent a drop.

It didn't cause me too many issues because, when I had the Storm with blade usd forks, I wasn't also riding other, standard, storms.
So once I'd adapted my low speed style I kept it that way. If I had to keep swapping styles it might be more difficult- same as riding simulator bikes where one has a race shift but the others don't.

[fabiostar]

Service time as its mot time later this month..

Sent from my SM-J415FN using Tapatalk

[ChrisC]

That’s one good looking bike, a credit to you and your hard work

[fabiostar]

That’s one good looking bike, a credit to you and your hard work

cheers sir its lets say been a battle of wills to get it to this point, 7 years i will never get back

[sirch345]

Good to see the ole girl again Rob, looking great

Chris.

[fabiostar]

Good to see the ole girl again Rob, looking great

Chris.

cheers chris .
one thing i did notice was it felt like it was steering really slow i thought maybe after riding the trumpet it was just how it was but had a look around and i hadnt noticed that over the last say year bit at a time the locking ring on the rear shock had backed of, the little grub screw had come loose and the bike was kinda sitting like a chopper , two mins sorted that and its back to its normal slightly twitchy self

[tony.mon]

cheers chris .
one thing i did notice was it felt like it was steering really slow i thought maybe after riding the trumpet it was just how it was but had a look around and i hadnt noticed that over the last say year bit at a time the locking ring on the rear shock had backed of, the little grub screw had come loose and the bike was kinda sitting like a chopper , two mins sorted that and its back to its normal slightly twitchy self

It's your age. My ring slacked off a bit when I turned 60, my farts are now nearly an octave lower.

[sirch345]

Good to see the ole girl again Rob, looking great

Chris.

cheers chris .
one thing i did notice was it felt like it was steering really slow i thought maybe after riding the trumpet it was just how it was but had a look around and i hadnt noticed that over the last say year bit at a time the locking ring on the rear shock had backed of, the little grub screw had come loose and the bike was kinda sitting like a chopper , two mins sorted that and its back to its normal slightly twitchy self

I have had that happen on my Storm. I now have a mark on the locking ring and shock body, so a quick visual check confirms if it has moved or not lol,

Chris.