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Re: what have you done to your "bike" today
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 10:20 am
by sirch345
Wicky wrote: ↑Wed Aug 22, 2018 8:45 pm
As I had a day off and India needed only one wkt, went for a long bimble up the A12 and A47 in practice for Wales Storm Fest in September.
Stopped off in the morning at the Suffolk Food Hall cafe (sorry Jonesy!) nr the Orwell Bridge for a bacon buttie, coffee & pastry with the yummy mummies.
Then up to to visit
Kessingland and its apparently unimmpresive pebble beach, but I was a few years late to meet the original locals.
Next up was Gt. Yarmouth which wasn't very great except for the much needed two scoop coffee icecream while watching day trippers by the seaside in the sun -
not a pretty sight!
Much more my cup of tea was quaint Walberswick and watching the two
clinker built ferry rowboats hard at work tripping back & forth in a Mobius loop about 20m to the Southwold side.
And the finale was a drink at picturesque
Pin Mill famous for its connection with Arthur Ransome of
Swallows and Amazons fame.
Back home early evening after 200 miles - just one tankful for the Trumpet without missing a beat. Only other bikes out I saw were a Blackbird & a ZX7R but that was in rushour traffic back over the Orwell Bridge probably heading home or to Gt Bentley village green bike night.
That sounds like a good day out Wicky
Chris.
Re: what have you done to your "bike" today
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:51 pm
by nigelrb
Tried to 'learn' my new VTR today. (see Another Hello/Introductions).
I've been riding for years, but these bikes are a whole new ball game - which I half expected. Those who also rides Blades or similar in-line fours will know what I mean. The VTR's lower revving engine is deceptive to the extent that it is comparatively much faster than the screaming fours. All-in-all an interesting 'new experience'.
Re: what have you done to your "bike" today
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 9:53 pm
by sirch345
nigelrb wrote: ↑Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:51 pm
Tried to 'learn' my new VTR today. (see Another Hello/Introductions).
I've been riding for years, but these bikes are a whole new ball game - which I half expected. Those who also rides Blades or similar in-line fours will know what I mean. The VTR's lower revving engine is deceptive to the extent that it is comparatively much faster than the screaming fours. All-in-all an interesting 'new experience'.
They take a bit of adjusting too after an in-line four
I do know what you mean after coming from a Suzuki GS1000 which I had owned for 20yrs. On taking the Firestorm out for a test ride (in 2001) I was coming down the bypass when I thought I was in top, I was only in fourth gear
Chris.
Heated clothing
Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2018 7:29 am
by KermitLeFrog
Why, oh why have I not done this before. Fitted the harness for a Keis heated gilet and took things for a test ride. OK the temperature was 11deg so not very cold but nippy enough for a test. Revalation!!! Over a T shirt but under body armour and jacket I couldn't stand anything more than the lowest setting (of three). Toasty warm all over your core, no real hot spots and the stuff is easily washable and OK to get wet. This plus heated gloves will be a life changer for me. I like to ride all year round but really suffer in the cold. Perhaps not any longer.
Re: Heated clothing
Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2018 8:47 am
by MacV2
KermitLeFrog wrote: ↑Sat Aug 25, 2018 7:29 am
Why, oh why have I not done this before. Fitted the harness for a Keis heated gilet and took things for a test ride. OK the temperature was 11deg so not very cold but nippy enough for a test. Revalation!!! Over a T shirt but under body armour and jacket I couldn't stand anything more than the lowest setting (of three). Toasty warm all over your core, no real hot spots and the stuff is easily washable and OK to get wet. This plus heated gloves will be a life changer for me. I like to ride all year round but really suffer in the cold. Perhaps not any longer.
Yep been using heated gloves for a couple of years now, well worth the money. Unlike heated grips which only warm your palms, heated gloves warm the back of your hands as well...the bit that is in the wind blast !
If you want to go full mental they do leggings & inner soles as well...
Nothing new about heated clothing tho... ''By the time World War II started in earnest, electrically heated suits were introduced by Lion Apparel in conjunction with General Electric for patrol and bomber crews who routinely operated at high altitudes above 30,000 feet, where air temperatures could get so cold that flesh could freeze instantly to any metal it touched. As enclosed and pressurized cabins came into operation, the necessity of bulky leather and shearling jackets and pants began to fade. For example, pilots, navigators, and bombardiers of a B-17 operating in Europe in 1944 comfortably wore their officer's uniforms under an A-2 flight jacket, due to the enclosed and heated cabin; but the waist gunners needed electrically heated suits, as they fired their guns through open window gunports. ''
Re: what have you done to your "bike" today
Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 5:30 pm
by nigelrb
I took this one out. What have I been missing? I might sell my Blades and buy a collection of VTRs.
Not telling you guys anything you don't already know, but what a magnificent machine, although somewhat of a dinosaur by present standards. For me (at 5'9") it is ergonomically perfect, and it handles like a dream, even with the dated suspension. Hasn't got OEM pipes, and I don't know what's on it. They are a tad loud but not annoyingly so. Great note on these bikes especially on overrun. Because of lower revs, speed is very deceptive and easy to get caught out by doing 20 mph more than what I thought. Also, the revs and gear ratios are all out of whack compared to the Blades, so choosing corner entry gears is a bit hit-and-miss at the moment.
Damn fuel light came on at 96 miles despite the previous owner telling me he filled it. I'll know soon enough how thirsty it is.
I have spent NEARLY more time cleaning than riding, but it's getting closer to looking the part!
Re: what have you done to your "bike" today
Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 10:00 pm
by AMCQ46
It's a 16l tank mod l, so at 98 miles the previous owner DID fill it up.
You will now learn to have the mileometer set to the trip function and reset every time you refuel, and as you get to 90 miles you already need to start a Looking for petrol stations .. It's a sixth sense for a firestorm owner
Re: what have you done to your "bike" today
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2018 6:37 am
by sniffipn
yesterday afternoon, made some stainless nuts for the mirrors
(insert photo)
Re: what have you done to your "bike" today
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2018 7:43 am
by nigelrb
AMCQ46 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 27, 2018 10:00 pm
It's a 16l tank mod l, so at 98 miles the previous owner DID fill it up.
You will now learn to have the mileometer set to the trip function and reset every time you refuel. . .
Cheers. I religiously do that with my other bikes - but am more used to seeing 150 miles! I guess it's either adapt or p/x for a C90
Re: what have you done to your "bike" today
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2018 8:21 am
by MacV2
nigelrb wrote: ↑Tue Aug 28, 2018 7:43 am
AMCQ46 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 27, 2018 10:00 pm
It's a 16l tank mod l, so at 98 miles the previous owner DID fill it up.
You will now learn to have the mileometer set to the trip function and reset every time you refuel. . .
Cheers. I religiously do that with my other bikes - but am more used to seeing 150 miles! I guess it's either adapt or p/x for a C90
What you need to do is a reserve test.
Carry a 5l fule can with you, ride as normal, when RLOD comes on, reset trip & then see how far it goes on reserve before conkining out. Refil from the jerry can & after noteing how far you got on reserve, then head to the nearest tax grabing fill up point.
As an aside on a comute of 36miles per home to work I fill up after every 3rd run, so over 100 miles, lanes, A roads & town...Quite often the however the lanes bit is faster than the A's...
I've easily seen 115+ before filling up.
It also helps to fill the bloody thing up to the brim, not just to the top of the bar or fill it on side stand...
Re: what have you done to your "bike" today
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2018 8:51 pm
by fabiostar
nigelrb wrote: ↑Mon Aug 27, 2018 5:30 pm
I took this one out. What have I been missing? I might sell my Blades and buy a collection of VTRs.
Not telling you guys anything you don't already know, but what a magnificent machine, although somewhat of a dinosaur by present standards. For me (at 5'9") it is ergonomically perfect, and it handles like a dream, even with the dated suspension. Hasn't got OEM pipes, and I don't know what's on it. They are a tad loud but not annoyingly so. Great note on these bikes especially on overrun. Because of lower revs, speed is very deceptive and easy to get caught out by doing 20 mph more than what I thought. Also, the revs and gear ratios are all out of whack compared to the Blades, so choosing corner entry gears is a bit hit-and-miss at the moment.
Damn fuel light came on at 96 miles despite the previous owner telling me he filled it. I'll know soon enough how thirsty it is.
I have spent NEARLY more time cleaning than riding, but it's getting closer to looking the part!
another man joins the slippery slope of storm ownership lol
Re: what have you done to your "bike" today
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2018 9:52 pm
by tony.mon
MacV2 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 28, 2018 8:21 am
It also helps to fill the bloody thing up to the brim, not just to the top of the bar or fill it on side stand...
I did that when I rode to south of France last year on the 2. Brimmed it, then left it in the sun outside the services. Came out to find quite a puddle underneath it because the sun had caused the cold fuel to expand and run out of the overflow tube...
But if you get on and ride for a couple of miles it will be ok.
Re: what have you done to your "bike" today
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2018 7:36 am
by sniffipn
why is the tank so small?
is there scope for an enterprising person to enlarge it?
any skilled fabricators, sheet metal people and welders on here?
has anyone invested in an aluminium special - the tank shop, or similar - or does the extra weight cause other problems?
Re: what have you done to your "bike" today
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2018 7:39 am
by sniffipn
sniffipn wrote: ↑Wed Aug 29, 2018 7:36 am
has anyone invested in an aluminium special - the tank shop, or similar - or does the extra weight cause other problems?
googled it.
beater in japan
sadly looks like it would cost as much as a typical ebay bike
Re: what have you done to your "bike" today
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2018 7:46 am
by sniffipn
tony.mon wrote: ↑Tue Aug 28, 2018 9:52 pm
MacV2 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 28, 2018 8:21 am
I did that when I rode to south of France last year on the 2. Brimmed it, then left it in the sun outside the services. Came out to find quite a puddle underneath it because the sun had caused the cold fuel to expand and run out of the overflow tube...
google
high on the first page of results
like an overflow, or secret reserve tank
