Sorted - got me VTR :-)

[firestorm996]

Picked it up today, ended up goin with me mate who has a van because it was a monsoon round here.

He was expecting a right nail for £1300 but was shocked when he saw how tidy it was. Aside from having the Ape CCTs fitted this year, it's also had the flat bar conversion with a Cnc yoke, new braided lines to brakes an clutch, new pilot roads and chain and sprockets. That must almost add up to how much I paid for the whole bike!

I've spent the afternoon giving it a once-over, bolt checking everything, adjusting the bars and levers, fitting battery charge lead, doing some of the same mods that I did immediately to my first VTR all those years ago etc. The l/h pipe was borderline loose and had too little clearance from the hugger so I sorted that, sorted some mismatched fasteners, cables that were loose & chafing etc but overall nothing remotely major and it feels like coming home to be spannering a VTR again :-)

Just gotta wait for a dry day so I can take her out!

[Flatline]

Shiny casing!!

[VTRDark]

Bargain, that looks like a good one. The ally dome shaped spacers on the front tank mounting bolts are a nice touch. It looks like half decent cans on there as well. Well done.

(:-})

[firestorm996]

Bargain, that looks like a good one. The ally dome shaped spacers on the front tank mounting bolts are a nice touch. It looks like half decent cans on there as well. Well done.

(:-})

Yeah those dome spacers function as lock stops, to stop the bars touching the tank on full lock. A good idea IMHO. The pipes are blue flame and only done about 200 miles

[sirch345]

Picked it up today, ended up goin with me mate who has a van because it was a monsoon round here.

He was expecting a right nail for £1300 but was shocked when he saw how tidy it was. Aside from having the Ape CCTs fitted this year, it's also had the flat bar conversion with a Cnc yoke, new braided lines to brakes an clutch, new pilot roads and chain and sprockets. That must almost add up to how much I paid for the whole bike!

The boy did good I think

She certainly looks really good Neil

I don't know how you guys do it, most times I buy a 2nd hand bike the tyres need replacing And you got new chain and sprockets too Excellent

Chris.

[firestorm996]

Chris I've had my share of nails over the years...!

[sirch345]

Chris I've had my share of nails over the years...!

Yeah me too, when you look back you wonder sometimes what the hell were you thinking

Chris.

[tony.mon]

Just look for owners who want to spend more time polishing than riding.
Can't understand it myself, but I'll buy their bikes for next to nothing every time.

[firestorm996]

Rode it in to work today, first ride in 2.5 years

Surprisingly I didn't balls up or make a right codge of it, it's like I only rode last week - just as bad as usual

I thought low speed riding and balance would be a problem but I goess 14 years of riding experience doesn't wear off easily.

Impressions of the bike so far;

- clutch bites too far out for my liking, has recently had braided clutch line and new fluid, span adjuster is all the way in, not sure I can do much about this other than get used to it
- riding position is spot on, weight is neither too heavy on wrists or backside
- need to keep an eye on temps to see whether I have a dodgy stat - running at 1/4 or even below that on motorway, rising to 1/2 in town or at lights - did a thread search and that seems to be the same for many people on here, since my last storm was 7 years ago I can't remember what that one was like but a bit more temp showing 'on the go' wouldn't go amiss...
- mirrors as useless as ever, if not worse because of the flat bars putting even more elbow into the frame!
- red light came on just as I got to work :big grin no change there then
- handling seems good, didn't attack any bends because I'm being cautious and trying not to get cocky but it does seem to 'think' into corners like my old flat-barred storm did with no effort
- lots of poke, seems a very healthy motor in terms of torque available

Hopefully the rain will hold off and I'll get a dry ride home

[sirch345]

WOW that is a long time 2.5 yrs, you must have been ecstatic after all that time I get excited going for a ride out after 2 or 3 weeks

Good to know you're pleased with your new bike
I'd forgotten you had the flat bar conversion before, I was thinking you'd need to adjust to that, obviously not

Chris.

[firestorm996]

Nah Chris my last storm (the anniversary model that was magazine featured) got converted after I tried a mate's FB storm and he sold me an ABM billet yoke. Yep it's good to get back on a bike again, particularly a v twin :-)

[sirch345]

It's probably just as well I haven't had the chance to ride a Storm with a FB conversion, I'd most likely be converting mine next As it is I'm happy with the later standard clip-on bars atm.

Chris.