Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

Sounds horrid. I had my speedo cable break 30 miles into a 200 mile day in December. Fortunately the gps gave fair to middling accuracy.

Also got pelted with sleet of some kind just as we finished the dirt riding. Was horribly wet and cold ride back. I feel for you, you’ve earned a beer.

Exactly! I was all up for dumping hundreds in a hydraulic clutch kit, because people complain the amazon specials are shit and leak....... the Fantic rider said his KTM’s Magura also failed, and apparently most people on the KTM group experience similar.

Worst of all the guy today had only got it resleeved 500 miles ago!!

Yea, no beer for me. I had too much over the easter holidays.
Got around to wash the bike this evening though.
Speedo drive below.

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A few updates. Long story short, shifting issues on the XJ were doing my nut... I put in new oil, went all out and bought Castrol Power 1 Racing rather than normal, and the clunky horrid shifting appears to be much better.

Prior to that I was warned the exhaust might have a leak at the join, and when I looked it was ready to detach itself. The clamp band was also snapped in half and when removing the exhaust it disintegrated.

Ghetto fluxcored a new piece on and filled with gun gum. I must weld outside so no point wasting gas. Excuse the phone refusing to rotate photos.

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Postie dropped off some new small LED indicators. A horrid big pregnant spider ran over my hand while reaching in the headlamp to pull the wires through. Bleurgh. It ran down the stanchion into the wheel. I hope I never see it again!

Photo of the bike on the doubled kickstand prior to indicator swap.

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You know I'm looking at your bike and thinking, apart from the estate agents boards what's missing?

It one of these on the pillion seat :-

https://www.fc-moto.de/epages/fcm.sf/?soluteclid=1&channable=0226f869640031303536363634323458&utm_campaign=billiger.de&utm_content=&utm_source=SOL_UK&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&ObjectPath=/Shops/10207048/Products/Booster-Net-Luggage-Net&Locale=en_GB&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIud7orNfv7wIVwu3tCh2yVAh6EAQYASABEgK96vD_BwE

I quite liked the original indicators, I see the new ones as a bit more of a cruiser vibe.

Ah yes, well I can’t find the one I had been using before, but I hope the bungees on the rack settle your mind. There’s now insulation tape over the crack on the RHS fairing, too.

The originals were okay, but so chunky. There is a lot less aerodynamic drag now, I assume I have gained at least 0.5HP as a result.

The bungees on the rack made me think of the bungee net. Straight bungees always remind me of the '70s.

I always have 2, one stretched and tied together and one newer tight one, that way you can accommodate the unfeasibly large boxes with the old one. Gradually the old one rots away and by then the newer one has stretched a bit. When I finally bin the old one I buy a new one. The whole process takes about 10 years.

That's very Trigger's Broom -esque.

I got so used to a billion bungees on the XtraCycle (I kinda miss it, but not the knee pain), that there's at least one on every bicycle, including wrapped on the clip-on aero bars on the Full Pro, and now on the DR and the XJ.

Talking of unfeasibly large, I've recently had some bad blood with the neighbour, and he has invoked various levels of assholery regarding property lines and ownership and permission. I cannot trim his hedge without his permission, even when it is on our land, I cannot place some loose bricks beyond said property line, anything he doesn't like is regarded as inflammatory and a potential criminal act, und so weiter.

So now I'm wondering if an incredibly large gnome constitutes as cargo or pillion, if I find one to carry back and place on the property line in question.

Needs to be jolly AF. Kinda want to just drive around with one strapped to the bike.

Safety first, start with some small plastic ones and work up to larger concrete examples. Then you could pick one and take them out as a pillion whenever you felt like it. It would certainly help to raise your profile in the neighbourhood.

Thanks, sound advice.

I was hoping to move up to a 4ft ceramic gnome before trying a live pillion.

Think it’s loud enough?

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That's really nice actually. Very 2021. Looks like you could have any kind of important stuff in it.

Thinking of putting a giant reflective neon “FUCK OFF” sticker on the back of it just for, you know, safety.

I’m planning on leaving it without a lock, preferably unlatched, so any curious individuals can see it has no important contents.

Ideally I’ll use a musette or similar inside, and then nothing is rattling around inside while riding. Easy to pop out when parking.

Might leave an open condom packet in there, as a reward for anyone who was cocky enough to look.

Solid thinking, but where does the gnome go?

Glad you asked! Pillion seat is kept vacant for a full sized offering, otherwise a smaller gnome can get a better view of the surroundings from on top of the box.

Gnome on top should have a red hat or nose that lights up when braking, holding a little scrolling LED sign saying 'Please Fuck Off'. It doesn't cost anything to be polite when you're giving instructions :)

Have you thought about volunteering for the Blood bike thing. I've considered it a few times but not come close to doing it. It seems like a decent reason to do some serious mileage though.

Yea I had considered it, but I’m retraining in cyber security so don’t want to commit to anything else at the moment.

You’re right about the gnome. I suppose I need to sew him a tiny little POLITE vest as well?

Maybe save that for when you have a BMW GS!

The obvious answer is reflective gnome sticker flicking the Vs to vehicles behind

Now we’re getting somewhere!

Misplaced the stylus for the Surface, but a quick freehand with the trackpad, I think we’re onto something.

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No doubt you've found the 3D printing thread?
https://www.yeggi.com/q/rude+gnome/ etc.

Forwarded that link to a friend who just told me he has a 3D printer!

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