Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

Cut the tabs off. Usual when fitting things like renthal bars.

You can tweak the brakes and clutch levers when you rotate the bars up or down.

Usually people go for replacement bars such as renthals. Cheap, made in Manchester and different hand positions.

Anyone got a recommendation for a neat little tool kit to go under the seat, with a puncture repair kit etc? The original kwak one is long gone

Buy a worm style puncture kit, should come in a bag big enough to chuck a few Allen/torx keys in plus a couple of spanner’s for common nuts and an adjustable wrench for the rest. Add some tape and cable ties to the mix with a small Swiss army knife or leatherman style multitool.

Or just buy the Oxford kit and swap/upgrade as desired.

Pretty much either of these two options. Better to bespoke it to the bike.

Has anyone done any proper Rally Raid type events before?
I've been slowly moving one up my bucket list and feel like it's the sort of thing that needs planning for a long way in advance?

In what capacity?

I marshalled a Sweet Lamb Baja, saw loads of punters panic drop their bikes.

Got a number of friend/acquaintances that do lots of big bike events (dusk/dawn) etc. PM me your whatsapp and I’ll add you to the group. They can tell you lots more than I can.

Oh nice one! That would be great man!

I suppose ultimately I'd like to sate my Dakar aspirations and do some sort of desert-ish rally raid thing at some stage... I've been eyeing up the Hellas Rally in Greece which seems reasonably approachable but even at that I wouldn't know where to start aside from the obvious "buy bike, add rally tower and roadbook"?

I think I met someone who set up a DRZ400 for Hellas then mechanical’d and crashed on day 1

Oh that's very grim...
I've been thinking about a WR450F as a start point but again... I know nothing?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/296792274434

As long as they weren't hurt.

@Nahguavkire need pit crew?

I’ve done LA-Barstow-Vegas. I had a roll book and GPS and still got lost from time to time.

Try and get some practice in loose sand, otherwise you’ll possibly hate the first day or so until you get used to it. Very different sensation and technique.

Get comfortable with miles of whoops. Comes with the desert territory!

@lynx I most definitely will whenever the time comes around. Team LFGSS on tour?

@jung I really need that loose sand practice, I got a taste of it doing that monkey bike trip in Morocco but only to be able to say that a monkey bike is not the machine for the job... probably need to factor in some sort of desert training long weekend trip of some description?

Doesn't look like Mick Extance is doing Morocco trips anymore? Desert Rose do some I think? There's also a chap who went to my school who rode Dakar last year as a pro... could get in touch with him and see if I could scrounge a mates rates taster?

Apparently the Dakar video game is a pretty decent way to get used to the idea of the roadbook so I'll grab a copy of that soon... baby steps!

Rode out to Bristol and back this weekend, around 300 miles. All in it cost me £11 each way rather than the £80 train ticket. I had a nice time, but I think I'll get the train next time. Motorways are for cars.

Thought it deserved it's first wash in my ownership.

I'll need to replace the fork seals and oil before the winter is out. The front end had sagged by the end of my ride, and they were weeping heavily.

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Buy a cheap MX bike and do a beach race? I have raced Skegness before and its quality. You have loads of UK races to choose from as a starter.

What I would do to go back in time and do Barstow-Vegas in the early 70s. Looks like the best time ever.

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Shoulda detoured via Devizes and had a coffee with us.

Yeah - it’s still a blast! Beach races look absolutely brutal, though wet sand is incredible to ride on. The desert is mega here the day after it rains.

I remember watching the leader at le Touquet years ago get clobbered by a CRS baton as he got a bit too close when lapping the field!

Skegness is a weird one as half of the track is wet sand and the other half is dry powder. It's mega hard on the body and bike. I would like to do Weston as I think it doesn't look as hard as Skegness only as like you say the sand looks really firm as it's usually wet all the way around. That track gets really rutted though so that adds another difficulty factor.

Does anyone in East London have a tyre to sell for a VFR 800? Or know of any reputable places to get one sorted?

Thank you!

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That will repair with a tyre plug
https://www.gsfcarparts.com/brnbt007944

Depends where you are you can half of this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Slime-Puncture-Emergency-Non-Toxic-eco-Friendly/dp/B003QHY00U for £7 depending where you are as I'm going to be near victoria park and can drop off and help fill

Burwin in Islington has done tyres for me in the past. Been a few years since I've been there though

I always use FWR on Kennington Road, it’s a dedicated motorcycle tyre place