Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

Green lanes are apparently non-existent, but I believe there may be suitable trials locations.

I tried four pairs of jeans from bul -it via sportsbike shop .
Excellent super fast delivery and returns btw.
Ended up with a pair of Kafe covec ones , nice denim colour , turn up , 32 inch when I’m normally a 33, stretchy .. £89 in the sale .

Got two days off to put my motorbike back together. It initially broke down in May 2020, and I've yoyo'd between trying to sort it and ignoring it since then. So far in my prep this evening I've discovered two sets of plugs that I've ordered at some point, and just found a packaged switch I was planning on replacing. Hopefully there'll be some more, though I don't think I've forgotten about having bought a new radiator...

So I was the trend leader for van owning.

Which engine is fitted, what power and is it a limited speed one.

Need to get back to you on exact details. Some kinda transit fwd with a 2.2???? Whatever it is, it’s had hella maintenance and uprated springs for greater carrying weight, only to carry next to nothing in the back with the last owner.

Went to a Biker Down training this evening, at the local fire station. Excellent and informative. Recommend it to anyone.

If it is the 2.2, then it is the chain drive engine fitted to the x type and mondeo. It has 4 or 5 power levels. Check the dual mass flywheel. Has it had the upgraded crank pulley and tensioner? Cheap kits of tensioner and pulley last a year or so.

Rear weight wise springs are much of a much ness the only real difference is in the twin wheel models.

Look for rust, as that is the killer. What is the MOT history like.

Quite possibly. I've not put a m/bike in the back of mine.

I did once have to sit on a Harley Electroglide in the back of a van because the front seats were taken.

This is why I sold it. 120 was nothing. And I read the story of a few people going to prison for 150+ and didn't need that.

I did have 6th flat a few times, that was something special.

Is there a go to for a budget version of this sort of aluminium pannier? If doesn't need to be mega fancy although should ideally be lockable and water tight. It's to go on the back of a cargo bike to carry a spare battery and a few tools.

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Yea this is my issue with it. By late summer last year I was red-lining the XJ600 everywhere and asking for just that bit more power. Even then, it was only for safer overtakes. Instead? I get a rocketship.

Luxurious as it is, after a month I am already starting to take that power for granted. Get to 120, “oh go on then” and see what 140 feels like… I’m my grandfather’s grandson but that’s no defence in court.

I will caveat this with, two days ago I sat at 57mph on a 60 A-road for about 20 minutes behind a car behind a learner, and didn’t grumble or get impatient. I didn’t like the overtake opportunities and I knew I was a bit tired. So, I am not flat out everywhere.

From last year, pre-detailing. Although I doubt I'll be able to tell the difference in the pictures.

doesn't need to be mega fancy

Bike stuff is generally quite expensive. Even 2nd hand these things are quite pricy.

The guy I bought my bike off used u-bolts/clamps to fix an old amo box to pannier rails.

I think you'll be much better off DIY something as I'm guessing you're going to have to do a bit of nodding anyway.

Or something like this:

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Good advice, thanks! I was looking into DIYing something, it's just tricky to find something the right size and that's secure enough to leave a £500 battery in whilst the bike's sat in the street.

How big is the battery?

I wonder if you could disguise it as a medical box? Or would that just have motivated people raiding it for drugs.

If you drill holes then use big washers/alu plate as reinforcement then have stainless U bolts I think it'll be pretty secure as you can only access the nuts from inside. Idk if there are some padlocks that are harder to access.

Should have sadi that if you do want something otp, Sportsbikeshop is a pretty cheap place to get stuff online.
https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/311878
These Givi ones are the cheapest solid ones. Then you're heading up to £200 for cheap ones.

That's why my Busa had to go. I'd got into the habit of doing 150 about once a week. Got chased by an unmarked police car on the M40 and escaped. Had to have a word with myself after that. The options seemed to be death or prison or sell the bike. Or move to Germany.

The battery is around 35 x 9 x 7cm

If you drill holes then use big washers/alu plate as reinforcement then have stainless U bolts I think it'll be pretty secure as you can only access the nuts from inside
This is pretty much what I was thinking! I had no idea motorcycle panniers were so expensive, definitely going to try and go the DIY route I think

Option C is actually on the cards. shrug emoji

First blast out with the Yoshi pipe and pleasantly surprised it's not too loud. Also got the bike up to temperature so the fan kicked in a couple of times as haven't done this since replacing the coolant. I can confirm the samco hoses do make it run cooler too.

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My TL1000S is the last bike I used to go flat out all the time on. Weekends, work commute, whatever. You'd never get away with it these days with the cameras, probably a good thing.

A few years later when I got my first GSXR1000, I'd settled down a bit. Still the occasional UK weekend hoon but mostly would just go mad in France and Italy a few times a year.

Over here, I try and be sensible....there's a fairly low chance of getting nicked most of the places I ride but the consequences would be severe.

That's such a looker. Much jealous.

My Leo Vinci is pretty quiet too if you're not WOT.

Thanks chief. Talking of bikes that are too fast, for me I think the SRAD's 120(ish) bhp is great for weekend thrills. Not too much that it's boring under 70mph, but quick enough to get the blood pumping with a strategic overtake or occasional moment of hoonery.

Bet you can guess my comment about the TL ;)

Yeah speeding used to be fun in France and Italy but not any more, I got quite a few speeding tickets through the post. First time.

You can get army surplus metal lockable ammo boxes in quite a few different sizes.