Inconsequential ramblings of an Old Git

[mangocrazy]

I made a snap decision early last week to head down to the French gaff on the VFR the following week, i.e. now.. This was before all the apocalyptic warnings of spontaneous combustion if you so much as thought about leaving the house. So the plan is to catch the early (07:45) ferry on Tuesday (i.e. tomorrow) from Pompey to Caen (arriving approx 15:00) and stop over at Vierzon that night, before finishing the job the next day.

Initially I was intending to get a cheap hotel in Portsmouth for tonight, but that plan has been thrown in the bin due to there being no cheap hotels available. Instead I rode down to Stafford this morning, where I'll be loitering and resting until about 3 a.m. tomorrow, when I'll leg it down to Portsmouth in the coolest part of the day. It's still forecast to be about 20-21 deg C overnight, but I'll happily take that. I'm loading up with water bottles (currently in the fridge) and I'll be following the advice discussed in the 'it's too hot' thread.

There won't be any progress reports until I arrive at the gaff, 'cos I don't have a smartphone and I haven't got room for a tablet or laptop. Wish me luck.

[Skub]

Safe travels mister mango.

[Supermofo]

Have fun, don't melt.

Remember if all else fails empty out the drinks fridge in a service station and climb in, they'll be fine with it what with it being an emergency and all

[KungFooBob]

'cos I don't have a smartphone

What do you do when you go to the bog?

If I forgot my smartphone I have to read the back of the bleach bottles!

[mangocrazy]

'cos I don't have a smartphone

What do you do when you go to the bog?

If I forgot my smartphone I have to read the back of the bleach bottles!

Back issues of Viz, mainly...

[weeksy]

You know they're not actually called smartphones now, they're just phones. The other ones are called"wtf is that"

[mangocrazy]

You know they're not actually called smartphones now, they're just phones. The other ones are called"wtf is that"

Yeah, I normally refer to mine as a brick or a dumb phone.

[Supermofo]

Must admit my phone is used for general Internet stuff, YouTube, twitter, podcasts, sat nav and music.

And about .5% of the time a phone.

[mangocrazy]

Must admit my phone is used for general Internet stuff, YouTube, twitter, podcasts, sat nav and music.

And about .5% of the time a phone.

Yeah, I do all that stuff on my PC with a real mouse and keyboard, and from the comfort of an armchair. It's called being retired...

[Demannu]

Here's the dyno trace. 72.61 bhp at the rear wheel is not shabby for a 690cc single. What it does show is that there's precious little to be gained by hanging on after 7000rpm. Best to change up at 7k and use the fat part of the torque/power curves.


Duke_690R.jpg

Very interesting that!
Many moons ago I had the pleasure of working on Britain's best supermono. 690 yam, twin 40fcr, slipstream and stan the man had waved their magic wands over it ( less said about that the better) and with a full race system. That made 71 and needed 2 people to start it!
How things have moved on!

[mangocrazy]

Here's the dyno trace. 72.61 bhp at the rear wheel is not shabby for a 690cc single. What it does show is that there's precious little to be gained by hanging on after 7000rpm. Best to change up at 7k and use the fat part of the torque/power curves.


Duke_690R.jpg

Very interesting that!
Many moons ago I had the pleasure of working on Britain's best supermono. 690 yam, twin 40fcr, slipstream and stan the man had waved their magic wands over it ( less said about that the better) and with a full race system. That made 71 and needed 2 people to start it!
How things have moved on!

Like you say, haven't things moved on... I'm quietly amazed at the amount of usable, flexible power that KTM can extract from a 690cc single. And when Euro x emissions are quietly circumvented it's a real pussycat around town as well. Not sure if KTM will continue to develop the 690 motor now they've canned the Duke. It would be a shame if that really is the end of the road.

I know the Supermono paddock was a pretty close community - did you ever have dealing with Hejira Racing and Derek Chittenden (and his son Mark)? Unfortunately Derek succumbed to cancer + complications last year - I miss the old bugger.

[mangocrazy]

I made a snap decision early last week to head down to the French gaff on the VFR the following week, i.e. now.. This was before all the apocalyptic warnings of spontaneous combustion if you so much as thought about leaving the house. So the plan is to catch the early (07:45) ferry on Tuesday (i.e. tomorrow) from Pompey to Caen (arriving approx 15:00) and stop over at Vierzon that night, before finishing the job the next day.

Initially I was intending to get a cheap hotel in Portsmouth for tonight, but that plan has been thrown in the bin due to there being no cheap hotels available. Instead I rode down to Stafford this morning, where I'll be loitering and resting until about 3 a.m. tomorrow, when I'll leg it down to Portsmouth in the coolest part of the day. It's still forecast to be about 20-21 deg C overnight, but I'll happily take that. I'm loading up with water bottles (currently in the fridge) and I'll be following the advice discussed in the 'it's too hot' thread.

There won't be any progress reports until I arrive at the gaff, 'cos I don't have a smartphone and I haven't got room for a tablet or laptop. Wish me luck.

Well you can take all that and throw it in the bin.

I'm sat back in Sheffield when I should be tucking into lunch on the boat, due to some rank stupidity on my part.

I only took my wife's passport with me, instead of mine, didn't I? What a cock.

And then when I finally got home (after doing over 400 miles on the VFR before 11 a.m.) the head and tail lights decided to stop working.

And to cap it all, when I hit the button to move it back to the shed, the engine whizzed over, but starting was there none.

When I've cooled down (physically and metaphorically) I'll try and see what's up. But I have to say my heart isn't in it.

[mangocrazy]

And the horn and indicators don't work either. And all the fuses are fine.

[Count Steer]

Probably for the best? Imagine if it had all gone pear shaped in the middle of nowhere half way across France at 36°.

At least it got you home before it went on strike.

[mangocrazy]

Yes, I've been thinking along those lines as well. The question now is whether to try and reschedule sailings etc. or just forget all about it. Certainly in this heat I have no desire to troubleshoot electrical problems on a hot bike in a hot shed.

Oh, and the steering head bearings appear to be on the way out as well...

[weeksy]

Yes, I've been thinking along those lines as well. The question now is whether to try and reschedule sailings etc. or just forget all about it. Certainly in this heat I have no desire to troubleshoot electrical problems on a hot bike in a hot shed.

Oh, and the steering head bearings appear to be on the way out as well...

Oh dear... get one of the other bikes out instead matey ?

[Supermofo]

To be fair the heatwave ends tomorrow if you decide to go later.

I wouldn't touch the bike today, it's one of those days for slouching in a corner in the shade with a Mexican hat on and a cold beer doing as little as possible.

Bums about the bike and trip, that sucks.

[Supermofo]

Like you say, haven't things moved on... I'm quietly amazed at the amount of usable, flexible power that KTM can extract from a 690cc single. And when Euro x emissions are quietly circumvented it's a real pussycat around town as well. Not sure if KTM will continue to develop the 690 motor now they've canned the Duke. It would be a shame if that really is the end of the road.

They are a modern marvel IMO. Having said that modern engines in general surprise me, on my Sat ride out with the boys whilst we weren't riding properly fast we weren't pottering either and the GSX did 51mpg over the 110 miles. That's a 210kg bike with 150bhp.

My 690 regularly used to do high 50s/low 60's mpg and that was using the engine much more than most bikes. Mine was silky smooth in traffic too with no fuel mods.

[mangocrazy]

To be fair the heatwave ends tomorrow if you decide to go later.

I wouldn't touch the bike today, it's one of those days for slouching in a corner in the shade with a Mexican hat on and a cold beer doing as little as possible.

Bums about the bike and trip, that sucks.

Wise words. I'm shattered after having got up at 3 a.m., ridden from Stafford to Portsmouth, then back from Portsmouth to Sheffield in this heat. It would be no use me trying to do anything today on the bike. That will have to wait. I think a long lie down is indicated.

[mangocrazy]

Yes, I've been thinking along those lines as well. The question now is whether to try and reschedule sailings etc. or just forget all about it. Certainly in this heat I have no desire to troubleshoot electrical problems on a hot bike in a hot shed.

Oh, and the steering head bearings appear to be on the way out as well...

Oh dear... get one of the other bikes out instead matey ?

Hmmm...
KTM Duke 690 - not really made for travelling the length of France.
Aprilia Falco - still missing its top fairing (at a black hole called repair and paint)
350LC - I'd be amazed if it (or I) made it there intact...

That's it - I need another bike!