revtothelimit - motorbike forum

2021-07-01_02-37-14 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

2021-07-01_02-37-04 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

After yesterdays rubbish ride i thought i'd go on the XSR again when the wife asked my to go get some meat for BBQ, i took the scenic way to the farm shop which takes in some lovely and some not so suited to motorbike type roads... but overall things felt 1000% better than they did yesterday.

I do wonder if any of it was down to the pressure in the front, checking yesterday it was 33psi, but i thought "meh, i'll leave it, it's fine", however i set it back to 36 today, but i don't think i'm the sort of rider who is good enough to notice a couple of psi, i always used to run 30/31 anyway on bikes, but recently i've been going a bit higher and closer to manufacturers recommendations and 35/36 in the front and 38 in the back.

Either way, it was a lovely ride, if only 10 miles or so.

Absolutely epic ride today. Got a phone message about 8am "Can you remember if we have any SFP modules in the enclosure" ... I couldn't recall, so the obvious answer was just to jump on the bike and find out.

It was one of those days where everything just flows and works nicely, the roads were reasonably quiet and i took the scenic route to the office and the very scenic route back. Didn't stop for pics as i had to get back for a Zwift race though

Every gear change, every corner, every straight just worked really well today... I was very much at home on it.

On the road I have always run the recommended 36/40 for the last umpteen bikes,if the front especially dips much below that,there's a noticeable difference in turn in and that sweet,easy feeling is lessened and the bike becomes progressively harder work. Something as simple as tyre pressure can be the difference between an epic ride and one less than satisfying.

I once borrowed a mate's 1200 Bandit and I nearly fell off turning left out of the driveway. On every corner the front wanted to fold,I thought Jeez these things are shit,HTF do folk ride them? Then I checked the tyre pressure 15 in the front and about the same in the rear. That's when the tyre was warm too.

It was a different bike with air in the tyres.

Surprisingly I use what the tyre manufacturer says, not some random guy off the internet

Yorick wrote: Thu Jul 08, 2021 12:42 pm Surprisingly I use what the tyre manufacturer says, not some random guy off the internet

What do they say for your particular tyres ? Would you use the same pressures on track too ?

weeksy wrote: Thu Jul 08, 2021 12:43 pm

Yorick wrote: Thu Jul 08, 2021 12:42 pm Surprisingly I use what the tyre manufacturer says, not some random guy off the internet

What do they say for your particular tyres ? Would you use the same pressures on track too ?

During my days as an instructor we went to a many tyre seminars. Firstly with Pirelli, then Dunlop. They were always run by the head honcho of the racing division. I learned a lot. I got a link to the support bod and they kept me informed of how testing was going over the years and gave me pressures for the GP Racers as appropriate

Bike booked in at the dealer tomorrow for it's service. Not something I usually do, but think it's best with a fairly new and modern bike to get it serviced. I'd planned on riding an 890R and a 690SMC-R for 2 demo rides, but in the end i said "Just give me a loan bike, i don't really care what". So i'll get whatever i get. Depending on how much i like/hate it, i'll either go out all day riding it or sit at home chilling and waiting for the XSR to be completed.

Look forward to a ride report of whatever!

Taipan wrote: Wed Jul 14, 2021 10:53 pm Look forward to a ride report of whatever!

Honda Melody hopefully

I had a Honda Melody Deluxe, in Cat Sick Yellow, it was aces.

Took the XSR in for service today, that's £200 I'll never see again for not exactly what I'd call good value for money. I'm sure it's nothing more than just an oil change really. Bit it's a tick on the Yamaha computer and it's now out of the way.

The ride both ways was brilliant, if a little traffic bound, I don't normally so towns, but obviously had to to get to the dealer.

I must admit I'm considering the blipper and aftermarket QS from either Woolich or another over winter. Is it needed, no, not really. But would be nice.

FFS i hate the amount of chain lube and the type of chain lube dealers use. Trying to get the bike clean after yesterday and the bloody stuff is EVERYWHERE !!!

One thing i did notice, the bike has 2850 miles on it... considering i bought it with 250 miles on it, that's not bad for me in a year

Wow, is it only a year, feels much longer!

I don't think I've managed 2,000 miles in a year for at least the last five.

KungFooBob wrote: Fri Jul 16, 2021 8:26 am Wow, is it only a year, feels much longer!

LOL not sure how to take that

Just seems like forever since you last bought a bike, used to be an almost weekly occurrence

KungFooBob wrote: Fri Jul 16, 2021 8:43 am Just seems like forever since you last bought a bike, used to be an almost weekly occurrence

WEll, I've bought 2 in the last 30+ months, the first being the last 690Duke which went due to electrical Gremlins and the XSR...

I honestly think it'll be a fair while before another is bought, either the ZX6 or the XSR, i don't see a world in where either of them goes.

weeksy wrote: Fri Jul 16, 2021 8:45 am

KungFooBob wrote: Fri Jul 16, 2021 8:43 am Just seems like forever since you last bought a bike, used to be an almost weekly occurrence

WEll, I've bought 2 in the last 30+ months, the first being the last 690Duke which went due to electrical Gremlins and the XSR...

I honestly think it'll be a fair while before another is bought, either the ZX6 or the XSR, i don't see a world in where either of them goes.

Everyone else does!

Bah, that was footpeg assembly off, quickshifter removed and the sprocket cover removed, then the engine, cover and all associated bits cleaned, along with swingarm, rear sprocket and other gubbins at the back end.... Really horrible stuff they used. So it's been cleaned off and i'll stick some Wurth Dry lube on there.

I think we're getting to a bit of an "oh wow" moment here.

Took another 3 clicks off the suspension both ends and jeepers it's getting there now. Softer and plusher without being too much in terms of wallow etc.... It's getting right in the ball park of where i'm thinking "yeah this is superb"

Wasn't much of a ride as it was 4000 degrees out there in the sun, but was excellent !!!!

Properly exciting moment..... No, not really.

Removed the heated grips and fitted standards.

They're just nicer and softer... Not sure if the heated ones will go back on or not... We'll have to see on that.

2021-07-21_04-03-37 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr