What have you done with your bike/s today?

[Worty]

Spare a thought for me fellas, my Dundee trip starts on Sunday and it looks like cool temps and lots of rain.  Not worried about the wet if I'm dry in my 'cocoon' of waterproofs (which are excellent).

The plan is to work my way up through the Yorkshire Moors and towards Kielder Forest, before staying the night midway (appx. 160m or so).  Same on Monday to Dundee then the reverse trip on Fri/Sat.  Expected mileage around 650m/1100km - looking forward to it.

I'm afraid it'll have to be the Kwaka again, particularly as the Beeza starts to dump all its oil in the sump as soon as it stops.

[muskrat]

G'day Fellas.
It's been quite a while since I started the Cafe up. I just finished painting the tank (again) so thought before I put it on I'll hook up the aux tank and run her up. Bit hard to start, 3 kicks and it takes all my weight to do it. First run not bad, wouldn't idle and was very rich on the left. Let her cool off for an hour and took two kicks to fire. Didn't want to run on the left. Carbs off and now striped and in the harmonic cleaner. I'll give them a few half hour runs and throw'em back on tomorrow.
Cheers

Found the problem. The choke (enricher) plunger on the left is missing its seal (see pic). No chance of getting one of them in a hurry so used grey RTV silicone. Now wait 24 hours for it to set and hope it holds. 
Cheers

[Topdad]

A little step today ,fitted a new inline fuse ,the old one was flimsy and shorted after 30 mins due to the wire twisting when tightened ,will refit battery  strap and hopefully seat, just renewed ins so weather permitting maybe a ride over the weekend

[Topdad]

well strap back on ,battery secure lights etc still working so refitted seat only took 5 mins reminded me that the seat was a little bodge I did thinking it would only last a few mths . better find the right board to continue or incur Musky's wrath !

[Colsbeeza]

Took the A10 for a short ride today, mainly to purge out the old fuel, pump back any wetsumped oil etc. Pleased to say the return became intermittent after only 30 seconds or so, so very little wetsumping after 10 weeks since last ride. Starter first kick on the kick starter so quite pleased with that. I use 95 unleaded with no ethanol and a Mercury Outboard fuel preservative additive -  there is a shop nearby. Used the electric starter thereafter. It has been a warm winter day of 21 degC, full sun and no wind - perfect.!
Col

[Worty]

Completed my Dundee trip - OMG.   First 165 miles was non-stop torrential rain - discovered some of my waterproofing wasn't quite as good as it should be.  Oh, and why the b&^^%y hell do glove manufacturers not make their gloves waterproof - could wring mine out after a short while.  Stopped after about 60 miles to put another waterproof (Helly Hanson) on over the 'Alpinestar' jacket, which proved to be a good decision (had sprayproofed the Alpinestar for all the good it did).  Also, whilst stopped to fill up, I 'borrowed' some plastic gloves to put over mine - worked reasonably well.  Once at my stop off location, I put all the heaters on and dried everything out overnight.  The following day was dry, so the remainder of the outward journey was ok (bit cool though). 

On the way back to the halfway house the weather was pretty decent, although I'd cricked my back the moment I got off the bike in Dundee so it was a bit tender over bumps.  On arrival, I grabbed a bottle of cheap wine and watched the Test match.  At 4.30am, I woke and couldn't get back to sleep, so had a doze and jumped on the bike at 5.45am.  On the long ride back, I went across Northumberland National Park to link up with the A68 South.  On the loneliest, darkest stretch of road you can imagine, the heavens opened and I had to stop to put the Helly Hanson on again - fortunately it dried up quickly but was cold again!

I don't think I can class this as a pleasure ride (should have been being summer!), but more of an endurance.  980km (609m) covered in the end, and not a single complaint from the Kwaka.  The only thing that I did notice is that it was a bit sluggish after filling up at a small petrol station, but when I put some Shell in later on, it was back to its normal best??

https://goo.gl/maps/jfWG4p7AxgjXzkWo9

[muskrat]

G'day Fellas.
Second ride with the new hip, this time on the HD.
Saturday got up early (4:30am) and was pleased to see no frost so left at 8:00. Roads were still damp under the trees but a pleasant 5C. I had to stop early in the trip to adjust the gear lever. Having to lift my foot to change down was causing a little pain. Bugga, I hadn't replaced the 7/16" AF spanner in the kit so had to buy another. Just over 300Km to Araluen, the last 3Km down into the valley must have 200 corners! Arrived at the pub about 12:30 and after 5 schooners and a hamburger rode the last 3Km to the rally. 12 beers and a bottle of Stones Green Ginger Wine caused a wobbly boot and don't remember falling into my tent!
Sunday morning was a bit fuzzy and used the clubs breathalyzer. Had to wait till 9:30 before I was under 0.05 and going up that hill wasn't fun with a hangover. A fair cross wind all the way home with only one "O s4it" moment. Came round a corner at a fair rate of knots to find a dead roo stretched right across my lane. Good job there were no cars coming the other way.
Got home in one piece. A bl@@dy good weekend.
Cheers 

[Worty]

Nice one Musky.  4.30am must be an optimum time for a decent trip.  Fortunately, no roos in the UK, but a bit of slippery roadkill on my trip (1 cat -I think, a couple of rabbits and something else too mangled for ID).

Intrigued about the schooners mate - is that beer or something?

12 beers and some wine - now that's a proper ride back hangover

[Colsbeeza]

A very loud weekend Musky by the sound of it.
Worty, Aussie beer culture is very Oz - Schooner is a 15oz glass, Middy is 10oz in NSW and a Pot in Victoria, a Pony is a 7oz glass. On my first visit to Victotria, I asked for a middy and the barmaid said "What are you talking about" - no wonder we call them Mexicans down there (South of the Border ----)
Col

[Worty]

A very loud weekend Musky by the sound of it.
Worty, Aussie beer culture is very Oz - Schooner is a 15oz glass, Middy is 10oz in NSW and a Pot in Victoria, a Pony is a 7oz glass. On my first visit to Victotria, I asked for a middy and the barmaid said "What are you talking about" - no wonder we call them Mexicans down there (South of the Border ----)
Col

Cheers Col, but I gotta ask Musky about his ride after 4 pints - is that ok in Oz - just asking??

[muskrat]

G'day Worty.
Cheers Col, but I gotta ask Musky about his ride after 4 pints - is that ok in Oz - just asking??
The short answer is NO! To stay under the limit is 2 middies in the first hour then 1 an hour after that so I would have been over. The nearest copper would have been 40Km away and if one snuck into the village everyone would know.
It's middle of Winter here so sun doesn't come over the hill till 7:00 and it's roo/wombat time till 8:00 (dusk till dawn). In the bush I don't ride before then. I hit a small black wallaby back in the 90's, smashed my left shoulder in 13 places
Cheers

[Worty]

Heh, no worries Musky, was just intrigued about the situation.  I remember a time back in the day when me and guys went from Stafford to Kent Custom Bike Show run by the Kent chapter of the HA.  We stopped every 30 miles so the guys could skin up a joint and/or have a beer.  By the time I got to the show (about 250m), I literally rode into the field and fell off the bike (my mates girlfriend was on the back too) - that was on the '59 BMW R60.

We don't have the protection of the vast spaces in Oz here in the UK.  I guess you could have a skinful and would be sober before coming across any sign of a copper in many parts of rural Australia.  Very difficult to find any type of uninhabited parts now, with the exception of the Scottish Highlands, of course.

[muskrat]

G'day Worty.
Back in the day I had FIVE DUI's but got off one after I hit that wallaby. Told them (coppers) a mate found me on the road and gave me his hip flask of whisky to help!
Used to ride from Brighton to Cliffton 50Km every Sunday. I had a pint glass just foe me filled 4 or 5 times with muscat (hence the nickname). Very rare to remember the ride home
Cheers

[muskrat]

G'day Fellas.
First I washed the HD, not only are they a PITA to work on but also to wash!
Then I checked the mail box. Two new enricher plungers arrived (see reply #2941) for the PWK carbs on the Cafe. So off with the carbs and out with the plungers (one that I bodged). I modified the bit that screws into the carb and the adjuster screws into it. A real PITA, by screwing it in it unscrews the adjuster. So I drilled it out so the adjuster just slides in. Plungers in and adjusted, carbs back on, aux tank on, enricher on, started 2nd kick 
I thought it sounded a bit off so got the can of Start Ya Bastard and gave it a spray around the manifold rubbers.  yep both sucking air. Grey RTV silastic to the rescue. I'll leave it over night to set. Back on the net and ordered two new ones.
Wheels and tits, give you trouble and cost you time/money
Cheers

[Worty]

No bikes today but 25th Wedding Anniversary tomorrow - any ideas folks (I'm not rich, extravagant or conventional).   Sue doesn't really want to go out as she's back at work and will be knackered - weather's no inspiration either (more rain).  I'm thinking maybe a nice card, a bottle of champagne, maybe some flowers, and food of her choice - wot do you reckon (help me here fellas) 😱😨😱