smallfrowne

Get the 400 and you will be the coolest amongst your peers. And you can fall asleep knowing that you have the pinnacle design for highway illumination on a motorcycle platform, that of faired twin round(ish) headlights. Can't be beat. I'm not talking about how well the road is lit up, the bike just looks coooooool

On the topic of battery chargers, I use a one that was meant for RC stuff. It can do umpteen different battery types, lead and various forms of lithium stuff, 6v, 12v, any volt really. I can't remember what I paid for it, probably too much, and I don't have any RC stuff no more, but at least I can use it on all the different batteries the bikes have, I've even got lithium in the fleet now! It's been very handy. Just have to clip it on whenever I remember over winter, and even summer these days. On the topic of sunshine, I have finally checked the valve clearances on the SV and since they were all good, meaning I don't have to order anything for it and wait, I have booked a track day for a week a Tuesday. Just have to put it all back together, change the fluids, clean up the previous owners higgly piggly wiring and assorted bodge jobs and off to Cadwell we go.

Errr it's a bit of a fugly project really that I got a couple of years ago. It's on the list though, exhaust has been welded and I've got a set of samco hoses for it. I'd be too ashamed to show you the pictures. It's done 50k and was used for commuting into London, so a right nail really.

Hohooo and look at that the weather is going in to double digits again. Let's gooooo

I think I'll put all the savings made straight into champagne right away

Well I thought I would be very adult about renewing my insurance for the KTM and declaring everything as you should. I have never had any no claims to use for this policy, previously only having old shit bikes where I don't accrue them on a classic policy so when I bought the thing last year it was £410 ish. Renewal was £290 so that was a bit nicer. Anyway, lets see if I can get that cheaper and do the usual renewal dance, only now it's not deliciously standard but pointlessly modified. Now they no longer want to deal with me but comparison ahoy at least gets me some quotes. Seems exhaust changes are basically no bother, but upgrade the suspenders and all of a sudden I'm a hooligan - back up to £450. So that's a shame. In the end I called up my classic insurance job and they will do you a policy including modern conveyances as long as you have some old shit stuff too. And it turns out they assume you aren't necessarily a hooligan considering you have a garage full of crap. It's cheaper for the lot with them, declared mods to a classic and this KTM, with unlimited miles, legal, salvage retention, and European breakdown. It's still not cheap at £500 but that now includes 3 bikes on a classic for 2000 miles which was £200. I don't know where I'm going with this but I'm happy I suppose, and fully legal! Wahooo! Look at me, mam!

"Hello, extraction required. From Doncaster." "Ok. On my way (after preparing the mighty Merc)." Clutch cable snapped in some godforsaken intercity street and the trailer is in a thousand pieces having some deserving r&r. Luckily I have a collection of 5+ clutch cables. Turns out none are good enough though. Slinky glide emergency cable kit to the rescue. Fair bit of cutting, faffing, filing and we're away with an Amazon prime order on for another cable. Shame they don't do rescue service, I'm down a few hours but up a beer.

I haven't read anything in this thread. Buy a z900 or something similar.

This week I have mostly been spending money. I've had the KTM's ECU flashed back to standard so the fella at Junction 33 can remap it. Dealer charged half hour labour, £45. I declined them bleeding my brakes, they wanted £120. I only wanted them to cycle the ABS pump, I've already changed the fluid. They declined to cycle it and I declined their offer, so now I'll have to find another way to do it. On the subject of exhausts, I've changed it. I never intended to change it. But I have. I quite like the original Duke exhaust, it's a rare sight as an OEM piece of equipment in that it isn't ugly as hell. Actually looks quite nice and suits the bike very well. The sound is ok, well, low revs it is, high not so much. Anyway, my dad changed his on the speed twin so I'm to keep up. Imported a nice Arrow Italian job, off a bloke with Ferrari's all over his insta, so I feel my money will be in safe hands anyway. I've also fitted a decat just because. I haven't gone completely mad with it though, too many horror stories of regret after fitting cheap decats which in effect shorten the exhaust as well as removing the primary sound deadener. The Arrow decat retains some length and is quite U-bendy like the original cat. Plus It has a bit of a resonator half way, so not just straight pipe. It seems quite un-mental. Waiting for the ECU to come back to me now, then we'll see if it was - only slightly, not that bad really, or at least I didn't mind it - snatchy due to the eurosausage regulations. But, I'm actually more excited to fit some Jiffy-tite fuel hose fittings and pricy Mocal fuel line to the SV. + Mog, she's cute.

The Duke is back in business, nearly. It's off the stand anyway. Just need to check the oil level and run it a bit to let the coolant sort itself out. By the book you should crack the bleed valve on the rad, but it's got a thick coat of factory paint all over it so I don't think anyone has ever touched it and I'm not going to either. Booked in at the dealer(!) next week because apparently it has the "akra map" despite having the standard can on it. I'm trying to get the ECU flashed (by non dealer) but the guy can only work off a standard map. It's a bit via the back door because they aren't meant to be reprogrammable, so it's a bit of a hack. He noticed some of the values were off and it normally means it's had the dealer option akrapovich can and map. Anyway. I've got to get the dealer to flash it to standard then send it back to the guy. So far I haven't paid him anything and he has insisted I don't pay him for it being sent back to me, and that was a few weeks ago. He must be used to faffing about.

Haha oh right. Well, I have emailed you, so check your spam folder!

There are some issues. I'll email you. What happened to the bike and why is work paying for it though? What did I miss? Run over by a fork lift?

I have a trailer. In maltby.

Shit, I've found 3 litres of Motul 10W fork oil on the shelf and I don't really know why I've got so much of it. All unopened. I'm nearly done with the KTM. Shims have all been adjusted and clearances rechecked, all good. Then all the guts that had to be taken off or moved, unclipped etc. is all back in place, which took some thinking, pictures would have been a help but still it's all a bit of mess in there above the engine. Also changed the thermostat cover from the original to its updated part, which is known to cause a bit of leakage apparently due to its ovalness, but maybe also due to ham fisted tightening of the hose clamp. Thought I'd do it whilst I was in the area to save time later, though you shouldn't go changing things that aren't broken so that will probably come back to get me. Fresh bit of coolant. Fresh bit of oil. Just need the tank on now and a few more plastic bits. And maybe a wash, the old dead flies have started to grow.

Back to the KTM though. I've put the new shims in and rechecked the clearances. I don't know what I've done but they don't seem to have changed, despite the definitely thinner shims that have gone in. Mind I haven't checked them all yet, not the really bad ones. Not sure if I'll get a chance now, the midwife says she can feel a head. Still, no need to panic it's only a quick job.