Winter arrives here Down under

Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 11:21 am

Well it’s been a fun summer belting around on the 1123. This last summer has seen 2 flat tyres, a throttle stuck wide open at 7000rpm as I went for the brake and started to peel in for my apex, about 3000kms of ‘scooting’ through the Adelaide hills, a dyno run and lots of cleaning!

The flat tyres I could have done without, and having a small screw fall out of the carb cable mount and lodge in the throttle cable ‘barrel’ making the slides stick wide open was also something I could have done without – but overall it’s been a rewarding summer of fun on the bike. Oh yeah, the multi adjustable Ohlins were a new addition this summer and I can definitely give them the big thumbs up – they’re the S36PR1C1LB model, adjustable for reload, compression dampening, rebound dampening and length, they have been easy to dial in and make a world of difference.

The dyno run shows where we started in blue at 121.17 hp and so lean it wouldn’t even register on the chart wgich was set at 18 as a max. We started at 155 mains and worked our way up to 166 on 1 and 4 with 168’s on 2 and 3 but it’s still lean. This combo yielded 124.46 hp at 9300rpm. I did see 127.89 at 9500rpm on one of the runs but I need to get some more dyno time and tweak the air/fuel ratio and ignition timing – maybe it’ll get over the 130hp mark at 9500 / 9750 rpm if I keep at it?

In all reality the dyno number is just a number – the bike feels awesome on the raod and makes enough power to make my favourite winding roads fun – and that’s what it’s all about isn’t it?

As to where to from here, there’s one more weekend before the rego runs out and I let it rest up for winter ... bring on Saturday and Sunday!

Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 11:26 am

that bike is sexy. that would be a ride being stuck at 7 grand on a 125hp bike!! atleast it didnt go horribly wrong.

Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 11:44 am

dixon_cass wrote:

atleast it didnt go horribly wrong.

It came very close! I was on the brakes as hard as I dare, the nose was berried in the road and the back locked 3 times (you know the drill - lock release, apply more pressure, lock .. blah blah blah) and the ravine was looking more and more like it was where I was going ... I had just passed on of my friends on his 955i Triumph Dayton and was thinking "I'll show him what an old bike can do" ... I showed him alright, it's just that I showed him all the wrong things Embarassed

Hawk Joined: Dec 19, 2007 Posts: 342 Location: New Zealand

My summer was less eventful with some great rides & like you Im still riding every chance I get - Hell yesterday was 23 deg C & sunny!!

I had a throttle event on my old CB500F not so scary tho...

Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 6:59 pm

Nice weather in Auckland at the moment. No bike to ride, so no sticking throttle incidents to report.

Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 9:39 pm

Beautiful bike Andy.

Is that an 1100R with the fairing taken off, or an 1100F with some R bodywork added?

Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 1:56 am

Andy wrote:

As to where to from here, there’s one more weekend before the rego runs out and I let it rest up for winter ... bring on Saturday and Sunday!

looking good as usual Andy. What's the deal with the rego? Are you on club plates or something? I know guys only reg their ski boats for the season, but never heard of it for bikes before?

Getting cold here too. This morning was the coldest so far this year. It's all downhill from here I think Sad

cheers
ian

Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 1:23 pm

silversurfer1050 wrote:

Beautiful bike Andy.

Is that an 1100R with the fairing taken off, or an 1100F with some R bodywork added?

It’s just an old 1100F with some parts changed ... if it were a real 1100R, in particular an RB model, I don’t think I could bring myself to mess with it ...

bikeboy wrote:

Andy wrote:

As to where to from here, there’s one more weekend before the rego runs out and I let it rest up for winter ... bring on Saturday and Sunday!

looking good as usual Andy. What's the deal with the rego? Are you on club plates or something? I know guys only reg their ski boats for the season, but never heard of it for bikes before?

Getting cold here too. This morning was the coldest so far this year. It's all downhill from here I think Sad

cheers
ian

Ian, I just register it for 9 months of the year, I can’t see the point of riding it in the rain as it’s a bitch to keep all that alloy shinning and I get wet – better to ride the blue beater for that! – nice progress on you project by the way Wink

Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 10:38 pm

Andy wrote:

Ian, I just register it for 9 months of the year, I can’t see the point of riding it in the rain as it’s a bitch to keep all that alloy shinning and I get wet – better to ride the blue beater for that! – nice progress on you project by the way Wink

Things must be different in SA? That wouldn't work out very well here in Vic. Any savings on rego would be eaten up by the costs of re-registering each year. A roadworthy cert. is nearly $80, and you'd have new plate fees? Just as economical to keep the rego up and just park them over here. On the plus side, we only pay the TAC levy on our first bike Smile

They're also reviewing the club plate system, and proposing that you be allowed to ride for any 90 days of the year as long as you keep a log book and make an entry before your ride anywhere. The VJMC can issue club plates, so I'm looking in to that for the little 400F I have on the go too.

What's next in your shed? Must be time for another project Wink

Stay warm.
ian

Posted: Wed May 12, 2010 10:54 am

Very nice bike, nice dyno
I just love them tail pieces!

Posted: Wed May 12, 2010 11:10 am

Things here (South Australia) do seem to be somewhat different, we have option of 3, 6, 9 and 12 months rego costing $122, $237, $347 and $456 respectively. If you nominate that you will be registering you bike seasonally (a no cost option) then you pay no penalty for leaving it unregistered then registering it again when you want ... and I have all my bikes insured with Shannons– they have a thing where you can ring then and have your bike on ‘laid up’ status – the premium drops significantly and you’re still covered the same as the regular fully comprehensive for storage, transportation etc, just don’t ride it!
Incidentally they also wrote an agreed policy for me for the red and white bike for $20000 .... and I get the bike back if I write it off. I’m starting to sound like an ad for Shannonshere, but do give them a try next time you’re up for insurance....

As to the next project ... well there is one underway – it’s not a CBF bike this time, but I think you’ll like it just the same ... let’s just say its small and heavily influenced by the Japanese custom scene...

Posted: Wed May 12, 2010 10:46 pm

Andy wrote:

Things here (South Australia) do seem to be somewhat different, we have option of 3, 6, 9 and 12 months rego costing $122, $237, $347 and $456 respectively. If you nominate that you will be registering you bike seasonally (a no cost option) then you pay no penalty for leaving it unregistered then registering it again when you want

That's a great system. I was we'd adopt something like that.

Quote:

Incidentally they also wrote an agreed policy for me for the red and white bike for $20000 .... and I get the bike back if I write it off.

Yeah, they seem to have the 'enthusiast' market all stitched up. They have good products for riders in our situation. That's a great deal you have for the beast.

Quote:

As to the next project ... well there is one underway – it’s not a CBF bike this time, but I think you’ll like it just the same ... let’s just say its small and heavily influenced by the Japanese custom scene...

I know! You've got a postie bike and you're going to do a brat-style aren't you! Of course, it's a logical progression from the R.

Make sure you write it up somewhere Wink

ian

ian

Posted: Thu May 13, 2010 7:56 am

I know a number of people planning on having 3 bikes on club reg and then can ride most days of the year. Not sure if they plan to jack the club reg price up Ian, I didn't know about the TAC component being paid on only one bike. Have to follow that one up. Poor old Honda got soaked three mornings in a row this week, but heated grips stop you from feeling the cold

Posted: Thu May 13, 2010 10:05 am

norm wrote:

I know a number of people planning on having 3 bikes on club reg and then can ride most days of the year. Not sure if they plan to jack the club reg price up Ian,

I'm thinking that's what I'll do with 2 of mine as well. All about options Wink

The discussion paper from vicroads mentions a $37 fee for the 90 day permit, and $10 for the log book. Not sure of the current situation?

Quote:

Poor old Honda got soaked three mornings in a row this week, but heated grips stop you from feeling the cold

heated grips? you posh bugger Wink

Posted: Fri May 14, 2010 9:51 am

Hi Ian,
Heated grips are not a luxury but an essential bit of kit. Last Friday I had to ride out past Horsham to get some parts to a mate who had broken down, 400ks into the dark and rain, grips on 2 get out near Ballarat, grips onto 3 and cold does not become an issue. Best things since Vegemite

Posted: Fri May 14, 2010 10:10 am

norm wrote:

Hi Ian,
Heated grips are not a luxury but an essential bit of kit. Last Friday I had to ride out past Horsham to get some parts to a mate who had broken down, 400ks into the dark and rain, grips on 2 get out near Ballarat, grips onto 3 and cold does not become an issue. Best things since Vegemite

Just joshing mate Wink

To tell you the truth norm, I've considered them before, but worry my electrics won't keep up with the drain? Like you, I find myself riding in all sorts of weather, and (while some of our friends stateside may find this amusing) 5 degree mornings take some of the fun out of the ride to work Wink

ian

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 4:25 pm

Winter .. cold and wet ... those heated grips sound better all the time ... I can confirm that while an F2 fairing makes it look like you’ve ridden into the back of a caravan – they sure as hell keep you warmer and dry. The best bit is to have the stuff for both the naked/headlight look and also the fairing – it takes bugger all to change them over once you have everything so you can be warm in winter and ‘naked’ in summer.

And Ian, you were pretty close with the Brat Style” call .... it was actually a combination of a $1000 / 250cc challenge my mates and I have going and see a picture of a Heiwa modified bike like this one ...

Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 6:38 am

Andy wrote:

And Ian, you were pretty close with the Brat Style” call .... it was actually a combination of a $1000 / 250cc challenge my mates and I have going and see a picture of a Heiwa modified bike like this one ...

Nice Andy. Let me know when you write it up?

Has the 'rat' bike turned blue in the cold???

ian

Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 9:19 am

Hi Ian,
What cold are you talking about? Left home this morning with tee shirt, thin skivvy, leather jacket, jeans with a pair of draggins over the top. No idea as how cold it was as I was warm as toast and I ride 55ks to work. Heated grips were on 3 for most of the trip. Winter in Melb, who cares.

MB-5 Joined: May 11, 2010 Posts: 3 Location: New Zealand

Not flash here in Christchurch
Two days of solid rain,fires been lit and its almost to cold to venture out to the garage

Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 7:24 pm

Andy - what is the exact color of this bike.

I've always wanted a blue 900F, been riding it silver for almost 30 years now