What have you done to your bike today....

[Sarky B’stard]

WD40 might work but it's far from the best unsticker. The well round the bolt head may be the issue if it's corroded in there or fine road grit. It's worth a can of proper penetrating oil which will have better lubricating properties.

And don't forget to give it a few sharp taps for being a naughty boy. It can break corrosion in the threads.

 

[Don the Don]

I use plus gas, other brands are available, just make sure the allen key is a good fit

 

[MartytheMartian]

I have to say that the most impressive penetrating fluid I have found is ACF-50 According to the blurb on the stuff it can get through gaps an atom wide or something like that. I thought 'heard it all now' when I read that but I had a Brass Trumpet whose slides had corroded solid and refused to move despite a lot of heating and applications of penetrating oil and I am talking an instrument made in 1930 and probably corroded solid sometime in the thirties. Filled the thing with ACF50 and left for a few days and the thing came apart like it had never been stuck. I guess the stuff really does reach the parts that other treatments can't reach.

 

[Sarky B’stard]

Wowser! So ACF50 is made of sun-atomic particles?!

 

[MartytheMartian]

Nah they claim to get into space 'the size of an atom' not smaller than an atom. I suppose if it's a long chain molecule it could pass through the space one atom at a time like a snake.

On the plus side, bright and early today I took delivery of another Bullet as shown below




Given that there is so much criticism of Royal Enfield quality I wonder if the wheels on both of mine are re-built with stainless and alloy as there is not a single spot of rust on either bikes wheels. If they are stock made in India how in hell do Triumph explain their 'rust while you watch' Italian rims?

 

[chas]

Nah they claim to get into space 'the size of an atom' not smaller than an atom. I suppose if it's a long chain molecule it could pass through the space one atom at a time like a snake.

On the plus side, bright and early today I took delivery of another Bullet as shown below
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View attachment 20517


Given that there is so much criticism of Royal Enfield quality I wonder if the wheels on both of mine are re-built with stainless and alloy as there is not a single spot of rust on either bikes wheels. If they are stock made in India how in hell do Triumph explain their 'rust while you watch' Italian rims?

That looks ripe for a mild trials / utility bike tweak. Nice as it is though, looks honest enough!

 

[Doc Strange]

I have to say that the most impressive penetrating fluid I have found is ACF-50

I didn't know that - have only used it to protect bikes from the elements.

Useful tip that!

DS

 

[Doc Strange]

That looks ripe for a mild trials / utility bike tweak. Nice as it is though, looks honest enough!

Another new toy - Christmas must have come early to Mars!

Have fun!

DS

 

[MartytheMartian]

I didn't know it myself @Doc Strange until I was reading the bottle. I suppose that, when you read in the info how it's meant to protect metal - By coating the individual particles of Oxide etc. and sealing them off then it makes sense that it has to be really good at penetrating corrosion and the smallest gaps.

 

[MartytheMartian]

Well there were originally three options on the table - 'army' it up, make it into a 'trials' style or make it look truly 'vintage' and, at the moment I'm thinking that 'vintage' gentleman's cruise it the way to go while I plan to gradually try and make the Cafe Racer one follow the lines of the 'ASBO' bullets that Paul Henshaw tunes up.

The chap who delivered it, about ages with myself, couldn't believe it was a 2005 built bike which surprised me as I'd have thought a motorcycle delivery guy or anyone into bikes would be aware of these, now finally extinct, dinosaurs and I've known about them for a long time and even wanted one when there was a push in the early 90's to sell them in the UK. I remember the Diesel one being on something like Top Gear as it had just won the record for highest MPG of a motorcycle ever which was something over 200 miles per gallon if I recall correctly. He did seem to be rather taken with the look of the machine.

 

[half ton]

Well there were originally three options on the table - 'army' it up, make it into a 'trials' style or make it look truly 'vintage' and, at the moment I'm thinking that 'vintage' gentleman's cruise it the way to go while I plan to gradually try and make the Cafe Racer one follow the lines of the 'ASBO' bullets that Paul Henshaw tunes up.

The chap who delivered it, about ages with myself, couldn't believe it was a 2005 built bike which surprised me as I'd have thought a motorcycle delivery guy or anyone into bikes would be aware of these, now finally extinct, dinosaurs and I've known about them for a long time and even wanted one when there was a push in the early 90's to sell them in the UK. I remember the Diesel one being on something like Top Gear as it had just won the record for highest MPG of a motorcycle ever which was something over 200 miles per gallon if I recall correctly. He did seem to be rather taken with the look of the machine.

Have you looked at the Hitchcocks website today Marty,They have 5 containers of bikes arriving from the USA plus literally TONS of spares

 

[MartytheMartian]

I'll have a look. They've been advertising that for at least a few days now but nothing new had been listed last time I checked, last night.

 

[MartytheMartian]

I've got to admit that I'm a little dubious of Hitchcock's. They are the only game in town for a lot of the older items and I think their prices take a wee bit of an advantage of that. If you wanted to change all the bodywork over on your Bullet you are talking about fifteen hundred quid or more which is a bit much for machines that won't fetch more than three or four grand max should you need to sell at some point and, while their 'performance' kit for the Bullet is attractive in principle, at £3,690 including the VAT for the kit, plus gaskets, oils etc. and work to do the re-build it's a complete non-starter as far as I'm concerned. If I want 120mph performance there are much cheaper and simpler way of doing it than modifying a 500 bullet.

 

[MartytheMartian]

Well I took the new Enfield out again today after tweaking the brakes and adjusting the clutch a little to suit my tastes (the front brake on this one is much better than on the other so I'll need to see what's making the difference in there) and something in my subconscious warned me that something was wrong after a couple of miles on the way out of the village so I pulled in and, looking over the bike, I discovered that I no longer had the unit at the rear that holds the rear light, indicators and number plate..... Oh dear. Off back down the road and I find it sitting sunning itself in the grass at the roadside with not a single mark apparent on it from it's wee excursion. Stuffed it in the front of my jacket and trundled back home. found a suitable bolt (held onto the mudguard by a single bolt!), re-connected it to the rear loom and bolted it back on and everything functioned fine with not even a duff bulb. I don't know why but I found the whole episode rather entertaining.

 

[Doc Strange]

Lovely ride this morning - usual loop and cuppa and cake on the way.

TBH as one of our bikes broke down yesterday, I had a busy Blood Bike shift so wasn't too fussed about going out today, but older neighbour was up for it so off we went - and glad I did too. Generally lovely sunshine and clear roads.

Rode everywhere at least 10mph slower as I was with me neighbour, but the ride was none the worse for that - I just love getting out in the countryside

DS

 

[Tallpaul]

Collected a nice new sprocket and chain set for the 900 GT PRO on Friday. Triumph OEM sets are out of stock, but the individual parts can be ordered at an increased price! Contacted Stewart at Triumph Birmingham East and he sourced me a Renthal front sprocket, DID 525 gold chain and Triumph rear sprocket for only £10 more than the OEM kit. My 11 year old grandson loves a bit of "Grandad time" so his dad dropped him off at 10.30 yesterday and I got him unwrapping and sorting spanners on the rear sprocket while I fitted and torqued the front. Rose and I went over to Ludlow this morning to test it all out. So much better after the knocking and scraping all the way home from Portugal.

 

[BAD LUCK DUCK]

Well there were originally three options on the table - 'army' it up, make it into a 'trials' style or make it look truly 'vintage' and, at the moment I'm thinking that 'vintage' gentleman's cruise it the way to go while I plan to gradually try and make the Cafe Racer one follow the lines of the 'ASBO' bullets that Paul Henshaw tunes up.

The chap who delivered it, about ages with myself, couldn't believe it was a 2005 built bike which surprised me as I'd have thought a motorcycle delivery guy or anyone into bikes would be aware of these, now finally extinct, dinosaurs and I've known about them for a long time and even wanted one when there was a push in the early 90's to sell them in the UK. I remember the Diesel one being on something like Top Gear as it had just won the record for highest MPG of a motorcycle ever which was something over 200 miles per gallon if I recall correctly. He did seem to be rather taken with the look of the machine.

Army it up..Giant tank tracks a rotor some rockets a cruise missile or two machine guns and a bit of camo paint

 

[BAD LUCK DUCK]

Nah they claim to get into space 'the size of an atom' not smaller than an atom. I suppose if it's a long chain molecule it could pass through the space one atom at a time like a snake.

On the plus side, bright and early today I took delivery of another Bullet as shown below
View attachment 20516
View attachment 20517


Given that there is so much criticism of Royal Enfield quality I wonder if the wheels on both of mine are re-built with stainless and alloy as there is not a single spot of rust on either bikes wheels. If they are stock made in India how in hell do Triumph explain their 'rust while you watch' Italian rims?

It really is a nice classic looking bike as it is if you decide not to change it...

 

[BAD LUCK DUCK]

Well I managed to get the brake reservoir bolt out using the same size hex key I used before just a different one..
Both calipers cleaned up and new pads fitted..
Need to go get some dot 4 as what's in there at the moment is really bad.Its obviously contaminated although how it's become so I don't know..
Will flush and bleed front lines later on today and check the rear line and brake pads on my next day off

 

[chas]

Took the first proper run out since repairing the ign barrel along some favourite fast A roads and reminded myself why the pig is worth persevering with. When it runs right it's a fantastic bike.