Since I got the Bonneville I’ve been loving it more and more. It’s just a joy to ride. You don’t have to be going for stupid speeds or scary lean angles, just open the throttle and hear the roar, it’s gorgeous. I’m actually enjoying tootling around just for riding’s sake. I don’t have to have somewhere to go, I just want to be out on it. I took it to Lymm Dam the the other day for a picture.
It says AI generated content because I used the amazing software on the ‘phone to remove some posters from the railings and the arse end of a car that was in shot. I should have then cropped it, but here we are. Random guy gets to stay in the shot because he’s echoing the blue of the bike.
The Bonnie is not without faults. The seat is too thin and uncomfortable. I’ve ordered a second hand one off a different model of Bonnie. The handlebars feel too high. and the bike is too small. I’m hoping the bigger seat will lift the feel of the bike. I’ll see what acer bars would feel like when I’ve fitted the seat. The bars are only £62 and are a straight swap. Then, instead of a sit-up-and-beg position, you’d be leant forward over the tank. I think that would feel more natural, give a better feel for cornering, and it would allow you to lie over the tank, out of the wind, at motorway speeds. The only other thing is the cramped footrests. Again, I’m hoping a taller seat will cure that. If not, somewhere down the line, fit a set of rearsets to move my feet back.
I read an article on improving the engine by de-restricting the factory fitted impediments. Take off the air induction system (already been done by previous owner) remove the air sensor from the exhaust (already done) take out the air restricter and snorkel and fit a free breathing air filter. That is something that I can’t see without a few hours of stripping the bike. The other two jobs have been done, so I’m hopeful, but if not I’ll have to take the bike off the road for a few days until the parts arrive. I’m not stripping it twice for the job, or buying bits I don’t need. Then, it’s just an engine remap. That will set the injection for the free-er flowing engine, and is supposed to iron out the snatchiness.
So, fun times ahead for the Triumph.
The Honda VFR750 sold, yay!
On Saturday I got a missed call from the Harley garage, saying they had to talk to me about several issues. I rang them back but they’d closed. They have Sunday and Monday off, so I’ve spent all weekend dreading the call. “Several issues”, usually means untold amount of new jobs and money to be spent. Work still haven’t got back to me, so I was dreading massive bills. I rang them this morning and they said it was just that the carb jets were the wrong size and the diaphragm wasn’t seated properly. It’s running great now. He said it’s cost about £20 in carb bits to get it running. *sigh*
They put it through the MOT, he said one of the shock bolts had cracked so they’ve replaced that to get it to pass. I asked them to check the charging system, as electrics batter my head. He said I was right, it wasn’t charging, and said it was the reg/rec. Which is irksome in a way as I bought that new, but great in another way, as I thought it was the coils that were shot which would have been another engine strip. The reg/rec is one plug and two screws on the front of the bike. A two minute job. Cool. The only other thing was the throttle cable is knackered so they are fitting a new one. The big part of the bill is going to be the cost of the labour, but I’m still hopeful it’s going to be under £400, nearer to £300.
I’ll have to hire a van to collect it, but once I’ve got it home, and bought the road tax, I’m good to go! It’s been that long, with so many obstacles, that I was thinking I’d never get it on the road.
It will be amazing. Actually living my teenage biker dream! A Harley and a Bonnie!
Being old sucks in some ways, but I’m less loony, and now I get to have the bikes teen me would have died for.
The Harley garage said to ride it for a mile and half, stop, let it cool completely, then do it again. Do that for 4 or 5 times to test the water, before slowly expanding my range. Fingers crossed. I am planning on riding it for a year, then, if I still love it, next winter strip it and tart it up.
So I have short and medium term plans for tinkering with my bikes. All is groovy.
Except goddamn work. I tried to bypass the agency by ringing the managers at work directly, but the manager I rang said the guy who was dealing with the incident was off on holiday! It’s a huge business! All I want to know is ‘am I sacked or not?’ You’d think another manager could tell me. Ho hum.
Sainsbury’s are taking on. Agency, good money, temp to perm. The only downside is the middle of the night start times. If I’m sacked I’ll do it, if not I want to get back to work and get money coming in.
I have been getting a bit stressed with all the waiting about on tenterhooks so I went for a long run today. 20 miles, the last 5 miles at sub 8 to drag it back to a sub 8.30 average. That worked. I’m now too knackered to stress.