Author: Buck

I know what you’re thinking: “How long is that lad going put up with that bike? He’s had it totally ages!”

Fret not. I’ve had a sudden change of heart and sold the Triumph and got a Honda CBR600F. It’s a sports/ tourer, much like the the VFR750 was, but different engine configuration (in-line 4, instead of a V4), newer styling, and fuel injection. The thing that decided me against my VFR in the end was messing around with the carbs.

Obviously the road has not been smooth, it never is. I wrote this earlier this week:

I’ve been doing what the physio said while at work. Cycling in on flat pedals, short runs, rubbing my foot for 10 minutes per day (to stimulate blood flow and hasten healing) putting on that funny tape, and a surprise winner, putting on a foot brace. It was suggested on a site for dealing with peronious tertius. It is, as someone said on the product review, just a glorified bandage but it’s the best bit of kit I’ve ever bought.

It’s got an elastic loop you put over your foot, then wrap the brace under your foot and around your ankle and secure with velcro. It’s so simple but it’s genius. It is thin enough to wear inside a shoe or boot, you can position it where you like, and it supports you and restricts you from excessive movement. I’ve had quite a few runs where I’ve felt sore afterwards. I put this on and I’m good to go again in the morning. The only thing is it chafes on bare skin so I wear it over my sock. No big deal. Fantastic bit of kit.

I say I was doing as the physio said while at work. But then I booked a spur of the moment week off. Obviously this means the temperature dropped 10 degrees and it started raining. Lousy weather to do anything else, but fine for running.

Another birthday. Meh. Still, better than the alternative.

I’ve decided I’m going ahead, slowly, with the bike conversion. I say “conversion”, because it’s gone way beyond changing the handlebars. I’ve ordered a sheet of 5mm thick, strong aluminium (there are different strengths, who knew?) and I’ll see how I get on with making a clock bracket. If I don’t make a horrendous lash of that, then I’ll think move on to the rest of the stuff I need to do.  The aluminium was only £13 so it’s not going to break the bank to see how I get on.

I’ve been doing a lot of research and I have the answer to my bike problem.

I just want lower handlebars. That’s all. A 20 minute job.

OK, so far I’ve taken the fairing off and fitted a back to the clocks.

I’ve been holding off doing this post until I’d finished the job and could report in, well, triumph. I thought today was the day. *hangs head in shame*

All I wanted to do was to put a tail tidy and a top box on the back (done) and lower handlebars on the front. A modest enough ambition. It’s been hellish. First off I got the bars and realised the fairing wouldn’t allow me turn the front wheel.

So I decided to order a cheap, second hand fairing to butcher all the pointy bits off.