New bike in my life

I have never owned a new motorcycle - it must be a lovely experience. I once rode a new Heritage Soft-tail Harley out of a driveway and expected to be able to steer it like a normal motorcycle. I then had to wrench the bars around to stop from crashing it in the opposite gutter. It lumbered off down the road, didn't go, didn't stop and didn't handle but it sounded great. In Victoria, a lot of older guys ride big bikes around the Great Ocean Road and many of them come to grief through inexperience - it is a mid-life thing. However at least they are having a happy second childhood.

Its a great feeling buying a new motorcycle pushing it out the front door at the dealers for the first time, when I was 17 years old and I brought my new 850 Commando no one knew I was buying it till my mates dropped me off at the shop and my new Norton sitting at the front door in the show room, all my mate wasted their money on tattos, wild women and drink but I never had luck with the wild women and being young I was a cheap drunk but saving my hard earned $$$ to spend on my life long love affair motorcycles, I have brought more new bikes than second hand bikes and the best thing about my love of bikes they don't talk back and they always listen, they don't turn the tap off when angy with you, maybe take a few extra kicks to start them when they are upset lol.
Nortons and Triumphs are my life and have only been off the road a few times from injury or licence suspension, can't go long without throwing a leg over them and I get real frustrated when I can't get out and about on them, my last suspension was 3 months I was like a caged bear the only thing that kept me going was keeping the beer fridge full and counting the days, but the day I came off suspension my wife or kids didn't see me for a week or 2, I had a lot of riding time to catch up with.

Ashley

worntorn said:

Ashley, I see you have the low clip-ons on there now.I missed that detail on the other forum.
I think the stock bars will make the neck problem go away completely. That extra 2 or 3 inches of height makes all the difference.
The stock bars work without a hitch on the R with fairing. On the Standard you might have to make a small alteration to the Mc mount, others have mentioned this.

Glen

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Hi Glen

The stock bars fitted without any problems at all, just a straight swap over haven't been out on it yet but just sitting on the bike they feel great, its been a bit hot here the last week or more but going out on it this morning for a few hours visiting a old work mate out in the small village of Daybour just down from one of my favorite mountain range roads so will be a good test on the way home and being mid week no cops about, on the weekend they hit the place pretty bad as its a popular short ride for the bikers who only go for short rides.

Ashley

Well the stock bars made a big differents to my comfort, did 200 ks this morning on some of the tightest roads around and came home feeling great and sitting up that extra 2" found I can throw the bike around a bit easier, but its so hot here and got home full of sweat under my leather jacket.

Ashley

In Benalla, I find it impossible to go into my shed due to the heat. I want to do another track day, but I need to make it later in the year when the weather will be cooler.

ashman said:

Well the stock bars made a big differents to my comfort, did 200 ks this morning on some of the tightest roads around and came home feeling great and sitting up that extra 2" found I can throw the bike around a bit easier, but its so hot here and got home full of sweat under my leather jacket.

Ashley

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Glad to hear it Ashley.
I've done an 1100 km day with that setup and was ok after.
Where are you at with the break in, can you use the full swath yet?

Glen

worntorn said:

Glad to hear it Ashley.
I've done an 1100 km day with that setup and was ok after.
Where are you at with the break in, can you use the full swath yet?

Glen

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I have less than a 100ks for full run in but it be all good to ride it hard but with the power it has no need to open it right up, two times yesterday I took it up to 180ks once and the next time up to 190ks at this speed the taco was just sitting a little over 5k, but the best thing it got to it so quickly, but I no need to do these speeds all the time just knowing I can at anytime with ease is a good feeling, but still got to watch out for the fun police.

Ashley

acotrel said:

In Benalla, I find it impossible to go into my shed due to the heat. I want to do another track day, but I need to make it later in the year when the weather will be cooler.

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I have just built a open extension off my shed 7.4m x 4m the area in front of my sliding door to my shed is going to be a work area for my bikes and I am now looking for a lift work bench that will be mounted in that area the rest of the open carport extension will be a entertaining area and plan on putting a slate top snooker table there in the future.
The extension is so much cooler to work on the bikes I only live 1km from Moreton Bay up on the highest part and we get a great sea breeze when the wind is blowing SE which is most of the time, but the last few weeks its been blowing NE winds which makes things a lot hotter but its still bearable under the open extension but way to hot inside the shed,if I need to do any machining I do it late afternoon and into the night.
My shed use to have shade over it in the afternoons from the tall trees in the neighbours yard which kept my shed nice and cool but new owners cut them all down and built a double story house beside my shed and I lost all my shade just over 12 months ago, I was lucky I had all the steel work for the extension just had to buy roofing iron and concrete, I should have done this many years ago and now having a nice cool working area as well as a entertaining area and now being retired I have also become a bit of a green thump planting heaps of flowery pots around the extension, where will it stop lol.

Ashley

Ashley - hasn't the SE change come in for you yet? We're really hanging out for it up here - should have happened for you by now!
Rob

Its coming through today 35c yesterday and today its already blowing and a cool change happening down to 25c today and some rain about, I am working up in the shed later on cleaning all my work benches they are in a big mess at the moment as I have 2 Norton motors to finish off just been waiting for it to cool down, one motor is my mates just got the top end to put together and the other is my Dommie motor, my mates motor I have been waiting 6 month for him to get piston parts and I ended up going to him to get them and now hes in a hurry for the motor but I am going to take my time as he would have had it month ago if he didn't stuff me around so much, I am building his motor for free as he works at the Triumph dealership and he gets me my parts at his cost, but over time I think he be in front of me as I have done a lot of work and care on his motor, but it keeps me busy.

Ashley

Ash, your set up sounds idyllic. Good on yer mate.

I’m just slightly offended that we haven’t all been invited around for a barbie and a cold one yet...

Anyone who are into motorcycles is always welcome around my place for a beer or two and always open to a good feed, my mate who is a bricky build some of the best wood fired BBQs around, I have a 10mm thick plate already just need the bricks, cooking with wood is the only way to go, I am also one of the best camp oven cooks around, been doing it ever since I was a kid and anyone visiting from overseas or from my own country are always welcome, have a small house but will always find a bed or two for them.
Friendship and mateship is a big part of the Aussie way and even better when the beer fridge is full and nice and cold.

Ashley

When I was much younger, I used to have a lot of bikie friends. These days I only associate with the local chapter of the God's Squad.

acotrel said:

When I was much younger, I used to have a lot of bikie friends. These days I only associate with the local chapter of the God's Squad.

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You poor man. Religion and myself don't see eye to eye.

Ashley

I'm not religious, but most of our other local bikies are into selling drugs. So I tolerate the occasional religious commercials from the God's Squad. They are pretty harmless.

I am not a bikie but a biker, I don't need to be a clubie to ride with other bikers, my mates when we all get together for a weekend or a party somewhere we become a big group but not one of us are patch wearing members we are all mates that have a love of motorcycles, who enjoy a big drink together, we party hard when we get the chance and we all look after each other when we had to much party.
A while back a mate and myself were thinking of starting up a socal bike riding club for British bikes only but a few other mates who ride Harlies wanted to be involved and then other bike mates with Jap or other bikes wanted to be involved as well, it just got to big, only wanted a small group, once you get to big the outlaw clubs put pressure on your club and try to take over or you get seen by the law to make sure you are not into it for vice things etc and decided to keep things the way they are, I had two T shirts made up with our club name on it just for myself and my mate who came up with the idea so only 2 offical lifetime member, who knows maybe it will get off the ground one day, but only as a socal club for small group, but we have so many biker friends in our home area who are a good bunch of friends.

Ashley