Riding / fettling balance...

[TopBuzz99]

Mine changes - in cold weather, I'd rather be working on my bike, in warm weather obviously riding but there's a median I guess?

If it's blazing sun, birdies tweeting, perfect riding weather but, but I just bought a new toy that wants fitting...

There's ice - it's cold out, I could take the car, but...

The inner mechanic vs. the inner racer, getting the bike 'just right' before riding, or riding out when, um, it's not quite right...

50 / 50, going to 70 / 30 either way?

 

[Africa John]

I need space as the double garage is rammed full - AT, ZX7R, chinese 200cc enduro, lathe, mill, shaper, bandsaw plus two workbenches and loads of spares

So I bought a 14' x 8' shed which I am busily insulating before building the workbenches and putting the electrics in

Then the lathe, mill, shaper and other engineering machinery can go in there and the garage can be re-arranged so I can work on the bikes and put up the 40l degreasing tank and homemade sand blasting cabinet I haven't been able to find the space for yet

Every bloke needs a plan ...........

But this year has been the most and furthest riding I have ever done

John

 

[TopBuzz99]

Sounds like your plan's coming together well John!

I have a rented garage, a single one in a communal block on the estate here, but it's about 250 yards from my flat and has no lighting or electricity supply... Still, it beats a back garden, which is where I've worked on pretty much all of my previous bikes

I sort of posted the topic as I have near enough all the bearings ordered for my AT (both wheels, steering, and swing arm). I know for sure that the head needs doing, and the others are best done to avoid future problems, but I know that if the weather's nice then I'll put off the fitting in favour of riding!

I'm thinking I'll probably do the head as soon as I get a chance (the bikes a bit 'wobbly' at low speeds), then the rest when the weather's rainy

 

[Rubberchicken]

I have a rented garage, a single one in a communal block on the estate here, but it's about 250 yards from my flat and has no lighting or electricity supply... Still, it beats a back garden, which is where I've worked on pretty much all of my previous bikes

Got one of those as of a week ago. Excellent. Beats working out on the pavement, as at least I can leave stuff unfinished if I need to, and I'm dry if it rains.

Looking for a cheap little battery floodlight for the dark days, as indeed no electricity.

 

[Africa John]

TopBuzz - mine's been a compromise for years as well with bikes and home engineering competing for garage space
Never enough space to work on the bikes out of the rain, metal bloody cold to work in winter.
So now it will be snug as a bug in my workshop this winter, just me and the machines turning big bits of metal into small bits of metal with me LPs playing in the background
Aah the sound of Led Zep and the Sabs as I turn me hand wheels round and round .....

 

[TopBuzz99]

I have a rented garage, a single one in a communal block on the estate here, but it's about 250 yards from my flat and has no lighting or electricity supply... Still, it beats a back garden, which is where I've worked on pretty much all of my previous bikes

Got one of those as of a week ago. Excellent. Beats working out on the pavement, as at least I can leave stuff unfinished if I need to, and I'm dry if it rains.

Looking for a cheap little battery floodlight for the dark days, as indeed no electricity.

Mine lets in the water a bit when it rains, so leaving nuts n bolts on the floor isn't so good, but they're fine on a tool box top or similar

I've been using one of these for working when it's a bit dark - a 'Rolson' 72 LED inspection lamp with magnets on the rear, and a hanging hook; the battery life isn't great - a couple of evenings I guess before it's flat, but it only uses 4 x AA batteries:

http://www.bmstores.co.uk/products/rols ... ght-284443

They're only £4.99 at my local B&M discount store, but I've seen then several places costing between 5 to 10 pounds.

 

[TopBuzz99]

TopBuzz - mine's been a compromise for years as well with bikes and home engineering competing for garage space
Never enough space to work on the bikes out of the rain, metal bloody cold to work in winter.
So now it will be snug as a bug in my workshop this winter, just me and the machines turning big bits of metal into small bits of metal with me LPs playing in the background
Aah the sound of Led Zep and the Sabs as I turn me hand wheels round and round .....

When I was a youngster John, it was more about caring about my bikes being out in the elements; now it's a bit more 50/50 the bike and meself as well
When you say LP's mate, are you setting up a vinyls deck when your workshop's wired up? I sold my vinyls back in my student days, then replaced 'em on CD - recently I've been using my new Samsung smart-ish phone plugged into a small battery speaker to play some tunes in the garage. Bit of Quo, Zep, Zappa if I'm swearing with the sockets, or some Miles Davis, Sly & Robbie if it's electrical

 

[Rubberchicken]

Ah yes, a couple of those cheapie leds will come in useful.

I was thinking of possibly getting some cheap 5-10W LED spots and a bike (or even car) battery if I can't find a cheap&cheerful solution that's good enough... That should get me a few hours of decent light. That does mean taking it home and putting it on the charger, but I'm ok with that.

 

[Africa John]

TopBuzz - yeah mate vinyl, gonna fetch the Marantz out of the loft and set it up, then neither my wife or kids can moan at me!

 

[TopBuzz99]

TopBuzz - yeah mate vinyl, gonna fetch the Marantz out of the loft and set it up, then neither my wife or kids can moan at me!

Well, then can moan - but you just won't hear it over the music

 

[TopBuzz99]

Ah yes, a couple of those cheapie leds will come in useful.

I was thinking of possibly getting some cheap 5-10W LED spots and a bike (or even car) battery if I can't find a cheap&cheerful solution that's good enough... That should get me a few hours of decent light. That does mean taking it home and putting it on the charger, but I'm ok with that.

Now that's a bloody good idea for when the nights draw in mate!

I'm still getting used to renting a garage, and more well-off mates saying 'Oh, you'll pick up a petrol genny for a couple of hundred quid' etc...
Run a battery for lights and the odd power tool, bring it up and pop the Optimate on it overnight

 

[Rubberchicken]

Running a petrol generator into the evening is going to get me some unwanted attention from the upstairs neighbours so that one's a nonstarter even if the price were reasonable.

I'll see what I come up with, for now I'm happy to be out of the rain.

 

[TopBuzz99]

August Bank Holiday weather isn't looking dry for riding... Oh well, what to do?

Well, there's always the nice new bearings to fit

 

[MooN]

erm... fettling...

"if it ain't broken, don't fix it"...

I only "fettle" when it stops working... which is never, it's a Honda

 

[TopBuzz99]

erm... fettling...

"if it ain't broken, don't fix it"...

I only "fettle" when it stops working... which is never, it's a Honda

I reckon the iffy bits on my bike had, erm, some 'help' to get like that before the bike came to me but once they're sorted, like you say - hopefully last a lifetime

 

[Loggy]

MooN,

If only your statement about Honda's never going wrong were true lol...

I've just fitted a new R/H/S Radiator on mine as the plastic guard wore through the bottom tank. The fuel pump (facet) went, the reg/rec was replaced by a Mosfet, the plug connector to said reg/rec melted twice, the suspension bearings needed replacing, brakes stripped and rebuilt, new chain and sprockets etc... The guy at Honda thinks I'm building a new bike lol,