Tuesday 17 December 2013

Yamaha MT-09.........or is it Oh My?

Curiosity got the better of me.........it came in the form of the intriguing, all new, Yamaha MT-09...time to test ride - game on....

On paper the MT-09 is quite a tantalizing proposition: 115 HP, 62 Nm torque all in a lightweight ~190kg package.....I had to give it a crack.



Motor/Throttle/Clutch + Gearbox

The all new 850 Triple is sublime. This motor is very exciting indeed - lovely linear torque curve which remains fat and punchy all the way to the top. The engine reacts rapidly to throttle input and is eager to spool up making usable power instantly and on mass.

The gearbox is standard Japanese - well indexed with a short throw between gears - neutral is no trouble to find and I did not encounter any false neutrals while banging up or down the gears (with and without the clutch). The clutch itself is very light albeit a little higher than I would've expected - however this is maybe a result of a non-adjustable lever and the clutch cable needing some attention.

Now the throttle - the infamous fly-by-wire throttle.......Let's get this straight - it's pretty damn poor. I know other reviews are stating it to be horrendous, while others still are touting it to be "not that bad"........I'm calling it poor. I didn't bother with B mode, however in both A mode and STD the throttle is dimwitted in response.

On small throttle openings when exiting a corner the motor will stutter and hesitate, a further minute increase in throttle brings a torrent of torque which upsets the handling. It is quite ON/OFF and you need to adjust your riding to suit - forget about smooth roll-on, look for an exit and increase throttle as you decrease rate of turn.....this is point and GO, GO, GO......this is more like a dirt bike - stand her up and flog her out of the corner. 

Handling/Brakes/Suspension

First of all - the chassis is great - compact wheel base, narrow tank and I personally love the Ergo's - very much a sit-in bike, not a sit-on bike.....I like that.

Unfortunately the rest of the handling package leaves a lot to be desired. I'm not a heavy guy 68-70Kgs and even for me this was "plush".......no - not plush.......bloody spongy.

The front-end needs a lot of work, it wallows when cornering, dives badly under hard braking and chatters under hard acceleration. It is flighty and numb at the same time....... and that's when it's still on the ground! It does like to pick-up often, off the clutch even a 3 year old could wheelie the MT-09, off the throttle exiting corners as the suspension unloads and you grab a handful the front will play ball. The rear shock might be worse - far too much play - even on the stiffest setting - making the rear loose and mushy. Not good.

The brakes are good - nice and predictable with good bite and feedback....the rear brake is very strong indeed, it caught me out once or twice. So no problem with the anchors.


Seat/Comfort

The seating position is very upright - as expected. The seat itself is narrow yet comfortable, this bike fit me perfectly - almost as though it was made to scale.

You do sit very forward on the bike - well over the tank, making you feel much forward of the centre of mass - very much over the front......and given the MT-09's eagerness to wheelie - this is probably a good thing. 

In Conclusion 

The MT-09 has a lovely motor and a great chassis - but it's not finished. It feels rushed, unrefined and simply not ready for sale - It actually feels like a prototype. A pre-production final step. Not a polished product.

It is clear it has been built to a price - the switchgear and handlebar controls are sub-standard, small and fiddly.


I actually don't mind the dash - it is minimal, yet clear and I had no trouble reading it in full daylight. 

In reality - this bike was fun, yet foolish - it could not be an only bike for me - could not be my daily workhorse as well as my weekend fun toy.........and - it will definitely NOT be replacing the Ape.

\BitSar
MT........Oh My!

Wednesday 11 December 2013

Toy Run -2013

Every year me and my riding buddies participate in the annual MRA toy run for charity. This year was no different......

Giving toys to needy kids is the name of the game and the turn-out this year was very strong indeed, upward of 4,000 riders and pillions combined!

As always, everyone met at my place on Sunday morning before heading to the meet point - we were running late this year so had to start way at the back of the pack.......no matter, this ride is pretty sedate and boring - out of Melbourne, up the freeway to Calder park raceway - done and done.






We arrived middle bunch - many other feeder rides were heading in from all over the state.......a good turnout I should think - shame about the bloody weather! Bah! Melbourne eh?




(click to enlarge)



The Ape's in there - it's like a Where's Wally?


The amount of effort some riders put in to decorate both themselves and their bikes is quite astounding.....these guys took it pretty far - Reindeer and all!



Completely by chance I walked up to a Boulevard to grab a pick......got a tap on the shoulder....turned out to be the bike of an old Netrider mate who I haven't seen for ages - small world........


And of course, as is tradition, I got my 2013 commemorative pin to add to the collection - Happy Santa this year.

All in all - another successful run, another chance to donate some toys and give some needy kids some smiles........

\BitSar
--Ho, Ho, Ho!

Friday 1 November 2013

Pink Ribbon Ride - 2013

Last Sunday was the annual Pink Ribbon Ride to raise money for Breast Cancer research.

I ride this ride every year to show support, raise some money and do "my bit for tit"

This year was no different - other than a somewhat smaller group of riders.......C'mon guys get behind it!



\BitSar

Thursday 17 October 2013

Not forgotten..............

I've been shit......again.

Too busy for any meaningful, thoughtful or decisive posts.....
Too consumed with life to be riding anything or anywhere interesting.....

Bummer.

Since the recent "That was tough ride" I thought bugger it - Sport mode..........everywhere.

Indeed -  this is fun.

The Ape grows with you like no other bike I've had. Although, that alone does not stop me musing about other, new, toys.

Alas, with an impending wedding and work ramping up with new opportunities it seems the Ape is with me for quite a while longer...........but hey - that 'aint a bad thing.

Stay tuned for the Pink Ribbon charity ride post for Breast Cancer at the end of this month.

\BitSar
--Slack.............again 

Friday 13 September 2013

What's in your tailbag?

I love my Kriega gear.........love it.

I've been using the Kreiga US-30 tailbag for well over 4 years on two different bikes. Great mounting options really make this a universal tailbag.

During that time the Kriega has seen a multitude of conditions: Hot, Cold, Wet, Dry - dusty, muddy and anything else - except snow......I don't do snow.

I use the bag every single day on the commute and it easily holds a laptop/tablet, change of clothes, lunch, miscellaneous work items etc.

When touring the bag can swallow quite a lot of gear......a few years back I did a multi day ride and only took the Kreiga - that's it. One bag. It was capable of holding  just what I needed.

Day to day items carried change - obviously so.
However there are a few thing which stay in/on the bag at all times:

Coded Helmet-Lock 

Various bike related promo gear

A "bandolier" of charity ride badges

The essentials: 
Pocket torch
Spare UglyFish glasses lenses 
"Wets" - overpants and spray jacket
Puncture kit and basic tools
Earplugs - thanks Akra's 


So......what's in your tailbag?

\BitSar
--the packhorse. 

Thursday 5 September 2013

Helmet Comms

I've been using the Scala Rider G4 for quite a while now........been meaning to put a post up. 
Here it is:
______________________________________ 

 After much consideration of cheaping out for the BT set and looking at high end gear I settled on the "upper-middle" in the Cardo Scala Rider G4 

INSTALLATION 


The PowerSet ships with two units - one for me, one for my buddy.


I have a Shoei XR-1100, I removed the left hand check pad 

 Mounting bracket and boom-mic installed into space between shell and inner-foam
Really pays to remove the check pad (also this exposes the ear piece recesses.) 

 Ear piece in recess in helmet - mounted using stick on velcro pad (included)

 Fully Installed 

 Installation took about 35-40 mins - I like things to be neat - you could probably stuff it all in the lid in about 15 mins at a push. 

 I used the FM radio on the way to work this morning and had the missus call about 10 mins into the journey. Phone call came through no problem (from a Bluetooth paired Android phone). The other half says sound quality was better than hands free in the car - I tried with visor up and visor down.

Bluetooth paring with Android was quick and painless and the headset and phone recognize each other immediately without a problem. 

 Sound quality from the speakers is good - nice and loud. Don't expect Hi-Fi but the quality keeps me happy.

EDIT:
As one of my readers pointed out (thanks Chiller tek) - I don't ride and take/make phone calls.
Part of riding is to get away from things.....listening to music or gps nav points is the primary use for the Scala Rider.
For completeness I did take a call to test the functionality.

\BitSar

Monday 2 September 2013

That was tough.......

I've ridden King Lake, Lake Mountain, the Reefton and Black Spurs many times - all great roads.

I've ridden these roads in Summer and Winter with varying degrees of seasonal difficulty........I rode them this Saturday...........it was hard work.

Saturday was the first properly warm, dry day we've had in a while. A buddy and I decided to "Hit the Hills" out East - we should have waited a little longer for Winter to pass.

Coming into King Lake from Kangaroo Ground our spirits were high. The road was dry and clean - the air was a comfortable 23C, we hit the throttle with gusto, stringing together a lovely run into King Lake junction.

The burnt vegetation you see along the road is due to the intense Black Saturday fires of 2009, this area was hit hard and is still recovering.



From King Lake we headed through Healesville out to Marysville - this leg was again fun and fast - no problem with road condition. Usually we would stop to take some caffeine on board at the Marysville bakehouse, for some reason today we decided to push on.


We took off over Lake Mountain in the general direction of the Reefton Spur.

As we continuing to climb into the Sub-Alpine region, the indicated temperature on the dash started to drop - eventually bottoming out at 11C. All of a sudden it felt very much like Winter again.

The road condition was becoming increasingly treacherous. Leaf litter, stringy bark, clay, loose gravel and potholes were the name of the game. Staying upright became a bit of a challenge. Both myself and my riding buddy had a few "moments".......we promptly decided to back off.


Unfortunately we were not clear of the bad conditions.

Reefton Spur was also covered in a loose top-layer of debris and detritus. The front end did not want to stay on line through corners and the rear was more than happy to spin up on nearly every exit.......this was fun for a while - it became not so fun pretty quickly.


By the time we reached Reefton Hotel we were more than happy to get off the bikes for a while, have a cold drink and sit in the sun - we were absolutely shagged.

I looked at my buddy and said - "mate, that was tough" - his face said it all. No. Reply. Required.

A couple of riders showed up who had come from the Warburton side - they asked how the Reefton was - we told them - they went back the way they came..........which lucky for us, was our way home.



\BitSar
--had a ball - just trying to stay upright.

Monday 12 August 2013

Blow down

I hate seeing a bike down. Hate it. 



Today walking through Melbourne CBD during my lunch break the weather was becoming increasingly hostile. Cold. Wet. Extremely windy.


You can see from the doppler radar the wind hammering across Melbourne from the West.......very strong with sustained gusts.


On days like this you really need to think about how and where to park if leaving the bike outdoors.




Unfortunately as I was heading back to the office I came across this

This poor Ninja had been blown off its' kick stand and was resting propped up by the BMW scooter. Had the scooter not been on its' centre stand it would more than likely have been knocked over too. 

Everything in my body wanted to pick up the Ninja - I decided it was best to leave it where it was in case there was any damage and the owner needs photographs for their insurance. 

Poor Ninja.

\BitSar

Friday 19 July 2013

A riders' guide

Here it is.

1 – Think before you ride.
Every single morning before the commute, and for that matter any weekend blat too, I employ a process of getting myself and the bike ready. 

It is the same ritual every time and it centres me – I engage with what I am about to do.

This is a common training technique which shifts focus and consciousness to the task at hand.




2 – Take command
You are riding a motorcycle – you are exposed, you are at risk. Be proactive and choose your risk as much as possible. 

Don't be complacent and let the risk choose you.



3 – Have “brain space”
If you set off and identify that you are not riding well, not seeing things play out like usual or think there is something “not right with the bike”......chances are something is not right with you.

The bike is very likely to be behaving exactly the same as yesterday – but if it feels different today then something is different – that something is more than likely you.

Learn to identify these “yips” and counter them accordingly. This may mean stopping.


NB** baring mental "yips" check the basics like tyre pressure, chain tension, throttle and clutch lines/cables. 


4- Radar and intuition
To be proficient you need to be able NOT to think about what the bike is doing and how you are controlling it.

The bike should be controlled via telepathy. You think, the bike does.

Believe me after years of MTB and Road race cycling – the bike is an extension of the body.

Control leads to having ample capacity to scan the environment for cagers, pedestrians, cyclists and other riders alike. 

Being in control of your bike is relatively easy.

Contemplating the actions of others and reacting appropriately is a skill unto its' own.



5 – Don't
Don't be timid.

Don't allow yourself to hesitate – indecision takes time, when you need to make a choice time is not always on your side.

Most of all – don't be a victim.






6 – Everything else
Filtering, splitting, cagers and traffic.

Weekend blats, touring, overnighters and tomfoolery.

Everything else is the reason to ride all the time – do it safely.

Be engaged in the process and enjoy.



Footnote:
If you are not a target – you will less likely become a victim.
This does not mean be aggressive – it means be in control – as much as possible.

\BitSar
--getting on with it and "riding" it out

Wednesday 17 July 2013

RST - new leather

For the last couple of years I've been meaning to get a leather riding jacket.........I've constantly put it off.

About 6 weeks ago I came across an RST Pro-Series leather jacket with some very good features.....the price was right too - bugger it......I took the plunge.




I've been riding with the jacket everyday since....commuting, longer weekend stints.....VERY cold conditions. The leather is supple and took no time to break in.....the helmet hump on the back took a little getting used to - now I don't even notice it.

With the versatile configuration and the different layering options, the jacket has proven itself to be very comfortable, very warm......


The thermal liner (pulled back in the photo) is keeping my core warm in these 2C mornings.....

You can also see the high level of protection on offer - the CE back protector came with the jacket - it fits so well you can't even feel it......doesn't restrict movement or mobility on or off the bike....





Another great "bonus" feature is this wind stopper vest.



This comes as a free genuine RST accessory and can be used under any jacket.....you could even use it for other outdoor activities like cycling or hiking...



I've been using this, along with the thermal liner for the cold morning commute....the jacket is an all season setup with perforated leather for summer conditions......without this wind stopper layer underneath my core temperature would plummet rather quickly.



As you can see - it is a sport cut which can be zipped to leather pants at the waist.


Although you can't see in this photo - along the length of both arms and around the chest and back is a light reflective strip making me very visible at night....

I must say - I don't know why it took me so bloody long to get a leather jacket.......now I've ridden with one, the comfort, the way it holds your body position on the bike, the added safety....I don't think I could ride in a textile jacket again....unless of course it's raining.....then back to the trusty old RST Touring gear......





\BitSar

Wednesday 10 July 2013

Slack........again

Life has been busy of late......

Other than commuting and weekend errands I've had no time for real weekend blats......it is getting to me.

I do have a post about the Kriega gear in the pipes.....I've had a tailbag for over 4 years and it's still going strong. 

I need to get out for a decent ride soon.......I can tell..........I'm riding everywhere like my head is on fire....

\BitSar
--needs release........

Thursday 20 June 2013

Cold

Winter is kicking in.......big time.

Now - for the European, Canadian and North American readers I might sound a little soft........but bugger me - it was bloody cold this morning! Australian's don't like it cold........



Just as I was heading out the door ........outside it was the coldest temperature recorded for the day....2.4C - that's about 36F.....


Not only was this the coldest temperature for the day.....it's currently the coldest recorded temperature for Melbourne this year.....


Great......



I hadn't got far down the road until I realised that the "fog" on my ugly-fish riding glasses was not fog......it was ice.....bah! I took the first side street....took them off and stuffed them in my pocket.......hitched my neck-sock over my mouth and nose like a balaclava......keep going...


Then my hands started to freeze......literally. My fingers were like dead, white, blocks of wood - no feeling - minimal use for clutch and front brake.........bugger.

Over the years of winter riding and commuting you learn little tricks to keep your hands warm, mobile and tactile......

Of course you could always just pony
up the dough and get heated hand grips......but for the majority of the Australian winter they are really not NEEDED.....they are NICE....but not essential.

My little "keep warm trick" is to stuff my hands under the seat - into the gap above the trellis-frame......onto a nice, warm, rear cylinder head.......

ahhhhhh - that's better!

The only downside? I do get some strange looks from Cagers when I'm stopped at a set of traffic lights, slumped forward over the tank......giving the Ape a hug.......

But hell..........who cares what Cagers think......for that matter.....I'm not sure Cagers do think.....

\BitSar
--hugging his Ape

Friday 7 June 2013

Sequence shot

A little while ago I got a new mobile phone.........these days phones are so much more than a communication device - in fact......making phone calls is somewhat of a secondary function.

So anyway - there is a feature on the phone camera to take a small burst photo and stitch a sequence shot together based on selected frames......I had to give it a go.

This is not the best example.....but you get the idea.


\BitSar

Thursday 30 May 2013

Details, details, details

A lot of people think I'm crazy, as a daily commuter rider, why keep my bike so clean?
Why bother with weekly to fortnightly washes and detailing - it's madness!

Once I explain the why most people understand, then they want to know HOW! How do I keep her showroom shiny?

The Why?
  1. I find it cathartic/relaxing - but mostly I just enjoy spending time tinkering and pampering my Ape.
  2. It forces me to run my hand over every surface of the machine, performing a visual inspection as I go for any problems.
  3. I will notice issues more readily - if last week I cleaned that oily smear and this week it is back then it's time to investigate.
  4. Detailing stands as a reminder to check tyre pressure, chain tension and chain lubrication
  5. I am one OCD, anal retentive sonofabitch about keeping it clean!

Soooooo........once the why is out of the way and people begin to understand things, they want to know how.

The How?
  1. Don't wash her hot! If you must ride to a car-wash, as I do, take the shortest path, early in the morning when it's cool. Don't let her get too hot - if she is - let her cool before washing.
  2. Give her a good wash. Get all of the base grime off. I use a pressure spray. **IMPORTANT** From a distance! With no direct high-pressure water hitting the bike, especially around the instrument cluster, headlight surround, wiring loom or connectors. 
  3. Then detailing begins. I use Plexus - a plastic polish (silicone based) which serves two primary functions.
    1. It impregnates the plastics which conditions them, helping them to remain supple and less prone to cracking and the effects of heat.
    2. It leaves a silicone barrier on all surfaces, both plastics and metals, which helps to keep the bike cleaner for longer by inhibiting things from sticking!
A quick tyre check, chain inspection and lube if necessary and the job's done. Usually all complete by ~8:30 on a Saturday morning - leaving plenty of time to get out and ride.

Before - the poor thing.......dirty Ape


The detailing....Yellow rag for engine parts and dirty stuff, Blue rag for plastics and body work, Pink rag for final buffing and polishing.........(I told you I was OCD)


The results.......a showroom shiny Ape



\BitSar --keeping it clean

Monday 27 May 2013

Reunion

This Saturday was the 10th Anniversary of the launch of NetRider........an Australian based motorcycling community site with members from all over the World.

So!.........it was decided to use the Saturday morning practice session as a get together......a Reunion of Misfits......


This is only one such event which was held over the weekend......many other States held their own Reunions on the same day to mark the occasion.......there sure are a lot of NetRiders out there.

We couldn't forget to run the practice course.........for some reason it ended up happening like this......


It was a great day out, a great excuse to catch up with mates and to reconnect with many NetRiders I haven't seen for a while......




Thanks guys......Motorcyclists really are the best kind of people.

\BitSar

Thursday 16 May 2013

Barracuda Blinkers

So - as many of you know - my rear indicators failed.......both of them......at different times, but in the same way.

It turns out that there is a manufacturing flaw and the rubber used for the expansion joint is too brittle.

After having one replaced under warranty.......and waiting ages for the part to arrive......only to have the other indicator fail.....I decided some after market blinkers would be best.

I finally got around to installing my Barraccud "Silur" LED blinkers

The indicators came with the required resistors which are used inline to keep the flash rate consistent and to ensure the dash error for blown bulbs doesn't perpetually occur.

I'm pretty happy with the results......nice and clean - nice and compact.......very bright!

Excuse the filthy bike......bloody Melbourne weather.......bah!





I may even order another set and replace the front end blinkers too for consistency.

\BitSar