Thursday 28 February 2013

Pilot Road 3

So I've been meaning to post on the Michelin PR3's.....................here it is.

I've had these boots on both ends for well over 5,000kms now...

At first they felt a little strange - not bad, just a bit odd......this soon passed...

When they were fitted I originally ran them at "normal" cold pressure of about 32/34 F/R......this was a huge part of my problem......Sport Touring tyres - as these are - have a heavy carcass and require higher cold pressures......once this was rectified, the PR3's validated themselves and lived up to hype.....I now run 40/42 F/R cold pressures.....

The past 5,000kms have seen lots of commuting, a fair bit of wet stuff, a multi-day ride and lots of weekend scratching in the twisties.....

The harder compound centre band means the commuting miles aren't killing the tyre and squaring them off......the deep sipes in the tread of both the front and rear make wet weather performance simply astounding! I have never felt so comfortable and confident with a tyre in the wet........seriously.......

For the faster stuff on more technical roads......yes....they are not a super-sticky, super-sport tyre......the shoulders do have a softer compound which heats up quickly......but yeah.....these are no Pirelli Rosso Corsa's........they make you work a little bit harder to keep the bike compliant when pitched over.....but hell - you can still get rid of the chicken strips.........

For longer rides and touring they are brilliant.....very solid on the road - comfortable and long wearing......

After the distance travelled I really struggle to find any appreciable wear....for anyone looking at a great "all-rounder" which is focused slightly towards longevity, all weather riding rather than balls out blats......take a look at the PR3's



\BitSar

Tuesday 26 February 2013

Wet


So today I woke up to this.......

I was scheduled to have a morning push-bike ride before heading into work but as any avid cyclist knows - two things are common on pushies in the rain......punctures and crashes.....usually in that order........

I was already up so I turned the pedals over on the trainer while watching the morning news.......Damn - I hate static/wind trainers....... boring as hell.

So the rain had already peeved me off once this morning......no pushy ride......

It was going to peeve me off at least a couple of times more......

I've had my RST Touring gear through three Winters now - it has always been rock-solid, dry and warm.........after this morning I think it may need to be retired......

About half way through the commute I could feel water getting in.........DAMN!.......I usually leave a spare pair of boxer shorts and socks at the office - for some reason I had taken them home recently and not replaced them...........I remembered this as my crotch was becoming increasingly cold and wet.....D'oh!

Oh well.......nothing for it.......get in nice and early and use the spare chairs as makeshift clothes airers.....then......do the trick with the hand dryer to get the boxers back to a wearable state.....

I've just recently had the jacket re-zipped and of course......the new zip is where it failed.......great!

But that's not the worst part.......the trousers are done......It was not long after I set off that my butt started to feel a little damp......a little further into the journey and it I felt a "zing" of cold water get in...........arrrhhhhg......

At this point it was game over......the boxer shorts were gone....my socks were soaked and the boots were filling up.....a noticeable squelch every time I put a foot down at a set of lights....Yippee!


Definitely time for some new gear......



Although the Trekker helmet is great in the Sunshine.....it really is NOT great in the wet.....I've never had a helmet which fogs quite this badly.....


<-- Just giving the gloves a chance to "hang out" and dry.....





I ride an Ape but this morning.....once again.....I felt like a Duck....

Quack quack....

\BitSar

Monday 11 February 2013

Cracked it!

Both literally and figuratively........................

Why literally?
Because now the left-hand rear indicator has cracked along the rubber joint.......in exactly the same way the (now replaced) right-hand indicator had failed.




Why figuratively?
Because I've cracked it with the OEM Aprilia indicators, the time it took me to get one delivered under warranty and the obvious flaw in the design.....

Instead - I think I'm going to go for a set of these:

Whatch this space for another indicator install post..........

\BitSar



Back and Blinking

After waiting ~6 weeks for the warranty claim to go through and for the part to arrive - finally - the postman brings me this!

An Aprilia OEM right-hand rear indicator.........can't see how this can be so much trouble to claim, order and post......but hell - it's here now.....time to install

I do a quick disassemble on the kitchen table to inspect how it all goes together - pretty simple.....there is no loom on the indicator itself - rather just two clips on the bottom of the lamp surround:


Get rid of the screw

Take the lamp housing and reflector apart - no problem


Now - onto the bike side.......as the wiring loom is on this end I had to disconnect the wiring at the clips while still on the bike......again, no problem - just a bit fiddly....

Then just unbolt the indicator housing and it's free!

Clip the new one into the wires, remount the reflector in the housing......replace lens and the screw......bolt back on and the blinkers are back

Done!


\BitSar

Monday 4 February 2013

Reserve.........

Finally!

I got out for a good ride with some friends on Saturday..........great day out - covered just over 250kms...nothing too big..

We met at my place around 9am and hit the coastal road towards the Mornington Peninsula......stopping in Mornington for caffeine, regroup and to meet with another mate and his brand new Husqvarna Nuda 900R.....

We had a group of 6, on 5 bikes - one pillion on the GSXR1000, the Nuda, the Duc, my Ape and a Kwaka =D.................game on!


From Mornington we took off down the esplanade road which tacks along the cliff-side, over Mt Martha and into Safety Beach.


From here we hit Arthur's seat for a couple of runs up and down......myself and the Nuda riding off the front, having a play and really using that low down torque to drive out of the corners........nice indeed.



The day continued down to Shoreham and Flinders, over Red Hill, then into Cape Shank and back out to Balnarring - the Nuda pilot......who lives in this area......found us some very nice twisty roads to play on - albeit with a few potholes......still fun and fast.....



At Balnarring we decided to call it a day and start our way back to Melbourne CBD........the Kwaka rider takes the lead back to the Freeway.....before heading off the nominal question is asked..."Fuel?".............nah! She'll be right......we all decline the offer......


RESERVE!

By the time we hit the Freeway my low fuel indicator blinks on.....no problem.......it comes on very early, it's not until the ODO starts the count up of kilometres travelled on reserve until you get worried........oh shit.....I look down......3.5kms counting up.....great!

Riding past the leader I point to my tank and give him one of these to signify I am running low on fuel.....

Reserve count now at ~25kms......I'm getting the yips.....


I have heard that Shivers have about 50kms on reserve.....but I don't want to find out the hard way.....especially not on the Monash Freeway inbound....


By the Toorak Rd off ramp I am sweating bullets.....I chicken out and take the exit......I know there is a BP about 2kms from this exit which has sweet, sweet fuel...........35kms on reserve....and counting

Looking at my fuel readings I am not expecting to be near empty:








Total distance travelled = 252.0kms












Average fuel consumption over distance ~ 5.0L/100kms
(just under, 4.9)


Now - the Shiv has a 15L tank, so if I am using ~5L per 100kms and have clocked up ~250kms I should have about 2.5L to spare......so why on reserve so early!?


The fuel amount at the bowser tells a different story.......I squeeze in 12.98L with tank topped off.....to be honest....probably slightly overfilled......at least the fuel readings are somewhat accurate!




The moral of the story? 
Never say no to a fuel-up offer........AND the reserve reading on the Shiver is like an over-anxious back seat driver.......a nuisance which breaks your concentration but is hard to ignore......

\BitSar




EDIT.................

Vision of the hill climb from the Kwaka.............the Gixxer is in front of the camera.....then the Ape + Nuda....the rest is history :D

--> This guy can handle that little Ninjette eh! Gold!