Rake and ruin.

Just wondering, since you put the new forks in because the old ones were
bent, is the headstem still true? Has it been checked?

Just something else to worry about....

P

 

I reckon that she had a hand in the making and distribution of them.

 

SHADDUP!!!

 

I will have one printed

"I rode with Clem and Survived"

Boxer

 

Yeah; that's also in the back of my mind.
I tried stringlining it but I couldn't get it to work.

I had another thought tonight too; this bike has a 180/55 rear tyre which is
at least 30 wider than I've ever really ridden on before[1] and a radial
front (all my previous have been crossply). Is this just maybe something I
have to get used to?

 

What is the manufacturer's spec for tyre profile? That could potentially
make a hell of a difference, if they are a lot different. Particularly if
they are not a matching set.

P

 

They are a matching set of Pirelli something-or-others.
The Triumph Sprint changed from a 160/60-18 to a 170/60-17 in 1995.
The Sprint Sport in 1998 had the option of the Daytona's 180/55-17 on the
same 5.5" rim.

I asked for the 170/60 but came back to find a 180/55 on my bike. The tyre
fitter said the 170 wasn't available but gave me a discount so I just
grumbled a little and went on my way.

 

I doubt that change would make too much difference, as long as the profiles
match front and rear, slightly lower and a little wider - it is a change in
two dimensions though.... be only speculation to go any further.

You would probably need to test with both which would involve a fair bit of
effort, specially if the 170/60's aren't available.

Is there any noticeable difference between left and right turns (after
taking into account the different camber)?

P

 

Not that I really noticed.
I was running very wide on lefts and not running off the road on rights but
that's more down to self-preservation and thick safety-margins than any
noticeable left-right steering imbalance.
I just had another thought too; gNat was sitting uncomfortably-high
(compared to what she was used to) and back from me so she may well have
been causing the awkwardness herself ('though I am a dead man if anyone
tells her I said this.... I reckon I've got 8 hours tops!)

 

Depending on the bike and geometry but that change can make a
discernible difference to turn in effort.

Get the suspension setup back to manufacturers recommendations first.
That includes the damping and preload (I doubt "all the way off" is the
stock setting...) then you can start second guessing the defaults...
starting at anything other than OEM defaults is just a path to a world
of pain and confusion unless you're an expert


JL

 

Unlikely, but it's so long since I've ridden a crossply I can't remember
what they feel like.

The sprints I've had anything to do with have all been sweet handling
bikes(1), I would expect that you should easily be able to get it to
outhandle the XJ for example. If it's not beating that benchmark there
is something wrong

JL
1 Within their class - ie porky sportstourers not comparing it with an
RS250 or something

 

Make it "I rode with Clem Doherty and survived." and I'll have a couple.

 

Um, yeah... having the pillion do that makes the bike into more of a
see-saw than it needs to be; weight far from the centre of mass, with
more leverage on the rear suspension, that's definitely going to make
the bike handle differently. Specifically, it'll make the rear lag the
front on turn-in, and it'll make it difficult to control how much you
lean the bike... all due to the fact that the extra weight far from
the centre off mass (far back) and far from the roll axis (high up)
adds disproportionately to the bike's total moment of inertia, making
it hard to start leaning it in, then again hard to stop it keeling
over any further than you'd like - the bike behaves like a dumbell
rather than a ball, if you will. It's what Honda are on about with
their mass-centralisation bollocks, which actually works.

 

The only thing that's holding me back here is that I can't
get my sign/sticker machine going. What's the hangup? Believe
it or not I can't find a common-or-garden parallel/centronics
printer cable!


GB, the machine will also cut (iron-on) t-shirt vinyl

 

Thanks. I've got one in a box somewhere here too. I'm just
struggling to find the box! I'll let you know if I need
to take you up on that.

You lost <firstname>@<lastname>.com.au ? It's not *that* hard
to remember!


GB

 

I've got one in a box somewhere if you want to come over and pick it
up

JL
(sorry I've lost your email address otherwise I'd have sent off list)

 

No worries, let me know - I know which box mine is in. Stumbled across
it the other day and almost threw it out on the grounds I'd never need
one again (DB25/ centronics right ? Not DB25/25 ?).

Oh was that it then ? OK, well I have it now then don't I

JL

 

The feller I used to nod to on the ride to and from work wouldn't qualify.
I saw his pretty black-with-gold-stripes 80's GSXR11 ('88?) crumpled on the
footpath while the police "accident appreciation squad" (nice to be
appreciated!) were doing their measurements and assessments in the taped off
lanes of Gympie Rd at Kedron[1] yesterday morning.
I didn't know him (beyond the nod) but I still felt oddly bereaved......