The Benly review.

Discussion in 'UK Motorcycles' started by Lady Nina, Sep 25, 2005.

  1. Lady Nina

    Lady Nina Guest

    So, at the EOSM, TOG mentioned he had an ideal bike for the Africa
    run, the Doctor's old Benly. Terms were discussed, hands were shaken
    and today I went to collect it.

    Today's top tip - When collecting a bike from TOG, if Timo is there,
    don't even joke about whether he has looked at, breathed on or touched
    the machine. It will come back and bite you.

    It's shiny, I had to break it to TOG gently that it will no longer be
    receiving the same standard of loving care and attention as before.
    Once the detritus of an afternoon's fettling was cleared from the
    drive and the garage rearranged, it emerged blinking slightly into the
    light. TOG kicked it over and once it had stood for a few moments it
    then started sweetly on the switch. Donning just gloves and helmet, I
    set out on a trial run.

    The first trundle around the block reminded me that drum brakes need a
    little bit of fore thought.

    As TOG promised, it has loads of torque, but I still felt compelled to
    twist and go - the look on his face as I returned and he pronounced
    'you were revving the tits off it' was akin to that of a father seeing
    his pride and joy being deflowered and cruelly cast aside by some
    unsuitable youth.

    It has a seat that makes you feel your bottom is being cupped by
    Angels wearing the softest suede gloves. The Dave Silver exhausts give
    it a slightly fruity note, a pleasant warble. It only has 4 gears, a
    fact which continued to fox me on and off all the way home.

    So I returned, donned leathers, loaded the spare wheels (important
    these) and assorted bits and pieces into the car and set off
    northwards.

    It will sit happily at 65, anything above that and the vibration
    through the bars is very noticeable - some sort of padded grips are on
    the list.

    I trundled through the M25 traffic, filtering with slight trepadation
    as the last time I did this I was knocked off at slow speeds. All was
    fine.

    As the traffic cleared I was happily cruising (I hate to use the word
    but that's what it was) at around about 70 or perhaps a little over.

    Remember those vibrations, well at Rickmansworth the first of the
    three part Timo curse arrived - the speedo stopped working.

    At the first services I came to, Toddington, I stopped for a drink and
    simply re-attached the cable where it had vibrated loose. Patting
    myself metaphorically on the back (I'd done something almost
    technical) I proceeded to the petrol pumps.

    Coming out from paying, part two of the Timo curse arrived - one very
    flat back wheel. It had been fine turning into the services so I
    assume I picked something up either in the car park or going into the
    petrol station. My very first puncture.

    A couple of phone calls later and the Pixie Pit Stop break down
    services arrived and the lovely Mr Lozzo attached that all important
    spare wheel that I'd put into the car earlier.

    A quick detour via the Pixie place for coffee and alternate derision
    and admiration and on I went. Perhaps slightly faster than I had been
    earlier. Flat out in fact.

    Which is where the third part of the curse arrived - when indicating
    left to pull back into lane one (flat out isn't really all that fast
    on a 25 year old 198cc Honda) the engine spluttered as though going
    onto reserve or as if a kill switch had been flicked. Stopping
    indicating stopped the symptoms, apart from the back fire shortly
    afterwards. One battery to go on the optimate tomorrow I think.

    So I slowed it down a bit, but the speedo cable still managed to
    unattach itself again at Watford gap.

    So I slowed down abit more. By this time it was getting dark, I stood
    up and looked down over the handlebars to check the light was actually
    on - yes, but in that very special, gleam from under a door of a dimly
    lit room way that I'd forgotten about since parting with the CG125.
    Some form of brighter illumination has been added to the list.

    The lack of speedo meant I went through a set of specs hoping that
    there were no rear facing cameras mixed in with the specs and that the
    traffic I was keeping pace with was actually going at 40.

    If a NIP arrives at TOGs in the next couple of weeks then I'm blaming
    Timo.

    It is however a lovely beastie. Roll on next year and the dark
    continent.
     
    Lady Nina, Sep 25, 2005
    #1
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  2. Lady Nina

    platypus Guest

    Sorry, I thought I'd said. It's been cancelled.
     
    platypus, Sep 25, 2005
    #2
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  3. Lady Nina

    Lady Nina Guest

    <sticks tongue out, gets passport, heads off into the sunset>

    PS can I borrow your maps?
     
    Lady Nina, Sep 25, 2005
    #3
  4. Lady Nina

    platypus Guest

    Watch the letterbox.
     
    platypus, Sep 25, 2005
    #4
  5. Lady Nina

    platypus Guest

    If I was doing it on my own, I'd take a month or so. Ideally.
    I was going to send you some maps, but I can't find your address.
     
    platypus, Sep 26, 2005
    #5
  6. That sounds reasonable. ;-))

    Yes, I'd forgotten the habit of the speedo cable unscrewing itself from
    the speedo head when you thrash it. It happened to me twice. It's a sort
    of Benly rev limiter.

    As regards the electrics, it's a 6v system and the lights are just
    shite. It's been standing for ages - just get a new battery. They're
    only a tenner.

    (I'm just hoping you haven't already connected a 12v Optimate to it....)
     
    The Older Gentleman, Sep 26, 2005
    #6
  7. Lady Nina

    WavyDavy Guest

    I coulkd point out one major disadvantage of spending time in Cahors...

    You're likely to see me....

    Dave
     
    WavyDavy, Sep 26, 2005
    #7
  8. Lady Nina

    TOG Guest

    Lady Nina wrote:


    *Sniff*. I was sad to see it go, but it wasn't getting used.

    This is what it looks like now:

    http://www.chateau.murray.dsl.pipex.com/Ebay/CD200.1.jpg

    What it looks like after Lady Nina has hammered to Africa and back is
    anyone's guess
     
    TOG, Sep 26, 2005
    #8
  9. Lady Nina

    muddy Guest

    "TOG@toil "
    Sweet, I need to find something like that so I can get Bammy out of the
    truck.
     
    muddy, Sep 26, 2005
    #9
  10. Lady Nina

    platypus Guest

    It's a bit posh for Africa - I'd worry about the long distance durability
    with something that clean. OTOH it may just be the "TOG-prepared-for-sale"
    effect, and it's actually perfectly serviceable.

    Of course, once LN has thrashed it to Africa and back, it'll look like
    chickwheels...
     
    platypus, Sep 26, 2005
    #10
  11. Cnut. It's *always* looked that good. I always looks after me bikes. I
    don't park them upside-down, which helps.
     
    The Older Gentleman, Sep 26, 2005
    #11
  12. Lady Nina

    tallbloke Guest

    Last time I came across this one it was frayed wire insulation where the
    indicator positive went through the rear mudguard.
     
    tallbloke, Sep 26, 2005
    #12
  13. Lady Nina

    platypus Guest

    You need to be more adventurous. Am I mostly known for selling gaskets?
     
    platypus, Sep 26, 2005
    #13
  14. That's because you ride old Brit Shit where they don't bother to fit
    rubber grommets where wires poke through metal.....
     
    The Older Gentleman, Sep 27, 2005
    #14
  15. Lady Nina

    Lady Nina Guest

    On Sun, 25 Sep 2005 23:18:39 GMT, "platypus"

    Africa Run
    Ideally I'd set off and never come back.
    Emailed.
     
    Lady Nina, Sep 27, 2005
    #15
  16. Lady Nina

    Lady Nina Guest

    This is a good thing - I can rest my weary head while you amuse me.
     
    Lady Nina, Sep 27, 2005
    #16
  17. Lady Nina

    Lady Nina Guest

    On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 07:17:37 +0100,
    Will do.
    <whistles>
     
    Lady Nina, Sep 27, 2005
    #17
  18. Lady Nina

    TOG Guest


    You haven't? Have you? Please, please tell me you haven't, or if you
    have, that you didn't touch the ignition key, because you may well have
    fried the reg/rec and other assorted electrical components. I did tell
    you that it had a 6v system.....

    <thinks>

    Was it Hog or Petrolcan got his BMW jump-started from a truck a couple
    of years ago, ignorant of the fact that trucks have 24v systems???
     
    TOG, Sep 27, 2005
    #18
  19. Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Lady Nina
    You know, a feedline like that really deserves a response...

    --
    Wicked Uncle Nigel - Manufacturer of the "Champion-105" range of rearsets
    and Ducati Race Engineer.

    WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
    SBS#39 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
    Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
    Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha GTS1000
     
    Wicked Uncle Nigel, Sep 27, 2005
    #19
  20. Wicked Uncle Nigel wrote
    Prayer first response after innit?
     
    steve auvache, Sep 27, 2005
    #20
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