what I learned yesterday

I spent 3.5 hours on the KTM yesterday morning. These are some of the
things I learned:

* the KTM isn't actually all that uncomfortable for half a morning's
ride.
* the KTM has a usable tank range[0]
* the KTM is utterly unsuitable for motorway/dual-carriageway
riding[1]
* slow punctures are a pain in the arse[2]
* if you own a bike with a "opposite way round to normal" chain/
exhaust/brake-disc configuration, and you happen to be trying to
fit[3] a filling-station airline to the valve on the rear tyre, with
the bike leaning towards you on the sidestand, don't do what I did[5].

[0] don't know what it is, but didn't hit reserve at 135 miles[4]
[1] I am having 2nd and 3rd thoughts about taking it to Chimay
[2] though having only realized I had a flat after 20 miles of
70-80mph riding, probably offers a good excuse to get rid of the
unloved rear tyre
[3] I thought this was tricky on the Tiger, it's a pain in the arse on
the KTM, having to thread the airline attachment through 4 spokes back
from the valve.
[4] yes, I know 135 miles isn't a lot in 3.5 hours.
[5] Concentrating on getting the airline to fit through the spokes,
lean forward for a closer look, and burn your forehead on the exhaust.

 

"Mong Mark"

 

fortunately, given the fact I'm doing one-to-ones with my new team in
Paris, the mark's barely noticeable.

 

I blame the Austrians.

 

But if you look *really* closely you can see it says 666..

Phil.

 

Should I presume [1] and [2] are connected?

Motorway speeds are ok, it's just a matter of how long your arms/neck/
back want before packing-up.

 

no. I'm pretty sure I picked up whatever caused the puncture on the
A228.

I don't mean that, it's just utterly boring, and not what the bike's
about.

 

As does CERN(or the LHC)'s logo, according to some halfwit on
fstdt.com, which just *proves* that it will bring about the end
times(or whatever they're called).

 

@m73g2000hsh.googlegroups.com:

use one of these
http://www.busters-accessories.co.uk/productInfo.aspx?catRef=90TV [1]

or when getting a new tyre fitted have one of these installed
http://www.busters-accessories.co.uk/productInfo.aspx?catRef=MAP506343

[1] if you use one then take note of the warning on the page as the fucker
will work loose and deflate the tyre.

 

ta.

 

Must mean CERN, AFAIK LHC doesn't have its own logo -- it's properly
part of CERN and uses theirs. I can only say that the idiot's obviously
never designed a High Energy Physics accelerator complex.

http://public.web.cern.ch/Public/Objects/Research/AccComplex0700829.gif

--
Ivan Reid, School of Engineering & Design, _____________ CMS Collaboration,
Brunel University. Ivan.Reid@[brunel.ac.uk|cern.ch] Room 40-1-B12, CERN
GSX600F, RG250WD "You Porsche. Me pass!" DoD #484 JKLO#003, 005
WP7# 3000 LC Unit #2368 (tinlc) UKMC#00009 BOTAFOT#16 UKRMMA#7 (Hon)
KotPT -- "for stupidity above and beyond the call of duty".

 

you've got an ISOLDE but no TRISTAN - what's up with that?

 

It's actually very little to do with 'end of times' (or whatever it's
called).

More to do with human nature (in esoteric numerology 6 is the number of
man. And something repeated 3 times is emphasised - to 666 is the
number of mankind..)

Phil.

 

Got one of those and used it for years. It lives in the inside pocket
of my bike jacket..

Phil

 

I particularly liked this when I was there

http://cerncourier.com/cws/article/cern/29122/3/cernpeo9_7-04

Seemed somehow apropiate for an institute whose sole job seems to be
smashing things together at *eek* speed.

 

They're a standard fit on GL1500s

 

A right angle air line adaptors are very useful for these sort of
problems. I need one to get around the Guzzi discs.

 

Yes. That throws an interesting shadow on our office building
(left of pic) at night, from a low-level floodlight on the dormitory side.

--
Ivan Reid, School of Engineering & Design, _____________ CMS Collaboration,
Brunel University. Ivan.Reid@[brunel.ac.uk|cern.ch] Room 40-1-B12, CERN
GSX600F, RG250WD "You Porsche. Me pass!" DoD #484 JKLO#003, 005
WP7# 3000 LC Unit #2368 (tinlc) UKMC#00009 BOTAFOT#16 UKRMMA#7 (Hon)
KotPT -- "for stupidity above and beyond the call of duty".

 

I guess it was too hard to come up with an acronym that wasn't
extra-obviously contrived.

ISOLDE -- On-Line Isotope Mass Separator. Hmm...

--
Ivan Reid, School of Engineering & Design, _____________ CMS Collaboration,
Brunel University. Ivan.Reid@[brunel.ac.uk|cern.ch] Room 40-1-B12, CERN
GSX600F, RG250WD "You Porsche. Me pass!" DoD #484 JKLO#003, 005
WP7# 3000 LC Unit #2368 (tinlc) UKMC#00009 BOTAFOT#16 UKRMMA#7 (Hon)
KotPT -- "for stupidity above and beyond the call of duty".

 

I'll definitely be buying one.