Wrench'n Ride'n

A work mate of mine, Muneer, was telling me about his bike jacket he has. His brother got it for him from Turkey. I have never seen such a jacket here down under. These jackets are made in Turkey and sold in the USA under the Route 66 label. Muneer wont wear it in public as he is not a bike rider. Shame as it is a stunning bit of cow hide. Wish it fitted me.... oh and that it had a boxer engine on the back...

I hate oil leaks. I hate the smell of burning oil in a hot exhaust system. It just stinks. From the left side of the bike a burning oil smell was wafting up at me. Also I could see oil on the frame. Feeling around I found some very big drops of oil forming around the gear shift area. On closer inspection I could see the oil was getting past the gear shift seal. To the internet I went and a few forums and asked how to change the seal. The replies I received told me how easy it was to replace the seal. I would need someone to hold the bike on an angle while I took the old seal out and fitted the new one and put the gear shift lever back in. Well I have no one to help me today. You see it is Thursday and there is a teacher’s strike. So I took the day off as annual leave to look after the girls. No way are they strong enough to hold the bike up. So what to do? Use an old mattress and the pine tree in the back yard. First must take NEW right hand mirror off. I don’t want to break a third on...

As motorcyclists we don’t need a reason to go for a ride. Sometimes though it is really good to have a reason. On Saturday the 17th May, a few of us from the BikeMe forums rode up to Moonan Flats Pub to meet SpottedQuoll. Quoll had helped me a lot on the forums with my BMW. So I owed him at least a beer. The meeting place was set for Ettamogah Pub at Rouse Hill to leave at 6am. As I rode out my drive way at 5:15am I was so thankful for the barn door fairing on the BM. It was freezing. Who was the idiot that arranged this ride? Oh yeah me. As I was waiting for others to turn up in the distance the rumble of an approaching war could be heard. Loud booming and very deep rumbles crack through the still predawn air. This is the sound coming from the bike that Boris was mounted on. Only the day before he had been given Aprilia’s 2008 RSV 1000 R fitted with Akrapovic pipes to test ride. What an amazing machine. What an amazing sound. Eve and Steve soon arrived. Eve on her VFR800 and Steve on...

Yesterday I had a new front tyre fitted. The previous owner of the bike had fitted a slightly larger tyre than BMW recommend. This made the bike tram line under brakes. Any irregularity in the road surface and the bike would be off following that. So off to Chivos and get a Metzeler LaserTec fitted. As soon as I swung the bike around to ride off I noticed a vast improvement in the way the front end reacted. The bike had been transformed into a machine that I can now ride and push into corners with confidence. The old tyre was a 100/90/18. BMW said get a 90/90/18. I took my youngest up the Old Pac to Pie in the Sky. Just to start to get rid of the mould agent on the tyre. Took it nice and slow. Then back home to drop her off with the shopping we did. I love those huge panniers on the bike. Have a quick lunch and then announce to all here I am off to run in the new tyre properly. I headed through Dural to Glenorie. When I got to the Wisemans Ferry Rd turn off I took that left and headed ...