New Girly Owner with some questions please

[thedevilsgingerbeard]

Hi,

My name is Mark and I picked up a 2002 Girly yesterday and it is my 1st Triumph bike.

I collected it from York and rode it 130 miles home in some pretty awful weather but it was still a joy. I do have some new owner questions if any one can help me out please?

1. The temp gauge barely moved at all from cold. I see there is a mark 5-10mm from the bottom point, is that where it is supposed to stay?

2. I stopped and filled up with fuel. I checked the fuel gauge registered full before setting off but a few miles later I noticed the low fuel lamp on the dash and the fuel gauge had gone to 0. A few miles more and the lamp was off and the gauge back to full again. Is this a Girly thing?

3. This is a stupid one. It has Triumph panniers fitted and I have the keys. How do I remove these? I don't see a way to release them after turning the key.

Great forum, full of good info and funny opinions.

Thanks.

[benebob]

Congrats on the bike and you will find a bad day on a Tiger is better then a good day when your not on it.

1.  Was the engine hot?  Should run about a 1/3 on the gauge.  Might want to see what it does idling (which would also give you a chance to reset everything.  Check out the FAQ sticky on top of the page.
2.  Very normal
3.  after turning the key, lift up on that center part where the key goes from the front I think then when it is up you can slide the side covers forward and out.  Top I think you just pull the mechanism toward you and it is free from the mount.

[JoeDirt]

Hello Mark and welcome,

I have a 2001 Girly and my temp gauge stays right on or above that first mark on cool days. Now if it were warm and the fan is running it stays in the center of the gauge. Now the gas gauge on my bike is usually the first sign of a charging issue... could be as minor as low battery or first sign of an "old" battery. If the bike sat for a while I would start with getting a good charge. As for the stock panniers, there should be a lock near the seat. I have circled the lock that stays with the bike in a picture below.

Hope this helps,
JoeDirt

[audiododd]

Hi and Welcome!

Benebob covered most of your questions.  I'll add that on a nice cool morning (high 50s/mid-teens (C)), my temp gauge will barely move.  However, in a hot California Summer (100/38) it'll sit near the center of the range.

When I bought my Girly, it was about 10 years old and my fuel gauge didn't work at all.  I ended up buying a new fuel sending unit on ebay and that fixed the problem.  Some of the older, styrofoam-style floats would get waterlogged (gas-logged??) and stop working properly.  There are newer units with a hollow plastic float that seem to work better. 

You should research the Sasquatch charging mod.  I'm planning on doing it myself if we ever get a wet winter in California again and I can't ride.  It'll help with a lot of charging/electrical issues.

Dodd

[thedevilsgingerbeard]

Hi guys and thanks for the responses.

With regards to the panniers should something click out or similar when the key is turned?

I'll keep going pressing, pulling and turning things until they are free. The bike was photographed with them off so I know it's something I am doing incorrectly.

As for the others, the temp appears to be the same as you guys are seeing so I am not worried about that for now. I have an Optimate arriving in the next couple of days so I'll charge the heck out of the battery and see how I get on with the fuel gauge.

Again, thanks for all the help.

Mark.

[John Stenhouse]

Turn the key shown in the photo above then push the end of the locking bar that the key is on down at the rear and the front will pivot up, or pull up on the key once it's turned.

[thedevilsgingerbeard]

Thanks guys,

Panniers now removed and cleaned!

[fraserdog]

Was the bike you bought that rather nice orange one with loads of spares with it that was on ebay last week? If so it looked a very clean example.

[thedevilsgingerbeard]

Hi Fraser's,

Yes it was. I'm very happy with bike.

[fraserdog]

It did look like a good one and with all the spares with it aswell made it a good deal.