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Tiger Time => Girly Talk (1999 - 2006 Tigers) => Topic started by: Lee337 on January 24, 2021, 01:27:17 PM

Title: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on January 24, 2021, 01:27:17 PM
As some of you may know, I name all of my vehicles, starting with my first car, a 1.6 Ford Capri, registered MGP 686P. I named her Midge.

So, meet Tallulah (Tiger) Lily.

She%u2019s a 2006 Tiger 955i, first registered in June 2006. I bought her in July 2018, sight unseen from eBay. In fact, I was in the Canaries when it first came up for sale and put a cheeky bid on her while still on holiday. I was the only bidder so got her for what I consider was a good price. She has a modest 63,600 miles on the clock.

The story I got from the previous owner was that he used her for touring, mostly in Europe but had replaced her with a Tiger 1050. He said the first owner was the BBC who used her for filming cycle races. I don%u2019t know how true that is as there was no paperwork or history other than an engine change in 2009 for an engine with 2000 miles less than the clock suggests. I'm told the head gasket went on the original and once the gasket was replaced, there was no compression, so he swapped the engine out. The original came with her but I've since passed it on. So if the mileage on the replaced engine is true, she%u2019s actually only done 61,600 miles.

Lots has been spent on her in my ownership on repairs and maintenance, mostly small jobs like bearings, chain & sprocket, tyres and general servicing. She%u2019s only let me down once and to be fair, that was because I dropped the alarm remote and the battery fell out. Not sure where it went and after 15 minutes searching, I phoned up the Mrs to bring the spare alarm dongle out to me. I was only 3 miles from home, so didn%u2019t have to wait long before I was on my way. Every other issue I've had, I've spotterd when doing the usual maintenance checks, so she's never left me stranded by mechanical or electrical breakdown. Having said that, there was an electrical issue just after Xmas, but I was able to ride home and fix it in the relative warmth of the Man Cave.

Over the past 12 months, I haven%u2019t had much chance to get out on her aside from some volunteer runs for Volunteer Riders UK (VRUK) who deliver PPE made by volunteers to where it%u2019s needed. During this exceptional 12 months, where we%u2019ve been in lockdown longer than free to roam, I%u2019ve still managed 2,530 miles.

I was going to take her out for another 130 mile run last week but sadly I noticed the rear wheel bearing had gone. I replaced them all yesterday so Tallulah is now ready and waiting in the Man Cave for action.

I'll add to Tallulah's diary as things happen, whether good or bad, maintenance or repair, riding or sitting in the Man Cave with a coffee, staring at a pile of broken parts, just to see what it's like living with a 14 year old Tiger.

Has she lost her claws? - have I lost my marbles?

Probably yes to at least one of those questions.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: ghulst on January 24, 2021, 05:08:00 PM
Beautiful bike.
Interesting claim that she was used by the BBC in the past. If so, you should be able to trace her pedigree based on old cycling photographs. The bikes are always around the packs of riders and seldom escape either being filmed or photographed. It would be cool to see her there. ;)


===


Late addition. I looked at the highlights out of the prologue and the 3rd stage of the Tour of Britain 2007. I did not see a girly in that footage. ;) Might have been that those were its two days off, but wouldn't count on it. Perhaps Triumph can help you uncover who was the first owner? Or even writing in to the BBC. ;)
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on January 24, 2021, 06:47:29 PM
I did ask Triumph who said there were only two registered owners on their database for my vin, not including me.

The guy I bought it from said he was told the story from who he bought it from, so it was probably the first owner telling stories.

I did take a look at a couple of UK bikeraces on YouTube from 2006/7 when I bought her but couldn't verify the claim. It just adds to the mystery of her past though.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: ghulst on January 24, 2021, 06:51:24 PM
But due to privacy rules Triumph couldn't tell you?

Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on January 24, 2021, 09:58:50 PM
Couldn't tell me who but the reason it came up was because I was telling the bloke behind the parts desk the story just after I got her. He registered me on their database &at the same time same there was no reference to the BBC..

I suspect I'll never know for sure, but it's a nice story. :icon_mrgreen:
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on January 25, 2021, 03:00:12 AM
It could have been registered to a sub contractor to the BEEb which would make it a bit trickier, got any contacts in the biking community that might be able to point you in the right direction?

I do remember seeing a Girly camera bike during sports news coverage of a UK event when it came in shot from another camera and me commenting to the wife at the time, can't remember what the event was or when which is no help  :icon_scratch:
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Tiger-G on January 25, 2021, 10:53:44 AM
her "lady garden" needs a trim  :bug_eye
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: London_Phil on January 25, 2021, 03:40:10 PM
I do remember seeing an episode of a program where a silver Girly with full luggage is "ridden" from somewhere in the UK to possibly Scotland.
Buggered if I can remember what program, I watched a lot of telly.......
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on February 06, 2021, 02:37:14 PM
Wandered in to the garage this morning as there was a slight possibility I may need Tallulah tomorrow (transporting PPE for Volunteer Riders UK), just to give her the once over.

Bearing in mind I haven't tried to start her for almost two weeks, she started first time. Ok, the engine was a little slow to turn over but she started. I ran her up to temperature while I dug my old solar battery charger out, switched toe engine off & checked the battery charge, 12.37V.

I usualy have her on the battery optimiser, but last weekend, the electrics in the garage blew & I've yet to find the fault.

As soon as I'd connected up the solar charger, I got a message that the run tomorrow was cancelled, so the charger is now sitting on the car (whose battery was so low, I couldn't even unlock it without using the key (2.5v). well, it had been sitting outside unused for over 2 months, I guess, a little like Girlies, the alarm was bleeding the battery dry.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: London_Phil on February 06, 2021, 05:43:43 PM
Got a call from the daughter today, to say her car wouldn't start... Got in my people carrier with the intention of popping over, and it wouldn't start either. Neither had been sitting that long, but the cold and wet has  not helped. Bought an Audew 2000a battery pack thing last year, and its been bloody amazing. Now have two dead cars on the drive, attached by extension leads, with auto chargers attached to each. Always something...
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on February 06, 2021, 05:53:07 PM
Late December last year, Mrs L's car wouldn't start, been sitting on the drive, unused for almost a month. Had to take the battery out to charge it. That day, we had to walk a 3 mile round trip to the supermarket to get something for dinner, which apparently was my fault - I didn't have any jump leads.

What do I get for Xmas, a Noco boost GB40. which I was quite pleased about. to be fair, I was expecting jump leads, which probably wouldn't have worked anyway, as my car had been standing since the begining of November (actually, that's 3 months, no wonder the battery was flat).

The Noco was what started my car today, started a 3.2l petrol car with ease.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Bixxer Bob on February 06, 2021, 07:24:42 PM
My 2.2 diesel Honda CRV was sounding a bit tired with the onset of cold weather so bought a new Yuesa with 4 yr guarrantee.  Sorted.  Even on the coldest mornings it's a lot more perky that of late.

I've never understood wringing the last out of batteries when they're about the same price as a tank of fuel.  Car or bike, a weak battery can cause so many problems - some of them expensive - that it's just not worth it.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: ghulst on February 07, 2021, 12:31:33 PM
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210207/10d981bde75bf693ad95c5cd30b52699.jpg)

When I find my Mini under here, I'm sure it'll start just fine. (https://emoji.tapatalk-cdn.com/emoji12.png)


On the other hand, the '18 Citroen Jumpy van has not missed a beat. Ever. It's been a joy to own so far. The Mini did request a new battery last year when I got it. Then, as COVID started, I left it sitting in the street for a month and a half, draining the battery completely. That annoyed me for a bit. Then I decided to just fit another new (and much bigger) one in November to solve the starting problems. It is much better now. Drove fine last week, so I am full of confidence. ;)
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on March 03, 2021, 11:01:46 AM
Tallulah sees the light of day for the first time this year. I volunteered for a run  (part of a relay) delivering visors to a school in the south of England somewhere & I got the job of moving the PPE across my patch. I was told there were three good sized parcels, so loaded up Tallulah with panniers, top box and, just to be on the safe side, tank bag in case I had to split one of the parcels. Only had to do this once but you never know. besides, I had some lunch and a flask of coffee in the tank bag.

Off I went, filling up with Premium on the way & she performed faultlessly. I'd forgotten how good the old 955i can be. A few twisties on the way to the pick up point & it didn't take me long to get back in to the swing of things.

Much of the 120 mile run was done on the A1 so not so twisty but she still purred along at a steady 70mph (honest!). A good run, despite the temperature being around 5c. Glad I fitted my R&G heated grips when the original ones failed a few years ago.

Did I need to take panniers, topbox & Tank bag? No not really, all three packages could have fitted in the top box with room to spare.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: ghulst on March 03, 2021, 04:32:23 PM
Adventure!

Well, at least one of us got out on the bike today. And for a good cause!
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on March 03, 2021, 05:33:04 PM
 :rrr brilliant  :notworthy
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on March 20, 2021, 06:53:17 PM
Out on another volunteer run yesterday. Weather was wet, roads were muddy in places and I got stuck behind a truck in the twisties, so kept my distance & enjoyed the ride instead of trying to overtake.

It was a nice steady 120 mile run but when I got home, you could have planted crops on the swingarm, panniers, front of the engine, in fact you could have probably got a whole crop rotation thing going.

Spent this afternoon cleaning her off, followed by hosing the mud off the drive and althgough the drive is not that clean, Tallulah is  :thumbsup
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on March 20, 2021, 09:58:46 PM
Pity, you won't get the fallow field payment  ;)
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on April 05, 2021, 01:18:36 PM
Took Tallulah out for a short 50 mile run yesterday, first time I've had the chance to ride just for the hell of it. Some fast sweeping roads, some slow twisty. Not pushing it, just taking my time.

Odd thing though, I had one car pull out of a side turning while I was some distance away and still in a 30 limit, at least far enough for it to accelerate away, but it didn't, it stayed at 30, even though we were now in a 60 limit. I just overtook and was off up the road.

Some time later, another car moved to pull out of a junction but stoped after about 2-3 feet. I assumed he saw me at the last minute.

Just before I got back home, I caught up with a 1980 registered Ducati. I followed him for about 4 miles, making a series of turns, not actually following him, I was just going in the same direction, using a series of back roads on my way home. After a while, and at an unexpected point he accelerated away, making some odd riding choices, overtaking when I wouldn't have risked it, & not slowing going through a villaige wih a 30 limit. A bit odd I thought.

Anyway, I pulled up on to my drive & as I approached the garage door, I noticed not only did I have my fog lights on (I usually only use them at night), but oddly, they were set to the strobe setting.  :icon_eek:

Not sure how as I don't usually switch them on - I can only think I must have caught the switch when getting the bike out of the garage, but even then you usually have to switch then on and off three times to get them to strobe, which I know is illegal on UK roads.

Still, it was good to get out for a while.  :wheel
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on April 05, 2021, 04:19:42 PM
 :mut
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: ghulst on April 13, 2021, 03:31:42 PM
(http://https://media.giphy.com/media/Q7ozWVYCR0nyW2rvPW/source.mp4)(https://media.giphy.com/media/Q7ozWVYCR0nyW2rvPW/giphy.gif)
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on April 19, 2021, 11:07:14 AM
Tallulah's got a new can...

Yes, after trying a TOR exhaust last year & deciding I couldn't live with the constant drone following me around, I put the original can back on & got rid of the TOR can. But last week, I spotted a post if the Sale section for a Haynes manual - didn't want a Haynes as I have the official Triumph service manual, but the seller (Paul) also had a few other goodies, among them was a Blueflame exhaust, complete with link pipe.

How could I refuse!

The can turned up Sunday afternoon via Hermes (who knew they delivered on a Sunday?) and after 15 minutes I'd swapped the exhausts over.

Fired her up & the sound was a really nice burble, not that much louder than the original can with the baffle in, but a nicer sound. I haven't tried it with the baffles out yet as my circlip pliers aren't man enough for the job.

Before |i took her out I thought I'd try putting the panniers back on. Just as well I did as the bottom of the can fouled the cut away in the pannier, not by much, about 5mm, so another 15 minutes loosening off all the fittings, a few adjustments then tighten everything back up again as all was good.

A quick 25 mile run around the local roads and she certainly feels better, smoother acceleration & power delivery. I didn't reset the ECU but as I'm running the TOR map and the ECU adapts after time, I didn't see the need. For the first time since I've owned her, I had the front wheel off the ground accidentally.  :bug_eye,

I also checked the inside of the pannier to make sure it wasn't getting hot as the gap between the can & the pannier is probably less than 5mm and there was no appreciable heat transfer, so all is good.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on April 19, 2021, 11:15:55 AM
Win win result  :thumbsup

I expect you've already considered putting some alloy flashing tape on the cut out just in case (no pun) you get stuck in traffic in the middle of a Roman summer  :XXsunsmile
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: ghulst on April 19, 2021, 11:20:36 AM
Now you know we want pics with the new can. ;)


And I agree with @Sin_Tiger here. That tape could be a pretty good thing to do. Especially in summer.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on April 19, 2021, 03:33:22 PM
Photos can be posted up later, I'm on my work PC at the moment & my photos aren't.

As for the tape, good call. I'll go get some when time allows.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on April 20, 2021, 07:37:29 PM
A couple of pics of the Blueflame exhaust.

Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on April 20, 2021, 07:38:36 PM
That's weird, if you click on the images they open the right way around.   :icon_scratch:
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: ghulst on April 20, 2021, 07:52:15 PM
I guess the thumb in the post is the Australian version... ;)

Looks good though. But I like it rubber side down better.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on May 26, 2021, 10:11:11 AM
New battery time.

Over the past year, with not much riding going on, I've kept the battery of my trusty Cat on an optimiser, but mid winter, I blew the electrics in the garage. Still haven't got around to calling in the electrician, but I've isolated the garage power feed & it appears the problem is with the fuse box in the house.

Anyway, back to the reason for this post. 2 years ago, I replaced the battery the bike came with, with a Motobatt AGM battery. I was never really happy with it as from fitting it, the engine turned over a little slow, even though it's a 14 aH battery. It really was no different to the original lead acid battery it failed, except that it held the charge longer. As I didn't pay for the battery, its history was an unknown but I had no reason to disbelieve who generously gave it to me to replace the almost dead Yuasa one the bike came with, that it was unused. He apparently bought it for his bike a few days before it was written off, so it sat in its box on a shelf for 8 months. I'd heard Motobatt batteries were the dogs danglies so after charging it, figured all was as it should have been.

For the past 7 months, if I leave the bike for more than a week, off comes the battery so I can bring it in to the house to charge it, but even fully charged, it doesn't seem to have sufficient power to confidently turn the engine when starting. Don't get me wrong, it does start and aside form the one time I left the heated grips on for 5 minutes without the engine running, it's only failed once, unfortunately, when I took her for an MOT last year.

I've had a multi meter on all the charging circuit and once I'd cleaned up all the connectors, that's all good.

Finally, after having to put it on charge again last weekend before going for a ride, I bit the bullet & ordered a new lead acid battery, a BS 12 aH Battery, apparently the official sponsor of Fabio Quartararo (Moto GP Pilot #20 according to the BS Battery flyer that came with the battery), not that I've ever heard of either the make or the rider.

Put the new battery in last night & WOW, what a difference. I didn't realise how worn out the old Motobatt one was. First touch of the button & the big Cat bursts in to life. I don't think the engine has ever turned over so quick, at least not since I've owned it.

Now to get the garage electrics sorted...
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on May 26, 2021, 03:17:14 PM
I've not been so impressed with the several Motobatt's I've had over the years. They don't seem last as long if they are kept on "conditioners" (and I use C-Tek's) for long periods, I don't have technical data to back that statement up but I do know that when they start to go, unlike wet batteries, they just fall off the edge of a cliff. They do push them hard in sales outlets and they're competitively priced but aside from that, the only advantage are that they don't require initial filling and are non positional as far as mounting goes.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: ghulst on May 26, 2021, 09:26:54 PM
I still use regular old-style batteries on my bikes and keep them conditioned with C-Tek's and they haven't really failed me yet. And at that price, it is easy to change them out when they go doubtful. ;)
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on June 01, 2021, 06:59:03 PM
Out & about today, 24c and the fan was on pretty much every time I dropped below 40mph. Glad I changed the battery when I did - absolutely no problems restarting each time I stopped for fuel for either me or Tallulah.

Only 114 miles but it was good to get out.

Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on June 02, 2021, 02:00:20 AM
 :XXsunsmile :wheel
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Bixxer Bob on June 03, 2021, 10:59:35 PM
Ditto Sin.....
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Chris Canning on June 21, 2021, 10:52:22 PM
Dug mine out from the back of the garage today still runs like a good'un.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on June 23, 2021, 10:58:42 AM
Know what you mean, not touched mine since the begining of June as I've been getting Tabitha running or taking Mrs L out in the SLK.

Pulled Tallulah out yesterday, started at the first touch of the button.

Still didn't take her anywhere though & got Mrs L's car to service today  :icon_sad:
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on October 06, 2021, 04:08:38 PM
A long time since I've done anything to Tallulah except ride her. Lots of little jobs to do but as I've been riding Tabitha recently, I'm afraid I've been neglecting Tallulah.

Over the past few months I've been working towards my advanced motorcycle test & while I've been doing the basic checks, tyres, chain & lights, I've done little else.

I have an assessment ride this evening so pulled her out of the back of the garage, hit the start button and she was a little slow to turn over to say the least. She had a new battery around 6 months ago but she's been sitting in ther garage, unused for the past 4 weeks apart from starting her up to move her back in again whenever I've had to move her out into the sunshine.

Just in case, I checked the reg/rec and all is well, so it's just no riding but starting & stopping the engine a few times since my last good ride.

I also checked the tyre pressures 36/42 which were down a couple of PSI each. that may be something to do with the last time I checked them it was 20c + and today its barely hitting 12c.

For a while, the fuel cap has been loose, not the ring that attaches it to the tank but the hinge itaelf. It can make it a little difficult to close occasionally. I took the whole fuel filler off the tank & had it apart but it seems there's no way to tighten up the hinge so I'll have to live with it or buy a bew fuel filler & change the locks.

While the filler cap was off I thought I'd check the drain holes too. I have a piece of strimmer line that I used last week to unblock the sunroof drain on my car & it's just the right tool for this job too.

So, tyres checked, electrics checked, chain oiled, fuel tank vent & drain checked and battery charged.

Looks like I'm all ready to go - if I can find somewhere to buy fuel.

:occasion14
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on October 07, 2021, 01:15:05 AM
I haven't seen a queue at a petrol station yet but I have only been out of the house once in the last 10 days  :icon_lol:

It's supposed to be 20C up here tomorrow  :icon_scratch: better check my tyres aren't about to burst as it was 8C yesterday  :icon_rolleyes:
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Bixxer Bob on October 08, 2021, 05:18:31 AM
Quote from: Sin_Tiger on October 07, 2021, 01:15:05 AM


It's supposed to be 20C up here tomorrow  :icon_scratch: better check my tyres aren't about to burst as it was 8C yesterday  :icon_rolleyes:

So that'll be WARM rain then?  :*&*
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on October 08, 2021, 03:03:05 PM
Quote from: Bixxer Bob on October 08, 2021, 05:18:31 AM
So that'll be WARM rain then?  :*&*

:nod

How was it after having ridden the Trophy?
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on October 08, 2021, 11:14:17 PM
Odd to say the least. The power delivery & lower centre of gravity of the Trophy was leading me to ride a bit quicker, so it took a good 1/2 hour to readjust.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: ghulst on October 10, 2021, 01:41:36 PM
It is so funny how different bikes can feel. I had that when I got on the Ducati. That really does take quite some time to adjust to in comparison to the Tiger or the GS.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on October 10, 2021, 06:15:38 PM
At one point, I had two Tigers, my silver 06 and a blue 05. there was around 60,000 miles difference between the two and the blue (126,000 miles) one had road tyres compared to Tallulah that has 90/10 tyres. I rode them back to back just the once before I sold the blue one and there was a marked difference between the two.

Even with 100% road tyres, the blue one didn't inspire that much confidence, felt far more 'loose' on corners, the suspension was bouncier, on the back and there was more dive on the front. I rebuilt the brakes & changed all the fluids & the brakes were the only thing that was about the same. the blue one even felt lower. I suspect the shot suspension had a lot to do with that.

So even two supposedly identical bikes can feel & ride differently
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on October 11, 2021, 01:50:07 AM
Steamers are no different, please don't ask me how I can say that, it's embarrassing  :icon_redface:
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on October 20, 2021, 04:15:04 PM
The day dawned to the sound of falling rain lightly tapping at the window. Outside it was still dark, the darkness interrupted every now & then by a car driving past the house, it's unknown occupant on their way to another days work.

I stirred, turned over & heard the Yowling of my deaf cat downstairs. Clearly it was time to get up, feed her & make myself some breakfast.

Even though it was raining, the forecast was for rain to clear by midday. This was good as I had Tallulah booked in for her annual checkup.

The day before I had pulled her out of the garage and conducted my usual pre-MOT checks, lights, brakes - pads and operation, bearings etc. I'd checked the tyre pressures, adjusted the chain and then out came the bucket & sponge to give her the clean a 15 year old Tiger deserves to keep her looking pretty.

I glanced at the forecast again, Tallulah had her appointment at 13.45 and things were looking good. the sky was clearing and as the warmth of the sun touched the roads, there was a whisp of steam visible, rising into the morning air.

13.05 and it was time to get ready and it was time to get myself ready for the 15 minute ride to destiny.

From out of nowhere, there was a rumble from outside, usually I would put this down to a tractor thundering past the house, but something inside me said 'NOT THIS TIME SONNY' I looked out of the window to be rewarded by a bright flash, another rumble, this time much louder and the accompanying hail bouncing off the drive.

Bugger :BangHead

In the past year, I've MOT'd 3 bikes and every time the weather has been horrendous. I thought today might be different but no, p1$$ing down out there and it started almost the same time I styepped out of the door to get Tallulah out of the garage.

This was not going to stop me, I mounted Tallualah (ooh er!) & set off for the MOT station.

As I turned in to the yard, I felt a slight drag - Talluylah didn't seem quite as responsive as she usually is after not missing a beat on the 6 mile trip, but she was still running. I had visions of her breaking down, something she's only done once since I've owned her. Oddly, that was at last year's MOT when the battery gave out & we had to use a battery pack to get her going again.

Could lightening strike twice?

The answer to that question is yes! They say there's no excuse for a bike failing an MOT as long as you keep up with maintenance.

The rear brake was binding. It wasn't when I set off, it wasn't on the journey to the MOT station and the two 'Mud on road' signs outside a couple of farms I passed were without incident, except for a small slide from the rear wheel, not much, just enough to feel it but not enough time for me to react. Tallulah sorted that one out without my input.

So, MOT failed and she's now back home awaiting some TLC before I take her back within the next couple of days for a retest.

On the plus side, by the time I got the the MOT station, it had stopped raining, the sun came out again and the ride home was completed in a little more comfort than the journey out.  :*
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: ghulst on October 20, 2021, 05:02:27 PM
Oh man, that is terrible. And a binding rear brake can be anything... Hope this is going to be an easy solution.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on October 20, 2021, 06:46:42 PM
Yep, fairly easy solution, the dust seal on one piston has perished, so a new seal kit has been ordered & I'll strip & rebuild the caliper when they've arrived. The pistons look in good order so they only needed a clean.

Until then Tabitha will have to accompany me on my outings  :icon_biggrin:
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on October 20, 2021, 06:55:40 PM
 :XXsunsmile was an omen.

Still, could have been more expensive, you'll know it's not going to get a fail and the fuel savings should pay for the seals within a few miles  :thumbsup
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on October 26, 2021, 06:29:30 PM
Guess who dropped a caloper piston on the concrete floor & buggered it up?

Yep, that was me!  :BangHead

So, two new caliper pistons, one seal kit & a fresh pot of brake fluid & all done, she has a MOT for another year.

I also bought some Grip Puppies as I've been getting pins & needles in my left hand recently & someone recommended these. First impressions are they're a bit chunky - maybe I'll get used to them, maybe I won't.

Next up, oil & filter change, but that can wait until I've had Tabitha. on the dyno next week.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on October 26, 2021, 09:05:59 PM
Quote from: Sin_Tiger on October 20, 2021, 06:55:40 PM
Still, could have been more expensive,

:BangHead sometimes trying to be cheery and positive backfires  :augie
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: ghulst on October 26, 2021, 09:24:41 PM
Good to hear you got the MOT sorted. Well done.

On the grip puppies, it does take time to get used to bigger grips. I used to have something similar on my Transalp and I really needed to get to grips (pun intended) with smaller grips on newer bikes. When I did my test rides a couple of months ago, I rode an Africa Twin with thicker grips again and though it took a bit of getting used to, I did pick it up quite quickly again. You'll manage. ;)
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on November 11, 2021, 12:13:51 PM
As some of you may know, I've been working towards my advanced motorcycle test in recent weeks, so Tallulah has been ridden harder for longer & done more miles than usual. While I was working, I would get out at weekends for a couple of hours once or twice a month but that was about it. Since August, though I've been out a couple of times a week & while I've been checking the basics, oil, tyres, brakes electrics etc. I haven't yet done her annual service which was due at the begining of October.

I have my test coming up so as soon as that's done, Tallulah is going in to my workshop for some TLC. As well as the general service, I'm going to do a complete fluid change, oil, brake fluid and coolant.

I've noticed in recent weeks, that even with temperatures around 10oC the fan is coming on almost as soon as I reduce my speed to 30mph. I'm fairly sure that it never used to heat up quite that quickly - then I remember I've had her for just over 3 years and I never got around to replacing the coolant. That could be something to do with it.

I've also noticed that after a little over 7000 miles, the tyres are getting a little low, still legal and still nice & grippy in the autumn weather but they won't last the winter.

I'm not going to go around the houses with tyre choice as everyone has their own opinions as to what tyres are 'best'. Everyone rides differently, in differing conditions & road surfaces, expects different performance from their tyres, so I'm not going to ask.

Tallualh has Tourance tyres at the moment and despite a lot of negative comments, I've had no issues with them and I'm probably pushing them harder now than I have since they've been on the bike.

So', I'm down to a choice of two, Tourance Next or Road 5 Trails. we'll see which ones I can get hold of at the end of the month.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on November 11, 2021, 09:26:57 PM
Good luck with the test and finding tyres at a sensible price, they seem to be settling down again after the post Brexit hike.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: ghulst on November 11, 2021, 09:46:56 PM
Good luck on the test! When is the day?
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on November 19, 2021, 09:13:58 PM
Today was Tallulah's annual service, oil & filter mainly but took the opportunity to flush the coolant & replace it. Don't know when it was last done, certainly not during my ownership. The pink stuff that came out was somewhat cloudy & the cr8p that came out of the expansion tank needed to be seen to be believed.

Flushed it 3 times & refilled with some fluorescent organic Putoline stuff & topped up the expansion tank to between min & max. Just need to run it up to temp & keep an eye on the level now.

Note to self: next time I'm planning to remove the fuel tank, don't fill it up on the way home  :BangHead
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: ghulst on November 19, 2021, 10:40:10 PM
Hahahaha, been there. Though not planned. I had just fueled up and ridden home, when the ignition on my Steamer packed in. That thing was a pain to lift off. ;)
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on November 30, 2021, 02:47:12 PM
After taking Tabitha to the garage for some of the good stuff, it seemed a shame to not ride Tallulah, especially as I already had my kit on.

This is the first ride since replacing the coolant - I'm glad I did it. Before changing it, Tallulah used to frequently have the fan running after 5 minutes riding through town, even with the air temperature in single figures. it was this that prompted me to change the coolant.

Today the outside temperature is 11c and mostly sunny so it seemed an ideal day for a test ride. I had to charge the battery up as she's not been ridden for almost 2 weeks and the temperature in the garage has dropped to 0c the last couple of nights. Not having power in the garage means I can't put the battery on the optimiser.

Off I go through the village, the long way through the new estates as the main road is closed, then a quick 3 mile blast, another 20 or so minutes riding through town, another quick 5 mile blast and finally a bimble through the village and back home.

The temp gauge barely moved once she was up to temperature and a final check of the level in the expansion tank, just above min line and jobs a good'un.

Next up, a good clean and a liberal coating of ACF50 to set her up for the winter, probably later this week as I go back to work in a couple of weeks time so fettling time will once again be limited.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: ghulst on November 30, 2021, 09:50:48 PM
Nice! Enjoy it! Good to hear the coolant works better now.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on December 01, 2021, 01:02:28 AM
Result. I'm going to keep Edna road legal just for those odd days and our club annual Braveheart run 1st weekend of Jan  :icon_eek:

If you dislike washing salt off, winter in Scotland is not for you  ;)
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on December 01, 2021, 11:34:13 AM
I have a council depot just up the road from me, approx 1/2 mile away. While they don't keep road salt there, the council make sure the two roads in the village are well salted, just in case.

By the middle of February, the road looks more like a gravel track than tarmac  :icon_eek:
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on December 01, 2021, 09:59:15 PM
Roadie after the delivery trip to Jack Lilley's Dec 2013
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on January 16, 2022, 11:39:52 AM
Took Tallulah out for a wee spin the other day. Needed some milk & as it was a nice day thought I'd ride instead of taking the car. a quick check of tyres, oil  & electrics as she's not been out for almost a month. Battery was a little low but she started without too much trouble.

£23 for two pints of milk, including petrol to the shop & back. Mrs L couldn't quite understand how it took a couple of hours to get to the shop when it's only 2 miles away.

It was good to get out & about.   :wheel
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on January 16, 2022, 08:54:00 PM
 :mut I managed out on Friday too. That's inflation for you, the price of Tunnocks Tea Cakes has really rocketed :nod
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: ghulst on January 17, 2022, 12:59:12 PM
I've managed not to get out this weekend at all... Too much mist here for the bike and very salty roads. So, the GS stayed inside, the KTM remains a naked. Too cold to work on the KTM as well.
I did do that "shopping run" years ago when I really needed to get some milk and it took me over 100km to find it. ;)
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on January 17, 2022, 06:31:01 PM
It amazes me how far you need to go just to get essentials these days.

I'm thinking of running out of cheese later this week.  :icon_mrgreen:
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on January 17, 2022, 07:53:25 PM
How far can Camembert run  :*&*
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on January 22, 2022, 12:59:23 PM
Pulled her out of the garage today & in to the sunshine. Was expecting to have to charge the battery, but no, she started first press of the button. Happy with that even if she was turning over a little sluggish ( compared to usual).

A quick once over with a rag clean the lights  a chain oil & she's good to go.

Except the fluid in the expansion tank was a little low. I kind of expected that as I've not checked the level since I did a fluid change a while back. I now have a pool of coolant on the drive. Yep, over filled it & she spat out what she didn't want when I warmed her up..

Never mi d, taking her out later for a trip to the nearest shop. I might forget the way again.  :wheel   :icon_mrgreen:
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on January 22, 2022, 06:58:20 PM
https://www.relive.cc/view/v1Ow34dkPXO

This may or may not work.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on January 22, 2022, 08:54:43 PM
It does  :><
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on January 29, 2022, 05:44:58 PM
Finally got around to doing something I've been meaning to to for over 2 years. Some may know it as the Sasquatch mod, I know it better as 'the dark art of Tiger charging circuits'

Yes  I spent a while this morning not in the garage, but at the kitchen table with wire  soldering iron and all sorts of other connectors, fuse lines & electrical tape.

So far Mrs L hasn't noticed the burns on the table  but give it time. If I don't post again for a long while, you know why.

Anyway, using the post on this very site, it probably took less than 1/2 hour to put the bypass together. Another 20 minutes to fit it on Tallulah (& 25 minutes to go buy a 30a small blade fuse).

Pre mod, 13.4v at idle and (oddly) 13.2v at 3000rpm.
Post mod 14.2v at idle, 14.2v at 3000rpm.

Not a bad result  eve  though I don't think the charging was too bad to begin with.

Next up, I bought one of those cheap Chinese motorcycle dashcams, with both front & rear camera. When I get a fairly warm & not so windy day, you can guess what I'll be doing, assuming I survive the table incident. :thumbsup
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: London_Phil on January 29, 2022, 08:12:20 PM
Ahhh Sasquatch... a name from the past.

Just to say, make sure the fuse holder is a good one. As I discovered when I modded the 800 to move the 30A main fuse from under the Battery. I picked up what was a good quality Napa part when I was in the US, but it had a slightly poor crimp on one side, and the fuse assembly was discovered to be melting after a few months of use. I went back to the original, oem quality fuse holder, but you  don't have that option, so just a suggestion to check it regularly.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on January 30, 2022, 09:17:53 AM
Will do, it was a Halfords fuse  so I figure it's not a 'do once & forget' part.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on January 30, 2022, 06:40:58 PM
 :iagree with Phil, there's some suspect but nicely "Brand Packaged" stuff around. I used to be able to tap into my resources for marine grade stuff  :icon_rolleyes: it's worth the little extra money if you know it's provenance. I'll probably get it in the neck for this but some of the 70's Lucas stuff was better quality than some (not all it has to be said) that drops through the letter box in a grey plastic bag  ;)

It would be good if you can do a review of the ridecam, my 10 year old dual cam one is robust but quite large and not as good recording quality compared to modern ones. I think we may need to protect ourselves even more with the ludicrous changes to the Highway code. Many wouldn't adhere to the rules before, I feel education would have been a better use of resources  :cp
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on January 30, 2022, 10:24:24 PM
That was one of the reasons s for getting a dashcam. We have a few cyclist clubs around here who already thi k they own the road. Someone in the village had their car windscreen smashed following an argument about speeding on a cycle past a nursery school. Their cats captured a cyclist group surround the car & start to kick it.  They generally ride 2 or 3 abreast on the main A15.

I'll do a quite up when I've got it all wired up.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: London_Phil on January 30, 2022, 11:08:26 PM
I've got an original single Camera Innov on my 800. Done well, but probably time to upgrade.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on January 31, 2022, 01:57:53 PM
Well, the dashcam was a washout, luckily, I tested it out in the house before attaching it to the bike.

First of all, there is no function to set the time/date. It starts at 01/01/2019 01:00 - What's the point of having a time/date stamp on a Dashcam if you can't change it?

The control unit is a cheap plastic box which you are warned is not waterproof (it's described as a Motorcycle recorder). I know it was cheap, at only £36 but my old action camera, a GoPro copy cost less and at 4 years old, is still going strong.

The only way to view the video is to remove the SD card and transfer the video files to your PC. It is supposed to have a G-sensor so it locks the video in the event of an accident and was also meant to have an internal battery which activates the camera even when the ignition is switched off, they call it 'Motion (or Motin as it says on the box) detect. I rather suspect that's b0ll0ck$ as well.

Lastly, the quality. It's supposed to be 'Full HD', I used a new and newly formatted micro SD card. The rear facing video footage was just blue, with no sound, the front was, well, take a look at the video for yourself and decide. I know it's a little all over the place, but you'll notice when I do move the camera, it's not smooth, and looking at the spec for the front camera again, its 640x480, which is hardly going to provide HD quality.

https://youtu.be/uQ7ewywMgNE

I bought this as the battery in my GoPro copy is a little old, so doesn't hold a charge for more than 20 minutes. I wanted something that came on with the ignition and went off when the ignition was switched off. This one seemed to fit the bill & whiler I've seen cheaper, I figured it was still cheap enough as an experiment & I wouldn't be too worried if the quality was poor, as long as it did its job - it doesnt.

So, if you see one of these, steer well clear.



Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: London_Phil on January 31, 2022, 02:19:23 PM
When it comes to video recording, branded names can really make a difference. Innov and the like use higher quality sensors, which as we found out with phone brands, is crucial.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on January 31, 2022, 11:16:25 PM
Thanks Lee. That is pretty poor, even my +10 year old one gives better results than that and it has proved its worth on more than one occasion.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: ghulst on February 04, 2022, 12:22:31 PM
If I use a cam on my motorcycle, I use my GoPro Black 7. No real dashcam. But it gives me a nice image. ;)
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on February 04, 2022, 01:22:40 PM
The GoPro copy I have gives a good image but the battery only lasts about 30 minutes. I used it when Iwas commuting to work as riding through Peterborough, there wasn't a day when someone (usually a taxi) pulled out in front of me or a young mother would push her buggy out in to the road, knowing that any vehicle would stop.

As of Saturday, with the changes to the Highway code - and I've been out on the bike twice since then, riding through my nearest market town, the local bike club has been out in force, testing the new rules* and pedestrians seem to have forgotton what pedestrian crossings are for. There are also a large number of drivers in this area who are not too fussed with UK licences or tax/insurance. This is one of the main reasons why I was considering a bike dedicated dashcam that looked both front and back.

I think once I've got my money back from the seller of the sh1t camera I bought, I'm going to bite the bullet & buy a decent(ish) one. For short journeys, I'll probably still use the GoPro copy & I now have Nextbase cameras in both our cars.

*As of 29th January, for those who haven't heard, cyclists are being encouraged to ride 2 abrest and/or in the centre of their lane to make them more visible. This is supposed to be on slow roads or slow moving traffic but the local cycle club have taken this to mean they can cycle where they like as they now own the roads and they are exempt from red traffic lights
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on February 04, 2022, 05:32:06 PM
This dual helmet cam is being sold by the same mob that are often seen at the shows. It's not too expensive for what it is but it's still quite a large object. I suppose the benefit is that it's always available, unless you swap helmets.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Techalogic-Camera-Motorcycle-Advanced-Records-Black/dp/B07Y5HL152/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=Motorcycle+Helmet+Camera&qid=1643991899&sr=8-11 (http://techalogic)

I picked up some slightly older Veho K2's that work very well, the only real downside is they don't have stability control built in, so can be a bit shaky mounted on the bike but might be OK on a helmet. I'd really like the Sena Tube but they have peculiar sales strategies now.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: ghulst on February 07, 2022, 11:33:03 AM
Quote from: Lee337 on February 04, 2022, 01:22:40 PM
they are exempt from red traffic lights


Really? Well, that's a great idea then, isn't it?
Honestly, I have ridden a bike around the UK for a bit, and drivers do seem to cut it dangerously close when they are passing you, overtaking you or turning in front of you. But to make cyclist exempt from traffic lights is not going to be much help in their safety, is it?  :cp
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on February 07, 2022, 12:44:03 PM
Cyclists in many UK cities ignore traffic signals, many just mount the pavement rather than wait at a red light. This is not uncommon. As far as some are concerned the rules of the road don't apply to them.

Cyclists are not really exempt from stopping at red lights, but many believe they are.  :icon_mrgreen:
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on February 07, 2022, 11:00:49 PM
Quote from: Lee337 on February 07, 2022, 12:44:03 PM
Cyclists are not really exempt from stopping at red lights, but many believe they are.  :icon_mrgreen:

Even pedestrians are expected to adhere to red lights  :icon_rolleyes:

When is a cyclist not a cyclist? When they are riding across a pedestrian crossing, often with a phone in one hand and a food delivery bag on their back  :icon_evil:
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on February 09, 2022, 05:20:19 PM
Another few hours to spare, another short 70 mile run. This time exploring the Fens south of Peterborough , including a ride along what is argueably the lowest road in the UK,

Holme Fen is reported to be 9ft below sea level at its lowest, although the road doesn't do lower than 5'4" (1.6m).
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on February 10, 2022, 12:50:23 AM
Glad you got out, still too breezy up here  :nap
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: ghulst on February 10, 2022, 07:18:09 AM
That road is almost at Dutch level then. ;)

But nice to be out and about!
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on February 10, 2022, 12:42:57 PM
I did think about that when I was out - that I was probably eye level to many Dutch riders  :icon_lol:
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on February 10, 2022, 05:59:42 PM
Before I went out the other day, I, while I had Tallulah on the drive, I thought I'd just check the tyre pressures, pretty much where they should have been, despite sitting ding nothing for a while, but I also thought it was high time I checked the tread depth - Oh dear!

While not exactly illegal, they're not too far off, expecially the front one. I'd hreard that Metzeler Tourance wear quickly but to be fair, I've had 7,800 miles out of them.

I thought I'd go for something a little different this time, instead of a 80/20 Ive ordered a set of tyres that are 100% road biased. I'm now awaiting delivery of a pair of Michelin Road 5 Trails.

While the Tourance are a nice tyre - I've heard bad reports about the Tourance Next, that wasn't the reason for changing type. I actually like the Tourance, I've only had one real slide since I put them on and that was a drain cover. After 1500 miles I could feel the tyres moving underneath me but only under 30mph. above that I founfd them to be stable, with losads of grip in both wet and dry conditions and i was tempted to order another set. But the chances of me riding on anything other than tarmac is unlikely, mainly because I'm afraid of dropping her & not being able to pick her up. So, I've decided this time I wanted to try a road tyre. Maybe I'll go back to a 80/20 tyre in the future after I've had a crack at road biased ones.

I'm sure there are some of us who have already gone down this route and probably even used the Road 5's but it's first for me.

Sad as this sounds, I'm quite looking forward to trying them out.   :rrr
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: London_Phil on February 10, 2022, 06:19:20 PM
I've just fitted the Newish Anakee Adventure to the rear on the Xc Looks more off road than it is ( Its 80/20 I think). The Anakee 3 on the front has been fine, so I expect the Adventure to be at least as good. I had what may have been the oem Metzler on the back, and it was fine, just old and worn.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on February 10, 2022, 08:16:59 PM
The Anakee Adventure was another consideration, and a comparable price to the Road 5.

I had a look around on a couple of fb forums & they didn't seem to rate them on the 955i.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on March 01, 2022, 07:44:15 PM
Had the Road 5 Trails fitted this afternoon, took longer to clean everything than my tame mechanic took to fit the tyres to the wheels & balance them.

Even though I washed Tallulah last week, I've been out on her since & while the wheel was off, took the opportunity to clean the swing arm, rear shock and the sprocket carrier.

Oddly, refitting the wheels was a doddle, the easiest & quickest I've ever done it on the Tiger, even having to dodge around the cat who decided to sit on a floor cushion I was using. Usually refitting the rear wheel is a PITA

Not ridden her with the Road 5's yet as I re-taxed Tabitha & took her out for a wee spin earlier, so I'll taker her out later (when it stops raining) and report back.

Quite by coincidence, I received a newsletter from Michelin a couple of days ago offering £30 cashback if I buy a pair of motorcycle tyres. Followed the link & sent copies of the invoice and got another email from them today confirming £30 will be in my bank by the end of the week.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: ghulst on March 04, 2022, 09:25:38 AM
Now that is a very nice bonus! :)

Looking forward to hearing how you like the Road 5 Trails.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on March 04, 2022, 02:29:40 PM
True to their word, Michelin deposited £30 in my account this morning.

As for the tyres, well here's another tale to tell.

Having refitted the wheels to Tallulah on Wednesday, I left it until Friday to take her out. As I wheeled her out of the garage, something didn't feel right, there was this weird clonking sound comming form the front of the bike. As I usually wheel the bikes in to the garage forward, it stands to reason, I wheel them out backwards, then turn the bars full right lock so I can turn around and ride off the drive forwards. (Bikes aren't usually geared to go backwards, except for that one time I bump started a mates Kawasaki KE100 many years ago, but that's another story).

Thing is, as I turned the bars on full lock to the right, the clonking sound stopped, but as I straightened the bars, it came back again. Something very odd was happening. OUt with the bottle jack and with Tallulah on her centre stand, I lift the front wheel off the ground - and there it was, the brake pads were catching on the discs, like they had developed a really bad warp.

How could that be, I took the wheel off, took it to my tame mechanic, watched him change the tyre & balance the wheel, brought them back home & immediately re-fitted wheels to bike. So, off come the callipers and with a specially designed tool, namely a long screwdriver, held against the fork leg, the discs seemed fine. Head scratching time...

Maybe I'd forgotten to torque up the axle, so out with the torque wrench, but no, it was as tight as it should have been. I decided I was going to do the requivalent of switching it off and turning it back on again, namely take the wheel out & put it back in. it was while doing this and with the workshop manual open I realised the axle was put in the wrong way around, with the wheel nut the opposite side to the speedo drive.

All back together again and problem solved. I wouldn't have guessed that putting the axle in the wrong way around would have made a difference, but apparentlyit does, unless I got something else in the wrong way, but I'm sure the spacers only fit one way.

Road 5 Trail review

Now lets get down to the new tyres. The weather was fairly good although cold (well, around 8oC), a little breezy which helped to dry the roads and the test route I chose included some fast sweeping roads as well as a little town riding. Rirst impression was somewhat shakey when I got to the bend at the top of the road, they just seemed to 'fall' into the bend. A short while later I realised that the tyres I'd just replaced were a little squared off, so I'd been compensating for their squareness for a while. I just wasn't used to new tyres on this bike.

Time to take her out on a few of the twisty roads Lincolnshire is blessed with. They hold the road well & something I didn't realise I was missing with the Tourance was how road biased tyres track bends. there was no mid-corner adjustment, no movement through the bars, literally, just turn & let the bike follow the course you set for it. There was plenty of feedback through the bars, thanks to the odd mud patch and badly placed drain covers, but nothing of concern. I felt the rear slip and almost immediately grip again. Even though I was taking it fairly easy on the brakes, I didn't feel there was anything to be concerned with grip wise and probably could have pushed a little harder, but I was conscious these were new tyres with less than 5 miles on them.

I was reminded at first of when I first rode Tallulah, being top heavy I felt like she was continually trying to pull me over. The Road 5's had that same feeling when I got to that first bend and reminded me how top heavy these bikes are, but thst's more a reflection on the bike rather than the tyres and I soon adjusted my riding so that in a very short time I was not exactly riding like I stole it, but certainly riding it like I knew what I was doing.

I did find that there was a little road noise at low speed, around 35 - 40mph, more so than the (worn) Tourance at the same speed which surprised me but feel a far more stable tyre. As I'm not intending to go 'off road' I think the switch to fully road biased tyres and more specifically the Road 5 Trails was a good move. While I'm not yet throwing Tallulah around as much as I was with the Tourance, I was conscious that they were new tyres and even though Michelin say the release compound they use doesn't affect performance when first fittted, I think I'd rather build up my own confidence in them first.

As an aside, I took Tabitha out on the same route before trying Tallulah's new boots, the first ride for Tabitha this year. She's fitted with Pirelli Angels (ST front & GT rear) and while there's a shed load of difference between a '93 Trophy 1200 and a '06 Tiger 955i, I didn't feel any less safe on the Tiger's new tyres than I did on the Trophy and probably pushed each bike equally hard given the road conditions.

I think I might like these Road 5's
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on March 19, 2022, 05:16:49 PM
Time to report back on the new rubber. Bought three, felt the same as the last pack, so on to the tyres  :icon_mrgreen:

I've now done a couple of hundred miles on all different types of road, today was a short run of around 85 miles taking in the Cambridgeshire Fens, straight for miles, then a couple of 90o bends, in quick succession. Mostly with a surface ful of broken tarmac & more dips than a rollercoaster. Made more interesting as there were strong sidewinds today trying to push me in to the many dikes that run alongside said roads.

A short run through the twisties west of Huntingdon, while taking in the picture postcard villages.

A run up the A1M towards Peterborough and back on to the more familiar twisties of South Lincolnshire.

I have to say I'm impressed with these Road 5 Trails. Plenty of grip, even during one particularly hard braking as a tractor pulled out. To say I have no 'chicken strips' would be an exaggeration, but I've certainly been leaning Tallulah over more on thesetyres than I did the Tourance. Not really surprising as these are road biased tyres, unlike the Tourance which are 80/20 split.

As I'm planning a couple of road trips this year, I can safely say I picked the right tyre.

Think I'll nip to the shops...  :wheel
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on March 20, 2022, 11:27:23 AM
 :thumbsup
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on April 18, 2022, 07:35:55 PM
Time is fast approaching for my charity ride & two day tour of North Wales & I want to service Tallulah before I go. I've had her for a few years now & while the mileage I've done is nowhwere near some on here, she's done a little over 8200 miles since I bought her in July 2018.

I replaced both air filter & spark plugs when I first serviced her and while they probably don't need replacing, I seem to remember Triumph reccomend every 4 years for plugs and 12000 miles for air filter.

Whether I change them this time or next year, I've not decided, but she's done 66500 miles and is an old Girly now, so I just might change them when I do the oil & filter change at the befining of May.

I've also noticed that the rear brake feels a little spongy, which I was going to sort out today, Until Tabitha got in the way, so this needs looking at as well. I recently replaced the rear brake pads & rebuilt the rear caliper with new pistons & seals just over 1000 miles ago (October last year) so i suspect they just need bleeding.

Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: ghulst on April 18, 2022, 09:22:50 PM
Besides bleeding, I would consider replacing the brake fluid. If the brakes start feeling soggy, it might be moisture in the fluids and you can never bleed that out. ;)
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on April 19, 2022, 01:47:52 AM
I'd recommend stripping, cleaning and rebuilding the rear master cylinder as well, they get forgotten about too often.
Title: It was bound to happen
Post by: Lee337 on May 11, 2022, 03:31:32 PM
You all know the phrase 'It won't happen to me', well it did

Decided to use this rainy day to service Tallulah ready for her charity ride in June to Welsh Wales and back. Also decided after 3+ yearrs ownership it was time to replace the plugs & air filter too. These were done when I bought Tallulah so I figured it was time.

Bought all the bits I needed over the past few weeks & had them all lined up on the bench ready for today. Start her up to warm the oil & put her on the bike bench & this is where I hit my first snag. As I had to wheel her outside to turn her nose first in to the garage, the tyres got a little wet. Couldn't get her up the metal ramp on to the bench as the rear wheel was spinning (not butch enough to push her onto the bench). No problem, dired the bench where I'd wheeled the front tyre on to it & got an old toewl to dry the rear wheel off. While doing this, the engine cut out. :bug_eye

The lights were on, but the start button did nothing. Switched her off & back on and no dash lights either. Not sure what it was, but in the back of my head was the notion that it was the alarm.

Now, when I bought her, she was fitted with a Meta 357T v2 alarm, which I knew had a limited internal battery lifespan of around 10 years. Always meant to do something about it but didn't get around to it. But, I pressed the alarm button and it armed the alarm with the customary one beep and the indicators flashing -  pressed it again and it sounded 4 short beeps but no indicators. So off to the PC to look up what 4 beeps mean. it iether means that the bike battery low or the alarm battery is low. Now, I know the bike battery is ok as she started (quick check with multimeter confirmed this) and as she was running then cut out, the alarm was suspect.

While the oil was draining, I decided to remove the alarm & make up a couple of jumpers. This done and the oil & filter change done, key in the ignition, thumb the start button & off she goes.

I always knew the alarm would play up one day, I'm just glad it was in the garage at home & not in a months time when I'm in the wilds of Wales.

Now to change the plugs & air filter, but not until after lunch. :occasion14
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: London_Phil on May 11, 2022, 04:08:01 PM
My Meta failed on my Steamer at a day out in the Cotswolds at a Triumph meet.
Instead of joining the Rideout, I had to strip the alarm and link out the dual immobilised circuits.
Didn't bother to replace it, and didn't bother fitting one to the 800.

Had loads of problems with battery issues on my Nissan import, and ended up removing the oem Nissan alarm, and what I later found to be 2 separate Cat 2 immobilisers.
Surprisingly, the parasitic drain was reduced by about 90% after that.
Once I realised it made no difference to the insurance, I didn't bother fitting alarms or immobilisers on any vehicle since.
Might consider an immobiliser if I had a newer car with one of those keyless entry/start though.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on May 12, 2022, 08:31:43 AM
So, all appears to be good in the garage. Air filter & plugs changed, everything back together again, pull the fuse for the lights & connect up TuneECU & the first thing I noted was the battery voltage was showing 12.3v while the engine was running. :nono

After 30 minutes, I traced it to the charging mod I'd done a couple of months ago. It appears that while putting the battery box back in, I tugged at the wiring a little too much and pulled one of the connectors off. To get around this, I took the mod out completely & Tallulah now has the REG/REC connected to the original plug in the wiring loom. Result? bwtween 13.2 - 13.7v depending on RPM. Not as good as it was, but at least I know it's not the Reg/Rec or stator at fault.

Next up was the EML shining brightly on the dash. A quick look at TuneECU showed 3 error codes, two related to the fuel gauge (as expected after removing the fuel tank) but neither of them usually light up the 'Orange Bulb of Doom'. I deleted the error codes but one kept coming back every time I started the engine.  :BangHead

More head scratching before I worked out I hadn't reconnected the plug that goes in to the side of the airbox that tells the electronic box of tricks the air temp. Had to lift the tank again so I could get to the plug.

All done now & with 66657 miles on the clock, ready for another year, aside from the usual chain & tyre check.

While getting ready for my charity Wales run, I thought I'd get some wet bags for the panniers. My parents are on holiday in North Wales the same time as I'm due to ride up there so it's bound to rain. I was looking at a couple of outdoor type shops but most of the decent bags were around the £15 mark. I decided to look on eBay & came across a pair of original Triumph pannier inner bags for £30. They're now sitting in the study having been cleaned. Yes, I could have used plastic bags but now I have a couple of bags with 'Triumph' printed on them.  :bad

The final part of the trip preparation was to fit the cradle for my Zumo satnav. Took me a while to wire in & fit it and I'm not really happy as the cradle cannot easily be removed at overnight stops with it hardwired in. Maybe Garmin should have designed it with a plug so you could remove the cradle when not being used. Mind you, unless you cut the wire, an opportunist tealeaf is not going to easily nick it. Maybe I'll have to think about modifying it at some point.

Next up, sorting out Tabitha Trophy's rear brake switch.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: ghulst on June 27, 2022, 01:57:54 PM
Bags with "Triumph" on them are just worth their weight in gold. So much nicer to transport your stuff in. I know, as I purchased some for my 800 right before I sold it to a friend. Yes, I am one smart cookie. ;)
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on August 29, 2022, 08:47:11 PM
Tallulah got a present, She's now fitted with a Viofo MT1 2-channel dashcam. Surprisingly complicated to fit. Yes, I could have just ticked the camera wires along the side of the tank, but I didn't.

So, it took me a couple of hours to do. I decided to mount the forward cam under the nose, being an Adventure bike I figured the front suspension travel would never reach that far, so the camera is safe. Easy to hide the wires too. The rear camera was a little more difficult as I sometimes carry panniers and a topbox and didn't want to restrict the view. In the end I decided to tuck the camera just under the rack, the wire going under the rear cowl about where the indicator wire sits. Next up, where to fit the remote and GPS receiver.

The remote now sits glued to the dash under the heated grip switch, the GPS receiver is stuck in about the same place on the right.

Of course, I had to decide where the wires would run. First up I thought I could tuck them under the tank, but it looked a little messy. In the end I decided to do it properly and remove the tank (with the usual removal of the battery, battery box, side panels, tank infil panels and indicators).

The wires for the GPS, remote control and front camera are now tucked away, pretty much following the route of the main wiring loom and wires for the Satnav.

There's not a lot of room under the seat, so the control box is squeezed between the fuse box and a cross beam. It fits but only just.

Wiring was easy, +ve to the +ve terminal on the battery, -ve to the -ve terminal on the battery, and Viofo provides an additional blue wire to connect to a switched live. They reccomend the ignition wire, but I soldered it on to a terminal under the fuse box. Seems to work well.

Finally, all the remaining wire was bundled up with a cable tie (again supplied with the dashcam) and tucked under the right side panel and secured to the frame. I would have used the left panel as I ran the wires down the left side of the frame, but the excess wiring for the satnav is there.

I'm still processing the first video I took, but it looks to be good quality, I can clearly see the reg numbers of passing vehicles and the sound is not too bad either. There's still a few more things to check, like how well it picks up voices and I've yet to use it in failing light or at night, but I'm sure I'll get around to that.

A nice little touch is the Viofo App that lets you see what the camera sees i real time via a wifi link. You need this app to configure the camera, setting up what's displayed on screen, GPS coords, speed, etc. and to set the clip duration, from 1 min to 10 mins. there's a few other settings too. Overal, I'm quite pleased with it.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Sin_Tiger on August 29, 2022, 08:55:45 PM
Tidy arrangement  :thumbsup
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on August 29, 2022, 09:03:50 PM
Will post ther video when it's up on Youtube.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on August 30, 2022, 08:47:37 AM
Video from Tallulah's dashcam.

https://youtu.be/tCjqO3dwVRY
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on October 18, 2022, 05:32:04 PM
Took Tallulah out this morning, just a 15 mile commute to work, via the fuel station. Can't remember the last time I rode her but it was real fun. I'd forgotten just how good these bikes are. She now has 68140 miles on the clock (109660km), has averaged 53mpg, pulls like a train & fully laden has the carrying capacity of a camel... well a small camel anyway.

Didn't miss a beat on the way in but oddly on the way home, the 15 mile trip turned out to be just shy of 50 miles.

No idea how that happened.   :wheel
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Tallbloke on December 06, 2022, 11:11:30 AM
I'm very late to this party but I bought my 886i Girly a few months ago with a similar mileage (72k) and have been having loadsa fun romping around the Yorks/Lancs moors on it. Great bike! Enjoyed reading some of your posts on this thread, Let's keep these old girls going!

Here's a pic I took last week trying to get up out of the freezing clag smothering the valley. Next I need some heated trousers to plug into one of those nice 12V outlets on the dash!

(https://tallsnaps.files.wordpress.com/2022/12/girly.jpeg)

Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on December 06, 2022, 11:40:57 AM
They just keep on going...   :wheel
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on February 05, 2023, 12:07:22 PM
Despite having a new (to me) Tiger 800 tucked nicely away in the garage, Tallulah is still very much in use although I'm starting to remove some of the bits I've added during my ownership.

This last week I thought it time to remove the satnav that was hard wired in. I thought I might be able to slide the wires out without lifting the tank, easy. Except I forgot I'd used cable ties to secure the one wire to the frame.

So, indicator pods off, tank infil pannels off, side body pannels off, not because I needed to remove them to get the tank off, but becasue I'd tucked the excess wiring behind them, Battery out, battery box removed, fuel line, drain tubes, fuel sender connector and lift.

OK, forgot the tank was full  :BangHead . LIIIIFFFFFFFTTTTTT, put it down quickly.

After that removing the hard wire kit was relativel painless, a few cuts to the cable ties and away it all came.

While the tank wwas off, I thought it wise to also remove the dashcam system. Again not difficult and it took far less time than fitting it in the first place.

Aside from heaving the tank back on, it all went back together again pretty quickly. Battery refitted & it was time to just check everything was working... except it wasnt.

Engine turned over once then everything died. Swith the ignition off, then back on again, only one headlight, no main beam,no indicators and no brake light, pressing the starter button didn't even generate a click & no telltale fuel pump whine.

OK, Lee, think  :icon_scratch:  What could cause all this?  :m

Then it hit me, Tallulah had been in the garage since before Christmas, untouched. the few times I'd been out I'd used Talyn. Checked the battery voltage, 9.3v. An hour on charge and it was back up to 13.4v. Switched on the ignition, all lights working, fuel pump whirred and while she seemed a little sluggish, she started after a couple of turns of the engine, but the engine management light stayed on.

Out comes the laptop, plug in TuneECU and it showed 6 different error codes, all related to under voltage. Cleared them and all seemed well. Time would tell as Sunday was looking good and I really needed to get out on a bike, any bike.

Sunday morning came & I needed to drop a birthday card off at my brothers, pop in to Halfords and it seemed an ideal time to take Tallulah out. She started with her usual ease.

A short 50 mile ride later & she still does not disapoint. I know I have to sell her at some point but I'm in no hurry.

Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: Lee337 on March 06, 2023, 04:22:57 PM
I think the time has come for Tallulah to find a new home  :icon_sad:

Looking back, she's provided some great rides, barely missed a beat when out and about and has had the good race to only cause me problems when I've either ignored her for too long, or on the very odd occasion, just before I've been out on a joy ride.

For the most part of my almost 5 year ownership, she's been one of the most reliable bikes I've owned.

But, she does need to be used. I can no longer justify keeping her locked up on the off chance I'll take her out when I have Talyn J sitting next to her, Tabitha Trophy tucked under cover awaiting some warm weather and Daysie Daytona waiting on the bench for more TLC.

I'll be sad to see her go, but the longer I leave her, the more chance there is of tucking her away in the back of the garage unused & unloved when she needs the thrill of the open road.

It's time to let someone else have the joy of those long summer days out. The advert is written, I just need to get the camera out.
Title: Re: Tallulah's Diary
Post by: ghulst on March 07, 2023, 12:15:44 AM
It is always that bitter sweet time when you know a new owner is going to appreciate your bike more than you will from this point onwards... Still, it's the right thing to do and all that. ;)
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