For other countries, follow this link for other broadcasters, and 'Access TT On-demand'.
This blog started when I owned and MZ Skorpion Traveller and a bike magazine dismissed it with the phrase 'you can't tour on a single'. The Skorpion's gone and I now have a Triumph Bonneville, but I can't be bothered changing the title of the blog!
Monday, 30 May 2016
TT on the the telly
Television coverage of the Isle of Man TT races start tonight at 21:00 on ITV4 here in the UK.
Sunday, 29 May 2016
Coupes Moto Légende 2016
This year’s Coupes Moto Légende was held on the weekend of
May 21st and 22nd. This is a huge, and I mean HUGE,
motorcycle event held at the Circuit de Dijon-Prenois near Dijon in France.
A few of us went a couple of years ago (Day1, Day 2) and I’ve been
thinking of returning one year. It’s a classic/club/racing show, with
invited guests, old race bikes and road bikes taken out onto the track,
club stands, autojumbles, etc, etc.
Here’s some videos from this year’s event:
I know I say this just about every year, but I’m thinking of
going next year. It’s usually held at the end of May/beginning of June, and as
next year’s is the 25th, it might be a bigger event. If anyone is
interested, keep your eye on their website as they publish the following year’s
dates towards the end of the year.
Details of this year's event on their Website, dates for next year's event should appear here in due course.
Details of this year's event on their Website, dates for next year's event should appear here in due course.
Saturday, 28 May 2016
Friday bike
Just because......
It may not be exactly the invisible bike, but designer Joey Ruiter came pretty close with his "Moto Undone:"
It may not be exactly the invisible bike, but designer Joey Ruiter came pretty close with his "Moto Undone:"
At jruiter I.D. we want to re-set the definition of a motorbike stripping away historical attributes that make them so great. It’s hard to image a motorcycle without fancy paint, overpowered motors, exposed mechanical genius, and sweet exhaust tones.
Moto undone is pure generic transportation and by motorbike category definition it isn’t very cool.
There motorbike references are small and when someone is riding they are all you see. The bike almost disappears. The rider just floats along the streets silently.
Powered by a 1000w 48v electric hub motor, moto undone has a range of 90 miles or about 3 hours. All gauges and riding information, like speed and gps, is displayed through smart phones by downloadable apps.
Sunday, 22 May 2016
Erskine Hospital bike events
Local to me is Erskine Hospital, which celebrates its centenary this
year. It was founded during WW1 as a military hospital and has continued to
treat servicemen and women ever since. They are holding a couple of bike events
to raise funds for the Hospital.
Next Sunday
(29th May) they have their ‘Erskine Motorbike Meet’.
Idea is to
ride from Erskine to Spean Bridge, work out your own route but take in a number
of checkpoints where you will be given a playing card. Stay the night in/around
Spean Bridge, then make your way to their home in Edinburgh collecting more
cards on the way. Person whose cards make the best poker hand wins.
Good excuse
for a weekend in the Highlands!
You can read
more about the history of the hospital here, in it there’s this chilling sentence
concerning the level of casualties during WW1, hence the need for military
hospitals:
‘In 1915, in the first two
hours of the Battle of Loos, more British soldiers died than the total number
of casualties on both sides on D-Day 1944.’
Saturday, 21 May 2016
Friday bike
Now and again a new bike comes along that catches my eye.....
The Tracer is a 'sports touring' version of the MT-07, similar to the MT-09 based Tracer. (I think the MT-07 is called the FJ-07 in the US). I like how it marries together the running gear of a sports bike with the riding position of an adventure sports.
Yamaha MT-07 Tracer
Judging by the pictures on their website one being ridden through mountains with pillion and panniers, Yamaha are clearly pitching it as a capable tourer with handling suitable for winding roads.
I really like the look of this bike, and if it's priced appropriately, should sell well. I particularly like the combined hand guards/ indicators/'wings'.
But the lack of rear mudguarding will ensure plenty of huggers will be available aftermarket! Just imagine how dirty the rear of the bike will get after a ride in the rain!
And don't start me on the lack of centrestand! If one doesn't become available as an option then it'll be off a lot of buyers' lists.
Technical specifications
Engine
Engine type | 2-Cylinder, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 4-valves |
Displacement | 689cc |
Bore x stroke | 80.0 mm x 68.6 mm |
Compression ratio | 11.5 : 1 |
Maximum power | 55.0 kW (74.8PS) @ 9,000 rpm |
Limited power version | 35.0 kW 7,500 rpm |
Maximum Torque | 68.0 Nm (6.93 kg-m) @ 6,500 rpm |
Lubrication system | Wet sump |
Clutch Type | Wet, Multiple Disc |
Carburettor | Fuel Injection |
Ignition system | TCI |
Starter system | Electric |
Transmission system | Constant Mesh, 6-speed |
Final transmission | Chain |
Fuel consumption | 4.3 l/100km |
CO2 emission | 100 g/km |
Chassis
Frame | Diamond |
Front suspension system | Telescopic forks |
Front travel | 130 mm |
Caster Angle | 24.8º |
Trail | 90 mm |
Rear suspension system | Swingarm, (link suspension) |
Rear Travel | 142 mm |
Front brake | Hydraulic dual disc, Ø 282 mm |
Rear brake | Hydraulic single disc, Ø 245 mm |
Front tyre | 120/70 R17 M/C 58W (tubeless) |
Rear tyre | 180/55 R17 M/C 73W (tubeless) |
Dimensions
Overall length | 2,138 mm |
Overall width | 806 mm |
Overall height | 1,270 mm |
Seat height | 835 mm |
Wheel base | 1,450 mm |
Minimum ground clearance | 140 mm |
Wet weight (including full oil and fuel tank) | 196 kg |
Fuel tank capacity | 17.0 L |
Oil tank capacity | 3.0 L |
Sunday, 8 May 2016
Honda CB 350 rebuild
As regular readers (are there any?) will know, I've got a 1972 Honda CL 350 that's undergoing a leisurely (ie very slow) rebuild. One day it will look as good as this one (honestly!)
I was sent a link to a large number of videos on YouTube of an owner in Canada who's rebuilding a CB 350, the CL's road cousin which shares about 90% of its parts. It'll take a long time to watch all of the videos as some are very long, but it should help with my restoration and any others being carried out.
Interestingly, the CB 350 has a front disc brake. Models sold here in the UK only came with a drum, so I don't know if this is a model we didn't get or the brake was updated later.
This is the first in the series:
Friday, 6 May 2016
Friday bike
Spotted this on Ebay.
It's a home made caravan based on a Soviet built 'Tula Muravey' scooter trike.
The Muravey was based off of the two wheeled Tula scooter and features a 200cc two stroke engine with a four speed gearbox.
This is what a standard Muravey looked like. I don't know what the power output is, but the later 'improved' version had an increased output of 10 bhp!
This proves that not only can you tour on a single, you can spend the night in one as well! Not sure that it would be an ideal vehicle for a tour taking in high Alpine passes!
Should this have whetted your appetite, it's listed on Ebay here. Don't all try and outbid each other!
Found this video in what I assume is Russian. Don't know what the guy is saying, but he demonstrates a Muravey in action:
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