Friday 28 April 2017

Friday bike

1937 Mercier Moto Chenille


And now for something completely different! The Mercier Moto Chenille was a prototype track driven bike built for the French Army.


Not much info on it other than it was powered by a 350cc ohv JAP engine, and the track drive was to help it climb over obstacles.

 

Sunday 9 April 2017

MZ Skorpion Traveller for sale


After 17 years I’ve decided to sell my silver MZ Skorpion Traveller.
1998 MZ Skorpion Traveller


I bought this bike back in 2000 and since then it’s been my main touring/long runs bike. Over the years it’s been to France, Ireland, Germany, Czech Republic, Belgium, Netherlands and the Isle of Man.  When I was married it carried my wife and I (with 2 weeks’ worth of luggage) easily on our annual holiday.
Early 2000s, back when I was slimmer and had black hair!

In the 41 years I’ve been riding, this is the bike I’ve had the longest, but with the purchase of my Bonneville, it’s time for us to part.
I’m open to offers; just bear in mind how many ‘extras’ it has on it. I don’t expect to get all my money back, but I expect to get more than an ‘average’ Skorpion.
Also, I’m not interested in any exchanges; I’ve got too many bikes as it is!
Bear in mind that I live about 15 miles (25 km) west of Glasgow. I live near Glasgow Airport, so you could fly here and ride it home (as the last buyer did!)
Bike is currently on SORN, so you’ll have to arrange to tax it or have it collected in a van/trailer. You could also use one of the bike courier companies.
If you want to view, I work roughly 8-5 Monday to Friday, any time outside of that should be OK.
Contact me on normanwade@supanet.com for more details






Current mileage: 48,000 miles (77,000 km). I’ve owned it since 17,000 miles and fully synthetic oil has been used at every service. Engine, carbs, airbox and exhaust system are completely standard and the engine has never been apart.
Wheels:  Powdercoated about 15 years ago and still looking OK. Avon RoadRider tyres.
Forks: Hagon springs and preload adjusters from a Honda VFR 750 modified to fit.
Rear Suspension: Öhlins remote reservoir unit from Yamaha FZR400, reservoir on homemade bracket.
Bodywork: Was white when I bought it but was resprayed Daihatsu ‘Purplish Silver’ in 2001. As paint had lifted around filler cap I had a spare tank sprayed to match last month. 3 x MZ mirror extenders, so I can actually see behind and not just my sleeves! Windscreen fitted with MRA adjustable extender.
Brakes: Brembo callipers, Brembo front master cylinder with adjustable span lever. Matching adjustable span clutch lever. Replacement stainless brake hoses.
Handlebars: Helibars modified to fit, 35mm rise over standard. Honda ST1100 heater grips with adjustable temp control.
Luggage: Hepco and Becker pannier frames and rear rack. (not the standard Traveller ones), H&B Journey 42 litre topbox. This hasn’t got the box to rack lock so is bolted on, lid lock works correctly. Pair of H&B Junior 40 litre panniers. These were sold through Honda dealers, so have grey lids. Don’t have keys for these, probably available from H&B or Honda dealers.
Other stuff: Yamaha TRX 850 headlight (much better than standard), LED rear light and LED rear/fog light in place of rear reflector, RAM satnav mount and wiring for satnav, output socket, gear lever linkage with Rose joints (much less slop), Scottoiler with touring reservoir and dual injector, Datatag (can be transferred to new owner), loads of stainless nuts and bolts.
As it has been well used, some of the bodywork is a bit scuffed and scratched, and there are some cracks around the mounting holes on the fairing and screen. This is a common problem on Skorpion due to the vibrations.
Bike will come with a year’s MOT.




Friday 7 April 2017

Friday bike

Not my kind of thing, but so well done.

Indian Chieftain Elite

A new standard in bagger style is here – the Chieftain Elite.
Indian Motorcycle’s designers have reimagined what a top-of-the-line Chieftain should look like and have added custom paint and other design features to create a more premium look than ever before.
The new 2017 Chieftain Elite is a masterpiece for those that want an ultra-exclusive Indian Motorcycle that will turn heads.
Only 350 of these will be sold globally.
        
“With Chieftain Elite we wanted to design the most-premium, feature-packed Chieftain that we could possibly imagine,” said Reid Wilson, Director of Marketing for Indian Motorcycle. “In the end, I think the bike exceeded even our own high expectations. It’s an absolute show stopper.”
For those who demand the best of the best, the Chieftain Elite steps up to the plate as a bike that’s as close to custom as possible.
The Chieftain Elite features a custom Fireglow Red Candy with Marble Accents paint scheme completed entirely by hand by Indian Motorcycle’s paint facility located in Spearfish, South Dakota. It takes a small, specialised team over 25 hours to hand paint each bike and no two Chieftain Elites look exactly the same.

The Chieftain Elite has a cutback front fender that shows off the new ten-spoke 19″ front wheel beautifully.
The headlight bezel has been colour matched to the fairing and the leather saddle is more streamline than the standard model and has contrast stitching.
The Chieftain Elite also comes with a wealth of premium amenities:
  • Instead of a standard headlight, it has a Pathfinder LED headlight and driving lights.
  • There’s a flared power windshield
  • Rider and passenger floorboards are made from billet aluminium
  • It has 200-watt sound system (two speakers in the fairing and two in the saddlebags)
It also has the industry leading Ride Command seven-inch infotainment system and anti-lock brakes (ABS), a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), keyless ignition, a power adjustable windshield and just enough chrome to tastefully highlight all the attitude this ultra-exclusive bike has to offer.


CHIEFTAIN ELITE FEATURESHAND PAINTED & ONE OF A KIND
Each Chieftain Elite is hand painted with ultra-premium candy paint, exclusively blended by Indian Motorcycle. The result is a bike that is truly unlike any other. A small, dedicated team of specialists in Indian Motorcycle’s paint facility in Spearfish, South Dakota work meticulously to mask, lay graphics and paint, all by hand, spending over 25 hours to complete each bike’s breath-taking finish.
FIREGLOW RED CANDY FINISH
The brand-new Fireglow Red Candy paint features a large flake base and layers of deep candy paint. The hand-painted marble accents and black pinstriping give this bike a truly custom look.
COLOUR-MATCHED EXTRAS & CUSTOM STYLE
The Chieftain Elite has a unique tank console, horn, airbox and primary and cam covers with colour matched pinstripes.
OPEN FRONT FENDER
The new sawn-off front fender gives the bike a more streamlined look. It also shows off the new 10-spoke wheel design and those dual front brake rotors and calipers. The cutback fender also offers a subtle nod to Indian’s ‘open’ fenders of the 1920s and 1930s.
10 SPOKE WHEELS
Both the front 19-inch and rear 16-inch wheels have a new 10-spoke design previously not seen on an Indian model.
PREMIUM STYLE PIECES
The bike’s custom look and feel is carried out through a host of premium standard accessories including billet aluminium rider and passenger floorboards and a flared, tinted windscreen.
THUNDER STROKE 111 ENGINE
Indian Motorcycle’s Thunder Stroke 111 V-Twin engine serves up 135Nm of torque letting you accelerate hard in every gear with power to spare.
RIDE COMMAND
Pinch. Swipe. Tap. All without removing your gloves. Offering the industry’s largest, fastest, and most customizable infotainment system, the seven-inch Ride Command system allows you to get turn-by-turn directions, quickly navigate to points of interest, play Bluetooth audio, check vehicle information and status, plus a whole lot more via its easy to use interface. And thanks to split-screen technology, you can easily customise three rider screens to display the information that matters to you most.
PREMIUM AUDIO
The Chieftain Elite has a 200-watt audio system with an AM/FM stereo, Bluetooth connectivity and a smartphone compatible USB input. There are two speakers in the fairing (100-watts) and a speaker in the top of each saddlebags (a further 100-watts).
KEYLESS IGNITION
Keyless starting is secure and convenient. With the Chieftain Elite key fob in your pocket, climb on the bike, push a button and ride. If you misplace the fob, press in a security code pre-programmed into the ignition to start it up.
STOPPING POWER WITH STYLE
The front wheel has dual 300mm front rotors with 4-piston calipers. For a custom touch, the caliper housings feature the Indian Motorcycle script logo. The rear wheel has a single 300mm floating rotor with 2-piston calipers and there’s an advanced anti-lock brake system (ABS) too.
TOURING AMENITIES
With a Pathfinder LED headlight (note that the new Chieftain Limited has a standard headlight) and driving lights, a power-windscreen equipped fairing and remote lockable hard bags out back, you’re ready to rack up miles in style and comfort. A tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and automotive quality throttle by wire cruise control enhances your ride during highway cruising.
EXHAUST
The Thunder Stroke 111 engine produces a rich, deep exhaust rumble and was acoustically engineered to eliminate high-pitched sounds, so what you really hear is Indian Motorcycle thunder.
ACCESSORIES FOR CHIEFTAIN ELITE
PERFORMANCE
Unleash more power, improve throttle response and add a rich and throaty exhaust note with a Stage 1 Exhaust, a Thunder Stroke High Flow Air Cleaner and Stage 2 Performance Cams. For added style, add Six Shooter or Straight exhaust tips. Accessory stage kits are not available in all markets.
MID RISE HANDLEBARS
Add Mid Rise Handlebars for a comfortable reach to the controls and a load of attitude.
SPECIFICATION
INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM
7” touch screen (glove compatible with pinch to zoom & swipe functionality)
Customisable information displays
Simple, easy to use software
ENGINE – Thunder Stroke 111
Engine type49º V-Twin
Compression ratio9.5 : 1
Bore & stroke3.976″ x 4.449″ (101mm x 113mm)
Displacement111 cu in (1811cc)
Cooling systemAir and oil
Primary driveGear drive wet clutch
Final driveBelt drive, 152 tooth
ClutchWet, multi-plate
Oil capacity & fuel capacity5.5 qts (5.2 litres) and 5.5 gals (20.8 litres)
Torque135 Nm at 2100rpm
ExhaustSplit dual exhaust with crossover
Battery12 V 18 Amp/hour, 310 CCA, sealed glass mat
Charging system42 amp max output

SUSPENSION
Front Telescopic fork, 46mm diameter, 4.7 in (119mm) of travel
Rear Single shock, 4.5 in (114 mm) of travel, air adjustable, pump stored in  saddlebag

CHASSIS
Dry weight377kg (831lbs)
GVWR628kg (1,385lbs)
Length2606mm (98.7in)
Wheelbase1668mm (65.7in)
Rake & Trail25º & 150mm (5.9in)
Seat height660mm (26in)
Ground clearance142mm (5.6in)

BRAKES
Brake System TypeIndividual front and rear control with ABS
FrontDual 300 mm floating rotors with 4-piston calipers
RearSingle 300 mm floating rotor with 2-piston caliper

WHEELS & TYRES
Front tyreDunlop American Elite, 130/60B19 61H
Front wheelCast 19in x 3.5in with tyre pressure monitoring
Rear tyreDunlop Elite 3, 180/60R16 80H
Rear wheelCast 16in x 5.0in with tyre pressure monitoring

TECHNOLOGY
Ride Command customisable infotainment system featuring: Map/Navigation with pinch-to-zoom and swipe, Bluetooth compatible audio, Vehicle Status, Vehicle Info, Trip 1, Trip 2, and Ride Data. Keyless ignition, electronically adjustable windscreen, heated grips, dual-stage heated seats, cruise control, ABS and TPMS.



(All the above, stolen from here.)

Sunday 2 April 2017

Bikes on the Beach - Largs

Went to the 'Bikes on the Beach' event organised by 'The Scotorian Biker' today in Largs. This was a get together organised through Facebook, and the idea was just to turn up at Largs seafront and look at the bikes. Was a lovely sunny day and there was a very good turnout. It was on all afternoon but I only stayed for an hour or so and saw loads of bikes on their way as I was leaving. Reports on Facebook put the final figure at 300 - 400.














 My Bonneville is in the shop, so I went on my scooter.


More 'Bikes on the Beach' meeting are planned along with a fundraising camping weekend. More details on the Scotorian Biker's Facebook page and website.

While I was in Largs, I saw this sign in a chipshop window:

Deep Fried Mars Bar and Justin Bieber Haggis Special - are their no limits to Scottish haut cuisine?