Toy Run - One More Week to go

One more week to go. Got my toys ready and looking forward to testing out my new heated grips

if we dont see you before have a good day

afraid cant make this one, lack of funds an tax

im nt goin eitha bin twice guna stop in bed this time

Gutted not going would be anniversary of first ride out on a Lowered Koa,

can't go BUT can some body please take a prezzie for me it,s a large box but should go in a topbox

please get in touch with smee

I'm cheating this year and going in car

i am still leading the toy run see you all saturday,might be a fat santa on a busa

Not for me, unless someone wants to guarantee a warm dry day and lend me a bike, lol. Mine are tucked up in bed for the next 6 months, Bandit's already SORNd, Striple about to be.

Sadly I'm working on the 19th, no leu days left and can't afford to pull a sickie...

Looks like it's just me n Gaz then. See ya there Gaz - though you'll be busy marshalling.

Smee - sorry I can't fit any more in my box but Phil might be able to take in his car if that helps

to those that are going have a fab day ciao

I'll be going :)

All being well i should be there ;-)

hmmm... i think SHEP hasnt realised he is on my account!

I cant go :(

OneTwoFive wrote:hmmm... i think SHEP hasnt realised he is on my account!

I cant go :(

why cant you go 125

well bike is back but insurance are still arguing so not road worthy.

Not as scared as someone on your pillion would be, lol...

Precisely! Lol! Hx

Kowalski wrote:Not for me, unless someone wants to guarantee a warm dry day and lend me a bike, lol. Mine are tucked up in bed for the next 6 months, Bandit's already SORNd, Striple about to be.

My bandit still has that fuel tap issue but if it were miraculously sorted in time you could borrow that. It's already salt damaged so no worries there lol.

Lol, you'd trust me? You've seen how I treat Bandits...

they must be indestructable ade if they take tht much punishment

They are. One of the things that's great about them.

OneTwoFive wrote:well bike is back but insurance are still arguing so not road worthy.

do you want to borrow one of mine

thanks for the offer gaz but im not insured for other bikes, was gonna go pillion with shep but doubt my hip will last the ride as it been playing up past few days.

OneTwoFive wrote:thanks for the offer gaz but im not insured for other bikes, was gonna go pillion with shep but doubt my hip will last the ride as it been playing up past few days.

ok honey you take care

Kowalski wrote:Lol, you'd trust me? You've seen how I treat Bandits...

To be honest, I'm not too fussed about it, it rode better when the suspension linkages were seized solid and it actually had decent ride height. Since it was sorted, now it's actually using the suspension, it feels crap. It could use someone with a bit more experience with bandits to say where it can be improved, otherwise I'm just getting rid of it come spring.

The fuel tap is just the icing on a fairly shite cake, I took it out for a ride to try to gel with it again a month or two back and I can't get on with it. When it started cutting out as the carbs were starved of fuel I just got pissed off with it and haven't ridden it since.

busa gaz wrote:

OneTwoFive wrote:well bike is back but insurance are still arguing so not road worthy.

do you want to borrow one of mine

You never say that to me, lol. Well, to be fair you did for the toy run last year

James1987 wrote:

Kowalski wrote:Lol, you'd trust me? You've seen how I treat Bandits...

To be honest, I'm not too fussed about it, it rode better when the suspension linkages were seized solid and it actually had decent ride height. Since it was sorted, now it's actually using the suspension, it feels crap. It could use someone with a bit more experience with bandits to say where it can be improved, otherwise I'm just getting rid of it come spring.

The fuel tap is just the icing on a fairly shite cake, I took it out for a ride to try to gel with it again a month or two back and I can't get on with it. When it started cutting out as the carbs were starved of fuel I just got pissed off with it and haven't ridden it since.

Yeah, I forget how massively different mine feels compared to a standard one, when I sat on Karen's old one and Helen's last summer they felt like a dog with worms dragging its arse, really low and weighted towards the back. Mine is much higher and sits with a more forward weight distribution.

They'll never handle like a sports bike (but with a decent rider on board can keep up with most things on proper roads), but are easily hugely improved for a few quid.

At the front, stiffer linear springs (I'd have to stick my head in the garage to remember exactly what weight mine are) with thicker oil (12.5wt in mine) and reduced air gap (I reduced it about 10mm IIRC). Yokes dropped down the forks 10mm.

At the back a jack up kit (shorter tie bars) and a standard 1200 Bandit shock (slightly longer and a bit better) with the preload a couple of notches off max.

In the middle a 14 tooth (1 smaller than stock) sprocket - best ten quid you can ever spend on a 600 Bandit (I have a quick action throttle cam on mine too).

Total cost less than £150 for a huge improvement. It's a compromise, due to the ultra basic damper rod forks - the suspension on mine is harsher than stock, you lose some ride quality for when you're pottering about, but its far better for proper riding. Much firmer, less fok dive on the brakes, less of the bouncy castle wallowing when you're going quicker, more control, and much quicker steering and better turn in. You need a 34 inch inside leg, but you're ok on that front. For someone like Helen who just wants to potter along I'd say leave it stock and keep the comfier ride quality of the standard soft setup, but for more enthusiastic riding the mods on mine are a huge improvement.

Then you'll find you want some footrest jackup plates and tapered ally footrests like mine cos you're dragging the footrests everywhere. Still get my toe sliders down, but the raised pegs just about stay of the floor. It's no sportsbike, but it's very different to a standard one to ride. When I got back on it after a couple of months on teh StripleR I thought Jesus, how did I ever go quick on this barge, but after a few miles I was throwing it round again and realised it's just 'cos it's so damn easy to rid, and it's riding round the bike's limitations and having to work at going quick that makes it fun.

If I rebuild mine onto one of my spare frames and make it into something nice again then next step is a Nitron Sport shock and maybe cartridge emulators in the forks.

I imagine that work would cost me a bit more than £150 as I'd need to pay labour, but depending on what funds are like next year I might look into getting some of that done. I'm tempted to sell it for whatever it's worth and buy a naked model with less miles and corrosion as I think I've probable put enough money into something that has simply been too abused by it's past owners, as they say, you can't polish a turd.

I agree on suspension work transforming a bike, my daytona had k-tech springs fitted, the damping revalved, and lighter oil and the front end feel has transformed completely. He did say that if he hadn't revalved it he would have put a heavier oil in rather than lighter, however it works, it feels awesome. Just makes the back end feel a little poor by comparison.

I guess I'm back to the same problem I always end up in with the two bikes, I don't mind spending money on the daytona because I enjoy riding it, i'm in two minds with the bandit because I don't know what to replace it with if it goes, of do to it if it stays.

No need to pay labour, that's all piss easy DIY stuff to do. There's relly nothing on a Bandit short of an engine rebuild (I've had the head off my bitch ex's bike, but never been deeper into the motor than that) that anyone with some tools and an ounce of common sense can't do, they're so basic and old-tech.

I'm finding my StripleR a bit harshly suspended for my weight when "making progress" on bumpy roads (but, to be fair, any sportsbike derived bike is gonna be firmly sprung for my whippet build). It's a precision tool on smoother roads, but gets pretty lively on bumpier stuff, kicking me about a fair bit and shaking its head. I kept meaning to get up to Raective Suspension for a setup session to see how much better we could make the OE setup work, and a chat about improvement options, but never got round to it.

If I'm keeping it then I fancy putting a Nitron fully adjustable shock on for springtime and then taking it up there for a setup. The best results for the forks would seem to be his Traxxion Dynamics internals, but you're talking about £850 for that.

well the TOY RUN had a good turn out about 250 bikes

good an hope you all had a good day

the came out as well you all did well

Twas a good day with lots of bkes and friendly peeps.

Gaz for leading it so well - could see your flag and tree from waaaaay behind. Skittle did a good job on the marshalling too.

My fingers were warm and cosy with my new heated grips (cheers to Yorkie, Nubs and Macca). Simply wasn't the same without you guys there though - didn't get the same buzz out of it this year cos I missed you all.

All rounded off with alovely bimble to Masham and Pately Bridge with Roadtramp and Oz. All in all great to be back on Ethel after a few months off.



Pics to follow

Just seen the pictures on Facebook, looks like it went really well.