I’m not quite sure what it is, but my nerves are jangling. Maybe it’s the sunnier, longer and marginally warmer days we’re having in these parts as a nasty winter slackens its grip at last. But more likely it’s my inner biker emerging from a gloomy winter of hibernation.
Through the cold months I’ve actually been questioning my biker side - staring forlornly at my partly dismantled Cagiva with lots of cruddy bits that need attention, inwardly lamenting my lack of proper workshop facilities at home, juggling working on the bike with family life, and even asking myself whether the bike thing is worth my time any more.
Waz's way of getting through the winter - a vintage Dawes King Pin bicycle from the 1970s. Lesson learned: 1200 grit wet and dry paper soaked in WD40 is great for removing that fine speckly rust from old chrome
I ploughed my way through the winter on my folding bicycle, a veteran Dawes King Pin from the 1970s that someone on Freecycle gave me. I’ve been riding it partway to work and back each day, and actually I’m hooked on cycling now. I even got to put some of Trent’s know-how on wheelbuilding into action by replacing five spokes and truing up the rear wheel. All this pedalling must be doing me some good too, because despite my age carving a deep furrow through the upper 30s I just bought a pair of the same size Levi’s as three years ago. Continue reading ‘Can’t wait to get spannering again - and maybe do some riding too!’
Nick and Pete from Team Garage Night on Exercise Autumn Wander
Here at Garage Night we’re between episodes at the moment. We nearly filmed one on bleeding Etienne’s DRZ brakes, but we started the night by helping BMW Noel with fitting a rear shock. He’s off riding Africa from top to bottom so the job had to be done.
The shockie job ran late, so we put the camera aside in the interests of getting both bikes finished and out the garage door.
We will get round to a brake bleeding episode. In the meantime, we’ve competed in Exercise Autumn Wander 2009 run by army blokes in the Salisbury Plain area. Here’s a video giving a decent overview by one of the other teams. Continue reading ‘What Team Garage Night did next: Autumn Wander 2009′
Oh my poor Africa Twin (aka XRV 750, or just simply AT). Ever since the KTM 950 came on the scene the Honda has been neglected, abused and reduced to my daily commuter. It wasn’t always like this though; there was a time when it was the best bike I had ever owned and took me to far-flung places many other bikes couldn’t. Good memories, and with 120,000 kilometres on the clock it’s not worth anything to anyone but me.
One of the very few things to ever go wrong on my AT was the regulator/rectifier. It’s one of those electrical components you look at and think “I wonder what that does.” You don’t really find out until it fails. Continue reading ‘Motorcycle friendliness’
The previous decade, I mean …
Got together with Pete, Trent and Richard last night, and Pete had the latest issue of Motorcycle News featuring Ducati’s reinvention of the Monster, the 696 (you’ve got to check out this Ducati promo, it’s a giggle).
Riding to work the same morning, I had been thinking of how, for me, the Monster would have to be the bike of the 1990s.
I remember when my mate Dave bought his. It was the year 1997, I think. I had a Cagiva Elefant 900 back then, and riding a bike with the 750 Ducati engine was a revelation.
The pig-headed, snatchy, lumpy low-end, dry-clutched 900 engine is fun in its way, once you get used to it. Dave’s Monster was fun right from the word go - a willing engine that pulled right off the line and a really flickable frame. My arms were splayed out to grip the bars, and my grin was almost as wide. The all-round nicer engine is the reason I have the 750 version of the Elefant these days. Continue reading ‘Monster: Bike of the decade?’
So here it is - Garagenight.tv is up and running. We have been toiling away shooting video, editing, getting our overalls monogrammed (they look trick!), and of course constructing the web site. In the meantime there are motorbikes and parts thereof lying dismantled or in various states of repair all over the garage waiting for spokes, paint, engine repairs, MOT certificates …
Pete is well ahead so far on getting his nifty red overalls filthy. To look at them you’d think he had been rolling around on the garage floor in all the muck. He’s been putting in long hours cleaning up and repairing his KTM950 after his recent trip through South America. He had an amazing time, but we’re glad to have him back in town. Continue reading ‘The garage door creaks open …’
Ep 14, Dremel on a lathe: Rear suspension overhaul part 1
Ep 13: Mountain Madness 2009
Ep 12: KTM forks on a BMW part 2
Ep 11: KTM forks on a BMW F650
Ep 10: Replacing rear wheel bearings
Ep 9: New spokes on an old wheel
Ep 8: Chain and sprockets part 2
Ep 7: Changing a chain and sprockets
Ep 6: Mountain Madness
Ep 5: Replacing steering head bearings
Ep 4: Wires, shocks and smoke
Ep 3: Sand, heat and nipples
Ep 2: Beads and bearings
Ep 1: Bikes, Blokes and Beer
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