On the Road Again!

The Givi XS319 Tanklock bag fits a treat on Vera on the new flange that went on yesterday.   Perfect for keeping stuff close at hand when out and about and it will go in the top box when away from the bike. It's a superb little bag and perfect when away for storing passport and saves the pockets!

If all jobs were that easy.  Getting the Suzuki Allen bolts out was simple enough. The replacement Givi ones are slightly different and have a smaller key size. No problems as I have a decent set. The heads aren't as good quality as Suzuki but in the end they were tightened up enough. Next to fit the new RAM mount (when it arrives) and get the TomTom fitted and wired up.

The two bits I need to buy for Vera are the Givi Tanklock flange that goes around the petrol filler and then later something to mount the TomTom to. The first was sorted after a visit to Givi's website and that lead me to the BF18.  A quick Google and my old suppliers Mad4Bikes had it in stock.   It should arrive well before Vera arrives! The tank bag I had to buy for the Rocket was the XS319 Tanklock. It's a small bag but the one I had before and had to sell on eBay was too large. Even this one has a bit of contact with the bars on full lock. Hopefully a better fit on Vera.

The test ride was this morning. I was out for about an hour and half and managed to find a route (that even though at times I had no idea where I was!) that took in A and B roads, country lanes and the A2 Dual Carriageway.   I stopped at Gibson's and was going to have a coffee and give the bike a good looking over away from the Robinson's. In the end the queue for coffee was too long and so I gave the bike the once over without a drink. The muffler has a couple of small scrapes but nothing too damaging.  Tyres are good. At three years and 8700 miles getting a showroom condition bike isn't really going to happen. At first the seat seems to angle a little forward but after the Rocket's armchair and the Kettle's plank then maybe it is just different.   What was a surprise was the clutch.  Both the Kettle and Rocket needed a strong hand, this one is light as a feather. The gear change very light and accurate. I have given her the name Vera . I am no...

I had a few hours off after Reggie's visit to the vet (foot injury, no biggy) so I thought I'd fit the Givi tank ring to Döra. The OEM bolts were not too tight. Three long one short. I took them off in order, clockwise, long, short, long, long. I then present the "work" to where it should go. It's in three pieces. A lower metal half ring, sandwiching the plastic "cup" that the bag fits to and an upper ring. And here's the first drag, easily solved with a little sellotape. Just a small bit to hold the parts together. Smug. Then I slip in the new Givi bolts. Finger tight. Ah. The Allen key size is smaller than OEM. I don't have an allen bit for my driver that small! Job reset. Back to standard. Simple job bollocksed by not checking tools first!! Lunch. In the end I checked all the kits and tools in the garage and had nothing to match. So I had a jaunt in the jalopy to town and called in the Hobby-Shop.  We had a few match-ups and it turned out it w...