Cavturbo's Motorcycle Blog

Z1000SX New Brake Pads

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 15:34:00 +0000

On Monday evening I fitted a new set of front brake pads to Helen’s Z1000SX. Although the old pads probably would’ve lasted the tour we thought it best to change them anyway.

As usual the OEM pads are a stupid price so we opted for the vastly cheaper and according to others much better Brembo SA pads. The ones for the SX are part No. 07SU27SA. The pads were very easy to change and look very good quality. Hopefully it will be dry on Saturday so that she can try them out and get them bedded in.

Ducati Test Ride & Tyre Scrubbing

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 12:19:00 +0000

Even though our tyres had already been fitted during the week we decided to still visit Ducati Manchester on Saturday so that Helen could test ride the Multistrada. We had the pleasure of initially scrubbing our new tyres in on the fantastic M60 with it’s current 50mph average speed cameras. Helen picked up the Multistrada and I decided to stay on my bike as they have nothing I am interested in riding.

We then jumped back on the M60 and headed for Glossop. It was really busy at the end of the M67 so we used the sneaky way through Broadbottom and Charlesworth. We then had a good run down Monks’ Road to the junction with the A624. We then headed back through Glossop and joined the B6105. We then followed that to the A628 and then joined the A6024 and headed over Holme Moss to Holmfirth. From there we joined the A635 and headed back over Saddleworth Moor to Greenfield. From here we headed back to the M60 through Ashton-under-Lyne and then followed the motorway back to Ducati Manchester. We handed the bike back and then headed home via the M60 for lunch.

Helen didn’t like the Multistrada at all here’s what she put on Facebook about it: It was horrible! Seat was comfy & it turned OK but far too many negatives for me. Too upright, too vibey & lumpy feeling, right hand went totally numb after 15 minutes, felt like my feet were slipping off the pegs, didn't seem that fast, felt an effort to accelerate, screen height meant I was looking through it rather than over it which was distracting. Just felt like a chore riding it & was really agricultural. Not for me. Horses for courses though - John Deere have a lot of fans LOL!

After lunch we headed out again to do some tyre scrubbing over our local loop on Saddleworth Moor and Rishworth Moor. It is a great local route for us to test things out very quickly. The Michelins are miles better than the Metzlers that came on the bike. The rear seems miles more planted and the bike wasn’t moving around at the rear like it did on the Metzlers. The tyre wear pattern is also a bit revealing. The rear on the Metzler was worn right to the edge on both sides but the front was quite a bit off the edge. Whereas the rear on

Michelins wasn’t worn right to the edge (couple of mm short) but the front was worn considerably more to the edge. I’m not a tyre expert but I would say the wear on the Michelins is better for grip than that revealed on the Metzlers.

New Tyres

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Fri, 03 Jun 2016 17:56:00 +0000

Helen and I had booked in with Matt at Bike Tyre Services on Saturday morning for a new set of Michelin Pilot Road 4’s, for our upcoming tour. While we were waiting we had decided to take out a Ducati each for a test ride as Ducati Manchester is opposite.

However Matt phoned up during the week and said that he had been offered a VIP package to attend the TT Superbike Race on Saturday. He said it was too good to miss for him and so as to not let us down, he would come and collect both bikes one at a time and take them back to his workshop in his van. We couldn’t really argue with that and just goes to show why we use him and will continue to do so. So as of Thursday evening we now both have a new set of tyres to scrub in. Michelin also have an offer on at the moment for £25 back on a set of tyres as well.

Reeth Ice Cream Run

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Tue, 31 May 2016 16:29:00 +0000

On Saturday we went on a rideout to Reeth for some ice creams. We headed over to Clitheroe by our usual roads and then followed our usual route to Settle via the minor backs roads of Sawley and Wigglesworth. Due to the upcoming horse fair at Appleby we came across several travellers walking there horses and caravans down a national speed limit road. We got by as best and as quietly as we could and then passed through Settle. We then joined the B6479 and headed for Horton in Ribblesdale. Just before we got to Stainforth several cars where flashing us with the international speed trap sign. I always go through Stainforth with care anyway due to cars pulling out and people crossing the road. Just on the other side of Stainforth on the straight bit just before the climb up the hill was a safety camera van (van location). I gave him a nice wave as I went passed. Anyway we continued on to Horton in Ribblesdale and stopped for lunch at our usual tearoom on the far side of Horton in Ribblesdale.

After lunch we left Horton in Ribblesdale and then soon arrived at Ribblehead Viaduct. We then followed the stunning B6255 to Hawes. We passed through Hawes and then turned off the main road to take the road over Buttertubs Pass to Muker. Unfortunately their was a cycle race going on so we had to overtake several mini pelotons on our way to Reeth. I had forgotten how bumpy the B6270 to Reeth is in, especially the bit between Gunnerside and Low Row. Due to my bike still only having done around 1000 miles the suspension is still fresh and hard. This resulted in me leaving my seat and the pegs at one point, fortunately I wasn’t going very quickly and my feet came back down on the pegs. We soon arrived in Reeth and parked up in the middle of the cars and went for some ice creams.

We left Reeth and headed back the same way we had come and then stopped in Settle for coffee and cake at the Ye Olde Naked Man Cafe. We left Settle and headed home via the usual route of Wigglesworth, Sawley, Sabden and the A56/M66.

New Helmet

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Mon, 30 May 2016 18:03:00 +0000

Due to the fogging issues with my old HJC Helmet I decided for this years tour that I would get another helmet. I was unable to find the correct size helmet to try on at any of the shops/dealers we visited. So in the end I decided to give Sportsbikeshop a go as they offer free returns on helmets as long as you leave all the stickers on and just try it on inside. I was very impressed with the service and the packaging of the helmet was excellent, the box it came in is designed so that you can send the helmet back in it if you don’t want it in the end.

Although I was unable to try the helmet on previously I had been able to see it in the flesh and was very happy with the look and feel of it. The quality and features also looked miles better than my current HJC Helmet. I opted for a Shark Speed R Carbon Helmet, mainly because of the weight as the HJC is very light. I unpacked the helmet and then went about wearing the helmet around the house for 30 mins periods at a time. After a week I decided that I would keep the helmet and so removed all the stickers and tags and fitted the Pinlock visor insert. The Pinlock fitted perfectly on this visor and I couldn’t see any gaps like I used to with my HJC Helmet. The visor is also much thicker than on any of my other previous helmets, it also moves in a lovely fluid motion as well. The way the locking cams work on the visor it means it is a breeze to take it off. The helmet also comes with a built in internal drop down sun visor, this works by using a lever on the top left of the helmet.

On my first test ride with the helmet I did notice a slightly annoying whistling noise that comes from the visor lift up tab. This noise goes away if you remove the soft under chin guard as you just end up with general noise then. With the chin guard removed the helmet ventilation and cooling system seemed like it would work very well in hot conditions. Overall apart from the noise I am very pleased with the helmet and will be taking it on tour with me. I have also already fitted my Autocom microphone and speakers to it.

Update: After some more testing I can honestly say that this is not a quiet helmet. It constantly sets off the microphone vox in my helmet if the chin guard is not in place. It is defiantly good for cooling but not for noise. So much so that I am going to fit the yellow inserts into my Alpine earplugs.

Hartside Run

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Mon, 16 May 2016 15:16:00 +0000

While the weather was forecast to be nice and dry this weekend Helen and I decided to go on a run on Saturday. We both thought Hartside independently and it would be a good long run to test the satnav and bike to bike comms.

We filled up with fuel first thing and then headed over to Clitheroe on the M66/A56. As we already had fuel we went through Sabden and over the Nick of Pendle. When then did are usual route to the A65 at Settle via Sawley, Wigglesworth and Rathmell. We then joined the A65 and followed that all the way to Devil’s Bridge at Kirkby Lonsdale. We stopped briefly to use the toilets, it wasn’t mega busy and some cars had also nicked some spaces(which they are not allowed to do on a weekend).

We left and headed north on the A683 towards Sedbergh. Around half way down this road one of the bridges had been damaged in the recent winter floods, at the moment is a sort of metal table top affair. So caution and reduced speed is most certainly advisable, it was well signed though and isn’t on one of the really fast sections. Just before Sedbergh we joined the B6256 and then did a right then left onto and off the A684. Here we joined the B6257 and continued north towards Tebay. We followed this road to the A685 and then headed through Tebay and down the B6260 to Orton. From here we continued on the B6260 to Appleby-in-Westmorland. We then joined the A66 briefly before getting off at Temple Sowerby and joining the B6412 to Langwathby. We then turned right onto the A686 and headed from Hartside. Just after Melmerby the proper climb of Hartside starts, we had a relatively quiet run and managed to catch cars at overtaking points. We continued over the top of Hartside and down the other side and into Alston where we stopped for fuel. We then joined the fast and quiet B6277 and headed over the Pennines passed High Force and into Middleton-in-Teesdale. We stopped here for a late lunch at one of our favourite cafes, Cafe 1618.

After lunch we joined the equally fast and quiet B6276 to Brough.

We then followed the A685 to Kirkby Stephen and then turned off onto the B6259 to Nateby. We followed this picturesque road all the way to the junction with the A684 at The Moorcock Inn. We then turned left and followed the A684 to Hawes. Just before Hawes in Appersett we came across a Police incident that was blocking the road, looked like a crash. I knew an easy way around it so we turned around and backtracked a 1/4 mile and then turned right and headed through Hardraw. We then passed through Hawes and joined the B6255 and headed for Ribblehead Viaduct. At the viaduct we turned left onto the B6479 and headed through Horton in Ribblesdale to Settle. We stopped in Settle and parked up and headed over to the Ye Olde Naked Man Cafe to have coffee and a cream tea.

After our afternoon coffee stop we headed home via our usual route of Rathmell, Wigglesworth, Sawley, Sabden and the A56/M66. The satnav and my comms worked flawlessly and seemed far clearer on this bike. However Helen seems to have an issue with hers, I don’t always hear her and her helmet speakers are only in mono. I suspect a damaged wire from the unit, we might try and use the passenger lead instead. If that doesn’t work and us plugging into each other bikes to test her helmet wires fails to reveal anything, then we might have to replace the Autocom unit.

SatNav and Autocom

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Wed, 11 May 2016 18:16:00 +0000

On Sunday the weather was even better so while I had the panels off already I went about installing the Garmin SatNav mount and power unit. I also installed my Autocom unit and a bike powered Kenwood radio. I had previously installed all this before on my previous bike so I already had the cabling cut to length and a good idea of where to put everything. As I have previously gone over how I installed this on the other bike, it’s pretty pointless to write it up again so I will post the links to the relevant blog posts below. The only differences to the install this time is I didn’t install the bluetooth module, due to volume issue with the Garmin. Also rather than removing the powerlet socket to get a switched live I instead traced the cables back and spliced into the loom and soldered the cable on. I have also managed to hide the cables and connectors better so it is a much cleaner install this time. Previous knowledge and hindsight is a wonderful thing. When I tested it after the install it sounded much clearer than last time, so maybe the tidier install helped with this. Considering this is the third bike the Autocom has been on I was pleasantly surprised that it is still working perfectly.

Garmin SatNav Install
Garmin Sound Issue
Autocom Install
Revised Garmin Audio Install

K1300S New Indicators

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Mon, 09 May 2016 17:22:00 +0000

As the weather was nice over the weekend and now that I also have the centre stand fitted I decided to do some jobs on the K1300S. I had decided a while back as the K1300s has so many trick bits that I would add some better looking indicators as well. I had bought the indicators and lenses last year but hadn’t got round to fitting them because of the crap weather we’ve had recently.

For the front indicators I decided to just fit some nice smoked lenses rather than have the standard amber ones. I got them off Ebay and they are Chinese made but because they are just lenses and have no electrical bits in them I thought it was worth a punt. Well they fit really well for aftermarket ones, the fit isn’t perfect but unless you had the OEM to compare against you wouldn’t notice really. Obviously the original bulbs are clear so I needed to get some amber ones instead. Again Ebay was the easiest place to source these and the Canbus system had no issues with the bulbs I got either.

For the rear indicators I chose to remove the large old style bulbous indicators and instead fit a set of cleaner looking Led indicators. I went for the official BMW indicators as fitted to the front of the K1300R and other BMWs. The front ones are shorter than the rear ones, but I needed them for the K1300S due to the way the luggage is shaped to fit around the standard indicators. The BMW part number is 63 13 8 522 499 and they are £26.60 each. However again I got them off Ebay for a lot less. I got the BMW ones as they are true plug and play and don’t upset the Canbus system either. All I needed to do was to locate the indicator connectors in the rear tail unit and unplug the old ones and plug in the new ones. I had to remove the rear light, rear luggage rack (grab rails on standard setup) and the black plastic cowling to get at them. But once removed actually changing over the indicators was very easy. I am very pleased with the result and I think both sets look better against the white of the bike rather than the OEM bright amber ones.

It was a No!!

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Mon, 02 May 2016 17:21:00 +0000

Helen took the K1300s out yesterday in the awful rain to see how she would fair on some tight hairpin corners. She had a good hours ride on urban 30mph roads to simulate the slow going that we doing passing through French villages at 50kph. She then had a blast over the moors to test the weather and wind protection. Unfortunately although she thought the lean to the bars wasn’t that much she ended up noticing that it was effecting her T5 joint in her back. Then later on yesterday evening she noticed her hands started to go numb and she also got pins and needles. This was the same feeling that she used to get on the BMW F800ST, which for the last 3 days of one of our tours made her unable to feel the controls of the bike, which was not good at all.

So today I rode the bike back to Bowker Motorrad in the poring rain and she followed behind in the car. Kirk said if you wanted to get some bar risers they would fit them and let her test the bike again. But I suggested that she maybe try the R1200RS again but for a much longer time than she got from Williams BMW. After a brief chat we headed back home with Helen on her bike and me in the car and typically it had stopped raining by then. Although the rain has confirmed that I need a new helmet as the visibility was very poor after it started to mist up slightly on the way there.

K1300s First Service

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Sun, 01 May 2016 15:34:00 +0000

Well after having to cancel the service last October when my back went and then the chronic weather we have had since. I have finally been able to take my bike over to Bowker Motorrad in Preston to have the 600 mile service done and a centre stand fitted. Although after the snow on Friday morning that plan looked like it might get scuppered again. Anyway although damp when we left for Preston on Saturday morning the conditions throughout the day were mainly dry and the majority of roads dry as well. We arrived at Bowker Motorrad on time and handed the keys over to the service department. We then hit a problem as we had reserved two bikes to take out on a test ride to kill time, but had forgotten our licences. Fortunately we managed to get our licence numbers and national insurance numbers so they could do the licence check and let us out.

We took out the same K1300s Motorpsort bike as mine and the S1000R. Initially I rode the K1300s and Helen went on the S1000R. We managed to get out of Preston but it took ages even with all the filtering and headed on the A59 towards Clitheroe. We then took our usual route to Settle via Sawley and Wigglesworth. We then joined the B6479 and headed for Ribblehead Viaduct but stopped on the far side of Horton in Ribblesdale at our usual tea room for a late lunch.

After lunch we swapped bikes and then headed back to Bowker Motorrad via pretty much the same route except we used the M65 to get into Preston on the south side instead of trying to get across from the A59 junction on the M6. The S1000R is a real hoon bike, so easy to ride and with bags of power and insanely powerful brakes. It also turns on a dime, but for me it was too easy to ride and could be very dangerous to an inexperienced rider. The seat was too hard for me and crippled my buttocks and the zero wind protection would make long rides tiring. All in all a great bike for just hooning around on, but for anything else a pretty pointless bike. On the way back Helen was keeping up with me very well, which could only mine one thing see was really enjoying the bike. When we arrived back at the dealers she announced that she loved the bike and was going to get a price to swap. To cut a long story short Bowker Motorrad have given her the keys to the bike and said bring it back by 3:30pm on Monday. So over the next to days she is going to test it a bit more and then decide whether she wants to swap. The only downside is that we will have identical bikes, which is a little sad but hey ho.

Lowther Castle Run

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 15:30:00 +0000

Helen an I went out yesterday for a run up to Lowther Castle. We had visited the castle a few weeks back in the car and had decided we should have a run up on the bikes as it has a nice cafe on site.

We left home and headed up to Clitheroe services to fill up for the day. From here we followed our usual route to the A56 at Settle via Sawley and Wigglesworth. We then followed the A56 to Devil’s Bridge at Kirkby Lonsdale. Devil’s look very busy so we carried on and as expected the A683 was quiet. We followed the A683 towards Sedbergh but turned off just before on the B6256. We then used the A684 briefly to get to the B6257 and then followed that to the A685. This we followed over the M6 and down into Tebay. We then joined the B6260 to Orton and then followed the B6261 back under the M6 and over to the A6 near Shap. We joined the A6 and headed north into Shap, where we stopped briefly to use the toilets. We then followed the A6 and passed through Hackthorpe, after which we turned off and headed over to Lowther Castle.

After lunch we headed back to the A6 and then headed through Shap and then over the top and back down towards Kendal. Just before Kendal we turned off to the left and headed for Meal Bank on minor roads. We then crossed over the River Mint and headed for the A685. We crossed over the A685 and continued on down Paddy Lane and then crossed over the A684. We followed Hayclose Lane to the junction with the B6254 at The station Inn. Here we turned left and followed the B6254 through Old Hutton towards Kirkby Lonsdale. We sooned arrived in Kirkby Lonsdale and then headed over to Devil’s Bridge for an ice cream. It was still very busy but we managed to spot some of our old biking buddies Pab, Gary and Mick.

After our ice cream and brief catch up we left and followed the A65 through Ingleton and then turned off and headed on our tried and tested route passed Stocks Reservoir and through Gisburn Forest. We then joined the B6478 and headed through Slaidburn to Newton-in-Bowland. We then continued on the B6478 over Waddington Fell and back down into Clitheroe. We stopped in Clitheroe for fuel, my new bike isn’t getting the same mpg as my old one, hopefully as it breaks in it will improve. From there we headed back home via Sabden and the A56/M66.

Stem Mount, Plates & Rear Sets

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 17:57:00 +0000

Yesterday I installed a stem mount on the K1300S to enable me to attach my Garmin SatNav to when I get round to installing that and the rest of the wiring for the Autocom system. I got one of the custom made mounts from Telferizer, they almost look like a factory option. The quality and look is great and it was so easy to install.

After that I decided to install some invisible film on the heal kickplates as they are renowned for scratching up very easily. I got some Auto-Protek film off Amazon, it is designed to protect paintwork from scratches and stone chips, but is perfect for this application as well. I removed the kick plates from the bike, a far harder job then is necessary due to Loctite again and the rear master cylinder on the otherside. Once removed I cut the film to suit and then installed with a slip solution. You then just squeegee out the water and bubbles, I also used a hairdryer to apply heat to help the corners stick down better. As the name suggests the film is pretty much invisible although you can see the edges if you get very close to the plates.

I then adjusted the position of the HP rearset pegs, they can be placed in 1 of 6 different positions. They come installed at position 1 which is the lowest, I rotated 180 degrees and installed them in position 2, which is slightly higher but no further to the rear of the bike. Again BMW have made the job much harder than needed. Green Loctite this time on the bolts, they are never going to come out. They also used Torx bolts and the frame was in the way of the top ones. So off to Screwfix to get a set of allen keys with Torx heads on them. They just about fit in to get the top bolt out, although I did have to put Duck Tape on the frame to protect it.

Breaking in Run

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Sun, 27 Sep 2015 20:12:00 +0000

After installing the rack and cover a went for a 60 mile ride around the moors local to us. For running in I was told to keep the bike below 8000 rpms. This isn’t that difficult on this bike as it still shifts due to the low down grunt from the 1300cc engine. I am really liking the bike although I am not that keen on the HP rearsets. They may look fantastic but for me I am not entirely sure about them. I did have one issue on the ride and that may be down to these rearsets, the quickshifter was hard to get to function in 4, 5 and 6th. I seemed to have to lift the gear lever up a lot more than my old bike to get it to work. Which for someone who isn’t very flexible like me could be a problem. I think I will adjust the height of the pegs and see if that makes a difference.

Tank Cover and Luggage Racks

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Sun, 27 Sep 2015 17:55:00 +0000

Today I installed my old luggage rails and SW Motech topbox racks to the bike. I had learned from posts on the forums that getting the grab rail bolts out can be problematic due to BMW using red Loctite on the bolts. Some people have also had the issue of the nut welded onto the inside of the frame coming loose and just spinning with the bolt. As I undid the bolts some of them just grabbed and seemed very stiff. I used some WD40 and then tightened the bolts back down. I did this several times and eventually the bolts came free enough for me to happily undo them completely. I then cleaned the bolts up that I was reusing and then reinstalled with some copper grease for ease of extraction next time, I hardly think they are going to vibrate loose. The only bolts that I did put Blue Loctite on was the ones holding the topbox plate on, as these do vibrate loose.

I then set about installing my new Bagster tank cover that I got off Ebay. Bagster don’t actually list my cover on their website but they do make one for the motorsport edition. It isn’t a perfect colour match as the black near the seat area is missing and it is just all white. But for someone like me who is very good at wearing tanks away with knees and crotch it is a no brainer. The added benefit of being able to attach a tank bag is a bonus, you can also use the front clips for putting you helmet D-Ring on when resting it on your tank.

New Bike Collected

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Sat, 26 Sep 2015 19:17:00 +0000

We went over to Southport Superbikes today to pick up my new bike. On my way over I monitored the temperature gauge on my bike to see if it was running hotter than other K1300S’s. We arrived and parked up and Kirk was very happy to see us. I signed the relevant forms and then took charge of my new bike. We headed off back home via Croston and the Grane Road so I could get a feel for the new bike and to help scrub in the tyres a bit. The bike ran far cooler than my old one and it also turned in much quicker and easier. I don’t know whether that is because of the lighter HP forged wheels or the 190 rear. Anyway I am very pleased with the bike and the extra bits that come with this special edition really set it off. I also decided straight away to remove the baffle from the Akrapovic exhaust, before the constant heat makes it hard to remove in the future.

New Bike Ordered

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 16:35:00 +0000

After Williams poor offer I rang around some of the other dealers to see what deal they could do. They all offered a better deal than Williams did, but fortunately we where able to track down Kirk who used to work at Williams and who we have know for around 8 years. The salesman at Williams foolishly told us that he had gone over to Bowker, who are opening a new 1.5 million showroom on Preston Docks. That site only opens in October but we tried Southport Superbikes who they bought and are transferring to the new site in Preston. We phoned them up and asked if Kirk was there and to our surprise he was. We soon got talking and he did me a great deal over the phone and so I put some money down to secure a new K1300S Motorsport.

BMW R1200RS Test

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 19:16:00 +0000

Helen and I went over to Williams today to have a test of the new R1200RS and also to look at trading in my bike against a new K1300S.

We arrived as they just opened and also met are friend Ian there. I left my bike there and rode on Helen’s Z1000SX. We left and headed on the motorway over towards Glossop. We used some of the back roads to test out the bike and then passed through Glossop and headed over to Woodhead Pass. We then climbed up Holme Moss and stopped at the top for a debrief. Helen was a bit disappointed as she keen on the bike but didn’t like the way it rode. We swopped over and headed back down into Glossop for some lunch.

After lunch we headed back to Williams, Helen was on the R1200RS again. When we arrived back we both agreed that the bike felt a bit agricultural to ride and hard work. I felt it ran out of revs too fast for me and I was up and down the box far too much. After we had handed the bike back we discussed trading my bike in but I wasn’t happy with the deal they offered me, they offered me far too little on my bike. All in all a wasted day in the end, except that Helen did find out that the R1200RS is not for her.

K1300S Throttle Bodies

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Sat, 15 Aug 2015 17:36:00 +0000

Well a nice dry day with little wind came around so I decided to pull the BMW out of the garage and have a go at swapping out the throttle bodies, to see if that would cure the sticking throttle issue.

I stripped the side fairing panels and tank panels off and then removed the fuel tank from the bike. I then had to remove the battery and battery holding bracket that is attached to the frame. I then removed the two air inlet pipes that also hold an air filter each. I could then have a go at removing the airbox. I first pulled off the small pipes to the airbox, I then had the pleasure of removing the spring clips to 3 other slightly larger pipes and then the 4 spring clips to the throttle body outlets. I got a set of pliers off Ebay that did the job of making getting them undone slightly easier. I then removed the wiring plugs to the sensors on the airbox. After all that I was finally able to remove the airbox assembly from the bike. At this point I could now see into the throttle bodies and upon activation of the throttle I could see that yes they weren’t closing fully and sticking. They did look dirty and a bit gunked up so I tried cleaning them first but that made no difference. So I was resigned to having to remove them from the bike.

I first vacuumed and cleaned up any crap around the engine to make sure nothing could fall down one of the inlets. I then disconnected the throttle cables at the twist grip and then fed them back inside the frame so they could come out with the throttle bodies. I then removed the sensor cables to two of the sensors, the other ones I would have to pull the throttle bodies up to get at. I then released the 4 large spring clips at the engine inlets and then pulled them up slightly. While doing this a glided some kitchen towel into each of the 4 inlets to prevent any debris falling down them. With the inlets protected I was able to manoeuvre the throttle bodies about to disconnect the 4 fuel injector plugs and the other sensor underneath. Once they where removed I disconnect the throttle cables and checked there operation. You could see they where sticking but it was obviously internal and not fixable.

Fortunately the pair I got off Ebay worked perfectly so I decided to install them. I changed over the sensors on the bodies as I knew non of mine where faulty and I didn’t want to remove them again for a faulty sensor. I reinstalled the throttle bodies and cables and activated the throttle. There was no notchy feeling anymore and the throttle valves opened and shut perfectly. I then put the bike back together again and then the moment of truth came. The bike eventually started after the fuel got through, I suppose I should of primed the system some how first. Everything worked perfectly and the throttle now seemed more responsive and when shutting it off the bike stood on it nose more. I will have to change my riding style now as I have obviously been riding to the sticking issue. Now that they are fixed I can look at trading in the bike for a newer one.

Motorcycle Tour of Slovenia

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 18:20:00 +0000

Foreword
Still Updating Blog Not Complete

Friday 19^th June - Home to Hull
We left home late Friday afternoon and headed over to Hull to catch the ferry over to Zeebrugge. For us this is a good option as we save some days holiday not having to travel down to Dover or Portsmouth. Hull is only 1.5 hours from our house so it is very easy to go and catch the overnight ferry on a Friday evening. We arrived at the port and then waited to board but to our surprise we had already missed the first boarding. After the freight had been loaded we were called to board the ferry, even more of a surprise was the strap that was thrown at us on the way up the loading ramp. There was no help from the deck hands to assist in strapping down the bike and you were just expected to look after yourself. It was only a strap with a clamp on it so it wasn't possible to ratchet the bike down, we were not impressed. We unpacked and went upstairs and Helen found reception to see about an upgrade. She just missed out on a club cabin but we did manage to upgrade to a 4 berth cabin for £15. The cabin was fine and the beds surprisingly comfy, which enabled us to have a very good nights sleep.

Saturday 20^th June - Zeebrugge to Aach
We awoke to a bright blue sky and sunshine which was an unexpected bonus. We packed up and headed down to the cafe for some coffee and pains au chocolat. We soon docked and so headed down to the car deck to find our bikes were thankfully still upright. We left the ferry at around 10am and then headed through passport control and then onto the Belgian motorway network. We got off the motorway briefly to fill up with fuel and then headed to Grimbergen Castle just north of Brussels.

We left the castle and joined the motorway again and headed for Liege. We stopped briefly for lunch at some services before leaving the motorway near to Rosoux-Crenwick. We joined the N615 and then followed some minor roads south through Avennes and Huccorgne on our way to Huy. We then followed the twisty N641 to Ocquier and then the N638. We then followed the N814 and N833 through Durbuy to the N841 and onwards to Amonines. We then joined a really twisty minor road to La Roche-en-Ardenne, where we filled up with fuel(I had already pre-planned all our fuel stops around a range of 150 miles). While we where filling up we noticed a nice spot across the river to park up for lunch.

We left La Roche-en-Ardenne and headed for Ortho on the N843. We then turned east and followed a nice minor road to the N860 and onto Houffalize. We then headed south on the N838 and then turn east and headed into Luxembourg. We then joined the CR819 and here is where the fun really started. This was a really nice flowing and challenging road on perfectly smooth asphalt. We passed through Wiltz and onto the N25 and CR322, both of these roads were equally as good. We then passed through Vianden and then headed across the border into Germany. Shortly after this we got diverted several times as our intended route was closed. We eventually dropped down into Aach and arrived at our lovely guest house for the night Landhotel & Cafe Im Gartenfeld. We couldn't believe we had got such a nice place to stay including breakfast for only £56. We had a quick shower and then walked up the hill to a local Italian restaurant for pizza, we briefly stopped on the way to stroke two very friendly cats.

Sunday 21^st June - Aach to Seebach
It rain heavily overnight but by the time we woke up it had started to ease off to a light shower. We went for a wonderful breakfast in the cafe next door and then packed up. It had stopped raining and was starting to brighten up as we left and we soon found dry roads. We headed on the L44 into Trier and parked up in the free motorcycle spaces adjacent to the cathedral. We got off the bikes and walked over to Porta Nigra and then had a walk around the Cathedral. Helen then called into a bakery for some bread for our lunch. We then got back on the bikes and visited Franco’s Tower and then headed over to the bike parking at the Roman Imperial Throne Room and Baths. We had a quick look around the outside and then headed over to the Amphitheatre on the bikes. We had a quick look through the entrance and then filled up we fuel. It was about 12:45pm and hot and dry now so we decided we should get on with our riding.

We left Trier on the L143 and eventually got out of the slow speed limit towns and headed on the L146 and K75 to Kell am See. We then followed the K76 to Grimburg and then the L147, L365 and the L147 again to Primstal. We then followed the L134 through Oberthal to Sankt Wendel. Here we turned south and headed for France on the L131, L121and L287. We joined the A8 autobahn at Kohlhof and headed southeast, to our dismay it was not unrestricted apart from the last 1.6 miles. We left the autobahn and joined the L700 and passed by Hornbach and then followed the D35a and D962 into France. We soon arrived in Bitche and then joined a previous tried and tested route that follows the D35/D3 through the forest around the army camps. This is a nice smooth flowing road that doesn't pass through many speed limited towns/villages. We stopped briefly on the outskirts of Climbach for the rest of our lunch, where we got talking to some German bikers.

We left as the skies started to darken and headed on the D3 Altenstadt. We then hit some really heavy rain as we continued on the D34 and D297 to Roppenheim. We then joined the D4 and headed over the Rhine towards Baden Baden. The rain had now eased and it was actually hot and sunny when we stopped in Oos for fuel. We passed under Baden Baden in the tunnel and then joined the infamous B500. It had now started to rain again lightly but it wasn't enough to spoil are run up the B500 and into the Black Forest. We soon arrived at our right hand turn onto the L87 and followed the twisty downhill road into Seebach. We soon arrived at our Hotel for the night Pension Williams. We have stayed here twice previously before and would highly recommend the location as a base for visiting the Black Forest. It is run by a lovely English couple and has a drying room especially for bikers. We unpacked the bikes as the heavens opened and a torrential downpour of rain backed up with thunder and lightning came down.

After a quick shower the owner gave us a lift back up the road to the fantastic Steakhaus Kaminstub, which is located on a tight hairpin bend. We have been here before and is well worth a visit for a quality steak. After our wonderful meal and cat snuggles the owner gave us a lift back down the hill to our hotel in Seebach. The rain had by now eased off and is pretty typical of the heavy showers that you can get in this area of Germany.

Monday 22^nd June - Seebach to Garmisch-Partenkirchen
We awoke to dry roads but a very low cloud layer hanging over the top of the B500. We packed up and headed downstairs for a the well prepared breakfast and had a brief chat with the rest of the English bikers.

We left and headed back up to the B500. The roads were fairly dry with the odd damp patch about. As expected the B500 was covered in a low cloud layer which meant that in places visibility was down quite a bit. Fortunately it wasn’t a wet cloud layer so our visors didn’t get fogged up. We had a decent run to Freudenstadt but were then foiled again as the L405 was closed. We ended up following the diversion to Rotweil where we joined the Autobahn. We stopped at some services on the Autobahn and got talking to a retired couple from England who were also headed to Slovenia. After a bite to eat we left the services and followed the Autobahn to the B31 and down into Friedrichshafen. As you approach Friedrichshafen you get a great view of Lake Constance. We stopped at a Shell garage in Friedrichshafen and were both badgered by attendants as we tried to fill up. We eventually got through to them that we weren’t German and so they pointed at a sticker on the pump that said no sitting on the bike while filling up. Helen had already managed to get fuel anyway but had to come and hold my bike up while we filled it up. So in protest we blocked both pumps while we took our time to pay and put our bike gear back on.

We left and carried on the B31 towards the A96. Here we joined the B308 which had some nice twisty bits in places. We eventually arrived on the banks of Alpsee in Bavaria. We then briefly joined the B19 before continuing east on the B308 again. After a while we crossed into Austria and followed the B199 passed Haldensee to the L260 and the L255. The L255 is a great road that we have ridden on before and is worthy of a visit. It winds it way along the banks of Plansee before snaking its way through the trees and back into Germany to the junction with the B23 at Ettal. We then followed the B23 and B2 into Garmisch-Partenkirchen and soon arrived at our hotel for the night. We have stayed at the Mecure Hotel before because you can upgrade and get a coffee machine and a fridge. There is also a bakers and supermarket nearby for supplies and breakfast in the morning. As we arrived it started to rain and then the heavens opened and it started to pour down.

Tuesday 23^rd June - Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Lienz
We didn’t have a long run today but we were aware that the weather forecast for this morning wasn’t great. So we decided to take advantage of our late checkout and wait for the rain to pass and head off to the east. Thankfully the forecast was correct and by 11:30am the roads had dried and we had some blue sky pushing through the clouds.

We left and headed on the B2 to Wallgau. Here we joined a toll road that followed the Isar for a while before crossing over a small bridge to the B307. We followed this road and soon the Isar opened out into Sylvensteinsee. We crossed over the dam on a much larger bridge and then followed the dam for a bit longer. We then crossed over the border into Austria and headed south on the B181 towards Jenbach. We stopped briefly along the banks of Achensee to take some photos. We then continued onto Jenbach and then joined the B169 as we headed towards Gerlos. We then joined the B165 and started the climb up the Gerlos Alpine Road. We then stopped at a nice viewpoint that overlooked Durlassboden Reservoir for lunch. While we where there we checked the webcams on the Grossglockner and it looked clear so we decided we would go over it to Lienz. As the Felbertauern Tunnel on the B108 costs €10 to use it seemed like a no brainer to go over the pass instead. If it wasn’t clear when we got there we could try again tomorrow with a €11 return ticket instead.

After lunch we continued on the road and then stopped at the toll barriers. We had decided in advance to get the motorcycle tour ticket for €32.50 this would enable us to do all the toll roads in the area. We progressed over the summit and started the descent, stopping briefly to take some photos of the view from the summit and of Krimml Waterfalls. Once we had descent into the valley below we continued on the B165 to Mittersill. As it still looked clear we continued on the B168 and B311 to Pichl. Here we turned south and joined the start of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road. We stopped briefly for fuel as it just started to rain and didn’t look very promising. We soon found ourselves on damp roads and then arrived at the toll barriers. We presented our tickets and then started the climb to the top of pass. It is a wide road so would not normally be a difficult climb. However with the fine drizzle and very poor visibility it was quite a challenge to see were you where going at times. We decided that while we where here we had to go up to the bikers nest on Edelweiss-Spitze. This section of road is cobbled with tight hairpins in places, quite a challenge in these conditions. Anyway we made it to the top and had a nice coffee in the cafe. By this time it had started to snow again but didn’t look like it would cause us any further problems.

We left and started the descent back down to Lienz in the same poor conditions. Then as we passed below 2000m the view cleared and the road was dry. We stopped to dry our visors and were now able to actually make some progress as we could now see the road. We soon passed through the toll barriers on the other side and headed for Lienz. We passed through Lienz and then climbed up to our hotel for the night Landgasthof Kreithof. The room was excellent and the views fantastic once the low cloud moved. The food was OK as the menu was a bit too Pork focused for our liking. But other than that we couldn’t fault it for the price we paid and would definitely recommend it.

Wednesday 24^th June – Lienz to Kranjska Gora
As expected we awoke to a dry and sunny day, the cloud was still hanging below the hills but after breakfast it had started to clear and we could see the nearby mountains that we couldn’t see yesterday. We had a look on the webcams and Grossglockner High Alpine Road looked fairly clear in most places expect for the bikers nest on Edelweiss-Spitze.

We left the hotel and headed down into Lienz and then made the climb back up to the tolls booths on the Grossglockner. As expected it only cost us another €11 each to go up today. We headed straight to Franz-Josephs-Hohe Vistors’ Centre @2369m which is the main car parking area and information centre. We had a great run up there on a relatively quiet and clear road. We parked up and were glad that we had a clear view of the glacier. We used one of the free biker safes to put our helmets and my tank bag in and then decided we would get the Funicular down to the glacier. The glacier used to be at the bottom of the Funicular but it has receded over the years quite a bit. We walked down quite a bit to get a better view of the glacier but our bike gear wasn’t the best for walking any further. So we headed back up to the carpark on the Funicular.

We left and then headed back to the main road and then started the climb up to the summit at Hochtor Pass @2504m. Part way up the climb we came across snow on either side of the road which remained all the way up to the top. We passed over the top and stopped in the carpark just below the biker nest at Edelweiss-Spitze. I managed to take some decent photos as the cloud moved in and out, but the top of the bikers nest was covered in cloud so we didn’t see much point in going up again today.

We then headed back down to Fuscher Lake @2262m to take some photos before heading back down to the toll booths. We then headed back down the B107 to Lienz stopping briefly for fuel on the way. We stopped in a Spar carpark just outside Lienz for lunch. Which had possibly the best view from any Spar carpark we have ever been to before. The weather down here was starting to get really warm now and the sky had cleared to reveal a deep blue vista.

After lunch we followed the B100 to Oberdrauburg and then turned south onto the B110 and headed up the Plocken Pass. We then went over the top of the pass and headed into Italy. We followed the SS52bis to Tolmezzo where we joined the SS52. We headed east on the SS52 and then the SS13 and then stopped briefly in Resiutta for a Gelato(ice cream). We then joined the SP76 near to Raccolana, this was a really nice quiet road. After a while the road started to climb up and we found some tunnels that had hairpin bends in them. Fortunately as we where entering dark tunnels we were going slow as there was no indication that they where hairpin bends. After a while we came across the beautiful lake Lago del Predil and managed to find a nice place to stop for a break.

We left and then joined the SS54 to Tarvisio. We then continued on this road and soon arrived at the border with Slovenia. We crossed over the unmanned border and then followed the 202 to Podkoren. We then followed the 201 to Kranjska Gora and our apartment for the next 5 nights in House Neza.

Thursday 25^th June – Mangart and Vrsic Passes
The forecast for today and tomorrow looked good so we decided to do the other toll passes tomorrow and stay fairly local today. Luckily we had to sign the registration forms this morning, when the owner informed us that today was Indepence Day and a national holiday. He also mentioned that a bicycle race was going up Vršič Pass this morning. With this information I reversed my intended route to take in the pass in the afternoon when the race would be over.

We left the apartment and headed for fuel first and came across the wonderful 100 octane super unleaded. My bike really liked this fuel and I was getting miles more miles per gallon from it. We then headed back through Podkoren and into Italy and through Tarvisio to the junction at lake Lago del Predil. We then continued on SS54 and started the climb of Predil Pass. We stopped at the stop to have a look at the small fort. It looked like it had been abandoned to fall into a more ruined state, but at some point it must have been cared for as the car park was asphalted.

We left and crossed back into Slovenia and followed the 203 down the otherside. We then turned left and joined the road to Mangart Pass. I wasn’t aware that it was actually a toll road but being the highest paved road in Slovenia I thought that we had to go up anyway. It was quite a narrow and technical road with many hairpins and some decent drops off the edge. It took us a while to climb up to the summit @2055m. Technically it isn’t a pass as the road just loops around at the top and you have to come back down the same way. We parked up at the top and went and had a look at the views. The views were outstanding with some spectacular drops of the edges, some us actually went right to the edge and looked over.

After a while we headed back down to the 203 and headed south towards Bovec. Further down the valley we stopped at the old intact Kluze Fortress. It was a good visit with plenty of English on the information boards, it was also nice and cool inside.

We left and headed down to Bovec where we turned northeast and headed back towards Kranjska Gora on the 206. We soon started the climb of Vršič Pass, it is a very rapid climb up a lot of tight hairpins. Part way up the climb a came across 3 other motorcycles stuck behind a very slow moving campervan. There where no straights in between the hairpins which where also surrounded by trees, so it was impossible to overtake. After about 5 minutes of my bike sucking in everyone else's heat the campervan pulled over and let us all past. At this point the red warning triangle came up on my display, I quickly noticed the flashing temperature bars and surmised that the bike had overheated, so as quickly as possible I found somewhere to pull over to let the bike cool down. I heard the fan stop as I turned the ignition off so knew that the cooling system was working and just presumed it was one of those things (this was not the last time this would happen on out tour). After the bike had cooled down we passed over the summit @1611m and then headed down the otherside. This side was just as twisty but with the added pleasure of very bumpy cobbled hairpins. We stopped halfway down the otherside by the old Russian Chapel. It was built by Russian POWs to commemorate their dead comrades during the roads construction. We then headed back to our apartment.

Friday 26^th June – Villach and Nockalm Roads
It was lovely and sunny today has had been forecast, so we decided to go with Plan A and do the other toll roads. We left and headed to Podkoren and then turned right and headed north to Austria via Wurzen Pass. The road on the Slovenian side is fine however the Austrian side it was awful and bumpy. We joined the B83 and then the B86 and headed around the outskirts of Villach. We then joined the Villach Alpine Road and soon arrived at the toll booths. Due to us having a tour ticket we were entitled to a discount on the toll charges. We then had a great quiet run to the top stopping briefly at one of the lookout points on the way. We could see Mangart from the lookout point where we went yesterday. We had a butty at the top and Helen was very pleased to see loads of very nice looking cows with loud cow bells around there necks.

The road is a dead-end so we had to head back to down Villach. We joined the B86 again and then followed the B84 around Villach. We then headed on the B98 towards Radenthein. The road was more functional than pleasurable but the scenery was nice as we passed by two lakes, Afritzersee and Brennsee. We arrived in Radenthein and then made a turn to the right and joined the B88 and headed to Patergassen and then joined the B95 there. We headed north on the B95 and soon made a left turn onto the L19 and the Nockalm Road. This is another toll road and is included in the tour ticket that we bought so we showed our tickets and passed trough the toll booths. We then had a stunning run along the road taking in the wonderful views along the way. The road was fairly quiet with mainly other motorcyclists on it. We passed over the first high point at Glocken Hut @2024m and then headed down the other side. We then to our surprise starting climbing again and then passed over the other high point Eisentalhohe @2042m. We didn’t stop at the top because it was very busy so continued on down the other side. We had a good run down around loads of nice sweeping hairpin bends and then came across a nice parking area with picnic benches and toilets. So we stopped there to have some more of our lunch.

After a good rest we continued along the rest of the Nockalm Road to Innerkrems. We then joined the narrow L19 that we followed all the way to the L225 near Gruben. Then we followed the L225 to Madling where we joined the B95 a wider road with a line down the middle. We followed this road to Predlitz and the junction with the B97. The B95 actually turns south hear and what comes next is absolutely amazing. On a map the road just looks a little wavy but it is actually a series of about 30 to 50 left and right corners that go into each other. The corners are almost all identical and you just stay in the same gear and at a constant throttle. Even though it is a constant repetitive left and then right you actually get into a rhythm and I actually really enjoyed this road. After a fair while we arrived at Turrachsee where we stopped at Hotel Kornock for a coffee.

We left and continued on the B95 and soon passed by the start of the Nockalm Road again. We then continued on the B95 to Feldkirchen in Karnten. Here we joined the B94 and headed back towards Villach. The road follows along the banks of Ossiacher See but it was very slow going and a bit boring. We then arrived at the junction with the B98 and B94 and then retraced our outward route back to our apartment.

Saturday 27^th June – Loibl Tunnel & Seeberg Saddle
Today was forecast to rain quite heavily later in the afternoon, so we decided to do a short loop so we would be back in time before the rain arrived. We had bought Vignettes yesterday for the week that would enable us to use the motorways, they cost €7.50 each. I affixed them to our bike screen and then we headed out.

We left and headed east on the 201 and then joined the A2 motorway at Hrusica. We weren’t on the motorway for very long at got off near to Podbrezje and the headed north on the 101. We passed through Trzic and then made the climb up to the border with Austria. There is no pass at the summit of the road now so instead we had to pass through Loibl Tunnel to get into Austria. We then descended down to Ferlach on the B91 and then the L104. We then joined the back roads of the L103, L108 and L131 which twisted their way through the trees to Miklauzhof. Here we turned south and joined the B82 heading back to Slovenia. We passed by an Austrian Police speed trap but they didn’t check our speeds, but we weren’t speeding anyway. I guess they were waiting for people coming into the urban zone the other way. We then started the ascent of the Seeberg Saddle. We passed a few bikers on the way up so warned them of the speed trap as we went past. It was a really nice tight and twisty climb up, with some sections cut into the rocks. The last bit was a series of about 12 hairpins that got us up the summit and the border @1218m. The two border posts where abandoned as expected, although the Slovenia one looked fairly recently built. They had kindly installed a picnic bench under there roof, so we though it was a perfect spot for a lunch stop.

After lunch we headed down the Slovenian side on the 210, probably not as nice as the Austrian side. We passed through Jerersko and then joined a minor road at Hrib. We then had to do a bit of motorcross to get us past some roadworks around a new housing estate. We then joined the A2 again and headed back to our apartment. About 5 miles away it started to rain but we got back just in time before it really started to rain. As a word of warning don’t use the Slovenia motorways if you don’t have a Vignette, as they have places where you have to slow down to pass cameras that are checking for them.

Sunday 28^th June – Postojna Cave & Predjama Castle
The weather for the rest of the tour was forecast to be sunny everyday, although later in the week we could possibly see temperatures up in the high 30’s. The cave at Postojna is quite a distance from our apartment so we decided to get there on the motorways. We left reasonably early and headed on the 201 to the A2 motorway and then followed that to Ljubljana. Here we joined the A1 and headed down to the Postojna junction. We then headed on the 6 to the cave and parked up in the motorcycle parking area, which was free and close to the entrance.

We then went and got tickets but had to wait for nearly an hour for the next English tour. The cave tour lasts about 1.5 hours and you get to see around 5km of the caves. To get right into the cave system you take a train that seems to travel for about 2km. The temperature in the cave is a refreshingly constant 8-10 degrees C, some people had coats on but for us it wasn’t that cold really. The guide spoke perfect English and the tour was probably the best of the cave tours we have been on. The end of the tour finishes in the concert hall which can accommodate 10,000 people for some of the concerts that are played there. You then get the train back to the entrance again and then the heat of sun hits you again. We had a spot of lunch and then headed up to Predjama Castle on the 913. We only stopped there briefly to take some photos as we had a fair way to get back.

We left and headed back to the A1, I hadn’t intended to get back on the motorway but for some reason the satnav decided to completely miss out some of my waypoints. So we ended up going all the way to Gorizia on the H4. We stopped here for fuel and then headed north on the 123 and 103. We then turned left onto the 402 as it looked like a nice little twisty detour off the 103 and it was. We then joined the 103 again and followed that all the way to Tolmin. This was a nice flowing road that we were able to make progress on, but at the same time was also a nice ride. We then followed the 102 to Kobarid and then joined the excellent 203 to Bovec. Shortly after Zaga we found a lovely spot to stop for coffee and cake, Penzion Boka.

While having our coffee and cake we discussed our route back and decided to not go over Vršič Pass again as it was so bumpy. So instead we followed the 203 past Kluze Fortress and over Predil Pass to Tarvisio. We then headed back to the apartment on the SS54 and the 202/201.

Monday 29^th June – Vintgar Gorge & Lake Bled
Again it was another dry day but we had a bit of an overcast looking sky. We headed back to the A2 motorway which we used for 1 junction and got off near to Lipce. We then joined the 654 which we followed to Spodnje Gorje. Here we turned off to go and visit Vintgar Gorge. We parked up and headed down to the ticket office. It cost €4 each but was well worth it. The gorge that follows the Radovna River is about 1.4km long and they have built a wooden walkway along most of it. Without this walkway you would not be able to walk along the bottom of the gorge at all. It was quite busy so it was difficult to get any photos without any other people in it. After the walk to the end and back we were hot and a bit weary so we had a much needed ice cream to cool down.

We left the gorge and then headed back to the Spodnje Gorje where we picked up the 905. We then followed that road all the way to Jereka. This was a really nice quiet twisty road through a forest. Towards the end of the road you had to be careful as they where felling trees in this area. So the road had tree debris on it and there where large log lorries on the road as well. At Jereka we joined the 633 and followed that to Lake Bohinj. We took some photos at the head of the lake and then rode alongside the lake to the other end and then stopped by the lake for a spot of lunch.

We left and headed on the 209 towards Bled. We soon arrived alongside Lake Bled and parked up opposite the Bled Castle to take some photos. Unfortunately there was a crane towering over the castle and the sky was still a bit gloomy looking. It was fairly busy so we didn’t stop for long and continued on the 209 back to the A2 motorway and then back to our Apartment.

Tuesday 30^th June – Kranjska Gora to Bolzano
We awoke and then packed all of our stuff up and then headed out. The forecast for the rest of the week was no rain and lots of sun. Normally this would be perfect but it didn’t exactly turn out like that.

We left in glorious sunshine and before crossing the border into Italy we filled up with cheap Slovenia fuel. The border was actually manned by the Italian Police but they stopped the car in front of us and waved us through. We then joined the motorway and followed that to the junction for Tolmezzo and the SS52. We followed the SS52 to Villa Santina and then joined the SR335. This was a quiet and well paved road, we followed this north to Entrampo. Here we joined the SR465 and crossed over the river on a nice British type multi-arched bridge. As we progressed down this road the distinctive peaks of the Dolomites came into view, with not a cloud in the sky the views where fantastic. We passed through a few small villages as we started to climb up gradually. After passing through Pesariis the road narrowed and we where now on picturesque forest mountain roads. The road had recently been resurfaced so it was a pleasure to ride on. The road snaked its way along and we eventually came to a long straight section with a perfect stopping places for bike along it. So we stopped here briefly to have some food and take on some much needed water.

We then continued on the SR465 and soon the trees opened up and we got a great view of the mountains at Sella di Razzo @1760m. After taking some photos we then passed over Sella Ciampigotto @1790m and started to head down. We descended very rapidly on some nice hairpin bends and then continued to descend as the road flowed nicely between the trees. We eventually arrived in Laggio di Cadore and the joined the SS52 again. We then continued on the SR48 and headed over to Cortina d’Ampezzo. We then headed for the petrol station to the south but it appeared to have closed. We then headed back into Cortina d’Ampezzo and found another station but that one was having issues with the pumps. I did a quick search on the satnav and found another station nearby. Fortunately this one was working but it wouldn’t accept our credit cards but it did take money so we put €10 in each bike.

We left and then headed west on the SR48 and then soon joined the Great Dolomite Road. We didn’t follow the exact route of the road all the way to Bolzano, but we certainly did a fair chunk of it. Our first diversion took us off and onto the SP638 and we started the ascent of Giau Pass @2236m. This is the steepest of the passes in the Dolomites and slightly less busy than some of the others. The majority of the traffic on the roads were other bikers enjoying the scenery as well. After a great run up the pass we arrived at the top and stopped for a spot of lunch and to take some photos.

After lunch we headed back down the other side which was equally as twisty and fun. We then made our way back to the SR48 Great Dolomite Road via the SP251 and SR203. We followed the road to Arabba and then started the climb of Pordoi Pass. This pass is probably the busiest of the passes in the area and even has local buses going up it. The sun was really beating down now and the temperature was in the low 30s. As we started up the twisty part of the pass I briefly got slowed by a tractor. As I passed by the dreaded red warning triangle came up on the dash. Yes the bike was overheating again, but I was on tight hairpin bends with nowhere to stop. I had no other option other to to push on. After a while the road straightened out a bit and I managed to get enough cooling through the radiator to drop one bar on the temperature gauge, although it was still flashing red. We arrived at the top at 2239m and we parked up so that might bike could cool down. We headed over to one of the many cafes at the top for a well earned coffee. Even though we where at 2239m it was still pretty warm.

After a while we left and descended back down the pass to Canazei. The bike seemed much happier going downhill and the temperature stayed nice and cool all the way down. We then continued on the SS48 to Vigo di Fassa where we joined the SS241 to Carezza Al Lago. Here we left the Great Dolomite Road and headed on the much quieter Via Nigra towards Tires. This is a nice and twisty road but wasn’t that steep so my bike didn’t have any heating issues. We then passed over the top and headed down the other side towards Bolzano. We eventually arrived in Bolzano and by now it was late afternoon and the temperature was in the high 30s. We then turned onto the minor road that would climb up to our hotel for the night. The road was very tight and also had some very tight hairpins. This meant that we had to go pretty slowly which resulted in my bike overheating again. We had to actually stop 3 times to let it cool down before we where able to get to our hotel for the night, Bad St Isidor. We then initially couldn’t find anywhere to park until the owner came out and pointed to the side of the hotel. We found a flat pathway by the side of the hotel that was perfect for the bikes. We unpacked and then went to our room which was actually fairly cool considering the heat. As we unpacked we each had a large beer to cool down.

After a much needed cooling shower we headed down for the included half board meal. This was served at a set time and was a set menu. Helen managed to get across that she couldn’t eat small cow(veal) but was happy with big cow(beef). The food and the staff where excellent and we would highly recommend staying at this hotel.

Wednesday 1^st July – Bolzano to Chur
We

Tour Imminent

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 11:52:00 +0000

Helen and I set out on Friday evening for our annual tour to Europe. This year we are heading to Kranjska Gora in Solvenia. It is located in the Julian Alps close to the Italian and Austrian borders. This year rather than travelling down south to catch the Channel Tunnel we have opted for the closer to home Hull to Zeebrugge Ferry. This will enable us to arrive on Saturday morning in Belgium and then give us a whole days riding.

From the Zeebrugge we travel through Belgium and Luxembourg to our first night in Trier in Germany. From here we travel to Seebach which is just south of Baden Baden on the B500. We then head through the Black Forest to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. From here we head into the Austrian Tyrol Mountains and over the infamous Grossglockner High Alpine Road to Lienz. We then snake over a few smaller passes between Austria and Italy before arriving in Slovenia, where we are staying for 6 nights.

We leave Slovenia heading west into Italy and heading for Bolzano along the Great Dolomite Road. From Bolzano we head into the Italian Alps and then into the Swiss Alps to Chur. We then head further into Switzerland and over Furka and Grimsel Passes and then head back into France and stop in Cernay near to Mulhouse. We then head into the Vosges and over the Grand Ballon and then follow the Route des Crêtes part of the way to Charleville-Mézières. We then head into Belgium and back to Zeebrugge for the ferry to Hull.

New Tyres

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 15:18:00 +0000

Yesterday Helen and I went over to bike tyre services in Sale to get a new set of tyres each for our upcoming tour. As usual we opted for Michelin Pilot Road 4 tyres as we are happy with their wear, also their grip in the dry and especially the wet. While we waited for the tyres to go on we nipped over to Ducati Manchester to have a look at the new Multistrada. To Helen’s surprise the new bike has a more contoured seat and on its lowest setting Helen can get her feet down almost flat. So the Multistrada has now become a potential next bike for her.

After we had the tyres fitted we headed over to Williams BMW in Trafford as I wanted a mechanic to have a look at a photo of my throttle cable. After a discussion I am pretty much resigned to the fact that I will need a new set of throttle bodies to fix my low revs issue. Apparently it is a different issue to the K1200 and is actually caused by the butterflies moving and sticking on the inside of the throttle inlets. Also while we where there Helen had a look at the S1000XR and the R1200RS. She actually preferred the look and feel of the R1200RS. We have decided once we get back off tour to take both of them out so she can have a test of each of them. Also BMW being BMW tried to sell me a new K1300S Motorsport rather than me having mine fixed. It is a great looking bike and I am certainly interested but will wait till we get back off tour. The question then will be to get the valve check done on my bike our to get a new one.

After a quick coffee and biscuits at Williams BMW we headed to the Dale to scrub in our new rubber. We just went for a quick run to Hawes and back via our usual route of Sabden, Sawley, Wigglesworth, Settle and Ribblehead Viaduct. To say it was a bit windy would be an understatement, I can just imagine how bad it would have been on the mountain course and think it was a very wise idea to cancel any TT action on Saturday. The new tyres were as sure footed as ever and we even managed to get them to near the edges on our first real heat cycle.

After getting home I went on Ebay and have managed to source a used set of throttle bodies for under £100 off a 2010 10,000 mile K1300S, much better than the £700 for a new set. I am not going to fit them before we go in case I encounter any issues while fitting them. Especially as I will have to undo near on 15 of those locking hose clips that BMW like to use.

Cafe Racer Run

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Sat, 23 May 2015 15:54:00 +0000

Ella one of our biker friends has taken on the Cafe Racer Challenge. So she came north for a change and joined us on a run around the Dales to enable her to bag three cafes in that area.

We met Ella at Clitheroe Services after having her S1000RR in at BMW for a valve check, which was only completed that morning. Upon our arrival she informed us that the bike had leaked oil all over the place on the way there, even over her back tyre. After a quick check of the bike it looked obvious that it had come out of the camshaft cover gasket. BMW had replaced the gasket but obviously the gasket and sealant had sealed correctly. We had to wait at Clitheroe for about 1.5 hours for BMW to bring her a replacement bike for the day.

We left Clitheroe just after 11:15am and headed straight for Devil’s Bridge via our tried an tested route of Sawley, Wigglesworth, Settle and Ingleton. We stopped at Devil’s Bridge briefly so Ella could take a photo and bag her first cafe of the day.

We then headed north on the A683 towards Sedbergh and then joined B6256 which took us to the A684. We turned right and followed the A684 to the B6257 and then turned left and followed that road to the junction with the A685. Here we turned right and ran parallel with the M6 down into Tebay. We then joined the B6260 to Orton and then the B6261 which passes under the M6 and then joins the A6 just south of Shap. We headed through Shap on the A6 and followed that road all the way to Penrith. We then joined the A686 and headed towards Alston. This road meanders for a while until you get to Melmerby. Just as you leave Melmerby the real fun starts as you start the climb of Hartside Pass. This is a stunning bit of asphalt with some very tight turns and is reasonably steep in places, which means you can catch less powerful cars up very quickly indeed. We stopped at the top by Hartside Cafe briefly so Ella could bag her second cafe of the day.

We

left Hartside and started the descent down into Alston, this side is not as challenging. We stopped briefly in Alston for fuel and then joined the stunning B6277 to Middleton-in-Teesdale. This road is always quiet until you get near to High Force, the majority of the corners are open and provide superb vision. We had a great run to Middleton-in-Teesdale and then stopped at one of our usual haunts for lunch Cafe 1618.

After a wonderful very late lunch we joined the equally superb B6276. This road is usually even quieter but is slightly more technical in places. The major concern is that you will often find suicidal sheep on this road in between the cattle grids. But once you are familiar with this road you know where they will likely be. We soon arrived in Brough and then followed the A685 to Kirkby Stephen. We then turned left in Kirkby Stephen and followed the B6259 through Nateby and Outgill to the A684 at The Moorcock Inn. We then followed the A684 to Hawes so Ella could stop by the Penny Garth Cafe for her third cafe bagging of the day. From here we followed the usual suspects the B6255 and B6479 to Settle. We stopped in Settle for Coffee and Scones at the Ye Olde Naked Man Cafe. We then headed home by the usual route of Wigglesworth, Sawley and Sabden.

May Day Run

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Mon, 04 May 2015 18:14:00 +0000

Helen and I went out for a run today, due to it being a bank holiday I decided it would probably be a good idea to avoid most of the popular routes around the Dales and Cumbria. It was also a good chance to finish off my tyres and to test that the Garmin and bike to bike radios still worked.

We started out and headed straight for Clitheroe. We then headed through Waddington and over Waddington Fell to Newton-in-Bowland. From here we turned left and headed to Dunsop Bridge and then turned onto the Trough of Bowland road and headed to Quernmore. We turned north and Quernmore and then joined the A683 at Caton. We then briefly followed the A683 to Hornby and then turned onto Fleet Lane and headed for the B6254. We turned right onto the B6254 and followed this all the way to Kirkby Lonsdale. This is the first time we have ever used this road and it was much quieter and probably better than taking the A683 all the way instead. We passed through Kirkby Lonsdale itself and then continued on the B6254 towards Kendal, again another nice quiet flowing road. Just before Kendal we turned right onto the single track Hayclose Lane and then passed over the A684 and followed the even tighter Paddy Lane to the A685. We then turned right and followed the A685 down into Tebay and then the B6250 to Orton. We stopped in Orton at Orton Scar Cafe formerly Silver Yard Cafe.

After a lovely lunch as usual we joined the B6261 and followed that to the A685 and then headed for Kirkby Stephen. Just before Kirkby Stephen we turned onto Station Road and then joined the B6259 to Nateby. We passed through Nateby and followed the B6259 all the way to the junction with the A684 at The Moorcock Inn. We then followed the A684 to Hawes and then joined the superb B6255 to Ribblehead Viaduct. From here we joined the B6479 to Settle via Horton in Ribblesdale. We stopped in Settle and got a well earned ice cream from our usual haunt the Ye Olde Naked Man Cafe.

We then headed back home via our usual route of Wigglesworth, Sawley and Saben. The SatNav and radios both worked as they should and it would appear as suspected that the sound issue was down to my previous microphone. The only minor issue was the new microphone picked up wind noise easier and so was setting off the Vox for the radios when not intended. The easy solution to this is to put tape over the internal chinbar vents and and to turn the Vox sensitivity down on my Autocom unit.

Helmet Visor and Microphone

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Sat, 02 May 2015 11:14:00 +0000

As previously discussed I have had numerous issues with the Pinlock visor insert on my HJC R-PHA10 Ben Spies Limited Edition helmet. I have gone through 3 of them now on both the clear and light smoke visors that I have. They have all work for a brief time than they develop a small gap and start moving about and actually then scratch the inside of the visor. Due to me actually liking the helmet otherwise, I decided to get a new light smoke visor and try Muc-Off Anti-Fog Treatment instead. I am happy to report that it seems to work really well and I didn’t have any fogging issues on a recent ride, when Helen experience some with her own Pinlock insert on her Shoei helmet.

On our tour last year my Microphone got very wet going through Andorra and then started to play up for the rest of the tour. So I decided to get a replacement microphone to see if that was the actual issue with my Autocom system. The microphone I got was slightly different from the original and is in my opinion far better as well. The boom is far more flexible and holds its position so I can position in front of my mouth rather than having to velcro it to the helmet chin bar. The microphone worked great although it is now setting off the Vox with wind noise, so I might need to adjust the Vox setting, not easy because of my install.

K1300s MOT

noreply@blogger.com (Cavturbo) — Sat, 02 May 2015 11:06:00 +0000

I took the BMW for its well overdue MOT the other day to Bikes and Beyond in Shaw. The throttle misbehaved a bit as usual but he was happy to pass it regardless as it seemed pretty obvious it is not connected to the actual throttle and cable. I still think it is electrical and either the stepper motor or the idle control valve. I am intending to trade it in after our upcoming tour for a newer one as the expensive valve check will also be due soon as well. I got an advisory for the rear tyre and the headlight beam failed initially as it was too low. But they sorted that with the adjuster and passed it with flying colours otherwise. Other than that the bike ran very well considering it has really moved since last year.