THE OLD BLOKE'S BLOG

Welcome to The Old Bloke’s Blog!

But it's more than just a blogy; it's a blog combined with general news, things of interest, etc. So, a traditional type blog of things that I've been doing that will, hopefully, be of some interest to the reader, but it's also where I put items of interest that aren't big enough for a separate article. So don't think that it's all about me! Some of it is, but it's also a newsy kind of thing.

It's set out month by month, going down the page - so for the latest entries, scroll down to the bottom.

For previous installments in this Blog, just scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the button there.

I hope you find it interesting!

These days, a lot of this content gets posted on my Facebook page; which is updated and added to far more frequently than this web-site. So if you are on Facebook, check it out. (Just do a search for "The Old Bloke", you should find it easily).

JANUAY 3, 2019. On New Year’s Day last year I started the year off with a ride: just a short one, up the mountain to a favourite motorcyclists’ meeting place. A good way to start the year off! This year, despite my back trouble not being as debilitating as it was a year ago, I didn’t get the same start to the year. In fact, I haven’t ridden for nearly 3 weeks, and that was only a very short outing – curtailed not long after I left by threatening clouds and rain. Since then it has been too hot! Hot and humid. Frustrating! The only ways to avoid the heat are to go very early in the morning, or very late in the afternoon. I’m not a morning person, so that was never going to happen, so I decided to try the late afternoon / early evening period; when the sun has set (or is setting), and the air is cooler and less humid. So today I went for a “twilight ride”. I left home at 6pm, with dark clouds to the north, but no rain showing on the radar. It was only a short ride – I was away for about an hour – but it got the bike started for the New Year. 

JANUARY 3, 2019. I got an email from AGV, telling me about the latest K-1 helmet, which is now available.

Featuring their latest design with aerodynamic aids like a spoiler across the back that begins on each side, they claim it has taken inspiration from their race helmets, but designed for touring comfort, with lots of ventilation, and increased field of vision. It has removable and washable liner and cheek pads. It is available in a range of different graphic colours, including a Rossi tribute one.

They sound like a good thing; and the price is even better! Recommended retail runs from $279 to $349. Click here for more information.

JANUARY 8, 2019. I’ve just read, courtesy of Motorcycle Trader, a list of the latest recalls to motorcycles. It seems that some bikes have bits falling off them. Stands seem to be an issue. Honda’s Africa Twin has a problem with a circlip that holds the centrestand. Incorrect heat-treatment of the circlip could cause it to be brittle and break, allowing the stand to drop down; or off. The result could be the bike falling over while on the stand, or falling off while riding it “potentially fouling the back wheel”. Nasty! A similar fate could befall the Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX. Improper welding is the culprit here, which could allow the stand to drop to the ground.

BMW’s G310 has a problem with the sidestand, which they say may break, allowing the bike to fall over. That’s pretty poor, especially considering it isn’t a big bike that it has to hold up. So it may not surprise you to learn that the stand is made in India. I’ve said before that people who buy a premium German brand would not expect to have bits of it made in Asia – like engines that come from China, and now it seems, side-stands made in India.

If you own a Yamaha XSR700, you could find your chain-guard falling off: due to the bolt that holds it on coming loose. Contact your Yamaha dealer for a fix – which is probably to fit the spring-washer that should’ve been fitted in the factory.

Ducati has a different, but potentially very serious, problem with its Panigale models. The rear brake pads could fall apart: the pad material separating from the backing-plate. Suddenly finding your Paningale has no rear brakes, or alternatively have the whole mess jam in the caliper and lock the back wheel, could be more than a little serious!  

Kawasaki’s ER300 and associated models have a more devious problem: a clip under the fuel tank that secures the clutch cable could deform and rub against the bottom of the tank, eventually wearing a hole in it, which would allow the fuel to leak out, and “cause a fire”. I don’t know what would cause the clip to deform (perhaps the clutch cable being too tight in it or something?), but it’s good to know there is that possibil8ity and to have it eliminated.

So there you are, if you have one of these bikes, you have been warned! And it goes to show that factories still don’t get everything right when they are putting these bikes together. (In Ducati’s case, it wasn’t to blame, and I’m sure the boys at the factory will be having stern words with the boys at Brembo!). 

JANUARY 30, 2019. New tyres for the beast today.

Next edition of the Michelin Pilot Road (Now just called Road).

The first ones I had - which I changed to off the original tyres - were the PR2. Good tyres and lasted twice as long as the original. (The Michelin are dual compound of course). Next came PR3: I loved those tyres - very confidence-inspiring in their handling and feel. And I liked the addition of the fine sipes to help wet grip. Then PR4. I think the rubber compound was harder, and they never seemed to have quite the same confidence-inspiring feel as the 3. I'd heard comments that they gave a harder ride, which I think may have been the case with mine too. Those 3 sets lasted a total of over 50,000km, averaging between about 15,000 and 19,000 per set. The PR4 were the shortest life at a bit over 14,000km.

So now to the Road 5. There are big claims from Michelin about these tyres, including much improved wet-road grip - over their previous tyres which were good in the wet anyway!

So far I've only done about 70km on them - a few gentle kilometres to wear some of the mould-release off. (Although they appeared not to have much of that). Reports from those who have fitted them are very positive - praising the feel and handling and grip, compared to other previous tyres they've had. For me, I think their feel is closer to the PR3 than the PR4 - which I like! I think the ride has improved too. Of course it was all fairly gentle riding - although started to lean it into corners a little more towards the end. The big difference to my worn PR4s was on roundabouts - easy and accurate. They're supposed to last longer too, so we'll see how they go!

MARCH 24, 2019. My brother-in-law and his wife are currently spending some time in India. Not in the major cities, but in smaller more remote villages. It’s notable everywhere in India, I suppose, but especially so in the photos he’s been sending us in emails, is the predominance of motorcycles. Mostly small capacity things, and of course many scooters too. And they use them for everything –and I mean everything!! Check out the guy strapping down a stack of mattresses on his bike! Here are a couple of street scenes he sent us.   

MARCH 27, 2019 Probably most people reading this will have heard of John Smith. He was the founding member of God's Squad. He is known equally well as a motorcyclist and an evangelist. I never met him (unless being a friend on Facebook counts?), but he is held in high esteem in the Christian motorcycling community. He passed away recently, and hundreds of bikers came to pay their respects - including rival outlaw gangs! No, there was no violence, no gang-war, they were there to farewell a man who had been a friend to them all.

MARCH 30, 2019. One of our readers shared this link. Seems like good value - and a good alternative to NRMA.

APRIL 6TH, 2019. Toady was predicted to be sunny with mid 20s temp - a perfect day to get the bike out! Included a run through the southern end of the Royal National Park.

The reasons why motorcyclists like riding the National Park are obvious, and well known. But I used to not like it. The reasons were that it was rough, and often had patches of suspicious looking green stains on the road surface. Oh, and the fact that idiots treated it like a race-track. But it has improved. The road has been resurfaced and is generally very good. Although when I went through today - after a couple of days of rain - there were patches of suspicious green on the road in the shady parts. The road was moist in a lot of the shade too. I took it very easy in those sections - although some confidence was given by having renowned wet-weather tyres, Michelin Road 5, on. (See item above).

And the idiots? Not as many as there used to be (I didn't encounter any today). It's a good ride (again) now.

The photo was taken on the old highway near Helensburgh - less traffic and much more enjoyable than the expressway.

A strong police presence out today too. I passed two police standing outside their cars with radar guns. One was in a somehat secluded break in the bushes at the side of the road between National park and Waterfall. The other was at the top of Mt Ousley, just after the 100kph zone changes to 80kph. (A favourite spot of theirs). And one highway patrol going in the opposite direction.

MAY 2nd, 2019. Here’s an article that is sure to stir up some controversy. Now, there will probably be a lot who will disagree with me on this, but I think this might be a good idea. If it was my son or daughter, I think I'd be happier with him / her spending a year in a car before being exposed to the dangers of riding. Experience is one of the things that saves lives – whether in a car or on a bike, but especially on a bike. And it would be safer to gain experience in a less dangerous environment: where the rider / driver is protected by the steel “cage”, and less vulnerable to mistakes and misjudgment / over enthusiasm etc.

I’ll give you an example. Soon after my youngest daughter got her licence, she went to drive to school one morning. There were cars parked along the side of the road, obscuring her view of the road. She inched out slowly, but couldn’t see any cars coming, so proceeded to exit the driveway. BANG! A car had been coming down the road and hit her as she came out onto the road. The driver said she saw the car coming out of the driveway (she could only see the roof), but assumed it would stop, so just kept going at normal speed. My daughter’s old Corolla was a write-off. Neither driver was hurt. But, had my daughter been riding a bike ….! Being T-boned by a car at 50kph wouldn’t have done my young girl much good. If she wasn’t killed, she would probably have been maimed for life. And that, right there, is example of why I support driving first, then riding.

Many riders take the exact opposite view – that drivers should be made to spend a year riding a bike before they are granted a drivers licence. I have never agreed with this: for the reasons stated above, and the example I gave. Sure, there is no doubt it would result in better car drivers, who are more aware of motorcyclists –if they survive the dangers of being on a motorbike! I think it’s a bit like teaching a kid to swim by throwing them in the ocean, and only after that allowing them to swim in a pool. And I don’t agree with people being forced to ride a bike – and be exposed to that danger – when they have no interest in riding.   

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