New rear tyre and coffee

Today is Sunday. On Friday I took the bike out to TSS in the Hutt to have a new rear tyre fitted. After reading up on the opinion on tyres posted to kiwibiker and other sites I have replaced the rear tyre with an Avon ST Storm. The bike has Mitchelin Sports and some advice was to replace with the Mitchelin Powers. However, the Mit Powers are a softer tyre and have better adhesion etc - but are they right for my riding style? The choices I was looking at for a tyre were; Mit Sport, Mit Power, Continental Road Attack and Avon ST Storm. It seems the Avon ST Storm will not square up as quickly as the others and two kiwibikers, Hitcher and Blackbird, recommend them.

So back to today. A nice clear cool winters day. Alan and I went to Martinborough in the afternoon for a ride and coffee. There were a few bikes on the road but not at the summit, it is getting a bit cool to hang around up there.

The new tyre feels good and most of that is probably due to a rear with the right shape instead of a square section to roll off on entering a corner.

Last ride for a week and a bit

There is some rough weather expected late today and rain for the rest of the week.

Sunday 1.30pm off to Alan's for a ride to somewhere with coffee. We headed for the summit with a stop to fuel the Harley and then take in the view of the Wellington regional water catchment lakes. At the summit Sels1 arrived from the Wairarapa; he was returning from a SH1 - Pahiatua Track - SH2 home ride. A few moments later Koroj cruised past and then BuckBuckNo1 turned up. They had been on the ride together.

We stayed at the summit for about 10 minutes, it was cold and looking like rain. We headed to the Harley tours cafe in the Blue Mountains. The cafe was warm and coffee and scones with jam and cream just what was needed. Then it was home again.

My new radar screamer has a good test nearing the SH1 and SH2 junction. It gave plenty of warning of the camera van on the side of the motorway. It was obvious the people in the car in the lane next to me also heard it.

Next time I ride the bike it could be to have the rear tyre replaced.

Fitted Screamer for Radar Detector

I ordered a radar screamer from http://www.motorcycleradar.com/ and it took me most of Saturday morning to fit screamer. The majority of the time was spent finding where to place the modules and cables so it would be a neat installation. There are few places on an SV for any extras.

The screamer emits a loud (very loud) chirp with each sound output from the detector. It is not a scream but a chirp and not a noise you can miss hearing. The installation includes a three position switch which controls the chirp: loud-off-not so loud. The switch is on a bracket for mounting under a clutch clamp bolt. You can see this in the photo. I mounted the piezo sound device on the triple clamp with the velcro provided. The electronic module is zipped under the left fairing.

At 4.00pm I went for a ride with Alan; around the inlet, over Haywards and home. There were no HP operating radar to try the screamer out on but a test with the volume adjustment on the STI indicates the chirp is loud enough. I will have to use the mute when starting the bike.

Fitted

It finally arrived. I ordered the screamer from http://www.motorcycleradar.com/ on 15 May and on 31 May after two emails asking where my order was they informed me there was a delay and it would be dispatched in a day or two. On 5 June an email from motorcycleradar informed me it was dispatched and on the 8th it arrived.

So it wasn't a good start and I expected better customer service. However, the product looked great, well packaged, excellent presentation and good instructions. It took me most of Saturday morning to fit screamer. The majority of the time was spent finding where to place the modules and cables so it would be a neat installation. There are few places on an SV for any extras.

The screamer emits a loud (very loud) chirp with each sound output from the detector. It is not a scream but a chirp and not a noise you can miss hearing. The installation includes a three position switch which controls the chirp: loud-off-not so loud. The switch is on a bracket for mounting under a clutch clamp bolt. You can see this in the photo. I mounted the piezo sound device on the triple clamp with the velcro provided. The electronic module is zipped under the left fairing.

The screamer cost $139.95US including airmail delivery. It is a new model designed to work with the lower sound output of the Belronics STI Driver.

Road test and at highway speeds the chirp is loud. I have yet to have it triggered by a HP radar source and will need to use the mute switch. The device is so loud use of the mute is necessary when starting the bike.

Queen's Birthday Weekend

There were a lot of motorcycling activities around the country this weekend. However, I had work to do on Saturday and on Sunday drove to Wanganui for the day.

A ride was semi planned for today by some of the IT people at the Ministry of Education, where I am currently working as a contractor. I got a text at 8.00am to confirm that a ride was on.

It was a very cold ride up SH2 to Rimutex. I had to stop after 20Kms, put on a balaclava and demist the visor. We met up at 9.00am and headed to the top of the hill. The group were; two VTRs, Truimph 600, CB1100, new Bolavard 1300 and my SV1000S. The CB1100 had a pillion.

We had to wait a while at the summit for the Boulevard and then headed to Martinborough for a coffee and a full breakfast for some. From there it was the Gladstone road to Masterton for fuel. After fueling up we went to Mt Bruce with the plan to have lunch there. Mt Bruce had too many customers so we headed up SH, planning to get to somewhere with food. The first stop was Eketahuna and no food places open. The weather was looking like rain up north so we headed back to Greytown for lunch. This trip was down the main highway and not fast. As the Boulevard was being run in we had a few stops for it to catch up.

Greytown was very busy and warm. We sat outside a cafe and had lunch. About an hour later we headed back and stopped at the summit. From there I rode back with the Triumph and we took the Hayward's Hill road back to Johnsonville.

An okay way to spend a day.