Work on the forks

Some pics taken while performing some work on the Showa forks in an attempt to improve the Speed Triple's front end.

Speedy's first been put on a jack to help fork tubes sliding down

A fork tube opened 

What's in a fork ?

Pastoral workshop ... 

Standard progressive and K-tech linear

Springs and inner tube

Reassembled tube ready to be filled up with 15 grade oil

Coming next is the headstock bearings change.

Some more inspiration

Exactly what I had in mind ! (the fairing that is)

(Credits Spirit of the seventies)

Tweaked R1100S

Now this is one seriously tweaked R1100S (from Japan) and one that actually gets raced given the transponder on the forks.

From the picture, this advanced track version comes with Öhlins shocks (at least at the front), Brembo Oro calipers, side exhaust (though keeping the stock down pipes), tasty rearsets and a total loss system as the generator and poly-V belt are missing.

Inspiration - Sharky Daytona

Spotted this neat sharky Daytona on Rocket Garage.

Rossi wins Assen TT

80th premier wins for Rossi. It's good to see that happening again.

(Photo credit CycleWorld) 

Suzuki back to MotoGP

Suzuki will be back in MotoGP ... but not before the 2015 season. The team will be racing a bike that should be similar to the one below, which is the current development bike that appeared during the Aragon test sessions last week.

It really costs me to say this, but let's hope it will hold another number than Randy's 14. Or else the only places this bike will race are the first turns' gravels ...

News from the front

So the front of the Speed Triple feels bad ? Let's put it back on the bench for a complete check up then. To be honest, I had planned a complete rebuild but definitely not that early. The last terrible ride has made to rush the key decision to closely inspect the front suspension.

The one thing that has mainly led the Triumph back on the bench is the much too soft fork setup, something a simple oil drain wouldn't solve. So to cure that, the decision was made to upgrade the fork springs to some with a more suitable spring rate. The standard springs are rated 0.7 kg/mm and I opted for K-Tech's road/race springs rated 0.95 kg/mm. This setup is clearly closer to what's required given the type of usage for the bike (and also my weight). 0.25 kg/mm is a huge difference, but the 955i Speed Triple is known for its harsh rear suspension. Let's hope this change will make both front and rear up again.

But as soon as the front wheel had been removed, I noticed a big play in the steering stem. A quick look in the service manual revealed that this play can be 'adjusted'. This is the first time I heard about such a thing. Either there should be a play and it can be adjusted, or there shouldn't be one and it shouldn't be allowed to adjust it ... Anyway, it motivated a second decision : the steering bearings had to be changed. If that play has been there for a bit of time, then the bearing have been knocked out on every bumps. So on to the World of Triumph shopping list.

Yes ... I know it's a Fag bearing ...

And since there was a growing part list to order from the UK, why not add a left engine bolt and its spacer. They will allow to remove those ugly crash bungs that gets in my knees' way on every corner.

Coming next : these parts are being fitted.

Zundapp KS750

Came across this old WW2 Zundapp KS750 Saturday. It drew a lot of interest with always 2 or 3 people around it. Maybe it's the army color, maybe the bulky rigid frame, the flat engine or the fact it was the lightest  form - though now abandonned form - of armed vehicle.

Random from the archive

Abstract:

While wandering from bike to bike on the 2004 edition of the Brussels motor show, I stumbled across this Michelin promotional BMW R1100S. I had still not had my first at the time, but had already tried one and really loved the experience. Even though this one comes with a fun Michelin paint job, you had to look beyond its (glass fiber) clothes to see it lacks most of the Boxercup special parts. Despite the sparky twin exhaust - which in fact is a Remus - and the lower fairing -which is not 'cup spec'ed - it misses the carbon rocker covers and it seems like the rear shock is still the stock Showa. Ok then it was simply a stock version with a sporty disguise, but the bike was fun to look anyway and deserved a picture.

The road version

I took the roughly finished product for a test ride the other day. The only thing I can tell is there's definitely room for improvement, to say the least. The Triple did run a bit last winter and there were already a couple of things to cure back then, but I thought the spring rebuild would have ironed some issues out. Well it did, but not as much as expected, so the main feeling about this 'first' run is a big disappointment. Let me explain that.

The roughly finished product

First thing, not everything is bad on this bike. The brakes are strong and the new EBC HH pads really bite the rotors hard. Also, the engine is pulling really hard and now sounds good with its new - even though baffled - Mivv exhaust. The latter seems to have cured the surging issues felt last winter when equipped with the standard Triumph exhaust. It might be that the ECU was mapped for the use of an aftermarket can already. Finally the throttle cables were fixed during the winter and now move more freely, which gives proper control on the gas.

But then, the whole experience is wasted by dodgy suspensions. Touch the brake lever and the front literally dives literally locking the steering. It feels too soft and completely uncomfortable at the same time. Plus, there's a rather worrying clacking noise when riding over big bumps. It feels so bad, you have to concentrate and pay extra attention to what you do when approaching a simple roundabout. And that's just for the front suspension ... I can't even tell about the rear because of how bad the front felt ...

I need some time to rethink the project as a whole and either sort things that were let down for too long or ditch the bike. It seems to me that the forks haven't been touched for a long time and could do with good servicing.

More parts, more work, more time required to make it the sharp bike I intended it to be. Maybe it's worth  it after all.