Miss November XS2 tribute

Yup, I have the same “RapidTransit” brand tailbag as Mailman and Jim. I like naked bikes too - but I hate wearing “backpacks”...
TRANSATLANTIC TRANSLATION: rucksack
....and I had a bad experience with an adjustable wrench (aka “spanner”) in a pocket during my bicycle touring days. Somewhere on my hip there is still a mark from that event.
Soooo...I have always used a tailbag on Lucille and frankly, I hardly know its there. It is however extremely handy if I pick something up at a store while I am out and it gives me a place for my enhanced toolkit. Also, for longer rides, I move it from the rack to the rear portion of the seat and it functions as a small backrest.
Pete

Hi Pete,
I tell everyone "Don't strap stuff to yourself when riding because it'll hurt you if you fall off"
& don't adjustable spanner = crescent wrench over 'ere?
And what do I carry in case of a breakdown? A cell phone and a CAA card.
 
Yes, that is very good. I average low to mid 40's, but most of my riding is local and in the lower gears. I'm sure I'd do a bit better if I was expending most of the tank on the highway.

....and if you were burning full sized Imperial gallons instead of the little bitty "Presidential hand" sized US gallons.

Oooops....no politics. Sorry, my bad. ;)
 
....and if you were burning full sized Imperial gallons instead of the little bitty "Presidential hand" sized US gallons.
Oooops....no politics. Sorry, my bad. ;)

Hi Pete,
seems the "correct" Canadian Metric equivalent to MPG is litres per100km. but WhoTF has ever used that, or even heard of it?
BTW the US Gallon is still the Queen Anne Wine Gallon which is smaller than the Imperial gallon and the US pint is only 16 oz instead of 20 oz
OTOH US ounces are bigger that Imperial ounces. Makes you wish that the Metric system actually made sense, eh?
 
Hi Pete,
seems the "correct" Canadian Metric equivalent to MPG is litres per100km. but WhoTF has ever used that, or even heard of it?
BTW the US Gallon is still the Queen Anne Wine Gallon which is smaller than the Imperial gallon and the US pint is only 16 oz instead of 20 oz
OTOH US ounces are bigger that Imperial ounces. Makes you wish that the Metric system actually made sense, eh?

BUT. The only measure of a bike is riding it.

8th September, clear skies, I'm off out . . .
 
Very windy, coming from the west.

I headed east, along the A6105 through Earlston, Gordon and Greenlaw. Had one of those magic rides when the wind is behind you and you can keep up good progress with barely any positive throttle. We were only doing about 55-60 mph but it still feels kind of effortless, almost like flying. And must be getting amazing mpg figures.

Of course, all good things come to an end and obviously I've got to turn round and face that strong breeze on the way home. But even then, managed to find a couple of tiny Berwickshire lanes I haven't used before. So narrow, two cars would never be able to pass and it's not easy even for a bike to squeeze past a car. And we're in the middle of the harvest, so there are huge tractors pulling immense trailers all over the place. Fun, needs concentration, slow - hardly ever need fifth gear - but sheltered by high hedges and the wind less of a problem at slower speeds in any case.

Who needs an 'adventure' bike?


PICT2382.JPG PICT2383.JPG
 
Very windy, coming from the west.

I headed east, along the A6105 through Earlston, Gordon and Greenlaw. Had one of those magic rides when the wind is behind you and you can keep up good progress with barely any positive throttle. We were only doing about 55-60 mph but it still feels kind of effortless, almost like flying. And must be getting amazing mpg figures.

Of course, all good things come to an end and obviously I've got to turn round and face that strong breeze on the way home. But even then, managed to find a couple of tiny Berwickshire lanes I haven't used before. So narrow, two cars would never be able to pass and it's not easy even for a bike to squeeze past a car. And we're in the middle of the harvest, so there are huge tractors pulling immense trailers all over the place. Fun, needs concentration, slow - hardly ever need fifth gear - but sheltered by high hedges and the wind less of a problem at slower speeds in any case.

Who needs an 'adventure' bike?
View attachment 175005 View attachment 175006

Ahhhh....sounds like a wonderful day Raymond!

Pete
 
Missy gets her first road trip. Forecast said we're going to have a heat wave, so decided to go and see my friend Anthony and his family in Cheshire. Travelled south on Sunday, Monday with Anthony and his family, Tuesday (today) the return trip.

Bloody weather did not cooperate on Sunday. Raining in the morning, seemed to easing by midday so set off. Hmmm. The rain got worse but the problem was the wind. It must count as one of the worst three high wind runs I've ever done. Going up Groundison Heights on the way to Hawick it was almost biblical. Horizontal rain and the wind trying to pull the bike out from under me. Trying to follow a corner but you're just a plaything of Nature's forces.

Had already decided to use a devious route of small roads and avoid the M6 motorway, but had to use a short stretch to by-pass Carlisle. Phew! Gales pushing the bike and me sideways. Really thought it must be a matter of time till we're blown over . . .

Turned off onto the smaller roads through the Pennines. Gales and rain persisted. Little twisty roads, up and down through stunning mountain scenery. Except I couldn't really appreciate the scenery while trying to hold onto the bike with tremendous gusts pushing me first one way then the other. It became one of those seemingly never ending nightmares.

But all nightmares come to an end. Was I glad to reach journey's end? The good news was that the bike coped well. Apart from a few things vibrating loose. Headlamp looked drunk - the two nuts and bolts securing it to the rim had worked loose and were lying in the bottom of the headlamp shell.Thought I had better check the battery cables. These were still secure but the screws holding the seat lock had worked loose - Good Call 5T!

The weather really was lovely in Cheshire. Had a great day on Monday.

Today, complete contrast with Sunday. Trip home along the same roads but the sun was out and there was only a normal amount of breeze. Bike performed perfectly and nothing worked loose. But I will go over everything tomorrow.

225 miles each way. I think 450 miles in total counts as a road trip? Certainly the bike and I are getting to know each other a bit better.

Here's some pictures of Miss November down in Cheshire, sharing the garage with the Taylorcraft Anthony is rebuilding:



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Yep, those darn seat lock screws, lol. I don't know what it is about them. That section of the frame must be particularly susceptible to vibration or something.
 
...but again I must ask, vibration?

Guess I'm learning that checking all fasteners is an ongoing part of life with one of these? At least, my wee detonator box tool-kit proved up to the demands. On this occasion.

And at least nothing actually fell off . . .
 
So far, that seat lock and a battery cable are the only things I've had come loose, so I make it a point to check them from time to time. I will check any other fasteners in an area I'm working on, but none are on my "must do" check list. I'll pass along a little tip I use on any hex head bolts or nuts I can - when I install them, I "set" the head so a point of the hex points up or front to back. Then I can tell if they've moved just by glancing at them .....

9K0mBrs.jpg


ADeSV6h.jpg


UavNSVX.jpg
 
So far, that seat lock and a battery cable are the only things I've had come loose, so I make it a point to check them from time to time. I will check any other fasteners in an area I'm working on, but none are on my "must do" check list. I'll pass along a little tip I use on any hex head bolts or nuts I can - when I install them, I "set" the head so a point of the hex points up or front to back. Then I can tell if they've moved just by glancing at them .....

9K0mBrs.jpg


ADeSV6h.jpg


UavNSVX.jpg

Now THAT is a clever little trick 5T - which I will appropriate.

Pete
 
So far, that seat lock and a battery cable are the only things I've had come loose, so I make it a point to check them from time to time.

I've also had the headlamp unit detach itself from the chrome rim and at various times two indicators - that's turn signals in US? - have loosened off. Maybe I don't whack things up tight enough?

It's never been my habit to tighten nuts until the spanner bends/the veins on me forehead stand out/the thread strips. Just do them 'tight enough'. But I might have to review what tight enough is. Might start to make greater use of Loctite too.

And I'll use 5T's trick of aligning the hex's where that's possible. Sounds like witchcraft, don't it?

I already do that with the chain adjusters. When the chain needs to be tightened, I turn the adjusters by the same number of flats each side so the wheel stays straight.
 
In the Air Force we used to say run it down 'till it strips, then back it off a half a turn.

That’s how I tightened up my oil pump on my ‘77D ! Doh! :doh:

A little late, but nice road trip Raymond! Arizona has made me soft, I can’t recall the last time I rode in the rain, and never on purpose! :laugh2:
 
A little late, but nice road trip Raymond! Arizona has made me soft, I can’t recall the last time I rode in the rain, and never on purpose! :laugh2:

Thank you, Bob.

Must clarify one point - I didn't set out on this trip to ride in the rain on purpose. Didn't even have waterproofs on so me overalls got soaked - that's what comes of trusting the weather forecast. But at least it wasn't cold and I dried out by the time I arrived.

The high winds gave me more anxious moments than the rain . . .
 
After a quick run out making use of the last of the summer sun? Started the end-of-season service by dropping the engine oil.

So we're back to this:

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Although the last oil change was only a month ago, I was surprised to find we have covered 1,412 miles since then. Indeed, the oil looked fairly black.

Have a few jobs planned in addition to the usual.

One of those, swap the composite head washers for copper items. I did this on the 447- motor so I'd like to do the same on the 2F0- too. Question - can I loosen off one at a time and swap the washers? Or do I need to loosen off all fifteen head bolts first? Including the awkward to reach one under the head between the carbs . . .
 
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Question - can I loosen off one at a time and swap the washers? Or do I need to loosen off all fifteen head bolts first? Including the awkward to reach one under the head between the carbs . . .
Common wisdom says to loosen an aluminum head in stages, but I'd say that mainly applies to long delicate heads of 4-6 cylinders. our heads are compact and actually pretty robust. I've done it done it both ways Raymond. If you want to hedge your bets, loosen all the acorn nuts to about half tight and then replace the washers one at a time. Don't forget to lube the studs. As for the other fasteners, I wouldn't loosen them.
 
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