Miss November XS2 tribute

Spoke to my insurance company yesterday. Needed to renew the insurance anyhow.Told them about the incident and that I do not want to make a claim. Just letting them know in case the other party changes her mind about settling up. Up to her whether she claims on her insurance.

But of course, being an insurance company, they got their claims dept to call me. Just to get the details. So they can hold them on file. In case they are contacted by the other party's insurance. As soon as the fellow heard that a third vehicle had been involved - the VW that suffered a damaged front wing - he told me it was imperative that the matter is reported to the underwriters. If the VW owner makes a claim, her insurance will proceed again me because it was my vehicle (sic) which caused the damage to the VW. My insurance company might then follow up with a claim against the Nissan owner. In other words, I don't want to make a claim but the matter might be out of my hands. And there is still the concern that, when money is involved, memories might change. Sometimes, the truth can become elastic.

So, very much against my wishes, feel drawn like I've been drawn into the insurance process.

Bit like being a rock on a long conveyor belt, rumbling slowly towards the crushing machine.

Tomorrow, taking Miss November to the MoT place for them to check wheel alignment because I can no longer even see straight.
 
Thank you both!

Just had a conversation with Courtney from the underwriters. First sensible person I've spoken to in this connection.

Took details of the incident. Assured me that it would be ridiculous for any liability to be laid on me. If VW woman's insurers make a claim, they will promptly re-direct to Nissan woman's insurers. She agreed with my approach of letting the other party sort out privately BUT if any problems I should activate the claim which will be no fault on my part. Suggested I remind the woman that will probably mean forking out for policy excess and future loss of no claims discount.

Told her the XS is forty-two years old and therefore not suitable for main-dealer fixing. Courtney said they often get that with older bikes - just inform us of parts you intend to buy and we'll give the go-ahead if reasonable in terms of the claim.

Feeling somewhat relieved.
 
Now THAT is excellent and very heartening news Raymond. :cheers:

Good for you - a nice dinner out, I say!

If the VW woman “can’t afford” to clean up her mistakes, perhaps she can’t afford to be driving a damned car.
 
This afternoon, took the bike to the garage which does annual MoT test for all my bikes. They checked wheel alignment with long straight-edge steels - absolutely fine. Then took the bike for a short test ride - again, fine. The chap said the bike feels perfect with no tendency to veer when he took both hands off the bars and no preference/reluctance on right/left bends. I thanked him for giving me a second opinion. They didn't even charge . . .

Called the other party and gave her the good news. But the bike still needs to be repaired - she agreed. And the main items are the exhaust system and the rear mudguard. Asked her how she wishes to proceed. She has agreed to transfer money into my bank account to pay for the exhaust system and asked if the bill for the mudguard work can be sent directly to her.

Fine by me. If any of that fails to happen, I can revert to the insurers.
 
Jim, gonna be fine. The car clouted the rear light cluster, which has pushed forward and slightly creased the 'guard. Looking from above, you can see it's off to the left. Not something I can just live with but not too serious as these things go. But thanks anyhow!
 
That is all great news indeed Raymond!

BTW - I have a pair of the MikesXS Commando mufflers (P/N 07-0015) - brand new still in the box - yours for the ride if that is any help. They are 26" long with a 1.75" dia. inlet and there is a package with some adapters and bits and pieces of bracketry. I don't know what they sound like - but they sure look nice.
07-0015.jpg

I bought them a couple of years ago from a chap who got them and never installed them - and they have been sitting forgotten in my shed ever since (and I had actually forgotten about them till just now). The only thing would be the cost of shipping. The cost to mail them within the US to my US address was $19.50 USD - but I cannot cross the border to the States right now and Canada Post rates to the UK will be MUCH higher than that.

Commando Style Universal Megaphone Muffler 26"
  • Commando Style Universal Megaphone Muffler 26"
  • This Item is not eligible for free shipping. Adding this item to CART makes the order ineligible for free shipping
$71.96
OUT OF STOCK
Part
07-0015
Notify me when this product is in stock
 
Thank you, Pete! Looking at options which include - XS2 type shown on the classicbikeshop.co.uk website, but out of stock OR Dunstall ones which are short and chunky OR Commando ones like yours OR Triumph T120 as fitted just now but with the addition of internal adaptor/mufflers also available from classicbikeshop. It would be nice to find longer down pipes so I could omit the short link pipe. Will do some measuring and have a cogitate.

If the decision favours your ones, we would need to look at costs of intergalactic shipping . . .

Meanwhile, started dismantling. Pulled the mudguard out:


PICT2265.JPG PICT2268.JPG PICT2269.JPG

PICT2272.JPG PICT2278.JPG


Then removed the'old' shocks. Noticed just how skewy-whiff the silencers are - l/h was forced upwards by the centre stand. Probably happened as the bike ripped the VW wing half off?


PICT2277.JPG


Now, must get back in the garage, clean the swing arm area and nail the new shocks on.
 
Took a closer look at the top shock mounts. All is not as it should be.

This is the r/h side:


PICT2279.JPG


The threaded part of the mount can be 'wiggled' slightly and is held in place by a pin driven through - the end is visible halfway along the shank.

Drove the pin out and we have this:


PICT2281.JPG


The mount consists of a hollow section, like a hollowed-out bolt, welded from the inner side of the frame. Pushed into it a crudely-made mild steel threaded insert secured by a bent pin. Hmmmm.

Perhaps not a show stopper.

The shock mount needs to be secure - any weakness is dangerous and any give will, uhm, compromise the handling.

But if the hollow welded part of the mount is secure, then the function of the threaded insert (aka bodge) is to hold the securing nut and prevent the shock leaving the action sideways. In normal use, there is no obvious source of lateral force to push the shock sideways. So the securing nut is not doing a lot of work.

If my reasoning is correct, then it will be safe to re-assemble with the new shock. But opinions from the good and wise people on this forum are very welcome . . .
 
I'd take that to your local motorcycle engineers and have it welded properly Raymond. That clearly isn't correct.

I would, of course, document it with photos and an estimate from the shop to carry out a proper repair.

Dangit.
 
That's very interesting.......I have a frame with the thread broken off the rear top Shock mount.........Thought i would have to drill/grind out the whole mount and get another made up............Now i know:thumbsup:

Personally i would try to keep it as it is supposed to work.......The pin can't fall out, (shock holds it in), and as you stated the nut is there to stop lateral movement.. if for some reason the thread gets damaged it is easy to replace. Once welded your stuck with it, could cut the weld of, but a lot of work for no real gain......Decision is based on whether you are comfortable with the existing system, and not turn it into a thing when riding.......a couple of tig spot welds on the edge where both meet, not a full blown weld run around the whole shaft....
 
Thank you for thinking about this issue.

Ideally, I would have the mount re-engineered but maybe it would be a lot of pain for little gain. The real issue is whether the hollow mount is strong enough in cross-section not to shear when we go over a bump.

And . . . well it has been unknowingly tested every time I've been out on the bike. Plus possibly before that by POs. And there is no sign of distress - cracking or bending - at the point where it joins the frame. That's where it would go . . .

Unfortunately, no point furnishing an estimate for insurance purposes as this issue unrelated to the reversing incident. And recompense for that has been settled by private agreement with the woman who failed to look.

Skull, thank you for the suggestion of a couple of welds to tack the pin but a) I don't have welding equipment and b) perhaps best left flat for a washer to fetch up against the shock. And I think we agree there is no real lateral force pulling the shock away from the frame?

So, I'm going to tidy up the surface so the new bush fits better, clean the threads, re-assemble possibly with a new pin and keep an eye on it when I service the bike. If it makes me feel spooked then will need to take to an engineer.

Life in the fast lane, eh?
 
Looking at the shock mounts, the lower left mount has a dodgy thread. Can't wind the bolt in by hand - needs a spanner. The bolt don't look too good, so have ordered a pair of new bolts from Fowlers Suzuki.

But the r/h bolt, which is easy enough in it's own place, won't wind in either. Guess I need to wind a tap through? So maybe today it's finally time for me to invest in some taps & dies . . .

Anybody know the thread size? The shank on the bolt measures approx 9.6 on my cheapo caliper so is 10 mm the correct tap? Looks to be a 1.25 mm pitch?
 
Is the outer section of the lower shock mount that the bolt passes through mis-aligned possibly? That would bind the bolt up and make it hard to turn. You might try fitting the bolt from the back side to see if it goes in easy that way. Also, I find anti-seize always makes bolts thread in easier.
 
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