Damn, hope you heal up quickly and get made whole on the bike!
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Just Ride.
- Thread starter Jim
- Start date
After hot day in the garage and driveway, Madness got the nod tonight.
Needed a rear tire anyways.
Sunset pics, hard to balance the lighting, so some editing to better match what the eye sees..
Just a local roads ramble.
Needed a rear tire anyways.
Sunset pics, hard to balance the lighting, so some editing to better match what the eye sees..
Just a local roads ramble.
Looks like a nice early evening ride! 
Is that Canadian forest fire smoke in the background? I know some of the Northern states have been getting a lot of it.
Is that Canadian forest fire smoke in the background? I know some of the Northern states have been getting a lot of it.
Yeah we've been in a hot humid smoky haze for most of the last month.Looks like a nice early evening ride!
Is that Canadian forest fire smoke in the background? I know some of the Northern states have been getting a lot of it.
View attachment 355742
Hot, well, hot for Scotland anyhoo. 24-28°C this afternoon.
Mrs' phone weather app insists we will have heavy rain and thunderstorms by 2pm? But it's twenty past and the Sun is still shining from a clear blue sky, just a few summer clouds like little puffs of cotton wool. Barely a breeze. Unless a wind picks up, I just don't see the weather changing.
In the morning, an errand on the Bullet 500 but I doubt I'll go out again today . . . so I intend to sit in the shade and do nuffin. Have reached volume 3 of the Beethoven biography.
Mrs' phone weather app insists we will have heavy rain and thunderstorms by 2pm? But it's twenty past and the Sun is still shining from a clear blue sky, just a few summer clouds like little puffs of cotton wool. Barely a breeze. Unless a wind picks up, I just don't see the weather changing.
In the morning, an errand on the Bullet 500 but I doubt I'll go out again today . . . so I intend to sit in the shade and do nuffin. Have reached volume 3 of the Beethoven biography.
. . . still watin' for yesterdays heavy rain and thunder & lightning. Beautiful clear day, slight haziness, light breeze. But they're puttin' out fresh warnings fer today.
Maybe they're right but it's highly localised with local impacts? Ain't heard anything on the news.
Maybe they're right but it's highly localised with local impacts? Ain't heard anything on the news.
It's on it's way. Just had a heavy down pour here. No thunder though, yet.
Greenrider79
XS650 Member
What a wonderfull landscape you have to ride in. Simply stunning.
Nice n cool in WNC...downright cold up over 5000 ft...
Yes sir..its dialed in for ridng out here....Beautiful view from up there!
Uly is running good. Took the scenic route to Menards for some spray paint....
With some really nice weather on tap and Allison off gallivanting, a longer day trip seems like a good plan. The driftless beckons.
With some really nice weather on tap and Allison off gallivanting, a longer day trip seems like a good plan. The driftless beckons.
Looks really nice out! So which bike do you enjoy more, the Ulysses or the Africa Twin?
Enjoy?Looks really nice out! So which bike do you enjoy more, the Ulysses or the Africa Twin?
There's no comparison.
We'll see how soon the fog lifts this morning. Madness just might get the nod. Honestly, mebby a couple hunnert miles, cuz I'm doing horse chores morning n night.
Might as well be a dairy farmer.
Highs in the 60's next week. Wait, what?
TAFFY RIDES OUT.........
Another glorious weather forcast for Sunday, so up early for a run on Taffy.
I'm still running the @Jim Motogadget Ignition bypass with Gonzo box, and wanted to see if a longer ride would prove reliable.
Down the lockup / workshop around 8.00am, pull Taffy from slumber and top up with fresh E5.
The bike fires up immediately on choke and quickly settles to a 1200rpm idle. Tog up and off we go.
Outbound:
The route is familiar to me and we start at the former Roman Garrison of Caerleon and head to Usk. Nice easy rolling 'A' road to warm up; and holding a steady 50mph through the bends. Taffy is sounding really good today, and pulling well through the gears. Neutral is still a bit of a issue to find when comming to a halt. This short run to Usk about 10 miles and there were two speed camera vans hidden just off the roadside to catch the unwary. We soon ride into Usk a nice little market town.
USK SQUARE ABOVE. Nice pub center of image.
Turn left off Usk High Street and head for Abergavenny. Passing through rolling valley farm land following the lower River usk.
Some quicker stretches along this road so Taffy has a few 60-70mph moments and all seems fine. Once again on this 20 mile strech I see another two speed camera vans hidden to the side off the road! They must be making money as plenty of quicker bikes have sped past them in both directions.
Abergavenny soon comes into view. I stop at the usual watering hole (tea) and take a few piccies of vehicles:
Fist up and unusual £50k Morgan three wheeler.
As well as the above the usual smattering of Harleys, Jap stuff etc....
Onward to Crickhowell.
taffy fires right up and motors further upstream along the Usk road to Crickhowell; another perfect market town
The Bear Hotel has great food and real ale beer on tap. No time to stop and onward to Brecon Town.
A larger township in the Breacon National Park; an area of outstanding natural beauty.
Brecon The Gateway to the Beacons.
This town is the heart of the area and a good hub for longer tours around this sceanic area.
Its also the start of the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal that ends in Newport before spilling out into the Bristol channel.
Used for shipping goods and coal in times gone by. Now a tourist option for those who would like to hire a long barge and take the slow lane.
Inbound:
Leave Brecon and head towards the remote Tallybont and Pontsticill reservoirs and dams.
The roads are smaller 'B' category and often single track with passing places, low speed stuff.
Wooded valleys with lots of water.
Tallybont above.
Pontsticill below.
This resevoir has an unusual overflow arrangement like a bath plughole!
The road continues down to Merthyr Tidfill a town at the Head of the Welsh valleys; full of old coal mining villages.
These coal mines powered the industrial revolution of Great Britain, and the coal was exported all around the world.
Above: Rhondda Mining Visitor Experience today.
Below: Mining back in the day
From Merthyr Its a striaght forward run back to home down the A470.
Taffy performed well with only a few significant issues arising.
1. The clutch slip is still noticable cracking open the throttle in a high gear at speed.
2. Neutral is still somewhat hit and miss to find (Must fit the upgrade kit I have).
3. The weeping fuel tank has developed into a dripping one. One drip every 30 seconds or so, this is a real worry to fix.
4. The MotoGadget iggy by-pass need a better implementation.
Apart from the above issues Taffy is now a keeper. Thanks to all who gave input and advice along the way. Updates will still continue on the Taffy thread.
to all.
Another glorious weather forcast for Sunday, so up early for a run on Taffy.
I'm still running the @Jim Motogadget Ignition bypass with Gonzo box, and wanted to see if a longer ride would prove reliable.
Down the lockup / workshop around 8.00am, pull Taffy from slumber and top up with fresh E5.
The bike fires up immediately on choke and quickly settles to a 1200rpm idle. Tog up and off we go.
Outbound:
The route is familiar to me and we start at the former Roman Garrison of Caerleon and head to Usk. Nice easy rolling 'A' road to warm up; and holding a steady 50mph through the bends. Taffy is sounding really good today, and pulling well through the gears. Neutral is still a bit of a issue to find when comming to a halt. This short run to Usk about 10 miles and there were two speed camera vans hidden just off the roadside to catch the unwary. We soon ride into Usk a nice little market town.
USK SQUARE ABOVE. Nice pub center of image.
Turn left off Usk High Street and head for Abergavenny. Passing through rolling valley farm land following the lower River usk.
Some quicker stretches along this road so Taffy has a few 60-70mph moments and all seems fine. Once again on this 20 mile strech I see another two speed camera vans hidden to the side off the road! They must be making money as plenty of quicker bikes have sped past them in both directions.
Abergavenny soon comes into view. I stop at the usual watering hole (tea) and take a few piccies of vehicles:
Fist up and unusual £50k Morgan three wheeler.
As well as the above the usual smattering of Harleys, Jap stuff etc....
Onward to Crickhowell.
taffy fires right up and motors further upstream along the Usk road to Crickhowell; another perfect market town
The Bear Hotel has great food and real ale beer on tap. No time to stop and onward to Brecon Town.
A larger township in the Breacon National Park; an area of outstanding natural beauty.
Brecon The Gateway to the Beacons.
This town is the heart of the area and a good hub for longer tours around this sceanic area.
Its also the start of the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal that ends in Newport before spilling out into the Bristol channel.
Used for shipping goods and coal in times gone by. Now a tourist option for those who would like to hire a long barge and take the slow lane.
Inbound:
Leave Brecon and head towards the remote Tallybont and Pontsticill reservoirs and dams.
The roads are smaller 'B' category and often single track with passing places, low speed stuff.
Wooded valleys with lots of water.
Tallybont above.
Pontsticill below.
This resevoir has an unusual overflow arrangement like a bath plughole!
The road continues down to Merthyr Tidfill a town at the Head of the Welsh valleys; full of old coal mining villages.
These coal mines powered the industrial revolution of Great Britain, and the coal was exported all around the world.
Above: Rhondda Mining Visitor Experience today.
Below: Mining back in the day
From Merthyr Its a striaght forward run back to home down the A470.
Taffy performed well with only a few significant issues arising.
1. The clutch slip is still noticable cracking open the throttle in a high gear at speed.
2. Neutral is still somewhat hit and miss to find (Must fit the upgrade kit I have).
3. The weeping fuel tank has developed into a dripping one. One drip every 30 seconds or so, this is a real worry to fix.
4. The MotoGadget iggy by-pass need a better implementation.
Apart from the above issues Taffy is now a keeper. Thanks to all who gave input and advice along the way. Updates will still continue on the Taffy thread.
to all.
Last edited:
What a beautiful ride Adam! Thanks for the travelogue!
I do hope you manage to get Taffy’s little jiggles ironed out soon. It’s such a beautiful bike.
After reading Adam's National Geographic worthy travel log I got,,,,
nothin'!
270 miles down 30 til home just an interesting old school house? On a country road.
And home whew. Madness never missed a beat averaging over 50MPG mostly 55 to 60 mph but about 30 miles at 70MPH.
with the 17-32 gearing madness is turning 3600RPM at a GPS indicated 70MPH
Great weather today didn't leave till about 11AM home just before 6PM
I'm tarred and a little sore/stiff.
nothin'!
270 miles down 30 til home just an interesting old school house? On a country road.
And home whew. Madness never missed a beat averaging over 50MPG mostly 55 to 60 mph but about 30 miles at 70MPH.
with the 17-32 gearing madness is turning 3600RPM at a GPS indicated 70MPH
Great weather today didn't leave till about 11AM home just before 6PM
I'm tarred and a little sore/stiff.
Last edited:
Again, very interesting pictures!
The Morgan three wheeler always reminds me of the movie 'The Party' with Peter Sellers (different car model though).
Great engineering on the Pontsticill overflow.. so relatable to pulling the plug on the washing basin.
Good to see you finally got the ignition problems with Taffy sorted!
It would've been a real pity to see you give up on her with all the frustrations she gave you.
Finding neutral is just a small quirk from this point
The Morgan three wheeler always reminds me of the movie 'The Party' with Peter Sellers (different car model though).
Great engineering on the Pontsticill overflow.. so relatable to pulling the plug on the washing basin.
Good to see you finally got the ignition problems with Taffy sorted!
It would've been a real pity to see you give up on her with all the frustrations she gave you.
Finding neutral is just a small quirk from this point
