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Busy time at the moment getting my Panzer ready for the up-coming Mountains:Alps tour around the Swiss Alps and Mont Blanc in early September. After the Scotland trip last month I noticed a slight fork seal leak developing so thought it best to get it looked at. New tyres are needed anyway since I want the best profile for all of those upcoming twisties and with a favourable 7000 miles out of the current set of Metzeler Tourance 'Next', decided to go for the same again ( that's the 3rd set now the OEM Tourance EXPs were good but only managed 4K). Last week thanks to Lindsay's loan of his professional tool kit I grabbed an oil filter from a Nippy Norman's and bought some 15/50 Semi synthetic Castrol through Amazon and did my first oil change at 21K - proving I can at least follow a Haynes Manual ! Also 'wipped' the front brake pads out to find two thirds of the pad left on all four, despite 21K, just goes to show how the GS Boxer braking helps, The number of times I follow Lindsay on his 650 and his rear brake light flickers on every bend !! I also removed the flappy valve from the exhaust (see earlier post) as it finally seized up and costs £200 to replace. The valve is for EU noise emission law only and not tested in the MOT, so managed to get an off cut of exhaust pipe from those nice chaps at A44 exhausts in Worcester to fill the space left behind and using some exhaust seal I now have a straight through section. I removed the Bowden cables completely too. Seems much smoother and less popping on the overrun now.
So, in for new tyres and fork seal at a Benhams Motorrad in Wolvo' today, they lent me this F800GT after I asked for a bike I'm least likely to fall in love with. A few weeks ago I test rode the new LC GS standard from Blade Motorrad with that quick shift pro and did enjoy riding it for many reasons, great power delivery, zero buffeting from the stock screen and narrower profile seat. A few things I didn't like not least the £15k price tag and the tinny sound - I'd have to have an Akropovich fitted to make it sound like a Boxer, but at least I know what my next bike is going to be if ever I get tired of riding 'Lupin Lou'. I didn't want to risk falling in love with a new bike before I ride the Alps, so wise decision to get a loan bike I'm not going to want to own. As for the F800GT? Well, nice machine. A bit cramped for my gangly legs though and doesn't quite have that punch I love from the 1200, but quite smooth with the belt drive and the inline twin, and goes round corners well too !
Just a quick note on a great book I'm reading in the garden on these hot sunny days where full on bike gear makes hard work of a ride out. The Mrs bought me another Neil Peart book (Rock drummer from Rush). Been a big fan of the professor since I was about 15, seen them live many times over the years and read many of his books ( he rides a GS too you know ha ha), this one is more of an autobiography, interspersed with his music influences while on a winter road trip in his Z8. Great to read how his idol was Keith 'the loon' Moon, but when he tried to follow his chaotic yet incredible drumming style didn't like drumming like that at all and forced him to create an original style of his own. If anyone has ever watched and listened to a live drum solo by the 'professor on a drum kit' you will know what he means. Good read!
