167 replies to this topic

[wicklamulla]

good to hear from ya Ralf, another good read. Enjoy the christmas and happy new year to all.

[danceswithmopeds]

Good to hear from you Ralf, I wondered where you had gone.

[dapleb]

There are a number of methods suggested in posts here, some involve shock removal , others RHS footpeg and others noubt but alot of wriggling (greased pig?). Try the ole search function.

http://www.carpe-tdm...battery removal

http://www.carpe-tdm...battery removal

http://www.carpe-tdm...battery removal

http://www.carpe-tdm...o...28&hl=daveb
http://www.carpe-tdm...o...&hl=battery
http://www.carpe-tdm...o...&hl=battery
http://www.carpe-tdm...o...&hl=battery
http://www.carpe-tdm...o...&hl=battery
http://www.carpe-tdm...o...&hl=battery
http://www.carpe-tdm...o...&hl=battery


http://www.carpe-tdm...battery removal

etc.

[dapleb]

if there is any need to create a howto with pictures, step by step...the way itself is known in the pigsty already

Which method is the way of the pig? A how to WITH PICS is always appreciated on Carpe. Don't freeze yer trotters off though.

[erdferkel]

Hello Carpedians,

 

I'm back. But still the old pig. With the same bikes. Ventured a little into the care and feeding of a 1996 5er series BMW. Wrenching cars is not as meditative as wrenching bikes - at least in my book. Now this bavarian POS is running as I want it to, some quirks left.

Dunno if I can return to my former "incoherent" writing style, but we'll see.

 

Take care and Glückauf

Ralf

[Matlock]

Glückauf indeed Ralf. You're like a boomerang - you keep coming back. Welcome once more

[erdferkel]

Hello Matlock,

 

what do the native Australian people call a boomerang that does not return?

 

 

 

....stick

 

Cheers and Glückauf

Ralf

[ChrisG]

Glückauf!

I find a good supply of beer helps with the incoherent ramblings.

[erdferkel]

Hmmm. ... adrenaline....360joules....step back! Shock!.....Ah: we have pulse:

 

Thread necromancy 101. Done!

 

50,053km, Bergisches Land, Germany.

 

In April I sold my "Dicke" and bought the 1000 Africa Twin, now christened "Das Boot" since most of the rides were under water. Must be a great bike for the desert, as the rainclouds seem to follow me wherever I ride. Imagine the pig in the sahara with a very local rainstorm, leaving a trail of fresh vegetation behind....

Perhaps I'll write up my experience of 11000km with the Africa, if there is any interest about it.

 

But now for today's scheduled programme:

 

"What I did to Ye Olde XT in the last years"

 

Around 46000km my trusty single started to become a little tired. Oil usage was still very low and mechanical noise was the normal hammering and clunking an aircooled single produces, but the temperament of accelleration slowly reached glaciological regions. So I went to my local garage, a real engieer, who races motorbikes in his spare time. He cecked compression, and it was really worn out. So let the upgrades begin:

He went to 2nd overbore and found an Wiseco forged piston, with 9.5:1 compression ratio. It is a XT 608 now Valves were refurbished and the rest looked good. I found a stainless header with a slighter bigger diameter and the original end can was sandblasted and repainted. (There is no aftermarket can, that provides the same power and torque as the original. They only make louder, not faster...) The flimsy original chain was upgraded to a 525 with two more teeth on the rear sprocket. Now we are talking more ooomph. Even two up is fun now. But the suspension needs some TLC as well. I ordered a simple Wilbers with 25mm rise, made to my specs. Better. Mucho betterer.... The 22 year old rubber footpegs were hard as stone and somewhat slippy in wet conditions. So a pair of XT1200Z pegs went on the old single. And a 600 Tenere bashplate replaced the original tubing under the engine, just because I could

The single's vibrations did their work on the mirrors as well, but I found the Super Tenere Mirrors an extraordinary good replacement.

Yesterday I cleaned the caliper and fitted new TRW sintered pads in front. Now one finger is sufficient to lift the rear wheel. And my xmas present to myself was a complete fork overwork @ franz racing suspension. New springs, new oil and valving set up to my weight and riding preference. Now this old piece of iron has reached a precision handling Mr. Yamaha has never dreamed of. Together with Anakee 3 the XT is absolutely brilliant in the twisties. And I got rid of the gaudy neon decor, that resulted in at least 5kph more top speed.

Tomorrow the weather will hopefully provide me with the traditional Christmas ride, now together with the wife, which is absolutely great!

 

Happy Pigmas and

Glückauf

Ralf

[wicklamulla]

Can't believe ya sold 'Dickie' !  good to see ya Ralf, enjoy the christmas.

[Matlock]

Happy as a pig in muck by the sound of it. Any pictures of the reborn XT? Happy Pigmas  .

[erdferkel]

Yes, absolutely. The XT got rid of the notion of comfort, but slices though corners like a hot knife through butter. With only 44hp you can just stay WOT. Makes playing with heavier big bikes really fun. Especially when you pass a crotch rocket and your bike is older than the other rider

I just recovered my old photobucket login data, so yes there will be pigs, äh pics. But it will be a while. Both the AT and the XT are looking like after a dakar stage although they were only ridden on the streets. I need some dry days to clean them again and shoot some photos.

I think I'll post a writeup of my AT experiences as well. This will be a review of two bikes, since my modifications have changed the charakter of the AT dramatically without changing the optics. (Apart from the smaller powerbronze windshield)

Glückauf
Ralf

[erdferkel]

Let's see if this works. Just a sneak peek of the AT in its delivery crate:

 

"Some assembly required, batteries included"

 

A couple of days later, assembled and in the showroom, Waiting for the paperwork to be completed.

 

 

Seems to work. So more XT and AT stuff to come

Edited by erdferkel, 26 December 2016 - 11:37 am.

[ChrisG]

And it comes with a load of racking to make up shelves in your garage, nice

[Studley Ramrod]

Lovely lookin' bike that AT.

[erdferkel]

Hi friends,

 

so today was a somewhat too early spring cleaning day. I washed both bikes and took some pictures. 

This is my plan: in this post I'll share the pics of the XT and its mods, then I'll do a little interlude of my rationale for buying the AT. The next post would contain my review of the AT in stock form and the AT 2.0 as it is modded right now.

 

So on to the XT pics:

 

Dirrrrty pig, but nice lensflare on the cellphone cam:

 

 

On the back you can see an addition I forgot to mention: I added an SW motech luggage rack: Fits better with the little rearbag.

 

Super Ten footpegs:

 

Really brilliant stuff: If you stand up the rubber insert is pressed down and the metal claws offer good grip.

 

Stainless headers:

 

Super Ten mirrors and a pig. The orange stripe is a little hommage to my friend and wingman Paul. Orange is his favourite colour, and I kind of like it on the bike:

 

This is the suspension wizard:

 

And the bashplate of an older 600 Tenere:

 

 

And dang it, this bike is dirty. So out come sponge and bucket:

 

Halfway there:

 

Done:

 

Not really clean, but less dirty. But sufficient for 4°C

 

Glückauf

Ralf

Das Boot likes to get dirty as well:

 

 

 

 

Blargh....

 

 

Shower time....

[erdferkel]

Interlude 1: Why I went to the AT

 

After 20 years and 133000km with the Dicke, I kind of felt the lust for something new. She never missed a beat, was and still is a fantastic motorbike. But with our roads becoming worse and worse the limited suspension travel, especially two up, was somewhat nagging me. I found myself taking the XT more often. The carbs would need a rebuild soon, and the chain was used up. Pondering the 900 Tracer, but the ergos did not fit me well and two up was even more cramped. Rode Paul's Super Ten a bit. Great engine, good stock suspension and comfortable ergos. But shaft drive and waaaayyy too heavy for me. And I don't like linked brakes. Pauls problems with the electronics and a broken rear rim made him return it to the dealer later on and he rode my XT until he bought another bike.

Enter the AT. 230kg, mechanical throttle, understressed engine and lots of suspension travel. I rode a demo bike and it felt smooth and friendly. It was wet and I did not know the bike well, so I was going quite slow. But the ergos are great for a 192 cm pig with long legs and a shot right knee. There were a few things I did not like, the instrument cluster for example and it felt a little on the soft side, suspensionwise. But fork and shock are fully adjustable, so I thought, with some clicks here and there It will do nicely.

Sleep over this a couple of nights.
Return with the wife to test passenger ergos. She liked it even better than the MKii. A black basic model w/o ABS was not available, so I took the red manual with ABS. Delivered the TDM as a trade in and collected the AT in April. After the running in period the drama started to unfold....

 

 

Interlude 2: A little motorbike sales caper

 

When I delivered the TDM to the Honda dealer, a reseller bought it right on the spot. A couple of weeks later, a new member introduced himself in the German TDM forum. He bought a yellow-silver MKii with a lot of mods from a private seller. Only 33000km and perfect condition. Paul saw this and we connected. Turns out, it was my old TDM that lost 100000kms in the chain of sales. He tried to renegotiate, but in the end returned the bike and got his money back. The whereabouts of the TDM now are unknown to me.