Ha, amazingly enough both my rides started tonight!

Decided it's more than time that I have a ride of the solo or zombie (or both) in the next few days so I had a go at starting them tonight.

They both took a good while of cranking but after a couple of minutes rest they both started!
The zombie's been sat outside for months now and is getting a bit of green patina happening on the chair so it's gonna come inside the garage now.

How are your bikes doing at this time of year?

of course they started, they're bleedin Hondas!

The prolonged ownership of an American FAILmachine must have lowered your expectations...

the Vmax is fine though it does get a bit grumpy when the temp gets into the high 30s

With all the salt on the road, I don't really ride the TR1, but it starts just like in Summer and the "new" XS 850 sidezombie is working as it should be. A new battery and a cleaned and lubed up starter motor doing wonders for its willingness to fire up. ;-)

Is that the special TR1?
And have we seen pics of the 'new' XS zombie?

No, just my normal one, but I am "currently" (for the last 8 or 10 weeks) building a new hopped up motor.

Not sure, I showed you some pictures of the XS, but that's pretty much what she looks like at the moment (except that the old girl is all waxed up with protective wax, because the new salt they have been using for the last few years overhere and which also works below -10 degrees is extremely aggressive):



I also had a second XS850 sidecar with a Velorex attached, but that's sold. But on the day it was to be picked up, I took a lot of photos, because those two sidecars basically follow two opposing strategies in sidecar building: build it from the ground up with a massive sub-frame and build it with a certain level of flex to prevent stuff from breaking. (This actually has worked for the last 15 years and approx. ten- to twenty-thousand kilometres. Mine has done about 1500 so far...)

http://greasygreg.blogspot.co.at/2017/10/the-xs-triple-sidecar-comparison.html

I only just managed to pick up a new supercharger for the rather special TR1 (Eaton M24 out of a VW Polo 1.4 TFSI), but that'll be quite a while until I'll have the time to fit, because currently I am working on getting some paying projects done for Spring and reclaim some space in my workshop...

Thanks.
Just spent a good hour catching up on your blog which made me want to have my garage usable even more- a good thing as I've been procrastinating over it for far too long now (there's a lot still to do but focusing on one job at a time will get it done instead of worrying about how much needs to be done which won't get anything done!).

Monglord wrote:
How are your bikes doing at this time of year?

Fine ofcourse, I have Honda's.

VJ wants a bike to have 'soul'- I'm happy with a bike that starts after sitting in the cold for several weeks without having to work on it

You can have soul and reliablility: Honda V4's!

Monglord wrote:  VJ wants a bike to have 'soul'- I'm happy with a bike that starts after sitting in the cold for several weeks without having to work on it

The xj just fired up with no hesitation after being sat since i got back from apocalyptica...

But where's the soul in an xj?

voodoo wrote:But where's the soul in an xj?

Currently falling out of the exhaust gaskets lol

Gaskets made by Crocs.....

What is this reliability you guys speak of? :-O

(I seriously hope all the work put into that new TR1-engine will actually pay off...)

My bikes had both been off the road since end of October to avoid salt. Last weekend co-incided with 2 days of rain followed by temperatures at a balmy 6 degrees. Both bikes were taken out (the optimate on each battery probably helped starting).
Always good to let the engines get warm and keep everything freely moving.

voodoo wrote:Gaskets made by Crocs.....

you know that the holes in crocs are to let your dignity leak out

I know, a certain member of this community, who's name shall not be reveiled, is a fond wearer of Crocs and thus is recognisable by a distinctive lack of dignity and a Goldwing sidecar. :-)

I stopped giving a fuck about what people thought of my footwear well over 20 yrs ago when I bought my first pair of sandles.
My feet used to get rotten (as in trenchfoot sorta thing) when I wore trainers or boots all the time in the summer.
Feet need to breathe so while you lot retain your dignity I'm proud to have none 'cos at least my feet are happy

At least I don't wear socks with my dignity-free footwear

How the hell did you know I meant you?!? ;-)

Dunno, must be psychic or summat