Bandit Alley
REGIONAL FORUMS => AUS/NZ => Topic started by: swagzz on January 07, 2008, 05:43:07 AM
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2nd January Finally get away at 9am, just readjusting gear on bike, finally threw the swag back in to the cupboard with an executive decision to
A freeload a bed off mates along the way :welcome:
B stay at a pub :beers:
Sarina to Rockhampton just taking it easy getting used to traveling on a bike again,standard highway run keeping with in reasonable limits because of double demerit points and fines for holidays but rather boring by myself.
Quick feed and fuel ,quick visit with nephew and head south again thinking i should make the Calliope to Biloela run for the night.
Had to change that to a night in Gladstone after a tropical thunderstorm tried to drown me, didn't bother the Bandit any and I was stoked at how stable it was in the downpour,few beers and dinner with nephew while my boots dried out.
6 am and heading for Calliope for fuel and then on to Biloela, still getting the feel of the bike, only done a 1000 klms on this bike and its the first one in 13 years .
The road is in really good condition, 2 lane with not a great deal of traffic so a 120k cruise is ok keeping in mind that 6 points and $500 will put a damper on the feelgood bit.
Weather looks a bit dodgy south of me but I phone a friend to check the rain radar for me and get the "yeah you'll be right mate" so I point the Bansit south towards Eidsvold ,Monto and Mundubbera being the target 300 klm away towards the clouds.
The roads have been resurfaced recently through here and its hill country with big sweepers ,buggerall traffic also the pilot has slipped back into the groove:motorsmile: to the tune of a glance at the speedo sitting on 160 through a set of beautiful curves brings a quick wake up ,won't be enjoying myself as much with no licence but doesn't it put a grin on my face.
Try and keep it down to around 120 for the rest of the trip, roll into friends at Mundubbera just in time for lunch, laughter and catch up with 2 years of events
Next morning its a 2 hour 200 klm run to Chinchilla with a little bit of rain means put on the Drizabone again, still bloody cold so have to stop for a nature call and discover leaving the zip on your jeans undone doesn't help the core body temperature,much more comfortable after that.
Stop at a girlfriends and see how much the godson has grown in 6 months, big enough to climb on the Bandit when he finally gets around to getting his grannny to ask if he can get on it .Couldn't keep him off it after that but at 5 yrs old he can reach the bars so he is heading in the right direction.
Had a fairly big night at the local ale houses so a late start to head north again along the Leichardt Hwy Miles,Wandoan ,Taroom ,Theodore, Banana, where a big storm cell started to build in the west so by the time I got to Wowan it looked bad enough to use as an excuse to stop and sample the beer and beds at the pub, Roslyn and Errol(I think do a good feed comfy beds $30 +gst and the locals are a friendly bunch.
The road is average and a bit boring so in the Morning I headed back over the hills via Mt Morgan but the storm had brought a lot of debris down on the roads so a lot of care and no funstuff though it is still a nice run on a bike.
, Fuel in Rockhampton and a 200 klm run to Kalarka Roadhouse for breakfast because the food is great :bigok: then a leisurely cruise for the last 120 khome to Grasstree Beach and the wife & big black dog.
OK , first decent ride in years,Bandit showed exactly why people rave about them and how much I missed the bikes.
Sheepskin seatcover is a must.
The Calliope to Mundubbera is a great ride and one I'll do again soon as I can.
The rest would be better with company but what the hell I could have been driving the Hilux.
The next question is when can i scam the time off work to go to Cooktown ???
Anyway I had a ball and will doing lots more soon and a road report.
Later Swagzz
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Hey Swagzz
Sounds like a great "re-aquaintence" trip with the bike, despite a little (or a lot) of rain. Glad to hear you're back in the saddle. :congrats:
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G'day Swaggz, first let me say :welcome: to Bandit Alley. It's good to have another Aussie on the board.
Sounds like you had a great trip - shame about the rain, but I know you guys need it up there. Mind you I think you've probably had enough by now, so send some down this way.
You don't mention what model Bandit you have.
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Hi AB
2001 1200 GSF Black with about 5500k on it,just getting it sorted as I bought it off a young bloke that couldn't really afford the maintenance so I'll do a bit of tinkering myself. Upgrade the suspension as its getting a bit long in the tooth so if you have any thoughts on that I'd appreciate it.
Thanks Swagzz
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Hi AB
2001 1200 GSF Black with about 5500k on it,just getting it sorted as I bought it off a young bloke that couldn't really afford the maintenance so I'll do a bit of tinkering myself. Upgrade the suspension as its getting a bit long in the tooth so if you have any thoughts on that I'd appreciate it.
Thanks Swagzz
An 01B12 with only 5500km on it - wow - My 02B12 has got nearly 40000km on it - the young bloke you bought it from obviously didn't ride it much - shyte it's not even run in yet.
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Gday Swagzz and :welcome:
My(sorry the minister of wars) 96 B6 has 130,000 on it, now thats long in the tooth.
When ya have a winter break, pull the shock out and couriers please it down here to Melbourne, Krooz Tune. David is the man. Details he needs is your style of riding 1 up 2 up, whether your preference(soft or hard), your and ya partners weight (yeh I know getting a bit personal) and he will set up your shock and spring. He also needs to know if you’re touring most of the time and what sort of load.
Here is a little snippet about the lad
The founder of Krooz Tune, Dave has helped engineer winning machines for names like Dowson, McGee, Craggill, Marlbro Yamaha, Rothmans Honda and McLaren F1. He has also worked on numerous YRD projects including designing and hand building the first TTR250RR chassis for Yamaha.
His the only man who puts his fanny scratchers near anything of mine when it come to suspension, other than me of course. Which reminds me Dave where is my rex front end? :stickpoke: Just Daggen, I'm his couriers please driver :wink:
oh yeh betta put his details in I spose it may help.
1/62 Wadhurst Drive Boronia 3155 Victoria, Australia (03) 9801 2122
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Hi B6Mick
Might just have to go for a ride ,have friends at Maidenwell so it could be organised and as for a winter layup this is North Qld ,ride all year round :lol: but I was actually looking for aftermarket gear i can just swap out
Swagzz
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An 01B12 with only 5500km on it - wow - My 02B12 has got nearly 40000km on it - the young bloke you bought it from obviously didn't ride it much - shyte it's not even run in yet.
Hey AB
Just looked at that, should have an extra 0 in there 55000 ks would be closer.
Swaggz
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An 01B12 with only 5500km on it - wow - My 02B12 has got nearly 40000km on it - the young bloke you bought it from obviously didn't ride it much - shyte it's not even run in yet.
Hey AB
Just looked at that, should have an extra 0 in there 55000 ks would be closer.
Swaggz
That does sound more like it,
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My 02 Bandit has all most 58000 ks on it still running like a dream, (except on cold wet mornings she don't seem to like wet starts when she's been parked outside all night at work).do all minor maintenance my self bigger stuff when I think it needs it, not exactly by the book :taz: :taz: Graham
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My 02 Bandit has all most 58000 ks on it still running like a dream, (except on cold wet mornings she don't seem to like wet starts when she's been parked outside all night at work).do all minor maintenance my self bigger stuff when I think it needs it, not exactly by the book :taz: :taz: Graham
My 02B12 has 39,000km on it and it too doesn't like cold wet/damp mornings/days. Winter is obviously the worst, it's not unusual for it to be below zero and foggy in the mornings, which means that the Bandit is a pig to ride until it gets warmed up. I'm not very mechanically minded, so other than the normal daily/weekly stuff, it goes to a mechanic.
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Move to north queensland should fix the cold starts :bigok:
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it may fix the bike, but it'd kill me, I hate the heat. Anything over about 35 and I feel like dying, not to mention the humidity.
Besides, while the B12 would like the heat "The Treasurers" M750 has the reverse problem and is a pig to ride when it's too hot - occaisonally suffers from 'vapour lock'.
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it may fix the bike, but it'd kill me, I hate the heat. Anything over about 35 and I feel like dying, not to mention the humidity.
Besides, while the B12 would like the heat "The Treasurers" M750 has the reverse problem and is a pig to ride when it's too hot - occaisonally suffers from 'vapour lock'.
If you hate the heat come to Finland.Max temperatures about 28 C* in summer and you can ride without light
in the night-time.
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Hi Swagzz
Glad to here you are back on a bike :clap:
I have on 05 with 49,000 on the clock , damn good bikes
Hope you cover many more miles.
Garry
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it may fix the bike, but it'd kill me, I hate the heat. Anything over about 35 and I feel like dying, not to mention the humidity.
Besides, while the B12 would like the heat "The Treasurers" M750 has the reverse problem and is a pig to ride when it's too hot - occaisonally suffers from 'vapour lock'.
If you hate the heat come to Finland.Max temperatures about 28 C* in summer and you can ride without light
in the night-time.
What you fail to mention is how cold it gets in Winter, I know a prefer colder weather, but not freezing
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Have to trade it for a snowmobile.
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it may fix the bike, but it'd kill me, I hate the heat. Anything over about 35 and I feel like dying, not to mention the humidity.
Besides, while the B12 would like the heat "The Treasurers" M750 has the reverse problem and is a pig to ride when it's too hot - occaisonally suffers from 'vapour lock'.
If you hate the heat come to Finland.Max temperatures about 28 C* in summer and you can ride without light
in the night-time.
Today(23.01) it is -2C*.but it can be -20*and in lapland -40c*.
What you fail to mention is how cold it gets in Winter, I know a prefer colder weather, but not freezing
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Even here in Cranbook it was -22C(-8F) overnight, and -25C(-13F) Sunday night. We usually get this a couple of times for a few days each winter. We used to get -30C(-22F) at least once each winter a decade ago, but not since then.
-40C(-40F) was fairly common when I lived in Edmonton in the mid 1980's...Stormi can tell you about it. So similar weather to you IPPO.
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Hey and you guys north of the border reckon we get shyte weather :beers:
-40 WTF and I love snow skiing but -40 ya kiddin me.
Even my favorite drop of anti freeze wouldn't work at that temp. :shock:
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and I complain about cold winter mornings in QLD :duh: don't realize how well off I am living in sunny QLD (gods country) coldest for me personally -5 Xmas in July Stanthorpe. I must be a sook :toofunny: :toofunny: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Hey and you guys north of the border reckon we get shyte weather
-40 WTF and I love snow skiing but -40 ya kiddin me.
I love to snow ski as well...but I don't go if it is below -15C for a daily high, and really prefer it to be warmer than -10C...
When it got-35/-40C in Edmonton, we only went to the big West Edmontom Mall, and even then you had to make sure you had emergency gear in the van in case you had to walk a block or two...otherwise we just stayed home. That's part of the reason I now live here in "warm" Cranbrook, where it is usually -10C overnight and -5C days for the winter months.
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lets see, -5 is a nice day in Cranbrookfor pmackie ,willo says he is going to stop complaining about the -5 winters in Stanthorpe,
Now I remember why I left Canberra in 82 for a week in Queensland and forgot to go back,black ice nearly took me out on Black Mountain so I went for a ride to sunny Qld.
I think I'll just keep above the Tropic of Capricorn,ride all year :motorsmile:and perve on the backpackers in bikinis in winter.Even the rain is warm (mostly ). :bandit: :beers:
swagzz
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Yea......go ahead, rub it in....I might be riding in another 10 weeks. :boohoo:
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Swagzz, you rode roads that i know very well, and Mt Morgan is my back yard, usually do a run up the razorback and down the the range on the way home from work. or vice versa, up the range down the razor back and then onto home.
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Hi All
Been up to my freckle in crocodiles .floods wrecking the job, crocs moving into storage dams near the site,owners wanting their beach house back that I was renting (bloody rude ) and having to move .
So now its time for a short holiday back to Brisbane ,taking some gear with me so the bike is following on a trailer.
Once the business end is done its vanishing time into the hills to catch up with some friends and head west for some playtime where the speed cameras are far and few between.
Did the headlight up grade on the Bandits wiring loom so now i can travel over 50 kmh after dark and still see where i'm going.
Will post some pics of this trip when i get back.
Thommo, the Mt Morgan Rd was a great run ,pity the storm had laid so much debris on it but next time I head south thats the way I'm heading. riding to work and back through there almost makes going enjoyable.
Later swagzz
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Tell me more about the headlight up grade on the wiring loom please, asked at local Suzzy dealer was told nothing could be done. I am all ears sick of not seeing at night :lol: :lol: :lol: Graham
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Mount a pair of Hella FF50 driving lights on, solves the problems! the hellas are far and above the narvas etc. or if you have money, drop a pair of PHIDS on, similar in size and shape to the hella, but are HID. roughly 35W each. I gotta put mine back on, have been slack since i painted the bike some months ago! :)
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Tell me more about the headlight up grade on the wiring loom please, asked at local Suzzy dealer was told nothing could be done. I am all ears sick of not seeing at night
Hey Graham, if you haven't checked out this sticky topic, it has a lot of data on your question:
http://forums.banditalley.net/index.php?topic=2982.
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Hi guys
Basically theres 2 things ,
1 the reflector inside the headlight unit rubs and puts a fine dust coating on the lens
2 there is a power drop from the wire in the loom being to small.
But the forum notes on the headlight upgrade will give you a good idea of what you need.Theres 7 pages so I'd suggest reading it all as there are a few options.
page 2 is a link about getting the unit apart, you have to put it in the oven to soften the sealant, check it often, have rags or tea towels ready to handle it as it is a bit warm, small screw driver to move tabs on joint and wait until the kitchen boss is away for a couple of hours.
Don't get the sealant on anything, causes domestic problems :)
page 3 explains the voltage drop
Theres also a modification to the blocker plate in the low beam ,I did clean out the headlight module first as the low beam was totally covered in dust but after doing the mod I think I would just take the blocker out all together.
Items from auto sparky because he can show you how to wire the relay if you,re not sure
8 metres dual core 4 mm wire
good connectors
soldering iron
2 inline mini fuse holders
2 x 20 amp fuses
2 small relays - I used smaller than the standard car and zip tied them in place as they have no screwmounts.
zip ties- cable ties
I placed the relays under the seat on top of the mudguard
Fuses between battery and relay on the power circuit to bulb and the earth from bulb to battery negative.
when you cut off the wires at the bulb mounts ensure you leave enough to solder onto the new wire
The white and yellow wires are the power circuits at the headlight.
I connected the relay switch circuit to the original wires going to the headlight here so I did not have to modify the loom. This requires a bit more wire but is much simpler than trying to trace the wires through the loom.
Cost about $50
Any questons message me and I'll give you my phone number
Later swagzz
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Hi all
Well finally got away with a mate,on an R1, I lead so he wouldn't get lost :lol:
left Brisbane heading north and dropped off the highway at Landsborough on the old highway, now Steve Irwin Way or the road to Crikey World then up through the Mary Valley to Gympie>
Nice twisty bit of road though watch it just out of gympie where the road gets wide and good,the local tax collectors hang there with their ray guns.
Breakfast at Hungry Jacks (Burger King) then up the hiway to turn off towards Kilkivan on the Wide Bay Hwy and some nice sweeping bends on good 2 lane roads, cruising around 130 most of the way with Waldo muttering about the R1 being in 2nd gear idling :annoy: but he reckons he had my riding style figured out so he'd stay where he was,probably waiting for me to go bush or something.
The road to Tansey has been sealed all the way now so is a good shortcut heading to Gayndah on the Burnett Hwy, prety good run ,light traffic and no bluelights.
missed a turnoff going through Gaynndah and ended up on a backroad heading to Mundubbera,single lane but was twisty with a some hill work in it ,then ended up on the hwy about 10 k out of Mundubbera where we were to meet some mates and stay for the night.Camped in the pub waiting for the other three. Stayed the night and boosted the bar takings by a substantial margin. :beers:
Watched the :aus:ANZAC dawn service from the pub balcony then got sorted to head to Dalby for breakfast :grub:where Greeny headed back to Brisbane while Waldo, Krash Kat ,rusty and myself headed to Cecil Plains, Milmerran,Inglewood and on to Yelarbon where cold drinks and a great mates place was waiting.
This is back road 2 lane stuff so you can pick your speed ,Krash kat on his Dyna set the pace at 140 as he had been done :cop: on the way down for 127 and lost the last of his points.
Kat had a dig at some boy racer on a Bandit trying to tear his mirrors off at 200 + :boohoo:( throttle stuck open momentarily)
Mouse had organised a campsite on a property but the 15 k of sandy road tested some peoples dirt skills ,apparently R1's are not that great on bush tracks.
So we set up camp for 2 days of drinks and bullshit catching up on 5 years since we had all been together
Sunday saw us packed up and heading out at 10 am with a nasty crosswind pushing the Bandit around because of the gearsack and stuff on the back.
Tank bag only from now on.
Lazy run back to Brisbane through a few backroads then Toowoomba and the steady run back to Brisbane to pt the bike back on the trailer to head home to Mackay.
A great way to spend a few days riding with some old mates and new ones exploring roads off the highways that are surprisingly good ,just have to watch out for the roos and emus even though we only saw a couple.
later Swagzz