Well a frustrating week with changing the rear tyre. I decided to do it myself as I thought it would be good experience for if I had to do it for real – say out in the wilds in Scotland. Well my conclusion is maybe take a tube but wait for the breakdown guys to show up – I’m two tubes down and no further forward…
First off getting the tube out and one side of the tyre off was simple enough but to get the whole tyre off – nightmare had to resort to cutting the damned thing! New tyre on and the fun begins with first one tube pinched followed quickly by a second.
I’m fixing a Pirelli Scorpion Trail which is a radial tyre and maybe because of the stiff sidewalls really hard work. The tyre sits hard onto the rim so even just getting the valve through the rim really needed gloves to prevent your cuticles getting pinched (ouch!)…
I was careful so it must be down to technique. I part inflated the tube to try and keep it out of the way. Used rim guards and flat 12″ levers but both times caught the tube. Now this is annoying but what if I really was out in the middle of nowhere! And another thing a bike without a bloody centre stand what is that about…
To add to my frustration I got the V55/5 forms for Atlas #3 registration and sent it all off…only to remember I needed to attach my insurance certificate. It got sent the next post but now I have two sets of paperwork circulating in the DVLA – they’re sure not to hook up…
Atlas #2 is running well but the sprag clutch is on its last legs. I should’ve put more effort in to installing the Zane sprag on that but decided instead to go for the tyre…I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it holds to next weekend and I’m going to spend the light evenings sorting out the tyre and putting on a new sprocket and chains. The non o ring does seem to go off quickly but maybe that’s the reality of a daily 100 + mile commute – routine maintenance seems to come round quickly.
The fun part of the week was riding with my daughter on her SR125. She passed her theory test so now needs to get in some miles in preparation for the practical. This weekend she upped the pace (if such a thing is possible on an SR125) and soon we were buzzing along at 55-60 mph. Catherine learns fast and I must say watching her lines through the corners was impressive – much better then me when I started out…many, many years ago.
Right off to find some patches and glue….
Nick 🙂
Bent screwdrivers, big hammers and old Laverdas 