W/E 5th June 2016

So Atlas #3 is ready for France!

Used the bike for work from Wednesday and she’s running well – that is after the bike decided to destroy the rattly old plastic chain guard. I was sure I could hear some kind of racket and when I got the bike out on Friday noticed the missing chainguard! Hey ho – stole the one off Atlas #2…which of course had stolen the chainguard off Atlas #1.

The chainguard incident however is all part of the road hardening process – in this case both for the bike and my hand – after a week of riding and exercises I can now (just) get my thumb and little finger to ‘kiss’ (note oil from the garage).

Road hardening showed that if I keep the revs below 2,500 I can go down the box so the clutch might just be for pulling away if my hand cramps up. This hand situation means I am likely to do more highway work than normal just because it saves changes.

The clutch on a Mk 1 – 2 is cable operated. It doesn’t feel any heavier than the hydraulic unit but having not bought a spare cable (come on OCT reply to my email) this is an area that could see us stranded by the roadside – fingers crossed…

Aside from the chainguard, riding showed up how twitchy the off road style tyres make the bike feel – it might also be running the standard 120/90 rear speeds up the steering but whatever it was back to Atlas #2 to swop onto road rubber – a fresh front goes on Tuesday.

I’m sticking with the standard disc up front as the warp in the 320mm unit is a bit pronounced and might have contributed to my tumble?

The standard shock had to be replaced. The MOT station had been generous saying it had ‘light misting’ so I knew it had to be changed for a 1500 mile two up tour. Sure enough it was leaking quite heavily – Atlas #2 came with a White Power unit which I’d taken off and had put a stock unit on…so Mrs A and I will travel in comfort suspended by WP – the shock just soaks up the bumps unlike the cheap Marzo fitted as standard.

Pannier rails from Atlas #1 complete the touring package – these always appear too wide on a Mk 3 Atlas because that runs slimmer bodywork so with the exception of the front fairing which will need thinking through to fit we’re good to go!

Nick 🙂