Last weekend I took the XS up to the Dragon rally. It's a famous rally held since 1962 on what is traditionally the coldest weekend of the year, in the mountains and hills of North Wales.
I thought I was well prepared, checking the bike over the whole of the preceding week, and also making sure I had plenty of warm clothing and a sleeping bag that was good for sub-zero temperatures (C that is !).
For me, the trip was 480 miles all in, and I set off at 6.30 am on Saturday morning. Naturally I only got 5 miles up the road when the clutch cable went slack ! And of course, I had packed all my tools under the seat, which necessitated removing all my carefully packed camping gear.
It turned out the nipple at the bottom end had pulled out of the actuating arm, so I had to remove the sprocket cover, put the cable back in, squeeze the cable holder back together, and tie a couple of cable ties around the arm to stop it opening up again.
Anyway, I made the rally ok, got there around 2.30pm, (don't forget, mine's a 250 not a 400). I was greeted by the sight of a quagmire of a field, with a mountain on each side, and a raging torrent of a river running alongside. Not to mention probably three times more tents camped there, than space would safely allow ...
Eventually I found a spot on a slope, and set up the tent. As is usual at these things, I ended meeting loads of great guys, all strangers, but with a similar bond, (lunacy, I think), and had a good time, a few beers, and listened to the bands playing in the marquee that evening.
Oh, and I also bumped into a guy called Sumo, who is well known on the UK Britchopper forum, for the double engined Panther he is building, with a view to running it at Bonneville next year!!
Sunday morning it was up and pack, say farewells, and ride home. It pissed with rain the whole way back, took me around 7 hours, feet were immersed in water the entire journey, (note to self: new boots for next winter), and the bike developed a habit of not running below 3K on the revcounter. That was ok if I revved her at junctions, but on a couple of occasions she would stall, or I'd stop for petrol, and would be a complete git to start again.I think I have some muck in the pilot system, (I had the tap apart last week, and I think some stray bits have found there way into the carbs).
Anyway, here's a pic, I've spared you the sight of my ugly mug
I thought I was well prepared, checking the bike over the whole of the preceding week, and also making sure I had plenty of warm clothing and a sleeping bag that was good for sub-zero temperatures (C that is !).
For me, the trip was 480 miles all in, and I set off at 6.30 am on Saturday morning. Naturally I only got 5 miles up the road when the clutch cable went slack ! And of course, I had packed all my tools under the seat, which necessitated removing all my carefully packed camping gear.
It turned out the nipple at the bottom end had pulled out of the actuating arm, so I had to remove the sprocket cover, put the cable back in, squeeze the cable holder back together, and tie a couple of cable ties around the arm to stop it opening up again.
Anyway, I made the rally ok, got there around 2.30pm, (don't forget, mine's a 250 not a 400). I was greeted by the sight of a quagmire of a field, with a mountain on each side, and a raging torrent of a river running alongside. Not to mention probably three times more tents camped there, than space would safely allow ...
Eventually I found a spot on a slope, and set up the tent. As is usual at these things, I ended meeting loads of great guys, all strangers, but with a similar bond, (lunacy, I think
), and had a good time, a few beers, and listened to the bands playing in the marquee that evening.Oh, and I also bumped into a guy called Sumo, who is well known on the UK Britchopper forum, for the double engined Panther he is building, with a view to running it at Bonneville next year!!
Sunday morning it was up and pack, say farewells, and ride home. It pissed with rain the whole way back, took me around 7 hours, feet were immersed in water the entire journey, (note to self: new boots for next winter), and the bike developed a habit of not running below 3K on the revcounter. That was ok if I revved her at junctions, but on a couple of occasions she would stall, or I'd stop for petrol, and would be a complete git to start again.I think I have some muck in the pilot system, (I had the tap apart last week, and I think some stray bits have found there way into the carbs).
Anyway, here's a pic, I've spared you the sight of my ugly mug
never heard of spanners! 
