Maintenance and Modifications

I recently installed a full set of LED indicators on the ZX-9R, to replace the monstrous ghastly affairs that Kawasaki thought looked nice. I had real problems with them flashing too fast. I tried several different resistors at each of the indicators, but they made no difference. In the end I had to fit a new flasher relay that I got from Halfords of all places.

Helen recently had her tyres changed for Michelin Pilot Road 2s on the VFR, for our impending trip to the Pyrenees. When the wheel was off I noticed that the rear pads where very low indeed, which was surprising as it had only done just over 4000 miles. So we went and got a set of HH sintered pads and fitted them, I also gave the callipers a good clean as 1 of the pistons was sticking a bit.

In preparation for our trip I also changed the oil and filter on my VFR. I also changed the clutch and brake fluid as it had never been changed by Honda. The clutch was a nice simple job, but the brakes are another story. There are a total of 7 bleeds valves that need to be opened to fully bleed the system, each one of these has to be completed in sequence and it isn’t possible to do it on your own. I also changed the rear pads as they where quite worn and stripped and cleaned all the callipers, none of my pistons were sticking much.

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Hartside in all Seasons

Helen and I went on a run yesterday to Hartside. We left Clitheroe Services at around 9:30am and headed on the A59 to Skipton. We turned off at Sawley and took our usual route to Settle via Wigglesworth and Rathmell. Instead of going to Settle we turned left onto the A65 and headed over to Devil’s Bridge at Kirkby Lonsdale.

After a brief break we headed up towards Sedbergh on the A683, we turned off just before Sedbergh onto the B6257. We stopped after a while on this road near to Beck Foot so Debs could take some photos of her bike next to the lovely viaduct. We followed this road until we joined the A685 and took that to Tebay. From Tebay we took the B6260 to Orton then the B6261 over Crosby Ravensworth Fell to the A6 at Shap. We then took the A6 all the way up to Penrith, were I stopped for some fuel. After that we took the A686 to Alston, after Melmerby we started the climb of Hartside. It was initially damp at the bottom of the climb, but was dry near the top. We stopped at Hartside for lunch, while we were having lunch we noticed outside that it kept trying to snow.

After lunch we left Hartside on the A686 to Alston, it had stopped trying to snow by now. The road was initially damp, but we soon got onto dry roads again. We turned right in Alston and took the B6277 to Middleton-in-Teesdale. In Middleton we turned right onto the B6276 and headed into Brough. We then went on the A685 to Kirkby Stephen, where we stopped so Helen and Debs could fill up. We then took the B6259 past Pendragon Castle and over Mallerstang Common to the junction with the A684 at the Moorcock Inn. We turned left here and took the A684 into Hawes, we didn’t stop in Hawes and immediately turned right onto the B6255 and headed towards the Ribblehead Viaduct. This road was again spoiled by some really wet bits, that suddenly turned dry and then back to wet again. At Ribblehead we turned left to Settle on the B6479, we stopped in Settle for a brew at the Ye Olde Naked Man Café. As we arrived in Settle it started to rain and hail very heavily.

After a coffee and scone we went on our usual route back home via Rathmell and Sawley. The weather in Settle had stopped raining by now and probably 2 miles from Settle the roads where bone dry again. The weather yesterday was bizarre to say the least we had some snow, hail, rain and sunny blue skies as well, all 4 seasons in 1 day.

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