Quick Run

We took the bikes out for a quick run over the

local moors on our usual loop through

Denshaw and

Saddleworth today. I gave the bikes a quick check over and as usual had to pump

up all the tires. Helen’s Z1000SX especially had low pressures.

I took out the ZX-9R and then was  going to go for a quick run on the BMW, but luckily I checked it’s MOT status first as it had lapsed. The bikes ran fine and the recent sanding of the discs definitely has helped the braking performance of the ZX-9R. Normally after the winter break the ZX-9R does run a bit rough, but this year after the initial struggle to start it from cold it ran very nice indeed.

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Spring has Sprung

Well after a miserable wet winter and no biking or maintenance of any note. The weather on Saturday was really nice, it sort of sneaked up on us and so we had other plans over the weekend.

I was determined to do something with the bikes so on Saturday afternoon I decided to bring the ZX-9R out into the daylight to carry out some post winter maintenance. I had noticed last year that the brakes seemed a bit off. Which is why I changed the piston seals on the front calipers. This seemed to make the pistons move easier but didn’t really improve the braking much. Anyway I decided today that I would take the pads out and the front wheel off and rub them down with some 200 grit emery cloth incase they had glazing on them. After taking the grit cloth to them they all came up pretty well and I hope that will sort out the brakes, there was certainly some glazing on them. Although it might just be the case that the BMW’s are just so good that the brakes on the ZX-9R don’t feel any good in comparison.

While I was at it I also gave all the moving bits a lube and also slackened the drive chain off, as at the MOT they said it was a bit tight. After all that I gave the bike a run up and tested the brakes on the driveway to check they still worked. It was my intention to give both bikes a quick run over the moors today but the weather had turned overnight and rained. Although the sun did come out again the roads never dried off fully before it was too late.

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