Every May 1st here in Rogaland, a couple of thousands of MC-enthusiasts gather for a common rideout known as "Vårsleppet". This year was the 21st time the rideout had been performed, and this time Roughnecks would participate. The full rideout goes from Bryne - Sandnes - Stavanger - Ålgård - Egersund - Bryne, with a party at Bryne afterwards.
Traditionally, the rideout attracts a lot of Harleys and other "common" MC's. I say common, as in "there are 1000-2000 similar MC's here".
Alf and me followed the rideout from Jæren MC at Bryne, where the rideout starts, in to Stavanger.
Between the 2000 shining MC's, I think we were the only two scooters... Definitive outsiders!
But we were met with smiles and "thumbs up", and attracted a lot of attention from both the MC riders as well as the audience on the route.
Rideout towards Stavanger
Stavanger Centrum.
We should definetly do this again next year, this time lets hang around for the party!
A package from Ebay & No-Mar tire changer company arrived yesterday.
Large packet.
4 bolts drilled into the floor & some work later the tool was ready for use.
I've got the Cycle Hill version, youtube description here:
According to the description the tire changer should be usable for wheels down to 7". As I practiced with my semi-damaged wheel, I soon understood that the smaller the rim, the harder the job is.
After some swearing and practice, watching Youtube D.I.Y movies on tirechanging, I actually managed to get my "practice wheel" installed. But not with the No-Mar tools provided.
I'll write off some of my problems to beginners fault, but the fact is that the 10" tire change differs from the 26" they show on Youtube.
For once: The first bead just pops over the edge of the rim. Doesn't happen on 10".
Second: The clamp for holding the tire down is made for larger bikes. On a scooter the smallest radius mid section is covered.
Third: The stiffness of the bead is apparently more extreme when trying to release tire from rim. I actually bent one of the No-Mar special tools on first try.
Not too happy with function, I soon also discovered that the build quality of the tool was poor: The mid axle is utilized both as a centre post and as a handle for the bead breaker. But the axle does not fit the bead breaker hole, possibly because of too much paint.
First impression: Possibly no. 1 tool for large MC wheels, but for 10", forget it. I could have managed with a much cheaper tool. But I will try to make friends with it, still have some rims left to install.
During the weekend I tried to install my first tubeless wheel. I must admit that I was expecting a struggle to get it to fit, but not as difficult as it actually turned out to be. Difficult as in "impossible"; at least with my tools.
Result: After struggling for a day, going out for more & longer tire-bars and new rim protectors, I successfully destroyed both the bead of the Continental Twist & also the rim edge. (Rim protectors from SIP: Too soft. Rim protectors from Biltema: Much harder, to a point where they have to be pressed onto the rim edge. These were an absolute nightmare to work with on a 10" wheel.)
It started with a scratch, and then another one, and then the tire edge was damaged... and the rim edge. After some time I just gave up both the rim & tire. I figured I might as well use this wheel for practice, and started working without rim protectors.
Tirebars of different lengths, rim protectors of different qualities, bead-breaker and a semi-mounted tubeless, but destroyed rim/tire.
Lesson learned: right tools is at least 50% of the job. I need a tire changer, for example this tool to get this job done myself. No-mar tire changers are available on Ebay for a reasonable cost, I might be crazy enough to invest in one...
Second work done this weekend can be read and viewed in my Rally and 180SS blogs.
Third. To mark summertime and start of new scooter season, Roughnecks Scooterclub had its first rideout in 2011 today. If you wan't to read or view pictures from this, visit Roughnecks homepage (google translate available) and Roughnecks Facebook page (sorry, Norwegian only).
Well, tubeless reality struck Stavanger today, as SIP delivered a cradle of tubeless rims & a couple of sets of tires to my address. Along with some other goodies as well to various scooters.
Anticipation...
Schwalbe Raceman to the left, Michelin S1 middle, Continental Twist to the right. All of them are 3.50x10.
Various sets of tubeless rims (Silver, Black, black with polished rim) in sets of three. Silver ones: Rally, Black ones will be painted and used on Ferdinand, last set: No decision made - yet.
For quite some time now I've had issues with my automatic garage door. For some reason it works too well - it opens the garage without any warning. The garage is situated in the basement of the house, so it also provides free access into the house if the door is not locked. To say it mildly, the magic garage door has worried me for some time. I've tried to reprogram it, but the next morning the door was open again...
So lately I've been unplugging it from the 230V when taking the scooter out for a spin.
Well, not anymore. Yesterday, I installed a new opener:
The old Alltronik Speed 600S, unreliable on its old days...
Replaced with a opener called Rawlink.
The installation job took about 2 hours, hopefully well worth the trouble. No more magic expected. The rest of the evening was spent on the Rally, preparing this for registration. The Rally definitively has some issues to be solved prior to approval, thats for sure. More about this here.
My 180SS was punctured - again. This time, luckily, the puncture was observed at home. Last time I had to change the wheel at work.
For some time I've been drooling at the tubeless SIP 2.50X10" rims, which comes in a variety of finishes, for many reasons. Safety for once, puncturing in speed is not nearly as hazardous as ditto with tubes. Second, no more repairing of punctures. Third, looks. All benefits, but there is one downside: You need equipment to change tire yourself.
Well, I don't have to worry about that anymore:
I've bought a tire-changer. Suitable for both cars and MC's, even 10" wheels.
After a long search both on national and international advertising webpages, forums and Ebay, I finally found a Vespa Rally worth my while in Stockholm.
This beauty is mine now, only trick is that I need to pick it up in Stockholm... Kamikaze trip here I come!
Update: As all of my other scooters, this scooter has got its own blog.
