belfastguzzi

That point number two is a bad job. It's dead boring out there.

What do you use that for? Cleaning your visor? I brought a slim packet of hand-cleaner tissue things, can't remember their name. They were useful when rear drive leaked oil, both for cleaning tyre and hands. Spanner was also needed to top-up drive box oil. I also carry a spare brake lever ( a repaired broken lever) for same reason as Murray, in case of a fall – wouldn't want to be left without use of either brake or clutch. Also carry kit for replacing a broken pawl spring – for old time's sake.

Don't you want it up to full?

Parked on a bridge! That's the sort of obstacle that I was spending my time trying to steer around on the way home too. Martin should have known better. Obviously Baldini led him astray. I suppose they were in the river below the bridge: what do they call that – 'in the drink' is it? Sssshhhhhhhh. You know there's an hour's summary on BBC1 at the moment?

baldini - you checked your email? DB

You may enjoy it, but of course, it's wrong. You're meant to screw the thing in. Manual says so somewhere, I'm sure.

Hey! I said sshhhh! Don't mention that Baldi likes to keep well oiled...

You can see in the picture above how shiney the tyre and rim are from oil. When I stopped for a break in Dublin and wiped the oil off, again, I saw that it really wasn't coming off. The worst of the wet stuff wiped off but a complete band, between a quarter and third of the tyre width, remained slippy soft after 750 miles of soaking. Putting my boot sole against the oily section, it slid straight off, no grip at all. Anyway – got home ok. VERY glad the roads were dry. Running on water would have been unwelcome. Fast right-hand corners, particularly on motorway, and roundabouts were . At least the good roads were mostly predictable. Worst thing was the bad roads because although slower, they threw up the unexpected and sharp engine breaking or use of back break resulted in slides. Bike ran great, such a pleasure to ride. A lot of the motorway sections are elevated and exposed in open countryside – the crosswinds get tiring when your head is already being pulled off. BTW, what way did you go? Via Cork and all main roads? I made the mistake of cutting across country to avoid Cork. The road was atrocious. Narrow continuous bends between hedges and banks so you can't see more than a few yards, every sort of surface imaginable, unexpected direction changes, unexpected things sitting on road appear round corner (including a wooden plank). Sticking to the main road (N22 and then straight onto the N8 at Cork) would definitely have been so much faster. I was surprised that it now seems to be possible to go most of the way between North and South on good (new) roads. Very different to the 'old days', though once you stray off the main roads you're right back to the old days. Part of the attraction of the Republic, of course (if you've got time). 3 hours to Dublin, 1 hr break, then 2 hours to home. Not bad considering the time-wasting back roads mistake and oiled tyre. I'll post a link to pictures when I get time to put them on web.

We heard similar from an MG dealer at Erin Rally. Breva production coming on stream & Griso: pretty much as above. New model of Cali to be produced. MGS also to be produced as talked about elsewhere here. Baldini will probably remember the details better than me.

A bit of road More pics, when there is more time

That's what I was thinking/hoping, so, we'll believe it to be true. Mr Baldini got a try on the 1100 Breva at rally. Apparently it's a great bike. Pity it's as ugly as sin. I think I'd rather look down on a flickering oil pressure light than the Breva's ever-expanding-fueltank/plastic thing and the spacehopper ear handlebars. And what will it be like in 20 year's time, sitting at the Erin rally with your classic old Breva, a multi-meter and a penknife trying to bypass the fizzled-out whizzy electronic start-up diagnostics so that you can get the old crate home? Anyway, back to oil-levels. Baldini likes to keep topped-up. But don't mention it. Shhh..

Before the warning-light incident, I was thinking about the 'windage' plate or whatever it's called, as I was thinking about what the oil was doing during lots of sustained 100mph sections on the way home. I was also thinking how someone, Pete Roper possibly, had said that by the time the warning light comes on it's already too late, the damage is done. Then the warning light came on Deep sump, windage tray, keep topping up the oil ??

I've just returned from the Erin Rally this evening. Oil was 'pretty full' to start – it's hard to be accurate with the dipstick. Rode to the bottom of Ireland, round a bit and back up again: 830 miles. On the way home, accelerating hard from standstill, the oil light flashed on. :!: Checked the oil when I got home. Somewhere between half and full – it's hard to be accurate with the dipstick. Same as you. Looks like I better carry oil on trips over a couple of hundred miles and keep it filled up to top. (On subject of oil: also had layer of oil round one side of back tyre for whole trip, as drive box seal – I presume – went at the start of the journey. Gave me something to think about on right hand corners )

These Famsa supersports might work ok with Ti upswept pipes They look a bit tiny though.

and the first reason is??? 'business'? hmmmmm..

Yeah, but they don't sell the 2-wheel drive version here, so....boo hoo

Well, yes, but you're not meant to spray lube on them. Thick grease would have a serious effect too, the other way. The local garage here has a new (new to here anyway) type of air supply. You set the required pressure on a digital display on the pump and then it stops when the pressure is reached. No more very inaccurate analogue gauge on the hose. But whether it is accurate, I don't know. Certainly, it is closer to the reading on my own gauge(s).

Yeh, rear seat is, quite literally, something else. I was thinking that something similar could be knocked up for the dinky little rack that MG supply as a rear carrier for the V.11. It would be ideal for transporting monkeys. Then I remembered that MG have specifically prohibited that (see other posts for official warning illustration.....) The HP2 has been described as the toughest Boxer ever, but I think this is the real deal.

well, if they loan it out...

Does anyone know if their air gauge is really accurate? What can it be measured against? Is the only way to guarantee an accurate measurement to spend a lot of money on a top qualty professional instrument? Although they get slated in the press, I suspect that the old stick/pencil gauges that I have are as accurate as anything. The digital gauges that I have bought all read differently. These are mostly Halford branded. I recently bought Oxford's digital gauge as it claims to be highly accurate, but am disappointed to find that it under-reads by 2 lb/sq' compared to the other gauges I checked against. But is it the correct one? The Halfords digital and the sticks are a closer match than the Oxford, which has been recommended in the press. It doesn't matter so much with car/truck tyres, but for the motorbike it would be nice to know to a better accuracy than 2lbs.

No. That was you. I would recommend a vet.

It's only American spec bikes have those. Chuck it. They're a waste of time. Enzo disconnected his and now the bike does 135mph, with a sofa attached too.

Thanks, I suspected that the 'Gelände' part of the word was a clue. A chance to pull that lever would be a fine thing.

one of these numbers must point to the lever for selecting the low-ratio gearbox

Oh yeah. You're right. I forgot that.